Our Readers' Favorite Small-ship Ocean Cruise Lines of 2023
Table Of Content
The 930-guest Viking Orion offers all-veranda staterooms with amenities like free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and heated bathroom floors. It’s also the first ship in the fleet to feature a high-tech planetarium in a 26-seat dome theater. The 600-passenger Seabourn Ovation, sister ship to Seabourn Encore, attracts passengers with its inclusive cruise fares that even include unlimited caviar. Dining options abound, including alfresco dining at Earth & Ocean at The Patio. Meanwhile Paul Gauguin Cruises (No. 3) may have slipped a bit from its 2022 ranking but still posted a score of more than 92 points. That’s thanks to its luxurious service — most rooms come with butler service — and, no doubt, its dreamy itineraries that visit remote atolls in South Pacific and the cruise line’s private beach on Bora Bora.
EXPEDITION LOUNGE
These Are the Best Cruise Lines for Adults in 2024 Condé Nast Traveler - Condé Nast Traveler
These Are the Best Cruise Lines for Adults in 2024 Condé Nast Traveler.
Posted: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The intimate size of the ship allows you to truly immerse yourself in the experience, creating memories that will last a lifetime. Unlike large, bustling cruise liners or other ship types, small ships accommodate a limited number of guests. Passengers often tell us these trips help them forge genuine connections with fellow travelers. For others, it’s a place where solitude and personal journeys are encouraged and respected. The best luxury cruise lines to embark on this year for an unforgettable vacation at sea.
Ponant
As is typical for Mekong River ships, Viking Saigon is sailing one-way voyages between Kampong Cham, Cambodia (not far from the famed ruins of Angkor), and My Tho, Vietnam, near Ho Chi Minh City. Viking combines the cruise with hotel stays in Ho Chi Minh City; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Siem Reap, Cambodia (the gateway to the Angkor ruins), to create a 14-night "Magnificent Mekong" tour of Cambodia and Vietnam. That's in part because Viking Osiris is the first Nile River vessel specifically built to Viking's specifications. That's unusual in a market where most Western lines charter local vessels for their trips. In Viking's eyes (and ours, too), that means Viking will be able to offer the most consistent product on the river.
Small-ship cruises are rising
Weather balloons are released on every cruise to capture info on temperature, humidity and wind speed. SH Vega cruises the Arctic region (visiting Greenland, Iceland and northern Canada), South America, the coast of Africa (including South Africa, Namibia and Angola) and the Antarctic Peninsula. Swan Hellenic's compact, well-laid-out SH Vega is built for expedition cruising with a PC5 ice-strengthened hull. The eye-catching interior is sophisticated, with a stark black, gray and beige color palette, lovely wood details, white Carrara marble surfaces and bold art.
There also are two local expert guides on board, who will provide insight as Kontiki Wayra stops at small Ecuadorian towns, historic sites and nature areas full of wildlife. As you'll see below, two of the vessels are from a single line, Viking. Viking is in the midst of expanding its small-ship footprint into more regions of the world, including Antarctica. The other newcomer is from a startup small-vessel company, Kontiki Expeditions. Terms and conditions apply to all offers and prices displayed on this website.
No. 5: Viking Star - Viking Ocean Cruises
While Regent Seven Sea Cruises has several ships in its fleet, only the smallest -- Seven Seas Navigator -- belongs in this category. Silversea's Silver Spirit, Silver Muse, Silver Moon and Silver Dawn are also ultra-small ships. The spa (if any) usually consists of one or two small treatment rooms.
Viking Cruises: Viking Octantis
The windowed fitness center and spa area includes an ocean-view sauna and the infinity pool at the back of Deck 5 boasts killer views. Passengers can enjoy a relatively large spa and fitness area, plus multiple dining venues, including Asian, Japanese, French and Continental restaurants. An impressively kitted-out expedition ship, Scenic Eclipse has an ice-strengthened hull with a C6 rating suited for polar cruising, including navigating the Northwest Passage. High-tech features include a GPS dynamic positioning system to maintain a location without dropping anchor.
The 9 best luxury cruise lines for elegance and exclusivity - The Points Guy
The 9 best luxury cruise lines for elegance and exclusivity.
Posted: Wed, 10 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Island Windjammers focuses more on the joys of sailing than on over-the-top shipboard amenities. The line offers sailings in the Windward Islands from Grenada on the 10-passenger Diamant; its 24-passenger schooner and 26-passenger Vela offers a mix of both. Other itineraries include the French West Indies and the British Virgin Islands.
An avid cruiser since 1991, Ming has sailed on over 70 cruises and has experienced over 25 ocean, river, and expedition cruise lines combined. The ship sails destination-intensive itineraries predominantly in the Caribbean, Adriatic and Middle East. Activities on shore -- most of which are included in the cruise fares -- focus on kayaking, cycling, swimming, snorkelling and hiking, with a smattering of cultural and culinary tours. The ship's marina has a swimming platform and offers water toys, such as paddleboards, Jet Skis, water skis, snorkelling equipment and kayaks. Esprit's most unusual feature is its three-person submarine (tours at additional cost).
Overseas Adventure Travel says it worked with its tour guides, took into account government guidance, and reviewed feedback from its travelers to create health and safety guidelines for all of its small cruise ship adventures. Ahead, 12 best luxury cruise lines to embark on this year for an unforgettable ocean or river-borne adventure. All, effortlessly stretching your sea legs with best-in-class service, exceptional itineraries and awe-inspiring views. World Voyager, which sailed its maiden voyage in Antarctica this past November, is the third vessel to join the fleet of one of the newest players in small-ship expedition cruising, Atlas Ocean Voyages. The company’s 100-cabin expedition yachts are almost identical and provide a hybrid of sorts between traditional expedition and luxury cruising.
On the Ilma, all the suites will have private terraces, including a two-story suite with soaking tub; the coveted, 1,000-square-foot owner’s suite has a private outdoor whirlpool. Even the smallest suites are not all that small, at 300 square feet, and come with a personal concierge and 24-hour room service. The yacht boasts what Ritz-Carlton says is the highest ratio of space per guest at sea. Typically thought of as a midsize-ship line, Viking took top honors in this category, too, thanks to its twin ships Viking Polaris and Viking Octantis.
Whether you want penguins or polar bears, Quark Expeditions, which specializes in Arctic and Antarctic journeys, is a great choice. The line's newest ship, Ultramarine, has a pair of onboard helicopters, and all six ships in the fleet include kayaking, cross-country skiing and mountaineering equipment (not to mention the ever-present Zodiacs). The line's 128-passenger expedition vessel, 50 Years of Victory, is one of the world's most powerful icebreakers and has nuclear-powered capabilities to go through nearly 10 feet of ice to make the voyage to the North Pole. Among the larger ships on our list, Viking's new 378-passenger Viking Octantis (along with sister Viking Polaris) was designed to explore the polar regions with some pretty cool features, including a large two-level garage called the Hangar.
Comments
Post a Comment