Small Ship Cruises

With modern cruise ships getting bigger and bigger it can be hard to define what a “small cruise ship” is. Nowadays any vessel under 2000 passengers is agreed to be classified as a small ship and these come in a variety of shapes and sizes. From wind-powered tall ships and intimate yachts to older, more classic ships with a more traditional feel, there’s sure to be a small cruise ship experience for everyone’s bucket list and budget.

There are many positives to a cruise on a smaller ship rather than on one of the famous large ships dominating the world of ocean-going holidays, making it well worth a try if looking for something different or not sure if typical cruises are for you in the first place.

1. Luxury Experiences - many small cruise ships are also the most high-end, usually with all drinks, services, gratuities and even transfers and shore excursions included.
2. Destination Immersion - smaller ships can physically go where bigger vessels can’t, opening up access to more off-the-beaten-track ports of call and more likely to include overnight stays to truly soak up all the local life has to offer.
3. Solo Travel - smaller ships give the perfect balance of having your own space but also able to mix and mingle naturally with fellow guests as a single passenger. By the end of your holiday, you’ll come away with friends for life - if you so wish!
4. Adult Only - many smaller ships are adult only, giving you the feel of your own private luxury yacht.
5. Accommodation - due to their size, small ships are often all balcony cabins, if not even all suite, many with butler service and complimentary room service too.

Cruise Lines’ Small Ships

Azamara Club Cruises

Well known for their modern, intimate ships with destination-focussed experiences.

• Azamara Onward (694 passengers)
• Azamara Journey (694 passengers)
• Azamara Quest (702 passengers)
• Azamara Pursuit (702 passengers)

Celebrity Cruises

Not a typical small ship cruise line, Celebrity does have a small fleet of luxury, eco-friendly ships circumnavigating the Galapagos Islands.

• Celebrity Flora (100 passengers)
• Celebrity Xpedition (96 passengers)
• Celebrity Xploration (16 passengers)

Celestyal Cruises

Popular for cruises around the Greek Isles and Eastern Mediterranean.

• Celestyal Crystal (1,200 passengers)
• Celestyal Olympia (1,664 passengers)
• Celestyal Journey (1,260 passengers)

Crystal Cruises

Crystal’s philosophy is sophistication and luxury meet adventure.

• Crystal Serenity (1,070 passengers)
• Crystal Symphony (1,080 passengers)

Explora Journeys

Part of the MSC Cruises family, Explora Journeys’ fleet of intimate ships is like a boutique hotel in a different place every day.

• Explora I
• Explora II
• Explora III

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Traditional yet laid back, with a less crowded atmosphere than cruise lines of a similar style.

• Balmoral (1,350 passengers)
• Bolette (1,338 passengers)
• Braemar (929 passengers)

Hurtigruten

Expedition specialists to the Norwegian Fjords, Iceland and Greenland, and both Arctic and Antarctic adventures on their working ships.

• MS Fram (318 passengers)
• MS Nordkapp (490 passengers)
• MS Nordnorge (400 passengers)
• MS Spitsbergen (200 passengers)
• MS Roald Amundsen (530 passengers)
• MS Richard With (600 passengers)

Oceania Cruises

Celebrated for their fine dining and immersive destination experiences.

• Regatta (684 passengers)
• Insignia (684 passengers)
• Nautica (684 passengers)
• Riviera (1,250 passengers)
• Marina (1,250 passengers)

Ponant

Luxurious French yachts particularly popular for Indian Ocean expeditions.

• L'Austral (264 passengers)
• Le Boréal (264 passengers)
• Le Soléal (264 passengers)
• Le Lyrial (264 passengers)
• Le Champlain (184 passengers)
• Le Bougainville (184 passengers)
• Le Dumont-d'Urville (184 passengers)
• Le Jacques-Cartier (184 passengers)

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Ultra-luxury, all-inclusive small ship option.

• Seven Seas Navigator (490 passengers)
• Seven Seas Voyager (700 passengers)
• Seven Seas Mariner (700 passengers)
• Seven Seas Splendor (750 passengers)
• Seven Seas Explorer (750 passengers)

Seabourn Cruise Line

With a guest to staff ratio of 1:1, Seabourn offer luxurious service like few other cruise lines can.

• Seabourn Odyssey (450 passengers)
• Seabourn Sojourn (450 passengers)
• Seabourn Quest (458 passengers)
• Seabourn Encore (600 passengers)
• Seabourn Ovation (600 passengers)

Silversea Cruises

As a cosy home away from home on exotic adventures, Silversea is a great all rounder for a small ship cruise experience.

