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Small ship luxury

Visiting small ports, delivering close service and with an onboard atmosphere more like a private yacht than a cruiseliner, small luxury ships offer a taste of the finer things in life.

French chic

Stepping onboard Le Boreal and L’Austral – the new ships from Compagnie du Ponant – is like checking into a very minimalist boutique hotel. The cool lighting, clean lines, modern fittings, soft shades and accents of colour all give the ship a sophisticated feel.
The same elegance applies in the 132 cabins, most of which have balconies, and in the spa. With just a couple of hundred passengers onboard, you can mingle in the lounges and bars or find your own space on a teak sunlounger or in the library.
And true to its French heritage, finest haute cuisine is delivered with immaculate care in each of the yacht’s two restaurants, with wine included, and there is a cellar of fine alternatives. The four other ships in the Compagnie du Ponant fleet are even more exclusive, and include Le Ponant, pictured, a three-masted sailing ship for just 64 passengers, and the 90-passenger Le Levant, which has sporty pointed hull.

Yachter’s paradise

“It’s yachting, not cruising” is how SeaDream Yacht Club describes life onboard its two luxury ships SeaDream I and II. With a draft of only 14ft, the ships can access the small ports that larger vessels can’t reach.
Onboard, the 112 guests are looked after by 95 crew, providing some of the most personalised service at sea; all cabins and suites are ocean-facing, and the décor is clean blues and whites with wood fittings. International cuisine is served in the main restaurant in the evening and al fresco by day, and there are alcoves around the ship for private dining.
Watersports-enthusiasts will love the ship’s ‘marina’ – a retractable deck at the back of the ship with jetskis, kayaks, zodiacs, snorkeling gear and even small Hobie sail boats for use in port. For quieter fun each ship has an excellent Thai spa, and there are Balinese double sunbeds on the upper decks, each with a private canopy and area of deck.

Luxury expedition

If you fancy a Captain Cook-style adventure without giving up your five-star luxuries then look no further than Orion Expedition Cruises. The 106-passenger Orion was custom-made for expeditions and has an ice-strengthened hull to cruise some of the most remote coasts of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Antarctica. And Orion II has joined the fleet to sail the around the coasts of Vietnam, Cambodia, Borneo and the Inland Sea of Japan..
It’s all done in total elegance – from the ocean-facing suites decked out in dark wood with Lanvin toiletries, to the gym, sauna and hot tub, and the excellent wine accompanying food created by award-winning Australian chef. The atmosphere is relaxed in a wonderfully Antipodean way, and the fleet of Zodiacs and the mud-room for storing wellies are reminders that everyone is onboard for the thrill of adventure.

Service with a smile

You won’t have to lift a finger onboard any of the yachts of Seabourn, unless it’s to beckon a waiter to bring you another glass of champagne.
The six ships are testament to the finer things in life, and the smallest, Seabourn Pride, pictured, and Seabourn Legend, carry just 212 passengers in ocean-facing, all-suite accommodation. This means every cabin has a separate living area and a steward who’ll pop in to top up your bespoke min-bar, run you a bath, bring you a platter of canapés or serve you a course-by-course evening meal.
Celebrity chef Charlie Palmer oversees the open-seating main restaurant with seasonal fine food, and other choices include a restaurant with modern tasting menus and an al fresco option. Wine and spirits are included in the cruise price and each ship has an excellent Spa at Seabourn – very spacious for the size of the ship – and there is a watersports deck for port-day fun.