Cruise Hospitality Center – Cruise Ship Operations & Hospitality Management Training

There are many different types of cruises you could choose to take, beyond just the classic Caribbean or Mediterranean ocean cruise with a major brand like Carnival Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean.

One such popular alternative is a scenic cruise. Scenic cruises prioritize — what else? — the scenery. Rather than putting the entire focus on just getting from port to port, this type of cruising encourages you to enjoy each step of the journey, with itineraries that take you through spectacular scenery.

Here’s what you need to know about what to expect on a scenic cruise, if it’s the right type of cruise for you, cruise lines that sail them, and more.

What to Expect on a Scenic Cruise

While I certainly love spending my time exploring a mammoth cruise ship just as much as the next person, and I definitely see the allure of a massive cruise ship that offers near-endless entertainment, dining, shopping, amenities and more, sometimes it’s nice to enjoy the aspects of cruising that aren’t so ship-reliant, too. 

That’s where scenic cruising comes in. While scenic cruise ships are hardly shabby, they put the emphasis on what lies off the ship, more so than what’s on it. But other than amazing scenery and fantastic destinations, what else can you expect on a scenic cruise?

(Often) Smaller Ships

Scenic cruises take place on ships both large and small, though the latter is more common. Scenic ships travel to some of the most unique destinations in the world, some that are incredibly remote, and many that can’t be accessed via mega ship. 

As such, expect to spend your scenic cruise rubbing elbows with fewer people than you might if you were simply sailing from Caribbean island to Caribbean island. Some ships may only have a few decks total, along with just a hundred or fewer cabins.

Fewer Amenities, Better Shore Excursions 

As you could probably guess, given the scenery focus of scenic cruises, as well as the smaller ship size, scenic cruises might not pack in the amenities you might get on mega-ships like the latest and greatest from Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean. There might not be a giant waterpark or 20-plus restaurants and bars. 

That said, though, you can expect way better shore excursions than the overpriced snorkeling or boat tours that you might get during any stop in the Bahamas.

Instead, think behind-the-scenes expert-led tours of historic spots or museums. Imagine hanging out with penguins in Antarctica or meeting the locals along the Amazon. 

A More Refined Crowd

There’s one thing that kids rarely enjoy doing, and it’s sitting quietly and taking in the scenery (at least that’s the case for the kids I know). As such, scenic cruises aren’t really a big hit with big families. 

Additionally, scenic cruises typically overlap with ultra-luxury cruises. Due to the larger fares that comes with luxury cruises, scenic cruises may be more popular with older crowds as well.

Read Also: What Are the Best Cruise Lines for Couples?

If you’re looking for a cruise where the kids can run wild, or where you can really let down your hair, it’s something to take into consideration before booking a scenic cruise. 

Up Close and Personal Views

When you’re on a large cruise ship, really the most you might see from the ship is the approaching shoreline, or possibly the port, if you’re actually in port and not at a destination that requires tendering. 

This is absolutely not the case on a scenic cruise. River cruises sail unbelievably close to shore, so you can see it all — the historic city walls of European strongholds, castles, rainforests and beyond.

Even when you’re on a small expedition ship or super yacht, on the ocean, you’ll float far closer to the scenery than you would otherwise, seeing everything from fjords to glaciers.

Scenery-forward staterooms and suites

In the spirit of showing off the scenery, scenic cruise ships are often built so that each and every guest can enjoy that scenery from the comfort of their own stateroom or suite. Expect lots of windows and balconies as the standard.

What are the Most Popular Scenic Cruise Destinations?

As scenic cruises are all about the scenery, they’re less likely to feature itineraries that, well, don’t have all that much of it. This includes Caribbean itineraries that feature a lot of sea days or cruises intended to just take you to a cruise line’s private island and back. 

Instead, itineraries where there are a lot of good views available, right from cruisers’ staterooms and balconies, plus lots of cultural and/or adventure activities on land, are par for the course.

Brand Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours recently conducted a study analyzing Google search terms related to cruise booking and travel inspiration, and found that the following were some of the most growing-in-popularity cruise destinations, all reachable via scenic cruises:

The Danube River

France

Japan

The Nile 

Antarctica

Amsterdam

Norway

So, if you decide to take a scenic cruise to any of the above locales, you certainly won’t be alone!

Cruise Lines That Offer Scenic Cruises

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are a few of the top options to check out, when it comes to cruise lines that offer scenic cruises. 

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours offers five-star, luxury river cruises in Europe and Southeast Asia, as well as ocean voyages to destinations such as the polar regions, South Pacific, Australia and beyond. 

The cruise line boasts the world’s first discovery yacht, Scenic Eclipse, an expedition-style yacht that holds just over 200 guests. 

The fleet also includes what the cruise line has dubbed the scenic space-ship, which are ships that offer the maximum amount of guest space possible, with sailings limited to just over 150 people — a far cry from the 5,000-plus guests you’ll find on some of today’s mega ships!

Of course, as the brand’s name implies, this cruise line also bundles scenic tours, on land, in with your overall experience.

Emerald Cruises

Another scenic cruise line is Emerald Cruises, which offers both river cruises and yacht-style cruises. Again, this is a line that prioritizes luxury and small ships with few passengers per cruise. 

Among Emerald Cruises’ fleet are purpose-built Star Ships designed specifically for European rivers, as well as the Mekong River in Southeast Asia. The fleet also includes multiple super yachts for ocean cruises, including Emerald Azzurra, Emerald Sakara and Emerald Kaia. 

