Thomas Cook (India) Limited and its group company SOTC Travel have expanded their luxury cruise holiday portfolio, adding new ocean and expedition voyages across Europe, the Mediterranean, Antarctica and the Arctic. The move reflects what the companies describe as growing demand among Indian travellers for immersive, experience-led holidays that combine multiple destinations with premium hospitality.
The expanded portfolio brings together established ocean voyages, Mediterranean sailings and expedition-led experiences, alongside curated land itineraries. Highlights include journeys aboard Cunard's Queen Mary 2, luxury Mediterranean cruises taking in France, Italy, Spain and Greece, all-inclusive Antarctica expedition cruises featuring Zodiac excursions and guided shore landings, and an Arctic itinerary combining an icebreaker cruise with fjords, Lapland adventures and opportunities to see the Northern Lights.
Each itinerary has been designed as a complete holiday package, including flights, hotels, transfers, sightseeing and the cruise experience itself, aimed at allowing travellers to visit several destinations within a single trip.
The Queen Mary 2 experience is positioned as a premium offering, described by the companies as embodying Cunard's "White Star Service" and timeless elegance, with the highest level of luxury reserved for suite accommodation.
Mediterranean sailings, operated in partnership with Costa and MSC cruise lines, take in coastal cities, islands, gastronomy and wine regions across France, Italy, Spain and Greece. The companies note that select winter departures offer milder weather and fewer crowds, making them suitable for more relaxed exploration.
The Antarctica expedition cruises are aimed at adventure-focused travellers and include a stay in Buenos Aires, flights to Ushuaia, and voyages aboard polar expedition vessels including Swan Hellenic and Atlas Expedition ships. Guests can take part in guided Zodiac excursions and shore landings, with opportunities to see penguins, whales, seals and other Antarctic wildlife.
The Arctic itinerary, marketed as "Arctic Delights – Northern Lights Special," features an icebreaker cruise alongside Norwegian fjords, Lapland experiences and chances to view the Aurora Borealis. The route spans Tromsø, Stokmarknes, Narvik, Kiruna, Rovaniemi, Kemi and Helsinki.
The companies said the expanded offering is backed by partnerships with international cruise operators and their own destination expertise, and is intended to appeal to a broad range of travellers, including couples, families, multi-generational groups and those seeking distinctive, once-in-a-lifetime journeys.
Rajeev Kale, President and Country Head for Holidays, MICE and Visa at Thomas Cook (India) Limited, said cruise holidays were entering "an exciting phase in India" as travellers increasingly viewed the journey itself as central to their holiday experience. He said today's travellers were seeking itineraries that combined multiple destinations with distinctive onboard experiences and immersive exploration, and that the strengthened portfolio reflected this shift across Europe, the Mediterranean, Antarctica and the Arctic.
SD Nandakumar, President and Country Head for Holidays and Corporate Tours at SOTC Travel, said cruise holidays brought together relaxation, exploration, premium hospitality and the convenience of visiting multiple destinations within a single journey. He said this made cruises increasingly relevant to a wide range of travellers, from couples and families to multi-generational groups and those seeking unique experiences, adding that the expanded portfolio offered greater choice across cruise formats and destinations while maintaining end-to-end convenience through curated land experiences.
The companies present the expanded portfolio as part of a broader effort to offer Indian travellers a single, trusted provider managing all aspects of a cruise holiday, from initial planning through to return, combining cruising with onshore experiences designed around specific regions and interests.
