Small Ship Cruises Vs. Large Cruise Ships

Ask ten people what a "cruise" means, and you'll get very different answers.

For some, it’s rooftop waterparks, Broadway-style shows, and dining rooms feeding thousands of guests a night.

For others, it's a wooden gulet slipping quietly into a bay a larger ship could never reach, with a crew who know your name by day two.

Both are cruises, but they're very different holidays.

If you're trying to decide between a small-ship cruise and a large cruise liner, here's a side-by-side look at what each actually offers so you can pick the one that suits you.

If you already know small-ship cruising is your thing, our Small Ship Cruises collection is worth a browse alongside this.

What Counts as a "Small Ship" vs. a "Large Cruise Ship"?

There isn't an official rule for where "small" ends and "large" begins, but in practice the difference between the two is easy to feel once you're on board.

A small ship cruise carries anywhere from 12 guests (on a private gulet charter) to around 100 on the larger small-ship vessels. This includes traditional wooden gulets , boutique Greek Island cruise ships , and intimate Adriatic vessels , all built for closeness to the water and the destination, rather than scale.

A large cruise ship, by contrast, usually carries anywhere from 2,000 to over 6,000 passengers. These are mega-liners run by brands like Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Celebrity Cruises, some with multiple decks, pools, theatres, and even shopping malls on board. They’re less like ships and more like small floating towns.

That single number of passengers on board drives every other difference between the two experiences, from the ports you can visit to the pace of each day.

The Case for Large Cruise Ships

Large cruise liners are popular for good reason.

Ships like Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas or MSC's World Europa are designed to give guests as many options as possible on board: multiple restaurants and cuisines, full theatre productions, waterparks, casinos, spas, and kids' clubs that can occupy children for an entire week.

With thousands of cabins across dozens of categories, you also have flexibility on budget. An inside cabin can be surprisingly affordable, while a suite comes with butler service and private decks.

Itineraries are well-established and easy to plan around, hitting major ports where excursions are professionally organised and readily available. For many travellers, this all-inclusive, entertainment-rich structure is exactly the point; you can do as much or as little as you like, and there's rarely a dull moment on board.

Large ships are a strong fit for:

• First-time cruisers who want everything handled.
• Big families who need built-in entertainment for a wide range of age groups.
• Travellers who see the ship itself as much a part of the holiday as the destinations it visits.

The Case for Small-Ship Cruises

Small ships flip almost every one of those priorities.

Since they draw less water and carry far fewer guests, they can slip into harbours, coves, and secluded bays that a 300-metre liner could never approach. This is where the best swimming, snorkelling, and scenery actually is.

Itineraries are more flexible too. A small ship's captain can adjust the day's plan for weather or a particularly beautiful anchorage. A large ship's fixed corporate schedule could never allow this.

Then there's the human side.

With fewer passengers, service becomes personal. Crews on our Greek Island Small Ship Cruises and Adriatic Small Ship Cruises remember guests' names, preferences, and even favourite drink orders by day two.

There's no queuing to get on and off the ship, no rush to grab a sun lounger before they're all taken, and no feeling like just one of several thousand people doing the exact same excursion at the same time.

Fresh, local ingredients are used in meals rather than mass-catering, and shore visits tend to favour smaller harbours and local guides over major cruise-port shopping strips.

Small ships also burn less fuel and produce a fraction of the emissions of a mega-liner, which matters to conscientious travellers.

Small ships are a strong fit for:

• Couples wanting something quieter and more romantic.
• Groups of friends who'd rather have a boat feel like their own.
• Travellers who prioritise authenticity, access, and pace over spectacle.

Small Ship vs. Large Cruise Ship: Side-by-Side Comparison

A Day Onboard: Small Ship Cruise vs. Large Cruise Ships

On a small ship , your day might start with waking at anchor in a quiet bay, swimming before breakfast, then sailing to a hidden cove or a small coastal village for lunch ashore.

The afternoon is unstructured. There’s more swimming, a walk through a fishing village, or reading on deck before an evening anchorage and dinner. The rest of the day's plan is usually decided that morning based on the weather.

On a large ship, the day runs according to a printed programme. This includes a fixed breakfast sitting (or app-based buffet slots), a pre-booked shore excursion at a major port, an afternoon by one of several pools, and a choice of dinner sittings or specialty restaurants before an evening show in the ship's theatre. It's a more structured, activity-packed rhythm.

Which Type of Cruise Should You Choose?

If you're cruising for the first time, travelling with a large family, or want a holiday where the ship itself is the destination, a large cruise liner will feel more comfortable and offer better value.

If you've cruised before and want something quieter, more flexible, and closer to the water and the culture you're visiting, a small ship cruise is very likely to spoil you for anything else.

If you want something even more intimate than a small ship cruise, gulet cruises sit at the most intimate end of the small ship spectrum, carrying as few as 12–25 guests on a traditional wooden sailing vessel. Our Corfu , Rhodes , and Fethiye gulet cruises are a good example of just how personal small ship travel can get.

If you're leaning toward small ships and want a deeper dive specifically on the Greek Islands, our Greek Island Small Ship Cruises: Your 2026 Guide is worth reading next.

Why Book Your Small Ship Cruise with Diamond Star Experience

We've spent over 30 years specialising in small ship and gulet cruising. Our team personally inspects every vessel we recommend. Our relationships with captains and crews across Turkey, Greece, Croatia, and beyond mean we know exactly what each boat and route feels like. Every enquiry goes to a real advisor and every booking is fully ATOL and TTA protected.

Something different. We specialise in crafting extraordinary travel experiences tailored to your interests, not off-the-shelf packages. Whether you're drawn to hidden gems, epic adventures, or a more luxurious pace, we'll design a small ship itinerary built around you.

Personalised service. Your journey is our priority. We take the time to understand what you actually want from your holiday, so the trip we curate matches your preferences.

30 years of knowledge and experience. Three decades in the travel industry means our team has an unrivalled depth of knowledge about the destinations we specialise in, and we're happy to share the insider insights that make the difference between a good trip and an unforgettable one.

Quality customer care. Our commitment to you doesn't waver, from your first enquiry to the day you land back home. Our returning clients' reviews say it best.

Most services are personally experienced. We personally test the majority of the small ships and gulets we recommend, so our suggestions come from firsthand knowledge. We also check TripAdvisor to confirm past guests have been satisfied. For your comfort, we provide private transfers at every resort (except where a ferry or similar transport is required), so you're never left waiting around after a long flight.

100% financial protection. Your peace of mind matters. Every booking is fully protected under our ATOL Licence and TTA number, so your money is secure from the moment you book.

Award-winning excellence. We're proud to have won the Cruise Bronze Award at the British Travel Awards 2025, recognising our ongoing commitment to excellence in travel.

100% satisfaction, unforgettable experiences. We measure our success by the memories we help create. We don't just aim to meet expectations. We aim to exceed them.

Read more about us here .

Ready to Choose Your Cruise?

Whether you're drawn to the quiet intimacy of a small ship or still weighing it against a large cruise ship, the team can talk you through exactly what to expect on each route we offer.

Call 0330 390 0999 to speak with Akin and the team about which small ship cruise fits you best.

Request a quotation , and we'll come back with live availability and pricing.

Browse our full Small Ship Cruises collection →