Small Ship Cruising
Our Small Ship Destination cruises are comprehensive and in the main concentrate on a particular area or theme with the focus of the voyage being the itinerary and experience to be had. Our small vessels can dock in ports which larger vessels cannot access and can often moor in the centre of town which allows for more time spent exploring the destination as opposed to travelling from and to the vessel by coach. Destinations covered by our ‘small ship destination cruising’ include the Baltic, Black Sea, Japan, Mediterranean and Adriatic. Itineraries are based upon cultural themes including Art, Music and politics of the region. Onboard you will be joined by specialist guest speakers who accompany the passengers ashore with the expert local guides and also deliver talks onboard. The advantages of exploring by small ship are numerous and include small group sizes when exploring ashore, ability to access some of the world's most pristine and untouched ports, no queuing to embark or disembark the vessel and a relaxed and informal atmosphere onboard which is conducive to becoming acquainted with fellow travellers and onboard staff and learning whether it be about the wonders of nature, the culture or ancient civilisations you are visiting.
Lost Cities of North Africa
A voyage from Gibraltar to Malta along the coasts of Algeria & Tunisia aboard the MS Hebridean Sky with Guest Speaker Michael Buerk
Itinerary at a glance
- Gibraltar / Melilla / Ghazaouet / Oran / Algiers / Bejaia / Constantine / Tunis / Sousse / El Djem / Kairouan / Gozo Island / Valletta
Along the Barbary Coast
A voyage between Malta and Gibraltar including Tunisia & Algeria aboard the MS Hebridean Sky with Guest Speaker Chris Bradley
Itinerary at a glance
- Valletta / Sousse / El Djem / Kairouan / Tunis / Carthage / Cagliari / Algiers/ Cartagena / Ghazaouet / Melilla / Gibraltar
Morocco, Madeira & the Canary Islands
A voyage from Gibraltar to Tenerife including Morocco & Madeira aboard the MS Hebridean Sky with Guest Speaker Major General Stephen Carr-Smith
Itinerary at a glance
- Gibraltar / Tangier / Casablanca / Essaouira / Madeira / Porto Santo / La Palma / El Hierro / Tenerife
Madagascar Coastal Odyssey
Discover the wildlife & wonders of Madagascar aboard the MS Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Mauritius / Reunion Island / Toamasina / Masoala National Park / Nosy Mangabe / Domaine de Bobangir / Diego Suarez / Nosy hara / Nosy Tanihely / Mahajanga / Morondava / Andavadoaka / Nosy Hao / Tulear /
Macaronesia & Beyond
An exploration of the Canary Islands, Madeira & Morocco aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Tenerife / La Gomera / El Hierro / La Palma / Madeira / Essaouira / Agadir / Lanzarote / Las Palmas
Madagascar Coastal Odyssey
Discover the wildlife & wonders of Madagascar aboard the MS Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Mauritius / Reunion Island / Toamasina / Masoala National Park / Nosy Mangabe / Domaine de Bobangir / Diego Suarez / Nosy hara / Nosy Tanihely / Mahajanga / Morondava / Andavadoaka / Nosy Hao / Tulear /
Islands & Atolls of the Indian Ocean
A voyage from Mauritius exploring Madagascar, Aldabra & Tanzania aboard the MS Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Mauritius / Reunion Island / Masoala National Park / Nosy Mangabe / Domaine de Bobangira / Diego Suarez / Nosy Hara / Aldabra Islands / Kilwa Kisiwani / Latham Island / Zanzibar / Dar es Salaam
Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falklands
An expedition to the Great White Continent aboard the Hanseatic Inspiration
Itinerary at a glance
- Buenos Aires / Ushuaia / Falkland Islands / South Georgia / South Orkney Islands / South Shetland Islands / Antarctic Peninsula / Drake Passage / Ushuaia / Buenos Aires
Glories of the West Indies
A voyage between Barbados & Antigua aboard the magnificent Sea Cloud II
Itinerary at a glance
- Barbados / Bequia / St Lucia / Dominica / Guadeloupe / Montserrat / Nevis / St Kitts / British Virgin Islands / St Barthelemy / Antigua
