Three Flavors of Small Ship Cruises

Explore the world of small ship cruising, focusing on three main types: river cruises, yacht cruises, and barge cruises. 

We discuss the unique features, experiences, and benefits of each type, including easy embarkation, cultural immersion, luxury service, and personalized experiences. 

We'll help you understand the differences between these three small ship cruise types and guide you in choosing the right experience for your travel preferences.

During this episode, we mention our experiences on the Douro River, cruising on the Danube River (including sailing through the Wachau Valley), and seeing castles on the Rhine River in Germany.

Dan's love of the Tarascon Turtle is mentioned, which we saw on a cruise through Provence. (Mythical turtle photo is included in the link!)

We touch on their yacht cruise experiences aboard Emerald Azzurra and Windstar Star Pride.

And finally, we discuss their incredible experience on a barge cruise in France, including the Wi-Fi travel hotspot we always vacation with, so staying connected on the ship is not a problem.

Chapters

• 0:00 Exploring Small Ship Experiences
• 2:25 Diving into River Cruises
• 10:41 Yacht Cruising: Luxury on the Water
• 14:31 Barge Cruises: The Ultimate Small Ship Experience
• 21:15 Choosing the Right Small Ship Experience of These 3 Options

Transcript

Dan (00:34)
Welcome to episode two of Small Ship Cruise Talk. Now if you remember in episode one, we discussed what we considered a small ship to be. In summation, it's a thousand passengers or less, and very often it's about 300 passengers.

Mikkel (00:48)
Today's episode will explore three different types of specific small ship experiences in a bit more depth. And to preview our next episode, we're comparing and contrasting ocean and river cruises. But today, back to the task at hand for our three flavors of small ships topic.

Dan (01:08)
So the three main categories that we're gonna discuss today are river cruising, yacht cruises, and barge cruises.

Mikkel (01:15)
This goes into more detail than episode one, yet is still an overview of the three. So this isn't a deep dive, however, we will deep dive in future episodes for each category. So be sure to hit that subscribe or follow button, depending on where you are listening to this podcast, and sign up for our podcast newsletter for episode reminders, which is linked in our show notes. I also want to mention that all of the small ship

cruise options we discussed today have incredibly easy embarkation and disembarkation, so that's boarding and getting off the ship processes. You nearly walk on and walk off the ship instantaneously without any fuss or any waiting in line. And I just want to say that that is across the board for all of these. And that's important to note because when we talk about ocean cruising next week,

If you've been on an ocean cruise, you know that you do wait in a long line and it is a process. So that is unique to small ship cruising and all of the ships and experiences we discuss today have that in common. They are easy.

Dan (02:25)
So first we're going to discuss river cruises. These are slender, purpose-built ships designed for inland waterways. There are exceptions to this, but typically the capacity is between 100 and 200 passengers.

Mikkel Woodruff (02:38)
And along with that is the crew to guest ratio, which is one to two or one to three typically. So that means for every one crew member, there are two to three guests. A river cruise vessel always has certain identifying characteristics, like it's usually three decks, including a sun deck and.

All of the cabins are typically outward facing. There is very few exceptions. So a River Cruise doesn't have inside cabins for the most part. I can only think of one exception to this on a very atypical ship that I'm not even going to mention because I don't want to confuse our listeners. So a river cruise ship has all outside facing cabins, most with balconies.

Dan (03:21)
So we're usually on deck two and that typically has a balcony or some sort of opening that would be considered a balcony.

Mikkel Woodruff (03:26)
Yes.

(Which we love - absolutely love that about the cabins that we stay in on river cruises.)

Dan (03:34)
Also one thing to note is that there's various public spaces. This varies slightly depending on the ship

but typically always includes at least one dining room, a lounge, bar, and sun deck.

Mikkel Woodruff (03:46)
And river cruises sail all over the world, the popular destination focuses here to remember are European rivers like the Rhine, the Rhône, the Moselle, the Danube, which is perhaps the most popular and well-known, and the Seine River. And an Asian river that's really popular is the Mekong.

