One extraordinary day in the Weddell Sea
All images were taken by Powell Ettinger in January 2019 - To see more images and full size versions of these images, click here.
I travelled on Ponant's Emblematic Antarctica cruise - Click here to see these cruises.
Otto Nordenskjöld, Sweden’s Ernest Shackleton, led a Swedish expedition to Antarctica from 1901 - 1904. They sailed from Gothenburg to Antarctica in the 42 metre long steam powered wooden barque names Antarctic. They reached Snow Hill Island in the Weddell Sea where they spent 2 winters living in a small ( 6x8 metre) wooden hut. The Antarctic sunk and the crew wintered on a different island, before they were eventually all rescued by the Argentine Government.
We sailed to Snow Hill Island and back in 10 days from Ushuaia on the luxurious French registered Le Soleal. Le Soleal is almost exactly 100 metres longer than Antarctic and carries around 200 people in great comfort to Antarctica. Le Soleal is absolute proof that you don’t have to forego life’s creature comforts to visit some of the most remote corners of the earth. Le Soleal coped admirably with the 5 metre seas we experienced crossing the Drake Passage, and she is one of the faster ships that cruises in Antarctica so she spends less time crossing the Drake than many others.
Does size matter?
Most sites in Antarctica restrict the number of passengers allowed ashore to 100 at a time, so many people who travel there will only look at ships that carry 100 passengers of fewer. There were around 200 passengers and we made as many landings as any other ship. In general most passengers were ashore for an hour at each landing, and that was enough for many passengers. If the weather isn’t great, visibility poor, and the temperature below zero, an hour was plenty for many passengers. Read the pros and cons of different size vessels in Antarctica.
The Weddell Sea
I woke up needing a wee, it's an age thing, the clock said 03.15 and as Imade my way back to my bed I glanced out of the window to see the dawn reflecting off the mountains on the Weddell Sea side of the Antarctic Peninsula. And that was it with sleep - I was entranced for the next 20 hours, sleep never even a thought. Emperor penguins (and Adelie), leopard seals, Orca and Humpback, Snow Hill Island and Nordeskjold’s historic hut Cockburn Island, vast tabular icebergs, champagne on an ice floe, a captain needing to practice his ice-breaking technique, Orca and seals hunting penguins and an extraordinary Weddell Sea Sunset. And the chairman of a very large British Institution storming the bridge in his Polar bear pyjamas, more of that later.
Very very few ships cruise the Weddell Sea, and only a small percentage of them reach the almost legendary Snow Hill Island with its Emperor Penguin Colony and the historical hut left over from Nordenskiöld 1902 Antarctic Expedition. In fact when we left Ushuaia on the luxurious Le Soleal there had been no mention of Snow Hill Island - It wasn’t on the itinerary, and hadn’t been mentioned in any of the on board briefings as we received daily as we crossed the Drake Passage and visited Neko Harbour, Paradise Bay, Wilhelmina Bay, Damoy Point (Port Lockroy), The Lemaire Channel & The Gerlache Strait. Each of these would be worth the trip on its own.
Neko Harbour, a small bay with a narrow entrance surrounded by massive glaciers and pointy mountains, and filled with ice floes, Humpback whales and penguins.
Paradise Bay, home of the Argentine Base ‘Brown’, a hotspot for Humpbacks, leopard and crabeater seals, and the site of a breeding colony of Antarctic shags.
Wilhelmina Bay. Known to some as ‘Whale-mina Bay’ due its popularity with Humpbacks. The bay is fed by several large glaciers so is ice-packed and is a great place to spot seals, and is a also a good place to see glaciers calving. We saw the largest calving anyone on board had ever seen - Remarkably spectacular, and a little worrying - Not from an immediate safety point of view, but from a global warming perspective.
Port Lockroy, site of a British base replete with post office, supermarket and thousands of penguins. You will often see expedition yachts moored here.
The Lemaire Channel. Bounded by steep cliffs and often filled with icebergs, this is one of the most popular sites to visit for small cruise ships.
The dawn light on the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula drew me out onto my balcony, but, unsurprisingly, dawn in the Antarctic requires more clothing than pyjamas and a towel robe, so I quickly retreated and dressed suitably. Back out on the balcony as we cruised steadily south past ice floes dotted with numerous penguins and occasional seals, I could see the very distinctive shape of Cockburn Island, a 1500 foot high pyramid shaped peak first discovered by James Ross, in the distance. This is a region of vast tabular icebergs, sea ice and huge ice floes with a backdrop of mountains and glaciers, and is inaccessible 95% or more of the time.
Cockburn Island lies a little to the north of Snow Hill Island and provides a dramatic target for ships hoping to reach Snow Hill. As we cruised south the bergs grew bigger and more numerous, a few Humpbacks cruised past and almost every ice floe had penguins, seals and sometimes both, basking as though on a beach in Barbados. We nuzzled gently (No mean feat in a 140 metre long ship) up to the ice-pack, where 2 emperor penguins were sliding and sledging around. 99% of visitors to Antarctica visit the Antarctic Peninsula, and 97% of those just visit the western side of the peninsula, where you will see chinstrap, gentoo and adelie penguins, but no emperors. The emperor penguin can be found all around Antarctica, but visitors to the western side of the peninsula will miss out as only on the eastern side of the peninsula do you have a chance to spot this majestic bird, Snow Hill Island in the Weddell Sea being their most northerly nesting site.
Having watched the emperors and ½ dozen adelie penguins for 45 minutes, we carefully made our way first towards Cockburn Island before diverting a little southwest to Snow Hill, weaving through the ice while taking in the ever changing breathtaking scenery. Snow Hill is very rarely visited due to the ice-conditions in the Weddell Sea. It was only 1-2 days before we headed into the Weddell Sea that the captain heard that the ice conditions were favourable, so he decided to change the proposed itinerary (Antarctic itineraries are often little more than proposals) and head to the eastern side of the peninsula. Snow Hill Island, at least where we landed, was not snow covered and Nordenskjöld’s hut is perched on a rise next to a stream and with a backdrop of a cliff. The hut is currently closed for restoration, but you can stand outside and wonder at the men who spent 2 years here.
