The Ekta Dinner Cruise is an evening boat ride on the Narmada River at Ekta Nagar, with a vegetarian buffet. Most listings show a 6 PM departure.
This guide covers the ticket price, timings, menu, booking steps and contact options. It also explains the laser show link and the new 600-passenger cruise.
However, agent pages disagree on price, timing and caterer, so we flag each conflict. Confirm the final total on the SoUTickets portal before you pay.
Key Takeaways
- The dinner cruise departs at 6 PM on most listings, and the ride lasts about two hours.
- Adult tickets start at ₹1,416 and child tickets at ₹708, before any service charge and GST.
- The buffet is vegetarian, and outside food is not allowed.
- The cruise is closed on Mondays and pauses during the monsoon.
- No operator helpline appeared, so book through the portal, not an unverified agent.
What Is the Ekta Dinner Cruise?
The Ekta cruise runs on the Narmada River between Shreshtha Bharat Bhavan and the Statue of Unity, along a short navigation channel.
The dinner version adds a buffet, a DJ, dance performances and a view of the evening laser show from the water.
Two vessels operate, says one listing. UNITY 1 is a catamaran for about 200 passengers, and UNITY 2 is a mono-hull for up to 25.
Ekta Dinner Cruise Ticket Price
The base fare is ₹1,416 for adults and ₹708 for children aged 6 to 12. Children up to 5 years travel free with parents, according to one agent.
| Item | Adult | Child | Note |
| Dinner cruise base fare | ₹1,416 | ₹708 | Child means ages 6 to 12 |
| Service charge | ₹240 | ₹120 | Listed by one agent only |
| GST | 5% | 5% | Added on top by the same agent |
| Daytime sightseeing ride | ₹413 | ₹207 | No dinner included |
One agent adds a ₹240 service charge and 5% GST, so our sum for an adult reaches about ₹1,739. Other pages show only ₹1,416.
For example, two adults and one child aged 8 pay ₹3,540 at the base fare. With the agent’s service charge and GST, our sum reaches about ₹4,347.
Our advice: check the final payable amount at checkout, and screenshot it. Agent prices change, and the portal total is the one that counts.
A full refund applies if you cancel five or more days ahead, minus 5% gateway and administrative charges. Cancellations within five days get no refund.
One agent lists 8 to 14 November and 21 December to 2 January as non-refundable. Expect higher demand on those peak dates.
Ekta Dinner Cruise Timings and Duration
| Detail | Listing |
| Departure | 6 PM on most listings |
| Reporting | 6:15 PM at Shreshtha Bharat Bhavan (one agent) |
| Check-in | 15 minutes before departure |
| Duration | About 2 hours (one page says 1 hour 15 minutes) |
| Daytime hours | 9 AM to 8:15 PM |
| Weekly closure | Mondays |
Reporting time conflicts with departure time on one page. A 6:15 PM report time would mean arriving after a 6 PM departure, so arrive by 5:45 PM.
One agent page also lists an 8:45 PM to 10 PM slot. We could not confirm a second dinner departure, so treat it as unverified.
The cruise is closed on Mondays and pauses during the monsoon, roughly July to September. Confirm reopening dates on the portal before you plan around them.
Ekta Cruise Dinner Menu
The dinner is an unlimited vegetarian buffet. It includes a welcome drink, soup, starters, a main course, live counters, a chaat counter and desserts.
Pages disagree on the caterer. One names Fern Sardar Sarovar Resort, while two others name Hotel Ramada Encore. The menu may vary, so ask at booking.
One page also mentions veg and non-veg dishes. Most listings, including the agent with the fullest menu, say vegetarian only, so assume no non-veg.
Entertainment includes a DJ, male and female dance groups and fun activities. Outside food and drinks are not allowed on board, and one page advises against alcohol.
How to Book the Ekta Cruise
Book through the SoUTickets portal, soutickets.in, which lists the cruise among its attractions. Many private agents also sell tickets, often at different totals.
- Open the booking page and choose the dinner cruise.
- Select the date and the time slot.
- Enter the number of adults and children.
- Pay online and save the confirmation.
- Print the ticket and carry the original ID.
Advance booking is recommended, especially on weekends and holidays, because seats are limited. Tickets cover one person and one seat only.
If the package is unavailable, one agent promises a refund within 24 hours. The operator may also cancel a sailing without giving a reason.
Common Booking Mistakes
Most booking problems come from a few repeat mistakes, and each one is easy to avoid with a little preparation.
- Paying an agent without checking the final total.
- Arriving after the reporting time.
- Forgetting original ID for any guest.
- Carrying outside food or large bags.
Ekta Cruise Contact Number and Official Portal
We found no operator helpline. Every phone number on the pages we read belongs to a private agent, and the listed numbers differ from page to page.
