Chennai To Port Blair Ship Travel Guide
Before anything else, know what you are booking. This is the government passenger ship to Port Blair, run by the Shipping Corporation of India for the Directorate of Shipping...
The government ship to the islands, and what it is not
Before anything else, know what you are booking. This is the government passenger ship to Port Blair, run by the Shipping Corporation of India for the Directorate of Shipping Services. It is not a holiday cruise and not the island ferry.
- A government ship, not a cruiseThe vessel that carries you across is a government passenger ship, run by the Shipping Corporation of India for the Directorate of Shipping Services of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration. It is a working ship that has carried islanders and supplies for decades, so you board it for the passage and the price, not for a pool and a buffet.
- Not the island ferry eitherDo not mix this up with the fast boats that hop between Port Blair, Havelock and Neil. Those are the short island ferries, and we cover them on the WayToIndia Andaman ferry page. This page is only the long crossing from the mainland to the islands, a very different journey that takes days, not hours.
- The ships that do the runThe ships that work these routes include MV Nicobar, MV Nancowry, MV Swaraj Dweep, MV Campbell Bay, MV Harshavardhana and MV Akbar. You do not usually get to pick the ship, you get the one sailing on your date, so plan around the date first and the vessel second.
Keep the two ideas apart in your head. To reach the islands from the mainland by sea, you take this government ship, a crossing of about three days. To move between the islands once you are there, you take the short island ferries. Both are on WayToIndia, and this page is only the long mainland crossing.
The best time to sail, and the months the sea turns rough
The calm island season is about October to March, when the Bay of Bengal is settled. About May to September the sea is roughest, and that is when the crossing runs late or gets cancelled and when seasickness is worst.
- October to March: the calm crossingThis is the season to plan the sea trip for. The Bay of Bengal is at its gentlest, the ship keeps closer to its rough schedule, and you are far less likely to be sick for three days. It is also the island peak, so sort your onward stay and your return early.
- April and May: hot but often stillThe mainland and the sea are hot now, but the water is usually still calm into early May. If you do not mind the heat, this is a quieter window with fewer people going across, though you should watch the weather as the monsoon builds.
- About May to September: the rough monthsThis is when the sea turns and the crossing gets hard. Sailings run late or are cancelled, and a rough Bay of Bengal on a three day passage means real seasickness for many. If your dates cannot move, keep a spare day or two at each end and go in with your eyes open.
- Match the crossing to the island seasonBecause the ship is slow and the dates are few, plan the sea leg for the calm months even more strictly than a flight. A cancelled sailing does not just cost you a boat, it can cost you days, so the settled season is worth planning your whole trip around.
A rough sea is the one thing that holds or cancels the ship, and on the open Bay of Bengal that matters more than on a short island hop. This is why the calm months are worth so much on a sea crossing, and why you should never pin a same day flight to the day the ship is due in.
The three mainland ports: Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam
Ships sail from three mainland ports. Chennai and Kolkata run about three to four times a month each, and Visakhapatnam about once a month. The dates are irregular, so you plan around the sailing, not the other way round.
- Chennai: the most common startChennai is the port most travellers use, with about three to four sailings a month and a crossing of about 60 hours over roughly 1362 km. You board at the harbour wharf, and the counter sits near gate no. 1 of Chennai port. Because Chennai has the most sailings, it gives you the best chance of a date that fits your plans.
- Kolkata: the eastern gatewayKolkata also runs about three to four sailings a month, from the Haldia and Kidderpore docks, and the crossing is a little longer at about 66 hours over roughly 1302 km. If you are in the east or the northeast of India, Kolkata is the natural port to sail from.
- Visakhapatnam: the once a month optionVisakhapatnam has the shortest crossing, about 56 hours over roughly 1224 km, but only about one sailing a month, and it is booked through a ticketing agent rather than a big counter. It is handy if the single date lines up with your trip, and awkward if it does not.
