Andaman Tour Packages by Ship and Cruise

There are two things people mean by an Andaman tour package by ship or cruise, and they are very different.

1. A mainland ship to Port Blair. Government passenger ships sail from Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. The voyage takes roughly 2.5 to 3 days each way, tickets are sold in four classes, and the ship is a practical passenger vessel, not a leisure cruise liner. It is cheap but slow and fixed to the sailing dates.
2. A cruise-style ferry between the islands. Private operators such as Makruzz, Nautika and Green Ocean run fast, air-conditioned ferries between Port Blair, Havelock and Neil, in classes from economy to royal. This is what most "Andaman cruise" packages actually include, and it is part of almost every island trip.

We could not find a confirmed leisure cruise liner calling at Port Blair on a regular schedule, so be sceptical of any package promising one. This guide explains each option, what it costs, how to book, and when a ship makes sense compared with flying. Our own packages use government-operated inter-island ferries and do not include the mainland leg.

Fares are as published by travel guides in 2025 and 2026 and change. The sections below give the detail and the sources.

Passenger ships run from three ports to Haddo Wharf in Port Blair: Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. The published distances are about 1,362 km from Chennai, 1,302 km from Kolkata and 1,124 km from Visakhapatnam.

• Journey time. Guides give 50 to 70 hours. One quotes about 60 hours from Chennai, about 70 from Kolkata and about 56 from Visakhapatnam. Weather can add to this.
• Frequency. Chennai and Kolkata see roughly 3 to 4 sailings a month. Visakhapatnam is quoted as about one sailing a month, though some sources say 3 to 4. Plan around the actual published schedule rather than a rule of thumb.
• Ships. The vessels named in guides include MV Nicobar, MV Nancowry, MV Swaraj Dweep, MV Harshavardhana and MV Akbar. Which ship runs which route changes, so check the current schedule.
• What the ship is. A guide puts it plainly: it is not a cruise liner, so do not expect entertainment or a resort-style dining experience. It is a commercial passenger service, and private vehicles are not carried.
• Booking. The Directorate of Shipping Services announces each sailing and has sold tickets through its e-ticketing portal and counters. Some guides say tickets can only be bought in person at the Shipping Corporation offices. Confirm the current method before planning, and book several weeks ahead because seats are limited, especially in peak season.

Ports and sailing dates shape the whole trip. A fixed number of sailings a month means you plan your holiday around the ship, not the other way round. Guides also describe a stop of two to four days at Port Blair between arriving and sailing back.

Ship tickets come in four classes: Deluxe, First Class, Second Class and Bunk. The fares below are one-way, in rupees, as listed in a travel guide last updated in February 2025. We could not confirm 2026 fares, so treat them as a guide and check the current tariff with the shipping directorate.

The classes differ in comfort. Deluxe has the most comfortable cabins, and Bunk is the basic, budget option. Guides do not agree on exactly what each class includes, so ask what is covered, including meals, before you pay.

A return trip at these rates costs between about ₹4,600 (Akbar bunk) and ₹20,500 (Deluxe) per person, before the cost of getting to the port city.

This is the "cruise" most Andaman visitors actually take. Three private operators, Makruzz, Nautika and Green Ocean, run ferries between Port Blair, Havelock and Neil, and government ferries cover the same routes at much lower fares. Private operators sell several classes on each ferry, from economy up to royal.

One published fare list (updated March 2026) gives these one-way fares per person. The operator and class matching in the source table was unclear, so use them as a guide only.

Private fares can rise in peak season, and government schedules can change, so confirm prices close to travel. The government fares shown are for non-islanders, and are far lower than the private ones. Check timings and availability for the boat you want.

On our own packages, inter-island travel is by government-operated ferry in the booked base class, and it is included. If you would rather travel by a private cruise-style ferry, ask us whether an upgrade is possible and at what price before booking. The fare gap per person per crossing can be large.

Our view. For a standard Andaman holiday of 4 to 7 nights, fly. The ship costs less per ticket but adds around five to six days of travel and ties you to the sailing calendar, which leaves little room if a ferry or flight is delayed. Choose the ship if you have the time and want the voyage to be part of the trip, if you live in Chennai, Kolkata or Visakhapatnam, or if the budget is the deciding factor.

Here is how a traveller from Chennai might combine a mainland ship with a land package. This is an illustration, not a quote.

The same trip in Bunk class on the ship would save about ₹8,200 per person, and Deluxe would add about ₹7,000 over Second Class.

What the calendar looks like. The ship takes around 2.5 to 3 days each way, so a 5 night package turns into roughly an 11 to 13 day holiday. Because sailings are limited, you also have to match the ship's arrival and return dates to the package nights, including the stop in Port Blair between sailings.

What to check. The ship docks at Haddo Wharf, not the airport, so confirm the pickup and drop arrangements for your package. For flight-based budgets, see our Andaman trip cost guide.

Both kinds of sea travel depend on the weather.

• Voyage length varies. Guides quote 50 to 70 hours for the mainland ship, and note that weather can change it.
• The dry season is easier. The Andaman season runs October to May, with November to April the most popular stretch. June to September is the rainy period, when rain can disrupt ferries and water sports. Our best time to visit Andaman guide has the month-by-month rainfall.
• Island ferries can be delayed or cancelled when the sea is rough, and government ferry timings, tides and weather can change the order of a day.
• Seasickness. Long sea voyages are hard for some people. If you are prone to it, test yourself on a shorter boat trip before committing to days at sea.
• Leave a buffer. Do not tie a flight home to the same morning as a ferry or ship arrival.

Mainland ship

1. Check the current sailing schedule for your port. The shipping directorate announces each sailing and publishes the schedule, and guides suggest checking more than a month ahead.
2. Decide on a class (Deluxe, First, Second or Bunk) and ask what it includes.
3. Book as early as the schedule allows. Seats are limited and tickets can sell out in peak season.
4. Confirm the booking method. Tickets have been sold through the directorate's e-ticketing portal and counters, though some guides say in-person purchase only.
5. Carry valid photo ID and confirm the boarding time and port.

Inter-island ferry

1. Fix your island order and dates first, since ferries run on set days and times.
2. Choose government or private. Private operators have online booking, and our packages use government ferries in the base class.
3. Carry a government-issued photo ID for every traveller.
4. Book early for peak dates, especially 24 to 31 December.

If you book a land package with us, the inter-island ferries are included, so you do not need to book them separately.

Our standard packages start in Port Blair and run as a loop through Port Blair, Havelock and Neil.

• Included: hotel nights, daily breakfast from Day 2, airport pickup and drop, a private AC vehicle for scheduled sightseeing, and government-operated inter-island ferries in the booked base class.
• Not included: flights or any mainland ship ticket, lunch and dinner, water activities, and gala dinner or peak-season supplements.

So a ship does not change what the land package covers, but it does change the dates. If you plan to arrive by mainland ship, tell us your sailing dates when you ask for a quote so we can fit the nights around them.

• 4 nights / 5 days
• 5 nights / 6 days
• 6 nights / 7 days
• 7 nights / 8 days

Tell us how you plan to reach Port Blair (flight or ship), your dates and group size, and we will build the land package around them. Get a free quote.

Useful next reads: the Andaman Nicobar tour packages page, the Andaman trip cost guide, best time to visit Andaman and places to visit in Andaman.