One agent site states it is a private agency and not the official Statue of Unity portal. Check this disclaimer on any site before you share payment details.
Our advice: use the contact options on the SoUTickets portal for questions, and avoid booking through unverified WhatsApp numbers or street agents.
Boarding Point and How to Reach
Boarding is at Shreshtha Bharat Bhavan, behind the ticket counter near the Amul Foodland area. Parking is available at the Ekta Cruise Jetty.
If you plan stops around Vadodara or Anand, read our guides to must-visit places near Vadodara and places to visit near Anand before you travel.
For daytime plans before the cruise, see our Statue of Unity guide and our list of places to visit near Statue of Unity.
Our advice: arrive by 5:45 PM so you can clear ID checks, find parking and board before the 6 PM departure.
The Evening Timeline: Cruise, Laser Show and Mahaarti
| Approximate time | Event | Note |
| 5:45 PM | Arrive at the jetty | Our advice |
| 6:00 PM | Departure | Most listings |
| About 7:30 PM | Laser show view | Revised time from April 2025 |
| About 8:00 PM | Return to the jetty | Based on a 2-hour ride |
Laser show and Narmada Mahaarti times changed in April 2025, according to a news report. The laser show moved to 7:30 PM and the Mahaarti to 8:15 PM.
However, an agent page lists the Mahaarti at 6:45 PM daily at the ghat. We could not reconcile these times, so confirm them before you book.
Listings say the cruise includes views of the laser show, the Mahaarti and the illuminated Gora Bridge. One page says boat viewing of the Mahaarti stops at low water.
Ekta Cruise Statue of Unity: Day Ride or Dinner?
| Feature | Day ride | Dinner cruise |
| Price | ₹413 adult, ₹207 child | ₹1,416 adult, ₹708 child (base) |
| Duration | 45 minutes to 1 hour | About 2 hours |
| Food | Not included | Vegetarian buffet |
| Timing | 9 AM to 8:15 PM | 6 PM departure |
| Extras | Soft music and seating | DJ, dance and laser show views |
The day ride suits short visits and tight budgets. Families and groups that want food, music and evening views in one booking may prefer the dinner cruise.
One page says day tickets cover one person on the lower deck, and the return ticket stays valid for three hours or the slot time, whichever is earlier.
Is the Ekta Dinner Cruise Worth It?
- For: food, music and the evening views come in one ticket.
- For: families get a fixed plan, with children under 5 free per one agent.
- Against: the dinner costs more than three times the day ride.
- Against: show times and caterer names vary between pages.
Our advice: book the dinner cruise if you already plan to stay for the evening. Choose the day ride if you only want the river view.
What to Expect on Board
One listing mentions an open upper deck for views, and it lists a professional camera as acceptable. Drones are not allowed, so leave yours at your hotel.
That listing also mentions a souvenir shop and a food stall on the lower deck, plus a free drinking water stall nearby.
Evenings near the river can feel cooler, so a light layer helps after sunset. Keep your phone, ticket and ID within reach, since boarding checks happen at the jetty.
Rules, Documents and What to Carry
- Carry original Aadhaar. Foreign nationals and NRIs need a passport, OCI and visa.
- Children need a valid government ID, and parents must supervise them.
- Leave out food, drinks, drones, pets, tobacco and flammable items.
- Leave suitcases and large bags behind.
- Bring a printed ticket, a power bank and a cap or sunglasses.
Boarding may be refused for safety or operational reasons, and guests must leave promptly when the crew instructs. The SOU authority’s decision on changes is final.
New 600-Passenger Cruise: What We Know
A 600-passenger cruise for the Narmada at Ekta Nagar was announced on 4 August 2026. It is 30 m long and 12 m wide, with a 250-seat dining area.
Reports cite a ₹16 crore cost, a stage for live shows and uses such as weddings, corporate events and sightseeing. Prices and a start date were not announced.
However, a 24 October report says Ekta Nagar is “set to add” the cruise. Treat it as unconfirmed, and check the portal before assuming it changes the dinner cruise.
Details We Could Not Verify
Several figures lack one reliable source. Confirm each item below on the booking portal before you travel or share payment details.
- The service charge and GST on the dinner ticket.
- The exact departure time and any 8:45 PM sailing.
- Duration, which pages give as 1 hour 15 minutes to 2.5 hours.
- The caterer name and whether non-veg is served.
- Mahaarti and laser show times after April 2025.
- Monday closure and monsoon reopening dates.
- The launch date and prices for the new cruise.
Final Thoughts on the Ekta Dinner Cruise
The Ekta Dinner Cruise works best as an evening add-on to a Statue of Unity visit. Book early, confirm the final total and arrive by 5:45 PM.
We will update this guide when the new 600-passenger cruise starts service. For another Gujarat stop, see our guide to one-day picnic spots near Vadodara.