Big boys toys!
We headed back from Snow Hill to the ship, and started navigating through the ice towards Cockburn Island. After a little while it became apparent that the ship was going round in circles - We were wondering if the ice had closed in behind us and we were about to spend 2 years living on Snow Hill before our rescue (We could have survived on wine and cheese). However it turned out that our captain will take over as captain of a Ponant’s new ice-breaker, and he was looking for a suitable patch of sea ice to practice on. After a short reconnaissance we headed into some sea ice slowly, and although Le Soleal is not an icebreaker she is rated as ice class 1C so is designed for use in light ice. We pushed slowly and steadily through the ice which provided fun for everyone on board, before breaking out into open water again.
The captain, who is one of the most experienced small ship captains in the world (and a holder of the Legion D’Honneur for his part in the kidnap and release of a vessel by Somali Pirates) has since been to Finland to take part in an Ice-breaker course - Who knew such things existed - The very biggest toys!
Vive la Difference
Our next port of call was a large flat ice-floe. We again nuzzled up carefully to the ice, but this time the zodiacs were unloaded for a short hop onto the ice, where the crew had set up a champagne bar! So we spent an hour on the ice with the backdrop of Cockburn Island in one direction, Snow Hill Island in another and James Ross Island behind us!
The show is outside
As we headed north again in the late afternoon the ever changing views of the ice bergs, ice floes, snow clad mountains and glaciers set against the striking blue sea and sky, all the while dotted with penguins, seals & Humpback whales made it almost impossible to head inside. The captain was repeatedly making his favourite announcement - “At ze moment ze show is outside!” - and it was. As the sun began to set we were provided with a new kind of spectacle - a deeply orange Antarctic sunset - Wow!
Polar bear pyjamas storm the bridge!
The sun inched behind a volcano shaped hill………… (see below image)Giving the impression of a massive and perfectly formed eruption. The temperature began to plummet and most passengers headed inside - But not your intrepid reporter. I had been up by this stage for around 19 hours after only a few hours sleep, had a large lunch, a glass of champagne in the afternoon and been on my feet almost all day, but i could not pull myself away from the extraordinary sights of the sunset over the Weddell Sea. The vessel did an abrupt about turn, and the captain announced that some orca had been spotted so I was soon joined on the observation deck by many more passengers, with one notable exception. One of my fellow passengers, the chairman of a large British Institution, had already retired to bed, only to be woken by the captain announcing that once again ‘The Show is outside’.
Having been woken from his slumbers on more than one occasion the chairman had had enough of being woken by the captain’s announcements, so he stormed along to the bridge sporting his Polar bear pyjamas (Le Soleal has an open bridge policy, you can join the captain and the officers at any time) to voice his displeasure. The captain, who 10 years previously had faced down highly armed Somali Pirates, gave a little shrug of his shoulders and carried on studying the circling orca.
The photos don’t do the situation justice - it was 23.00 hours and nearly dark. A single penguin on a small iceberg, with 3-4 orca swimming lazily in circles around. The orca didn’t give it the full ‘Attenborough’ and wash the penguin off the berg, they just swam lazily around for 20 minutes before disappearing into the gathering murk.
Why sleep?
Just to emphasize, this article is almost all about 1 day of this cruise. From the moment when I woke at 03.15 to the moment I gave up on the orca in the gloom was around 20 hours. I had had only 3 hours sleep the previous night yet bizarrely I could not get to sleep. I kept running over the day in my mind and new things kept popping in; The bright red stripe across an ice floe where a leopard seal was chewing on a penguin; the vast tabular icebergs several miles long and 4 stories high - meaning there was probably another 12 stories beneath the surface!; The Emperor penguins sledging across the ice; Paulet Island, where the crew of the Antarctic took shelter for a winter when the vessel perished; Sitting outside for a BBQ lunch as we cruised through the Weddell Sea; Endless sea ice; huge ice shelves; vast, vast landscapes of blue and white; Silence; Swedish explorers, when men were men; And most of all, what an incredible place, and how we must protect it.
We stopped on Deception Island, a vast flooded caldera of a non-dormant volcano that provides a perfect harbour, and Elephant Point, a haul out for elephant seals, a nesting site for giant petrels and home to gentoo and chinstrap penguins. Both sites would have been fantastic if we had visited on the way south, but after the extraordinary day in the Weddell Sea it was a bit after the lord mayors show.
I have many memories of my cruise: the first iceberg; the first landing; the waves washing across our balcony in the Drake Passage; the food on board (The 4 kgs I put on during the trip a reflection on the fantastic food and wine available); Humpbacks feeding just yards from a towering glacier; the vast glacier calving; penguins and many more. But over arching them all, that one day in the Weddell Sea.
It was the one of the best I have ever done , the food was great, never had such great food and I mean it, and if I ever want just a holiday , and not seeing something specific, I will give it thought.
Someone had gone to great detail with the cabins, just great.
JC
The ten of us had an amazing time and quite possibly one of the best holidays I have experienced. RS
The cruise on Pape Prvi from Split
The cruise on Pape Prvi from Split - Dubrovnik and back was wonderful experience: family owed boat with great food, friendly hosts, clean; well informed and nice guide from Katarina tours; great choices of places to dock (and see), good balance between history, culture and nature. The sunny and warm weather was a surprise plus, also the group consisted of very pleasant people (not a single "professional" complainer). Dream vacation! Daniela P
Just wanted to say that we had a great trip and we were impressed with the crew and ship.
Chris H
Hello, I have returned from a small cruise ship holiday in Croatia. Not the one my friend I planned but due to cancellation we were put on another boat going to the southern islands, but still had our three days extra seeing lakes etc.