Rainforests, Corals & Cultures of the Caribbean
A passage from Antigua to Costa Rica including Colombia & Panama aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Antigua / Dominica / St Lucia / Grenada / Bonaire / Cabo de la Vela / Santa Marta / Cartagena / San Blas Islands / Bocas del Toro / Puerto Limon
Passage to the Seychelles
Island Hopping through Tanzania & the beautiful Seychelles aboard the MS Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Dar es Salaam / Zanzibar / Latham Island / Kilwa Kisiwani / Aldabra Islands / Farquahar group / Alphonse Islands / Amirante Islands / Inner Seychelles / Mahe
Glories of the West Indies
A voyage between Barbados & Antigua aboard the magnificent Sea Cloud II
Itinerary at a glance
- Barbados / Bequia / St Lucia / Dominica / Guadeloupe / Montserrat / Nevis / St Kitts / British Virgin Islands / St Barthelemy / Antigua
East & West of Panama
Discover the natural wonders of Costa Rica, Panama & Colombia including a transit of the Panama Canal aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- San Jose / Puerto Limon / Bocas del Toro / Panama Canal Transit / Panama City / Bahia Solano / Utria National Park / Chiriqui Gulf Marine Park / Golfito / Puerto Jimenez / Playa Herradura / Curu National Park / Tortuga Island / Puerto Caldera
Passage from Mahe to Mumbai
A voyage from the Seychelles to India’s Malabar Coast including the Maldives & Lakshadweep Islands aboard the MS Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Mahe / Inner Seychelles / Maldives / Cochin / Lakshadweep Islands / Goa / Mumbai
Ancient & Natural Wonders of Central America
A voyage from Costa Rica to Guatemala including Nicaragua & El Salvador aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- San Jose / Puerto Caldera / Curu National Park / Tortuga Island / Palo Verde National Park / Granada / Leon / La Union / Acajutla / Puerto Quetzal / Antigua / Lake Atitlan
Mumbai, the Malabar Coast & Sri Lanka
A voyage from Mumbai to Colombo aboard the MS Island Sky
FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY
Itinerary at a glance
- Mumbai / Goa / Mangalore / Cochin / Galle / Bundala National Park / Yala National Park / Kataragama / Colombo
Central American Odyssey
A voyage from Guatemala to Costa Rica including El Salvador, Nicaragua & Panama aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Antigua / Puerto Quetzal / Acajutla / La Union / Leon / Granada / Palo Verde National Park / Curu National Park / Tortuga Island / Puerto Jimenez / Golfito / Chiriqui Gulf Marine Park / Panama Canal Transit / Colon / Bocas del Toro / Puerto Limon
Passage to Phuket
A voyage from Sri Lanka to Thailand including the Andaman Islands aboard the MS Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Colombo / Galle / Bundala National Park / Yala National Park / Kataragama / Trincomalee / Polonnaruwa / Andaman Islands / Phuket
Passage across the Caribbean Sea
An island hopping voyage from Costa Rica to Barbados aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- San Jose / Puerto Limon / Bocas del Toro / San Blas Islands / Cartagena / Santa Marta / Curacao / Bonaire / Grenada / Barbados
Splendours of Southeast Asia
A voyage from Thailand to Vietnam including Malaysia aboard the MS Island Sky with Guest Speaker Reverend Richard Coles
Itinerary at a glance
- Phuket / Langkawi / Penang / Kuala Lumpur / Malacca / Singapore / Pulau Tioman / Con Dao / Ho Chi Minh
Sailing through the Lesser Antilles & Beyond
A voyage from Barbados to French Guiana aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Barbados / Tobago / Trinidad / Georgetown / Paramaribo / Isles de Salut / Cayenne
Treasures of Vietnam
An exploration of Vietnam sailing from Ho Chi Minh City to Hong Kong aboard the MS Island Sky with Guest Speaker Michael Buerk
Itinerary at a glance
- Ho Chi Minh City / Nha Trang / Quy Nohn / Hoi An / Hue / Hanoi / Ha Long Bay / Hong Kong
Island Hopping in the Canary & Cape Verde Islands