From Siem Reap to the Douro River of Portugal, Emerald Cruises will ferry you all over the world on in its small ships.

Cunard

While Cunard’s ships are certainly larger than any super yacht, the historic line still does offer scenic cruises. Even while you’re traveling on the ocean, though, the cruise itineraries prioritize scenery above all.  

Scenic cruise itineraries on Cunard’s ships include sailings past Norwegian fjords; floating along national parks, such as Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park or New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park; and making unforgettable journeys past landmarks, such as the Panama Canal or South America’s Cape Horn.

UnCruise Adventures

Unlike the above suggestions, UnCruise Adventures is a bit of an outlier, as it has a distinctly younger feel to it. That’s because this small ship cruise line not only offers plenty of scenery, but also adventure aplenty. In fact, you won’t find European or South Asian river cruises here. 

Instead, UnCruise Adventures travels to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, the Galapagos and Costa Rica, on nine expedition vessels that all hold fewer than 100 passengers. One ship in the fleet, Safari Quest, holds only 22!

Windstar Cruises

This small ship cruise line features a fleet of private, yacht-style ships, each holding between 148 and 342 guests. Of the six ships, three have recently been renovated. 

The cruise line prides itself on taking travelers to difficult-to-reach spots where other cruise lines may not go, and shore excursions are equally unique.

Small group excursions partner with locals to provide authentic experiences. Meanwhile, on-board guest lecturers further each cruise’s cultural appeal.

Benefits of Taking a Scenic Cruise

There are so many benefits of taking a scenic cruise. 

The first and greatest benefit, of course, is the experiential travel aspect of these cruises. You’re not just going on a cruise to enjoy the ship itself. You’re going to immerse yourself in a destination and see and experience as much as possible. 

Additionally, because there’s often less overall to do when you are on the ship, it’s easier to relax between port stops. There’s no pressure to make sure you try every single restaurant and bar, or that you spend ample time in the oversized waterpark. You can simply (and should!) sit on your balcony and watch the scenery float by.

The luxury factor cannot be overlooked, either. While scenic cruise ships are overall small, they often leave more room per passenger, meaning you’ll not only get a more luxurious stateroom or suite, but a larger one as well. Many of these cruise lines offer all-inclusive luxury, too (even including gratuities and free WiFi in some cases). 

This small ship size also means that ships are more accessible (I know I’m not the only cruiser who’s found themselves disoriented the first day on a brand-new cruise ship) and easier to navigate.

When some ships today are longer than multiple football fields, it can feel like a real chore getting from your stateroom to the wellness area in the morning, or from the indoor pool back to your stateroom in the evening.

Fewer numbers of passengers likewise results in a smaller crew member to staff ratio. If you appreciate personalized, one-on-one service, but you don’t necessarily want to spring for butler service, you may really appreciate this.

Downsides of Taking a Scenic Cruise

While I think a scenic cruise can be an amazing experience for so many travelers, I do also recognize that it’s not a good fit for every cruiser. 

As mentioned, a scenic cruise on one of the above cruise lines isn’t going to be a budget-friendly affair, at least not when you compare the experience to sailings on lines like Carnival Cruise Line. 

Likewise, while major lines like Carnival may offer short, even long-weekend, three-day sailings, scenic cruises are typically on the longer side. It takes a while, after all, to traverse all the waterways of Europe.

Additionally, because these ships prioritize scenery and on-shore experiences above all else, you’re not going to find a ton of flashy on-ship amenities or entertainment.

Even something as simple as restaurant options may be fairly limited. If you’re a cruiser who likes a lot of options and always something to do, you may not prefer a scenic cruise.

Read Also: River Cruise vs. Ocean Cruise – What’s the Difference?

On the flip side of that, though, depending on the itinerary, you could feel rushed while you’re in port. Some river cruises may try to pack in multiple city stops in one day, giving you only a few hours in each port.

In contrast, on a typical ocean cruise, you could have the entire day or even the entire day and overnight to spend in a single port, with sea days in between!

Lastly, it’s worth noting some of the more remote regions that these ships go to. It’s not just the rivers of Europe or the fall foliage-filled shores of Canada. 

Traveling around the polar regions, for example, can mean traveling in some rough waters (sea sickness is the norm) with no breaks, and how much time you’ll get to spend onshore in the polar regions differs from sailing to sailing, as it’s dependent upon weather. 

Is a Scenic Cruise Right for You?

Dreaming of sailing down the Seine on a river ship? Before you book that scenic cruise, you’ll want to thoroughly weigh the many pros and cons. While there’s a ton to love about a scenic cruise, as I mentioned, it’s not the best fit for everyone. 

If you want a relaxing vacation, where you can both enjoy luxury cruising while also getting an in-depth on-shore experience, in a certain region of the world, scenic cruising could be right up your alley.

Worth Reading: Cruise vs All-Inclusive Resort – Choosing Your Dream Getaway

If you want a resort-style experience with tons to do, and don’t necessarily want to prioritize cultural sightseeing, most scenic cruises aren’t going to be your preference.

Still, there are exceptions to the rule! UnCruise Adventures, for example, focuses more on adventure activities, less on history and culture, and that attracts a broader array of cruisers.

Ultimately, if scenic cruising intrigues you even a little, it’s worth researching further, ahead of booking your next cruise.

What Are Scenic Cruises?

Uncategorized