India’s Growing Cruise Culture, Discover the Latest Trend by India Cruise Tourism and Travel: Here is Everything You Need to Know About It, Now

Published on July 12, 2025

Cruising is shaking up the travel scene in India. What was once deemed an elite luxury sojourn, India cruise tourism is becoming mainstream and within reach of travelers of all hues. From domestic trips to international voyages, cruising has been one of Indians’ most exciting ways to explore new frontiers. Sea cruises and river cruises, both, have been on an expansion spurt, and the romance of sea travel still holds immense appeal to an entirely new generation of travelers, from first-time cruisers to seasoned ones.

The New Age Cruising Experience in India

Cruises, previously the sole prerogative of the rich, the ultra-rich’s domain, as depicted by films like Dil Dhadakne Do and Titanic, created a romantic image of cruising: luxurious ships, good food, and breathtaking sceneries of the boundless sea. However, the face of cruise tourism even within India is evolving. Cruises, which were an abstract fantasy to many until well recent times, are now becoming increasingly popular among a much broader class, such as yuppie professionals and middle-class families.

According to a SOTC and Thomas Cook report, cruises have become a desirable means of travel among Indians who are seeking special and unforgettable travel experiences. Cruises are popular among tourists due to the fact that they can combine immersion, recreation, and exploration and yet offer the virtue of slow travel, that is, visiting many destinations without the usual hassle of unpacking and packing.

Most Popular Cruises Sailing from India

India’s cruise ship business is being shaped by new players like Cordelia Cruises, which has become the pioneer to enter the domestic cruise market. Cordelia offers budget luxury and deluxe trips to passengers who wish to experience the freedom of the sea. The trip from Chennai to Sri Lanka, e.g., is one such journey Indian tourists prefer very much. The 5-night cruise costs up to ₹50,000 or so per person, which makes it an interesting proposition to tourists who wish to experience the luxury cruise feel without the heavy prices that come attached to going abroad.

Apart from Cordelia, however, ultra-premium and luxury cruises to overseas destinations like the Caribbean and Mediterranean continue to do well. Such cruises, which go to overseas destinations, are attractive to those who have big budgets. Such luxury cruise passengers, therefore, travel long distances by flights to overseas ports from which their cruises set off, and there they find deluxe facilities, customized comforts, and programs that transport them to the exotic corners of the world.

River Cruises: An Unsung Indian Gem

While cruises to the ocean have countless opportunities for adventure and relaxation, river cruises within the country have proved immensely attractive to budget-conscious travelers. Indian river cruises are reasonably priced, besides, and cost anything from ₹20,000 per person and onwards. The river cruises provide a unique opportunity to travel on picturesque riverways, and they are not only suitable for week-end excursions, but long expeditions, too.

One such notable itinerary is Antara Cruises’ Kolkata to Varanasi cruise. The cruise offers tourists a feel of the rich cultural and religious life of India by cruising on the Ganga River. During the cruise, tourists are treated to the Indian countryside and beautiful towns that, otherwise, are not reachable by road journey.

The Northeast offers the Brahmaputra River an experience just as stunning. Assam Bengal Navigation offers cruises on the Brahmaputra and Ganga rivers that take tourists on multi-night trips through one of the country’s most stunning and unspoiled regions. The cruises include an opportunity to view Assam’s natural beauty, which includes dense jungles, tea gardens, and old towns.

The Rise of Themed Cruises

As there are special cruises to allure tourists of different interests, theme cruises are gaining importance inside India too. These cruises are designed to cater to those tourists who want to experience and live up to that specific culture or experience. Antara Cruises’ Artisans of Bengal cruise falls within the same category. The cruise focuses on the textile traditions of the place and provides tourists an experience to explore the vibrant world of Bengali crafts and weaving cultures.

One such unique option is the Silk & Rhinos cruise, which sails on the Brahmaputra River. Passengers on this themed cruise travel to Sualkuchi, Assam’s silk-weaving hub, where they get to witness firsthand the graceful art of making traditional Assamese silk clothing. The cruise vessel even takes a safari stop close to Kaziranga National Park, which is a home to the endangered one-horned rhinos and the awe-inspiring Bengal tigers. Such themed cruises provide tourists with the opportunity to merge their love for culture, adventure, and exploration into a single unforgettable experience.

Gen Z and Millennials: The New Cruise Enthusiasts

Cruise vacations, which once belonged to the realm of retirees and senior tourists, are gaining popularity among the younger lot nowadays. Gen Z and millennials are becoming further interested in cruise vacations, especially those featuring adrenaline-pumping onboard attractions, such as rock climbing, zip-lining, and live entertainment. Young tourists, according to Rajeev Kale, President of Holidays at Thomas Cook India, not only opt for cruises, but they are behind the growth of the industry as well.

Travel among youngsters is not traveling to those mandatory sites any longer; it’s really going on to find unique, different, and unusual adventures that are not on the regular tourist trail. Cruises, by virtue of providing immersion and hassle-free travel holiday vacations, are just the perfect thing that youth travelers want: adventure, solitude, and freedom to explore new destinations while enjoying a floating hotel experience.

Growth of India Cruise Tourism in India

India’s cruise industry stands on the cusp of exponential expansion. Indian cruise travelers surged to 4.71 lakh in FY 2023-24, stated a Public Information Bureau (PIB) report. The industry’s growth directly attributes to increasing disposable incomes, new travel experience requirements, and state initiatives to build the industry.

The Cruise Bharat Mission, launched in 2024, will play a leading role in making India an integral player in the world cruise tourism scene. The mission seeks to develop world-class cruise ports, improve infrastructure, and encourage cruise lines to homeport vessels in India so that Indian tourists find it easier to access a variety of cruise holiday choices.

The Maritime India Vision 2030 comes to its aid further, which aims to increase the number of cruise ship departures from Indian ports and to allure international cruise players. These initiatives will help to make India one among the major cruise tourism destinations in the decade ahead.

India Cruise Tourism : The Affordable Luxury

One of the key drivers behind the growth of the cruise industry in India is its affordability. While there are a number of luxury cruises that are not within many people’s budgets, there are such domestic river cruises as those by Cordelia Cruises that allow tourists to experience the luxury cruise experience within an affordable budget. The luxury cruises that are affordable have helped middle-class families to experience a cruise holiday without going over the top.

Government Support to India Cruise Tourism

The Indian government’s mission is to grow cruise tourism. The Cruise Bharat Mission and the Maritime India Vision 2030 are to develop the proper infrastructure to facilitate sailing from Indian cities on cruises and to entice foreign cruise ships to Indian ports. The mission aims to develop India into one of the major players on the world cruise ship scene, to service domestic and international passengers equally.

Final Take on India Cruise Tourism

The cruise tourism industry of India is witnessing a major revolution nowadays. As domestic river cruises grow and budget luxury cruises become widely sought, Indians are increasingly embracing the seafaring mode of traveling. From active intervention by the government to an evolving market that caters to travel budgets and sensibilities, Indians are set to take a major spot among the world’s cruise tourism giants in the years ahead. From novice cruisers to experienced adventurers, there’s something for every traveling enthusiast and budget from the cruise culture of India.