- Plan around the sailing dateOn all three routes the dates are irregular and only a few a month, so the sailing date is the fixed point of your whole trip. Find the date first, from the Directorate of Shipping Services, then build your leave, your onward island days and your return flight around it.
Do not assume the ship sails on a neat weekly rhythm. It does not. Check the current sailing dates for your port with the Directorate of Shipping Services enquiry service or the port counter before you book leave or an onward island stay, because a wrong guess about the date is the commonest way this trip goes wrong.
How long the voyage takes, and the honest ship versus flight verdict
The crossing takes roughly 50 to 70 hours, about three days at sea, and longer in rough weather. A flight takes about two hours. So be honest with yourself about why you are going by sea, because most tourists fly.
- About three days on the waterPlan for roughly 50 to 70 hours at sea, about three days, and add time in rough weather. That is three days with no phone signal, no ports of call, and only the open Bay of Bengal around you. It is a real commitment of time, not a quick hop, so count the days both ways into your leave.
- The flight is faster and often not dearerA flight from Chennai, Kolkata or Bengaluru reaches Port Blair in about two hours, and when you book early it is often not much more than a deluxe cabin, sometimes less. This is why most tourists fly. Unlike the private catamarans between the islands, the mainland ship saves you no time at all, so the ship only makes sense for other reasons.
- Who the ship actually suitsThe government ferry across the Bay of Bengal suits the traveller with plenty of time and a small budget, someone who wants the sea passage as part of the trip, or who is moving with a lot of luggage, or who simply loves being on the water. If you are on a short holiday or a tight honeymoon, fly, and save the sea for another time.
- A gentle middle pathMany people take the ship one way, for the experience and the story, and fly the other way to save their days. If three days each way is too much but you still want the crossing once, that is the sensible way to have both.
There is no prize for suffering three days at sea if you did not want to. Ask yourself plainly: do you have the time, and do you want the sea itself. If yes, the ship is a rare and lovely thing. If you are only chasing a cheap ticket on a short trip, the flight home the same evening will serve you better.
The classes on board, from bunk deck to deluxe cabin
Accommodation runs from open bunk or deck class up to a private deluxe cabin. Fares are honest bands, not fixed prices, and islanders pay less than tourists, so treat every figure here as about, and reconfirm at the counter.
- Bunk or deck class: the cheapest way acrossBunk class is a large shared hall of berths with common toilets, and it is about 2300 to 3000 rupees a person. It is the traveller and backpacker choice, cheap and social, but it is basic, it can be crowded, and three days here is not for everyone. Bring your own sheet, a lock and earplugs.
- Second class cabin: a shared cabinSecond class A and B cabins put a few berths to a room and cost about 4400 to 6750 rupees a person. You get a door, a little privacy and a calmer three days than the open bunk hall, for a fair step up in fare. This is a sensible middle choice for a couple or a small family.
- First class cabin: more room and a private toiletFirst class is usually four berths with an attached toilet, at about 7240 to 10000 rupees a person. If the crossing worries you or you value your rest, this is where the ship starts to feel comfortable, with your own washroom and far less coming and going.
- Deluxe cabin: the top of the shipThe deluxe cabin has two beds, an attached toilet and a sofa, and it is about 8420 to 12000 rupees a person, the most comfort on board. Two people who want the sea trip without the hardship take this. Even so, remember a flight can cost about the same, so choose deluxe for the voyage, not to save money.
Every figure here is a band, not a fixed price, and islanders pay lower government tariffs than tourists, so what you are quoted at the counter may differ. Fares also change from time to time, so treat these as a guide to budget by, and always reconfirm the current fare for your class and route at the counter before you plan.
How to book: the counter, the requisition form and the documents
This is the part that surprises people. You cannot really book the mainland ship online like a normal ferry. You book at the port counter, fill a requisition form, and carry your ID and passport photographs.
