If you are trying to tick off boxes on your tourism wish list, small ship cruising vacations will throw you off kilter because they take you off radar to places you won’t find on any scratch map. Visit the Galapagos Islands on a small boat, for example, and you can go scuba diving off Wolf or snorkelling with sea lions off Floreana. Sailing cruises take you to elusive atolls such as Felidhoo in the Maldives, or through complex archipelagos such as the Mergui Archipelago in Burma, Turkey’s Göcek Islands, Greenland’s Land of a Thousand Islands archipelago and the Dodecanese Islands in Greece. Because such remote spots are often wildlife havens, small ship cruising vacations usually come with expert guides too, who can tell you all about the polar bears of Wrangel Island, Kamchatka in Russia, whales in Scotland’s Kyles of Bute and, of course, Antarctica’s very own Carnival of the Animals – to name but a few.

Our small ship cruising vacations travel guide helps you navigate your way around the many vacation options.

In the world of cruising, which has become a dirty word thanks to the irresponsible practices of some of the giant cruise liners that dominate the seas, going on a small ship cruise is a bit like the difference between a traveling the world in a giant marauding motorhome as opposed to a funky Volkswagen van. Or, in the case of a traditional ‘gulet’ in Turkey, a Bahamian tall ship or a fishing ‘dhona’ in the Maldives, for example, it is more like heading off into the wilds in a head- turning classic car, with the roof down and hair flowing in the wind. What defines a ‘small ship’ varies from vacation to vacation.

A traditional schooner in Spitzbergen, for example, sleeps twenty. However, a ‘small’ expedition boat to Antarctica might have up to 260 passengers. A Turkish gulet often sleeps up to about 12, but a 50 ft yacht going round the Greek Islands usually sleeps eight people. And sailing boats going around the Scottish Islands may have cabins for no more than six people.

There are also restrictions in some parts of the world regarding passenger numbers. In the Galapagos Islands, for example, the law restricts passenger numbers on board to 100. In Antarctica you can have more than that, but only 100 passengers are allowed to disembark at a time.

One of the advantages of a small cruise ship is that it doesn’t have to stick to a strict itinerary. On special wildlife trips to see polar bears, for example, small ships stay in touch with each other, so they know the locations of where the last bears were seen, and give each other good tips. And then the skipper can take off in the right direction for all the best sightings. Similarly, if the weather is looking a bit dodgy, they can dip into a bay to avoid it which helps if you are nervous about sickness. In fact, most small cruise ships stick close to the shoreline anyway, so sickness is less of an issue for many people, although on the Arctic and Antarctic trips there are longer stints on open water.

Lara Paxton at our supplier, The Small Ship Cruise Collection: “If you get very seasick, it can be a problem, but the Antarctic and Spitzbergen boats, for example, will have an on board doctor, who will have seasickness medication. I took one that was almost like a sleeping tablet that just knocked me out for eight hours, and then I woke up thinking, ‘oh that was the Drake Passage then, was it?!’”

Small ship cruises, by their very nature, are nearly always small group vacations. People make all sorts of different misjudged assumptions about small group vacations. Boating snobs might think they are for wimps who can’t navigate for themselves. Young travelers may fear they will be the only person under fifty, older travelers might worry that it might be too active, and shy souls might feel under pressure to socialise. Most of these are maritime myths, however, as there is something for everyone on a small ship cruise, although it is true to say that the truly anti-social traveler may suffer a little cabin fever. However, water lovers are, in general, people who like to look outwards, not inwards. They are also happy to go with the flow and, although conditions on board might be more cramped than in a floating hotel, seafarers know how to respect other people’s space. Whether they are taking time out on deck to savour the solace of the sea, or having some chill out time in their berth.

Colette Dubois at our supplier, St. Hilda Sea Adventures: “One thing that is really special about living on a small boat is that you become extremely close to your passengers. It is a very special week, for us as well. We learn from our passengers, we teach them things too and, because we live together, eat together, we discuss all sorts of things – politics, books and so on. And it is lovely to see young children on board too, who are so fresh, enthusiastic and wanting to learn and anticipate. The people who come are usually open minded and patient, and so, it feels very special”.

Again, cabins vary from vacation to vacation but, in general, you will have a choice of a double cabin, twin cabin or a single. Ideally, they have a porthole so you can catch the sunrise and sunsets. You will also want to check if they have an en suite bathroom or not. Most do, but always enquire just to be clear. On an expedition ship to see polar bears in the Arctic, for example, you might not have an en suite bathroom. But head off around Burma’s Mergui Archipelago on a luxury yacht, and there will be just four fully air conditioned guest cabins, with en suite bathrooms, electric toilets and queen sized beds. So, a small cruise vacation can sway from littoral luxury to budget berth. Depends what floats your boat really. It is also worth noting that some are tricky for people with mobility issues, and others are fine.

Lara Paxton at our supplier, The Small Ship Cruise Collection: “We are still developing the single traveler issues, because we feel that it is really unfair that single travelers have to pay a huge supplement to visit places, just because they are traveling on their own. A lot of the companies that we work with now offer the idea that if you are willing to share a cabin with somebody, then they will match you with a like-minded traveler. And if there is no one available, then you get the cabin to yourself, and you won’t be forced to pay a single supplement”.

Long gone are the days of having to scrub the deck or man the rigging. Although you can learn rigging skills on a tall ship cruise vacation, you are more likely to engage in chilled out activities on board. Although unlike cruise liners, you won’t find any cinemas, casinos or cheesy singers, you might take part in a wildlife lecture, watch a David Attenborough movie, or just browse the library full of maps and books about where you are going and what you are likely to see. There are no ball gowns, no black tie, but is all very casual, relaxed and very personal. Instead of dining with the captain, you can often go up on the bridge and chat with him about where you are going and what you are up to for the day. The expert expedition leaders hang out with you on board at all times too, always full of knowledge about wildlife, geography and so on. Or you can just chill out on deck and watch the world go by, of course.

This will vary according the type of small ship cruise you are on. However, ships’ cooks always appreciate that the sea air whets an appetite and hearty meals are par for the course. Don’t be expecting giant cruise liner ‘eat all you can’ buffets, however. Small ship cruises are more likely to pick up some seafood in a local port and create a chowder fish pie for everyone. Or if you are on a small sailing vessel, you may like to help fish for your supper too. They are also likely to buy fresh food within easy distance of mooring, so it is much more likely to be sustainably sourced. The smaller the ship, the easier it is to create a good relationship with the chef, so you can talk about your dietary needs or tastes too.