Cruises are usually quite the lavish voyage and the ships are usually quite large and hold many thousands of passengers. This can be a good thing if large crowds and extravagant parties is what you like and the bigger the ship, the more activities there are to do and the more people there are to do them with. For travelers wishing for something smaller and quieter, it is possible to take a cruise in a smaller, more intimate environment with less people and still a lot to do. These cruises can be cheap cruises too, adding to their appeal.
There are many advantages in taking a small cruise over taking a big cruise and here are some of those advantages:
1) A small cruise means less people. Less people means more space, more privacy, more peace and quiet and a better chance to meet other passengers in a more intimate environment.
2) Small cruises tend to be cheaper.
3) Smaller ships are able to dock in more places that the bigger ships are not able to dock in which means you will have more destinations to choose from when booking your ship. A lot of these locations are off-the-beaten-path places that few people ever get to travel to.
4) Less people onboard means less fuss with activities and more options to choose from because a smaller group can organize their own fun as well as enjoy the amenities onboard.
5) While cruising onboard the larger ships, lineups for certain amenities are common. This is unheard of on smaller ships.
6) The service you receive onboard will be more personalized and more personalized service means better service. You will get to know your crew while sailing with them.
7) The crew on small cruises tend to be more specialized in their knowledge. Many of them may also be historians, guides and naturalists which means you will learn more about the destinations you visit.
8) Smaller cruises tend to focus more on land time rather than sea time which means you will be spending more time exploring various ports rather than floating for days at a time at sea.
9) Small cruises are great for everyone whether you are traveling as a couple, traveling single, traveling with a group of friends or traveling with children!
10) Small cruise ships travel all over the world so you will have no problem finding one that will travel to the destinations you want to see.
11) Small cruises are not limited to the open ocean. Many cruise along rivers and lakes.
Many cruise ship lines offer this type of cruise including some of the larger companies. Of course, some of them will be very expensive but there are some cheap cruises on small ships available and here is a sample of some of those excursions that are available:
1) The Bassac fleet offers a four-day round trip river cruise around the Mekong Delta from Cai Be to Can Tho and back for the low price of $669.00.
2) The Ti Yi offers a five-day river cruise on the Nile for $584.00.
3) Indochina Sails offers a three-day coastal cruise of Halong Bay for $270.00.
Of course, there are many, many more small cruises available and many of them are cheap cruises. It will take a lot of research to find just the right one but in the end, you will be hooked on what a small ship really has to offer you!
Photo via Howard33
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