M. S. Ocean Odyssey, a luxury cruise liner visits Tuticorin

M. S. Ocean Odyssey, a luxury cruise liner , a part of the new cruise service introduced by Indian Ocean Cruises Limited, New Delhi, connecting Goa, the Lakshwadeep Islands, Mangalore, Kochi and Colombo, on its maiden voyage, arrived at the Tuticorin port on 23rd January 2006.

M. S. Ocean Odyssey is a 105.6-metre-long vessel boasts of standard and deluxe cabins, a swimming pool, two Jacuzzis, a dining room, a dance floor, a spa and a beauty saloon, a bar, a library with 200 books and a fitness centre which makes it a four-star vessel carried 54 tourists, both foreign and domestic, as against its capacity of 290 passengers, and a crew of 152.

The vessel called on the trading ports of Kochi and Mangalore, the untouched islands of Tinnakara and Suheli in Lakshwadeep and Sri Lanka, before reaching Tuticorin. To the accompaniment of nagaswaram, the tourists arrived at the port. District Tourism Officer T. Chellappa and Tuticorin Port Trust Public Relations Officer Arunachalam received them. Seven tourists — four Britons, one Irishman, one Estonian and a Columbian — embarked on a sightseeing trip to the heritage sites in Tirunelveli district.