Cruise Booking

Picture yourself on the deck of a ship, lounging and looking at the open sea. The evening entertainment is lined up, followed by a gourmet dinner. While it sounds like a scene out of a Bollywood movie where the rich frolic aboard a luxury cruise, it might not be as out of reach as you would think.

Despite having 4,500 miles of coastline from Gujarat in the west to the Andaman Islands in the east and 13 major ports, the cruise industry in India is still pretty nascent, but a number of domestic cruises have been introduced in recent times. Indians rank number two among Asians in terms of choosing cruise vacations after China. Cruises have witnessed a marked increase lately due to various factors and increased disposable income among the middle and upper middle class in India. Indians are increasingly opting for tourism that offers a mix of adventure, entertainment and culinary experiences. The numbers support this. Over the last few years, demand for cruise liners has grown significantly and the category has witnessed a growth of over 25%. Data indicates that by the end of this year, more than 2.5 lakh Indians would have booked a cruise to one of their favourite seaside getaways in the world. India has an emerging middle class that is looking for novel vacation options apart from the traditional fly-land tour packages. Cruises offer a good alternative and there are a variety of brands and packages at different price points that can appeal to different audiences.