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Look to South Pacific-based Paul Gauguin for an all-inclusive, high-end home base. If you want to show off your heirloom jewels, go ahead, but on most nights, a jacket is optional in the ship's restaurants. If you prefer not to dress up for formal night, you can still eat well at casual alternatives. Although the onboard dress code is casual, the ships are anything but, featuring elegant, retro-chic decor and marble floors. Nothing says relaxation like island hopping in French Polynesia aboard a dazzling four-masted yacht, a glass of champagne in hand, and the gentle sway of the ship lulling you further into a state of bliss... It’s chic and refined, with a suite of, well, suites that wouldn’t look out of place at a storied hotel on land.
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The cruise line's relatively new Go Local shore excursions for small groups bring travelers to under-the-radar destinations, T+L contributing editor and long-time cruiser Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon reported recently. Her 2022 cruise on Riviera included 70 excursions "from canoeing Croatia’s Cetina River to cooking classes in Athens." The vessel has spacious cabins percent with private balconies -- along with three dining venues, a spa and water sports marina with activities including kayaking, paddle-boarding and diving. Cruises visit the line's private island of Motu Mahana, off the coast of Taha'a, where passengers are greeted with food, drink and live music.
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The ship carries two submarines, as well as a fleet of double sea kayaks and 24 Zodiacs that can accommodate all guests at once. Passengers can enjoy a relatively large spa and fitness area, plus multiple dining venues, including Asian, Japanese, French and Continental restaurants. The ships also feature a gym, yoga studio, spa, ocean-view saunas, library and two dining venues. If you're like me and find that bigger isn't always better, this list is for you. Here are 18 of the world's best ocean-going small cruise ships, both older and new.
Compare the 17 Best Small Cruise Ship Lines
Each carries fewer than 400 passengers and all are ideal for your next intimately sized travel adventure. Ultimately, cruising the Mediterranean on small cruise ships during the shoulder season is optimal, with agreeable weather and reduced crowds. Whether seeking a serene retreat or a thrilling journey, a small cruise ship is an excellent way to discover the Mediterranean’s charm.
During the summer, it cruises the Mediterranean along the French and Italian rivieras and explores the coast of Croatia and the Canary Islands. The ship attracts a loyal fan base thanks to its roomy size and cabins that open onto covered promenade decks (rather than a central interior corridor). It even features a hot tub on deck and an elevator, a rarity on older small adventure ships like this. The line's iconic weekly beach barbecue on a remote stretch of sand, complete with Champagne and caviar in the surf, is a cruise highlight on all itineraries.
Across the fleet, you will find we go beyond the expectations of even the most well-traveled cruisers, with our top-tier crew, premiere service and world class amenities. Our ships, Azamara Journey®, Azamara Quest®, Azamara Pursuit®, and Azamara Onward℠, are perfectly sized to cross oceans, sail into intimate rivers, cruise along scenic waterways, and dock at locations bigger ships can’t reach. Paul Gauguin Cruises operates just one ship, but it is exquisite, hosting 330 guests and sailing only in the South Pacific to destinations like Tahiti, Fiji, Tonga, and the Cook Islands. The ship is small enough to access private ports at remote beaches and take travelers well off the beaten path. Named the best small-ship ocean cruise line in T+L's 2022 World's Best Awards, Golden said the line is known for Tahitian-inspired massage techniques in the onboard spa and noted that cruisers particularly love the wonderful staff.
Seabourn Odyssey was designed by the same architectural team, Petr Yran and Bjorn Storbraaten, who designed the original Seabourn ships. Viking ships have a large presence in Europe, sailing the Mediterranean and in northern Europe, but also explore the world from Alaska and the Caribbean to Asia and Australia. Guests can enjoy dining in multiple onboard venues, plus room service, for no extra cost.
Best Small Ships
Cruise fare includes a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay and one excursion in each port. SH Vega cruises the Arctic region (visiting Greenland, Iceland and northern Canada), South America, the coast of Africa (including South Africa, Namibia and Angola) and the Antarctic Peninsula. When the weather's good, skip the main restaurant and eat at the buffet, which is set up at the back of Deck 7, adjacent to the attractive (and heated) infinity swimming pool. Swan Hellenic's compact, well-laid-out SH Vega is built for expedition cruising with a PC5 ice-strengthened hull. You can also take in the scenery from the ship's shallow pool and two adjacent hot tubs.
The Best New Small-Ship Cruises to Book in 2024 - AFAR Media
The Best New Small-Ship Cruises to Book in 2024.