- Book at the counter, not onlineFor the mainland sailings there is little or no online booking. You go to the Directorate of Shipping Services or Shipping Corporation of India counter at the port, at Chennai near gate no. 1, in Kolkata at the docks, and at Phoenix Bay in Port Blair for the return. Reach the counter when booking opens for your date, because tourist berths are limited and go fast.
- The requisition form and your documentsYou fill a requisition form at the counter and submit it with a government photo ID and usually a couple of passport size photographs. Keep the same ID with you for boarding, because the name on it must match your ticket. Carry a few photocopies, it saves time in the queue.
- Use an agent if you cannot go in personIf you cannot reach the port counter yourself, an authorised travel agent can book for you for a fee, and the Visakhapatnam sailing is handled through the ticketing agent M/s A V Bhanojirao Garuda. This is normal here, and for many mainland travellers an agent is the only practical way to hold a berth.
- Report a day early if askedOn some sailings you are asked to report at the port with your confirmed ticket a day or two before departure. Check this when you book, so a reporting rule does not catch you out. Build that day into your plan rather than arriving the morning the ship sails.
Coming from a world of instant tickets, the counter and the requisition form feel slow, and that is the single biggest shock for first timers. Give the booking real time and patience, go in person or through a trusted agent, and confirm your berth in writing before you commit your leave or your onward island stay.
Life on board, the open sea, and arriving by sea
This is the real reason to go by ship. Three days on the open Bay of Bengal, no signal, a slow rhythm of meals and deck and sleep, and then the low green line of the islands rising out of the water. It is a rare way to arrive.
- The rhythm of the daysLife on board settles into a slow rhythm within a few hours. You wake, you queue for the canteen, you find a spot on deck, you read or talk to strangers, you watch the sea. There is no signal once you are out, so the phone goes quiet and the days stretch. Many travellers say this unplugging is the best part of the whole trip.
- The open sea and the deckThe Bay of Bengal is vast and empty out there, flying fish by day, sometimes dolphins, and at night a sky of stars with no city light near it. Spend your time on the open deck rather than in a cabin, low and central when the sea is up, and the three days pass far more easily than you expect.
- Arriving at the islands by seaThe finest moment comes at the end, when the flat horizon breaks and the islands rise slowly, green and low, and the ship works its way in to Haddo Wharf at Port Blair. Arriving at the jetty by sea, the same way islanders and freedom fighters once did, is something a flight can never give you, and it is why people who love the sea still choose the ship.
- What it is notBe clear that it is not luxury. It is a working ship, the cleanliness is modest, bunk class can be crowded and stuffy, and a rough sea is uncomfortable. Go for the passage and the story, keep your expectations plain, and the sea will give you something a plane never can.
People who come away happy went for the open water, the quiet days and the slow arrival, not for the vessel itself. If that is what pulls you, a bunk and a deck and three days at sea will stay with you for years. If it is not, there is no shame in flying.
Food on board and what to carry for three days
There is a basic canteen with simple meals, usually paid for separately, but it is not a buffet and choices are few. What you carry makes the three days much easier, so pack for the crossing with care.
- The canteen and the mealsThe ship has a canteen serving simple, mostly vegetarian meals, and you usually pay for them on board rather than in your fare. The food is plain and the choice is small, so do not board expecting variety. It fills you, and that is the honest measure of it.
- Carry your own food and waterBring dry snacks, biscuits, nuts, some fruit that keeps, instant items and plenty of water and a few electrolyte sachets. If you are a picky eater or have a delicate stomach, your own food matters even more, because there is nowhere to top up once the ship leaves port for three days.
- Pack for comfort and the seaCarry a bedsheet and a thin blanket for bunk class, a small towel, a torch, a power bank, earplugs and an eye mask, wet wipes and hand sanitiser, your regular medicines and motion sickness tablets. A padlock for your bag in the shared hall is worth its weight.
- Cash, documents and entertainmentCarry enough cash, because cards and phones will not work at sea, keep your ticket and ID together and dry, and load books, music and films onto your phone before you sail. With no signal for three days, a little offline entertainment turns long hours into easy ones.
