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Seabourn Encore is as strikingly beautiful and as excitingly innovative as any Seabourn has ever debuted. She crowns a fleet of luxury cruise ships that is already the newest, most modern and most acclaimed in the ultra-luxury segment. Oceania's fares are not as inclusive as some of the small-ship lines mentioned above, but guests can choose a higher-priced fare that is more inclusive with the line's "simply MORE" promotion. These fares include free airfare and airport transfers, complimentary Wi-Fi and a choice of a select number of free excursions, as well as free specialty dining reservations, Champagne and wine. For small ships, Scenic's yachts still manage to offer five gourmet dining venues, plus additional private dining options (such as a chef's table or teppanyaki grill), room service and culinary masterclasses in a show kitchen.
Travel + Leisure Readers' 5 Favorite Small-ship Ocean Cruise Lines of 2023
Solo travelers can avoid a single supplement by opting for the Request-Share program where they will be matched with a same gender passenger to share a cabin. Don't let the trappings fool you though -- these cruises (indeed all Hurtigruten sailings) are all about nature. Vessels are equipped with small landing craft that take passengers to incredible locations. Passengers are an international mix, and the ships -- which operate in English and Norwegian -- add other languages, such as German or French, if needed. While small luxury ships typically have fancy owners' suites, the pair of top accommodations on Scenic Eclipse is on another level.
best small cruise ships, according to readers
Some cruise lines may appear in multiple categories depending on the makeup of their fleet. Small cruise ships are typically defined as ships that carry fewer than 500 passengers. You’ll get to know your fellow passengers and the crew and have more opportunities to interact with them throughout your journey.
Tips to Book an Amazing Labor Day Sale on a Cruise in 2023
Oceania also embraces wellness with its Aquamar Spa and Vitality Center. Treat yourself to a decadent spa treatment or wellness-themed shore excursion, or take care of your body with complimentary fitness classes and plant-based menus at onboard restaurants. That's the approach upscale cruise line Oceania Cruises takes with its fleet of seven 648- to 1,238-passenger ships (the last of which, Oceania Vista, just debuted in May 2023 and is its most elegant yet). With 209 crew members on hand to serve 330 passengers, service is top-notch and full of Polynesian hospitality, but all gratuities are already included in your fare.
The bathrooms have glass-mosaic tiled showers with rain showerheads, wall jets, and even benches. If it’s fine food, fabulous wine, and exceptional service you seek, you can’t go past French luxury cruise line Ponant. With a maximum of just 260 guests, they appeal to travellers who crave discovery with a second helping of haute cuisine. The 930-passenger Viking Sky feels more like a resort than a cruise ship, thanks to its all-veranda staterooms, tasteful decorations and elegant public spaces for reading, relaxing or socializing. Little extras, like numerous USB ports, ocean-facing lounge chairs on the pool deck and floor-to-ceiling windows in most venues, make for a comfortable sailing experience. Celebrity Beyond, which debuted in 2022, accommodates 3,260 guests has 32 bars and restaurants, like Le Voyage by chef Daniel Boulud, and two-story villas on board.
"Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller."
With their unmatched sense of style, elegance and grace, Seabourn luxury cruise ships beckon you to travel beyond the bounds of the imagination. On board Seabourn, every desire is met promptly and with a welcoming smile. Those assessments were combined to generate results for the cruise lines in six categories, including river cruising. For instance, SeaDream's intimate yachts can stealthily visit ports that large ships can't manage. Regent Seven Seas packs all-inclusive gourmet dining and suites into their luxury offerings.
History and heritage are key elements of the brand, taking visitors beyond the scenery and delving into the stories that shaped it. Simply deciding which of the numerous boutique cruise lines out there is right for you. Because although they all may be small, that’s where the similarity ends. Like our sister ships, Azamara Pursuit offers some of the most extraordinary adventures on Earth, to places you’ve always dreamed of.
Windstar Cruises Will Add 2 New All-suite Ships to Its Fleet in 2025 and 2026 - Travel + Leisure
Windstar Cruises Will Add 2 New All-suite Ships to Its Fleet in 2025 and 2026.
Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:57:00 GMT [source]
The newest ship in the Galapagos fleet also features cabin automation and environmentally friendly systems, including anchorless technology (dynamic positioning) and in-room water filtration stations. Norwegian-based cruise line Hurtigruten plies the poles with 16 ships of varying sizes. The fleet's latest vessels -- the 530-passenger MS Fridtjof Nansen and MS Roald Amundsen -- are eco-friendly hybrid propulsion ships that reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20 percent. The ships feature suites and cabins with balconies, as well as ocean-view cabins. Emerald Cruises' new Emerald Azzurra (and soon-to-debut sister Emerald Sakara) is one of the smallest luxury cruise ships afloat and a good choice for travelers who want something more intimate than what Silversea or Seabourn offer. Catering to adventurous luxury cruise travelers with money to spend, the new cruise line Atlas Ocean Voyages, which debuted in the summer of 2021, offers upscale experiences on small ships that carry just 196 passengers.
All cabins also have a neat hidden TV feature -- flat-screen televisions are embedded into huge mirrors, and when they're turned off, you can't even see them. Seabourn's newest ship, Seabourn Ovation, is the second in the line's Encore Class, the next generation of Seabourn's popular Odyssey-class ships. Foodies will drool over menus overseen by Master Chef Jacques Pepin in all-included venues specializing in French, Italian, Asian and steakhouse cuisine. After a long day of Zodiac, submersible or helicopter rides (yes, all these high-tech exploration toys are on board), you can retreat to your well-appointed suite, with distinct sleeping and living areas, plus a balcony.
An open bar contributes to the social atmosphere on board, and watersports from a stern marina when conditions are right are a great perk for active travelers. SeaDream Yacht Club's 40-year-old ships may not be new, but they're still some of the prettiest classic luxury yachts afloat. However, they're spacious, recently refurbished, and feature wood details that evoke a classic nautical feel. I'm drawn to the intimacy and instant community that develops between a small number of passengers and crew cruising together. I enjoy the serenity of small-ship cruising, with no lines to wait in or crowds to contend with on board. Starting from $7,795, experience a new era of opulent cruising aboard the Scenic Eclipse, where the luxury of space is paramount.
On board, many rooms are veranda suites measuring 356 square feet (including a private balcony), all with marble baths. The largest Grand and Owner's suites are massive multi-room affairs with huge private verandas. You can build an a la carte vacation or pay upfront for an easy trip that includes an open bar, unlimited Wi-Fi and included crew gratuities. Royal Clipper also has impressive modern niceties for a ship of its size, including three small pools and an aft marina for easy access to complimentary water sports.
Onboard lounges are wonderfully intimate, with no mass-market anything. When you rest your head, it's on a luxury mattress topped with the finest linens. 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. But there have been a lot of wonderful small cruise vessels debuting, too, including some so small that they sometimes aren't even mentioned at cruising sites.
The company also partners with Smithsonian and Disney on certain sailings. Luxurious ships are often small cruise ships that offer an elegant and intimate experience. These ships are designed to provide you with the utmost comfort and relaxation.
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