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 the crowds.

I should know! I went on nine small-ship cruises this year, and the voyages hit a range of styles — exotic expeditions in the Galapagos and Alaska; luxury cruises; Caribbean, French Riviera and Mediterranean yachting adventures; and river cruises in America’s heartland and along the Nile to discover ancient Egypt.

This recap will give you a little bit of everything to consider when it comes to fantastic small-ship cruising options. Check out Quirky Cruise’s look at the best small-ship cruises from the past year.

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VIDEO RECAP: Below is a quick look at all 9 of John’s 2022 small-ship cruises in this video he made for QuirkyCruise!

SeaDream Yacht Club — SeaDream II

SeaDream II carries up to 112 passengers, and I sailed with about half that many on a cruise out of West Palm Beach, Florida, to the Caribbean.

During our weeklong cruise on this yacht, we had sunny days visiting Nassau, Salt Cay, San Salvador Island and Jost Van Dyke in the Bahamas, before making our way to Puerta Plata and Isla Saona in the Dominican Republic, finally finishing our voyage in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The SeaDream II. * Photo: John Roberts

What I Loved about SeaDream II

This cruise is all about getting outside and unleashing your true yachting spirit. Breakfasts, lunches and dinners are offered on the outer decks, and we took advantage as much as possible.

There is a main dining room, too, and it is nice to have dinner in the more formal setting a couple times, but having meals outside in warm breezes under the sun or stars is what this ship is all about.

The food and service also is top notch, and SeaDream offers a signature beach party with Champagne and caviar served up in the surf. This is an all-inclusive luxury experience.

VIDEO RECAP: Here’s John take on SeaDream II in the Caribbean

We also enjoyed relaxing on the pool deck at the aft of the ship, which has a small pool and hot tub. This space overlooks the marina at the back of the ship. The marina is the place for a variety of water sports activities, like sailing, paddling, kayaking and swimming.

SeaDream II Caveats

The ship is older (built in 1985), so it feels a bit rustic, which can be either charming or frustrating depending on your expectations. The cabins are quite spacious and nicely decorated, but there are no balconies on this ship.

Sample SeaDream II Itinerary

The SeaDream II travels all over the world. For example, cruisers can enjoy an eight-day Western Med cruise from Rome to Barcelona starting at $6,499 per person.

RELATED: Here’s John’s full review of his SeaDream II cruise.

Viking Cruises — Viking Octantis

Viking’s first expedition ship is a revelation, and we sailed on a relocation voyage — as the ship moved north for its first season in the Great Lakes — to get a feel for this spacious 378-passenger ship.

We embarked in Barbados and visited St. Kitts and San Juan, P.R., on our way to New York City.

What I Loved about Viking Octantis

Viking Octantis is packed with features and amenities that make expedition cruising more comfortable than you could ever imagine. The LivNordic Spa has a large pool, as well as a snow room, sauna and plunge pool. There is a nice fitness center, huge Living Room lounge space, the Explorers’ Lounge, Finse Terrace outdoor deck space at the aft and The Aula theater for enrichment talks and movies.

The Finse Terrace on Viking Octantis. * Photo: John Roberts

You also get all the Viking favorite restaurant experiences, such as Mamsen’s and World Café.

VIDEO RECAP: John shares the 7 best things about Viking Octantis

The ship also is built for exploration and science. The expedition team gives talks in The Aula relating to the regions where you are sailing, and operations launch from The Hangar and The Landing facilities at the bottom of the ship. This is where you have lockers to store your expedition gear and can get into the Zodiacs and Special Operations Boats for tours around your destination. The ship also carries two submarines.

Special Operations Boat aboard Viking Octantis. * Photo: John Roberts

A Science Lab offers interactive experiences, allowing passengers to help the team of onboard scientists study water quality or run other tests. The ship also regularly launches weather balloons, so it is a true working science vessel.

Viking Octantis Caveats

With 378 passengers, Viking Octantis is a larger ship than many of the 36- to 200-passenger ships that operate in Antarctica, so the program will be quite different for how people are able to get ashore and where Viking Octantis can go in this part of the world.

