Mumbai to Goa in Ship Cruise Ferry - starting February end, to cost Rs 5,000

This New Year’s Eve parties on the beach won’t be the most fun thing to do in Goa. Come December and you can reach India’s favourite beach destination in the most fun way possible - a cruise! Yes, you heard it right - a luxury cruise which might be among the best in the world!

The planned vessel will have a capacity to carry 400 passengers and there will be different classes available to choose from. Also, the service will be available on alternate days as only one vessel will be used for operations for now. It's likely to be a luxury liner with hotels, swimming pools among other facilities on-board.

The journey is expected to be about one day in the sea.

Latest update: After a long wait - the ferry service is now expected to start by the end of February. The tickets are expected to cost Rs 5,000 and the journey will take about 16 hours from Mumbai to Goa. The cruise liner will start from the Muzgaon domestic terminal and stop at Raigad, Dabhol, Jaigad, Vijay Durg and Malvan before reaching its final destination Panjim.

Update 2: As per current update, the construction of a jetty is potentially holding up the start of the service. The 132-metre luxury liner built in Norway was proposed to be anchored two nautical miles off Raj Bhavan and a jetty for the same was proposed to be built at Nariman Point, but the permission for the same has been denied. Previously permission for the jetty near the gateway of India was also rejected for security reasons.

Update 1: As per an article in DNA, the service will start only later - most likely by end of January. Currently, trails are going on.

Sanjay Bhatia, chairman of MbPT, told DNA, "The cruise ferry has already reached India and is anchored at Mumbai. We have all the required permissions and are waiting for the trial runs to be completed. Once it is operational, the liner will be anchored at the domestic cruise terminal, which is close to the ferry wharf at Mazgaon." (ref)

Mumbai to Goa ferry  (image not from the actual route; image ref)

Though it’s not the first time such a service would run between the two coastal cities, for our generation it would certainly be the first opportunity to try this sea route. The service was announced recently by Union Transport minister, and more details are eagerly awaited. However, what we do know is that travel to Goa as we know it, is about to change for good.

I am actually very keen to see what kind of ferry/ boat will actually be introduced and what kind of fares can there be for these trips. From my experience of using ferries in other countries, they often have a tiered approach to the boats and price. Most recently I was in Cambodia hopping islands, and used such a ferry there. The ferries weren’t government run, and there were options to pick from. There was also a fast and a slow ferry with a different fare. I have also seen a similar concept of fast-slow ferries while traveling to islands in Hong Kong, travel to Zanzibar in Tanzania, as well as traveling through the fjords in Norway.

So if I were to make my own set of expectations from this ferry, here are some:

1. Tiers for different rates and facilities - air-conditioning in at least one tier is a must!
2. Fast and slow ferries both should co-exist
3. Food and drinks on-board
4. Option of online booking for the ferry trips (something like IRCTC is for trains)
5. Kids activity area
6. Stops on the way where people can get down (wish)
7. Ample washrooms
8. Cultural orientation for the two cities based on direction of travel - booking tours on-board
9. Nice open deck - enjoy water, dance
10. First-aid to tackle sea sickness

My last trip to Goa was in the monsoon earlier this year, and I took the most boring route possible to reach the state. However, on the way back to Pune, we took a train and I was mesmerised by the beauty of western ghats. It was slow travel, but absolutely worth it. However, for me the best way to travel to Goa is by a road-trip - with numerous stop overs. My hope is that with this new ferry things might change and it might become my most favourite way to reach my most favourite beach destination in the country!

How about you? Would you give it a try? Also, what could it mean for the tourism industry in general for the region?

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If you are planning your first cruise ever, here's a detailed guide on what to expect and how to plan a perfect cruise vacation - Tips for planning your first cruise!