Table Of Content
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What Readers Loved
Book hotels confidently using our AAA Diamond Designations and verified reviews. As one of the largest travel agencies in North America, we have a wealth of recommendations to share! Browse our articles and videos for inspiration, or dive right in with preplanned AAA Road Trips, cruises and vacation tours. Read on to discover the best small cruise lines you should consider for your next cruise.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises for a European River Cruise
It’s worth clarifying at this point that there are various ways you could judge the smallest cruise ships in the world, but I’ve decided to go with gross tonnage. This isn’t a measurement of weight, despite the name, but of volume – essentially the amount of space on board. The smaller ship and exclusivity of the destination means that higher fares are often charged.
Windstar Cruises
I sailed on the oldest and smallest Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships. Here's how it went - Cruise Blog
I sailed on the oldest and smallest Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships. Here's how it went.
Posted: Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The largest Grand and Owner's suites are massive multi-room affairs with huge private verandas. The ships also feature a gym, yoga studio, spa, ocean-view saunas, library and two dining venues. I've sailed on more than 125 cruise ships of all sizes, but my favorites have never been the big "floating resorts."
Celebrity's Galapagos cruise ships combine the line's modern style and focus on service and cuisine with a local, small ship ambience. Destination-oriented features are incorporated into the onboard experience; such as a performance highlighting Ecuadorian folklore on Xpedition and regionally inspired sustainable decor on Flora. The newest ship in the Galapagos fleet also features cabin automation and environmentally friendly systems, including anchorless technology (dynamic positioning) and in-room water filtration stations. Exploring a region by cruise often means you can cover more ground in less time. On a small ship, there’s the opportunity to tuck into ports and waterways that big cruise liners can’t.
More Luxury
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Compare the 17 Best Small Cruise Ship Lines
Complimentary Wi-Fi, a fitness room, a grand dining room, a sun deck, and a putting green are some of the many amenities available. Cruises are amazing, but sometimes mega cruise ships can leave you feeling like cattle being herded through long lines at the buffet and at port debarkation. More intimate ships not only translate to fewer fellow passengers, but it also means you can visit lesser-known ports. For example, the Galapagos Islands off the northwest coast of South America is a popular destination for small cruise ships as the region is largely inaccessible to large vessels. Other destinations that smaller ships may more easily access include polar regions, the interior of France, and Fiji’s Out Islands.
The 600-passenger Seabourn Ovation, sister ship to Seabourn Encore, attracts passengers with its inclusive cruise fares that even include unlimited caviar. What Viking does offer is an onshore excursion in every port, regional cuisine, and Wi-Fi. Luxe accommodations feature king-size beds, large showers, heated bathroom floors, private verandas, 24-hour room service, and more. Meals feature freshly caught Alaskan seafood, and the ship encourages holistic experiences too, such as in its Himalayan salt room. Expedition leaders help cruisers learn about the geography and ecology of Alaska’s pristine Inside Passage.
Atlas Ocean Voyages’ ”World Voyager”
Here’s a list of the smallest ocean cruise ships currently sailing that I’ve found. Some smaller ships have been sold off or aren’t regularly in service, so I’ve kept it to a list of ships that are currently sailing. MS Galileo is a vessel that harks back to the ships of yesteryear, venturing around the Greek islands with its white, billowing sails unfurled. You’ll dock at smaller islands, including gorgeous Folegandros – but you won’t miss out on experiencing why sun-splashed Santorini and Paros get their sought-after status.
You can build an a la carte vacation or pay upfront for an easy trip that includes an open bar, unlimited Wi-Fi and included crew gratuities. The ship attracts a loyal fan base thanks to its roomy size and cabins that open onto covered promenade decks (rather than a central interior corridor). It even features a hot tub on deck and an elevator, a rarity on older small adventure ships like this.
Small ships go into the smaller ports - often inaccessible for big-sized vessels. This allows "expedition travelers" to experience the local people, culture and traditions of the destinations, and not only the tourist areas. This "intimate travel" experience includes viewing the wildlife up close, getting to know the crew and forming a bond with fellow passengers. Small ships, by definition, are with a way smaller passenger capacity, so you'll likely meet the same people over and over on a daily basis.
The ships in the small-ship ocean cruise lines category are now those with 150 to 299 cabins, while smaller ships (with fewer than 150 cabins) are in an all-new intimate-ship category. Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).
“I can't say enough about how wonderful our experience was on the Viking Octantis to Antarctica. “The excursions were all well-planned and executed — and the science and educational sessions were excellent,” another added. The travel industry at large contended with an extraordinarily difficult year as it weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, but cruise lines were particularly hard hit. Though ships around the world were grounded, readers still recalled fun times at sea as they rated the world's top small-ship ocean cruise lines. With fewer passengers to serve, crew members have more time to interact with guests and provide tailored assistance. Smaller ships offer a cozier and more intimate setting, making it easier for crew members to establish rapport and provide attentive service.
With a high crew-to-passenger ratio, this small luxury cruise ship provides a glimpse into the high life, offering a truly indulgent experience. When it comes to top-tier luxury sailing experiences, you can't go wrong with Silver Dawn, the 10th addition to the Silversea fleet since April 2022. This small cruise ship boasts a range of standout features, including the Sea and Land Taste (S.A.L.T.) program and the wellness concept OTIVM, setting it apart. Get off the ship and explore historic destinations with guided tours of ports and overnight stays on shore.
Among the most visited in this region are the islands of Fiji, Tahiti, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Tasmania, the Great Barrier Reef. Each of them provides top-quality, small ship cruising experiences on comparably larger vessels. International Expeditions (TUI-owned) and Metropolitan Touring are among the best choices for Galapagos Islands. Metropolitan Touring's Galapagos ships are larger compared to most of the yachts deployed in this region.
For the purposes of this list, I’ve looked at ocean cruise ships only – there are countless small river and lake ships that would skew the list heavily in their favour. The line’s 17-ship fleet features five-star amenities and every decor aspect is inspired by the ship’s destination. Spas, fitness centers and swimming pools are available on select ships, all featuring regional cuisine, theater shows and other onboard entertainment. Silversea has one of the lowest crew-to-guest ratios of any cruise line, and its 13 ships have 51 to 364 cabins. All-inclusive pricing covers everything onboard—drinks, meals, gratuity—so you won’t need to worry about finding your wallet.
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