Everything went to plan hotels, boat, transport connections etc were all there for us . We also had an added extra on a transfer by taxi from Split to Zagreb on our last we shared a taxi with 'Katarina' and her family. What an unexpected pleasure.
We want to thank you all for a wonderful holiday even though at the beginning it seemed doomed.
We shall be back
Regards Margaret B
Hi Susi, we travelled on Vapor on 31 Aug until the 6 Sept from Split to Dubronik. The crew were very helpful and friendly. The food was good and Stan our cruise manager was fantastic. His knowledge of the area was exceptional. We really enjoyed our cruise. The islands are amazing. I would recommend this cruise to our friends. Thanks.
The small boat (36 passengers) cruise in Prince William Sound in Alaska was amazing. The expedition leader had experience to be flexible with the itinerary so we saw had some wonderful experiences, despite quite some rain. The crew were friendly and professional, and we all had a great time.
An excellent island hopping cruise experience
An excellent way to experience the interesting islands of Croatia. Travelling with 38 like-minded people made the cruise a wonderful experience. The crew were very professional and extremely hardworking. The breakfast and lunch offerings were more than ample. Having the opportunity to eat dinner on the islands at the restaurants provided us with time to mingle with the locals, walk around the amazing towns and provide incomes locally. Jen A
We had an excellent time on the cruise but felt that the courier tried to fill the days with too much and her manner and English left a lot to be admired. The ship and crew were wonderful but we did not have enough time to enjoy it all. The inter-Island transport could have been better. RR
Hi Ali Had a great week. Now at the hotel. Thank you for all your efforts. Everything has gone to plan brilliantly. Back to the UK tomorrow!!
CG & KG
We cruised on MS Markan on 11th October. The Captain and crew were superb and we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. We have never used small ships before but we will only look at them in the future. The cruise was fabulous. AB
We stayed on in Split for three nights which partly explains this belated reply. We would do it again which really says it all. In fact we are interested, not now but maybe in twelve months time, in a similar cruise if it was between Venice and Split. The northern half of the Croatian coast. We think we were lucky to have one of the best cabins (4) and we wouldn’t want any less comfort than that.
We liked the Diamond very much.The small but hard working crew were terrific. Our timing was good as the vast crowds around Dubrovnik and Split in July and August had eased and the weather was hot but not too hot. Most of our fellow guests were Canadian who are friendly and good mannered. We didn’t think the food was very good apart from breakfast. We longed for a salad bowl. Despite the advertisement that there was a fresh water fountain on the boat they were rather mean in handing out half litre because titles which we thought was penny pinching.
The concept of the 499 ton boat really appeals to us. We wouldn’t take a cruise on the ordinary leviathan. We loved Croatia and think we saw the best of it. We had a splendid holiday.
Robin
Thank you for your feedback Robin. The Water cooler should have been in operation, and water is free on these cruises in Croatia from 2020 onwards. Powell Ettinger, The Small Cruise Ship Collection
Fabulous cruise, thoroughly enjoyable experience. Captain and crew were lovely.
Small Cruise Ship Collection were most helpful throughout
Small quibbles:
Would have liked much more sailing instead of motoring.
Would have preferred an extra day/night in Greece instead of early return to Turkey.
Cabins were hot at night (in October!)
Just know you did a magnificent job for us. When one gets a 10+ on a scale of 5, it would be hard to drop back down! I have you on speed dial. We hope to travel again via your expertise in arranging the details. Hopefully we will be ready to book another trip thru you again. Now, back to reality and no more triple desserts! Thank you for everything.
The cruise from Dubrovnik to Split on Vapor was excellent in every way; the cabin was comfortable and clean. The crew were very helpful, courteous and efficient. The islands we visited were interesting and well-chosen and our tour director was really excellent; he had a delightful combination of knowledge and humor. I would happily do it all again. Susan
I thoroughly enjoyed my recent Croatian cruise on board Moonlight. Everything was of a very high standard - the ship, the cabin, the crew, the destinations, the on board guide and the local guides, the meals... I can't fault anything. It was an outstanding trip and we were fortunate in having such congenial fellow passengers. Bernadine R
Our Montenegro boat tour was the best experience we ever have on all accounts: affordability, convenience, attitude, iteniary, services, crew, communication, weather, sea temperature, boat
We never were bored on the boat. And especially the opportunity to swim in clean, warm , pristine sea water made the tour very special for us. So, we would like to make another tour with you in the end of August -first week of September 2025.
SK
Great holiday
We had a lovely week on the Esperanza . The guests all got in great and Ivana was a wonderful hostess.
Positives : Guests and the amazing Dalmnation coast
Negatives: Agritourism visit was nothing special and wine was borderline awful. Most guests felt this was something of a wasted evening in the middle of nowhere.
Food on the boat in particular fruit at breakfast and salads at lunch and dinner could have been more plentiful .
But all in all ... Great !
Thank you Conor I
I am a 40 year veteran of the travel industry and have reviewed everything from Ritz-Carlton hotels to grass huts in the Cambodian jungle. The whole experience on The Nautilus was exceptional.
Accommodation, crew, itinerary, food, guide (Ayida) were faultless. We had two days of " mixed" weather that did not detract from the overall experience in any way. Takes a lot to impress me - this trip did. Thankyou M and B
Everything went more than smoothly and I had a fantastic time on a fantastic ship with a fantastic crew. The scenery and wildlife (and weather) were stunning and I was so happy I waited for the right time to go (adding the Falklands and South Georgia was also definitely the right decision - what incredible places). Thank you for all your valuable support and patience!
Tim S
The ship’s complement of passengers and crew were outstanding, the quality and variety of cuisine was exceptional, and the weather was glorious! So the wait proved very worthwhile, so thank you for your help in the arrangements. DB
A... was excellent too with her communication with organising the pick up and then drop off after the cruise. I hope her lovely cocker spaniels ear infection has settled down.
The cruise was everything and even more. The food was delicious, fresh and the menu had alot of lovely local cuisine.