Sample Itinerary for Viking Octantis

The Great Lakes sailings are in high demand, and Viking offers a Niagara and Great Lakes cruise for eight days starting at $5,995 per person.

Viking Octantis in the Welland Canal, part of the St. Lawrence Seaway connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. * Photo: Viking

Silversea — Silver Origin

This is the new 100-passenger all-inclusive luxury ship that sails weeklong expeditions in the Galapagos. Silver Origin has a wonderful indoor/outdoor marina with an attached living room/boutique/guest relations area where cruisers can use interactive screens to learn about the Galapagos, relax with a book during times of sailing and gather to get ready and await Zodiac transport out to the next snorkeling spot or shore excursion.

The open decks of the Silver Origin. * Photo: John Roberts

On the ship, butlers take care of you in beautiful and spacious suites. Silver Origin offers a spa, fitness center and two restaurants, including a wonderful outdoor grill at the top of the ship where we had lunch every day and a few dinners, as well.

The lounges include a main theater type space midship and an adjacent outdoor space at the back of the ship with “fire pits,” as well as a nice enclosed observation lounge/library at the very top and forward on Silver Origin.

We sailed roundtrip from San Cristobal and spent a week popping by remote islands to snorkel with sea lions, interact with boobies and observe fascinating fish, tortoises, crabs and seals.

The sleek 100-pax Silver Origin. * Photo: John Roberts

What I Loved about Silver Origin

This is luxury expedition cruising at its finest, with long busy days filled with exciting excursions to see colorful birds and partake in amazing physical activities in one of the most exotic places on earth.

It’s so wonderful to come back to a luxury ship with outstanding attentive service and gourmet cuisine that is a mix of preparations highlighting the Galapagos and Ecuador (ceviches and fresh fish) and traditional favorites (steaks, pastas and sweet desserts).

VIDEO RECAP: Below, John shows us his Silver Origin cruise in the Galapagos.

It’s all made extra special because of the Ecuadorian crew that takes pride in showing off this special place and taking great care of their guests.

Silver Origin Caveat

The most elegant ship to ever cruise in the Galapagos is a pricy proposition, of course. These ultra-luxury voyages start around $14,000 per person. That’s $2,000 per person per day!

Sample Silver Origin Itinerary

Silver Origin sails roundtrip Galapagos cruises from San Cristobal year-round, and the door-to-door prices include transfers from your home to the airport and back, economy class airfare, transfers, pre-cruise hotel stays and everything onboard.

Star Clippers — Star Clipper

Summertime in the south of France sounds delightful, doesn’t it? Well, it is, especially if you do it on a classic four-masted sailing ship like Star Clipper.

We were true sailors (or at least romanticized about it here and there) during our weeklong voyage roundtrip from Cannes.

Star Clipper is one of three small sailing ships in the fleet of Star Clippers, which also operates the flagship Royal Clipper and Star Flyer. Star Clipper carries up to 170 passengers, and we sailed with about 120 during a summer trip in ideal conditions, with sunny days and temps in the low 80s as we visited the small ports of Portofino, L’Ile Rousse, Calvi, and Plage Saint Antoine, Corsica, as well as Cavalaire sur Mer and Saint Tropez.

John up top on the Star Clipper’s Crows Nest. * Photo: John Roberts

What I Loved about the Star Clipper

Star Clipper has a well-worn look and feel but is a beautiful sailing ship that beckons cruisers to spend the days topside. The teak is weathered, but I loved walking barefoot during the day and even dancing sans shoes at the ship’s Tropical Bar every evening.

VIDEO RECAP: A tour of John’s Star Clipper cruise in France, below.

We were delighted to enjoy each day our way, going ashore for pizza and beer in Portofino, and a scenic hike and stop for craft beers in charming Calvi, or just swimming and savoring a day at the beach at Plage Saint Antoine. We even enjoyed a lunch with friends at the pretty marina in Cavalare sur Mer and a dinner at a quaint restaurant tucked within the cobbled alleyways in St. Tropez.

