Who Are Luxury Small-Ship Cruises Really For?

There’s a perception that luxury cruising is for one particular type of traveller; Retired. With plenty of time on their hands, celebrating the fact that the mortgage is finally paid off, this is an absolutely amazing time to get out there and spend the kids inheritance.

Lucky them. But…it’s not only for retirees.

All types of people, at varying times of their lives, are beginning to see the real value in small ship cruising, and I don’t just mean in the monetary sense, which is also true, but in the authentic sense. Without the distractions available on the larger ships, the smaller ships bring a more relaxed & grown-up feel, where the crew genuinely do everything they can to ensure you love your holiday. The ships can dock in exclusive ports, and have premium docking, staying longer & often overnight in iconic ports, meaning you’re not rushing back to the ship by 6pm missing the change in the city between day & night.

So, who are luxury small-ship cruises actually great for?

Retirees who finally have the freedom to explore

This is perhaps the obvious one, but for good reason.

When you're no longer restricted to squeezing everything into annual leave, cruise travel opens up enormously. Longer voyages, back-to-back cruises, repositioning journeys, and perhaps that world cruise you’ve always dreamed of? (My husband and I have already started planning ours, and we’ve got a little way to go yet!) Or even an amazing tailor-made journey; adding a luxury train, safari, tour, or luxury hotel pre or post cruise.

Grandparents bringing the generations together

Luxury ocean liners and river cruises may not come with kids’ clubs, waterparks or funfairs, but that doesn’t necessarily mean children aren’t welcome. During peak times, there may be family host on board, kid movie nights & child friendly excursions. Imagine them jumping into a zodiac to experience animals up-close in their natural habitats, or cycling along the river banks of Europe, choosing a small gift at the Christmas markets, or seeing the natural wonders of the world.

Travel is for everybody, and the world is out there to explore, experience and learn from, so why shouldn’t children be part of it too?

For the right family, a smaller luxury ship can offer an incredible way to see the world together, particularly for multi-generational trips with grandparents, parents and children.

There’s no upper age limit to cruising, but there can be a minimum age, which varies between cruise lines, ships and even particular itineraries. So, if you’re planning to bring younger members of the family along, choosing the right cruise is important.

Multi-generational cruising is really big right now.

Rather than leaving an inheritance that may not be enjoyed for years, some grandparents are choosing to spend some of it creating memories with their family now, spending quality time with grandkids, rather than palming them off into kids clubs.

A cruise can work brilliantly for a multi-generational holiday because nobody has to cook, organise dinner for ten people or spend the entire week deciding what everyone is doing tomorrow.

You can explore together, split up when you want to, meet for dinner and actually enjoy being a family rather than somebody having to be the holiday organiser.

And luxury doesn't necessarily mean formal or stuffy. Choosing the right ship is important here, particularly if children or teenagers are travelling.

A lounge transformed into a kids space on Uniworld

Exploring the icebergs by zodiac

On safari in Africa

Honeymooners who want something more interesting than two weeks on a beach

There is absolutely nothing wrong with lying beside a beautiful pool for a fortnight, although I couldn’t do it, I can sort of see the appeal for others.

But what if you want a bit more?

Imagine waking up somewhere different every morning, having dinner under the stars, disappearing ashore to explore somewhere extraordinary and returning to a beautiful suite where somebody else has thought about all the details.

A small luxury ship, yacht or expedition cruise can make for one heck of a honeymoon.

Couples who value their holiday time

You don't need to be celebrating anything.

Sometimes you simply want your holiday to feel special. Perhaps you both have busy lives and only have a certain amount of time away together. You don't want queues, crowds, packed buffets or to spend half the holiday organising the other half. You want good food, good wine, interesting places, great service and the freedom to actually switch off.

That, for me, is where luxury small-ship cruising works. My husband and I both lead busy working lives, and being able to just do nothing, unless we want to, is really important. (I do take my laptop on holiday though, just in case. It’s a really bad habit, but I am self-employed with a travel job, so what can I do?)

And you don’t need to own a dinner jacket, or cocktail dress, or drink Champagne at breakfast to enjoy a luxury small-ship cruise (I mean, the last one does help, a little). I know there is still a misconception that luxury = stuffy, but if it was, I certainly wouldn’t do it, as I’m the least-stuffy person I know. Really, you just need to appreciate the good stuff: fewer crowds, interesting places, great food and wine, excellent service and someone else taking care of the details for a change. Think of it as a luxury hotel, with ocean views, that moves with you.

People who travel for their passions

Food, wine, fitness & wellness, history, wildlife, photography, dance, art, music, golf - It’s all available to you.

Some of the most interesting cruises aren't really about “going on a cruise” at all. The ship is simply the way you're travelling between the experiences you've come for.

Think wine tastings in Bordeaux, wildlife in the Galápagos, classical music along the Danube, expedition photography in Antarctica, exploring ancient sites around the Mediterranean, and the health & wellness bit? This is available on the ships, with high-tech gyms, fitness classes, spas, pools & treatments, and healthy menu options. There are even dedicated cruises available which focus entirely on wellness.

Keep fit up on deck

Wine tasting, food & wine pairings, & vineyard excursions

Solo travellers who don't necessarily want to feel solo

Cruising can be a fantastic way to travel independently without actually having to navigate the whole world alone.

You can join excursions, have a drink with people you've met onboard, dine with others when you feel sociable and retreat to your own space when you don't.

Smaller ships can be particularly good for this because you naturally start recognising people. You're not one person amongst 5,000 passengers.

The important part is finding the right ship, and keeping an eye on solo supplements, solo cabins and occasional offers aimed specifically at people travelling alone.

Feel the stress melt away

People celebrating something big

A 50th birthday, 25th wedding anniversary, retirement, big promotion, or recovering from having the children finally leave home...(That will be me) Whatever your milestone, there comes a point when another “thing” isn't necessarily what you want.

You want an experience, and that's where cruising can become really special. Maybe it's sailing into Venice, seeing Antarctica for the first time, waking up beside a Norwegian fjord or finally visiting somewhere you've talked about for twenty years.

Why not celebrate in style, with a little luxury sprinkled on top? It will be something you remember for years to come.

Perhaps the question isn't whether you're a “luxury cruiser, but whether you want to travel with a small town of people?”

That's the bit I'd really want you to take away from this: luxury small-ship cruising isn't defined by your age, whether you're married, whether you're retired or how many birthdays you've had, it's much more about how you like to travel.

If you'd rather have hundreds (or less, we can find you a ship with just 20 people onboard) of fellow guests than thousands; if the destination matters as much as the ship; if you appreciate excellent food and personal service; if you'd rather explore smaller ports and interesting places than spend your holiday queueing; and if your time away is precious enough that you want somebody else to take care of the details...then you might be exactly the sort of person who would love a luxury small-ship cruise.

And you might not even know it yet.

So... are you a small-ship cruiser?

You might be retired. You might be honeymooning. You might be celebrating your 50th, escaping the kids, taking the grandkids or simply thinking, “I work bloody hard and I want a really good holiday.”

Which are all perfectly valid reasons in my book, I use to be the 2nd one, now I’m the last one, and I may even become the 3rd one!

You don’t need to know which cruise line or ship is right for you. Tell me who’s going, what you enjoy, what drives you mad on holiday and where you’ve always fancied exploring.

Then leave the ship bit to me.

Fancy finding out what your kind of luxury cruise looks like? Let’s have a chat.