The crew were great . Barish , the captain was friendly and informative, and Ralay (?) was very polite.
It was great that we were able to get over to the The Lady of the Rocks church ( that wasnt on the itinerary but we asked if we could) . Thank you . HS
Long story short, we found ourselves unexpectedly with an "unplanned" week after a trip to Greece. After a short google search, we kept finding the Small Cruise Ship Collection and we went further. Beth Parry contracted us, and she was amazingly polite and helpful as we planned this unexpected part of our trip.
My wife and agreed that the cruise may have been the best vacation our family of four have every had.
The dollar is strong against the Turkish Lyra, but the yacht was absolutely immaculate. Every day, the Captain asked us what we wanted to do, and we planned the itinerary at breakfast. We saw many ancient sites accessible only by boat, we visited charming sea-side towns, but our children most enjoyed the swimming, tubing, paddle-boarding, pretty much everything. The food was delicious and it seemed like the stewards took care of our every need. It was a remarkable journey to Turkey.
Mark C
I would like to tell you that the assistance I received, prior to sailing, with Nicola and Caroline, was impeccable. Nicola bent over backwards to make my dream trip come to fruition and when Caroline had to take over, she was equally efficient!
The crew on the Kapetan Bota were also exemplary!! Our bartenders worked so hard and made us so happy, I can’t say enough wonderful things about them. Also, our Cruise Manager, Nina, was absolutely fantastic! Her knowledge, her attention to detail and her ability to make us all feel so special, was amazing!
Yes, we did enjoy our Croatian cruise. The boat manager did a wonderful job, despite her youth! She often had to re-arrange our programme because of the Captain having received instructions about where we could moor and the impact of the weather. We had one very wet and rough day (when my friend was sea-sick!) but most of the weather was fine, with a gentle breeze to avoid getting too hot. Dubrovnik was a great disappointment for me, being over-run with tourists, even so late in the season. I would think it would be better to have a guided walk in the afternoon, rather than the morning, when there were so many others that it was difficult to keep with your own group. Unfortunately, the walls were beyond our ability, but we had a taxi up to the mountains where the cable-car started, stopping at various viewing points, and then back via the new bridge to our boat. I could recommend that. We had spare time on the last day, owing to our late flight, and the cruise manager suggested we took the boat to Lokrum, a nearby island, and this gave us great views of the walls, etc. The island is kept for wild-life, and we had to share our sandwiches with the peacocks! Going out we did not see anything of Split, as the programme had been changed, and the guided walk in Split happened before we arrived at 7 p.m. instead of the next morning.
The end of the cruise was not good for us, but in no way the fault of the cruise firm. My friend lost her handbag when we got to the airport and she thought she had left it in the taxi, but it could not be found so the official at the airport found us accommodation for the night, and next morning the handbag was found on the boat, and returned to us, and then we had to pay for another flight back to the U.K. It was all a nightmare for us, but we must say the Croatians were very helpful and took great care of us.
Going back to the boat cruise, we would have much preferred evening meals instead of the dinner at lunch time. We only had two, one the day we arrived, and then the captain's dinner. In the evening we did not want another dinner, and were rather at a loss to find something to do, as it was getting dark by 7.30 p.m. There is no menu for meals, but when I saw the size of the galley, I was not surprised, and the chef did well to prepare nearly 40 meals for us, plus more for the crew. All the crew were pleasant and helpful, especially getting us on and off the boat safely. We thought the wine and drinks were VERY expensive, so did not drink much on the boat, and the allowance of 1/2 a litre of water per day was not very generous if it is very hot. Then tax was added to the bill as well. We thought they were expecting very large tips, and we had to reduce them to a more reasonable level. We were also stung very high charges when using the ATM in Gruz port and at the airport, which I have never experienced before in other countries. However, we still enjoyed the experience. And Vicky was very helpful when we made the booking.
I believe we received excellent information and support from you and the booking gal.
We thoroughly enjoyed this ship…the beauty and simplicity of the interior was a fit for us. The size and number of passengers also “a fit”. Passengers originated from a variety of countries and it was interesting to observe how common language contributed to them finding each other and sharing the experience.
The ship is amazing….the exploration component plus the fact that it is Hybrid made the cruise even more interesting. We had great weather and visited quaint settings. The change in the itinerary with the necessity of shortening the cruise was unfortunate…the support & options that we passengers received were appropriate but the preference would have been to have the cruise be the length that was marketed. The exploration team worked very hard in planning outings and the execution of same was always excellent. It was however, difficult to plan other activities (spa appointments etc.) around the shore opportunities because they were never able to confirm the next day’s activities until 8 PM the night before. The short duration of the cruise may have contributed to this pattern but it made it difficult for passengers to plan.
We appreciated the credit “perk” but since we need “nothing” were delighted to have the option of being able to donate to not only the crew but also the scientific foundation. If a cruise was to be part of our future we would definitely explore what the schedule/itinerary would be with this ship and its sister ship.
In closing, I would like to share a complement about the following wait staff: Jerome (maitre de) was consistently pleasant, personalized seating and efficient. The wait staff team of: Lucky, Jigs and Mark offered us consistent excellent dining service.
Jigs was extraordinary and we SO appreciated his very high and consistent service to us…he is a real asset to that crew. All in all, it was a successful vacation...
CB
We did very much enjoy our 8 days on the Moonlight from Opatija. A real jewel and everyone and everyone were so fine.
I just wanted to drop a line to say what a fantastic trip we had on Kapetan Bota. We could not fault any aspect of our trip – the boat exceeded our expectations; the food was abundant and delicious and the crew was excellent. Kapetan Bota: Saturday, 23 September to Saturday, 30 September. JP
We thoroughly enjoyed the trip, all the ports and the food. The cabins were very average. Rene U
Just know you did a magnificent job for us. When one gets a 10+ on a scale of 5, it would be hard to drop back down! I have you on speed dial. We hope to travel again via your expertise in arranging the details. Hopefully we will be ready to book another trip thru you again. Now, back to reality and no more triple desserts! Thank you for everything.
