Imagine slipping down to a floating marine platform at the aft of a yacht, saluting the sun with a yoga session on the top deck, grabbing a quick self-serve cappuccino and ducking back into your suite, or popping into an infinity pool with a foreign port city spread out before you.
These are the scenarios driving the small-ship trend in cruising—along with smaller harbours, fancy e-bikes, Missoni fabrics, amped up eco-friendliness, active adventure and bartenders who know what you’re having before you ask.
If you have always thought that cruising is not for you, you very likely haven’t yet met the right ship. Welcome to your new cruise life.
The Yacht-Style Vibe: Emerald Sakara
Photo: Emerald Cruises
The 110-metre Emerald Sakara is a case in point. The second luxury yacht from Emerald Cruises gives its 100 guests the full yacht-style vibe, but with the big-boat amenities that people actually want—including a dedicated spa with an infrared sauna, an infinity pool and the luxury of space, with balconies for all.
“Small-ship cruising is a special experience,” says Kelly Craighead, former president of Cruise Lines International Association, an industry trade organization—and the Sakara’s godmother. “The category exemplifies why we believe there is a cruise experience for everyone. Even among the class of smaller ships, there is a wide range of itineraries and ship sizes, including smaller yachts like Emerald Sakara.”
And size matters. Having access to hidden-gem ports and private marinas where guests can take part in water activities right off the ship ups the luxe factor significantly.
A Playground for Modern Design
The Sakara’s luxury of space is enhanced with glass partitioning around the stairs, mirrored pillars, whimsical art installations, brightly patterned furniture and bold colours. The pool lounge and café are cozy and comfortable, almost like a chic restaurant with a pool in it.
Despite its small size, the ship’s public areas feel open and airy, its nooks sporting blue-and-white-striped bean bag chairs and little wicker love pods. This is clearly a ship designed for a younger, design-conscious cruise passenger.
Architectural Openness: Silversea’s Silver Nova
Silversea Cruises tasked its architects with a unique set of challenges when designing the new 244-metre Silver Nova, experimenting with an asymmetrical design and a horizontal layout to allow for more interesting sightlines and higher ceilings.
“Openness was a fundamental principle for us,” says Andrea Tonet, Silversea’s vice president of product strategy.
Photo: Silversea
It helps that the 728-passenger Nova is blessed with more than 4,000 square metres of glass glazing around the ship—96 per cent of the spaces have an outdoor view, including the six glass elevators. “Wherever you are on the ship, you have a clear feeling of where you are in the world.”
Rather than push the public areas to the back of the ship, the Silversea designers chose instead to congregate them on Decks 3, 4 and 5, allowing for a striking three-storey atrium that guests gravitate to at various points throughout the day. And thanks to the asymmetry, the Nova’s substantial pool could be shifted to one side of the ship, leaving an unobstructed, dramatic connection with the sea and the ports of call.
Attentive Service: Windstar’s Star Pride
Windstar Cruises has always operated a fleet of smaller ships that take an attentive approach to sailing and service, with fewer rules and a relaxed, do-what-you-feel feeling.
Its 159-metre Star Pride was recently cut in half and lengthened, with suites added into the ship’s middle—and yet it still seems beautifully smallish and manageable with just 312 guests.
Photo: Windstar Cruises
“I think there’s a cruise for everyone,” says Windstar president Christopher Prelog. “And I think there’s certainly a younger clientele who appreciates going on smaller ships, being away from the crowds, doing something different. And you get a personal experience with the crew in a way that I don’t think other cruise lines can really do, because of our size.”
Is Small-Ship Cruising For You?
While you don’t have to be a full-on extrovert, you should feel comfortable talking to people while on smaller ships. Seeing the same people over and over again brings a comforting familiarity to your holiday. Gone is the total anonymity you might experience on a gargantuan boat.
You may not be a small-ship person if you are naturally shy or just want to eat, sleep and read your book in complete isolation.
Cutting-Edge Sustainability at Sea
Advanced sustainability is commonplace on smaller ships, mainly so they can achieve the strict emission compliances of smaller, historic European ports.
Many boutique cruise lines actively strive for reduced fuel consumption, lower emissions and energy efficiency to meet or exceed international requirements. These cruise lines also get top marks for supporting the local economies of the places they visit, encouraging authentic cultural interaction, funding local projects and sourcing local food.
With the Mediterranean sailing season now in full swing, there has never been a better time to secure your cabin and take the plunge.
