When it comes to heading out on a cruise, you’re usually presented with one of two choices. You either go for a large cruise, which covers a bit more distance, or opt for one of those small ship charter cruises that are all about personalization and a custom-tailored experience.
While it is certainly true that both options have their pros and cons, for many people, a small ship cruise is simply the better choice. Let’s elaborate a bit on that, shall we?
The Small Number of People Aboard
The first advantage of a small ship cruise is the actual number of people. This is true because of two main reasons. The first one is the fact that the actual ship can’t really have too many people on it at the same time, and the other one is that a small ship doesn’t even try to put as many people as possible. There’s a completely different focus of the entire trip, and it’s quality over quantity.
Small cruise ships are made so that each passenger can choose whether or not they want to go through the entire cruise alone, or they want to meet other people and socialize a bit. As a passenger, you can choose to stay in your room or enjoy dinner or a drink alone or join others for dinner or a group excursion. It’s all about the choice you’re given, and this is an underestimated aspect of it.
This is the main reason why people who travel alone almost exclusively choose a small ship cruise. They aren’t “forced” into socializing like you are on a big ship, and you can opt to stay clear of the crowds as long as you want to.
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The Staff-to-Passenger Ratio is Great
This is the other big reason (which leads perfectly into reason number three, but we’ll get to that in a moment) – in most cases, there is a staff member for every passenger on board. With some of them working in the kitchen, or other utility areas of the ship, you won’t have a staff member following you around, waiting for you to need something, but in case you do need something when you’re on the cruise, you’ll find a staff member available to help within seconds. And as we mentioned, this leads perfectly to the next reason why you should opt for a small ship cruise which is …
The Incredibly Personalized Experience
When you’re on a large cruise ship, you do what everyone else does. You eat what they eat, you drink what they drink, and in many cases, you’re pushed into doing that alongside everyone else. For a person who prefers to avoid crowds and do things by themselves instead, this is far from ideal.
On a small cruise ship, and with a significantly better staff-to-passenger ratio, this is very easy to deal with because the staff can easily accommodate any needs or requirements you might have. We’re talking about things like dietary adjustments, for example. The chef isn’t cooking food for thousands of people – he cooks for much less, and making a change in a meal or two isn’t going to be too much of a problem.
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To add to this, a small cruise ship can easily accommodate any specific requirements you might have in regards to the excursions you’ll be heading out to. In most cases, these are booked before you embark on the trip itself, but if you find that a certain group excursion has too many people for your liking, all you have to do is check with the staff, and if there’s another option (such as you doing something else, or switching to another excursion which is less crowded), chances are they’ll be able to accommodate.
But it’s not just the food and excursions – it’s almost every possible aspect of the cruise experience. This is why small ship cruises are incredibly popular and why a lot of people don’t want to deal with the downsides of large cruise ships.
Wrapping Things Up – Small Cruise Ships are The Way to Go
When you take everything into consideration, the only thing a big cruise ship has going for it is the fact that it can cover a larger distance more quickly. However, factor in the fact that you have to deal with a crowd all the time, and you can’t really enjoy your cruise if you’re traveling solo, and big cruise ships aren’t really perfect.
On the other hand, a small cruise ship has a lot fewer people on board, and the staff can accommodate any needs or requirements you might have a lot easier. Add to this the fact that you get to choose whether you want to travel solo, or join up with other passengers, and you’re looking at an incredible experience that will make your vacation unforgettable.