Once the ship sails there is no market, no pharmacy and no signal for about three days. Whatever you did not carry, you do without. Ten minutes with a packing list before you leave, food, water, medicines, cash, bedding and a torch, is the difference between an easy crossing and a hard one.
Seasickness, health and cancelled sailings
The crossing is safe, but three days on the open sea can bring seasickness, and a rough Bay of Bengal can delay or cancel a sailing. Here is how to handle both, and the one rule that saves your trip.
- Seasickness on a long crossingThis is a real open sea passage, not a short hop, so seasickness matters. Start a motion sickness tablet before you sail and keep taking it, stay out on the open deck looking at the horizon rather than shut in a cabin, sip water and nibble dry food, and lie low and central when the sea is up. Most people find their sea legs by the second day.
- Health and being self sufficientThere is basic medical help on board but no hospital, so carry your own regular medicines, a small first aid kit and anything you might need, and do not sail with a condition that needs constant care. If you are frail or heavily pregnant, this three day crossing is not the wise choice, so fly instead.
- If the sailing is delayed or cancelledA rough sea can push a departure back or cancel it, and with only a few sailings a month the next one may be far off. Keep your onward plans loose, do not book an unchangeable island stay tight against the ship, and keep some spare days, because the sea, not the timetable, has the final word.
- The one rule that saves your tripNever plan the ship to land you on the same day as your flight home or a fixed onward booking. A delayed crossing can be days, not hours. Give yourself a clear cushion at each end, and a rough sea becomes a story rather than a missed flight.
The golden rule of this sea trip is simple: leave room around it. Do not connect the ship to a same day flight, do not book a tight island stay against an uncertain arrival, and always keep a spare day or two. The Bay of Bengal keeps its own timetable, and the traveller who plans for that is never stranded.
Where to stay at each end and how to base yourself
A sea crossing needs a night in the port city at each end, so the counter, the reporting and the boarding are calm. In Port Blair, base near town for the first and last nights before you head to the islands.
- A night in the mainland portGive yourself a night in Chennai, Kolkata or Visakhapatnam before you sail, near the port, so booking at the counter, any early reporting and a calm boarding are not a rush. Arriving the same morning the ship sails is asking for trouble on a service that leaves on time and only runs a few times a month.
- Base in Port Blair when you landWhen the ship berths at Haddo Wharf in Port Blair, base yourself in or near the town for a night or two, a short drive from the jetty. Port Blair has the Cellular Jail, Ross Island and the museums, and it is where you catch the island ferries onward. Recover from the crossing here before you hop to Havelock or Neil.
- Plan the last night near your exitHowever you leave, plan your last night around your exit, near the airport if you fly out, or with a comfortable cushion before the return ship if you sail back. Do not leave the outer islands for the mainland on the very day your onward journey depends on.
- Keep the two legs separateThink of the trip as three parts, the mainland port, the sea crossing, and the islands. Give each its own nights rather than trying to stitch them tight together, and the whole journey stays calm even when the sea does not cooperate.
On a slow, few times a month service, a night in the port city at each end is not a luxury, it is insurance. It keeps the counter visit, the reporting and the boarding unhurried, and it means a delay or an early report time never turns into a missed ship.
What waits when you step off the ship in the islands
The crossing is only the way there. What it buys you is the Andamans: Port Blair's history first, then the island beaches and diving beyond. Time your island ferries so the days actually work once you land.
- Port Blair firstWhen you land, give Port Blair a day or two. The Cellular Jail and its evening light and sound show, Ross Island, Chidiya Tapu at sunset and the museums tell the story of the islands and settle you after three days at sea. It is the right, gentle start before you head out to the beaches.
- On to Havelock and NeilFrom Port Blair the short island ferries take you to Havelock, now Swaraj Dweep, for Radhanagar beach and the best diving in the group, and to Neil, now Shaheed Dweep, for its quiet beaches and the natural rock bridge. These island hops are the fast boats, a different thing from the ship you arrived on, and we cover them fully on the WayToIndia Andaman ferry page.
