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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.
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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.
Multi-Generation Family Cruise in Alaska with UnCruise
Multi-Generation Family Cruise By Beverly Fonner It had been a plan to travel to Alaska with our children and grandchildren. However, every year, there seemed to be a conflict and although disappointed, we would look forward to trying to make it happen the next year....
9 Small Ship Scottish Cruises You Should Know About
9 Small Ship Scottish Cruises You Should Know About By Ted Scull & Robin McKelvie Scotland is one of the world’s top small-ship cruise destinations. The exceedingly scenic isles off Scotland's west coast are an ideal backdrop for intimate small-ship cruising. Over...
Ecoventura Galapagos Cruise — Small Ship Cruising at its Best
What can you expect on an Ecoventura Galapagos Cruise? By Dana Freeman Discovering the Galápagos Islands is generally high on most cruisers’ bucket lists. For many reasons. Including the legendary giant tortoises! However, experiencing it on a small luxury yacht is...
Exploring the Waterways of Ontario aboard Kawartha Voyageur
Exploring the Waterways of Ontario aboard Kawartha Voyageur — A Look Back to a 1997 Cruise By Theodore W. Scull This article is a look back at Ted's Kawartha Voyageur cruise in 1997, in a story he wrote for the now sadly defunct "Cruise Travel" magazine. Good to...
New Galápagos Yachts for Lindblad & Aqua Expeditions
New Galápagos Yachts for Lindblad & Aqua Expeditions by Anne Kalosh Lindblad Expeditions and Aqua Expeditions are each putting a new yacht into the Galápagos Islands in 2022. For Lindblad, it's the former Crystal Esprit, acquired in September for $13 million from...
Cruising Canada’s Rideau Canal on the Small-ship Kawartha Voyageur from Kingston to Ottawa
Cruising Canada’s Rideau Canal on Kawartha Voyageur By Judi Cohen With only a handful of cruise lines operating in Canada due to COVID restrictions, I was on a mission to cruise on every small ship in the Province of Ontario, close to home in Toronto. Cruising aboard...
Carbon Neutral Cruising — Aurora Expeditions Goes Carbon Neutral
Carbon Neutral Cruising with Aurora Expeditions By Anne Kalosh Aurora Expeditions has been certified 100 percent carbon neutral and plans an Antarctic Climate Expedition in 2023, led by renowned oceanographer and conservationist Dr. Sylvia Earle. The trip will take...
PANDAW River Cruises
Pandaw River Cruises June 28, 2022 UPDATE — Pandaw Restarted! Pandaw resumed river cruise in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and India in September/October 2022! Myanmar (Burma) remains suspended due to political unrest and unsafe travel conditions. Company...
Active Danube River Cruising — Emerald Cruises Keeps You Active, Healthy & Happy
Active Danube River Cruising with Emerald By John Roberts Emerald Cruises has created a fun way to bring a lot more energy to river cruising. The line's EmeraldACTIVE program launched in 2019, and we have now sailed twice on the river cruise line’s Emerald Destiny to...
Review of Hebrides Cruising Straight Out of Mallaig on the Fleur de Lys — UPDATE: Renamed Glen Rosa for Majestic Line
Hebrides Cruising on the Fleur de Lys By Robin McKelvie Update from author Sept 22,2023: "Note that for the 2023 season The Majestic Line acquired the Fleur de Lys and renamed her the Glen Rosa. They have relocated the vessel, in line with their other small ships,...
American Queen Voyages & Other Small-Ship News from the Seatrade Convention in Miami
American Queen Voyages: American Queen Voyages 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. The bottom line is that the line never...
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.