Bernhard Schulte Cruise Services (BSCS) has clinched a technical management deal for a new Indian cruise venture.
It will oversee Jalesh Cruises’ 70,000-gt Karnika (built 1990), which was previously P&O's Pacific Jewel.
The Crown Princess-class vessel is undergoing comprehensive refurbishment at Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard in Singapore before entering service from Mumbai in mid-April, the company said.
It will operate cruises to Dubai throughout 2019.
BSCS said: “We are very proud and excited to welcome this fine vessel into BSCS’ management, and being part of the first dedicated, domestic cruise operation on the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East.”
Jalesh Cruises is backed by Amit Goenka of Essel Group, a multi-billion-dollar Indian conglomerate with interests in media, entertainment and tourism.
The company has recently received a $10m investment from a subsidiary of Delta Corp, India’s largest casino gaming company.
In September last year, Subhash Chandra-led Essel said it was planning a big push into the cruiseship sector after being revealed as the buyer of the Pacific Jewel for $123m.
It was looking for more ships for its start-up, which was then called Zen Cruises, and could invest as much as $2bn if the conditions are right.
BSCS was formed in 2018 to expand in the sector.
