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

Fr $2,147

Fr $2,891

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

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Max Occupancy 198 Guests

7 Day Caribbean-Southern

ship World Navigator itinerary Philipsburg to Bridgetown dates Oct 14, 2026

Fr $4,072

Seabourn

Max occupancy 608 guests

7 Day Caribbean-Eastern

ship Seabourn Ovation itinerary Bridgetown to Philipsburg dates Jan 10, 2026 - Mar 13, 2027

Fr $4,153

Silversea Cruises

Max occupancy 608 guests

7 Day Caribbean-Southern

ship Silver Spirit itinerary Roundtrip Bridgetown dates Dec 8, 2025 - Jan 26, 2026

Fr $4,704

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 100 guests

7 Day Caribbean-Southern

ship National Geographic Quest itinerary Panama City/Panama to Cartagena/Colombia dates Oct 19, 2025 - Nov 7, 2026

Fr $6,470

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 922 guests

8 Day Caribbean-Eastern

ship Explora I itinerary Miami to San Juan dates Nov 27, 2025 & Jan 28, 2026

Fr $3,610

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 guests

10 Day Caribbean-Western

ship Viking Sea itinerary Roundtrip San Juan dates Jan 8, 2026 - Feb 24, 2027

Fr $3,499

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 922 guests

10 Day Caribbean-Eastern

ship Explora II itinerary Roundtrip Miami dates Jan 15 & Feb 4, 2026

Fr $5,357

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Max occupancy 746 guests

10 Day Caribbean-Western

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

Fr $5,760

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 62 guests

5 Day Alaska-Inside Passage

ship National Geographic Sea Lion itinerary Sitka to Juneau dates Jul 6, 2025 - Aug 28, 2026

Fr $3,992

American Cruise Line

Max occupancy 174 guests

8 Day Alaska-Inside Passage

ship American Constellation itinerary Roundtrip Juneau dates Jul 15, 2025 - 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 9, 2025 - Aug 12, 2026

Fr $8,990

SeaDream Yacht Club

Max occupancy 112 guests

6 Day Mediterranean-West

ship Sea Dream II itinerary Barcelona to Nice dates Sep 6, 2025

Fr $11,742

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-West

ship Viking Neptune itinerary Barcelona to London dates Jan 20, 2026

Fr $2,499

Riviera River Cruises

Max occupancy 40 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-East

ship MS il Mare itinerary Roundtrip Split dates Aug 31, 2025 - 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 Sep 1, 2025 - Aug 11, 2026

Fr $2,799

Silversea Cruises

Max occupancy 596 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-West

ship Silver Muse itinerary Rome/Civitavecchia to Barcelona dates Dec 14, 2025

Fr $3,264

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Max occupancy 198 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-East

ship World Traveller itinerary Dubrovnik to Venice/Italy dates Sep 15, 2026

Fr $4,191

Fr $4,536

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 922 guests

7 Day Mediterranean-West

ship Explora II itinerary Rome/Civitavecchia to Barcelona dates Jul 7 - Sep 1, 2025

Fr $5,040

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

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 102 guests

7 Day Greece & Turkey

ship National Geographic Orion itinerary Athens to Lavrion dates Aug 2, 2025 - Sep 1, 2026

Fr $8,194

Riviera River Cruises

Max occupancy 114 guests

10 Day Portugal

ship MS Riviera Rose itinerary Roundtrip Porto dates Sep 2, 2025 - Oct 20, 2026

Fr $3,752

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 $4,599

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

Crystal Cruises

MAX OCCUPANCY 606 GUESTS

7 Day Scandinavia & Fjords

ship Crystal Serenity itinerary Roundtrip Copenhagen dates Jul 15, 2025

Fr $5,006

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 926 guests

7 Day Scandinavia & Fjords

ship Explora III itinerary Copenhagen to Southampton dates Sep 2, 2026

Fr $6,672

Fr $7,008

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 54 guests

7 Day British Isles

ship Lord of the Glens itinerary Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh dates Jul 7 - Aug 25, 2025

Fr $9,195

SeaDream Yacht Club

Max occupancy 112 guests

7 Day Scandinavia & Fjords

ship Sea Dream II itinerary Stockholm to Oslo dates Jul 19, 2025

Fr $9,965

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Max occupancy 198 guests

8 Day Holland & Scandinavia

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

Fr $4,676

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Max occupancy 298 guests

9 Day British Isles

ship Evrima itinerary Lisbon to Dublin dates Jun 20, 2026

Fr $9,800

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

Swan Hellenic Cruises

Max occupancy 192 guests

7 Day Africa

ship SH Diana itinerary Dakar to Casablanca dates May 1, 2026

Fr $5,780

Fr $5,500

Fr $3,942

Fr $5,484

Viking River Cruises

Max occupancy 82 Guests

11 Day Nile River

ship MS Antares itinerary Roundtrip Cairo dates Aug 25, 2025 - Feb 9, 2026

Fr $7,350

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 44 guests

11 Day Nile River

ship Oberoi Philae itinerary Roundtrip Cairo dates Sep 6 - Nov 29, 2025

Fr $10,745

AmaWaterways Cruises

Max occupancy 28 guests

12 Day Zambezi River (S. Africa)

ship Zambezi Queen itinerary Roundtrip Johannesburg dates Aug 3, 2025 - Nov 22, 2026

