Small Ships, Bigger Experiences: What Small Ship Cruising Is Really Like

By Greta Smith

Say “cruise ship” and most people picture something enormous: thousands of passengers, multiple pools, a theater, casino, kids’ club, dozens of restaurants and perhaps a waterslide or roller coaster thrown in for good measure.

Small-ship cruising is a very different world.

And the difference isn’t simply fewer passengers.

A smaller ship can change where you go, how you experience a destination, what life feels like onboard and even the relationship you develop with the people taking care of you.

How Small Is a Small Cruise Ship?

There isn’t one universally accepted passenger count that turns a ship from “large” into “small.”

A ship carrying 700 guests feels positively intimate next to one carrying 5,000. A yacht with 150 guests makes the 700-passenger ship seem enormous.

That's why I find it more useful to think about what the smaller size allows the ship to do.

Smaller ships can often enter ports and harbors that aren't practical for mega-ships. They may dock closer to historic centers, visit less-trafficked destinations or build itineraries around places that would never support several thousand arriving cruise passengers at once.

The result is often a cruise where the itinerary becomes more important than the ship's attraction list.

What Is Small-Ship Cruising Like?

Life onboard tends to be quieter and more personal.

You may still have a beautiful pool, spa, lounges, entertainment and excellent restaurants. But nobody is trying to give you 37 different things to do on Tuesday afternoon.

Instead, the ship becomes the lovely place you return to after experiencing somewhere extraordinary.

Dining and service also tend to play a larger role. With fewer passengers, crew members may quickly learn your name and preferences. You'll recognize fellow travelers. The experience can feel less anonymous.

For travelers accustomed to large ships, that difference can be surprisingly significant.

Small-Ship Cruising Isn’t One Thing

This is where the category gets particularly interesting.

A small ship might be a sophisticated ocean vessel sailing through the Mediterranean. It could be a river ship passing castles along the Rhine, a yacht slipping between Greek islands or an expedition vessel carrying Zodiacs into Antarctica.

Those experiences are dramatically different from one another.

What connects them is the way scale changes access and atmosphere.

You're generally trading the endless options of a mega-ship for greater intimacy, destination focus and ease.

For the right traveler, that's a wonderful trade.

For the wrong one, it can be a very expensive way to discover that she actually loves waterslides.

Who Is Small-Ship Cruising Best For?

Small-ship cruising is worth exploring if you care more about interesting destinations than elaborate onboard attractions; prefer fewer crowds; appreciate good food and personalized service; and like the idea of a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere.

It can also be particularly appealing to experienced cruisers who find themselves saying:

“I love cruising. I just wish there were fewer people.”

On the other hand, if your favorite parts of cruising are Broadway-style shows, extensive nightlife, dozens of restaurants, kids’ clubs and endless activities, don't choose a small ship because someone told you it's “better.”

It isn't better.

It's different.

And your job is to figure out whether those differences are the ones you actually want.

My Savvy Take

Small-ship cruising isn't traditional cruising with half the people removed.

The size changes the experience.

It can change the ports you visit, the atmosphere onboard, the level of service and how connected you feel to the destination itself.

And that's exactly why choosing the right type of small ship matters just as much as deciding that you want one.

Curious whether small-ship cruising sounds like you?

My complimentary Which Cruise Style Is Right for You? guide compares river, expedition, yacht, small-ship and luxury ocean experiences so you can see where your own travel priorities fit.

Prefer to listen? Hear more on Episode 2 of The Savvy Cruise Edit: What Is Small-Ship Cruising?

Greta Smith is a cruise travel advisor and owner of Savvy Travel Design, specializing in small-ship ocean, river, expedition, yacht, premium and luxury cruising. With more than a decade of experience helping travelers navigate the cruise world, and firsthand experience sailing multiple cruise lines each year, Greta believes there is no single “best” cruise, only the cruise that best fits the way you want to travel. Through Savvy Travel Design and The Savvy Cruise Edit podcast, she helps travelers make confident choices about ships, itineraries and experiences while taking the friction out of planning so they can experience more of the wonder.