Have You Discovered the Joys of a Mini Cruise?

[Sophie Andersen]

Cruising is among the most popular types are usually long affairs. vacationing due to all the advantages they offer. The very format of a cruise vacation is incredibly enticing and exciting – instead of spending time and energy to visit a destination or two, the gigantic movable feast of a cruise liner will take you, a “layabout,” to the rich set of locations. Still, they tend to be long affairs - most often a week in length, and many people do not always have enough vacation days to enjoy most “classical” cruises. But there are still ways to enjoy the joy of cruising without the time commitment. I'm here today to talk about the "mini cruise."  

It Can Be a Part of a Bigger Vacation

Maybe you are an “omnivore” when it comes to vacationing and you want to try a bit of everything during a single go. For example, while you are visiting Australia, you can go hiking in the Blue Mountains for a weekend, have a few days of urban tropicana on the beaches of Sydney and, of course, go on a mini cruise from Brisbane to the Whitsunday islands. It can easily be part of a longer vacation and the upside of it is that it is completely optional and modular. You do not have to commit.

Try Before You Buy

While we are on the topic of commitment, there is a “try before you buy” attitude written all over mini cruise option. In other words, if you have never tried going on a cruise, this is an excellent way to “dip your toe” into the water and see if this sort of vacationing is for you in the long term. The last thing you need is to embark on a two-week-long trip and learn that you will have a horrid time on your second day.

Some of the Nicest Cruises are Mini Cruises

Not only that, but some of the nicest cruises are actually mini cruises. Many such setups can be found in the Continental Europe, along the idyllic rivers that cut through the bucolic landscapes of Provence, Tuscany and the Po Valley. In fact, the Po offers some of the most sumptuous river cruises in Italy, and you can have a truly magical experience sailing through the canals of Venice.

Luxury on a Budget

The brevity of these cruises means that you will not spend a lot of money on the whole endeavor, and yet you will get a chance to enjoy all the advantages and amenities bigger cruise journeys offer. It’s a simple reciprocal math: by scaling down the length of your cruise, you can scale up the luxury – and it is an equation that can come in handy for many types of vacations.

A Way to Celebrate a Joyous Occasion

For this reason, many people opt for mini cruises as a way to celebrate something special – an anniversary, a birthday or some sort of an academic or a business success. If you want to share the joyous occasion with your friends, whatever it may be, you may strike some incredible deals financial-wise. Group deals are known to be incredibly opportune these days.

Trying Something New Every Now and Then

Finally, you can embark on a mini cruise simply to try something new. Due to their flexibility, short mini cruises offer a lot of options when it comes to “themes.” This means that you can go on a plethora of interesting little vacations instead of a big, long one. For example, you might end up going on a Wine tour along the canals of France, have a romp-filled sail across the sea as you enjoy several nights of scheduled comedy shows, etc. Many of the themed mini cruises are focused around a holiday or special events, so you can easily enjoy the most wondrous festivities out there, for example, Australia Day, as you sail along the coast of Pacific for two nights.

A mini cruise is a short but sweet delight. It entails a few tasteful nights of an easygoing, dreamy sailing with the best possible service your money can buy. The short adventure can easily match your wallet and your schedule. You will not have to hassle with organizing your life and family because you will not be absent for a long time, and you do not have to pack a lot. These advantages make mini cruises an enticing new addition to the vibrant “tourism” menu.

[Ann, TS]

Great article and spot on.

I can say after having just completed my 64th cruise (3 nights cruising on Auco) on Halong Bay, Vietnam that unpacking once, always have a "home" to come back to and having someone else drive, cook and clean---a combination that is hard to beat.