Best Cruises for Indian Vegetarians

P&O Cruises has a dedicated Indian restaurant called Sindhu on select ships. This is not just 'curry on the buffet'—it's a full sit-down Indian dining experience.

What You Get:

•Full vegetarian thali (traditional platter)
•Authentic atmosphere with Indian décor and staff in colorful silk waistcoats
•Small poppadoms to start, then generous main course portions
•Specialty dining (additional charge around ₹1,500-3,000 per person)

Real Review: One vegetarian traveler said she was 'absolutely stuffed by the end of the meal' and felt 'very grateful for the small poppadoms' because the portions were so filling.

Good For: Families who want restaurant-quality Indian food and don't mind paying extra for specialty dining.

2. Disney Cruise Line (Disney Adventure)

⭐ Best for Strict Jain Requirements

Disney Adventure is the only cruise ship in the world that explicitly offers Jain meals with no onion, garlic, or root vegetables.

What You Get:

•Jain-compliant meals at all table-service restaurants
•Must request 35 days before sailing (through My Reservations or Navigator App)
•Included in cruise fare—no extra charge
•Family-friendly atmosphere with kids' activities and cultural programming

Real Review: This is only on the Disney Adventure ship, not all Disney ships. And you must request Jain meals at least 35 days in advance—they cannot guarantee it if you request later.

Good For: Families with strict Jain dietary requirements, traveling with children, who plan far ahead.

3. Carnival Cruise (Masala Tiger Restaurant)

⭐ Best Value for Indian Food

Carnival has a branded Indian specialty restaurant called Masala Tiger on select ships. It serves authentic Indian dishes with a full vegetarian section.

What You Get:

•Chaat items: Dahi bhalla, samosa chaat, papadi chaat
•Main courses: Paneer tikka, Punjabi chana masala, rajma masala, vegetable biryani
•Sides: Dal fry, paratha, saffron pilaf
•Specialty dining charge (around ₹1,200-2,500 per person)

Real Review: Carnival's main dining room also has a dedicated vegetarian/vegan menu with Indian curries available every day at no extra cost.

Good For: Families who want both specialty Indian dining and everyday vegetarian options in the main dining room.

4. Royal Caribbean

⭐ Best for Daily Buffet Indian Options

Royal Caribbean doesn't have a dedicated Indian restaurant, but their Windjammer buffet has vegetarian Indian options at every single meal.

What You Get:

•Chana masala (chickpea curry)
•Paneer masala (cottage cheese curry)
•Dal (lentils)
•Rice and pita bread
•Available at breakfast, lunch, and dinner—included in cruise fare

Real Review: Reviews from Indian vegetarians are mixed. Some say it's 'the best among major cruise lines,' but others found the food 'bland' and 'repetitive' after a few days.

Good For: Families who want consistent everyday options included in the price and don't expect restaurant-level quality.

5. Holland America Line

⭐ Best for Flexible Requests

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Holland America doesn't have a dedicated Indian restaurant, but they're very good at accommodating special requests.

What You Get:

•Indian menu available in main dining room (must request in advance when booking)
•Dedicated vegetarian/vegan menu with items like curried vegetable empanadas, vegetable jambalaya, tempeh kebobs
•Tamarind pan-Asian restaurant (recently refreshed in April 2025) with vegetarian options
•Some ships serve Indian dal

Real Review: Contact Holland America when booking (or at least one month before sailing) and ask for the Indian menu in the main dining room.

Good For: Vegetarians who want variety beyond just Indian food and are comfortable requesting customized options.

How to Find Jain Food on a Cruise

If you follow Jain dietary rules (no onion, no garlic, no root vegetables like potatoes or carrots), your options are more limited.

Only One Confirmed Option:

Disney Adventure explicitly offers Jain meals (must request 35 days in advance)

This is the only cruise ship in the world that confirms Jain-compliant meals with no onion, garlic, or root vegetables.

Possible with Advance Coordination:

Royal Caribbean

Has been mentioned by some sources as offering "vegetarian Jain options," but this is NOT confirmed on their official website. You must call them directly and speak to their special dietary team at least 30-45 days before sailing.

