Best small cruise ships

[gusjakefred]

Can anyone recommend a few choices for small ship cruising -- i.e. no more than 750 passengers? Took my very last big ship cruise on Princess. I do not care for 3,800 passengers. Way too impersonal for me.

 

I would appreciate any ideas. Any line, any destination.

 

Thank you kindly,

 

gusjakefred

[6rugrats]

I like Windstar.

[Essiesmom]

I hope you have a bit of money, because other than the two smaller ships of Princess (Ocean and Pacific), you will be on luxury lines: Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, Oceania, Seabourn, SeaDream, Azamara. EM

[Talisker92]

The R ships are a good size for that. When the Renaissance cruise line went under the ships were sold. Princess has 2, Oceania has 2, and Azmara has 2.

They are very nice and have about 750 passengers. We have sailed on one with Oceania and one with Princess

[LHT28]

The R ships are a good size for that. When the Renaissance cruise line went under the ships were sold. Princess has 2, Oceania has 2, and Azmara has 2.

They are very nice and have about 750 passengers. We have sailed on one with Oceania and one with Princess

 

Correction

Oceania has 3 - 684 PAX

Princess has 2 (so far)

P & O has 1

Azamara have 2

[Grannycb]

Pacific Princess is our favorite.

[LHT28]

Best is subjective

 

My idea of best may not be the same as your idea

 

That said ...we do like Oceania but they do not come cheap

 

Lyn

[navybankerteacher]

Can anyone recommend a few choices for small ship cruising -- i.e. no more than 750 passengers? Took my very last big ship cruise on Princess. I do not care for 3,800 passengers. Way too impersonal for me.

 

I would appreciate any ideas. Any line, any destination.

 

Thank you kindly,

 

gusjakefred

 

You might want to consider HAL's Prinsendam - about 850 - There are very few mass market (non-premium fare) ships with fewer than 1500 passengers.

[gusjakefred]

Thank you. I have been on Regent and Azamara which I hope to repeat after I save my $$$$.

[gusjakefred]

Thank you to all that replied. I appreciate your comments. Want to check out Seabourn, but I think this is really really expensive?

[paul929207]

Thank you to all that replied. I appreciate your comments. Want to check out Seabourn, but I think this is really really expensive?

Yes, Seabourn does not go cheap.

[Viv0828]

We enjoyed the Aegean odyssey on the voyages to antiquity line. About 380 passengers tours and gratuities were included in the price.

 

 

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[cruisemom42]

We enjoyed the Aegean odyssey on the voyages to antiquity line. About 380 passengers tours and gratuities were included in the price.

 

 

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Agreed. I'm embarking on my 4th cruise with them later this month. They are definitely geared to the traveler who is more interested in ports and history. Not a lot of entertainment aboard other than good lecturers and some musicians.

 

If you are a solo traveler, the solo supplements are quite low in many cases and the total cost can end up being close to (or not much more than) a mass-market line. Gratuities and most shore excursions are included.

[gusjakefred]

Another question: never sailed Crystal - any opinions out there???

 

thanks!

 

gusjakefred

[gusjakefred]

Thank you. This sounds just what I would like in the future.

[Texas Tillie]

Another question: never sailed Crystal - any opinions out there???

 

thanks!

 

gusjakefred

 

Crystal is a wonderful line and because their ships are a little "larger" - 900 and 1000 passengers, they can offer better and more varied entertainment and other on ship activities. However, they are luxury, so you'll "pay".

[gusjakefred]

Thanks. Crystal is my list to research.

 

gusjakefred

[Lerin]

We like Star Clippers, Regent and Windstar in that order.

[cruisead]

The ships of Crystal, Seabourn, Regent and Silversea are all very expensive. You can bet that with similar itineraries you'll find their fares to be four times the cost of any other cruise line.

[Flatbush Flyer]

I hope you have a bit of money, because other than the two smaller ships of Princess (Ocean and Pacific), you will be on luxury lines: Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, Oceania, Seabourn, SeaDream, Azamara. EM

 

 

You need to change TAs. On the right Oceania itinerary, and with factors like included air fare (or credit) and beverages/specialty restaurants plus OBC (both O and TA), you'll find that O's "bottom line" compares very favorably with Celebrity, HAL and Princess. Plus O's "R" ships are small (<700) and the food/service is superior to the mass market lines.

 

 

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[s1amblue]

After 10 Oceania cruises without air (we use miles for business & first) they are at least double the cost - with purchasing sodas, coffees & specialty restaurants added in - we did B2b Oceania & Celebrity with essentially same itinerary gor comparison & saved over $3000 on the Celebrity sailing, we can sometimes get a suite on Celeb for far less than regular veranda on Oceania....

[Flatbush Flyer]

After 10 Oceania cruises without air (we use miles for business & first) they are at least double the cost - with purchasing sodas, coffees & specialty restaurants added in - we did B2b Oceania & Celebrity with essentially same itinerary gor comparison & saved over $3000 on the Celebrity sailing, we can sometimes get a suite on Celeb for far less than regular veranda on Oceania....

 

 

Perhaps true until you figure in free gratuities and internet (on select cruises) plus TA OBC above special discounts available to top producing O TA's.

You may want to shop around for a better TA. On O to Alaska this past summer, we found the bottom line (after all above, air credit and two price drops (including one special deal after full payment) to be within $200 per cabin of equivalent on HAL and Princess.

Doing another O cruise to Med in 2015. Again, right cruise, right TA and we're in a only a few hundred more than the better non-premium.

 

 

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[s1amblue]

That's great but with only 3 Celeb cruises we now get free wine, free laundry, free internet AND usually ore-paid gratuities & shipboard credit plus we can stay in a Sky or Celebrity suite that's larger than O's penthouse suites for less than an O veranda.... Far more perks sooner! But again, to each their own! We loved O but are loving Celebrity more! :). (More often too for we can cruise at least twice as much with our savings!)

[LHT28]

That's great but with only 3 Celeb cruises we now get free wine, free laundry, free internet AND usually ore-paid gratuities & shipboard credit plus we can stay in a Sky or Celebrity suite that's larger than O's penthouse suites for less than an O veranda....

 

That is a great deal ..if you like bigger ships

for us the extra price is worth the O ships with less people

free laundry maybe nice though but I can use the OBC to get tokens for the the machines

 

Everyone must choose what works best to suit their needs

 

Enjoy whatever cruise you choose

 

Lyn

[Floridiana]

We will try Ponant's L'Austral ( 132 cabins) next time. My favorite line so far is Oceania. Sometimes it is less expensive than Celebrity's Aqua Class, happened to us for a Christmas cruise. Luckily our TA is on top of her game.