Transformative Small Ship Cruise Tours & Trip Packages

Transformative Small Ship Cruise Tours & Trips

631 Transformative trips. Tours from 209 tour companies. 1,435 reviews. 4.8/5 avg rating.

16 trips exactly matchall of the the filters you selected.
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Small Ship Cruise
An Epic Adventure: Karen Blixen’s Kenya and Islands of the Seychelles by Yacht
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4.4/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Masai Mara National Park, Nairobi

Highlights

  • Sail to 10 Seychelles islands by motor yacht, discovering giant tortoise colonies, lush palm forests and beautiful reefs.
  • Learn how young elephants are prepared to return to the wild at an elephant orphanage in Kenya.
  • Spend three nights at a luxury safari camp and search the Maasai Mara for lions and cheetahs.

Themes

50 plus, Education / Learning, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Transformative, Sailing

What travelers are saying

"Our family of four, including two adult children, took the Bicycling: Day Trips to Paradise in Canada. This trip is entirely outsourced to the owners of the inn, there are no Road Scholar employees involved in the trip. Two of us have taken bicycle trips all over the world and the bicycling component of this trip was disorganized, haphazard and almost unsafe. We all filled out forms giving details regarding our bicycle fitting months before the trip. On the first day, the leader Stephen, went around the room and asked the same questions and said everyone would get fitted in the morning before we began the first ride. The morning brought a rack of bikes, all different types in various levels of readiness. There were road bikes, hybrid bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes. The rides were all on paved surfaces and the mountain bikes were heavy and the additional suspension added weight. The bike I received had rust on the chain and rear sprocket. When I asked about it, was told they were waiting for another van to show up with tools and equipment. Once it arrived, they gave me the lubricant to spray on the rust. My wife’s bike would not shift into the high gear on the front sprocket. Instead of adjusting the derailleur, they suggested spraying it with lubricant. Our one son is over six feet and needed a larger frame bike, even though he detailed it in the bike form months ago, there was no bike to fit him. One of the guides, then went home and brought a larger bike that was a full suspension mountain bike for him. The bike was very heavy, hard to control on the road and he felt unsafe. After two days, one of the guides convinced Stephen that they could adjust a hybrid bike to fit him. Clearly there was no work done to prepare the bikes for the trip. Many of the bikes needed adjusting and all needed lubricant to function easily. For every day, there was a tray of snacks placed out for us to take along the ride. None of the bikes had any baskets or attached bags, so if you didn’t bring a small day pack, there was no way to carry the snacks. For lunch on the rides, they brought exactly one sandwich for each rider. Since most of us get hungry while doing a day of exercise, it would have been helpful to have a few extras. On one day, they ran out of sandwiches and one of the leaders that were riding with us did not get lunch. Do NOT take this trip if you are expecting it to be a bicycling trip. We have used VBT and Discovery Bicycle Tours many times over the past 25 years and they are excellent bike tour companies. Lastly, after sharing these details with Road Scholar after the trip, their response was weak at best. After doing the full reviews and having to call them, their response was to give us $200 credit after spending $8000 on this trip. Not only was that insulting, they assumed that I would take another trip with their organization."

Trip dates & details
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Adriatic Cruise
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3.8/5 Great
18 reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Dalmatian Coast, Dubrovnik, Sarajevo, Sibenik, Split

Highlights

  • Opportunity to see the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Mostar, Trogir and Dubrovnik impressive Cities
  • Experience the cruise to Sibenik
  • Explore Hvar, city which is one of the largest and oldest in Dalmatia
  • Enjoy a panoramic city tour of Sarajevo including the Parliament Buildings
  • Discover Frankfurt

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise, Transformative

What travelers are saying

"I went on a Grand Tour of Italy with my husband and we had the trip of our lives. Senior Discovery Tours took care of everything so we just got to enjoy ourselves. Would highly reccomend!"

