Top 5 Reasons To Try A Small Ship Expedition Cruise

 

Aboard the Coral Expedition Geographer small ship 

When you think about a cruise, you may picture a giant boat with thousands of people, a ongoing pool party and music blaring, huge buffet of food and Broadway like shows. 

Breakfast aboard the ship

There are many cruises out there that look like that, but a growing trend is small boat Expedition Cruises. These cruises are on small ships that hold just a few hundred passengers. They tend to cruise to more remote locales like the Arctic and Antarctica, but you can also find them in the South Pacific, Australia and even sailing the coast of Spain and Portugal.

There are several lines that offer this type of cruising. We like Windstar, Viking, SilverSeas, Ama Waterways, Quark, Coral Expeditions and Hurtigruten Expeditions. 

Small expedition cruise ship Coral Expedition Geographer

I spent two weeks aboard the Coral Expedition small ship traveling along the Kimberley Coast of Australia crossing the Indian Ocean to view the Solar Eclipse and then spending a few days in Indonesia. It was an incredible experience. I must admit that this was just my second cruise ever and the first was a mega cruise ship to Alaska. 

As I reflect on both of these cruise experiences, the small ship Expedition cruise is my preferred way of travel. Here are my top five reasons why. 

Lounge space aboard the ship

1. Small ships - On a small ship with just a few hundred passengers, nothing is crowded. You get to know the staff and your fellow passengers. The experience is very personal. The staff gets to know you and your preferences. You don't have to compete with others for reservations or a seat. 

Porthole state room aboard the Coral Expedition Geographer

Small ships are usually quite nice with comfortable state rooms, fine dining and executive chefs. The only downside could be the lack of traditional facilities like a pool, spa or large fitness area. 

Spotting a crocodile lounging along the Kimberley coast

2. Remote locations - A small ship can venture into locations that large cruise ships just can't . The Coral Expedition ship traveled into small bays along the Kimberley Coast which is not accessible by car or large ship. The small ships can anchor in the bays and then use zodiacs to take the passengers on land. The Coral Expedition had zodiacs and a ferry type boat available depending on the excursion. 

Aboard the zodiac heading to the King George Falls 

3. Experts on board - Where large cruise ships feature Broadway style entertainment and casinos, Expedition ships feature experts lecturing on history, culture and nature. Since the Australia cruise was designed around the Solar Eclipse, the expert was an astronomy professor who lectured multiple times about how eclipses occur, what to look for, why they happen and more. 

Solar Eclipse April 2023

4. Excursions - On large cruise ships, you need to add on excursions in each port. On Expedition ships, the excursions are included because they are part of the itinerary and everyone is expected to participate. Accommodations are available for those who are unable, but 99% of passengers would go on the excursion. Some excursions on the Australia cruise included zodiac landing for a guided walk through Komodo Island National Park, zodiac through the King George Falls, exploring the sandstone caves of Wollaston Bay and visit the three ancient lakes of Kelimutu. 

Komodo dragon living on Komodo Island, Indonesia

5. Environmental and cultural sensitivity - Expedition cruises often have a strong focus on sustainable and eco-friendly travel, adhering to strict guidelines to minimize environmental impact. They emphasize cultural immersion, providing authentic experiences with local communities.

I liked the Expedition cruise experience so much that I am already booked on another one, this time we are headed to the Arctic for the Solar Eclipse 2026. 
If this sounds interesting to you, let me know and I'll help find the best expedition cruise for you and your family.  I have access to perks and on board credits that you won't find anywhere else plus we will use points and miles to make this bucket list trip affordable.