sponsored Cruise Alaska in Winter with UnCruise By Heidi Sarna We asked Captain and UnCruise CEO Dan Blanchard about the genesis of their recently announced winter cruises starting in February and March, 2024. We’re very intrigued to learn more about what seems like a...
Expert Small Cruise Ship Reviews
We’re all about cruising without the crowds. QuirkyCruise is THE source for reviews, news & round-ups about unusual & small-ship cruises under 300 passengers, from river boats to canal barges, sailing ships, coastal cruisers & expedition vessels. We also share special offers & info on private charters.
CRUISE NEWS
The latest small-ship cruise news by our chief news correspondent Anne Kalosh.
CRUISE REVIEWS
We review our favorite small-ship cruise experiences to inspire & inform. Here, we also share special offers from our cruise partners.
CHARTER OPPORTUNITIES
Here we share ideas for private charters of small boats, barges & yachts that are ideal for intimate friend & family groups.
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Our Small Ship Cruise Reviews & Articles
We do a deep dive on all aspects of small-ship cruising under 300 pax, with reviews, news, tips & destination overviews to inspire & inform.
7 Reasons These Travelers LOVED Their Grand Victoria Barge Cruise Charter
sponsored Grand Victoria Barge Cruise Charter By Heidi Sarna We love when travelers want to tell us all about their latest small-ship quirky cruises. Here, Ron Maxwell shares details on his recent charter of the luxury 6-pax Grand Victoria. QuirkyCruise: When did you...
3 Interesting Small Scottish Ships from St Hilda Sea Adventures
sponsored 3 Small Scottish Ships Looking for a vacation with some personality? St Hilda Sea Adventures is a family-run business that has offered wonderful off-beat Scottish island cruises for more than 15 years. Carrying just 6 to 11 passengers, each of their three...
A Review of a Croatian Coastal Cruise in a Small Private Yacht
Croatian Coastal Cruise Review By Susan R. Pollack After being cooped up in the house for 2½ years and weary of our long pandemic pause from traveling, my husband and I decided the time had come to split Detroit — for Split, Croatia. Familiar to many as a film site...
No Whining on a Wine Cruise aboard American Empress
Wine Cruise aboard American Empress By Katherine Rodeghier Update Feb 24, 2024: The three riverboats of American Queen Voyages, including the American Queen, ceased operations earlier this week as will the company's pair of coastal ships, including American Empress....
The Best Small Ship Cruise Travel in 2022 — Our QuirkyCruise Gang Hit the Water Big Time in 2022
The Best Small Ship Cruise Travel in 2022 By Heidi & Ted & the Gang For many, 2022 was a year of travel, for getting back out there after two years at home tethered to zoom and youtube doing the virtual travel thing. And so, our QuirkyCruise gang was...
A Review of our Greg Mortimer Cruise to Costa Rica & Through the Panama Canal
Greg Mortimer Cruise Review By Nicholas Kontis While I never tire of cruising, some voyages are more memorable than others. One such journey was a 10-night Central America cruise through the Panama Canal, from Costa Rica’s Pacific shore to historic Cartagena on...
Holiday Cruise Deals — UnCruise is Giving the Gift of Discounted Small-Ship Adventures
sponsored Holiday Cruise Deals UnCruise is gifting small-ship adventure cruisers some enticing holiday specials, on bookings made by Jan 6 (2023)! And remember, UnCruise Adventures are all-inclusive — covering excursions, drinks and gear — so the fare you pay covers...
Review of a Nile River Cruise with Nour El Nil — Turning Back the Clock
Nile River Cruise Review By Alison Abbott There are certainly faster ways to travel from Luxor to Aswan; it is doubtful that any will be as unforgettable as a small-ship cruise with Nour El Nil. The longest river in the world has for centuries captured the imagination...
You’ll Love These 9 Great Reasons to Take a Windstar Cruise in Tahiti
Why do a Windstar Cruise in Tahiti? By Christine Bottross I spent a week aboard the beautiful 148-pax Wind Spirit in French Polynesia this past September and had a wonderful time. Here are my nine reasons, along with photos and videos I enjoyed capturing throughout...
A Quirky Travel Memoir — “Escape Clauses – Getting Away With a Travel Writing Life”
"Escape Clauses – Getting Away With a Travel Writing Life" We like supporting writers who love traveling as much as we do, especially the more unusual and offbeat stuff. So in that spirit, below we feature a little teaser about a new travel memoir from writer Bob...
A Review of 9 Great Small-Ship Cruises John Roberts Enjoyed in 2022
9 Great Small-Ship Cruises in 2022 By John Roberts The cruise industry came roaring back in 2022. And we saw more and more people flocking to the smaller cruise ships, embracing highly curated experiences that give them all-inclusive, hassle-free vacations away from...
Every Type of Small Ship Cruise
Heidi & Ted, along with their team of expert travel writers, have reviewed and traveled their way around the world, seeking out the very best in small-ship cruising. We have organized our reviews in six small buckets — river & canal, sailing, micro, coastal, oceangoing and expedition small-ship cruises.
River & Canal Cruises
Micro Cruises
Coastal Cruises
Sailing Cruises
Expedition Cruises
Oceangoing Cruises
Destination … Anywhere
If you can imagine it, we’ve cruised it! With reviews, articles and destination overviews, we’ve got you covered.