Dan (04:05)
Now here in the United States, on American rivers, the most popular river for multi-day overnight cruises in the US is either the Tennessee, the Mississippi, the Columbia, and the Snake Rivers. We've been lucky enough to sail on the Tennessee River with American Cruise Lines. And I can tell you that the Tennessee River is gorgeous.

And it's really something that a lot of people overlook, but it's a river that should be on your bucket list, in my opinion.

Mikkel (04:32)
I completely agree with you. I think what was so striking about cruising on the Tennessee River was just how beautiful it was. It was more beautiful than some cruise experiences we've been on in Europe. And it was so fun to see other boaters enjoying the river during the summer as well. We've also been lucky enough to sail on some incredible rivers in Europe. I loved our Colors of Provence cruise on AmaKristina with AmaWaterways.

We sailed in France from Lyon to Avignon on the Rhône River.

Dan (05:05)
And this conversation brings me back to the meals in Lyon that we had. They were amazing. And the small French cities that we visited along the way, we would have never gone to if it wasn't for the cruise.

Mikkel (05:16)
Yeah, that's completely true. Or what about, you know, I'm thinking of our Viking cruise in France's Bordeaux region, the Gérone and Dordogne Rivers when we visited all of those stunning vineyard castles and cities like Saint-Emilion, Médoc and Margaux, famous wine regions. And then we ended the cruise the last night...

it's bringing me back right now, just thinking of this... The last night we were enjoying glasses of wine from the sun deck of Viking Forseti, the river cruise ship, and we had prime awesome views of the Bastille Day fireworks that July. And we truly made wonderful memories on so many river cruises, including that one.

Dan (05:57)
So something to keep in mind as you're looking into river cruises -

as is true with most vacations, including

vary depending on the time of year, the itinerary, and also the cruise line. But generally speaking, you can expect river cruises be a minimum of $2,500 per person, not including airfare.

Mikkel (06:17)
Though it doesn't include airfare typically, some promotions will, but most of the time you can assume it doesn't. It's a bonus if it does. It does include a lot. So it includes your excursions, your internet, coffee and tea 24/7, and beer and wine with lunch and dinner. And then some cruise lines like AmaWaterways even include a Sip & Sail party, which we have grown to love and really appreciate. And that's almost daily. And during this time,

you have the option of the mocktail of the day or a hard liquor drink, you know, a cocktail that's included as well. So that's a bonus. So that's cruise line specific. Again, that was with AmaWaterways. Or take a river cruise line like Scenic, for example, that includes hard liquor at any time

paying a premium to vacation with that cruise line.

Dan (07:08)
You know, thinking about it, what makes River Cruises special? And for me, it's all about the city center docking, right? Like you are in the heart of the city and the included tours, which is also quite amazing. You don't have to take those tours. You can make your own tour or, you know, craft your own adventure. But it's nice to have that option and.

Mikkel (07:17)
Mm-hmm.

Dan (07:29)
really for me the big thing is just that cultural immersion you're right in the city center you're taking those tours but you feel like you're part of the destination and your floating hotel delivers you right there every morning or every or every evening

Mikkel (07:44)
I love that. It's true. Yeah.

Dan (07:47)
So, Mikkel, what do you think a river cruise is ideal for?

Mikkel (07:49)
I think a river cruise is ideal for someone who wants to dock in the middle of the action, like you were saying, because these central locations really can't be beat where these river cruise ships dock. I would also mention that it's great for people who want a luxurious cruise experience at an affordable price, considering the options out there of small ship experiences. I realize that

cost and price is relative. No one's going to think something's expensive at one price point versus inexpensive at another, like the next person does. That's very specific to your budget and your needs, but it is one of the more affordable small ship options. Another thought that comes to mind is the scenery on river cruises.