The cruise on M/V Meridian was superb. The crew were friendly without being over familiar, the food was excellent and the chefs went to great lengths to cater for the two Coeliacs on board. Both were able to relax and enjoy the cruise all the more. We were lucky with the weather and our fellow passengers were great company. Marina the guide was outstanding. The scenery and slightly quieter nights stops on the Split to Opatija route suited us very well. Once we had managed to confirm our booking and get the Small Cruise Ship Collection office to understand what we were looking for everything worked very well. We would book through Small Cruise Ship Collection again when we are next looking for that type of holiday.
Excellent week cruise, all arranged for you
Everything was great; good variety of stops, Excellent food, Lovely staff
10/10 !
We have all had the most amazing holiday on board Avangard! Returning to Split by 9am was no problem at all, in fact we docked at around 8.15am
Everything was perfect; the Ship, our cabins, Crew, the food and a brilliant tour manager (Aida).
Powell, thank you for your recommendation of Hotel Perisil, it was great, despite the early morning bells at 6am! Many thanks to, for all your help in answering our many questions before departure!
We had yet another flawless experience with Small Cruise Ships. Thank you so much. I've been recommending you guys like crazy! Mrs P
We had a wonderful time and loved the ship and all the stops. Look forward to another cruise in the area......thanks so much for your help!
Our only question was in previous documentation, it was stated beer and wine were included during lunch. However, none of our drinks were included.
Look forward to why the discrepancy.....but simply loved everything else; ship, staff, captain, and director! Donna Z
Our week on the boat was great fun:
The scenery was stunning with glaciers, waterfalls, mountains and forests,
It was exciting to be able to hike in a small group in the pristine wild forests, climbing over fallen trees and bushwacking through the undergrowth. - our wellingtons were essential
Our guides were very knowledgeable about the flora, fauna, and history.and also very conscious of the need to protect our environment
We loved the kayaking, and were very aware of all the efforts by the crew to keep us all safe and also to have an enjoyable experience.
The sightings of marine wild life was exciting (whales, seals, otters etc)
The food on the boat was exceptionally good and varied and all the staff were very helpful and friendly.
The crew took lots of photos of all the activities and wild life sightings which they shared with us when we got home.
I’m just writing on behalf of Angela and myself to repeat our thanks for everything related to the cruise around Montenegro last week. We had really great service from you and your colleagues and we are particularly grateful that you both honoured our payments from 2020, without asking for a supplement, and also give us a cabin each as this boat only had double cabins. This was really generous of you and much appreciated, thank you. It was a really beautiful and spacious boat - the cabin and bathroom were so wonderfully large and there was lots of deck space for all activities. We were lucky being only eight passengers, so we were rather spoilt! We were also very lucky with the weather and so could enjoy the trip around the beautiful coastline and also the times ashore. The sea was rather too cold for me to do much swimming but others, tougher than I, did have a great time in the water in the sun.
We also want to repeat our thanks to the crew of four. They were all really professional and excellent at their jobs and also so very obliging - nothing was too much trouble. they were all such nice people and it was a pleasure for us to have them as our crew. I know that Boban is now on his last week’s cruise with the gulet and is leaving to run his own business, so please can you be sure to pass on our thanks to the crew before he leaves finally.
Anyway we were very glad indeed to have finally made it to Montenegro for this cruise - at the fourth attempt! It was worth the wait!
Best wishes
Sheila
Hello Caroline, I'm sssooooo sorry to be so late in sending comments about our Small Ship Fantazija cruise from Split to Dubrovnik. The whole trip to celebrate our Golden Wedding was ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS from beginning to end. Fantazija was a perfect size ,plenty of room to relax and have fun with all the guests. Our cabin was just lovely- Cabin 7 with access to the walkway. Everything clean, tidy, beautiful bedding and towels. A lovely bottle of wine from you for our anniversary- so kind.
We couldn't have had a better group of travellers- we bonded from the first meeting. We sailed early each morning before a hearty breakfast of various items- mmmmm tasty!! Each swim spot was amazing. Each port of call after lunch was wonderful. The arranged tours and trips were well organised and we were delighted with them all especially the visits to the Oyster Farm and the Wine Cellar.. A slight disappointment was not having complimentary tea or coffee during the day. Many ,many thanks for all your excellent arrangements. We cannot speak highly enough of our first Small Ship Cruise, a fabulous holiday to celebrate our special Golden Anniversary. Diolch o galon,thank you so much, H & D
This was our second trip that we booked with The Small Cruise Ship Company. We love both the Croatia Cruise and the Turkey/Greece Cruise. I would highly recommend this company! Diane B
Just back from my week on board Elysium , I have to say, it was really great. Lovely atmosphere throughout, the crew was friendly and accommodating, nothing was too much trouble, and they all spoke English which made a change for me struggling to speak French or Turkish!!!
Our trip to Croatia was absolutely amazing! We loved the Olimp and their crew. The islands were beautiful. Lori P
We selected this trip as we wanted a “small boat cruise” around Alaska’s Inside Passage. Not all 20 cabins were occupied and there were only 33 passengers in total – just us from UK, 7 Australians and 4 Kiwis with the rest from US (so all English-speaking). Perhaps the style of trip meant that all seemed of a similar outlook and the group got on well together.
Alaskan Dream seem to be an environmentally-aware company with a good local reputation and are very welcome in the communities they visit. The small size of the boat means that they can access areas and ports unavailable to larger ships. The crew are generally long-serving with the company, competent and approachable. This particular voyage had an on-board naturalist/guide from the start, with a second joining part way through. There is at least one “off boat” opportunity every day.
Cabins are compact but comfortable with ample storage space. We were in the lowest grade; the next one up seemed to have no more amenities, just slightly bigger (although they are on the same level as public spaces). The “shoilet” takes some practice but is actually extremely practical and functional (better than facilities in other boats of a similar size that we have experienced). Rain gear (jackets, trousers and boots) are available for use. Meals were, without exception, excellent; hot drinks and water were always available.
