KOCHI: Even as Kochi continues to be the hottest cruise destination, it never seems to succeed as a cruising base. After Louis Cruise, now it’s the turn of Amet Cruises to bid adieu to Kochi. Chennai-based Amet Cruises has decided to terminate its services based in Kochi. The vessel Amet Majesty, which the company was using for services in Kochi, will sail off Kochi waters on May 27 to Lakshadweep, from where it will head for Chennai. Amet Majesty has been lying idle at the port for the past two months.According to the company authorities, they are terminating services, as the season in Kochi is over and is planning to shift services to Chennai only. Asked why the schedule is not being renewed, they did not give a clear answer.“We have done 20 sailings so far. A service to Lakshadweep is scheduled on May 27 and after that the ship will be based in Chennai. It will come back to Kochi in the next season,” they said.However, sources in the port management and shipping industry revealed that Amet’s Kochi services were not a success financially. There were not enough passengers, said a top official of the Cochin Port Trust. As part of its efforts to support cruise tourism, the Port Trust was providing 50 percent concession for the vessel on different port-related charges.Though the liner has a carrying capacity of 1000, at the time of its launch, the company had made it clear that it would be carrying only 600. Amet Majesty started its Kochi services in October 2011 with three services - Kochi to the Maldives (four nights), to Lakshadweep (two nights) and one high-sea trip during weekends.Louise Cruises Earlier, Cyprus-based Louise Cruises had started services from the Cochin Port in 2009. It stopped operations citing high port charges. Louis Cruises’ MV Aquamarine was conducting three services - Kochi-Colombo-Kochi; Kochi-Maldives-Kochi; and the one-night Kochi High Sea - in a week. Louis Cruises started its service on December 1, 2009 and wound up by the end of January 2010.
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