What was once seen as a niche luxury holiday is steadily entering the mainstream as more Indians—from young travellers and multigenerational families to holidaymakers in smaller cities—opt for cruise vacations. The shift is prompting operators to expand capacity and travel companies to deepen their offerings as the country’s cruise market begins to set sail.
Just last week, Cordelia Cruises, India’s only domestic ocean cruise operator, listed on the stock exchanges, primarily to fund two new ships. And travel businesses that market cruises, from Thomas Cook India to Tirun Travel Marketing, see demand growing across segments.
To be sure, cruises still account for a small share of . Travel agency Thomas Cook India estimates cruise penetration at just 8-10% among international holidaymakers and 15-18% for domestic travellers. It expects cruise travels to grow 10-12% annually, barring geopolitical disruptions.
“The cruise market is still very underpenetrated. Only around two lakh Indians take international cruises every year, compared with nearly two crore outbound travellers. That leaves enormous headroom for growth,” said Neeraj Singh Dev, executive vice-president for domestic and short-haul holidays for Thomas Cook India.
Much of the growth coming into the segment is being driven by changing consumer behaviour, industry experts believe. Cruise companies said travellers are increasingly choosing cruises as the ‘center piece’ of a holiday rather than an ‘add-on’ to their overseas itineraries, which was the case about a decade ago. This includes short three-to-five-night sailings across Southeast Asia and West Asia, which remain the biggest draw for first-time cruisers due to their proximity to India and comfort of travellers as countries in these regions also offer easy visas.
In 2025, also launched its first cruise experience tailored for the Indian market for sails starting in Singapore.
Repeat travellers are gradually moving towards longer trips in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Alaska and Korea and Japan itineraries.
Tirun estimates mainstream international cruises typically cost about $200-250 (around ₹18,900-23,600) per person per night, although fares vary widely depending on the cruise line, itinerary, cabin category and season.
“People don’t have a perception problem with cruising as much as they have a top-of-the-mind problem. Most Indians simply haven’t been spoken to enough about cruising. Once they experience it, they understand the value immediately,” said Varun Chadha, chief executive of Tirun Travel Marketing, an exclusive India representative for the Royal Caribbean Group brands.
The company has been expanding beyond cruise bookings by bundling flights, visas, insurance and, eventually, hotels into a single holiday package, Chadha said, adding that travellers increasingly want one company to manage the entire journey.
That trend is also reshaping how cruises are sold.
TravClan, which recently became the preferred sales agent for StarDream Cruises in India, said cruise enquiries through its travel agent network have more than doubled over the past year, making cruises its fastest-growing category. The comapny sells itineraries from around $140 per night per person.
“The biggest change over the past two to three years is that travellers no longer see cruising as a once-in-a-lifetime luxury holiday. They’re increasingly viewing it as an experience-led holiday they can repeat,” said Chirag Agrawal, co-founder of TravClan. The company said demand is spreading beyond Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru into tier-II and -III cities.
Home waters
The interest in cruise experiences is not just about overseas, the domestic sector is also looking up.
Antara Cruises, which operates luxury all-suite river cruises on the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, along with wildlife expeditions in Odisha’s Bhitarkanika National Park, offers 2-20-day journeys and is increasingly targeting affluent Indian travellers looking for shorter, centered on heritage, culture and nature. “Demand has moved from curiosity to conviction. Travellers are looking for privacy, service and authentic experiences rather than conventional sightseeing,” said Vineet Arora, chief operating officer of Antara Cruises.
The company returned to pre-pandemic travel volumes in 2024, surpassing its previous financial performance. During FY26, it operated 65 sailings on the Ganges and 33 departures at Bhitarkanika National Park, all at full occupancy. Revenue grew 10% in FY24, 15% in FY25 and 22% in FY26, and bookings are already open through 2027. Antara has commissioned two new luxury river vessels for the Brahmaputra as it expands into shorter domestic heritage cruises.
For Cordelia Cruises, the opportunity lies in making cruising easier for Indian travellers. The company operates two-to-five-night sailings from Mumbai, Chennai and Visakhapatnam to destinations including Goa, Kochi, Lakshadweep, Sri Lanka and, on select voyages, Southeast Asia. Domestic cruises typically start at around ₹21,000 per person. Unlike many international cruises, several of its itineraries require little or no visa paperwork for Indian passengers, lowering the barrier for first-time cruisers.
Jurgen Bailom, president and chief executive of Cordelia Cruises, said India’s long-term potential is far larger than what the current passenger numbers suggest. “Nearly 13% of India’s population can potentially afford a cruise holiday. Cruising today is one of the most affordable vacations available,” he said.
Cordelia has carried about 700,000 passengers since launch and it is also seeing strong demand from weddings, corporate events and multigenerational families. Its average passenger age is about 34 years, making India one of the youngest cruise markets globally.