Posted: Mon, 22 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Featured Cruises
"It was great to be on such a small ship with a high ratio of staff to guests," said a reader who sailed on the 312-passenger Star Legend. Ocean Victory's 11- and 12-night Alaska cruises depart between May and September. It visits destinations such as Frederick Sound, Endicott Arm, Tracy Arm, the Waterfall Coast (Gut Bay), Misty Fjords National Monument and Fiordland (Kynoch Inlet) in Canada's Inside Passage. Its sizable expedition team, which can number 18 on select voyages, comprises seasoned authorities in a wide range of fields, such as geology, whale communications and photography. Team members lead complimentary excursions on sea kayaks and 18 Zodiacs so passengers can experience glaciers, icebergs and wildlife up close. Elegant interiors include a main restaurant, several lounges and bars where drinks are all included, a plush lecture hall, a cafe for coffee and snacks, and spacious balcony suites that start from 355 square feet (including the balcony).
Island Windjammers focuses more on the joys of sailing than on over-the-top shipboard amenities. The line offers sailings in the Windward Islands from Grenada on the 10-passenger Diamant; its 24-passenger schooner and 26-passenger Vela offers a mix of both. Other itineraries include the French West Indies and the British Virgin Islands.
The ship sails destination-intensive itineraries predominantly in the Caribbean, Adriatic and Middle East. Activities on shore -- most of which are included in the cruise fares -- focus on kayaking, cycling, swimming, snorkelling and hiking, with a smattering of cultural and culinary tours. The ship's marina has a swimming platform and offers water toys, such as paddleboards, Jet Skis, water skis, snorkelling equipment and kayaks. Esprit's most unusual feature is its three-person submarine (tours at additional cost). Onboard facilities include 10 dining experiences, including a Champagne bar and private dining room for just eight people, the Senses Spa and suites with private hot tubs.
The Sea Cloud Spirit combines the experience of decades of traditional seamanship with the modern-day luxuries of a private yacht. Cabins range from 172-square-foot single cabins to 300-square-foot balcony suites with soaking tubs. There’s a large fitness center and spa, which has a steam room, sauna, and thermal area for two; indoor and outdoor lounges; and a main dining area, plus a more casual bistro. The action, however, is out on deck, where passengers can stargaze at night or simply gaze in awe at the impressive sails blowing in the wind. There's "cruising" and there's "yachting" – small ships that dock in harbors and ports inaccessible to larger ships.
Our Readers' Favorite Small-ship Ocean Cruise Lines of 2023 - Travel + Leisure
Our Readers' Favorite Small-ship Ocean Cruise Lines of 2023.
Posted: Tue, 11 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The line’s two expedition-style ships, Stella Australis and Ventus Australis, put passengers nose-to-nose with wildlife in the waters off southernmost Chile. “The detailed attention from all the staff was refreshingly impressive,” said one fan, who traveled aboard the Ventus Australis. The ship is notable for its many dining venues, including a restaurant by Thomas Keller(the famed chef known for his restaurants Per Se in New York and The French Laundry in Napa Valley). You'll also find a sushi venue, new and upscale alfresco dinner option on the pool deck, plus the main restaurant and buffet/casual dining venue. As with all Seabourn ships, Champagne and caviar are available, gratis, at all times and in any spot onboard. And if you love balconies, the suites on Regent Seven Seas Splendor are some of the largest afloat, ranging from 83 to 1,292 square feet.
No. 5 Windstar Cruises rose five places since last year, as adventurers praised its three distinctive sailing yachts, including the Wind Spirit and Wind Star, both of which accommodate 148 guests. No. 2 Ponant also climbed five spots this year, winning over readers with an ever-expanding fleet of small ships. New on the list for 2021 is No. 10 Alaskan Dream Cruises, an Alaska Native–owned line that has a fleet of six ships, including the Kruzof Explorer, a Bering Sea crab-fishing vessel turned luxury-expedition yacht.
There’s even extreme camping gear for those willing to brave an overnight under the stars in Antarctica. During North American winters, all three of Atlas’s expedition yachts sail in Antarctica. French luxury cruise line Ponant aims to make passengers feel as if they're traveling on their own private yachts. Guests enjoy Ladurée macarons, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, and luxurious Hermès bath products on board. Each of the company's ships features an onboard spa with massage cabins and either a Turkish bath or sauna. Ponant's luxurious small ships sail to remote destinations like Antarctica, incorporating once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as eclipse spotting from the edge of the earth.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated individual cruise ships on their cabins and facilities, food, service, itineraries and destinations, excursions and activities, and value. Those assessments were combined to generate results for the cruise lines in five categories; small-ship ocean cruise lines have ships that can carry 249 or fewer passengers. Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more.
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