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Scheduled for its maiden voyage in 2023, the Seabourn Pursuit will embark on Mediterranean cruises. It's a sister ship to the Seabourn Venture, sharing many of the same exciting features. But, with less than 2,000 miles separating tropical hotspots such as Tahiti and Fiji, a small-ship cruise offers the perfect way to explore numerous gorgeous getaways in just a few weeks.
Scarlet Lady — Virgin VoyagesArrow
Ten of the best small-ship cruises - The Times
Ten of the best small-ship cruises.
Posted: Sun, 21 Apr 2024 23:05:33 GMT [source]
“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 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. Its superb crew is consistent with the line's reputation for attention to passengers and detail. Most cabins on Crystal Esprit are a comfortable 280 square feet, with a king bed, lots of high-tech toys and lavish marble bathrooms.
Crystal Cruises
Passengers are an international mix, and the ships -- which operate in English and Norwegian -- add other languages, such as German or French, if needed. On the line's 10-day Alaska Supervoyage itineraries, Swell travels between Prince Rupert (British Columbia) and Sitka, and between Sitka and Ketchikan, with stops at Baranof, Kruzof and St. Lazaria islands. Maple Leaf has a permit to bring its cruisers to the Pack Creek bear-viewing area on Admiralty Island. Maple Leaf also offers eight-night Inside Passage voyages between Petersburg and Sitka, and between Petersburg and Prince Rupert.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises for a European River Cruise
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]
Passengers can relax on the sun deck and take a dip in the infinity-style pool or head to the marina platform to enjoy various water sports. Serving more as base camps for exploring the world's waters, the line's ships cruise to all seven continents, including the Galapagos, South Pacific, Antarctica and the Arctic. When it comes to the best small cruise ships, travelers seeking an intimate and personalized voyage have an array of exceptional options to choose from. Whether it's the allure of exploring hidden gems, a more relaxed onboard atmosphere, or the opportunity to forge meaningful connections, small cruise ships offer unique experiences. And when it comes to choosing, booking, and securing the best cruise deals, look no further than Cruisebound, the best platform for booking cruises online and finding the best cruise deals. 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. During a year and a half of living in Alaska, Sherry has cruised and spent time at every port in the Last Frontier except for Nome.
Of course, these intimate experiences mean giving up big-ship amenities like Broadway-style shows, multiple dining venues, expansive kids’ programs, and endless watering holes. Plus, enjoying such a personalized setting while exploring the globe typically comes at a premium price, with a few notable exceptions (see budget pick below). That said, typical cruise vacation add-ons like excursions are often included in the fare, as is access to kayaks and bikes. Seabourn Cruise Line’s young, modern fleet boasts of the highest space-per-guest ratios in the industry. Intimate ships mean Seabourn can visit everything from marquee ports to hidden harbors where larger ships cannot go. Plus, with nearly one staff member per guest, the crew is able to remember guests’ names.
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The islands are widely ranked among the world’s best Scuba diving destinations. The archipelago offers pristine coral reefs which are home to around 1,300 species of fish. Its waters are also littered with WWII shipwrecks, many of which lie in fairly shallow depths.
Chobe River Cruise (Botswana)
On Maple Leaf's fleet of three vessels, expect an even more intimate experience than on a regular small ship, and a program that is full of First Nations history. No. 3 Australis moved up two spots this year, which is perhaps an indicator of readers’ eagerness to see Tierra del Fuego up close. The line’s two expedition-style ships, Stella Australis and Ventus Australis, put passengers nose-to-nose with wildlife in the waters off southernmost Chile. “The detailed attention from all the staff was refreshingly impressive,” said one fan, who traveled aboard the Ventus Australis. At least, that’s the story with this year’s voting, which gave smaller vessels some of the highest scores in any category in the 2020 World’s Best Awards.
