Frequently Asked Questions

The fundamental advantages of small ships are being able to travel with a small group, often with similar focused goals; to be able to go to places the big ships cannot reach and land passengers such as in Antarctica, a small port in Southeast Alaska, the coast of France or South Pacific island. You are having a shared experience and will after a few days feel a bond to many of the other passengers. According to our limit of 300, all sailing ships are considered small as are almost every riverboat and expedition vessel. Here’s more on the kinds of ships we cover.

The world is your oyster, so go open it.

Most small-ship cruises are not geared at all to children under about age 10; and others are not suitable for older kids either due to there not being playrooms, activities, kids menus, and often not TVs or reliable WiFi, not to mention the smaller space of the ship itself. That said, there ARE some small-ship cruises are that are wonderful for families with kids in the 10 to 18 year old range, including cruises in the Galapagos, Caribbean, Alaska, Antarctica, and the Greek Isles. During the summers and holiday weeks like Christmas, there will be more children traveling with their families and some lines offer special kids’ programming during those times, including Lindblad Expeditions, Celebrity Xpeditions, Un-Cruise, and others. On Europe’s rivers, some lines also offer special family departures, including lines like Uniworld and AMA Waterways.

Some small ships are less likely to have elevators or at least service to all decks. Often the ships anchor in remote locations, and passengers must embark into launches and Zodiacs that may involve gangways with steps down into and up out the transfer craft. Getting ashore may be stepping onto embankment, a beach, even into shallow water. Check with the line to see if there is extra assistance for going ashore and if the ship and transfers are not ADA accessible.

Almost all ships now are forthright with how much walking there will be on excursions, how level or not, how uneven under foot, and if wheelchair access is available.

No, not with destinations and port embarkations shared by big and small ships; but yes for remote locations such as flying to the tippy tip of South America for a cruise to the Falklands, Antarctica and South Georgia; where charter flights are used in conjunction with regular international flights; and where you must fly inland from major gateways such as Bangkok or Singapore to a destination in Cambodia, Laos or Myanmar.

Yes, in most cases, but the amounts will vary and be less of a gap with some river cruise lines. Large ships, and large ship fleets, by their nature offer tremendous economies of scale, including purchasing food, supplies and fuel in bulk. They often offer low rates because once aboard the passengers will be encouraged to spend for shore excursions, shipboard shopping, casino gambling, drink packages, spa treatments, Internet, and eating in extra tariff restaurants. Watch out or you can easily spend as much daily as your per diem cruise fare.

While the answer to what’s included is all over the map, small ships often include all shore excursions in the basic fare, especially expedition ships and river cruises. Extra tariff restaurants are usually not part of the scene, nor are a casino and shopping, apart from a small selection of items connected to your destinations. Many riverboats lines, and some oceangoing ships too, offer complimentary beer wine, soft drinks at lunch and dinner.

You are paying for certain exclusivity with a small passenger list, often visiting places not accessible to large ships, while on expedition cruises, there are expenses for the expert staff carried, the high-tech equipment used for going ashore and then sharing the findings back on board, and being able to be entirely self-sufficient in remote cruising locales.

Small ships have small galleys and food storage facilities, so while the top lines will offer quality and creatively, they may not offer great variety at individual meals. At you move down the luxury scale, creativity may begin to fall by the wayside, while quality should remain. The principal nationalities of the passengers will have a lot to do with the menus. A ship that is geared to multinationals will offer variety, so there is likely to be a wide choice for the food experimenters, and at least a small selection of the familiar for the timid. Ships that cater to English speakers will be more like home. Some of the riverboat operators cater largely to North Americans and the food will reflect that thrust, so those looking for a varied culinary experience may want to go elsewhere.

On a big ship, you can hide, find isolation in your cabin, the corner of a public room, and maybe snag a table for two. On a small ship, but not a tiny ship, you probably can retreat to your cabin, may be able to find a quiet space, but at meals you are likely to share a table with others; and as you probably have come for the same reason they have, you are likely to find other compatible, and reserved types.

There’s an excellent chance that your small-ship cruise mates will have at least some of your interests, then with a small ship seriously dedicated to giving you a rich cultural experience on a Mediterranean cruise or an expedition-style adventure in the Arctic or Antarctica, your ship has come in. The cruise becomes a shared experience when ashore, in the Zodiacs, at the special interest talks and at open seating meals.