Small-boat cruises

The idea of a cruise has been ruined by mega-ships carrying 5,000 passengers. You could not pay me enough to get on one of those. But the fundamental idea of going on a journey that returns to the same bedroom each night while pulling right up to that day’s destination is pretty awesome – and entirely doable. The secret is to sign up for a very small-boat cruise, the smaller the better. Ideally 12-20 passengers, or a maximum of 40. Instead of round the clock entertainment and food, a small boat can land at tiny villages, or wilderness places that a mega boat can’t get to, deboard instantly (instead of hours), and let you kayak and snorkel or fish right off the back. The best small boat cruises are design to maximize outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking during the day, instead of shopping in port cities. We’ve had great small-boat cruise experiences in the Galapagos, the Turkish coast, and recently Alaska. Yes, small boats are more expensive per day, but since they include transportation, lodging and meals, they are very much worthwhile every now and then. We had a fantastic journey on this 9-day Alaskan Dream Inside Passage Sojourn visiting small Alaskan towns, a native American village, and glaciers that big boats can’t get to. — KK