Just Cruises Plus

For the last few weeks, we talked about sailboat chartering where you have 2 to 10 adventurers on board a 35 to 50 foot sailboat.  Now, we’ll move up a step to the small ship category.  These small ships carry 50 to 250 passengers.  It’s interesting that the smaller the ship, the more you get to know your fellow passengers.  On the little sailboat, you will get to know — perhaps more than you want to — your fellow boaters.

On the small ships, you will have enough fellow passengers that you can be selective about who you want to befriend.   However, you will see your fellow passengers more often and will get to know many more of their names than you would on a large ship.

What do you get and what do you give up on a small ship?

A small ship can go where larger ships cannot go.  If you’ve cruised many times on the big ships and you believe you have seen every port, check out the smaller ships;  you will find many ports that you haven’t seen and these will be far less “touristy”.

Small ships are more casual.  Leave the jackets, ties and gowns at home.  Smart casual is as formal as it gets.

Small ships are more adventurous.  For example, at some ports you might land like the marines (with cameras instead of guns).  This also means that they could be less accessible for physically challenged people.  Big ships have tenders – small ships have Zodiacs.

Want a twist of lemon in your morning coffee?  No problem on a small ship..  With fewer people to know, the crew will know your name and your preferences.

Small ships are more expensive.  Big ships can take advantage of economies of scale so you have lower prices.

What do you give up on a small ship?  If you like to gamble, check before going on a small ship.  Some have no casinos and some have casinos about the size of an average restroom with very limited games.

You will not have the over-the-top shows on a small ship.  Perhaps you will have only a singer and accompanist.  Sometimes, you will have lecturers giving you information about the ports and their culture. 

Bingo?  Unlikely on a small ship.  Bridge anyone?  You are almost certain to find fellow bridge players on the small ships.

Small ships generally have smaller staterooms.  In some cases, you pay twice as much for a room that is half as big as a cruise ship room.  Amazingly, the small ships sell out and you must book more than 6 months before the sailing date.  We’ve had some wonderful cruises on Windstar ships.  These ships hold 144 people, are 3 decks high and have no elevators.  They are powered by sail and motor.  We spent many evening hours with the crew on the bridge, learning about the stars, navigation and the latest gossip.  Having an affair?  The crew will know and they will gossip.  Better to stick to the big ships for this.

On our last “big ship” cruise, two of our ports were St Martin and St. Thomas.  Contrast this with our last Windstar cruise where we stopped in St Barts and Isle des Saintes.  St Martin has a French flair.  St Barthelemy is the real thing.

Before considering a Windstar cruise, read next week’s article where we will discuss some specific small ship cruise lines.

To be continued…