Small Ship Cruising

Small Ship Cruising

About Small Ship Cruising

Imagine the unique feeling of cruising the world on a small ship and sharing your journey with anywhere from 6 to less than 1,000 guests. Small ship cruises are offered across the globe, following itineraries that tend to include visits to both larger and more intimate ports; ports where larger ships simply cannot call. Small ship cruises are offered by a variety of cruise lines, catering to a range of itineraries and budgets. The onboard experience is much more intimate and small ships make it easier to know the ship, its staff and your fellow travelers. On a small cruise ship the rhythm of daily life is delightfully different. There are no long lines for embarking and disembarking the ship. Smaller ships tend to focus more on the destinations with onboard lecturers or naturalists and unique excursions. Dining is an intimate affair where you can meet for cocktails followed by gourmet fare, often in a single seating or at a time of your own choosing.

As a guest on a small ship, it seems easier to meet your fellow travelers. There is a special camaraderie that happens over drinks or at meal times when all the tables hold friendly and familiar faces. You and your fellow travelers become the best entertainment of all as you linger over coffee to share stories about the events of the day and many lifelong friendships begin with these shared, memorable experiences.

And, oh, the places you can go! Small ships can be welcomed at smaller ports and can sometimes tie up at docks where the town or places of interest are simply a short stroll away. Many small ship itineraries include overnight stays or late departures, allowing you an opportunity to try a great local restaurant or perhaps visit a local pub, attend an evening concert or simply savor the pleasure of walking through a charming town just like a local. Smaller ships often have special access to churches and museums after they close to the public, to host a unique concert or performance ranging from folk dancing to opera. Fewer guests give small ships the ability to structure tours, special meals, market visits and other events that may prove more challenging for larger ships.

Another plus of small ship cruising is that you are never very far away from anything on board. Did you forget your phone or your glasses? You are only a short walk from your stateroom. Are you running a bit late to join your sightseeing group? It only takes a short time to walk off the ship. Forgot the tour tickets or need a sweater? There's almost always time to make a quick trip back to your stateroom to retrieve the needed items. If you are on an adventure cruise, some small ships offer viewing platforms to help you get closer to the wildlife or sea life. Captains can sometimes maneuver these small ships closer to a spectacular sighting, or are able to dock the vessel in less-visited places offering once-in-a-lifetime chances to see or do something that may not be on the itinerary.

And sometimes it's just kicking back and letting the sea and sun work their magic. From laid back to luxurious, small ships take you to the places of your dreams, engage with you more personally, and create an easy, friendly environment that makes for a memorable cruise holiday.

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Best Small Ship Cruise Deals

Azamara Club Cruises

Max occupancy 704 Guests

7 Day Caribbean-Southern

ship Azamara Quest itinerary San Juan to Bridgetown dates Nov 8 - Dec 6, 2025

Fr $1,178

SeaDream Yacht Club

Max occupancy 112 guests

7 Day Caribbean-Eastern

ship Sea Dream I itinerary Roundtrip San Juan dates Jan 16 - Apr 10, 2027

Fr $3,629

Emerald Cruises

Max occupancy 100 guests

7 Day Caribbean-Eastern

ship Emerald Azzurra itinerary St. John's/Antigua to San Juan dates Dec 13, 2025 - Feb 7, 2026

Fr $4,220

Fr $4,704

Crystal Cruises

Max occupancy 606 guests

8 Day Caribbean-Eastern

ship Crystal Symphony itinerary Fort Lauderdale to San Juan dates Feb 9, 2027

Fr $3,244

Fr $3,599

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Max occupancy 746 guests

10 Day Caribbean-Western

ship Seven Seas Grandeur itinerary Roundtrip Miami dates Dec 9, 2026

Fr $5,856

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 62 guests

5 Day Alaska-Inside Passage

ship National Geographic Sea Lion itinerary Sitka to Juneau dates Apr 30 - Aug 28, 2026

Fr $3,992

Fr $3,342

Seabourn

Max occupancy 608 guests

7 Day Alaska-N./S. Bound

ship Seabourn Encore itinerary Juneau to Vancouver dates Jun 5 - Aug 28, 2026

Fr $3,596

Fr $3,930

American Cruise Line

Max occupancy 174 guests

8 Day Alaska-Inside Passage

ship American Constellation itinerary Roundtrip Juneau dates May 24, 2026 - Sep 6, 2027