Fr $16,590

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Max occupancy 452 guests

13 Day Africa

ship Luminara itinerary Cape Town to Port Louis dates Nov 20, 2025

Fr $18,600

Tauck Tours

Max occupancy 40 guests

8 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Isabela II itinerary Roundtrip Guayaquil dates Jul 10, 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 Jul 19 - Dec 20, 2025

Fr $8,208

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

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 922 guests

12 Day Amazon River Cruises

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

Fr $7,589

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 378 guests

12 Day Antarctic Cruises

ship Viking Polaris itinerary Buenos Aires to Ushuaia dates Nov 3, 2025 - Feb 21, 2026

Fr $12,995

HX

14 Day South America Coastal

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

Fr $6,797

Ponant Cruises

Max occupancy 244 Guests

14 Day South America Coastal

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

Fr $11,900

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 $8,517

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

Lindblad Expeditions

Max occupancy 126 guests

17 Day Antarctica

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

Fr $16,519

Fr $22,284

Avalon Waterways Cruises

Max Capacity 18 Guests

7 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Treasure of Galapagos itinerary Roundtrip Quito dates Jul 16 - Nov 19, 2025

Fr $6,194

Celebrity Cruises

Max Capacity 100 Guests

7 Day Galapagos Cruises

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

Fr $8,173

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 $12,384

HX

Max occupancy 102 guests

8 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship MS Santa Cruz II itinerary Roundtrip North Seymour Island dates Jul 16, 2025 - Mar 25, 2026

Fr $6,900

Tauck Tours

Max Capacity 40 Guests

8 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Isabela II itinerary Roundtrip Guayaquil dates Jul 10 & Dec 11, 2025

Fr $9,190

HX

Max Capacity 102 Guests

9 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship MS Santa Cruz II itinerary Roundtrip North Seymour Island dates Jul 19, 2025 - Mar 14, 2026

Fr $8,903

Avalon Waterways Cruises

Max Capacity 18 Guests

11 Day Galapagos Cruises

ship Treasure of Galapagos itinerary Roundtrip Quito dates Jul 16 - 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 Sep 21 - Nov 16, 2025

Fr $9,684

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 922 guests

7 Day Arabian Peninsula

ship Explora II itinerary Roundtrip Dubai dates Dec 14, 2026 & Jan 11, 2027

Fr $3,648

Fr $7,720

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Max occupancy 452 guests

9 Day Southeast Asia

ship Luminara itinerary Colombo to Singapore dates Dec 14, 2025

Fr $9,400

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 Venus itinerary Laem Chabang to Benoa dates Nov 2, 2025

Fr $5,999

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 $6,199

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

Silversea Cruises

Max occupancy 596 Guests

14 Day Japan & Far East

ship Silver Moon itinerary Tokyo to Seward dates Apr 30, 2026

Fr $7,104

Silversea Cruises

Max Occupancy 596 Guests

10 Day Southern Australia

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

Fr $4,704

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 $10,920

Viking Ocean Cruises

Max occupancy 930 guests

14 Day Australia/New Zealand

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

Fr $6,999

Fr $8,640

Seabourn

Max occupancy 466 guests

15 Day Australia & New Zealand

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

Fr $7,285

Paul Gauguin Cruises

Max Occupancy 330 Guests

7 Day Tahiti

ship Paul Gauguin itinerary Roundtrip Papeete/Polynesia dates Jul 26, 2025 - Dec 12, 2026

Fr $2,961

Fr $3,290

Crystal Cruises

MAX OCCUPANCY 606 GUESTS

8 Day South Pacific Islands

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

Call

Paul Gauguin Cruises

Max Occupancy 330 Guests

10 Day Tahiti

ship Paul Gauguin itinerary Roundtrip Papeete/Polynesia dates Oct 8, 2025 - Dec 2, 2026

Fr $5,683

Fr $6,624

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 $10,944

Fr $10,390

Fr $4,499

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Max occupancy 198 guests

7 Day Arctic

ship World Navigator itinerary Roundtrip Longyearbyen dates May 29 & Jun 11, 2026

Fr $6,186

Swan Hellenic Cruises

Max occupancy 192 guests

7 Day Arctic

ship SH Diana itinerary Roundtrip Longyearbyen dates Jun 20 - Jul 4, 2026

Fr $6,980

Fr $9,930

Explora Journeys

Max occupancy 926 guests

8 Day Arctic & British Isles

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

Fr $7,695

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Max occupancy 198 guests

9 Day Arctic

ship World Traveller itinerary Tromso to Longyearbyen dates Aug 17, 2025

Fr $6,286

HX

Max occupancy 170 guests

12 Day Arctic

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

Fr $6,171

Oceania Cruises

Max occupancy 692 Guests

32 Day Iceland, Greenland & the Arctic

ship Sirena itinerary Reykjavik to Amsterdam dates Aug 11, 2025

Fr $11,368

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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