Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Ten of the best small-ship cruises

small cruise lines

Silversea’s Grand Voyages give you more time in specific regions, giving you the opportunity to learn the nuances of your destinations. Spend more than a month exploring multiple ports in Africa & Arabia, Australia, the Mediterranean and more. Quasar Expeditions (QuasarEx.com) is another major player on the luxury Galapagos cruising market. The company provides professional naturalists, and most of the tours (kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, walking, hiking) are included in the fares.

The Best Small Cruises You've Never Heard of, As Ranked by Travelers - Business Insider

The Best Small Cruises You've Never Heard of, As Ranked by Travelers.

Posted: Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

No. 5: Viking Star - Viking Ocean Cruises

Instead, she relies on cruise ships, river ships, trains and road trips to travel the world. In that time, she’s been on more cruises than she can count and includes her solo cruise and travel adventures on her website, CruiseMaven.com. Her articles have been published in major newspapers and magazines - in print and online.

International Expeditions

The one-of-a-kind, four-masted Sea Cloud was originally commissioned as a private luxury yacht by multi-millionaire Wall Street titan E. Hutton's extravagant heiress and businesswoman wife, Marjorie Merriweather Post, oversaw the ship's interior design, outfitting it in marble, mahogany and gold-plated fixtures. Of course, the best small ship for you may depend on where you wish to sail and whether you're looking for a relaxing yacht-like experience or a rugged adventure.

Small-Ship Cruise Line Announces Plans to Expand Fleet - Cruise Hive

Small-Ship Cruise Line Announces Plans to Expand Fleet.

Posted: Thu, 11 Apr 2024 01:00:27 GMT [source]

Atlas Ocean Voyages’ ”World Voyager”

Sailing to worldwide destinations that include Greece, Cuba, the Seychelles, Costa Rica, Panama, West Africa and Cape Verde, the vessels moor in secluded bays and private marinas that are inaccessible to larger ships. The onboard vibe is casual and low-key, with very personal levels of service and the opportunity to dine on deck and swim and snorkel off the back of the ships. The first of its kind to join the Crystal Cruises' fleet, the 62-passenger Crystal Esprit is a luxury yacht with multiple restaurants offering top-notch cuisine, a gym, a spa and an expansive sun deck with a plunge pool and lounge.

Gracious service and fine dining are paramount, and your table is likely to be set with signature china, European crystal, and heavy silver, and covered with Belgian linens. Carrying just 175 passengers, the American Constitution was designed to navigate the U.S. The vessel offers large staterooms, spacious lounges, observation decks, and private balconies in many cabins with detail to elegance. Complimentary Wi-Fi, a fitness room, a grand dining room, a sundeck, and a putting green are some of the many amenities available. Spacious suites with private balconies include customizable butler service. Unlimited immersive shore excursions are part of your all-inclusive package, so don’t be afraid to explore the mainland.

Swan Hellenic's compact, well-laid-out SH Vega is built for expedition cruising with a PC5 ice-strengthened hull. In place of an observation bow with direct views of the water, as many similar ships offer, Victory has a pair of viewing platforms on each side of the ship, thanks to its distinctive X-bow design. These platforms are cantilevered directly over the water for great views of bergy bits and potential marine life. You can also take in the scenery from the ship's shallow pool and two adjacent hot tubs.

Star Clippers: Royal Clipper

Explore wild and remote destinations with the line’s expedition cruises to destinations such as Alaska, Antarctica, the Galapagos, Europe and more. Unlike many other small cruise lines, Azamara’s all-inclusive package includes alcoholic beverages and unlimited self-service laundry. The on-ship cooking class will have you channeling your inner Food Network chef, and the spa will help you relax in between ports of call. This intimacy provides you with the luxuries of time, space, and freedom to immerse yourself in both the journey and the destination - in ways you may never have imagined possible.

No. 7: Viking Orion - Viking Ocean Cruises

The line’s four ships all carry around 2,00 passengers, making them a bit larger than other ships on this list, but the exceptional service means you won’t notice a few extra people. The focus is on sophisticated and cultured voyages, making it one of the best cruises for seniors. Because you’ll be on one of the least crowded cruise ships, you’ll spend less time in line and more time exploring ports and relaxing on board. The best cruise lines for small ships, according to Travel + Leisure readers, are the ones that develop a sense of camaraderie onboard. Small ship cruise deals offer expedition-style travel in some of the most pristine regions of the world. Most of these deals are all-inclusive packages that include pre- and post-cruise hotels, all transfers (including domestic flights), and often even both international flights to and from the destination country.

Silversea Cruises

small cruise lines

Celebrity Cruises’ 12 main vessels carry about 2,000-3,000 passengers each, but they are still much smaller than, say, a Royal Caribbean cruise liner. Generally, the bigger the Celebrity ship, the newer it is and the more amenities it will have. Katarina Line (Croatia-based) also operates as an international travel booking agency for other lines.

Multiple dining options include the main restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the ship's wake and a steakhouse on the Lido Deck. For cocktails, head to either of two piano bars, the Dome Observation Lounge or the Atlas Lounge, just outside the lecture theatre. Like Silver Endeavour, Seabourn Venture will spend the year in the polar regions, with long repositioning cruises in between, such as a 51-day Antarctica, Atlantic and Northwest Africa voyage from Buenos Aires to Malaga, Spain. Emerald Azzurra features a watersports platform at the stern for convenient access to kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling and riding SEABOBs (electric underwater scooter-like jet skis). L'Austral explores both polar regions and spends time in the Mediterranean, cruising along the coast of Croatia and around the smaller, less touristy Greek Islands like Amorgos, Milos and Delos.

Feel the sails, catch the breeze,  visit the captain and officers in the open bridge, or climb high in the rigging. The 62-passenger National Geographic Sea Bird and National Geographic Sea Lion have been with the line since 1981, but have been refurbished and are still well suited to long and short Alaska itineraries. The larger, newer National Geographic Quest( added in 2016) and National Geographic Venture (launched in 2018) carry 100 passengers apiece. Purpose-built for expedition cruising, Quest and Venture were designed with special touches including a shallow draft and state-of-the-art twin expedition craft landing platforms for getting out into the water for even closer encounters.

Coral Expeditions (fleet, CoralExpeditions.com) is among the best for South Pacific Islands cruises. The ship is equipped for scientific inquiry with a remote-controlled underwater robot, baited underwater camera and a FerryBox system for collecting water samples, which you can view under a microscope in the ship's science lab. Weather balloons are released on every cruise to capture info on temperature, humidity and wind speed. Inside are not only Zodiacs and kayaks but a pair of six-passenger submarines and military-grade speed used to shuttle cruisers on excursions. Cruise fare includes a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay and one excursion in each port. SH Vega cruises the Arctic region (visiting Greenland, Iceland and northern Canada), South America, the coast of Africa (including South Africa, Namibia and Angola) and the Antarctic Peninsula.

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