Some of my favorite safari camps in Botswana have just a handful of tents. Fewer guests, guides who learn what you love and room to really watch the animals.
Small ships work the same way at sea.
With fewer guests, the crew learns your name fast and the pace slows down. And a small ship can get into narrow channels, remote coastlines and little ports the big ships can't reach.
This season I'm headed to Antarctica on Seabourn Pursuit. And this March, I'm hosting a group on AmaWaterways' AmaMaya on the Mekong, a ship that carries just 120 guests. I keep choosing small, and here's why.
Slow travel at sea
The Outer Hebrides in Scotland are a great example. Summer sailings, rugged coastline, windswept beaches and traditions that go back centuries.
A small ship lets you spend real time ashore, walking coastal paths and learning the local history, without overwhelming the tiny communities you're visiting. The days follow the rhythm of the place.
Aqua Lares in the Seychelles
Aqua Expeditions launched Aqua Lares in February 2026. It carries a maximum of 30 guests in 15 suites and cabins, and it sails the Seychelles from November to April. Some voyages continue to Aldabra Atoll or Zanzibar.
At that size, it feels like a private yacht. Snorkeling, shore landings and guided excursions all happen at an easy pace.
Here's what caught my eye: some of those itineraries link the Seychelles with Zanzibar and Tanzania. That makes it a really interesting way to finish an East African safari.
Small ships can change plans
With fewer guests, an itinerary can bend. A longer stop in a beautiful anchorage. An unplanned wildlife sighting. A quiet afternoon at sea.
Those are often the moments people remember most, because there was time for them.
Picking the right one
Small-ship trips feel easy once you're on board, and that takes planning. The ship, the itinerary and the season all matter.
And with only a few suites on board, the room you get matters even more. You're in your room more than you think.
As a Virtuoso agency, we work with trusted small-ship lines and partners, and we take care of you before you go, on the trip and when you get back.
So tell me: where would you love to go on a small ship?