Small Ship & Luxury Cruise Specialist

Enjoying the beautiful pool deck on Explora I

There often comes a point when travelers start looking at cruising a little differently. Maybe you've enjoyed larger ships but find yourself wanting fewer crowds, more interesting ports and an experience that's a little more focused on the destination. Or maybe you've never considered an ocean cruise because the idea of thousands of passengers and busy pool decks simply doesn't sound like your kind of vacation.Having traveled or booked cruisers on Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Windstar, MSC, and Carnival and I have found that there is a cruise line for every traveler and itinerary. The cruise industry is back and booming and ready to welcome you aboard. 

That's where small ship cruising starts to get interesting.

Small ship cruises can offer a very different way to explore places like the Mediterranean, Alaska, Northern Europe and the Caribbean. Smaller ships can often visit ports that larger ships can't, itineraries may include longer stays or overnights, and with fewer passengers onboard, the overall experience can feel more relaxed and personal.

But smaller doesn't automatically mean better, and "luxury cruise" doesn't mean the same thing from one cruise line to another.

That's one of the most important things I help my clients sort through. Silversea, Explora Journeys and Azamara are all examples of cruise lines offering a more destination-focused or elevated ocean cruise experience, but I wouldn't recommend them interchangeably. The right choice depends on what matters to you.

For one traveler, that might be highly personalized service and a more inclusive experience. Someone else may care more about contemporary ships, spacious accommodations and great dining without a formal atmosphere. Another traveler may be most interested in spending longer in port and having more time to experience the destination. 

I don't start with a favorite cruise line and try to make the traveler fit it. I prefer to start with the trip itself. Where do you want to go? What do you want the atmosphere onboard to feel like? How important are dining and service? Do you want most things included upfront, or would you rather have more flexibility? And perhaps most importantly, how much of the vacation do you want to be about the ship versus the places you're visiting?

Those answers can point us toward very different luxury and small ship cruise experiences.

For me, the appeal of this style of cruising isn't really about being formal or extravagant. Often, it's about having more space, attentive service, thoughtful dining, fewer passengers and an itinerary that allows the destination to take center stage. That's especially important on Mediterranean cruises and other port-intensive itineraries, where the places you're visiting are often the reason for choosing the cruise in the first place.

I also like to look beyond the sailing itself. A Mediterranean cruise might make much more sense with a few days in Rome, Barcelona or Athens before or after the ship. An Alaska cruise may become a completely different trip when time on land is added. Flights, hotels, transfers and private touring are all part of deciding how the overall journey should come together.

There isn't one small ship or luxury cruise line that I consider the "best," because there isn't one type of traveler. Sometimes finding the right cruise isn't about adding more to the vacation at all. It's about understanding which parts of the experience matter most to you—and choosing the ship, itinerary and travel style that give you more of exactly that.