The venture, financed by the Economic Development Corporation of Goa, is aimed at exploring Goa's scenic backwaters (stretching across an area of 105 kms) which cut across villages, a release said.

While the cruiser is being built by Waterways Shipyard, Clavin Marketing will handle the sales, marketing and reservations, the release added. Taj Flight Kitchen will be the caterers for the vessel as the negotiations with the Taj group is underway, the release said.

The cruiser, powered by two, 235 BHP motors, has a length of 65 metres, breadth of 10 metres, a depth of 10.5 metres and a draft of 1.8 metres.

The Cruiser, in all, has three decks and the first one has 35 air-conditioned cabins. The second deck has a restaurant and a provision for Casinofor which the approval from the government of Goa is awaited. The third deck has a salt water pool with a large pool deck area. The approximate tariff for the room will be in the region of Rs 5,000 per couple. The floating hotel will docked in the front of Hotel Mandovi, Panjim at least four times in a day.

The project is the brainchild of Hitesh K Trehon, who after working as a mariner in various foreign shipping companies, set up a shipyard at Vasco-Da-Gama, Goa in 1982.