India Cruise Lines Compared

India offers a remarkable range of cruise experiences — from intimate river journeys along the Ganges, Hooghly, Brahmaputra, and Kerala Backwaters to extended ocean voyages calling at historic coastal ports. This comparison covers five cruise lines currently offering departures to or around India: Pandaw Cruises, Scenic, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Silversea, and Seabourn. With 172 in-stock departures across six operators, itinerary lengths ranging from 7 to 128 nights, and embarkation ports including Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, and Kochi, India's cruise landscape spans a wide spectrum of styles, durations, and price points. November is the busiest departure month, with sailings also available in January, February, March, April, May, September, October, and December. Prices and availability are subject to change; final price confirmed at booking.

Pandaw Cruises

Pandaw Cruises specialises in small-ship river cruising across India's inland waterways, operating vessels including RV Kindat Pandaw (capacity: 36 guests), RV Kalaw Pandaw (capacity: 36 guests), RV Katha Pandaw (capacity: 24 guests), and RV Kochi Pandaw (capacity: 20 guests). According to Pandaw's own destination guides, its fleet covers five river systems — the Ganges, Hooghly, Brahmaputra, Lower Ganges, and Kerala Backwaters — with itinerary highlights such as Matiari, Mayapur, Chandernagore, Kalna, Murshidabad, and a full Kolkata Immersion. The Brahmaputra programme, described by Pandaw as expedition-style, navigates Assam's tea estates and rhino sanctuaries. The Kerala Backwaters programme sails lily-fringed canals, palm-thatched villages, and Vembanad Lake year-round. Itineraries start from 7 nights, with pricing from $5,000 per person.

Best fit: Well-suited for travellers seeking an intimate, expedition-flavoured river experience on small vessels, with a focus on cultural immersion and off-the-beaten-path waterways across multiple Indian river systems.

Scenic

Scenic operates India sailings aboard Scenic Aura, a boutique vessel with a capacity of 44 guests — one of the smaller ships in the India market. Itineraries start from 21 nights, positioning Scenic firmly in the longer-journey segment. Pricing begins from $17,000 per person, reflecting an all-inclusive approach that typically bundles excursions, dining, and beverages. Itinerary highlights accessible via Scenic's India programmes include landmark destinations such as Agra and Jaipur alongside river-focused stops.

Best fit: Well-suited for travellers who prefer a longer, unhurried journey with a small-ship atmosphere and a comprehensive all-inclusive cost structure, and who wish to combine river and cultural highlights over an extended voyage.

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Atlas Ocean Voyages brings ocean expedition cruising to India aboard Atlas Adventurer, a vessel with a guest capacity of 400. Its India itineraries are among the longest available in the market, starting from 128 nights, and pricing begins from $90,000 per person — the highest entry point among the lines compared here. This positions Atlas Ocean Voyages in the grand-voyage segment, where India forms part of a much broader world or regional itinerary rather than a standalone destination programme.

Best fit: Well-suited for travellers planning an extended world or multi-region voyage who wish to include India as one chapter of a longer ocean expedition, and who are comfortable with a larger ship environment and a significant all-in investment.

Silversea

Silversea offers India itineraries starting from 21 nights, with pricing from $12,000 per person. As a luxury ocean cruise line, Silversea's India sailings typically call at coastal embarkation and destination ports, connecting India within broader Asia or world-voyage itineraries. The all-inclusive fare model — generally covering dining, beverages, and shore excursions — is a defining characteristic of the Silversea product.

Best fit: Well-suited for travellers seeking a luxury ocean cruise experience with an all-inclusive fare, a multi-week itinerary, and the comfort of a well-established premium brand when exploring India's coastal highlights.

Seabourn

Seabourn's India departures start from 37 nights, with pricing from $30,000 per person. As a luxury ocean cruise line, Seabourn positions its India sailings within longer regional or world-voyage programmes. The extended itinerary length and price point reflect a premium, unhurried approach to travel, with all-inclusive fares typically encompassing dining, beverages, and curated shore experiences. Embarkation options in the India region include established coastal ports.

Best fit: Well-suited for travellers who favour a longer luxury ocean voyage with a premium all-inclusive experience, and who wish to explore India's coastline as part of an extended, multi-destination itinerary.

India's cruise market spans a notably wide range of styles, durations, and price points. Pandaw Cruises offers the shortest and most accessible entry point at from 7 nights and from $5,000, focused exclusively on India's inland waterways aboard intimate small vessels. Scenic and Silversea both begin at 21 nights, with Silversea starting from $12,000 and Scenic from $17,000 — both suited to travellers seeking a longer, all-inclusive experience. Seabourn's itineraries start from 37 nights and from $30,000, while Atlas Ocean Voyages represents the longest and highest-investment option at from 128 nights and from $90,000. Physical demands vary by product: river cruises generally involve more frequent small-boat and shore excursion activity, while ocean voyages offer a more ship-centred pace. No single line suits every traveller; the right choice depends on preferred journey length, budget, ship size, and whether a river or ocean experience better matches individual travel goals.

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Inventory data on this page last updated 2026-10-29.

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