Cruise Holidays
Unpack once, wake up somewhere new — cruising from Mumbai, Singapore and Dubai with Indian veg and Jain food on board.
A cruise solves the two things Gujarati families worry about most on a foreign holiday: repeated packing and unpacking, and finding vegetarian food. On a ship you check in once, your cabin travels with you, and every large ship we sell has an Indian or all-day vegetarian counter running through the day — Cordelia Cruises out of Mumbai goes further and runs a full Gujarati/Jain menu, which is why it is our best-selling cruise for three-generation families.
We book three kinds of cruise depending on budget and how much flying a family wants to do. Cordelia from Mumbai needs no international visa and is the easiest first cruise. Singapore-based cruises (Royal Caribbean, Resorts World One) suit families who want a short cruise combined with a Singapore city stay. Dubai winter cruises (MSC, Costa) suit families already planning a Gulf trip and want to add the Gulf ports without extra flights. All three routes are seasonal — sailing dates, ship deployment and itineraries change year to year, so we always confirm current sailings before quoting.
What to see in Cruise Holidays
Cordelia Cruises from Mumbai
India's own cruise line, sailing Mumbai–Goa and Mumbai–Lakshadweep with no visa needed and a dedicated Gujarati/Jain kitchen — the easiest cruise for a first-timer.
Lakshadweep lagoons
Turquoise lagoons and coral reefs at Kavaratti and Agatti, reached only by ship or a restricted flight — Cordelia handles the entry permit for you.
Royal Caribbean from Singapore
Spectrum of the Seas or Anthem of the Seas sail 3–5 nights to Penang, Phuket or Kuala Lumpur — big ships with waterslides, an ice rink and a full kids' programme.
Resorts World One
A shorter 2–3 night cruise from Singapore, good for families who want a taste of cruising without giving up too many Singapore days.
Dubai winter cruises
MSC and Costa run 7-night Gulf loops from Dubai each winter, calling at Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Doha or Bahrain — a good add-on to a UAE holiday.
Formal night on board
One or two evenings per cruise where the main dining room dresses up — a favourite photo night for Gujarati families travelling as a group.
Kids clubs and teen zones
Every ship on this list runs supervised, age-banded kids clubs through the day, which parents and grandparents both appreciate.
Mediterranean summer cruises
For families wanting a premium European cruise, MSC and Costa sail 7-night Mediterranean loops from Italy or Spain in summer — priced and planned separately, on request.
Three ways to do Cruise Holidays
Every plan is customised. These are the shapes most families start from — each has a full day-by-day page and a PDF you can keep.
Cordelia Mumbai, Goa & Lakshadweep
A round trip from Mumbai on Cordelia Cruises, India's own cruise line — Gujarati and Jain food on the menu every day, no visa or international flight needed, and a full day in the Lakshadweep lagoons that most Gujarati families would never otherwise reach.
Singapore & Royal Caribbean Cruise
One night in Singapore city followed by a 4-night Royal Caribbean cruise (Spectrum of the Seas or Anthem of the Seas, subject to deployment) to Penang, Phuket or Kuala Lumpur — big-ship facilities, an Indian veg counter every day, and Jain meals available with advance notice.
Dubai Winter Gulf Cruise
A 7-night winter cruise from Dubai on MSC or Costa, calling at Abu Dhabi, Muscat and either Doha or Bahrain (varies by ship and season) — a comfortable add-on for families already in the UAE, with Indian food on board and no port-day flights.
Getting there from Ahmedabad
Mumbai (for Cordelia): IndiGo, Air India and Vistara fly Ahmedabad–Mumbai non-stop, about 1 h 15 m, several times a day — easy to fly in the same morning as embarkation. An overnight train is also workable for families who prefer it, arriving Mumbai by early morning. The cruise terminal at Mumbai Port (Ballard Pier/Mumbai Port Trust) is 30–40 minutes from the airport by road.
Singapore: no non-stop flight from Ahmedabad; the standard routing is one connection via Mumbai, Delhi or a Gulf hub, total travel time 8–11 hours depending on the layover. Book connections with at least 2–3 hours between flights, more for elders. Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore is about 25–30 minutes from Changi Airport.
