Pandaw, the Southeast Asia river expeditions specialist, are proceeding with plans for a full launch on the Ganges of the Orient Pandaw for September 2019.
The Ganges programme, originally due to launch with new ship Katha Pandaw in January, had to be postponed due to issues with exporting the vessel from Myanmar.
The Katha Pandaw is now expected to set sail from Yangon next week and to begin cruising in March.
Passengers booked on January and February departures have been offered a full refund or rebooked. Most have chosen alternative Pandaw river expeditions in other destinations or on land tours arranged for them within India.
Meanwhile the March and April departures are still going ahead.
Sailings on both the Lower Ganges, out of Kolkotta, and the Upper Ganges, as far as Varanasi, are almost fully booked and Pandaw remain very excited about future prospects in India, which will be the seventh country they navigate through.
In fact, Pandaw are now sending a third vessel from Myanmar to cope with the demand. Because of its ultra shallow draft, the two-deck Kalaw Pandaw can pass under obstructive bridges in high water and go year-round as far as Varanasi.