What is an ‘Uncruise?’

Antarctic cruise ship sailing through the Beagle Channel - @Rayandbee flickr - Creative Commons

Many people are turned off by the typical “cruise” experience, imagining it’s more of an overpriced and animalistic experience than an adventure on the high seas. The passengers are packed into small, dark rooms like sardines, only to be herded off the boat like cattle into commercialized tourist traps. Imagine savings for years only to be forced to share your cabin, meals and every other facet of the journey with 4,000 complete strangers? If this isn’t the experience you and your family, spouse or friends are after, consider the “uncruise.”

You might be asking a very perceptive question right now, “well, what’s a uncruise?” Basically, uncruises take all the best parts of a traditional cruise experience and place them on a much smaller vessel. The typical uncruise ship generally houses 400 to 500 passengers. You sail on a small liner, ice breakers, motor yachts or even research vessels! If you’re still not convinced, here are a few of the other advantages of taking a uncruise for your next seaside vacation.

Destinations

The sheer size of massive, 5,000 passenger liners doesn’t allow the ship to squeeze down narrow rivers and canals. You don’t have this issue in a smaller boat, which allows you to explore lands you never thought possible on a cruise. Many smaller expeditions travel to Antarctica, Alaska and even offer Mediterranean and Caribbean cruises that make port in major tourist destinations that bigger liners simply cannot access. If you want to hit a major cruise port, many of the smaller vessels travel to them as well. Basically, you’ll get the best of both worlds without having to share your experience with 4,000 complete strangers.

Intimacy

Many travelers enjoy cruising on large vessels because of the numerous activities and “party boat” atmosphere. If you’re looking for a more intimate and calmer experience, taking a uncruise is the better option. You’ll share the journey with a handful of like-minded travelers, instead of screaming throngs of children and tourists. If you have the resources, it’s possible to rent a yacht to share a truly unique experience with your friends, family members or spouse.

Personalization

With an additional 3,000 to 5,000 passengers to worry about, it’s impossible for the mega cruise ships to okay last minute itinerary changes, or allow you to customize your onboard and land experiences. Cruising on smaller vessels allows you to personalize your adventure. Things are more relaxed and less regimented, so go ahead and take a last minute journey to an exotic night club or cancel tomorrow’s plans to play golf. On a smaller boat: almost anything goes.

 Adventure

One again, the word “generic” is often what you’ll experience on an impersonal, large cruise ship. Sure, it’s adventurous to attempt to make it to a buffet before all the crab legs are gone, but this is about the extent of your day’s excitement at sea. On a smaller ship, you’ll have the opportunity to travel to destinations off-the-beaten-track that only the locals know about. Only small ice breakers will allow you to travel to the arctic, where you’ll witness sights you only seen on the Discovery Channel. Imagine trying to maneuver around an iceberg in a mega-cruiser?

Planning Your Uncruise

Planning a journey on a smaller vessel is a lot like reserving a cabin on a big boat, with a few noticeable exceptions. If you’re interested in renting a yacht or taking part of a scientific expedition, expect to spend quite a chunk of change. Otherwise, sailing on a commercial, smaller liner can actually be less expensive than the company’s larger vessels. Here are a few more general tips to make your uncruise a success:

• Plan way ahead and reserve your cabin at least six months in advance. If possible, booking your uncruise a year ahead of time is a wise decision. Many liners provide discounts if you book well in advance, which could save your hundreds or thousands of dollars.

• Pack for several types of weather, especially if you’re planning a mini-adventure. Pack for the rain and the sunshine, but don’t use this as an excuse to over pack.

• Expect the unexpected. Personalization can also equal unexpected adventures and opportunities. Don’t be surprised if your plans change on a moment’s notice, but this the real advantage of a uncruise.

Are you looking to reestablish relationships with your kids or spouse? Plan a uncruise, which allows you to reconnect with your family while sharing a unique adventure. After all, nothing brings a family closer together than whale watching in Alaska or zip lining down a waterfall in Hawaii.

This guest post was provided by Shannon Pierce, who is a freelance writer and cruise coordinator.   She believes that whether you are booking a cruise to Bahamas or visiting New York City, it is important to get out and experience the world.

Stay tuned,

TT

The goal of Traveling Ted TV is to inspire people to outdoor adventure travel and then provide tips on where and how to go. If you liked this post then enter your email in the box to get email notifications for each new entry. Daily travel photos are excluded from your email in order to not flood you with posts. There is no spam and email information will not be shared. Other e-follow options include Facebook (click on the like box to the right) or twitter (click on the pretty bird on the rainbow above).

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