Dubai: IndiGo and Air India Express fly Ahmedabad–Dubai non-stop, about 2 h 45 m, several times daily — the easiest of the three ports to reach. Dubai's cruise terminals (Mina Rashid/Port Rashid) are 20–30 minutes from Dubai International Airport.
Getting around. On board, everything — restaurants, pool deck, theatre, kids club, spa — is reached on foot within the ship; lifts connect all decks and are used heavily at meal times, so build in a few extra minutes. Ashore, the cruise line's own shore excursions (booked and paid separately, in advance or on board) are the easiest way to see a port with elders or children, since they guarantee a timed return to the ship; independent taxis work too but carry the risk of missing the sailing if traffic runs long, so we generally advise the ship's excursion or a very conservative return time when going independently.
When to go
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Lakshadweep (Cordelia) | October – May | Calm seas and clear lagoons; this is the sailing season. The route is suspended or altered in the June–September monsoon when the Arabian Sea is rough. |
| Singapore and Malaysia/Thailand ports | Year-round | Hot and humid throughout the year, 26–32°C, with short heavy showers possible any month — cruising is unaffected by season here, though October–February is marginally drier. |
| Dubai and the Gulf | November – March | Pleasant 20–28°C and the only season Gulf cruises actually sail; ships reposition elsewhere (often to the Mediterranean) for the summer, so a Gulf cruise cannot be booked April–October. |
| Monsoon effect on Cordelia | June – September | Cordelia's Goa and Lakshadweep sailings are typically suspended or reduced in the monsoon due to rough seas; the line usually resumes full sailings from October. We confirm current sailings before quoting any date in this window. |
Permits, rules and packing
Indian passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the return date for every route here, Cordelia included; immigration and the cruise line can deny boarding for a passport that does not meet this. Singapore requires an e-visa for Indian passport holders, applied for online in advance — we assist with the application. Dubai cruises require a UAE visa, which we file for every traveller as part of the booking; Oman, Qatar and Bahrain port calls are usually covered by a group shore-pass arranged by the cruise line, but this depends on the specific sailing and current rules, so we confirm it for your dates before booking. On board, your cabin key card doubles as your ship ID; you do not carry your passport ashore on Cordelia's domestic sailings, but you do need it in hand for every international port call. The Lakshadweep entry permit, required for every visitor, is arranged and included by Cordelia as part of the cruise fare — no separate application needed from guests.
What to pack
- Formal outfit for the ship's formal night(s) — a kurta/saree or a suit is fine, no strict dress code beyond smart-casual to semi-formal
- Motion-sickness tablets (Avomine or similar) even for guests who don't normally get seasick — start them the evening before sailing if prone to it
- Comfortable walking shoes for port excursions, which often involve uneven ground or a lot of standing
- Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses — pool decks and tender rides offer little shade
- Power adapter — cruise ships and Gulf/Singapore ports mostly use UK/EU-style three-pin or two-pin sockets, not the Indian standard
- A light jacket or shawl for the ship's air-conditioned interiors, which run cold even in the tropics
- Photocopies of passport and visa pages, kept separate from the originals, plus a printed copy of the booking voucher
Veg and Jain food in Cruise Holidays
- Cordelia Cruises runs a dedicated Gujarati and Jain menu daily across its main restaurants — the strongest vegetarian offering of any cruise line sailing from India.
- Royal Caribbean and Resorts World ships from Singapore carry an Indian vegetarian counter in the main buffet every day; Jain food (no onion, garlic or root vegetables) is available but must be requested at the time of booking, not on board.
- MSC and Costa ships on the Dubai winter routes also run an Indian food counter; as with Singapore sailings, Jain meals need advance notice through us at booking, ideally 2–3 weeks ahead.
- Food and soft drinks included in the cruise fare cover the main dining room and buffet; specialty restaurants on board (Italian, Japanese, steakhouse) carry an extra cover charge on every ship in this guide.
What it costs
Indicative per-person costs on twin sharing for 2026, including return flights from Ahmedabad, the cruise fare in the stated cabin category, and (for Singapore/Dubai) one hotel night on land where relevant. Actual quotes depend on cruise line, ship, sailing date and cabin availability, which change through the year — we confirm current sailings and fares before booking.
