Ferry to Havelock - Necessity of Booking Ahead

wolfdog · Mar 21st, 2009, 17:04

Hi,

My girlfriend and I will be landing in Pt. Blair next week at around noon and would like to take the 2PM ferry to Havelock. Do people recommend using a service to secure ferry tickets ahead of time (2,200 INR for 2 people including airport pick-up) or will we be fine simply going to the ferry port and picking up tix at the last minute? Many thanks!

martinez · Mar 21st, 2009, 21:56

Hi Wolfdog,you cannot arrange pre-booked tickets on the interisland ferries because they want to see the Andaman tourist permit with which you will be issued with upon arrival at Port Blair. If you already have one from the Indian embassy it will be in your passport so sending it on ahead of you is not an option. As somebody suggested before,if you are travelling with a woman,ask her to queue in the womens line with both your permits.The usual mens lines are such a piss off because everybody pushes in to the front(even the babas,Indian "holy men") of the queue in a low ceilinged, stifelingly hot, tin roofed shed. You are quite likely to get the ticket for ther same day at this time of year,if unable to buy same day ticket get one for early next morning and stay in the hotel just 150 meters from port gates.Turn left on exit and follow the road up the hill for 50 meters ,hotel on rightside withb bright red roof.

martinez · Mar 21st, 2009, 22:02

I see you are travelling with a girl and no i don´t recommend getting the tickets sorted by using a third party and the price they are asking is seriously over the top.
Although i hate the booking "shed", the degree of joy upon leaving it is well worth suffering for 15 minutes. I hope you enjoy Andamans,good luck.

wolfdog · Mar 22nd, 2009, 13:07

Thanks, Martinez!

Amalfi · Mar 23rd, 2009, 15:07

2 hour gap between landing in Port Blair and taking a ferry to Havelock is cutting it too fine. Since the airport is tiny , even a routine delay in earlier flghts can play havoc with the schedules as there are only 2 parking bays. My flight hovered over the airport for nearly an hour waiting for one of the planes to take off !!

Plus the afternoon ferry can be a furnace even tho most people stand on the deck cooling off during the ride.

The early morning ferry is preferrable as you can reach Havelock before it gets hot.Also it is easier to buy tickets as you can reach the jetty early and queue up. If still apprehensive about queueing, ask the hotel in Port Blair where you are staying overnight to book them for you. Usually they will charge about Rs 50 booking charge over the ticket price. To be honest this is well worth a good nights sleep.This is what we did and we are Indians !! The melee at the ticket counter did seem a bit scary and this at 6 am in the morning.

martinez · Mar 26th, 2009, 05:38

The ticket counter at Phoenix jetty is apparently much easier after 11am,and that still gives time to get the afternoon ferry to Havelock.or an easier booking for the next mornings vessel.

kalbarri · Mar 26th, 2009, 12:30

in august i was able to buy my ticket at the ferry, as i was getting on and it was no hassle, whatsoever, but that is in the off season.

Chaichaichai · Jul 23rd, 2009, 08:49

It took us 3 hours to buy a ferry ticket to Havelock, in unbearable heat with pushing in, no rules, yelling, shouting, all the while the staff just stand there doing nothing.. it was probably the worst experience throughout our whole trip around India!! Be prepared!

martinez · Jul 23rd, 2009, 21:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chaichaichai

It took us 3 hours to buy a ferry ticket to Havelock, in unbearable heat with pushing in, no rules, yelling, shouting, all the while the staff just stand there doing nothing.. it was probably the worst experience throughout our whole trip around India!! Be prepared!

This is completely true,but what awaits is worth the hustle.

Mar 21st, 2009, 17:04	#1
wolfdog Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New York Posts: 6	Ferry to Havelock - Necessity of Booking Ahead Hi, My girlfriend and I will be landing in Pt. Blair next week at around noon and would like to take the 2PM ferry to Havelock. Do people recommend using a service to secure ferry tickets ahead of time (2,200 INR for 2 people including airport pick-up) or will we be fine simply going to the ferry port and picking up tix at the last minute? Many thanks!

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Mar 21st, 2009, 21:56	#2
martinez Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: portugal Posts: 455	Hi Wolfdog,you cannot arrange pre-booked tickets on the interisland ferries because they want to see the Andaman tourist permit with which you will be issued with upon arrival at Port Blair. If you already have one from the Indian embassy it will be in your passport so sending it on ahead of you is not an option. As somebody suggested before,if you are travelling with a woman,ask her to queue in the womens line with both your permits.The usual mens lines are such a piss off because everybody pushes in to the front(even the babas,Indian "holy men") of the queue in a low ceilinged, stifelingly hot, tin roofed shed. You are quite likely to get the ticket for ther same day at this time of year,if unable to buy same day ticket get one for early next morning and stay in the hotel just 150 meters from port gates.Turn left on exit and follow the road up the hill for 50 meters ,hotel on rightside withb bright red roof.

Mar 21st, 2009, 22:02	#3
martinez Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: portugal Posts: 455	I see you are travelling with a girl and no i don´t recommend getting the tickets sorted by using a third party and the price they are asking is seriously over the top. Although i hate the booking "shed", the degree of joy upon leaving it is well worth suffering for 15 minutes. I hope you enjoy Andamans,good luck.

Mar 22nd, 2009, 13:07	#4
wolfdog Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New York Posts: 6	Thanks, Martinez!

Mar 23rd, 2009, 15:07	#5
Amalfi Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 208	2 hour gap between landing in Port Blair and taking a ferry to Havelock is cutting it too fine. Since the airport is tiny , even a routine delay in earlier flghts can play havoc with the schedules as there are only 2 parking bays. My flight hovered over the airport for nearly an hour waiting for one of the planes to take off !! Plus the afternoon ferry can be a furnace even tho most people stand on the deck cooling off during the ride. The early morning ferry is preferrable as you can reach Havelock before it gets hot.Also it is easier to buy tickets as you can reach the jetty early and queue up. If still apprehensive about queueing, ask the hotel in Port Blair where you are staying overnight to book them for you. Usually they will charge about Rs 50 booking charge over the ticket price. To be honest this is well worth a good nights sleep.This is what we did and we are Indians !! The melee at the ticket counter did seem a bit scary and this at 6 am in the morning.

Mar 26th, 2009, 05:38	#6
martinez Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: portugal Posts: 455	The ticket counter at Phoenix jetty is apparently much easier after 11am,and that still gives time to get the afternoon ferry to Havelock.or an easier booking for the next mornings vessel.

Mar 26th, 2009, 12:30	#7
kalbarri kalbarri Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: WESTERN australia Posts: 605	in august i was able to buy my ticket at the ferry, as i was getting on and it was no hassle, whatsoever, but that is in the off season.

Jul 23rd, 2009, 08:49	#8
Chaichaichai Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: earth Posts: 4	It took us 3 hours to buy a ferry ticket to Havelock, in unbearable heat with pushing in, no rules, yelling, shouting, all the while the staff just stand there doing nothing.. it was probably the worst experience throughout our whole trip around India!! Be prepared!