The luxury cruise ship, Silver Whisper, part of the Silver Sea Cruise liner company called at the Colombo Port in Sri Lanka on Monday carrying 300 high end luxury passengers who are on an around the world voyage.
The ship first called at the Trincomalee harbor on March 22, prior to docking at the Colombo port.
The Silver Whisper boasts of amenities of a grand resort. The charms of a stylish boutique hotel with world-class accommodations, shipboard conviviality and warm, individualized service, paired with the enhanced spaces and amenities of a larger ship.
Majority of the cruise passengers indulge in shore excursions to take a break from the sea journey and explore the country. Shore excursions such as the Geofrey Bawa tour, the Vice Roy tour on the diesel engine locomotive, visiting the historical Kelaniya temple, spending the day with the Pinnawala elephants and Exploring the city of Colombo were undertaken by these clients before they departed.
In a background as this, Sri Lanka attracts around 60 cruise calls a year out of which majority of the shore excursions are handled by Aitken Spence Travels the leading DMC in Sri Lanka.
Minister of Tourism John Amaratunge along with the Chairman of the Tourism Advisory Committee is keen on developing this important tourism segment in order to entice and attract more cruise ships to Sri Lanka.
“Much work needs to be done and they wish to facilitate and encourage the government for a cruise terminal and find ways to ease cruise procedures, spruce up the passenger terminal facilities etc.,” the Minister said.
“Though Sri Lanka has four ports, it is important to find ways of developing these ports to be competing with other reputed cruise destinations in the region”.
In order to exchange ideas and find ways the Minister of Tourism along with a high ranking delegation met Norman Rasel Son, Cruise Director of the luxury Cruise Ship Silver Whisper and held discussions.