The ship also was a destination, with activities like swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding and sailing offered, as well as a fun scramble up the mast to the crow’s nest overlooking the deck below. Each night as we departed our port, the sails went up as passengers gathered on the top deck to watch the crew work the lines.

The crew is friendly and energetic, with many of them participating in a fun crew show toward the end of the voyage.

Crew on the bow sprit of the Star Clipper. * Photo: John Roberts

Star Clipper Caveats

The standard cabins are small and only offer a porthole, as well as drab décor and beds that are not especially comfortable. The food also is basic and bland, at best.

Sample Itinerary for the Star Clipper

Star Clipper offers cruises all over the world, visiting smaller ports that interest adventurous travelers. A seven-night Costa Rica and Nicaragua cruise typically starts around $4,450 per person, but we’ve seen specials of up to 65 percent of the brochure rate.

American Queen Voyages — American Queen

This one was on my list of must-cruise vessels for quite a while, and we finally got to enjoy the world’s largest passenger paddlewheeler during a weeklong fanciful journey on the Ohio River. American Queen was built in 1995 and is a replica of a classic Mississippi steamboat.

This boat carries up 417 passengers, and cruisers love this vessel, coming back again and again to be transported back in time to an era of relaxing and scenic travel along the great interior waterways of America.

We embarked in Pittsburgh, and the weeklong sailing stopped at the small towns of Marietta, Ohio; Huntington, West Virginia; Augusta, Kentucky; and Marion, Indiana; as well as Cincinnati, before we ended the trip in Louisville.

John in front of the American Queen in Pittsburgh. * Photo:John Roberts

What I Loved about the American Queen

American Queen features large interior spaces packed with vintage décor and plenty of views of the river as you lazily churn from port to port.

It’s a delight sitting in the white rocking chairs at the railings of the outer decks to watch the boat pass through locks, take in the sunset or revel in the crowds who gather along the banks in the small towns as American Queen arrives or departs.

The bow of the American Queen. * Photo: John Roberts

Make sure to spend time at the back of the boat and watch the iconic red paddlewheel churn the river water. That’s what makes this boat special.

VIDEO TOUR: Enjoy John’s American Queen deck-by-deck tour

These charming little towns along the way throw open their arms to welcome visitors, and it so nice to stroll around town, have a meal or drink at the bars and restaurants and do a little shopping in these places.

American Queen Voyages offers a hop-on, hop-off bus that traces a route around the towns to take visitors to points of interest like museums or shopping districts. I enjoyed spending time at a railroad museum and Marshall University campus while in Huntington.

The boat also carries bikes, so that you can take a ride around your destination and really get a feel for what it’s like to live and work in these serene and charming places in the middle of the country.

American Queen Caveats

This is not the ship for you if you need a day full of onboard programming and activities. Things can be a little slow paced (average age of the cruisers was about 70 on our sailing).

Programming includes enrichment talks about the river and history from riverlorians, and you get some trivia contests and live music in the lounges or a singers and dancers putting on shows in the main theater in the evenings.

Sample Itinerary for American Queen

You can take trips up and down the Mississippi River, as well as find sailings on the Ohio.

The Mississippi cruises represent the classic voyages on American Queen, though, and a nine-day Lower Mississippi cruise from Memphis to New Orleans that visits Natchez and Vicksburg, Mississippi, and St. Francisville and Nottoway, Louisiana, starts at $2,099.

American Queen Voyages — Ocean Victory

Alaska is my favorite destination, with its wide-open spaces, incredible beauty, abundance of animals and opportunities for adventurous activities. We went on an expedition with American Queen Voyages (AQV) on the fantastic 186-passenger purpose-built ship Ocean Victory.

Our 11-day voyage started in Vancouver, Canada, and ended in Sitka, Alaska. Our itinerary featured stops in Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg and Kake, as well as expedition days in Misty Fjord National Monument and Tracy Arm Fjord.

The Ocean Victory in Misty Fjords. * Photo: John Roberts

What I Loved about Ocean Victory

Ocean Victory features a range of great spaces ideal for expeditions in Alaska.

