Specialty Cruises: For Something Unique

      Okay, so you have been on a cruise ship or two, (or maybe many more).  The experience was fantastic, the food was great, the ship was fun and the beach was relaxing.  You want to do another cruise, but you want to do something different.  Maybe that definition of different involves different locations, or excursions, or different activities or even a different types of ship.  Or perhaps your the type of person who would like to take a cruise, but the thought of being on a large ship with 3000 other passengers and doing the same things they are doing just doesn't excite you, and you want personalized service and experiences.  If these describe you, I have the answer; Specialized Cruises.  Specialized cruises may use different types of vessels, different itineraries, or different levels of luxury.  But they all offer lower passenger levels, personalized service, and unique itineraries and experiences for the cruiser that wants something different.  They come in many different flavors, so finding one that meets your specific requirements has become easy.  Here is a list of the specific categories of specialized cruises and and leading providers that will help you design your own unique cruise experience.

       The most popular category of specialized cruises are river cruises.  The attraction of river cruises is the offer of an "all-inclusive" experience for their passengers.  The ships from companies like Viking Cruises, AMA Waterways, Avalon, and others are designed to handle all of your ship and tour requirements in a relaxed, carefree environment.  These small ships, less than 200 passengers, travel the great rivers of Europe and Asia; offering an easy and relax way of experiencing the great cities and sites of those continents.

       A related way to cruise in the United States, to relive the past and take take a trip down the the Mississippi or Ohio rivers on a genuine river paddle boat.  American Queen Steamboat Company allows you to travel back to the times of Mark Twain and the Old South by offering cruises on genuine but modern paddle wheeled river boat, that still offer allow the If modern amenities and luxuries as you travel down the great rivers of America.

       Two other fast growing areas of the specialized cruise market are the upper premium and luxury cruise segments.  For the cruise passenger who likes what the main cruise lines have to offer, but wants a  better dining and on board experience on a smaller ship, or wants a more engaging land excursion will love sailing with a upper premium cruise line.  Oceania Cruises offers a more refined and personalized cruise experience, on 700 passenger ships that offer longer cruises to smaller ports than the average cruise line: all the while offering world class cuisine.  If the destination is what matters to to you, Azamara Club Cruises has you covered.  Their "Destination Immersion" program gives you longer stays, more overnights and night tours at their ports of call.

        If you require only the best and finest in your leisure travel, the cruise industry has a ship board experience for you.  Cunard Lines offers the elegance and feel of a luxury ocean liner from the golden age of ocean travel.  If you want the feel of traveling on your own mega yacht, Seabourn and Silverseas Lines offer less than 200 passengers the chance to experience the finest in personnel service and dining, as you cruise to the most exotic locales on the sleekest ships on the seas.  If you want the ultimate in luxury, but want to be different, try sailing on the tall ships of Star Clippers Line or Windstar to the most beautiful and exotic ports in the world.

       If adventure and unique excursions are your game, taking a specialty cruise can allow you to experience place and activities few people will get to do.  UnCruise, an operator of small ships will take less than 90 passengers on a cruise to parts of Alaska, Mexico, or Hawaii, that are inaccessible to larger ships and experience real adventures like kayaking among icebergs, snorkeling with whales, hiking on remote Alaskan islands.  Hurtigruten Line offers up close cruises to remote and beautiful regions such as Norway, Iceland, Greenland, and even Antarctica.  Want to do something really different?  Experience the uniqueness and wonder of the Galapagos Islands, on the Celebrity Cruises ship Xpedition.  This all inclusive cruise allows you a chance to be one of the few people to be allowed to experience on the the most remote and diverse areas of the world.

       These are just a sample of the types of types of cruises you can experience.  If you want luxury, adventure, want to go to exotic locations, or just like to be different in your travels; but also want to do it in a convenient and cost effective manner, then you should look into what a specialty cruise has to offer you.