If you’ve written off cruising based on a high school graduation trip, a casino boat, or the buffet-and-matching-lanyards version you’ve heard about, I get it. I was right there with you.
But here’s what changed my mind: there are actually several completely different versions of cruising. And one of them might be exactly the trip you’ve been looking for without realizing it.
A few years ago, my cruise experience consisted of two things: a high school graduation cruise to the Bahamas with 2,500 of my new best friends, and a riverboat gambling cruise. That was it. Not exactly a glowing endorsement.
But when I started working with clients who wanted to see certain parts of the world — the Douro Valley, the Croatian coast, the edges of Antarctica — I realized that cruising wasn’t what I thought it was. There wasn’t one kind of cruise. There were several completely different experiences, each with its own rhythm, its own philosophy about travel, and its own ideal traveler.
So I got certified with several premium cruise lines because I wanted to understand this space inside and out. What I found was this: if you’ve dismissed cruising, you might be walking past one of the smartest ways to see certain parts of the world. But only if you know which type is right for you.
Here’s how I think about it now. If each type of cruise were a famous person, who would they be?
The River Cruise Is Stanley Tucci
What is a river cruise you ask?
Curious. Cultured. Sees no reason to rush past anything. He’d rather spend three days in one region, learning how the wine is made, wandering through a market, sitting in a café where nobody’s in a hurry, and talking to the person at the next table about what they’re eating.
That’s a river cruise. Small ship, maybe 150 passengers, gliding through the Douro Valley or the Danube. You wake up docked in a new town, walk off the ship, and you’re just… there. The culture is local. The wine is usually included. Stanley would approve.
You’re a Stanley if: You travel for the culture as much as the cuisine. You’d rather linger in one place than check off five. Your ideal day ends at a table with something local in your glass and a conversation worth remembering.
The Small-Ship Cruise Is Jackie O
So, what is a small ship cruise?
Elegant without trying. Jackie doesn’t do crowds. She shows up in a cove that nobody else has found and acts like she’s been coming here for years.
That’s a small-ship cruise. Thirty to 300 passengers. They go where the big ships physically cannot. Tiny harbors, shallow coves, islands where the town is three streets deep. The Dalmatian Coast. The Greek Islands. The morning you wake up somewhere new without having packed a single bag. Jackie would never pack and unpack.
You’re a Jackie if: You love the idea of seeing a coastline but hate planning every leg. You want someone else to handle the logistics so you can just… be there. Gracefully.
The Expedition Cruise Is the Most Interesting Man in the World
So what is an expedition cruise?
You know the Dos Equis guy. He doesn’t always drink beer, but when he does… you know the rest. He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it felt. He goes to the edges of the world and somehow comes back with a story that makes the entire table go quiet.
That’s an expedition cruise. Antarctica. The Galápagos. The Norwegian fjords in winter. The morning briefing is given by a marine biologist. The afternoon activity is a Zodiac ride through ice. The dress code at dinner is “whatever you wore on the Zodiac, just dry off first.” He doesn’t always cruise… but when he does, it’s on an expedition vessel. Stay thirsty, my friends.
You’re a Most Interesting Man if: You’ve done the highlights and want to go deeper. You have a bucket-list destination that feels slightly out of reach. You’ve said “I want to go somewhere I’ll never forget” and meant it.
You might be one. You might be all three depending on the day. I’m definitely all three.
The point is this: if you’ve been thinking about cruising and wondering if it’s actually for you, stop wondering whether cruise travel in general is right. Instead, ask yourself which type of cruise fits the way you travel.
River cruise? You want to slow down and go deep.
Small-ship? You want elegance and logistics handled.
Expedition? You want the story that makes people go quiet.
Each one is a completely different travel experience. And each one might be exactly what you need for your next chapter.
If you’re intrigued but unsure which type would actually work for your trip, I’d love to talk through it. There’s a reason I got certified with these lines — it’s because they’re worth recommending, and because the right cruise in the right place can be genuinely transformative.
If you’re still skeptical, that’s fair too. But before you rule it out completely, give yourself permission to think about it differently than you did before.
Your trip might be waiting on a ship you haven’t considered yet.
Curious which type of cruiser you are? Let’s talk about what might work for your next adventure. No pressure, just a conversation about where you want to go and how to get you there. Schedule a time to chat.