Discover the Atlantic Archipelagos aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Sao Tiago / Praia / Sao Nicolau / Porto Novo / Mindelo / La Palma / El Hierro / La Gomera / Tenerife
Islands of the East China Sea
An island hopping voyage from Hong Kong to Kobe aboard the MS Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Hong Kong / Taiwan / Penghu Islands / Taichung / Taipei / Hualien / Ishigaki / Amami Oshima / Yakushima / uUwajima / Uno-Ko / Kobe
Atlantic Archipelagos
Discover the Canary Islands, Madeira & the Azores aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Tenerife / La Gomera / El Hierro / La Palma / Funchal / Faial / Pico / Sao Jorge / Terceira / Sao Miguel
Treasures of the Balkans
A voyage from from Split to Corfu aboard the MS Monet
Itinerary at a glance
- Split / Mostar / Dubrovnik / Kotor / Shengjin / Durres / Vlore / Sarande / Corfu
A Week in Croatia
Explore Croatia’s majestic beauty aboard the Queen Eleganza
Itinerary at a glance
- Split / Trogir / Brac /Hvar / Korcula / Mljet / Dubrovnik
Eternal Japan & South Korea
A voyage from Kanazawa to Kobe aboard the MS Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Tokyo / Kanazawa / Matsue / Ulsan / haeinsa/ Nagasaki / Miyanoura / Hososhima / Matsuyama / Himeji / Kobe
Treasures of the Peloponnese & Ionian Islands
A voyage from Athens to Corfu aboard the MS Monet
Itinerary at a glance
- Athens / Nafplio / Gythio / Monemvasia / Pylos / Olympia / Argostoli / Preveza / Corfu
Balkan Delights
Explore Croatia’s beautiful coast & islands aboard the Queen Eleganza combined with a two night stay in Lake Bled
Itinerary at a glance
- Dubrovnik / Korcula / Opuzen / Mostar / Brac / Split / Sibenik / Krka National Park / Zadar / Rab / Opatija / Lake Bled
Bird Quest
A discovery of Britain’s seabird islands aboard the Ocean Nova
Itinerary at a glance
- Poole / Alderney / Isles of Scilly / Skomer Island / Grassholm Island / Isle of man / Ailsa Craig / Rathlin Island / Staffa / Lunga / St Kilda / Stac Lee / Shiant Islands / Isle of Lewis / Oban
Halcyon Days on Aegean Islands
A voyage between Athens & Istanbul aboard the 50-passenger MS Monet
Itinerary at a glance
- Athens / Naxos / Chios / Skopelos / Meteora / Thessaloniki / Samothrace / Thassos / Limnos / Cannakale / Istanbul
Istrian Coastal Odyssey - 2026
Discover the beauty of Istria & Kvarner Bay aboard the Queen Eleganza
Itinerary at a glance
- Opatija / Krk / Cres / Mali Losinj / Rovinj / Porec / Groznjan / Pula
Bird Quest
A discovery of Britain’s seabird islands aboard the Ocean Nova
Itinerary at a glance
- Poole / Alderney / Isles of Scilly / Skomer Island / Grassholm Island / Isle of man / Ailsa Craig / Rathlin Island / Staffa / Lunga / St Kilda / Stac Lee / Shiant Islands / Isle of Lewis / Oban
Timeless Japan
Discover the cultural treasures & ancient wonders of Japan including a call in South Korea aboard the MS Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Tokyo / Kanazawa / Kyoto / Matsue / Hagi / Ulsan / Kitakyushu / Hiroshima / Miyajima / Koraku-en / Kurashiki / Takamatsu / Kumano / Mount Fuji / Yokohama / Tokyo
Tours at a glance
| Tour Name | Departure Date | Ship | Tour Type | Itinerary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost Cities of North Africa | 202 NovemberNov 2025 | Hebridean Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Gibraltar / Melilla / Ghazaouet / Oran / Algiers / Bejaia / Constantine / Tunis / Sousse / El Djem / Kairouan / Gozo Island / Valletta
|
| Along the Barbary Coast | 1414 NovemberNov 2025 | Hebridean Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Valletta / Sousse / El Djem / Kairouan / Tunis / Carthage / Cagliari / Algiers/ Cartagena / Ghazaouet / Melilla / Gibraltar
|
| Morocco, Madeira & the Canary Islands | 2424 NovemberNov 2025 | Hebridean Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Gibraltar / Tangier / Casablanca / Essaouira / Madeira / Porto Santo / La Palma / El Hierro / Tenerife
|
