Cruise type
Small-ship cruising
Under 200 passengers, so the ship is a base camp rather than a resort, and the ports are ones big ships must skip.
Is this for you?
- Who it suits
- Travellers who want the sea and the shore in equal measure, and a ship they can learn the layout of in a day.
- Typical length
- 7–12 nights
- Typical price per night
- £300–£600 per person per night
- Pace
- Steady: a landing or a walk most days, no formal nights.
Cruise line reviews
Small ship cruise lines
Named voyages
Small ship voyages
Speak to a specialist
Plan it with someone who has been
Iglu Cruise
Ocean and river cruise deals from every major line
- Ocean cruises
- River cruises
- Luxury cruise lines
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Bolsover Cruise Club
Cruise specialists with extra value on every booking
- Ocean cruises
- Ex-UK sailings
- Fly-cruises
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Abercrombie & Kent
Luxury travel and small-group journeys since 1962
- Safari
- Small-group journeys
- Private tailor-made travel
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Questions
How is a small ship different from a river boat?
Small ships cross open water and carry tenders and kayaks, so they reach coastlines and islands a river boat never sees.
Will I get seasick?
Occasionally. Ships under 200 guests feel the swell more than a giant liner, so ask for a mid-ships cabin if you're prone.
Do small ships have formal nights?
Rarely. The tone is relaxed: good food, no dress codes, and a captain who knows your name by the third night.