Interesting Small Ships (950 Passengers or Less) Fill a Niche …

Small ships fill a niche for cruisers that are looking for more in-depth exploration of the regions they visit. They can visit ports that are inaccessible to larger ships, and exotic itineraries are the standard. Most river cruise ships and almost all of the luxury lines have ships that fall into this category.

Some benefits of Small ships:

• Most cabins are suites and have balconies
• Luxury and service are frequently a focal point of a small ship voyage
• Amenities, while limited, tend to be very high end, including dining, shore excursions, spas and enrichment activities.
• Small ships trend toward a truly all-inclusive fare
• Smaller dining and shared areas lend themselves lively conversations and closer relationships with fellow passengers.
• Itineraries tend to be 10 days or longer

Example ships: 

• Princess Cruises: Ocean Princess
• Crystal Cruises: Crystal Symphony
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Seven Seas Mariner, Seven Seas Voyager
• Oceania Cruises: Oceania Insignia, Oceania Nautica, Oceania Regatta
• Silversea Cruises: Silver Spirit
• Azamara Club Cruises: Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest
• Costa Cruises: Costa Voyager
• Viking Cruises: Viking Star
• Voyages of Discovery Cruises: MV Voyager
• Plus SeaDream Yacht Club Cruises, Hurtigruten Cruises and Windstar Cruises

A cruise on a small ship can be a lovely and intimate way to see another part of the world!