Cordelia's 4-night Mumbai–Lakshadweep sailing in an inside or oceanview cabin — the most affordable cruise on this list and the one most Gujarati families start with
A Singapore or Dubai cruise in a balcony cabin, including flights and the land hotel night, on a standard sailing date
A suite cabin on the Singapore or Dubai routes, or a Mediterranean summer cruise, with a drinks package and specialty dining added
Where the money goes
- Cabin category is the single biggest lever: a balcony cabin runs 40–70% more than an inside cabin on the same sailing, and a suite can be double the balcony price.
- Flights: Ahmedabad–Mumbai is inexpensive (₹4,000–8,000 return) but Ahmedabad–Singapore and Ahmedabad–Dubai involve a connection and run ₹25,000–45,000 return depending on the season and how far ahead you book.
- Shore excursions: not included on any of these cruises; a family of four doing the ship's organised excursion at every port can easily add ₹15,000–30,000 per person over a 7-night Dubai cruise.
- Gratuities: charged per person per night automatically on the onboard account on most lines (typically ₹700–1,200 per person per night) — ask us to confirm the exact rate for your sailing so it isn't a surprise at checkout.
Prices are indicative for 2026 and change with dates, group size and hotel choice. We confirm every price in writing before you pay anything.
Travelling with parents and children
- Book an early lifeboat drill slot if the ship offers a choice — the mandatory drill involves standing at the assembly point, which is tiring for elders if it runs long or in the sun.
- Choose a cabin close to a lift on a middle deck for anyone with mobility difficulty — the walk from a forward or aft cabin to the restaurants and theatre can be a genuinely long one on the larger Singapore/Dubai ships.
- Confirm Jain meals in writing at the time of booking, not on board, for every route except Cordelia — Singapore and Dubai ships need advance notice to stock and prepare Jain food correctly.
- Carry Avomine or a preferred motion-sickness tablet even if no one in the family usually gets seasick; a rough sea day on a 4- or 7-night cruise is common and hard to predict in advance.
- Kids clubs generally start from age 3 and run through the day with a lunch break; register children on the first afternoon on board as slots and age-band sessions fill up quickly.
- Keep the onboard account (a card linked to your cabin) capped or monitored — drinks, specialty dining and the casino are easy to spend on unintentionally, especially with teenagers on board.
Questions families ask us about Cruise Holidays
Is Jain food really available on board?
On Cordelia, yes, as a standing daily menu item — the strongest vegetarian and Jain offering of any ship sailing from India. On Singapore and Dubai cruises (Royal Caribbean, Resorts World, MSC, Costa), Jain food is available but only when requested at the time of booking, ideally 2–3 weeks ahead; asking on board is usually too late for the kitchen to arrange it properly.
Will we get seasick?
Most guests do not, especially on the larger modern ships, which have stabilisers. Sea days and open-ocean stretches (like the Dubai–Muscat run) are more likely to cause mild discomfort than calm coastal routes. We suggest carrying Avomine or a similar tablet and taking it the evening before a known rough stretch if anyone in the family is prone to motion sickness.
Which cruise should a first-timer choose?
Cordelia's 4-night Mumbai–Goa–Lakshadweep sailing. No visa, no long-haul flight, familiar Gujarati/Jain food throughout, and a short enough duration to know whether cruising suits the family before committing to a longer or pricier international sailing.
What do kids clubs actually cover?
Age-banded supervised sessions — typically 3–17 years split into groups — running through the day with activities, games and a themed programme, plus evening sessions on some nights so parents can attend the formal dinner or a show. Exact age bands and hours vary by cruise line and we confirm them for your specific sailing.
What cabin should we book for senior parents?
A balcony cabin on a middle deck, close to a lift bank, is the easiest for seniors — no far walk to the restaurants and theatre, and the balcony means they don't have to climb to a pool deck for fresh air. An inside cabin is fine for a short cruise like Cordelia's 4-night sailing if budget is the main concern.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cruise lines apply tiered cancellation charges that increase closer to sailing — typically minimal loss beyond a booking fee if cancelled 60+ days out, rising to a significant percentage or the full fare inside 2–3 weeks of sailing. Exact slabs differ by cruise line and cabin category, so we share the specific policy in writing at the time of booking, and we strongly recommend travel insurance that covers cruise cancellation.
Ready to plan Cruise Holidays?
Send us your dates and who is travelling. We reply with a day-by-day plan, hotel names and a price — usually within 24 hours.