- Time the island ferries with careGive each island at least two nights and keep a beach day separate from a ferry day, so a delayed island boat never eats your best day. Having spent three days getting here by sea, it would be a shame to rush the islands themselves.
- Leave time to enjoy what the sea earned youBecause the crossing is long, plan enough island days to make it worth the effort, ideally a week or more on the islands. A three day sea passage for a two day island stay is a poor trade, so if you come by ship, stay a while.
Do not let the long crossing crowd out the islands. Plan generous island days after the sea leg, keep the ferry hops and the beach days apart, and use the WayToIndia Andaman ferry page to plan the island boats, so the effort of arriving by sea is repaid with real time on the sand.
By traveller type: who the ship suits and who should fly
The government ship suits some travellers well and others not at all. Be honest about which you are, because the wrong choice costs you three days, and the right one gives you a journey you will never forget.
- Backpackers and budget travellersThis is your journey. Bunk class at about 2300 to 3000 rupees is the cheapest way across, the deck life is social, and you have the time to spend. Carry your own food and bedding, take earplugs and a lock, and enjoy three slow days with new friends and no signal.
- Families with childrenThink hard. Three days at sea with young children, plain food and modest washrooms is a lot, and a rough sea makes it harder. If you still want it, book a second class or first class cabin for privacy and a door, carry plenty of food and games, and keep the plan loose. For most young families, flying is kinder.
- Seniors and honeymoonersSeniors who are fit and love the sea can enjoy a first class or deluxe cabin, but anyone frail should fly. Honeymooners on a short trip should almost always fly and save their days for the islands, though a couple with time who love the sea can take the ship one way as a shared adventure.
- The traveller who loves the seaIf the sea itself is the draw, whatever your age or budget, this ship is a rare pleasure. Time, patience and a genuine wish to be on the water are what the crossing rewards, far more than any seat class does.
Whoever you are, two habits serve you. Choose the ship only if you truly have the time and want the sea, and fly if you do not. And plan your last night near your onward exit, so a slow or cancelled crossing can never make you miss a flight or a fixed booking home.
How many days to plan for the whole sea trip
Count the crossing at both ends and give the islands their due. A sea led Andaman trip needs real time, so plan it as a longer holiday, not a quick getaway, and keep cushions against the sea.
- Count the sea days firstOne crossing is about three days, so a ship out and a ship back is about six days at sea before you have set foot on a beach. Add a night in the mainland port before you sail, and you can see why this is a two week holiday at least if you sail both ways.
- A sensible sea and island planA comfortable shape is a night in the port city, about three days on the ship, a day or two in Port Blair, then five to seven days across Havelock and Neil, then either the return ship or a flight home. That gives the islands the time the long crossing earned.
- The one way ship, fly back planIf two weeks is too much, take the ship one way, spend a good week on the islands, and fly back in about two hours. You get the sea passage once, the full island time, and you save the three days of the return crossing. For most travellers this is the best of both.
- Always keep spare daysOn a service that sails only a few times a month and answers to the sea, build in spare days at each end. A cushion turns a delayed sailing into a rest day rather than a crisis, and it is the mark of everyone who has done this trip well.
If planning the ship dates, the counter booking, the island ferries and the timing feels like a lot, the WayToIndia travel desk can arrange the Andaman trip so the sea leg, the island boats and the stays all fit together. It is the same honest advice on this page, turned into a booked trip.
Real questions travellers ask about the ship
The questions people actually type before booking the mainland ship to Port Blair, answered plainly and honestly.
- Can I book the ship online?Mostly no. The mainland sailings are booked at the port counter with a requisition form, your ID and passport photographs, or through an authorised agent. Do not expect a one click online ticket the way you would for a flight or a normal ferry.