• Silver Wind (296 passengers)
• Silver Shadow (382 passengers)
• Silver Whisper (382 passengers)
• Silver Spirit (608 passengers)
• Silver Muse (596 passengers)
• Silver Moon (596 passengers)
• Silver Dawn (596 passengers)

Small Ship Cruise Destinations

Small cruise ships unlock a whole new world of new destinations as they can physically get into shallower coves, lagoons and harbours, and even through narrower fjords and canals, other ships just can’t reach. Even if you’ve already been to Alaska, the Norwegian Fjords or the Greek Isles, it’s a completely different experience and itinerary of ports on a small ship - as well as more opportunities to stay in port overnight and get to further delve into the local sights and culture.

Here are our top spots on a small cruise ship:

Alaska

Sail through Alaska’s Inside Passage’s National Parks’ inlets and fjords and right up close to the mighty glaciers before stopping off at Indigenous settlements and small finishing villages way off the beaten track for a true insight into life in the Last Frontier.

• Cruise Lines - Silversea, Seabourn, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Hurtigruten
• Top Ports - Wrangell, Rudyerd Bay (Misty Fjords), Klawock, Glacier Bay

Greek Islands

Sailing through the tiny uncountable Greek islands it’s easy to understand how Odysseus got so lost. Stop off at sleepy fishing towns and ancient ruins, many just a quick walk or boat ride from your ship’s port of call if not already greeting you right as you step off the gangway.

• Cruise Lines - Explora Journeys, Celestyal, Star Clippers
• Top Ports - Kavala, Skiathos, Santorini, Patmos

Caribbean

Get a true taste of Caribbean island life away from the crowds and noise of the world’s most popular cruise destination. Explore pristine beaches and meet friendly locals by day before heading out for some authentic food and drinks unique to each stop by night.

• Tortola and Jost Van Dyke (British Virgin Islands), Isla Culebra (Puerto Rico), Saba (Netherlands Antilles)
• Explora Journeys, Star Clippers, Regent, Azamara

British Isles

Think you know the coastlines around Britain and Ireland? Think again as a small ship takes you right up to the mighty cliffs of Dover, out to the Isles of Scilly, deep into Scotland’s Hebrides and inlets acting as a gateway to the Highlands and coastal villages you may never have heard of but instantly fall in love with. Often departing from lesser-visited regional ports as well as Southampton, small ships also act as a great key to unlock the classic cities of Edinburgh, London and Dublin as they dock closer to the city centres than large ships which require transfers into town from where they have to dock.

• Edinburgh, Dublin, Scilly Isles, Orkneys and the Highlands and Hebrideas
• Fred Olsen, Oceania, Regent

Other Small Ship Cruise Destinations

A cruise on a small ship is also a great way to uncover the natural wonders of the Norwegian Fjords, Iceland and Greenland. Here Hurtigruten’s working ships are the perfect way to take in the stunning scenery and immerse yourself in local life.

For the Galapagos Islands, Celebrity Cruises’ eco-friendly, super-modern yacht Celebrity Flora is a gamechanger, complete with onboard naturalist experts, plus zodiacs and kayaks to get right up close and learn about all the uniquely fascinating flora and fungi.

Meanwhile, Ponant are specialists of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from Madagascar and the Maldives to Micronesia and French Polynesia’s gorgeous blue lagoons and atoll beaches.

Finally, for Croatia APT Cruising’s MV Lady Eleganza or Emerald Yacht Cruises to take in all the myriad of tiny islands along the Dalmatian Coast is comfort and style, from Zadar and Split to Dubrovnik and everything in between.

Affordable Small Cruise Ships

If the ultra-luxury and yacht experiences are not for you, there are plenty of other options to enjoy some of the benefits of small ships cruising:

1. Fred Olsen Cruises - a more mainstream classic cruise experience with more budget-friendly options.
2. Hurtigruten - one for the explorers with their fleet of “working ships” going deep into the Norwegian Fjords for a truly unique insight into the destination without offering super-luxury facilities onboard.
3. Virgin Voyages - although not typically a small ship cruise line with a capacity of around 2,700 passengers, Virgin Voyage’s do offer many overnight stays in ports and more balcony cabins and suites than other ships of a similar size. In addition, their ship Brilliant Lady has been adapted to be thinner than her sister ships and therefore able to pass through the Panama Canal, opening up a whole new menu of destination options.
4. MSC Cruises - dubbed a ship within a ship, MSC Yacht Club is an exclusive neighbourhood of suites offering the luxury benefits of small ship cruises from a much larger vessel for the best of both worlds.
5. River Cruises - if you like all-inclusive comfort, balcony views and intimate ports of call, often staying overnight, a river cruise may just be what you’re looking for.