The itinerary is flexible so we were able to take advantage of an unexpected permit to stay in Glacier Bay for an extra day. It also meant that potential wildlife sightings could be pursued and this was done on several occasions. There is also various interactions with each local community that we visited.
We would unreservedly recommend this trip but be warned that it is not a “cruise” – evening entertainment is limited to some short wildlife talks. But if your priorities are exciting wildlife and stunning scenery with an insight into local culture, you should seriously consider this.
Anne H
Just know you did a magnificent job for us. When one gets a 10+ on a scale of 5, it would be hard to drop back down! I have you on speed dial. We hope to travel again via your expertise in arranging the details. Hopefully we will be ready to book another trip thru you again. Now, back to reality and no more triple desserts! Thank you for everything.
Morning Andrew Just thought l would drop you an email to let you know how awful .. it was that the cruise only lasted a week. It was absolutely fantastic, totally exceeded our expectations. There were only 28 passengers on board and everyone got on with each other. The food was beautiful. The staff were courteous and couldn’t do enough for you and our hostess Minja was excellent going above and beyond. The included excursions were very well organised too. So thank you for much for organising our trip. Thank you again Julie and David
The small size of the sailing ship and the wonderful character of the crew made this a wonderful week packed with once in a lifetime views, excursions and food. I enjoyed it very much. I hope to do it again. Linda M
Great crew, fantastic food and the MV Myra was a very good layout. Would highly recommend. Brian D
Reliving a trip is always a joy, but even more so on this adventure. We were constantly reminded of just how wonderful it was. Your careful planning, your efforts to provide the best possible experience, your thoughtful suggestions along the way and your prompt responses to our many questions came flooding back to us as we relived each day of this trip. I just wanted to tell you one more time, THANK YOU for all you did to make this trip so absolutely perfect. MH
Just a quick email to say a very big thank you from Bruce & myself for the wonderful week we had on board MS Nikola. I knew it would be special, but had no idea just how special! The gulet is superb, the crew were out of this world, the weather was perfect, & the company just brilliant… there is no way we could have improved on any aspect of our trip whatsoever. I didn’t know that Bruce had mentioned it was our honeymoon; the crew went above & beyond in terms of making it memorable for us, as did the other 3 couples on the gulet! Although the week at sea fell into the middle of our honeymoon (as we were in Kos & Bodrum either side of the cruise, & both of those were special too), it was by far the highlight of it… neither of us wanted our time on board to end. Having read some of the comments in the gulet’s guest book, we could see just how special it is; and the current crew (capt Ramazan, chef Tekin & 1st mate Hassan) are deservedly well-loved by all.
I’d also like to say a really big thank you too to Small Cruise Ships for letting us join the Nikola, because of course we shouldn’t have been on it at all, having booked to join the Myra. She was alongside us in port so we had chance to see her also; another beautiful gulet indeed. But we both quickly realised that we’d been incredibly lucky to be swapped onto the Nikola… it’s a truly fantastic itinerary & there really wasn’t a minute we didn’t enjoy. (…possibly with the exception of me dropping my mobile phone – or rather the special photos on it – onto the Eastern Aegean seabed! Ramazan was amazing, and gave us some lovely photos of us he’d taken, which of course more than made up for the loss )
I also hope this is useful from a feedback point of view; do let me know if you’d like me to write something more articulately! We decided there & then in Bodrum we’d start saving on our return, because without any doubt whatsoever we wish to sail with the Nikola & crew again next year, wherever she’s going…
It was out of this world met some Brilliant people who spoilt Alan for his birthday.
The weather was gorgeous, the scenery was amazing. We have travelled a lot but this is def no 1 on our list. Zoran our leader was an absolute star. One of the nice things is that the walks etc only cost 10 euro so we didn't have loads to pay and our guides were so informative about the islands. Even the drinks on board were reasonabIe. I have sent the details to about 5 of our friends.
AL
It was a fantastic holiday I was travelling alone, but it didn't feel like that once I arrived the crew were great our meals were delicious there wasn't anything you could fault. Travelling on board a ship this size you meet and make friends easier and have a great time together.also you get to see of this beautiful country while having a great time. Tina L
We much enjoyed our trip on the Kapatan Sevket. Our comments are
Excellent service by the four staff.
The Chef did a superb job in the variety and quality of his dishes at all meals. He catered very well for my wife's vegetarian diet.
The itinerary was very good and the Captain rearranged the itinerary to suit the weather. The weather on the whole was good except for a storm one night with torrential rain but the crew coped well with the situation.
The only negative was we only had a half day actually "under sail". For those of us who had experience of sailing we reckon we could have had another whole day "under sail" . We were left with the impression the crew preferred motoring! We trust you will take this as constructive comment.
We booked a 2 week cruise in Alaska through the Small Cruise Ship Collection. The Small Cruise Ship Collection we’re efficient and helpful, answering any queries promptly. The cruise itself was fantastic, everything we hoped for and more. Alison M
Wow, I certainly made a great decision to book the Croatia cruise. It was wonderful and I shall certainly recommend to friends. M B-C
I thought it was a wonderful experience.
Very impressed by how Croatia presents itself to tourists.
There is a feeling of high quality and low ‘ tut’.
The boat was perfect although the fact that 18 guests ( instead of 40) clearly made for a more intimate and personalised experience with the crew.
The boat ( My Way) was great .
Our Captain Ante ( and owner) was very personable and in the events where he was at lunch or dinner - spoke extremely well and warmly promoted Croatia and hospitality .
My travel companion Heather had been allocated a cabin below deck ( although she had specifically asked for one with deck access) the captain was consulted - and she was immediately given a deck room which was good - as there was clearly available space .
The quality and quantity of food was outstanding… if a bit too much for small appetites . A 4 course lunch seems over the top , and def made us eat less for dinner in a local port . However - it was very conducive to drilling down into those friendships that happen in close quarters !