- How long does it take, really?About three days, roughly 50 to 70 hours, and longer if the sea is rough. A flight does it in about two hours, so choose the ship for the sea and the price, never to save time.
- Is bunk class bearable for three days?For a hardy budget traveller, yes, at about 2300 to 3000 rupees it is cheap and social. It is a shared hall with common toilets, so carry bedding, earplugs and a lock, and know that a cabin is far more comfortable if you can afford it.
- Can I take the ship one way and fly back?Yes, and many do. Sail one way for the experience, spend a good week on the islands, and fly back in about two hours to save your days. It is the sensible way to have both the sea and the time.
For overseas visitors: permits, passport and why most fly
For NRI and foreign travellers, the honest word is that the ship is slow, counter booked and hard to arrange from abroad, so most fly. If you still want the crossing, here is the permit and passport position for the islands.
- Most overseas visitors should flyFrom abroad the mainland ship is genuinely hard to plan: the dates are few and irregular, booking is at a port counter rather than online, and a foreign visitor cannot easily fix a missed sailing after landing in India. For nearly all overseas travellers a two hour flight to Port Blair is the sensible choice, and the ship is a rare exception for those with time to spare.
- The island permit positionSince the 2018 relaxation, foreign nationals no longer need a Restricted Area Permit for Port Blair, Havelock or Neil, and you simply show your passport at the airport and the seaport for verification. Always confirm the current rule on the Andaman and Nicobar Police page before you travel, because permit rules can change.
- Passport, verification and reserved areasCarry your passport for the crossing and for verification on arrival, as the name on it must match your ticket. Citizens of a few nationalities still need prior Ministry of Home Affairs approval, and reserved forests, tribal areas and some islands still need separate permits, none of which affects the ordinary Port Blair and island trip.
Because the permit position for foreign visitors has changed over the years, confirm it on the Andaman and Nicobar Police site for foreign tourists close to your travel date. It states plainly which islands are open on a passport alone and what still needs approval, so you arrive knowing exactly where you stand.
For overseas visitors: money, connectivity and taking parents
A few practical notes for NRI and foreign travellers who still want the sea crossing, on paying the counter, staying in touch, and whether to bring older parents on a three day passage.
- Paying and booking from abroadBecause the mainland ship is booked at a port counter and rarely online, plan to use a trusted travel agent in India to hold your berth, and carry enough Indian cash, since cards and phones do not work at sea and the canteen and small costs on board are cash only. Sort the ticket well before you fly in, not after.
- Staying connectedThere is no mobile signal for the roughly three days at sea, so tell family at home you will be offline, download your tickets, plans and some entertainment before you sail, and buy an Indian SIM on the mainland for the island days at the far end. Treat the crossing as a genuine digital break.
- Taking older parents alongThink carefully before bringing older parents on a three day open sea crossing with plain food and modest washrooms. If they are fit and keen and you book a first class or deluxe cabin, it can be a wonderful shared journey, but if there is any frailty, fly them across in two hours and save the ship for the young and hardy.
For an overseas visitor the single best move is to have the berth arranged through a trusted agent before you arrive, and to carry enough cash for the crossing. Sailings are few and counter booked, and fixing a missed one from abroad is very hard, so lock the ticket down early and the sea leg takes care of itself.
Why the three day ship is a rare way to arrive at the Andamans
Long before flights, this ship was the only way to reach the Andamans, and for the islanders it was the lifeline that carried people, post and provisions across the Bay of Bengal. The same government passenger ships still make the roughly three day crossing today, run by the Shipping Corporation of India for the Directorate of Shipping Services. When you take it, you are not just saving money on a fare, you are arriving the way islanders always did, and the way the freedom fighters once came to the Cellular Jail, watching the flat horizon slowly break into a low green line of islands. Almost every tourist now flies over all of that in two hours. To give three days to the open sea, with no signal and no hurry, and to feel the islands rise out of the water, is to arrive somewhere by earning it, a rare thing in a world of quick flights, and the real keepsake of the voyage.
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