There's nothing quite like sailing on the Douro River and seeing rolling hills and landscapes lush with grapevines in Portugal when we sailed with Viking or the Wachau Valley in Austria aboard Emerald Sky that we saw as we cruised on the Danube River or even castles dotting the landscape on the Rhine River in Germany. 

Be sure to check our show notes, where we link some articles that we have written from these specific experiences. 

Dan, who would you recommend a river cruise to?

Dan (09:11)
I would say anybody that only wants to unpack once but enjoys visiting multiple cities on the same trip. And these cities are places you wouldn't otherwise visit. Thinking back, some of the places we've been to like Blaye and Tarascon and a bunch of like small little places...

Mikkel (09:25)
Cool, yeah.

Dan (09:29)
that obviously would not come up on anybody's radar, but they were unique and

we learned about tasting, we learned about the turtle creature outside of Tarascon.

Mikkel (09:40)
You bring up Tarascon turtle a lot. It's like this mythical sculpture outside of the...

These are what make your vacation memories your own. I love when you bring up the Tarascon turtle.

Dan (09:53)
Yeah, and ultimately they end up being some of our favorite places we've traveled and have created those memories. I also recommend river cruising for someone that experiences motion sickness. So like myself, I get pretty bad motion sickness, seasickness out on the open water, so on a bigger ship. But don't really feel that on a river cruise. You will not get motion sickness on a river ship because it barely moves.

Mikkel (10:17)
Yeah, that's true. And there aren't really currents on rivers like there are on oceans. I say there aren't really because there is an exception that we experienced on the Garonne River in Bordeaux that has a current. But other than that, we've been on river cruises and there really isn't, generally speaking, any currents. And when there is some motion, you barely feel it.

Dan (10:41)
Yeah. So let's switch gears to yacht cruising.

Mikkel (10:43)
Ooh, I love it.

If you hear yacht cruising and instantly think luxury, you're not alone. That's what most people think of when they hear that, because it is a luxurious small ship experience. And sometimes dollar signs flash with that. There's a cost for that. But yacht cruising doesn't have to be synonymous with costing an arm and a leg. In fact, we went on a yacht cruise with Emerald Cruises aboard their ship, Emerald Azzurra in the Mediterranean. And it was less than you might think, cost-wise. 

And again, like river cruises, a yacht cruise includes your excursions, alcohol, and a luxurious stateroom. In our case on Emerald Azzurra, I loved that there was a Nespresso machine in the room and a balcony. And for example, an eight-day cruise starts at just above $6,000 per person on this Emerald Cruises experience. There are also other vessels that do this, but that is a typical cost comparison. And there are plenty of river cruises that cost a similar amount. So for our listeners, if you are thinking, "Oh my gosh, a yacht cruise might be great to experience and be able to go on as my vacation," well then consider this your permission to look into it.

Dan (11:58)
Yeah, so in terms of passengers for similar vessels that the general public can book as opposed to chartering a whole yacht ship, which we won't get into here except around 100 passengers. However, the guest to crew ratio is typically one to one or two to one, which means a high level of service for all the cruisers. Scenic. 

When I looked up the definition of "yacht" I was given "a medium-sized sailboat equipped for cruising or racing," or "a powered boat or small ship equipped for cruising, typically for private or official use."

If that's the case, then Windstar ships are certainly yachts as well. We sailed on Star Pride in Iceland and it was a phenomenal experience. We were two of approximately 300 guests aboard.

Mikkel (12:46)
And something that I loved about that cruise, because I love food, was how exceptional the food was. On a yacht, expect premium finishes and interior design that is superb and more spacious cabins - suites even. It's very popular on a yacht to sail in exotic places like the Mediterranean, South Pacific, like Tahiti. I even saw a recent itinerary that's going to Thailand in Southeast Asia, or boutique ports like St. Barts. Even elsewhere in the Caribbean you might sail to on a yacht, but a lesser known destination port like Tobago Cays, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. So you're away from all the tourists on huge ships that are docking in Nassau in the Bahamas, for example, but you still get to experience the tropical, jewel-tone blue waters of the Caribbean. So you arrive to the area in style like the...star that you are on a yacht.

