Once it was only dreamed to tourists-loving people to have a five-star quality ship on Cox’s Bazar to St Martin’s Island route, now it is going to happen in reality as a five-star ship named ‘MV Bay One’ will operate regularly on the route from December 21.
Karnafuli Ship Builders of Chattogram bought the ship from Japan to ferry passengers on Cox’s Bazar to St Martin’s Island route. Earlier the name of the ship was ‘Salvia Saru’. The ship is currently stationed in Chattogram.
‘MV Bay One’ will be inaugurated on December 20. On this day the ship will leave Chattogram for Cox’s Bazar. The ship is scheduled to go on its maiden voyage the next day and will operate regularly on the Cox’s Bazar-St. Martin route.
Made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the ship has presidential suites, twin cabins, double cabins, luxury seats, international standard restaurants, swimming pools, dance bars, etc.
Visitors have to pay Tk 2500 minimum fare per head for luxury chair coach and Tk 4000 for Super Open Deck. At this cost, one can go to St. Martin and back to Cox’s Bazar.
While the cost of a single bed is Tk 4000, Tk 25,000 for a double bed VVIP cabin, and Tk 30,000 for a luxury cabin. Four tourists can go in this package.
One can also spend the night in this luxurious ship at Cox’s Bazar. There are three packages including a round trip to St. Martin, an overnight stay on the ship, and food. In this case, the cost for a single bed will be Tk 8000 and Tk 40,000 for VVIP cabin and Tk 45,000 for the luxury cabin.
This is not the first ship on the route from Cox’s Bazar to St. Martin. The ‘Karnafuli Express’ of the same company started ferrying tourists on this route this year. But that was not a five-star standard.