Small Ships: The New Face of Cruise | Porthole Cruise and Travel News
As travelers have ventured back out into the world during the past year, small-ship cruising has proven to be extremely resilient. It has become the vacation of choice for many travelers.
Smaller ships were among the first to return to service after a long pandemic-related shutdown. This process was made easier because cruise lines operating vessels with fewer than 250 passengers didn’t face a host of government restrictions that were placed on the big ships.
I sailed on several ships in the 86- to 220-passenger range during this time, cruising in Alaska, North America, the Caribbean, and Antarctica, and I chatted with my fellow travelers about why they chose these ships and itineraries.
Many longtime cruisers who traditionally had favored mass-market big ships now prefer smaller vessels for a variety of reasons.
Small ships are drawing active travelers with more money, more time, and who tend to be a little more adventurous. These cruisers will spend top dollar to go on memorable journeys to remote and beautiful places.