Italy's Costa Cruises is planning a new Indian venture.
It will base the 53,000-gt Costa NeoClassica (built 1991) in Mumbai for trips to the Maldives, the Mint daily said.
Costa will launch on 16 December in a market lacking domestically-owned ships.
Initial voyages will continue until March next year, according to the office of India’s director general of shipping (DGS).
The Carnival Corp-owned brand will hope to succeed after Louis Cruise Lines pulled its Cochin to Maldives service in 2010.
“Cruise
