Our agent, Donavan, recently went on a big ship cruise with friends. And when he came home, all he could talk about was big vs small ships. It took riding on a big ship again to remind him why he prefers the small ships. And a big difference can be demonstrated with this picture – that’s how far away from port a big ship has to dock sometimes! A small ship can come right up to the dock, or sometimes just let everyone off on the shore itself. We talk all the time about why small ships are a better value, but its good to be reminded why sometimes.
What’s included on ALL of our small ship cruises, but NOT on large ocean cruises:
- Soda, bottled water, specialty coffees, and alcohol with captain’s dinners (This was probably what Donavan complained about the most! He had issues with seasickness, and was drinking a lot of soda – it was spendy, and a hassle to purchase. Also, the free tap water did not taste good, so he bought the $5 bottles of water…)
- Educational programs, including historians, naturalists, local guides, park rangers and more.
- Open seating for dinners
- Short lines on embarkation and disembarkation (because standing in line with 5000 people is not pleasant!)
- NO formal nights
- All-American crews on our American river cruises
What’s included on most of our small ships, but NOT on large ocean cruises:
- Daily complimentary cocktail hour with drinks and hor d’oeuvres on these ships
- Beer and wine with lunch and dinner at no charge on the following cruise lines: AQ, ACL, Un-Cruise, Blount
- BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) on Blount, and Open Bar onboard the S.S. Legacy
- Shore Excursions included on Queen of the West, Queen of the Mississippi, American Eagle, American Queen, American Empress, and most Un-Cruise ships
- One-night Pre-Cruise Hotel before your cruise onboard the American Queen or American Empress
- Port Fees included in the cruise fare on Un-Cruise and Fantasy cruises
- Transfers free or at a low rate on most small ship cruise lines
Thank you, Donavan, for reminding us why small ships are so wonderful!