The ship has innovative viewing platforms that stick out like wings on each side of the bow on Deck 5 and are easily accessible from the lounge area, so you can bolt out there for whale sightings or other items of interest, like dolphins, seabirds or icebergs.

Ocean Victory’s Viewing Wings. * Photo: John Roberts

VIDEO RECAP: Here’s John video tour of the Ocean Victory in Alaska

At the top of the ship, there is a large deck with a pool and hot tubs. Plus, a restaurant with a terrace for eating outdoors when the conditions allow. This is also where the line holds a fantastic barbecue lunch once per voyage.

The program is a nice mix of expedition cruising with light adventures, making it accessible to more people, alongside visits to small ports. This gives it a feel of hybrid expedition/traditional cruise.

During your trip, you also have onboard games and activities like piano sing-a-longs, dancing, trivia contests and enrichment presentations. Expedition activities included Zodiac tours and kayaking sessions.

Ocean Victory Caveats

This is a very light expedition. So, if you are looking for something more hardcore and active, this is not for you.

Ocean Victory Sample Itinerary

American Queen Voyages’ Ocean Victory expedition cruises in Alaska include a pre-cruise hotel stay. Fares start at $4,200.

Emerald Cruises — Emerald Azzurra

Yacht-style cruising is gaining favor, and more small boutique cruise ships are in the works. Emerald Cruises’ first ocean-going vessel is Emerald Azzurra, and the 100-passenger ship offers a great mix of things to do.

We sailed from Dubrovnik, Croatia, to Civitavecchia, Italy, during a seven-day itinerary that offered visits to small Italian ports like Monopoli, Otranto, Crotone, Giardini Naxos, Amalfi and Sorrento.

The 100-pax Emerald Azzurra. * Photo: John Roberts

What I Loved about Emerald Azzurra

The elegant and modern design of the ship stands out everywhere you go. It’s a sleek vessel with a huge space-to-passenger ratio that means ultimate comfort as you stroll the observation decks or relax up top at the large hot tub or pool area.

It’s a great ship to visit small ports where the bigger cruise ships can’t reach.

We didn’t see another cruise vessel at any of our stops all week.

VIDEO RECAP: John shows us around the Emerald Azzurra in Italy.

Emerald Azzurra features fantastic cuisine, with fresh fish and regional specialties like squid, mussels and clams highlighted in the daily menus. We loved the specialty flatbreads offered at the Aqua Café outdoor eatery, which also serves up amazing gelatos, cookies and other desserts.

The spa is outstanding, with two treatment rooms and an infrared sauna, as well as a well-equipped gym. Plus, the marina at the back of the ship was filled with great toys. We hopped on the trampoline, lazed on floating mats, kayaked the scenic harbor area of Amalfi and tried out the Seabobs (water scooters).

Emerald Azzurra’s marina. * Photo: John Roberts

The ship also carries a fleet of e-assist bikes, and we took advantage for a couple of rides along the coasts — in Monopoli and Giardini Naxos.

Caveats of Emerald Azzurra

Most of the port visits require tenders ashore, which makes the process of going ashore a little slower and limits the chance to hop on and hop off the yacht at your leisure.

Sample Emerald Azzurra Itinerary

Emerald Azzurra sails Caribbean, Med and Red Sea voyages, and an eight-day Eastern Caribbean with St. Barths cruise goes from St. Martin to Barbados, with stops in Antigua and Barbuda, Guadelupe, Martinique, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Fares start at $3,800 per person.

RELATED: Jason Frye reviews his Emerald Azzurra cruise in the Med.

Windstar Cruises — Star Breeze

Windstar stretched this motor yacht. Yes, you can do that with a cruise ship — to expand the capacity from 212 passengers to 312. This process, which entails cutting the ship in half and inserting a new section, included an overall renovation that added new restaurants.

The result is a greatly enhanced yacht that we enjoyed while sailing on a seven-day journey in French Polynesia.

During this memorable week, we played in the waters, learned about the culture and geology of the region and basically blissed out in paradise.

What I Loved about Star Breeze

Star Breeze will be permanently located in French Polynesia starting in early 2024, and the ship is perfectly suited for the location.