MSC Cruises & Norwegian Cruise Line

Say they accommodate special dietary needs, but neither mentions Jain meals specifically. Contact them directly and confirm in writing.

Important Tip:

Do not assume any cruise line can handle Jain requirements just because they say "we accommodate all diets."

Get confirmation in writing (email or letter) that they understand no onion, no garlic, no root vegetables, and can provide Jain-compliant meals at every dining venue.

Need help coordinating Jain meal requests with cruise lines?

We'll contact the cruise lines on your behalf, get written confirmation, and follow up to ensure your dietary needs are properly communicated.

2-minute response time • Free service

What About Other Cruise Lines?

We researched every major cruise line. Here's what we found:

Celebrity Cruises

Has dedicated vegetarian menu with vegan and lacto-vegetarian options marked. No Indian restaurant or specific Indian dishes. Buffet labels items as vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free.

Rating: Good for general vegetarian, not for Indian food specifically

Princess Cruises

Vegetarian options available in main dining and buffet. Multiple reviewers criticized the Indian food quality, saying it was 'cooked with little to zero concept of spices' and 'dry and tough' tandoori chicken.

Rating: Avoid if Indian food is important to you

Norwegian Cruise Line

Vegetarian options on most menus. Special dietary requests (including Indian food) must be submitted 45 days before sailing—they cannot guarantee requests within 45 days. Reviews describe food as 'bland and repetitive.'

Rating: Accommodating but inconsistent quality

MSC Cruises

Vegetarian and vegan options always available. No specific Indian menu or Jain meals mentioned. Contact directly to confirm they can handle your dietary needs.

Rating: Unknown—limited information

Viking Cruises

Start Concierge Service (Free)

Accommodates vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other diets. Recommends contacting one month before sailing. One review titled 'Vegetarians and Vegans Stay Away' described poor communication and 'bland canned-variety options' despite advance notice.

Rating: Risky—communication issues reported

The Real Talk: Is Cruise Indian Food as Good as Restaurant Food?

The honest answer: No.

Even the best cruise ship Indian food does not match what you get at a good Indian restaurant on land. Here's what passengers report:

Common Complaints:

Spice Levels

Often toned down or bland (even when you ask for "spicy")

Repetitive Menus

Same dishes every day on a week-long cruise

Authenticity Issues

Kitchen staff often lack training in Indian cooking techniques

Limited Variety

Only 3-4 dishes, not a full menu

What Works Better:

✓

Specialty restaurants (Sindhu, Masala Tiger) are much better than buffet or main dining room

✓

Advance requests get better results than just showing up and asking

✓

Building a relationship with your waiter helps—they can request special items from the kitchen

Bottom Line

Manage your expectations. Think of it as "decent vegetarian food with some Indian options" rather than "authentic Indian cuisine."

The Money Talk: What Will This Actually Cost?

Let's talk numbers, because no one likes hidden surprises.

Base Cruise Fare

Budget-friendly

₹50,000 - ₹1,00,000

per person for 7 days

Carnival, Royal Caribbean

Mid-range

₹80,000 - ₹1,50,000

per person for 7 days

Holland America, Princess

Premium

₹1,20,000 - ₹2,50,000

per person for 7 days

P&O, Disney

These prices include your room, main dining room meals, and buffet.

Specialty Dining (Additional Cost)

P&O Sindhu₹1,500-3,000 per person

Carnival Masala Tiger₹1,200-2,500 per person

Tip: Some cruise lines offer specialty dining packages (unlimited meals for one price)—this can save money if you plan to eat at Sindhu or Masala Tiger multiple times

Taxes: GST and TCS

When you book a cruise from India, you pay:

GST (Goods and Services Tax): 5%

On the cruise fare

TCS (Tax Collected at Source): 20%

On the total package (cruise + flights + hotels) if it exceeds ₹7 lakhs per person

Example Calculation:

Cruise fare:₹1,50,000 per person

Flights:₹50,000 per person

Total:₹2,00,000 per person

Add GST (5%):₹10,000

Add TCS (20%):₹40,000

Total you pay:₹2,50,000 per person

(You can claim TCS back when you file income tax, but you need to pay it upfront.)