| Madagascar Coastal Odyssey | 202 DecemberDec 2025 | Island Sky | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Mauritius / Reunion Island / Toamasina / Masoala National Park / Nosy Mangabe / Domaine de Bobangir / Diego Suarez / Nosy hara / Nosy Tanihely / Mahajanga / Morondava / Andavadoaka / Nosy Hao / Tulear /
|
| Macaronesia & Beyond | 303 DecemberDec 2025 | Hebridean Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Tenerife / La Gomera / El Hierro / La Palma / Madeira / Essaouira / Agadir / Lanzarote / Las Palmas
|
| Madagascar Coastal Odyssey | 1616 DecemberDec 2025 | Island Sky | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Mauritius / Reunion Island / Toamasina / Masoala National Park / Nosy Mangabe / Domaine de Bobangir / Diego Suarez / Nosy hara / Nosy Tanihely / Mahajanga / Morondava / Andavadoaka / Nosy Hao / Tulear /
|
| Islands & Atolls of the Indian Ocean | 202 JanuaryJan 2026 | Island Sky | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Mauritius / Reunion Island / Masoala National Park / Nosy Mangabe / Domaine de Bobangira / Diego Suarez / Nosy Hara / Aldabra Islands / Kilwa Kisiwani / Latham Island / Zanzibar / Dar es Salaam
|
| Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falklands | 707 JanuaryJan 2026 | Hanseatic Inspiration / Spirit / Nature | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Buenos Aires / Ushuaia / Falkland Islands / South Georgia / South Orkney Islands / South Shetland Islands / Antarctic Peninsula / Drake Passage / Ushuaia / Buenos Aires
|
| Glories of the West Indies | 1313 JanuaryJan 2026 | Sea Cloud II | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Barbados / Bequia / St Lucia / Dominica / Guadeloupe / Montserrat / Nevis / St Kitts / British Virgin Islands / St Barthelemy / Antigua
|
| Rainforests, Corals & Cultures of the Caribbean | 1313 JanuaryJan 2026 | Hebridean Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Antigua / Dominica / St Lucia / Grenada / Bonaire / Cabo de la Vela / Santa Marta / Cartagena / San Blas Islands / Bocas del Toro / Puerto Limon
|
| Passage to the Seychelles | 1616 JanuaryJan 2026 | Island Sky | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Dar es Salaam / Zanzibar / Latham Island / Kilwa Kisiwani / Aldabra Islands / Farquahar group / Alphonse Islands / Amirante Islands / Inner Seychelles / Mahe
|
| Glories of the West Indies | 2525 JanuaryJan 2026 | Sea Cloud II | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Barbados / Bequia / St Lucia / Dominica / Guadeloupe / Montserrat / Nevis / St Kitts / British Virgin Islands / St Barthelemy / Antigua
|
| East & West of Panama | 2626 JanuaryJan 2026 | Hebridean Sky | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
San Jose / Puerto Limon / Bocas del Toro / Panama Canal Transit / Panama City / Bahia Solano / Utria National Park / Chiriqui Gulf Marine Park / Golfito / Puerto Jimenez / Playa Herradura / Curu National Park / Tortuga Island / Puerto Caldera
|
| Passage from Mahe to Mumbai | 2929 JanuaryJan 2026 | Island Sky | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Mahe / Inner Seychelles / Maldives / Cochin / Lakshadweep Islands / Goa / Mumbai
|
| Ancient & Natural Wonders of Central America | 707 FebruaryFeb 2026 | Hebridean Sky | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
San Jose / Puerto Caldera / Curu National Park / Tortuga Island / Palo Verde National Park / Granada / Leon / La Union / Acajutla / Puerto Quetzal / Antigua / Lake Atitlan
|
| Mumbai, the Malabar Coast & Sri Lanka | 1515 FebruaryFeb 2026 | Island Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Mumbai / Goa / Mangalore / Cochin / Galle / Bundala National Park / Yala National Park / Kataragama / Colombo
|
| Central American Odyssey | 1515 FebruaryFeb 2026 | Hebridean Sky | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Antigua / Puerto Quetzal / Acajutla / La Union / Leon / Granada / Palo Verde National Park / Curu National Park / Tortuga Island / Puerto Jimenez / Golfito / Chiriqui Gulf Marine Park / Panama Canal Transit / Colon / Bocas del Toro / Puerto Limon
|
