Our Readers' Favorite Small-ship Ocean Cruise Lines of 2023

Table Of Content

• What Is The Smallest Carnival Cruise Ship?
• Is There a Difference in the Quality or Variety of Dining Options on the Smallest Ship?
• The Cons of Sailing on a Smaller Cruise Ship
• International Expeditions
• Retired Small Ships from the Carnival Fantasy Class
• Travel + Leisure Readers' 5 Favorite Small-ship Ocean Cruise Lines of 2023

As for variety, the smaller ships offer both fixed and flexible dining options. Being part of Carnival Cruise Line’s Dream class, which consists of larger vessels in the fleet. The Carnival Fantasy class, a hallmark of Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet from the 1990s, has seen several of its iconic ships retire over recent years.

What Is The Smallest Carnival Cruise Ship?

It’s essential to compare specific itineraries and dates to get an accurate price comparison. This variety ensures that travelers have options, whether they prefer a cozier cruise experience or a mega-ship’s grandeur and extensive amenities. Here we take a look at the smallest Carnival cruise ships in the fleet and whether they might be suitable for you. These factors combine to create a communal vibe where passengers often develop friendships and enjoy a shared cruise experience on a smaller ship. The advantage of less crowding on a smaller cruise ship is that passengers can enjoy a more peaceful and relaxed experience.

Is There a Difference in the Quality or Variety of Dining Options on the Smallest Ship?

Excursions by kayak and inflatable skiffs enable cruise adventurers to see Alaska and its wildlife. The Celebrity Xploration is the smallest cruise ship in the world at just 320 gross tons and a passenger capacity of 16. Royal Caribbean Group’s Celebrity Cruises operates the small vessel, and the ship mainly sails the Galapagos Islands.

The Cons of Sailing on a Smaller Cruise Ship

A small vessel is conducive to this goal, as you’ll likely see the same people daily. Meals feature freshly caught Alaskan seafood, and the ship encourages holistic experiences too, such as in its Himalayan salt room. Expedition leaders help cruisers learn about the geography and ecology of Alaska’s pristine Inside Passage. The Chichagof Dream is outfitted for active explorations of the thrilling Alaskan coast as well as its remote wilderness areas. Glacial fjords are seen up close in skiffs, and guests of all skill levels are invited to kayak.

Smaller ships offer a cozier and more intimate setting, making it easier for crew members to establish rapport and provide attentive service. Sailing on a smaller cruise ship has its own set of pros and cons, offering a different experience compared to larger cruise ships. Swell, a unique 88-foot converted tugboat built in 1912, carries up to 12 guests in six private en-suite cabins. The classic wooden construction of the vessel has been maintained, and cabins are paneled with wood. There is a hot tub on the aft deck, and a cozy lounge that doubles as a dining area.

Retired Small Ships from the Carnival Fantasy Class

For example, the smallest vessels offered by cruise line giant Carnival Cruise Line are the Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise, which each have a guest capacity of over 2,000. On smaller vessels, passengers tend to entertain themselves rather than be entertained. Therefore, lounges on small ships are more intimate, and the only entertainment is usually done cabaret-style. There’s rarely room for multiple dining venue, so small ships ordinarily have a single restaurant that can accommodate all guests in a single open seating.

Fantasy Class – The Smallest Carnival Class of Ship

Small ship cruise travel is the best (often the only) way to explore more exotic vacation destinations. You won't find much in the way of theater productions or casinos, but that leaves room for educational pursuits. Small ships commonly organize enrichment seminars on everything - from local culture to photography. Sometimes local performers (historians, dancers, and musicians) are welcome on board to entertain.

Small ships in Alaska typically carry fewer than 100 passengers and have a far calmer vibe. You wake up to the sound of birds and days consist of kayaking or hiking, rather than shopping and taking helicopter tours. A small ship Alaska cruise is one of the most intensive ways to explore Alaska's coast. Unlike the massive ships that ply the waters of the Gulf of Alaska and Inside Passage, small Alaska cruises can dock in isolated bays and fjords or picture-perfect small towns far from the crowded tourist trail. Cruise fares vary, but those booking a deluxe stateroom or suite do get their alcohol included in the price.

Royal Caribbean has small plans after biggest-ever cruise ship - TheStreet

Royal Caribbean has small plans after biggest-ever cruise ship.

Posted: Sat, 06 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

An open bar, all shore tours, hotel accommodations and airport transfers are included in the price. The ships cruise between Sitka and Juneau, stopping for nature activities at places like Admiralty and Brothers Islands, with glacier-viewing at Tracy or Endicott Arms along the way. There are no traditional port calls on these cruises; your time is almost entirely spent on the water, with stops for hiking, wildlife-viewing and from-land fishing. Misty Fjord features a hull modeled after Alaskan commercial fishing boats, while Kruzof Explorer is a converted Bering Sea crab fishing vessel. Fortunately for adventurous travelers several cruise lines offer small ship Alaska cruises -- and they’re expanding their fleets, itineraries and excursion offerings.

It’s worth clarifying at this point that there are various ways you could judge the smallest cruise ships in the world, but I’ve decided to go with gross tonnage. This isn’t a measurement of weight, despite the name, but of volume – essentially the amount of space on board. The smaller ship and exclusivity of the destination means that higher fares are often charged. Everyone loves to talk about the biggest cruise ships in the world – these magnificent feats of engineering that are essentially floating cities. Like all Hurtigruten's ships, you'll also find a science centre on board, so you can learn more about the intriguing landscapes and wildlife you'll be seeing on your cruise.

Take an oh-so-stylish cruise on S.S LA Venezia, an opulent river ship swathed in fine fabrics and finished with gilded accents and plenty of iconic Murano glass (she’s sailing to and from Venice, after all). Save and organize every aspect of your trip including cruises, hotels, activities, transportation and more. Book hotels confidently using our AAA Diamond Designations and verified reviews.

Each of them provides top-quality, small ship cruising experiences on comparably larger vessels. Katarina Line (Croatia-based) also operates as an international travel booking agency for other lines. Katarina owns around 40 small-sized ships and yachts in the region of Adriatic Sea (Dalmatian Coast).

Among the smallest ships in the Carnival fleet and similar to the last 2 existing smallest Carnival cruises ships they will be missed by those who sailed on them. In contrast, the smallest ships in Carnival’s fleet, such as those from the Fantasy class like the Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise, boast a length of 855 feet but have a gross tonnage of 70,367. This indicates a more efficient use of space, with more amenities packed into a slightly shorter length.

Uncruise offers one of the longest Alaska cruise seasons in the industry, with departures from April through September. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. These are incredible itineraries where you’ll fly on a small aircraft into the polar region before trekking to your ship, which permanently resides amongst the glacial islands. Sea Bird offers cruises around Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and Baja California. Sea Lion also serves Alaska and the Pacific NW, along with Belize, the US East Coast and the Bahamas.

Like any good expedition ship, Ocean Victory has one lounge dedicated to lectures with large flat screens to view presentations. You'll find an ocean-view fitness center, a small spa and an outdoor pool with two hot tubs. Landings and Zodiac safaris are included on Antarctica cruises, but excursions are not included on other itineraries. All non-polar cruises offered from April through October are called Epicurean Expeditions (with one complimentary wine- or food-focused experience per cruise).

As well as maintaining an award-winning cruise blog, she also works as a freelance writer, content manager and social media professional covering all aspects of sea travel. Having embarked on more than 75 sailings, including 2 world cruises, it’s fair to say that Danielle knows a thing or two about cruising. A few tiny ships, which carry 16 to 100 passengers apiece, are based in the Galápagos, including the Celebrity Flora.