Dan (13:43)
The other thing I like is you often have multiple dining options on a yacht cruise. So for example, on Windstar we had three or four options depending on the day.

Mikkel (13:52)
Yes, remember that Spanish ham that you loved at the restaurant Cuadro 44 that brought us back to our time in Spain, your favorite.

Dan (14:00)
And on Emerald we had multiple options as well depending on the day.

Mikkel (14:04)
You should treat yourself to a yacht cruise if you're celebrating something special, want to visit ports that are accessible on the ocean, but want a luxurious vessel and way to take you there with exclusive access.

Dan (14:17)
So one thing to keep in mind with a yacht cruise is you're going to need to pack your seasick medication just in case. Because unlike a river ship cruise, yachts sail on the sea and you might encounter rough water and you know what could happen.

Mikkel (14:31)
Yeah.

Dan (14:31)
Lastly, let's talk about one of our favorite cruise experiences that is lesser known, and that is barge cruises.

Mikkel (14:39)
Okay, so this is the ultimate small ship cruise experience, if you ask us, but it also depends on what kind of experience you're seeking because it's certainly not for everyone. I say that mostly because there's absolutely no way to maintain autonomy on a barge ship unless you charter the entire ship, which is very possible considering the guest capacity usually ranges from four or six people up to 12 to 20 guests depending on the ship. 

In addition to this, you don't get variety in onboard spaces because it's such an incredibly small vessel. So these are vessels that typically fit on canals, which are a fraction of the size of most rivers if you can believe that. While your excursions and all alcohol is included, don't count on there always being Wi-Fi on board. 

But there's a way around that because when Dan and I travel, especially on a barge cruise, because like I said, you're always on this small canal, which means you're always near land, which inevitably in this day and age, means you're always by a cell phone tower. Which is how Wi-Fi hotspots work. We have found that our pocket hotspot, our Wi-Fi device, which I'll link in the show notes, has always worked to some degree. So don't let the internet thing deter you from going on a barge cruise. 

I know that a lot of people like to unplug when they are on a cruise and if you're unable to because you own your own business like us, even though it's nice to not constantly be online, there are ways around that on a barge cruise.

Dan (16:15)
Now the vessels themselves are often but not always, historic barges that have been converted from being ships that delivered goods along the waterways to ships that now carry passengers on their vacation. Most barge cruises sail in Western Europe, like the French canals, English waterways, Scottish lochs, or Italian waterways.

The level of luxury varies greatly within these ships as well. It really depends on the individual ship, so do your research before you book.

Usually the barge cruise website is going to include various photos of what the interiors and exteriors look like, and overall it'll give you that feeling of what to expect in, let's say, the dining room and the lounge areas and the top deck as well.

Now keep in mind there's usually, well, there's two decks. And if you're lucky, there's a hot tub and maybe some free weights in the corner somewhere, but there isn't a lot of amenities on the barge cruises. This is really about relaxing and the ports and the countryside.

Mikkel (17:02)
And with those destinations come even smaller villages and towns that you visit if you can believe that. So you'll notice as we go from river cruising and yacht cruising, we are doing more petite destinations. We also experienced a very high level of personalization and service on our barge cruise because, there were four crew on the ship and just five guests. 

The capacity was eight, but it wasn't a full sailing. So there were five of us, two couples and a solo passenger. The crew included the captain, the chef, a deck hand who was also our tour guide and driver. 

And I should mention that our chef was amazing and he also was another deck hand sometimes. And our cabin steward and she was also our dining room server and our bartender. So it's very much all hands on deck, pun intended.

And the experience with the crew was great, but as guests on a luxury sailing, we were never asked to lift a finger. So it was a luxurious experience on the barge through and through. The one we went on was through European Waterways and the service was incredible and the food was just phenomenal.