I will def recommend this mode of travel in Croatia to friends in Oz …. And will direct them to My Way and Small Cruise Ships.
Helen G
Our cruise with your company was wonderful....the boat was spotless at all times. Some one has taking their time to ensure the boat is well maintained. The staff was incredible, thoughtful, courteous, helpful, but above all the service was beyond expectations.
One problem, I can never cruise in a large ship again!!!! I would only be disappointed by the quality of food and experience.
great experience..thank you very much.
Paula and Tom
I can't thank Small Cruise Ship Collection enough for their assistance in arranging my first Hurtigruten voyage along the coast of Norway in October, 2019. Although the ship's mechanical issues saw me returning home just a few days into the voyage, Small Cruise Ship Collection helped me quickly rebook the trip, using Hurtigruten's full refund and discount offer for my future booking. I just returned from a most amazing experience in Norway, and I thank Caroline of Small Cruise Ship Collection, in particular, for such superb assistance.
We really enjoyed our Split-Split Croatia cruise
Thanks for organising the Coatia trip, we had a great time
Stellar experience start to finish!! Thank you!
Our week on the boat was great fun:
The scenery was stunning with glaciers, waterfalls, mountains and forests,
It was exciting to be able to hike in a small group in the pristine wild forests, climbing over fallen trees and bushwacking through the undergrowth. - our wellingtons were essential
Our guides were very knowledgeable about the flora, fauna, and history.and also very conscious of the need to protect our environment
We loved the kayaking, and were very aware of all the efforts by the crew to keep us all safe and also to have an enjoyable experience.
The sightings of marine wild life was exciting (whales, seals, otters etc)
The food on the boat was exceptionally good and varied and all the staff were very helpful and friendly.
The crew took lots of photos of all the activities and wild life sightings which they shared with us when we got home.
RG
A truly wonderful experience
We took a 7 night round trip cruise from Split on the Avangarde. It was an absolute delight. We were thoroughly looked after from the moment we arrived in the boat to the final transfer to our hotel at the end. The crew and tour manager were extremely good at what they do and showed great humor. The food was outstanding and cabins much for luxurious than I could have imagined for a small boat. There was a great balance between free time and organised excursions. I cannot recommend this cruise highly enough. Katherine A
Thanks for your message. We really enjoyed our trip on the Rembrandt Van Rijn and I think we’d give the overall holiday experience 8-9/10. We’d definitely recommend this trip to other people.
The plusses: everyone looked after us very well before departure and on the boat. The crew on board, and Jan and Chloe the guides, were excellent. Cabin space was quite small but as expected, and kept spotless by the team, as were all the other parts of the boat.
The food was plentiful and quite varied, and considering the facilities available, at a good standard. The bar was also well stocked!
The trips ashore were well planned and varied, and let us see some interesting parts of North Norway we wouldn’t otherwise have seen. Jan and Chloe gave us information about the day in good time to prepare, and also gave us excellent talks about the area and the wildlife, and they also had a number of documentaries to show us most evenings too. They couldn’t have been nicer to be around either.
We had two brilliant days with Orcas and Sperm whales and three fantastic Aurora evenings too, so that was beyond our wildest dreams, and we’ve got some great pictures for posterity. All the fellow passengers were friendly, and the number was just right (I think around 20?).
Minor minuses only: due to COVID we had to wear a mask on board for the entire time, except when eating or drinking, but that was beyond anyone’s control.
We probably didn’t read the “small print” carefully enough before booking, as there was more time out on the open sea, rather than in the calmer and more sheltered fjords, than we’d anticipated, and for several days we had very rough seas (force ten gales one day!) so we had to retire to our bunks with sea sickness tablets on several days. That was purely because the captain and Jan had to take us out to try and track down whales, so there was obviously a possibility of rough seas as a result.
Overall, a very enjoyable experience, and worth the money, and we’re delighted to have booked with you for this holiday.
Lovely trip, great staff, very comfortable cabins, good swimming opportunities, and a great way of meeting interesting and diverse people from all parts of the world. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommendable.
Overall an excellent way of exploring the Croatian coast. The crew and guide were first rate. The cabins were comfortable and slightly larger than expected. The itinerary with the swim stops worked well. Jonathan W
A superb cruise from Split to Dubrovnik and back on Seagull. We had challenging weather to start with but the crew did everything to make sure we still had an amazing time .
Ship and cabin were comfortable and spotless, food delicious and we will treasure the memories of the Dalmatian Coast forever. Thank you . CM
"We were pleasantly surprised with many items. The downstairs cabins were very spacious and the food was a big surprise as the website showed a buffet and it was so much more and very gourmet. Our crew was incredible and went out of their way to add to the fun. AND the other guests that cruised with us....they have become lifelong friends from other countries. THANK YOU!!!"
Debra and Daryl
"A most amazing week spend on a beautiful boat. We cannot speak too highly of the attentiveness and professionalism of Captain Tok and his crew, the wonderful food, the amazing scenery, and overall cleanliness and comfort of the the boat……… Our every need was catered for, and everything seems to be done without disturbing the peace and tranquillity we were there to enjoy. Our trip was made even more memorable by our lovely fellow passengers! We bonded very quickly, and are in fact talking of another Gulet cruise together sometime in the future. The booking process was smooth and straight forward and the pre- departure material provided was useful and relevant. It was also good to have the representative from the cruise line meet with us prior to departure and on our return. To sum up, a truly memorable and wonderful experience. Thank you.
Julie and Joelle
We have just returned from a fabulous seven day cruise around the islands of northern Croatia. Departing and returning to Opatija. The cruise was magical as we cruised, visited and swam in isolated and sheltered coves around the islands.
With 24 travellers joining us from many corners of the world, the opportunity to make new friends during our cruise was made very easy.
Our tour guide, Josephine, was outstanding as were the crew and their captain. She had a comprehensive knowledge of the villages and islands we visited.