| Passage to Phuket | 2626 FebruaryFeb 2026 | Island Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Colombo / Galle / Bundala National Park / Yala National Park / Kataragama / Trincomalee / Polonnaruwa / Andaman Islands / Phuket
|
| Passage across the Caribbean Sea | 202 MarchMar 2026 | Hebridean Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
San Jose / Puerto Limon / Bocas del Toro / San Blas Islands / Cartagena / Santa Marta / Curacao / Bonaire / Grenada / Barbados
|
| Splendours of Southeast Asia | 1111 MarchMar 2026 | Island Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Phuket / Langkawi / Penang / Kuala Lumpur / Malacca / Singapore / Pulau Tioman / Con Dao / Ho Chi Minh
|
| Sailing through the Lesser Antilles & Beyond | 1414 MarchMar 2026 | Hebridean Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Barbados / Tobago / Trinidad / Georgetown / Paramaribo / Isles de Salut / Cayenne
|
| Treasures of Vietnam | 2222 MarchMar 2026 | Island Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Ho Chi Minh City / Nha Trang / Quy Nohn / Hoi An / Hue / Hanoi / Ha Long Bay / Hong Kong
|
| Island Hopping in the Canary & Cape Verde Islands | 3131 MarchMar 2026 | Hebridean Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Sao Tiago / Praia / Sao Nicolau / Porto Novo / Mindelo / La Palma / El Hierro / La Gomera / Tenerife
|
| Islands of the East China Sea | 202 AprilApr 2026 | Island Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Hong Kong / Taiwan / Penghu Islands / Taichung / Taipei / Hualien / Ishigaki / Amami Oshima / Yakushima / uUwajima / Uno-Ko / Kobe
|
| Atlantic Archipelagos | 1010 AprilApr 2026 | Hebridean Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Tenerife / La Gomera / El Hierro / La Palma / Funchal / Faial / Pico / Sao Jorge / Terceira / Sao Miguel
|
| Treasures of the Balkans | 1717 AprilApr 2026 | Monet | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Split / Mostar / Dubrovnik / Kotor / Shengjin / Durres / Vlore / Sarande / Corfu
|
| A Week in Croatia | 2323 AprilApr 2026 | Queen Eleganza | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Split / Trogir / Brac /Hvar / Korcula / Mljet / Dubrovnik
|
| Eternal Japan & South Korea | 2525 AprilApr 2026 | Island Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Tokyo / Kanazawa / Matsue / Ulsan / haeinsa/ Nagasaki / Miyanoura / Hososhima / Matsuyama / Himeji / Kobe
|
| Treasures of the Peloponnese & Ionian Islands | 2727 AprilApr 2026 | Monet | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Athens / Nafplio / Gythio / Monemvasia / Pylos / Olympia / Argostoli / Preveza / Corfu
|
| Balkan Delights | 3030 AprilApr 2026 | Queen Eleganza | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Dubrovnik / Korcula / Opuzen / Mostar / Brac / Split / Sibenik / Krka National Park / Zadar / Rab / Opatija / Lake Bled
|
| Bird Quest | 505 MayMay 2026 | Ocean Nova | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Poole / Alderney / Isles of Scilly / Skomer Island / Grassholm Island / Isle of man / Ailsa Craig / Rathlin Island / Staffa / Lunga / St Kilda / Stac Lee / Shiant Islands / Isle of Lewis / Oban
|
| Halcyon Days on Aegean Islands | 606 MayMay 2026 | Monet | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Athens / Naxos / Chios / Skopelos / Meteora / Thessaloniki / Samothrace / Thassos / Limnos / Cannakale / Istanbul
|
| Istrian Coastal Odyssey - 2026 | 909 MayMay 2026 | Queen Eleganza | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Opatija / Krk / Cres / Mali Losinj / Rovinj / Porec / Groznjan / Pula
|
| Bird Quest | 1414 MayMay 2026 | Ocean Nova | Expedition Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Poole / Alderney / Isles of Scilly / Skomer Island / Grassholm Island / Isle of man / Ailsa Craig / Rathlin Island / Staffa / Lunga / St Kilda / Stac Lee / Shiant Islands / Isle of Lewis / Oban
|
| Timeless Japan | 1414 MayMay 2026 | Island Sky | Small Ship Cruising |
Itinerary at a glance
Tokyo / Kanazawa / Kyoto / Matsue / Hagi / Ulsan / Kitakyushu / Hiroshima / Miyajima / Koraku-en / Kurashiki / Takamatsu / Kumano / Mount Fuji / Yokohama / Tokyo
|