Best small ship cruise lines
Take an expedition cruise to connect with wildlife and see areas of the country you can’t typically access on a ship. Expeditions travel to Antarctica, the South Pacific and the Arctic and include shore excursions, nature walks, snorkeling and more. Explore less common destinations when you sail on one of Oceania Cruises’ eight small cruise ships. The cruise line is known for its 180-day cruise around the globe with more than 100 ports, but it also offers seven-day cruises to places like the South Pacific & Tahiti, the Mediterranean and Alaska.
Relax with top-notch in-house entertainment, including its show An Evening with Tim Rice, the acclaimed lyricist behind several Disney and Broadway classics. Unlike many other small cruise lines, Azamara’s all-inclusive package includes alcoholic beverages and unlimited self-service laundry. 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. Because of their small size, these ships never have elaborate facilities and amenities. You might find a small spa with a couple of treatment rooms and a fitness room, though you’ll rarely encounter a fully equipped gym.
Swan Hellenic's compact, well-laid-out SH Vega is built for expedition cruising with a PC5 ice-strengthened hull. Seabourn's new Seabourn Venture (and upcoming sister Seabourn Pursuit) are on par with Silver Endeavour and Scenic Eclipse when it comes to pairing top-of-the-line luxury and pampering with incredible itineraries. With its PC6 ice-class rating, Silver Endeavour spends November through April in Antarctica and the rest of the year in the Arctic, including Greenland, Arctic Canada, Iceland and Norway. For dining, there are four main restaurants, including an Italian and a French-inspired venue. The Grill is an eatery enclosed in floor-to-ceiling glass for the best views in the house. The eye-catching interior is sophisticated, with a stark black, gray and beige color palette, lovely wood details, white Carrara marble surfaces and bold art.
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. Medjet provides premier air medical transport, travel security, and crisis response memberships, providing peace of mind for an affordable price. Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list. Green Global Travel is the world's #1 independently owned ecotourism website encouraging others to embrace sustainable travel, wildlife conservation, cultural preservation, and going green tips for more sustainable living. If you’re into wreck diving and history, the San Francisco Maru (discovered in 1972) is a must-see.
The line's iconic weekly beach barbecue on a remote stretch of sand, complete with Champagne and caviar in the surf, is a cruise highlight on all itineraries. An open bar contributes to the social atmosphere on board, and watersports from a stern marina when conditions are right are a great perk for active travelers. Mediterranean, Baltic and Caribbean SeaDream cruises incorporate hidden-away ports and crew-led activities, which are included in the pricing.
Galileo typically stays in port until the wee hours, allowing time to disembark after dinner for evening strolls and drinks by the waterside. Because there’s a little more wriggle room in the itinerary than on larger ships, don’t be surprised if your crew makes an unscheduled swim stop for guests to take a refreshing dip in the sparkling waters. Take a low-impact voyage on MS Maud, a ship from expedition specialist Hurtigruten. Hosting just over 500 guests means you get the best of both worlds — a personalised experience but with more onboard facilities than on truly dinky ships. On a 13-day adventure in the spring or summer of 2023, you can explore the waters closest to home, visiting Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, the Republic of Ireland, and the Isles of Scilly.
Standing on deck when the sails are unfurled is one of the more romantic moments you'll likely experience on any ship. Star Clippers' handsome five-masted tall ship Royal Clipper is considered the largest square rigger in service. Modeled after the great 1902 German clipper Preussen, the ship is a real throwback, with lots of wood and brass features and nautical-style elements. 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. What the ships lack in modern touches, they make up for in experience and service.
From the gorgeous Emerald Pool waterfall and diving Champagne Reef to hiking Morne Trois Pitons National Park, the Caribbean’s “Nature Island” should be on every beach vacation lover’s bucket list. Included among the Lesser Antilles islands are Martinique, St. Lucia, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Grenada, which has recently emerged as a haven for ecotourism. Popular activities in the region range from bird watching and snorkeling/Scuba diving to fascinating history tours. A Seychelles cruise is the best way to explore the islands’ myriad attractions. These range from idyllic beaches and abundant marine life to cities like Victoria (the country’s capital), which are rich with a unique mixture of African, British, Chinese, French, and Indian cultural influences.
