I am putting together costs involved in going on a holiday to Andaman Nicobar Islands. Going by air is quite costly, which leaves the options of going by ship. I would like to know what the Chennai to Portblair ship fare is? Does the cost of the ship fare make a difference depending on the time of year you go, or is a fixed price?
Hello there, welcome to the forum! There are six passenger ships plying from the Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. There's usually one ship sailing each week from both Chennai and Kolkata to Port Blair. And there's usually one ship each month sailing for Visakhapatnam to Port Blair. Here are the names of the ships: MV Nicobar, MV Nancowry, MV Swarajdweep, MV Campbell Bay, MV Harshavardhana and MV Akbar. The fares are common for all three routes and they are as follows: 1. MV Nicobar, MV Nancowry, MV Swarajdweep and MV Campbell Bay Deluxe Cabin - Rs. 9,750 per passenger. First Class Cabin - Rs. 8,080 per passenger. Second Class Cabin - Rs. 6,420 per passenger. Bunk/Dorm - Rs. 2,500 per passenger. 2. MV Harshavardhana Deluxe Cabin - Rs. 9,750 per passenger. First Class Cabin - Rs. 8,080 per passenger. Second Class A Cabin - Rs. 6,420 per passenger. Second Class B Cabin - Rs. 4,960 per passenger. Bunk/Dorm - Rs. 2,500 per passenger. 3. MV Akbar Deluxe Cabin - Rs. 9,750 per passenger. First Class Cabin - Rs. 6,890 per passenger. AC Dormitory - Rs. 4,190 per passenger. Ordinary Bunk - Rs. 2,180 per passenger. Keep in mind that the journey time from Chennai to Port Blair is about 60 hours, so about 2 days. Meals are also not included in the fare, which can amount to Rs. 700 to Rs. 900 with very limited choices. On-board entertainment is very limited as well as these are not cruise ships. Here are the descriptions of the different classes of cabins: Deluxe Cabin - Two persons in one cabin located on the top floor. It has an attached bathroom, television and fridge. First Class Cabin - Four persons in one cabin with an attached bathroom. Second Class Cabin - Six persons in one cabin with an shared bathroom in the corridors. Bunk/Dorm - Below sea level, dormitory type separated by walls with shared bathroom in the corridors. These prices are already fixed and it doesn't matter which time of the year you go as they would be the same. There are also no online facilities to book the tickets. You have to go to the STAR counters to book one. There are two STAR counters in Chennai though: For MV Nancowry and MV Swarajdeep - Office of the Director of Shipping Services in Chennai, Adjacent to Gate No. 1 of Chennai Port, Opposite Customs Office, Rajaji Salai. For MV Nicobar, MV Akbar and MV Harshavardhana - Office of the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), Madras, Chennai Port Trust, Opposite Customs Office, Rajaji Salai. I hope this helps!
