Vivada Cruises offers cruises on the river Ganges, mainly in West Bengal. The ships include both daycruise vessels and ships with luxury accommodations that have their own sauna and spa on board. On top is a sun deck for tanning during the day and star gazing at night. Ships also have conference rooms with Internet connection. Cruises include Ganges heritage cruises and cruises in the Sunderbans mangrove swamps.
Vivada Inland Waterways Limited
14, Southern Avenue
Kolkata - 700 026, West Bengal, India.
Phone: + 91-33-24631990 / 91 / 92 / 93
vivadacruises.com
The Ganges meets the Brahmaputra river, which flows from Assam in the east, in Bengal. These rivers, and the Hoogly river outside Kolkata, are the home of the Assam Bengal Navigation Company, who arranges cruises on the Ganges, Hoogly, and Brahmaputra rivers. The Assam cruises are seasonal, but the Ganges and Hoogly cruises all year round. The ships are relatively small, but with full service and luxury accommodations.
ASSAM BENGAL NAVIGATION CO
1st Floor, Mandovi Apartments
GNB Road
Ambari
Guwahati 781 001
India
Phone: +91(0) 361 2602223, +91(0)2603289.
Overseas sales office Tel: +44 1572 821121
assambengalnavigation.com
Pandaw Cruises sails all the way from Kolkata to Varanasi (also known as Benares) on the Ganges and Hoogly rivers. The cruise takes a full 15 days, and includes onshore expeditions to villages, temples, and archeological sites; meals, and bottled water. The boat has two decks with 28 cabins in total.
Pandaw Cruises India Pvt. Ltd.
Sector B - Pocket 9 / Flat No 9123
Third Floor, Vasant Apartments,
LIG Flats, Masoodpur,
Vasant Kunj - 110070
New Delhi
Phone: + 91-11-26122290 / 26122291
thegangescruise.com
Although strictly speaking not a river, the backwaters -- saltwater lagoons -- on the Malabar coast in the south Indian state of Kerala offers an experience comparable to a river cruise. Here, the Oberoi hotel chain has a motor vessel making 3 day, 4 night cruises on the channels and lagoons. The ship only has eight cabins, and cruises include all meals, with international or South Indian cuisine.
Motor Vessel Vrinda
C -- 46 / 452 (II),
Bristow Road,
Willingdon Island, Cochin - 682 003
Kerala (India)
Phone: +91 484 308100
oberoihotels.com
Goa on the west coast of India has been a long-time destination for western tourists, due to its unique cultural legacy and bathing-friendly beaches. But Goa also has a river and backwater lagoons, and here the Goa Tourism Development Corporation arranges day and sunset cruises.
Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd,
Trionora Apartments,
Dr Alvares Costa Road, Panaji, Goa- 403001
Phone: +91-832 2424001/ 02/ 03
goa-tourism.com/cruises