Fr $6,163

HX

9 Day Alaska-Northbound

ship MS Roald Amundsen itinerary Vancouver to Seward dates May 1 & 22, 2026

Fr $4,554

Tauck Tours

Max occupancy 598 guests

9 Day Alaska-N./S. Bound

ship Silver Moon itinerary Vancouver to Anchorage dates Jul 15 - Aug 12, 2026

Fr $9,190

Silversea Cruises

Max occupancy 596 guests

5 Day Canary Islands

ship Silver Dawn itinerary Lisbon to Santa Cruz de Tenerife dates Dec 8, 2025

Fr $3,648

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 922 guests

6 Day Mediterranean-West

ship Explora I itinerary Barcelona to Rome/Civitavecchia dates May 27, 2026

Fr $4,320

Azamara Club Cruises

Max occupancy 706 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-West

ship Azamara Journey itinerary Rome/Civitavecchia to Barcelona dates May 15, 2027

Fr $1,530

Fr $2,203

Riviera River Cruises

Max occupancy 40 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-East

ship MS il Mare itinerary Roundtrip Split dates May 17 - Jun 28, 2026

Fr $2,622

Fr $3,022

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 guests

7 Day Greece & Turkey

ship Viking Vesta itinerary Athens/Piraeus to Istanbul dates Oct 27, 2025 - Aug 11, 2026

Fr $3,699

Seabourn

Max occupancy 466 guests

7 Day Greece & Turkey

ship Seabourn Quest itinerary Roundtrip Athens/Piraeus dates Jul 19 & Sep 13, 2026

Fr $3,938

Fr $4,670

SeaDream Yacht Club

Max occupancy 112 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-West

ship Sea Dream I itinerary Nice to Barcelona dates Oct 18, 2025

Fr $5,149

Fr $5,745

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Max occupancy 706 guests

7 Day Greece & Turkey

ship Seven Seas Voyager itinerary Istanbul to Venice (Trieste) dates Nov 3, 2026

Fr $5,807

SeaDream Yacht Club

Max occupancy 112 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-West

ship Sea Dream I itinerary Roundtrip Nice dates May 23, 2026

Fr $6,099

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 102 guests

7 Day Greece & Turkey

ship National Geographic Orion itinerary Athens to Lavrion dates Jun 3 - Sep 1, 2026

Fr $8,704

Fr $3,936

Riviera River Cruises

Max occupancy 114 guests

10 Day Portugal

ship MS Riviera Rose itinerary Porto to Lisbon dates Apr 21 - Oct 20, 2026

Fr $3,709

Seabourn

Max occupancy 608 guests

7 Day Iceland & Britain

ship Seabourn Ovation itinerary Reykjavik to Dover dates Jun 6, 2026

Fr $4,531

HX

Max occupancy 170 guests

7 Day Scandinavia & Fjords

ship MS Spitsbergen itinerary Roundtrip Tromso dates Nov 28, 2026 - Mar 20, 2027

Fr $4,761

Silversea Cruises

Max occupancy 596 guests

7 Day Baltic

ship Silver Dawn itinerary Stockholm to Copenhagen dates Aug 11, 2026

Fr $8,544

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 218 guests

7 Day Iceland & Greenland

ship National Geographic Explorer itinerary Roundtrip Reykjavik dates May 17 - Aug 2, 2026

