The Ship Less Travelled
Episode 1-08Intensive Small Ship Cruises
🇬🇧
Lorraine McCowatt
Bespoke Cruise Holidays
United Kingdom
🇨🇦
Dave Wentworth
Destination Whatever
Canada / USA
🛳️ In this episode of The Ship Less Travelled, we explore a style of voyaging that is quietly transforming how discerning travellers experience a destination: the intensive cruise.
Unlike a traditional itinerary that skims the surface of multiple regions, an intensive cruise devotes its attention to a single country or coastline — with more port calls, longer stays, and even overnight moorings in notable cities. It is an approach that values depth over breadth, and immersion over efficiency: time enough for an unhurried dinner ashore, a sunset over the harbour, and a genuine sense of place.
🌸 In this episode:
👉 Lorraine shares her own experience of an intensive cruise along Croatia's Dalmatian Coast — island-hopping with overnight stays that invited leisurely evenings, long dinners, and a far deeper connection with the places visited.
👉 Dave reflects on his travels in Japan and considers how they might have been shaped by an intensive cruise — particularly one timed to coincide with cherry blossom season.
👉 Dave shares his recommendations for extending a Japan voyage with time ashore — from Kyoto's temples and Toky's energy to the quiet majesty of Mount Fuji.
👉 And Lorraine reveals where she is heading next on her forthcoming intensive cruise!
🌍 Why consider an intensive cruise?
• A genuinely immersive travel experience, rather than a highlights reel
• Deeper engagement with the culture, people, and character of a place
• Less time at sea, more time exploring at your own pace
• Ideal for the traveller who wishes to go well beyond the brochure
Whether you find yourself drawn to Ireland's wild Atlantic coastlines, Italy's art-filled cities, the sun-drenched islands of Greece, or the natural wonders of New Zealand — there is very likely an intensive cruise that will carry you closer to the true heart of your chosen destination.
💡 If you are new to cruising, or simply looking to travel with greater depth and intention, this episode offers a thoughtful introduction to what intensive cruising can offer — and how to find the voyage that is right for you.
