Last Updated on December 22, 2021 by Mrunal & Jiten
It was a reunion of sorts…ten years after school, amidst the Corona Pandemic!
Two of my best friends from school turned up at my residence in Mumbai last month without a warning. It was a pleasant surprise… Both had come from the US with their families to meet their parents after air travel restrictions were relaxed a bit.
- Unplanned trip
My joy knew no bounds. My family heard about our school adventures with great enthusiasm. My two kids wanted to spend some more time with them and so we decided on a road trip to Alibaug and have fun at the Kihim.
Kishore and Ajay had come in their car. However, both were having a tough time due to jet lag and were averse to driving long distances.
My daughter aged 13 came up with a solution. She said recently her friend’s family had visited Alibaug but part of their trip was on the M2M Ferries.
None of the others had heard about M2M Ferries. I later realized that this was a cruise service from M2M Ferries Private Limited and had stopped operations for a few months due to Covid.
- It was my dream to travel by mini cruise called RoRo Ferry
I have done many trips across the Konkan by train, plane, and road. I have explored Swimming, water sports, sunbathing, snorkeling, and more with family but I have never gone on a Cruise ship.
It was my dream for many years to travel in one. It probably arose after seeing some popular Bollywood movies such as Kaho Na Pyaar hai. However, I always found the rates expensive and had vetoed cruises trip ideas in the past.
Surprisingly, the trip on M2M Ferries seemed within reach!
While most cruises cost more than INR 20000/- this mini cruise was priced at just 300 per person! Here is the link for booking your tickets online: https://m2mferries.com/
Moreover, it saved a lot of time lost on the road driving through frenzied traffic. And yes, this route is the fastest option to access places such as Kihim, Kashid, Alibaug, and Murud.
A road trip from Mumbai to Mandwa/Alibaug is 5+ hours long and one has to travel a distance of a minimum of 111 km in bustling traffic. The M2M Ferries trip, however, is just 19 km long and you will reach your destination within an hour.
The stress of driving in the Konkan traffic is avoided totally. Instead, one can relax on the deck or lounge and enjoy the sea breeze while the cruise glides along on the Bay of Bengal waters.
- Pune to Mumbai by expressway
A third friend of mine joined us from Pune and came through the Pune to Mumbai expressway just to enjoy the cruise trip with us.
- About M2M Ferry
M2M Ferries Private Limited operates the cost-effective Roll-on Roll-Off Passenger (RoRo) ferry services between Mumbai and Mandwa. Two other partners involved in this venture are Maharashtra Maritime Board and Mumbai Port Trust. Its operations are available 7 days a week.
Passengers can climb the cruise alone or get their personal transport and park in the parking lot inside the cruise.
- This cruise has a capacity to hold 500 passengers and 150 vehicles – buses, cars, two wheelers and cycles at the same time.
- The cruise has a wide open parking space designed to hold the vehicles of passengers
- The deck above also has an open air seating arrangement where you can enjoy the views of the sea
- One can enjoy the luxurious AC Lounge area that makes you feel like a VIP on an expensive cruise.
- A catering service and Bar are also placed inside the lounge
- There is also the Premium Skoda lounge that provides ample privacy at a cost of INR1250 per person
- A special area Pet care attracts pet parents.
M2M Ferries Cost structure (subject to change) is as follows
Per person INR 300/-
Pet fare INR 300,
Small car INR 800,
Medium car INR 1000,
Large car INR 1200,
Two-wheelers INR 200
Bicycle INR 100/-
The cruise is fully sanitized regularly. The wash areas are clean.
The schedules of the cruise keep changing because of Corona. It is always safe to check the latest RoRo Ferry timetable for the latest information. Since the M2M Ferries’s handle is very active on Instagram you can follow them there for the latest updates.
- How much time does M2M ferry take?
We booked tickets online for convenience. The website also suggests that booking online is better as sometimes the whole cruise is booked before one reaches the counter at the jetty.
Our trip lasted 50 minutes. The maximum time taken is 60 minutes according to the website.
Services start at 9.15 until 10 am.
Return trips ensue between 4 pm to 6 pm as per service schedules of a particular day.
- Can I take my car in Ferry to Alibaug?
M2M Mumbai terminal is located in Ferry Wharf, Bhaucha Dhakka, Mumbai port. M2M Mandwa Terminal is located in Ropax Service jetty, Mandwa Jetty Road Mumbai.
We were in the Mumbai terminal 45 minutes early complying with the rules to board for the 9.15 am trip.
Each of us took a four-wheeler and parked them one behind another.
There is ample parking space and people can come in buses as well. If you are getting more than one vehicle, mention the same for the system to update accordingly.
The trip was exhilarating, to say the least!
Our family was on our first outstation trip after Corona and the sea and the company of friends made the trip immensely enjoyable. The kids of the group grooved on the open deck to the song “Pyar ki Kashthi mein, leharon ki masthi mein”, while we the seniors tried shaking a leg with amusing results.
Later we entered the lounge to continue the conversions of our childhood. We sighted many other ferries from the glass windows here. There was a refreshment counter but we had bought our food and partook it with the kids.
- How do I book M2M RoRo Ferry?
M2M Ferries Booking can be done on the M2M Ferries website – www.m2mferries.com. A booking confirmation will be sent via email.
One can also book over the phone on +918291902662.
The third option is booking over the counter at the terminal on a first-come-first-served basis. Sometimes all tickets are sold out by the time you reach the counter. Hence this is not advisable.
Some terms and conditions to follow while onboard are
- Reporting time 45 minutes before travel
- Ticket valid only till date of departure
- Passengers reporting late can be rebooked on the same day trip with 50% surcharge
- Children below 3 can travel free of charge
- Smoking spitting etc is charged
- Wearing a mask at all times is strictly compulsory. Penalty will be charge from defaulters
- Only vaccinated persons can enter the cruise after taking both doses of vaccine and 14 days have lapsed since the second dose
- Non vehicle owners can carry only 1 hand luggage. Dimensions of the luggage are mentioned online
- Passengers should carry valid photo id proof given by government
- Celebrations are allowed on M2M Ferries with prior booking.
Our trip on the cruise came to an end when we reached Mandwa. It was time to Roll off to Alibaug.
- Kihim beach – Sai Inn resort – Nice place to stay
We spent about 3 days in Alibaug. We stayed at Sai Inn Resort near kihim beach, a quaint Resort about eight km from Alibaug.
The cottage our family started in faced the garden and had a personal porch. The rooms were big and the service was good.
Our group got together for activities like Jogging, Swimming, Cricket, Carom, and Badminton fully utilizing the facilities offered by the resort. Our mornings were filled with soulful calls of birds sitting on abundant trees inside the area.
Some of the places we visited on this trip were Kihim beach, Alibaug beach, and Kolaba Fort. We also had a great time shopping in the bazaars and eating local food.
And then, it was time to return…another exciting return sea travel trip on M2M Ferries from Madhwa terminal!
This trip remained in our memories up there with the school-time reminiscences we friends shared since childhood.
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