Your Cruise Your Way Cruise Blog

While reading the local cruise and travel news this week, it dawned on me that there are an abundance of sales out there, and most are for ships that always go the “standard” ports, like San Juan, St. Thomas, Cozumel, or Jamaica. Even in the European markets, you basically have London, Copenhagen, Rome and Venice. Have you ever thought about one day visiting a small, quaint village instead of a large city with ruins or a bazaar resplendant with tee-shirts and marguaritas? Instead of a 120,000 ton super liner that takes an hour to dock, how about a river cruise along the Danube or paddle-wheeler down a North American river visiting towns you’ve only read about in history books? If this appeals to you, here are some ideas you may want to look into.

Keep in mind these cruise ideas are more for folks looking to try something different than a bingo game or midnight buffet. These out of the way destinations require a small er ship that allows access to tight, shallow areas in most cases. Sometimes called niche cruises by people in the industry, the basic premise is give me a cool destination or itinerary, nothing formal, less people who share a common interest, and the ooportunity to enjoy my vacation while I learn something along the way. One of the key draws of these types of cruises is the up close and personal views of the land and sea your traveling on. Whale watching, snorkling in secluded harbors that actually have wildlife and not just picked over sand to look at through your mask.
While the big ships often go near some of these areas, the type of cruiser I’m talking about would rather intermingle with the locals as they work and place in their native habitats. The fishing villages of Alaska, the tributaries of the Amazon River, the San Blas Islands in the Caribbean, the North Pole and Antarctica, and the waterways of Russia, where you not only can see Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also the Golden Ring cities of Uglich, Kostroma, and Yaroslavl.
Cruise West is probably the most famous of the smaller ship cruisers, with it’s 9 vessels, and varied itineraries covering Alaska, Mexico, Canada, and Central and South America. The focus with them is on nature, wildlife and culture. Amadeus Waterways is my favorite European river cruise operation, boasting 8 ships traversing the Rhine, Mosel, Main, and Danube Rivers and introducing cruisers to local customs, unmatched cultural diversity, architecture in charming towns and villages. Majestic American Lines specializes in the paddlewheelers in North America, taking you down a nostalgic path of yesteryear visiting towns you’ve read about while researching civil wars or transcontinental settlers and historical events.
While I could go on forever, I’ll laeve you with the masted sailing ships as a throwback to the explorers of the past. Star Clippers and Windjammer invite you to be a part of the action, and in some cases, afford you the view from the crow’s nest 40 feet in the air. You can actually help crew if the mood hits you, and arriving in port can actually mean jumping over the side and wading into the beach. These are the types of cruises that mean lasting friends and acquaintances, and unforgettable adventures with stories to tell the folks back home forever.
Are these adventures for you? Only you can decide, but I’ll tell you that the folks who frequent these trips are friendly, adventuresome, informal, educated and ready to share the experience with all who attend. Do your research to determine what’s out there, and how it can fit into your vacation plans, interests or things todo before you die.