Small Ship Cruises in the Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean island chains offer more than just pleasant breaks on the transatlantic routes as small ship cruises move from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean in the spring and vice versa in the fall. Some offer surprisingly beautiful land and seascapes with largely dormant volcano craters to look into (Azores), dramatic mountain scenery (Tenerife in the Canaries), lovely coastal vistas (Madeira), and well-developed resort life (Canaries and Madeira), and springtime flower displays and traditional village life (all islands). The cruise ports (Funchal, Madeira; Santa Cruz, Tenerife; Ponta Delgada, Azores) themselves may hold enough interest in their café and restaurant offerings, local museums, architectural features, churches and craft shopping not to have to venture any further.