You get a variety of islands and activities to thoroughly enjoy during the voyage. We started in Papeete, Tahiti, and had days of adventure and exploration in Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Taha’a and Raiatea.

VIDEO RECAP: John Takes us on a tour of Star Breeze in Tahiti

Star Breeze offers five restaurants, including a main dining room, Star Grill outdoors casual eatery, Veranda buffet, Candles steakhouse and Cuadro 44, a Spanish tapas and wine bar. This provided an incredible array of dining options featuring delicious cuisine for a weeklong cruise. We also made great use of the marina for swimming and kayaking sessions around the ship.

Aside from daily excursions that included whale watching, snorkeling, helmet diving and a tour up a remote river, one of our favorite activities was the Destination Discovery Event in Bora Bora. This is Windstar’s immersive evening on a motu (small islet) with a big dinner buffet and performances by Polynesian musicians, singers and hula and fire dancers.

The Destination Discovery event on Star Breeze in Tahiti. * Photo: John Roberts

Caveats of Star Breeze

It’s a long flight to Tahiti, taking a couple legs before you get there, and the time change will be at least four hours from the U.S. west coast.

It can take a day or two to shake off the jet lag, so it can be a wise move to plan to arrive at least one day before your cruise to get acclimated.

Sample Star Breeze Itinerary

Windstar offers cruises on Star Breeze in Tahiti that include an air and hotel package. It’s an eight-day itinerary that goes roundtrip from Papeete and includes a stay in the Intercontinental Tahiti Resort and Spa, with a starting price of $6,099.

RELATED: Judi Cohen reviews her Windstar Tahiti cruise.

Viking — Viking Osiris

Viking has upped the ante for Nile River cruising with the 82-passenger Viking Osiris. This is the most-luxurious river ship on the Nile, and I was onboard for the inaugural voyage and naming ceremony, as we sailed roundtrip from Luxor.

The ship offers all the familiar features that make Viking so special. This ship now matches the comfort and feel of the Viking ocean, river and expedition ships, with design that evokes a modern boutique hotel and wonderful dining options and service.

The Viking Osiris cruises the Nile River year-round. * Photo: John Roberts

What I Loved about Viking Osiris

Viking Osiris is incredibly spacious with a huge lounge and bar area, the Aquavit Terrace and a small swimming pool.

The top Sun Deck is a favorite spot, with well-organized seating areas in both sunshine and shade. These include rocking chairs and couches providing an inviting space to enjoy the scenic sailing along the Nile.

VIDEO TOUR: John’s Viking Osiris Deck-By-Deck Tour

Staterooms also are spacious and elegant. The food and service matches what cruisers have come to expect on Viking, with great meals featuring both classics that cater to Western tastes and regional specialties. These are available in The Restaurant or in a more casual setting at Aquavit Terrace.

Caveats of aViking Osiris river cruise

If you pick a summer sailing (July and August) on Viking Osiris, you will be going out on your excursions in intense heat. Most days, we were melting under 108-degree temperatures. This can make the experience a little more challenging when traveling in these months, so you probably want to book when the weather is relatively milder.

Feeling hot hot hot. * Photo: John Roberts

Sample Viking Osiris Itinerary

Viking operates one program in Egypt. The “Pharaohs and Pyramids” itinerary starts and ends in Cairo, with a pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel stay, as well as visits to all the must-see spots while in Egypt’s capital. You get the Great Pyramids, Sphinx and Egyptian Museum.

On the river, your voyage takes you to the Temples of Luxor and Karnak and the Valley of the Kings to see the tombs of the great rulers of Ancient Egypt. You also have visits to places like Edfu, Aswan and Abu Simbel to see more temples and visits markets.

Fares start at $5,299 per person.

RELATED: Read John’s full review of his Viking Osiris Nile River cruise.

Hope you enjoyed an overview of my 9 great small-ship cruises in 2022!

What a sunset! On the Sea Dream II, one of the 9 small-ship cruises writer John Roberts took in 2022. * Photo: Colleen McDaniel

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