Best Small Ship & Expedition Cruises Tours by Duration
Best Small Ship & Expedition Cruises Tours by Price
Top Small Ship & Expedition Cruises Attractions
Small Ship & Expedition Cruises Tours & Travel Guide
A cruise on a small ship or expedition-style ship is as different from a cruise on a large ship as flying in a small plane is from taking a jumbo jet. They both share the sea but they present different perspectives on it and often serve very different purposes.
(For this write-up, we’ll limit the discussion to small ocean and sea-going vessels as opposed to river ships and boats.)
Both small and large cruise ships have their place in the realm of cruise travel and both have their adherents, but there’s no guarantee that if you’ll like one you’ll like the other.
Just how small is small? And how agile are these small cruise ships, anyway? There are several differences to be aware of among small-ship cruise vessels - and features that distinguish these smaller ships from the mega-ships sailing the oceans today. The best small-ship cruise lines will cater to 300 or fewer guests, guaranteeing a more intimate and authentic cruise experience and the ability to delve further into local culture.
If you’re hoping to spend a lot of time off the ship exploring your destination on foot, or kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding around your ship, then focus on a small yacht cruise. Often, the itinerary can be adjusted to meet guests’ interests and you’ll be able to get in and out of hard-to-reach ports, therefore getting a better and deeper understanding of your destination’s culture - and hopefully even seeing rare wildlife in its natural habitat. Spend the night in quiet remote coves, or decide to stop in to a rarely visited village - small-ship yachts have the capability to change course on a whim.
Small yacht cruises typically promise a low-key, intimate ambience without a lot of evening entertainment. Instead, it’s a chance to unwind with like-minded guests and take in a quiet sunset or marvel at what you saw that day.
Small-ship cruising by yacht often means smaller cabins, smaller bathrooms, smaller dining areas, but with so much activity happening onshore exploring your remote destination, this doesn’t matter so much. Meals, too, can be a family-like affair, with group dining most evenings. But when the chef can prepare the fish you yourself caught that day in Alaskan waters, who wouldn’t want to share with new friends?
If you’re after adventure cruising, consider an expedition ship, like the small ships that sail in the Arctic or to Antarctica. You’ll often cruise closer to shore, seeking wildlife or chasing after a fantastic Aurora Borealis view. Expedition small ships usually exude a relaxed atmosphere, where guests can really focus on the destination’s nature and culture and learn from on-board naturalists and wildlife experts.
Expedition cruises that venture close to shore hold the chance of unexpected sightings - See those whales? Let’s go follow them! In a similar vein, expedition small-ship cruises usually have more shore excursion options that small yacht sailing, with the capability to cater to differing interests among the guests.
Small expedition cruise ships feature most of their cabins on an observation deck to ensure optimal scenic and wildlife viewing. Meals on expedition ships are casual and while often a relatively limited menu is offered, the food is typically based on the destination and there is plenty of it.
Interested in a cruise but not on a ship? Find the best river cruise tour companies >>
So where can you sail on a small-ship cruise? The destination possibilities for this more intimate type of sailing are impressive, from Micronesia to Baja California, from Antarctica to the Mediterranean. These small ships are able to navigate coastlines more nimbly than their much bigger siblings, opening up a world of choices. Here are a few top suggestions for where to go on a small-ship cruise:
Wildlife and small-ship cruising go hand in hand … how better to see the local fauna than to sail right up close to their habitat, never disturbing it, of course, but being a solemn spectator to Mother Nature’s bounty?
Whether you’re hoping for polar bears or tiny tropical fish, small-ship sailing reveals wildlife both on land and under the sea. A few small-ship cruises to consider for the best wildlife viewing:
A small-ship cruise will fit the bill for your cruising experience, if you:
Small-ship cruising (typically up to 300 guests max) and river cruising share some common elements. Both have a better ability than their larger ocean-going counterparts to access smaller, more remote ports and destinations.
In keeping with the immersive type of travel experience, both types of cruise tend to focus more on the local culture, cuisine and traditions - making them part of the onboard experience. There is less focus on flashy evening entertainment, giant swimming pools and multi-level waterslides.
You’ll visit and dine with like-minded guests, mingle with destination experts and be treated more like you’re sailing on a private yacht instead of a small city. Your personal space is usually larger on small ships, as there is less room devoted to boutiques and activities. Wherever possible, smaller sailing vessels, especially those used for wildlife tours, will use precious space for outdoor viewing decks or platforms one can kayak or canoe from.
Small-ship cruises sail through far-flung archipelagos (think the Lesser Antilles or the Cyclades), while river cruise vessels will glide into the depths of a country through its most important waterways (think Amazon, Nile, Rhine, Moselle).
See our river cruise guide to get a better picture of what to expect as you sail the world’s most intriguing rivers.
Small ships may have some amenities, such as a smallish swimming pool, a lounge, a bar area, and a dining area, but nothing like you’d expect to find on a modern-day large cruise liner designed to hold from 2,000 to 6,000 passengers.
Casinos, climbing walls, Broadway-style theaters, huge dining halls, discos, organized contests and games (beyond board games), and other features of big cruise ships are highly unlikely to appear on a small or expedition-style ship.
Even medium-sized cruise ships, in the 600 passenger range, are far more likely to have multiple restaurants, organized entertainments, and other typical cruise amenities.
On a small ship, you’re more likely to make meals or the pre-dinner appetizer-cocktail hour the hub of your social life.
Gatherings are more likely to include lectures on what you’ll see the next day than late-night dance parties. The libraries on small ships take on more importance than on the typical large cruise ship.
Shore excursions and sightseeing are also at somewhat more of a premium on small ships than large. The general thrust of a small ship or expedition-style cruise -- especially the latter -- tends to be on the destination or itinerary (such as the Galapagos Islands or whale-watching off Alaska) rather than the ship itself.
The ships themselves, though, may take on greater importance if they’re traditional to the countries being visited (such as the Turkish gulet or Arabian dhow), where a large part of the pleasure is experiencing that type of vessel.
A trip across the polar reaches on an icebreaker or another expedition-style ship is another singular small ship experience. (The only ships that have permission to actually land on Antarctica hold 500 passengers or fewer.)
If you think that small-ship cruising may be right for you, Stride can help you sort through the many possibilities around the globe. Happy sailing!
Trusted Customer
Feb 2024
penguins, whales and seals
Alison
Feb 2024
Awesome and mind-blowing. A trip of a lifetime.
The trip met all expectations, was a lovely, pleasant e...
I picked this trip due to the itinerary of seeing numerous islands in a short time, and I had the freedom to be able to do that, getting to most islands by early aft...
It's a very unique trip I have ever done. Small group is nice, and it's more relax.
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