Our small ship cruising vacations
What do these destinations have in common: Croatia, the Falklands and Antarctica, Scotland’s Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Maldives, the Galapagos Islands, and the Aegean Sea? They can all be explored in comfort and convenience with our small ship cruise vacations. Smaller ships are vastly better for the environment and the communities you’ll visit when compared with traveling aboard a large vessel, as they don’t overwhelm smaller, less-visited harbours. With less crowding and queuing, it also makes for a much more enjoyable experience for you. Plus, many of our small ship cruises are accompanied by experts in subjects ranging from photography to marine biology who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and skills.
Our top Small ship cruising vacations
Croatian Islands motor yacht cruise
From
£2040 to £2805
8 days
ex flights
Sail the Croatian islands on a luxury small ship cruise
Small group2026: 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 12 Sep, 19 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct
Split to Dubrovnik Luxury cruise, Croatia
From
£1615 to £2805
8 days
ex flights
Cruise Split to Dubrovnik in luxury via Croatia's islands
Small group2026: 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 12 Sep, 19 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct
Greenland cruise and northern lights
From
£6695 to £8295
11 days
ex flights
The world's longest fjord & spectacular Aurora Borealis
Small group2026: 7 Sep, 16 Sep, 2027: 5 Sep, 14 Sep
Galapagos luxury nature cruise
From
£3900 to £5900
10 days
ex flights
Boutique expedition cruise around the Galapagos Islands
Tailor made
Spitsbergen cruise, 6 days
From
£1926 to £2118
6 days
ex flights
A 6 day 'taster voyage' to explore Spitsbergen's highlights
Small group2026: 12 Aug, 15 Aug, 19 Aug, 22 Aug, 26 Aug, 29 Aug, 2 Sep, 5 Sep
Spitsbergen in depth cruise
From
£5449
11 days
ex flights
The ultimate Svalbard expedition - more time for exploration
Small group2027: 24 Jun, 11 Jul
Tailor made
Classic Antarctica cruise & South Shetland Islands
From
£6799 to £8899
11 days
ex flights
Adventure through Antarctica’s breathtaking frozen realm
Small group2026: 22 Nov, 12 Dec, 2027: 2 Jan, 30 Jan, 4 Mar, 13 Mar, 22 Mar, 21 Nov, 30 Nov, 2028: 1 Feb, 5 Mar, 14 Mar, 23 Mar
Dubrovnik to Venice luxury cruise
From
£3158 to £3506
11 days
ex flights
Cruise the Croatian Islands before a bus journey to Venice
Small group2026: 15 Aug, 19 Sep
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About our small ship cruising vacations
Finding the right cruise for you
Wondering how to choose a small ship cruise? There are certain things to keep in mind – such as whether you’re prepared to pile on the layers in the Arctic, Antarctica or Scotland, or if you’d prefer to sail in sunshine in the Mediterranean and Aegean. The type of sailing is also important. There’s a big difference between a week spent island-hopping on a yacht and two weeks on an expedition ship that spends several days crossing choppy oceans. Certain cruises lend themselves to specific activities, too, such as marine conservation, wildlife watching or exploring ancient sites on land. Our friendly Travel Team are always happy to offer advice.
Single travelers
There’s always a real sense of camaraderie on board our small ship cruises, which makes them great for solo travelers. Single cabins are available on larger ships, while luxury or off-peak cruises will often let single travelers book a double room without a supplement. Other cruises offer you the chance to share a cabin to avoid the single supplement; it’s well worth considering if you don’t mind sharing your space. One thing’s for sure: you’ll never be lonely, and you’ll become fast friends with your fellow seafarers.
Family cruises
Though you need to choose a suitable cruise, small ships and kids can be a wonderful combination, with wildlife to spot and landscapes to inspire. Small ship cruises are especially suitable for single parents who’d like to vacation in good company. Some yachts add safety nets so that children from the age of five can sail safely. Note that Antarctic and Arctic cruises might only allow teenagers who are old enough to fully understand weather and wildlife watching safety briefings.
Expedition cruising
Our expedition cruises plot a course for the edge of the map – to corners of the world sometimes only accessible by ocean. Even that access is a challenge; sail into Spitsbergen aboard an icebreaker or head to the New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands on a strengthened tall ship. You’ll meet Indigenous communities in some of the most inhospitable environments on Earth and see near-mythical wildlife like beluga whales and polar bears – often these trips inspire a passion for conservation. Expeditions usually sail for a couple of weeks, so expect a good few days at sea filled with interesting lectures and sharing meals with new friends.
Wildlife cruising
Unobtrusive small ships are great for watching dolphins, whales, orca and seabird colonies. The skippers and guides we work with are well-versed in the principles and local laws of watching wildlife safely and respectfully; tours will often be tailored to the animals’ routines instead of yours. Polar bear cruises are vital for revealing the true effects of climate change and shrinking ice packs on endangered species. Other voyages have conservationists on board who can get you involved in monitoring dolphin pod sizes and movements.
River cruising
The Nile, Amazon, Yangtze, Mekong… you can float down some of the world’s most mythologised rivers on a small ship. Depending on which of our river cruises you choose, the scenery will range from waterside shrines and ruins to limestone mountains and dense rainforest. There’s nothing stagnant about a river cruise, either. These are working rivers, so your skipper and guides will show you where floating markets sell flowers and silverware, perhaps stopping for a while so you can visit a local artisan’s workshop or a Buddhist temple. They’ll also point out wildlife – pelicans in the Gambia, crocs in Egypt, endangered dolphins along the Irrawaddy – and ensure the boat keeps a respectful distance.
Our Small ship cruising vacations reviews
4.6
1057Small ship cruising vacations reviews
Anonymous31 Jul 2026
The cruise was wonderful. One of the reasons I chose was that it was part cargo ship / part passenger. Crew were all lovely, they couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly. And the same all the islands we visited. Even at the craft stalls it never felt as though they were just after our money!read more
Julia Kemp31 Jul 2026
For me the most exciting morning of our vacation has to be when we cruised slowly below the cliffs of Staffa and saw coming towards us c. 15 young pufflets , still with downy wings.read more
Peter Grundy29 Jul 2026
An enjoyable steep learning curve with a small and fascinating group of travelers.
I have never been fed such excellent food.
Skippers skills are exceptionalread more
Stella Maxwell19 Jul 2026
I really enjoyed my vacation... The crew were lovely, very helpful and jolly.read more
