Small Ship & Expedition Cruises Tour & Trip Reviews

What to Look for in Small-Ship Cruising Reviews

Most trip reviews tend to focus on some or all of these 5 key areas, not all of which may be relevant to you: the tour guide, travel company, service level, country or countries traveled in, and the trip itinerary.

Remember, just because you see a 1 star review doesn’t necessarily mean that person disliked the country.

When researching your small-ship cruise destination and operator, read as many reviews as you can, but keep in mind that some of the reviews may not impact your own satisfaction. Given that small ships can access more remote destinations and offer more specific interest-driven activities, it is more important to get a good match than with the ocean-going mega-ships that can seem so similar.

Travelers who did not take the time to educate themselves fully on the small-ship trip they took may leave less favorable reviews. To make a good match and find the right small-ship cruise for you, pay attention to the number of guests, ratio of staff to guest, destinations visited, how much time is spent in each port, whether the itinerary is flexible, how you get ashore for excursions, what wildlife you can hope to see, what experts are onboard with you, what the best time of year for your destination is, etc.

If you want a professional take on small-ship cruising, see the Travelstride Small Ship Cruising Guide »