There was a time when cruises were synonymous with international holidays. But, not anymore. With an extensive coastline and several navigable inland waterways, domestic ocean and river cruises are slowly becoming just as popular. If you’re thinking of an ocean cruise, you’ll find several itineraries off India’s east and west coast. On the other hand, the Ganga and Brahmaputra are rapidly emerging as sought-after river cruise routes. Let’s take a closer look.

Ocean Voyages with Cordelia Cruises
International cruise lines like MSC Cruises and Celebrity Cruises stop at Indian ports from time to time. However, for now, Cordelia Cruises is the only cruise line running regular coastal cruises from Indian ports. Whether you’re looking for a short getaway on the high seas or a longer sailing holiday, there are plenty of round-trip and one-way Cordelia Cruise packages to choose from.

West Coast Ports and Routes
When it comes to holiday cruises, Mumbai, Goa, and Kochi are the most prominent port cities on the western coastline. If you want to sample the sailing experience, the Cordelia 2-night Mumbai High Seas Cruise is a great choice. Or, you could consider the 2-night, one-way Mumbai to Goa or Mumbai to Kochi cruise. The 2 nights at sea give you ample time to enjoy the amenities and entertainment onboard the Cordelia Empress.

You can also take cruises to Lakshadweep from these ports. Given the limited connectivity to these islands, a cruise is one of the most popular ways to get here. Cordelia Cruises links Agatti Island to Mumbai, Goa, and Kochi. These cruises give you a full day to explore the beaches and corals around the island. Itineraries range from a 3-night one-way Kochi to Lakshadweep to Mumbai Cruise to a 5-night Mumbai to Lakshadweep cruise via Goa.

East Coast Ports and Routes
On the east coast, you’ll find cruises departing from Chennai, Puducherry, and Vishakhapatnam. Amongst their shorter cruises, the 2-night Chennai High Seas cruise and the 2-night Cruise from Chennai to Vishakhapatnam are the most popular. The 5-night cruise from Chennai is ideal for a longer cruise experience. Here, you'll get port days at Vishakhapatnam and Puducherry.

From Chennai, Cordelia Cruises also operates international cruises from India. The 5-night cruise from Chennai to Sri Lanka is a popular choice. On the other hand, if you’re keen on exploring Southeast Asia, you could go on a 10-night one-way cruise to Singapore via Phuket, Langkawi, and Kuala Lumpur.

India’s River Cruise Ports and Itineraries
River cruises in India are still at a nascent stage of development. While ferry crossings and boat rides are common, luxury river cruises are largely limited to the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. Today, there are 2 well-known river cruise lines in India - Antara Cruises and Assam Bengal Navigation.

Immersive River Journeys by Antara Cruises
Antara Cruises operates river voyages across the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Brahmani rivers. Their itineraries along the Ganga range from short weekend escapes to longer cultural explorations of river towns, colonial relics, and spiritual experiences. Some of the main ports of call on these voyages include Varanasi, Ghazipur, Buxar, Patna, Munger, Sultanganj, Bateshwarsthan, Jangipur, Murshidabad, Kalna, and Kolkata.

Their 2-night Amazon Of The East cruise is a great choice for quick getaways. At the other end of the spectrum are their multi-week cruises between Varanasi and Kolkata.  You could also book cultural holidays like the 7-night Artisans of Bengal cruise. Or learn about indigenous wildlife on cruises through Bengal’s mangroves.

Discovering Eastern India’s Rivers with Assam Bengal Navigation
Assam Bengal Navigation operates luxury river cruises on the Brahmaputra and Ganges Rivers. These cruises take you through tea gardens, national parks, historic temples, and more.

On the Brahmaputra, you could book yourself a cabin for the 3-night Brahmaputra Taster cruise. This is inclusive of a day trip to Kaziranga National Park for rhino spotting. For a longer trip, the 10-night Brahmaputra Maximum cruise is a great pick. It combines the gentle pace of river cruising with visits to Sibsagar, Majuli Island, Vishnath, Tezpur, Guwahati, Sualkuchi, and Kaziranga.

Cruises by Assam Bengal Navigation on the Ganges explore the river as it flows through Bengal and Bihar. The 3-night Bengal Memories cruise is a popular getaway cruise. This round-trip cruise from Kolkata includes stops at Kalna and Chandernagore. If you have more time, try their week-long journeys. You could set sail on the 6-night Holy Ganges Cruise between Patna and Farakka with stops at Nalanda, Monghyr, and Bhagalpur, or the 7-night Historic Lower Ganges Cruise between Kolkata and Farakka.

Getting the Best Cruise Deals in India
Whether you want to sail across the ocean or India’s mighty rivers, Cruisebay makes booking cruises from India simple and stress-free. Connect with our team to match your cruising style to an itinerary and find the best route and cabin for your holiday. That’s not all, we’ll also help you book flights to and from the end ports and make hotel bookings for a pre- or post-cruise land holiday. Planning a holiday was never this easy!