Dan (18:26)
Yeah, the food truly was outstanding. One other thing of note is just the pace of a barge cruise. It's incredibly slow. So as we were cruising down the canal, we saw people biking on the pathway next to the canal and they were going faster than we were.

Mikkel (18:34)
Yeah

Dan (18:43)
I would say this kind of cruise is good for somebody who likes slow travel and wants to feel extra special along the way. And you're doing it with a handful of passengers. So you're gonna really get to know the people that you're having dinner, lunch and breakfast with every day. But I guarantee that if all of you appreciate good food, then barge cruising is probably a great option for you.

Mikkel (19:09)
Yeah, if you all appreciate good food, the food is definitely a common topic that you're all going to connect on as you ooh and ahh over the multi-course dinners and the cheese desserts where we were in France were just outstanding and everybody was gaga over the incredible cheeses and wine, and fresh bread we had in the morning. So as you said, Dan, it's definitely a commonality when you are cruising with like-minded people. You're all on this incredible barge cruise. A tiny experience in terms of group size, so it's good for people that don't mind talking and getting to know other groups like that.

It's also great for people who are game to visit destinations that they've never heard of or even dreamed of visiting. But I truly say that in the best way possible because that's part of what makes travel so fun. Some of the key players and names that you should be aware of in barge cruising are European Waterways, which I mentioned before, French Country Waterways and Grand Victoria Cruises. 

They all lead the barge cruising world and have individual ships under their brand name that you can book. And, you know, as Dan said before, they all differ in their finishes and what they look like. So you're definitely going to want to go on their websites and check that out. And pricing starts at approximately six thousand dollars per person. Again, it varies, like Dan said, due to the time of year or what itinerary or ship you are choosing. 

But it's also possible to charter a whole ship. And this is something really unique to barge cruising. If you have family of 12 people, so you have older parents and then kids in their 40s or 50s and then their adult children, this is a great opportunity for a really unique family vacation. You can charter a ship for approximately $45,000. So that's about $3,750 per person for a one-week cruise. And that's not bad for a luxury cruise experience on a small vessel with such exclusivity. 

Now, when you are considering one of these three cruises, a river cruise, yacht, or barge cruise, understand first and foremost what type of traveler you are and what you value in your vacation. It could be the food - and if it is the food, spring for a yacht or a barge cruise, as we have discussed here, even though river cruises have delicious food. But if you are a foodie, you know, to the max as I am, and I would say Dan is as well, you're really going to appreciate the food on a yacht and a barge cruise.

Also consider the exclusive access to the ports and what you're looking for on the itinerary or being surprised by a town that you're visiting that you may have never heard of, like on a barge cruise.

Dan (22:00)
I would say also consider the value. And also consider the differences in formality. Like what kind of cruise do you want? Like a river and yacht cruises are surprisingly casual and barge cruises can be even more casual.

Mikkel (22:05)
Mm-hmm.

Dan (22:13)
If you want help booking your small ship vacation, we're happy to help. Although we're not travel advisors, we team up with some great travel advisors who can recommend the perfect small ship experience that's right for you.

Mikkel (22:26)
And if you're wondering about something we didn't answer here, please reach out. We would absolutely love to hear from you, our listeners. We're so grateful for you. We hope you enjoyed our overview of river, yacht, and barge cruises.

Don't forget to or subscribe to our podcast for future deep dives about each of these three forms of cruising.

And check the show notes for links to those articles that we mentioned where we do some deep diving about those destinations and those river cruise, yacht cruise, and barge cruise lines. 

And next time in episode three, we're gonna dive into a popular topic, ocean vs. river cruises. We're gonna get into the nitty gritty differences and their similarities. 

So if you enjoyed this episode, once again, please follow us. We really appreciate it. We are new, a brand new baby podcast. We hope to be huge one day and we can only do that with your help. So if you are so inclined to give us a five star rating, we would appreciate it and share it with a friend to help us grow. 

Thank you for joining and we appreciate you tuning in. Bye for now.