Visa Costs

US cruises

(Caribbean, Alaska)

₹14,000-16,000

per person

Europe cruises

(Mediterranean)

₹7,000-8,000

per person

Asia cruises

(Singapore, Thailand)

Often visa-free

or visa on arrival for Indians

Insider Tips: What Travel Agents Don't Tell You

These strategies from experienced cruisers will help you get the best vegetarian experience

Tip 1: Not Every Ship in a Fleet Has the Same Restaurants

Just because Carnival has Masala Tiger doesn't mean YOUR ship has it. Always check the specific ship (not just the cruise line) before booking.

How to do it:

Go to the cruise line's website → Find your specific ship → Look at the 'Dining' section → Confirm the Indian restaurant is listed.

Tip 2: Request Your Dietary Needs in Multiple Places

Don't just mention it once and hope for the best. Repeat your request:

How to do it:

1. When booking (tell your travel agent or write it in the online form) 2. Two weeks before sailing (call the cruise line directly and confirm) 3. On embarkation day (tell the maître d' in person)

Tip 3: Buffet Quality Is Always Lower Than Main Dining Room

If you care about food quality, eat in the main dining room or specialty restaurants—not the buffet.

How to do it:

The buffet is convenient but the food sits under heat lamps and gets bland.

Tip 4: Bring Backup Snacks for Strict Jain Diets

Even with advance requests, there may be meals where options are limited. Pack:

How to do it:

• Dry fruits and nuts • Khakhra or crackers • Instant noodles (ask room service for hot water) • Packet dal or ready-to-eat Indian meals

Tip 5: Speak Up Immediately If First Dinner Goes Wrong

If your first dinner shows the kitchen is unprepared (wrong dishes, onion/garlic in 'Jain' food, no options), don't wait.

How to do it:

Go to guest services or the maître d' immediately and escalate. The longer you wait, the harder it is to fix.

Tip 6: Consider Cruises Sailing from Singapore

Cruises that depart from Singapore or sail in Asia often have better Indian/Asian food because of the passenger demographics and regional ingredient sourcing.

How to do it:

Look for Royal Caribbean, Genting Dream, or Norwegian ships sailing from Singapore.

Want us to check which ships have Indian restaurants and handle all the dietary requests for you?

Chat with us on WhatsApp

The Challenges of Doing This Yourself vs. Booking With Us

If You Book on Your Own

Research each cruise line's dining options (takes 3-5 hours)

Call each cruise line to confirm Jain/vegetarian accommodation (30-60 min per line, often on hold)

Check which specific ships have Indian restaurants (different ships in the same fleet have different restaurants)

Submit dietary requests in advance (35-45 days before sailing, different forms for each line)

Book flights that sync with embarkation times (if you get this wrong, you miss the ship)

Apply for visas (US, Europe, etc.—different requirements for each country)

Follow up multiple times to confirm dietary requests were received

Risk getting to the ship and finding out the kitchen wasn't properly informed

Total time investment

8-12 hours

of research and coordination

RECOMMENDED

If You Book With BookCruises.in

Send us one WhatsApp message with your travel dates and dietary requirements

We check which cruise lines and specific ships have the food options you need

We submit all dietary requests on your behalf (and follow up to confirm)

We book flights that sync perfectly with embarkation (no risk of missing the ship)

We handle visa applications or guide you through the process

We give you a single price with GST and TCS included (no surprises)

Total time investment

5 minutes

to send the WhatsApp message, then we handle everything

Cost:

Our service is free—we earn a small commission from the cruise line, which doesn't increase your price.

Which Cruise Should You Choose?

Here's the simple decision tree:

If you need strict Jain food (no onion, no garlic)

→ Book Disney Adventure (only confirmed option) or call us to coordinate with other lines

If you want the best authentic Indian food

→ Book P&O Cruises (Sindhu restaurant) or Carnival (Masala Tiger)

If you want daily Indian options included in the price

→ Book Royal Caribbean (Windjammer buffet has Indian food at every meal)

If you want flexibility and variety

→ Book Holland America (can request Indian menu in main dining room)