Fr $8,668

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Max occupancy 198 guests

8 Day Holland & Scandinavia

ship World Voyager itinerary London to Copenhagen dates Jun 15, 2026

Fr $5,010

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Max occupancy 298 guests

9 Day British Isles

ship Evrima itinerary Lisbon to Dublin dates Jun 20, 2026

Fr $10,600

Seabourn

Max occupancy 268 guests

10 Day Iceland & Greenland

ship Seabourn Venture itinerary Roundtrip Reykjavik dates Jul 16, 2026

Fr $12,260

Hurtigruten

Max occupancy 418 guests

11 Day Scandinavia & Fjords

ship MS Nordkapp itinerary Roundtrip Bergen dates Nov 5, 2025 - Jan 30, 2027

Fr $2,121

SeaDream Yacht Club

Max occupancy 112 guests

11 Day Scandinavia & Fjords

ship Sea Dream II itinerary Oslo to Tromso dates May 23 - Jul 6, 2026

Fr $11,181

Fr $4,180

Fr $4,516

AmaWaterways Cruises

Max occupancy 28 guests

9 Day Zambezi River (S. Africa)

ship Zambezi Queen itinerary Cape Town to Johannesburg dates Oct 17 & 31, 2025

Fr $12,645

Viking River Cruises

Max occupancy 82 Guests

11 Day Nile River

ship MS Antares itinerary Roundtrip Cairo dates Oct 6, 2025 - Feb 9, 2026

Fr $7,499

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 44 guests

11 Day Nile River

ship Oberoi Philae itinerary Roundtrip Cairo dates Oct 18 - Nov 29, 2025

Fr $10,745

Azamara Club Cruises

MAX OCCUPANCY 706 GUESTS

15 Day South Africa

ship Azamara Journey itinerary Cape Town to Port Louis dates Dec 20, 2025

Fr $2,776

Oceania Cruises

Max occupancy 692 Guests

25 Day West Africa

ship Sirena itinerary Lisbon to Cape Town dates Nov 7, 2025

Fr $8,382

Tauck Tours

Max occupancy 40 guests

8 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Isabela II itinerary Roundtrip Guayaquil dates Dec 11, 2025 - Nov 26, 2026

Fr $9,190

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 28 guests

9 Day Western Amazon Cruise

ship Delfin II itinerary Roundtrip Lima dates Nov 8 - Dec 20, 2025

Call

Fr $3,849

Uniworld River Cruises

Max occupancy 32 guests

10 Day Western Amazon

ship Aria Amazon itinerary Roundtrip Lima dates Jan 14 - Dec 2, 2026

Fr $12,870

Fr $9,315

Fr $18,937

HX

14 Day South America Coastal

ship MS Fridtjof Nansen itinerary Valparaiso to Ushuaia dates Oct 17, 2026

Fr $6,695

Ponant Cruises

Max occupancy 244 Guests

14 Day South America Coastal

ship Le Lyrial itinerary Valparaiso to Ushuaia dates Nov 3, 2026

Fr $12,450

Seabourn

Max occupancy 268 Guests

15 Day South America Coastal

ship Seabourn Venture itinerary Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro dates Mar 20, 2026

Fr $6,675

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 126 guests

17 Day Antarctica

ship National Geographic Resolution itinerary Santiago/Chile to Puerto Natales dates Oct 12, 2025

Call

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 Guests

17 Day South America

ship Viking Jupiter itinerary Valparaiso to Buenos Aires dates Dec 16, 2025 - Feb 25, 2027

Fr $7,799

Swan Hellenic Cruises

Max occupancy 192 guests

17 Day South America Coastal

ship SH Vega itinerary Buenos Aires to Ushuaia dates Nov 14, 2025

Fr $15,580

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Max occupancy 198 guests

18 Day Antarctic Cruises

ship World Navigator itinerary Roundtrip Ushuaia dates Jan 8, 2026

Fr $24,462

Oceania Cruises

Max occupancy 698 Guests

19 Day Amazon River Cruise

ship Insignia itinerary Roundtrip Bridgetown dates Jan 27, 2026

Fr $21,418

Crystal Cruises

MAX OCCUPANCY 606 GUESTS

25 Day Amazon River Cruises

ship Crystal Symphony itinerary Roundtrip Fort Lauderdale dates Jan 15, 2027

Fr $10,612

Avalon Waterways Cruises

Max Capacity 18 Guests

7 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Treasure of Galapagos itinerary Roundtrip Quito dates Oct 8 - Nov 19, 2025

Fr $6,194

Celebrity Cruises

Max Capacity 100 Guests

7 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Celebrity Flora itinerary Roundtrip Baltra Island dates Oct 19, 2025 - Dec 27, 2026

Fr $6,955

Silversea Cruises

Max Capacity 102 Guests

7 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Silver Origin itinerary Leon Dormido/Kicker Rock to San Cristobal Island dates Oct 18, 2025 - Mar 6, 2027

Fr $11,712

Silversea Cruises

Max Capacity 102 Guests

7 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Silver Origin itinerary Leon Dormido/Kicker Rock to San Cristobal Island dates Apr 11, 2026 - Mar 27, 2027