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A Circumnavigation of Iceland
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4.9/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Blue Lagoon, Lake Myvatn, Reykjavík

Highlights

  • Explore Iceland’s wild western coast
  • Siglutjörout in the north
  • The rarely- visited rugged east coast
  • And the Westman islands, one of the planet’s youngest archipelagos
  • Europe's largest icecap

Themes

Cultural, Eco, Sustainable & Green Travel, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise, Transformative

What travelers are saying

"We particularly wanted to do this trip because of the abundance of wildlife we expected to encounter and selected this ship because they offered the kayaking experience. Overall, the weather was very good. Most people seemed like minded and were there for the adventurous experience. Accommodations Review They upgraded our cabin and we were very pleased with the amount of space and the amenities in the room. We appreciated the twin windows and being able to see humpbacks diving from our cabin. It was kept very clean and it was a treat to have our bed turned down with chocolates on the pillow each night. Meals Review We liked the variety and the quality of the food. There was always something new to try. The dining room staff was very professional and personable. Crew & Guides Review Solon was our Principal Trip Leader. He was incredibly professional and it seemed like he was constantly working to maximize the encounters with wildlife and scenery, taking advantage of all the weather opportunities and going to places that they don't often go. He worked very closely with the captain who was very accommodating and caring about us having a memorable voyage. Aymie and Andrew were our kayak guides. We went out to kayak 10 different times and were able to get to know both of them well. They worked hard to keep us safe and well informed. They made sure that we didn't miss out on any land excursions. We've had quite a few kayak guides over the years that we've paddled and we loved these two. Marla was the marine biologist aboard the ship. She was very enthusiastic and had a passion for marine mammals that was infectious. We loved listening to her presentations and looked forward to hearing her voice on the PA saying that there was another whale sighting. Colin, the geologist aboard the ship, was very knowledgeable and able to make difficult subjects understandable to the passengers. Itinerary Review The trip far, far, far, far, far, far exceeded our expectations. I had one "far" in the sentence when we left South Georgia Island after seeing 250,000 King Penguins at St. Andrews Point and added the second when we saw blue whales on two different days. The third "far" was added when we saw hundreds of whales for 6 hours along the iceberg, A68a. I added another "far" when we kayaked for over an hour with humpbacks all around and another "far" when minke whales were all around the kayaks the next day. The last "far" was added the day we didn't paddle since a leopard seal was all around the kayaks and then an orca came close. We had so many incredible experiences that we could never experience all of them in the same trip again. The guides told us that the close encounters that we had didn't happen very often and that we were very lucky that they all happened on our trip. The only thing that we didn't like was portions of the Drake Passage when it was a tad rough, but that experience gives us something to talk about. Transportation Review We made our transportation arrangements through another travel agency. Traveler Advice Make sure that you take sea sickness meds. Take advantage of every opportunity to see wildlife."

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Golden Trails of East Africa
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3.7/5 Great
39 reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Arusha, Chobe National Park, Johannesburg, Lake Manyara National Park, Nairobi, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park, Tarangire National Park, Victoria Falls, Zambezi River

Highlights

  • Visit most beautiful national parks like Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park and Tarangire National Park.
  • Explore Arusha
  • Enjoy fascinating look at Johannesburg
  • Enjoy the glorious Victoria Falls commonly referred to as the smoke that thunders.
  • Visit Chobe National Park
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Themes

50 plus, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Safari, Small Ship Cruise, Transformative

What travelers are saying

"I’ve sailed with AmaWaterways 4 times. They are the best! You become family. I can’t wait to sail with them again!"

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Discover Africa
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3.7/5 Great
39 reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Cape of Good Hope, Chobe National Park, Johannesburg, Kasane, Livingstone, Robben Island, Table Mountain, Victoria Falls, Zambezi River

Highlights

  • Discover Cape Town one of the world’s most beautiful drives.
  • Explore Chobe River’s fascinating game viewing.
  • Enjoy the river cruise in Zambezi River
  • Opportunity to view Victoria Falls, one of the greatest natural wonders on earth
  • Enjoy the Cruise along the Zambezi River.

Themes

50 plus, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Safari, Small Ship Cruise, Transformative

What travelers are saying

"I’ve sailed with AmaWaterways 4 times. They are the best! You become family. I can’t wait to sail with them again!"

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Bali to Fiji
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Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Bali, Komodo National Park, Port Moresby, Solomon Islands

Highlights

  • Right now is the best time to discover Lombok Island. Lying just 40 miles east of Bali, this tropical wonderland has the advantage of being as yet undiscovered by the tourist crowds
  • Visit the capital of Timor-Leste, one of the youngest countries in the world. In Dili, you can climb to the Cristo Rei (Christ the King) statue, stroll the waterfront, and enjoy excellent diving and snorkeling
  • History buffs will thrill to the many landmarks of World War II that dot this itinerary, including Merauke, Indonesia; Samarai Island, Papua New Guinea; Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu; and, most famously, Guadalcanal, the Solomon Island where combat marked a turning point in the Pacific theater

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise, Transformative

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Southeast Alaska The Wild North
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Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Alaska, Juneau, Sitka

