Priya Gupta’s venture, Fun Cruises warmly welcomes you to a world of luxury yacht cruising in Goa, like never before
When one says Goa, it conjures up images of sunny beaches and lazy days spent lounging on the seashore, soaking up the sun. The fact that Goa is synonymous with beaches is not lost on anyone, be it a first time traveler or a seasoned one. Wanting to change this perception of the state, Priya Gupta started her venture, Fun Cruises which opens up a world of luxury yacht cruising in Goa, so that one can experience the state on a whole different level.
A Masters in Finance from Delhi University, Priya worked for the Unit Trust of India as a fund manager for a year and later shifted to Goa after her marriage. When she came from Delhi she realised that Goa didn’t have a corporate culture back then and wanted to start doing something on her own. With a knack for hosting barbecues, Priya started her venture called Easy Grill, wherein she conducts live on-location barbecues at luxury apartments and villas.
Her family owned a yacht and Priya thought it would be the best way to show people the Goa that exists beyond beaches. “I feel one can add something more exciting to your itinerary and I started customising cruises on the yacht. This is how Fun Cruises was born six years back,” she says.
As time passed, Priya expanded her fleet given that she had the capacity to do so. “We wanted to be in every segment from the smallest trip to the biggest cruise and we began customising experiences for people. Right up from food, music, and décor, we do it all. We are a yacht rental company providing private experiences and if a group of friends, family or relatives want to experience Goa on a different level, we can give you what you are looking for.” Fun Cruises also caters to companies, corporate events and hosts different kinds of celebrations, be it a birthday or an anniversary. Priya says that Fun Cruises believes in creating good times and memories that will stay with you long after the cruise is over.
One can choose from a wide selection of yachts ranging from luxury motor yachts to compact speed yachts in Goa, and enjoy cruising with your near and dear ones. For a group of 6 people, they have the SpeedBoat 232; for groups of 8, the Mandovi Lounge Boat and for groups of 9, the Manta Ray which is a 9 seater yacht.
For larger groups of people, they have the Searay 330 which seats 10, the Funliner which seats 11, the Ferretti 460 which seats 12 and the Prestige 36 which seats 14 people. The Luxury Catamaran is their largest yacht and seats 25 people.
All of these vessels have a minimum booking time and price range along with various other specifications. Juice and water is complimentary on all yachts while a live barbecue is available only on the Searay and Catamaran yachts. Fun Cruises also provides drone photography when a cruise is booked, so that you can capture all those joyous moments.
Fun Cruises offers tailor made boat cruising packages that offers you an unforgettable experience in Goa.
One can enjoy the picturesque seascape of Goa with some live and smoking hot barbecue and chilled beer on the ‘Beer and BBQ at Sunset Cruise’ or go aboard their honeymoon cruises on the ‘Stars in the Sky Cruise’. One can choose to hop on the luxury catamaran and start living life king size, while you bask in the glory of the sun by the sea in Goa on the ‘Fun in the Sun Cruise’ or enjoy a lazy evening in the middle of the Arabian Sea under the moonlight on the ‘Dance in the Moonlight Cruise’. Explore the beautiful landscapes and the serene waters of Goa through fishing on the ‘Waterbaby Cruise’ or customise your own cruise by creating your own cruising experience on the ‘You choose your Cruise’.
Priya says that they have received an overwhelming response from both tourists as well as Goans. “Few years back we had few locals trying our cruises but as word spread we have more Goans who like to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or have small events on our yachts. In December and January, when friends and relatives land in Goa, we see plenty get-togethers on our yachts. We have a lot of international clients as well for whom we do customised trips like fishing and in the process we learn a great deal from them especially when catering to their requirements.”
Fun Cruises caters to both, leisure as well as people who are serious fishers or those interested in learning about Goa’s ecology. The yachts are equipped with trainers and equipment for fishing. “We have a lounge yacht, especially for bird watchers and those who would like to learn about the mangroves and wildlife in the area,” she adds.
Priya states that infrastructure is a huge challenge due to Government regulations and permissions required. “We can do better if Government regulations are streamlined for yacht owners or yacht service companies.”
Fun Cruises runs 365 days a year, but during the monsoons they only hire out the bigger yachts with a lot of shade on top. There are about four options that are run throughout the year, which are sturdy, safe and one can enjoy a leisurely cruise in the rains. All the yachts have trained personnel onboard so that one can enjoy their rides in comfort and safety.
Regarding future plans Priya says that she wants to form an association for yacht owners. “I want to make things easier for yacht owners and I would like to approach the government to bring in ease of doing business for us in terms of policies, having jetties and infrastructure. This is something that I want to do in the next 3 to 4 months for us yacht owners, so that we can approach the government and Captain of Ports with our wishlist.”
Priya goes to add that a regulatory framework is very important especially when it comes to permissions. “Sometimes when one acquires a yacht it can take months to obtain a few permissions. When one makes an investment like this it is not feasible to stall it for months without working. It is very painful to just let our asset sit there without being used.”
Priya also states that with a yacht owners association formed, she is looking at policies being simplified and how they can function under it, what is allowed or disallowed. “Currently we come under adventure sports and I would like to convey to the government that we do not fall under this category. We are basically leisure and corporate events. We are a segment that is very different from adventure sports. If the government can simplify this for us, a lot more regulations can come in, define the safety measures for us and we will be bound that.”
She further says that a yacht is a different ball game altogether. “We should have a different regulatory framework in terms of jetty approvals, safety, parameters of where we can venture and things like that. Another thing is that prices can be standardised. People charge more sometimes if they know that a client is willing to shell out extra money. At Fun Cruises, all our prices are mentioned on our website along with that of drone photography, and this is something other yacht owners should also do. People should have clarity on what they are spending on and I feel this is what will make the experience enjoyable.”
Priya’s business at making a traveller explore Goa through its beautiful water bodies has turned out to be a winner. With breathtaking views, delicious variety of food and a vibrant atmosphere, Fun Cruises promises you a luxurious experience on-board with their well maintained luxurious fleet to its quality yacht crew and professional guest relations staff. Book your cruise and enjoy Goa from the seas.
To book your cruise check out http://www.funcruisesgoa.com and call +91 7391-052730