Fr $12,000

HX

Max occupancy 102 guests

8 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship MS Santa Cruz II itinerary Roundtrip North Seymour Island dates Oct 8, 2025 - Mar 25, 2026

Fr $6,900

Tauck Tours

Max Capacity 40 Guests

8 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Isabela II itinerary Roundtrip Guayaquil dates Dec 11, 2025

Fr $9,290

HX

Max Capacity 102 Guests

9 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship MS Santa Cruz II itinerary Roundtrip North Seymour Island dates Oct 11, 2025 - Mar 14, 2026

Fr $8,844

Avalon Waterways Cruises

Max Capacity 18 Guests

11 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Treasure of Galapagos itinerary Roundtrip Quito dates Oct 8 - Nov 19, 2025

Fr $8,490

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 96 guests

11 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship National Geographic Islander II itinerary Roundtrip Guayaquil dates Dec 18, 2025

Fr $16,929

Avalon Waterways Cruises

Max Capacity 18 Guests

14 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Treasure of Galapagos itinerary Callao to Quito dates Nov 16, 2025

Call

Oceania Cruises

Max occupancy 692 Guests

10 Day Southeast Asia

ship Sirena itinerary Singapore to Bangkok dates Dec 26, 2025

Call

Fr $5,398

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 52 guests

12 Day Vietnam & Cambodia

ship Jahan itinerary Siem Reap to Saigon River dates Jan 14 - Feb 5, 2026

Call

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 Guests

12 Day Southeast Asia

ship Viking Orion itinerary Benoa to Laem Chabang dates Apr 15, 2026 & Mar 24, 2027

Fr $6,499

Paul Gauguin Cruises

Max occupancy 330 guests

13 Day Southeast Asia

ship Paul Gauguin itinerary Singapore to Darwin dates Mar 16, 2027

Fr $6,435

Tauck Tours

Max occupancy 264 Guests

13 Day Japan & Korea

ship Le Soleal itinerary Seoul to Tokyo dates Apr 10 & 26, 2026

Fr $17,140

Crystal Cruises

MAX OCCUPANCY 606 GUESTS

8 Day Australia/New Zealand

ship Crystal Serenity itinerary Auckland to Melbourne dates Feb 19, 2026

Fr $4,908

Silversea Cruises

Max Occupancy 596 Guests

10 Day Southern Australia

ship Silver Moon itinerary Melbourne to Fremantle dates Feb 4, 2026

Fr $5,376

Fr $5,489

Ponant Cruises

Max occupancy 260 Guests

10 Day Australia/New Zealand

ship Le Soleal itinerary Darwin to Broome dates Jun 29 - Aug 28, 2026

Fr $11,510

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 guests

14 Day Australia/New Zealand

ship Viking Venus itinerary Auckland to Sydney/Australia dates Dec 14, 2025 - Feb 28, 2027

Fr $7,399

Seabourn

Max occupancy 466 guests

15 Day Australia & New Zealand

ship Seabourn Quest itinerary Auckland to Sydney/Australia dates Jan 4, 2026

Fr $8,533

Windstar Cruises

Max Occupancy 312 Guests

7 Day Tahiti

ship Star Breeze itinerary Roundtrip Papeete/Polynesia dates Oct 15, 2026

Fr $3,386

Crystal Cruises

MAX OCCUPANCY 606 GUESTS

9 Day South Pacific Islands

ship Crystal Serenity itinerary Papeete/Polynesia to Lautoka dates Jan 29, 2026

Call

Paul Gauguin Cruises

Max Occupancy 330 Guests

14 Day Tahiti

ship Paul Gauguin itinerary Roundtrip Papeete/Polynesia dates May 23 - Dec 19, 2026

Fr $7,623

Fr $7,599

Fr $13,680

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 926 guests

8 Day Arctic & British Isles

ship Explora IV itinerary Reykjavik to Southampton dates Jun 2, 2027

Fr $7,485

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 126 guests

9 Day Arctic

ship National Geographic Resolution itinerary Roundtrip Oslo dates May 11 - 25, 2026

Fr $14,733

HX

Max occupancy 170 guests

12 Day Arctic

ship MS Spitsbergen itinerary Glasgow to Longyearbyen dates May 7, 2026

Call

Fr $8,899

All offers are based on select sailings and categories and are subject to availability at time of booking. All rates are per person based on double occupancy.

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