Highlights

  • Visit Sitka
  • Discover Kruzof Island
  • Visit Totem Park
  • Cruise Sergius Narrows and Peril Strait
  • Explore Juneau to visit the Alaska State Museum

Themes

Cultural, Eco, Sustainable & Green Travel, Family Friendly, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Transformative

Trip dates & details
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5-Night Mediterranean Magic Cruise
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5/5 Excellent
1 reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Accademia museum, Barcelona, Colosseum, Florence, Isle of Capri, Rome, Sistine Chapel, Vatican City

Highlights

  • The Prince Of Monaco's Palace Tour: Visit Monaco, playground of the rich and famous, for a tour of the opulent palace where film star Grace Kelly once resided.
  • Highlights Of Rome: Take a private tour of Rome's most famous landmarks, including the Colosseum, Forum, Trevi Fountain, as well as the Vatican City Museum and Sistine Chapel.
  • Private Boat To Island Of Capri: On a day trip to the Island of Capri, cruise around the isle on a private boat and swim in the Mediterranean waters. It's an afternoon in paradise.
  • Gelato-Making Experience In Florence: Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Grom Gelateria! You'll learn how this yummy treat is created and have the opportunity to sample some flavors.
  • Pizza-Making At A Family Farm: See how to press olive oil, make mozzarella cheese and harvest fruit at Agriturismo La Galatea Farm in Sorrento. Afterwards, enjoy a private pizza-making session with the chefs.

Themes

Cultural, Family Friendly, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise, Transformative

What travelers are saying

"I went on this trip with some misgivings, as my only other experience with this type of tour was a winter Tauck Family Bridges tour of Italy, that was not a good experience. Well, I am SO glad I went, as my daughter and I had a marvelous time. Disney did an amazing job of organizing this trip - I still can't believe how much they managed to fit into essentially 8 days. I also can't believe how much fun it all was! The guides were tremendous. First of all, unlike Tauck (where we traveled with one tour manager), here we had two guides with us the entire time - one a licensed guide in Greece (i.e., a native, very knowledgeable about the country and able to really take us through the historical and archaeological sites) and the other an American who has been guiding in Greece for years. The interaction between the guides was very warm, as was their way of relating to the guests. This was a complete contrast with Tauck. Here people really got to know each other, the young people had a great time with each other, and, of course, Greece itself is just magnificent. I will certainly travel with Disney again!"

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16 trips exactly matchall of the the filters you selected.
My selections:
Small Ship Cruise

Transformative Reviews & Ratings

4.8/5  Excellent
1,435  Reviews
See all Transformative tour reviews
Excellent
1,188
Great
316
Average
1
Disappointing
2
Terrible
10
T

Tour-the COVID tour

May 2020

Written on

How to not go tour Morocco

I booked with G Adventures over a year prior to the tour. The primary reason was the 100% guaranteed departures and 24 hour communication. 1 week before I was to lea...

S

Selfish and Lacking Integrity

Apr 2020

Written on

Its my money not yours. No service means no pay!

I am so fully disheartened and disgusted by the handling of G Adventures with this crisis. We paid over 7,000 for our honeymoon tour in Morocco. It was fully paid fo...

E

Emma

Oct 2015

Written on

Extremely well organised, great mixture between organised

Extremely well organised, great mixture between organised and free time. Great travelling by train

J

John

Oct 2015

Written on

The format of the trip enabled two

The format of the trip enabled two significant factors to coincide to make the entire experience overwhelmingly positive. 1. Our trip guide - Yuri Awanohara, made th...

F

Fenella

Oct 2015

Written on

Great introduction to the country. Variety of

Great introduction to the country. Variety of activities and all well planned by guide Yuri

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Transformative Tour Selection Trips

  • Transformative travel may sound like a lofty term, but it really is one of the best ways to describe certain tours. Keep an open mind!
  • These kinds of tours are often challenging emotionally. You may find yourself in the midst of poverty, or learn about some devastating effects on local wildlife due to human activity.
  • Discovering and learning about different cultural perspectives is a key component of transformative travel. Ask a lot of questions and listen closely - you may be surprised as your perspective begins to shift.
  • Being out in nature is another key component on transformative tours. Reconnect with your soul on a fundamental level through outdoor meditation and invigorating activity.
  • The world today is very individual focused. Particularly younger people are used to maintaining their own world from their palm - across social media platforms and other apps. Transformative travel will present you with the unique opportunity to challenge this way of life and participate in a community atmosphere off the internet - both with your tour companions and with the people you meet.

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