While cruise lines have been hit hard by the global pandemic, the enthusiasm for this style of vacation has returned like a tidal wave—pun intended. Travelers are eager to get back on the water, but not quite in the same way as before. For the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the "city on the water" style liners are out, and small-scale luxury cruising is in. Smaller boats mean smaller groups, more attention to detail in every aspect of the onboard experience, and greater flexibility to customize your journey. Below you’ll find our shortlist of cruise lines that have turned the small-scale experience into an art form, plus some journeys they currently offer.
PONANT Cruises (Japan)
Founded in 1988, PONANT is a French cruise line with 11 ships in its fleet. While the cruise line operates around the globe, an exciting development is their upcoming partnership with the Smithsonian to curate education-forward journeys that embrace local culture and dive deep into an area’s language, cuisine, and history. Nineteen destinations are on the roster for the 2022 season including Antarctica, Japan and Iceland.
Lindblad Expeditions (Alaska)
With a legacy 40 years in the making, Linblad Expeditions guarantees all their guests experience the thrill of discovery. Explore the wilds of Alaska with their week-long excursion between Juneau and Ketchikan. Highlights include whale spotting and viewing famous native petroglyphs on Wrangell Island.
Virgin Voyages (Caribbean)
Virgin Voyages takes small-scale cruising to the next level. This adults-only cruise experience allows guests to leave the chaos of home behind and unwind while exploring some of the world’s premier destinations. Whether you decide to island-hop through the Caribbean or off the coast of Greece is entirely up to you!
The great news is, this is just a snapshot! As your travel advisor, we can help you find the cruise line and itinerary that works best for you.
