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

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 $4,199

Emerald Cruises

Max occupancy 100 guests

7 Day Caribbean-Eastern

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

Fr $4,896

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 guests

10 Day Caribbean-Western

ship Viking Sea itinerary Roundtrip San Juan dates Feb 7, 2026 - Feb 24, 2027

Fr $4,499

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 62 guests

5 Day Alaska-Inside Passage

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

Fr $3,394

Crystal Cruises

Max occupancy 606 guests

7 Day Alaska-Southbound

ship Crystal Symphony itinerary Seward to Vancouver dates Jun 23, 2026

Fr $4,126

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 $6,658

HX

9 Day Alaska-Northbound

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

Call

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

Fr $4,860

Azamara Club Cruises

Max occupancy 706 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-West

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

Fr $1,912

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 $2,707

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 guests

7 Day Greece & Turkey

ship Viking Vesta itinerary Athens/Piraeus to Istanbul dates Apr 21 - Aug 11, 2026

Fr $3,699

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 922 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-East

ship Explora II itinerary Fusina(Venice) to Athens/Piraeus dates May 3 - Jul 12, 2027

Fr $4,670

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 $7,399

Crystal Cruises

Max occupancy 740 guests

8 Day Red Sea

ship Crystal Serenity itinerary Jeddah to Athens/Piraeus dates May 9, 2026

Call

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 $3,877

HX

Max occupancy 170 guests

7 Day Scandinavia & Fjords

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

Call

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 guests

7 Day Scandinavia & Fjords

ship Viking Neptune itinerary Amsterdam to Bergen dates May 30 & Aug 8, 2026

Fr $6,349

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 218 guests

7 Day Iceland & Greenland

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

Fr $7,368

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Max occupancy 298 guests

9 Day British Isles

ship Evrima itinerary Lisbon to Dublin dates Jun 20, 2026

Fr $12,800

Scenic Cruises

Max occupancy 228 guests

10 Day Scandinavia & Fjords

ship Scenic Eclipse II itinerary Copenhagen to Bergen dates Aug 23, 2026

Call

Fr $10,149

Hurtigruten

Max occupancy 418 guests

11 Day Scandinavia & Fjords

ship MS Nordkapp itinerary Roundtrip Bergen dates Feb 12, 2026 - Jan 30, 2027

Fr $2,313

Azamara Club Cruises

Max occupancy 706 guests

11 Day Baltic

ship Azamara Journey itinerary Copenhagen to Stockholm dates Jul 9, 2026

Fr $4,780

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 $4,351

Viking River Cruises

Max occupancy 82 Guests

11 Day Nile River

ship MS Antares itinerary Roundtrip Cairo dates Feb 9, 2026

Call

Tauck Tours

Max occupancy 40 guests

8 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Isabela II itinerary Roundtrip Guayaquil dates Feb 5 - Nov 26, 2026

Fr $9,190

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 922 guests

12 Day Amazon River Cruises

ship Explora I itinerary Manaus to San Juan dates Feb 17, 2027

Fr $9,405

Ponant Cruises

Max occupancy 244 Guests

14 Day South America Coastal

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

Fr $13,000

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 $5,686

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 Guests

17 Day South America

ship Viking Jupiter itinerary Valparaiso to Buenos Aires dates Feb 22, 2026 - Feb 25, 2027

Fr $9,199

Celebrity Cruises

Max Capacity 100 Guests

7 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Celebrity Flora itinerary Roundtrip Baltra Island dates Feb 8 - Dec 27, 2026

Fr $8,254

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 $11,904

Silversea Cruises

Max Capacity 102 Guests

7 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Silver Origin itinerary Leon Dormido/Kicker Rock to San Cristobal Island dates Feb 7, 2026 - Mar 6, 2027

Fr $13,056

HX

Max occupancy 102 guests

8 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship MS Santa Cruz II itinerary Roundtrip North Seymour Island dates Feb 11 - Mar 25, 2026

Fr $8,475

HX

Max Capacity 102 Guests

9 Day Galapagos Cruises

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

Fr $9,716

Fr $5,398

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 $6,799

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

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 Feb 8, 2026 - Feb 28, 2027

Fr $9,799

Paul Gauguin Cruises

Max Occupancy 330 Guests

7 Day Tahiti

ship Paul Gauguin itinerary Roundtrip Papeete/Polynesia dates Mar 21 - Dec 12, 2026

Fr $2,961

Paul Gauguin Cruises

Max Occupancy 330 Guests

10 Day Tahiti

ship Paul Gauguin itinerary Roundtrip Papeete/Polynesia dates Apr 8 - Dec 2, 2026

Fr $5,683

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

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 guests

7 Day Iceland & Greenland

ship Viking Mars itinerary Roundtrip Reykjavik dates Jun 22 - Aug 10, 2026

Fr $8,599

Fr $45,199

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 926 guests

8 Day Arctic & British Isles

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

Fr $7,480

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 126 guests

9 Day Arctic

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

Fr $12,523

HX

Max occupancy 170 guests

12 Day Arctic

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

Call

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max Occupancy 996 Guests

14 Day Iceland, Svalbard & Norway

ship Viking Vela itinerary Reykjavik to Bergen dates Aug 17, 2026

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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