Why Small
Ship Cruises? We love small
ships because they go into the smaller
ports where the big ships cane love them because you
get to experience the culture and the people of the destination not just the
tourist areas.
The small ship cruise offers an intimate
cruising experience.
You can see the land and wildlife up close and personal. You get to know officers and
crew and guest lecturers and form a bond with fellow passengers.
Small ships range from 5 to 500 passengers. If
you have been on the big ships, especially the mega-liners that carry thousands
of passengers, you know it is difficult for big ships to give highly personal
service. And with the big ships there are lines for dinner and shore excursions
and even to disembark at the end of the cruise.
On a small ship you get to see out-of-the-way
places. A typical day will consist of exploring your destination in small groups
with experienced guides, whether it is exploring old Medieval towns, motoring up
the Amazon to see wildlife, or going to a remote uncrowded beach to just lay
back and relax.
It really comes down to a matter of taste, and
what you are looking for. Most first-time small ship cruisers fall in love with
the experience, refuse to return to the mega-liners, and
return again and again to the small ships.
Big ships tend to be very reasonably priced,
but they make that up with a la carte add-ons and alcohol sales. Small ship cruise
fares are more expensive, but when all the factors
are taken into consideration, it is really only a little more expensive because
in many cases shore excursion are included in your fare, sometimes even
gratuities. Soft drinks, juice, coffee, tea and snacks are always available, and
wine and beer is usually included at lunch and dinner.
Many people think that they can get the small
ship experience for the fare they see advertised for a low-end economy big ship.
You usually cannot. Fares for small ship cruises can range widely, varying
according to luxury of the ship, size and location of the cabin, and length of
the cruise. A typical 7-night cruise on a small ship might start at about $1,500
per person per week double occupancy and go up from there depending on the ship
and the cabin. You can often save money by cruising off-season, paying in full when booking, or
getting friends to join you so you can get a group discount.
SmallShipCruises.com will help you filter
through all the choices. We have first-hand knowledge of the cruise lines and
have cruised with most of them. Browse through our website to find the
destination and ship that you like best, then call us at
1-773-425-1130 or toll-free at 1-888-492-0225 and we will help arrange a
memorable cruise.
-- Your crew at SmallShipCruises