Having such an intimate knowledge of the coastline and the islands allowed the captain to show us some beautiful areas that you would not be able to reach without a boat such as our cruiser, Olmissum allowed.
The food was excellent and the opportunity to visit colorectal the villages we stopped at overnight adding so much to our experience.
We can highly recommend The small cruise company and the offerings they provided for our Croatian escape.
Peter L
It was one of the most unforgettable experiences to be on PARADIS for a week and we have met the most amazing people during our holiday! Thank you so much!
EVR
The cruise from Dubrovnik to Split on the boat Vapor was excellent in every way; the cabin was comfortable and clean. The crew were very helpful, courteous and efficient. The islands we visited were interesting and well-chosen and our tour director was really excellent; he had a delightful combination of knowledge and humor. I would happily do it all again. Sue Z
We really enjoyed the cruise, thanks!
Hazel
A week in paradise on a luxury small ship. We were upgraded to a fabulous ship called Black Swan on a similar circuit from Split to Split in Croatia. The boat was amazing with everything you could wish for on board. The crew of 8 were very professional but at the same time friendly and chatty. The captain and his wife owned the boat and were also friendly with us all. The captains dinner was excellent with 2 live musicians.
We saw beautiful totally unspoilt islands,small fishing villages, ancient palaces and visited towns full of interesting history, all with a guide and "whisper" ear phones so we could all hear perfectly. We had plenty of free time in ports where we could go sightseeing, shopping or find a nice restaurant or bar. Our guide even arranged for us to do an exclusive 4 x 4 safari buggy tour in Dubrovnik that was not on this boats schedule but on our original one.
The food was really excellent, the boat kept immaculately clean at all times.
I particularly enjoyed the opportunity for swim stops or a tender ride to a deserted beach, even though it was October and late season. Something you do not get to do on a huge impersonal cruise ship!
At night in port the boats always raft up next to one another and its fun to go from boat to boat checking out what they all look like. We were not disturbed by this at all and the gaps between the various boats were not a problem to us, but could be to a disabled person.
I would recommend this type of holiday to anyone.... its so relaxing compared to a huge cruise ship and with only 36 people on board the guide makes sure from the very first evening that we all get to talk to one another and great friendships were formed. Our travelling companions nationalities were Americans, New Zealanders and Australians and we were the only 2 from Europe which we loved.
Thank you Caroline for all the effort you put into me boarding, cruising and experiencing this fabulous region. I am slowly making my way home, with a short period in Norway but the Jewels cruise was such a stupendous cruise. Thank you for all your assistance in making this happen
Enjoyed the cruise. Food was good considering the size of the kitchen. Seating was a bit cramped.
We were "below stairs" and again the room was basic but spacious.
Having said all this the cruise was not expensive.
We thought the port fees should have been included in the price and tipping caused a lot of discussion. . Most people found it excessive especially those countries that don't tip. Liz B
Dear Caroline, just writing to say the Croatian cruise aboard “ Admiral” was absolutely fantastic. I couldn’t fault it. The boat was immaculate, the crew so helpful and good fun, only 26 guests on board - a mixture of young and old but everyone blended in. Zoran our boat manager was an absolute gem and definitely made the cruise for me. He is so passionate about his country and so knowledgeable. His talks were a delight to listen to. The weather was fantastic the whole week and swimming off the boat was a delight. I could go and on! I will definitely be booking another cruise with your company hopefully to Alaska with my husband this time.
Thank you once again for all your help in making this a memorable trip.
Kind regards, Eileen .
Very well organized, run by professionals, comfortable, great food and facilities, great staff and beautiful sights.
I have to say we had a fabulous time on board and the staff were wonderful , delighted with our cabin, the food was great , we loved our fine dining , we met some great people , and we loved the ship , also lucky as it wasn’t full capacity so we had so much space , although some excursions were cancelled, we booked as many as possible on board , so we saw lots of amazing things , I have already recommend this cruise to someone, as we throughly enjoyed ourselves
The only thing , the hotel in Bergen was nice but our room was very tired, and needed to be upgraded , the breakfast was excellent though
Considering all the problems before the departure, we thought the staff reacted really well and appreciate the effort they all went to for the flight up to Trondheim , I felt very sorry for the others who came back down to Bergen by coach
Everyone was extremely helpful and it was very memorable, we were also lucky to see the Northern lights on several occasions , we were extremely lucky last year in Sweden at the ice hotel as we saw them every night , but I was delighted for people on our trip that it was a new experience
MT
My wife and I enjoyed the Croatian Cruise on board the Meridijan 100%. The crew could not have been better and the food was perfect. We will go on other trips in other places. Thank you. Larry snd Sun S
The Ave Maria was a pretty boat. Three separate outdoor conversation areas were nice to relax in. The cabins were nice and roomy. The cruise director Stan was very friendly and informative throughout the day and on the excursions on shore.
The server and bartender were nice, but not the most friendly. I am sure they get tired of new people each week. Food was good. Just one comment - more fresh vegetables with meals would be great.
Overall, the week was very enjoyable. Linda M
Wonderful experience
We cruised on the MS Diamond in September from Dubrovnik to Split and it was 7 days of swimming, laughter and relaxing unlike any other cruise we have taken. The cruise director Paul, Bruno and Ivan the two bartenders and waiters were wonderful, always smiling and couldn’t do enough for you. The rest of the small crew were also wonderful. Our cruise had a total of 38 passengers and everyone was friendly and we all enjoyed each other’s company. The Diamond was very comfortable with areas to just relax and the swimming everyday in small coves in the clearest water we have ever experienced and that’s says a lot as we live in Hawaii. I have thought of our cruise everyday since our return and would love to do it again Roger F
Dear Caroline,
Thank you so much for organising our cruise on MV Katarina.
The ship is wonderful along with Ivan the Captain the crew and Tour manager Stan.
Itinerary was perfect.
We could not have wished for a better holiday.
Five Stars *****
Best regards,
Simon