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Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Sailing, sailing with small-ship pleasures, distinctive service and ports



   Out to Sea for July 8/17

   (c) Postmedia Network/Sun Media Newspapers/Websites
 
   One size doesn’t fit all in these days of huge mega-floating resorts.
   More cruise passengers are opting for “small-ship” cruising with dozens, not thousands, of their “closest friends.”
   They’re looking at voyages with a few fellow passengers up to several hundred, not multiple thousands that disgorge boatloads of visitors all at once at private islands and ports of call.
   These ships include the Tugboat MV Swell for 12 guests and the Schooner Maple Leaf for eight, both from eco-tourism Maple Leaf Adventures of Victoria, B.C., to expedition ships, riverboats and yachts.
Smaller-than-mega ships are able to tie up in Hamilton, Bermuda’s downtown instead of going to the Royal Naval Dockyard at the outskirts. (Jim Fox photo)
   Forget, also, the crowds onboard lined up at the Lido Buffet, dining rooms, shows and packed shore excursions.
   Largest at sea is Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas that can carry a maximum of 6,687 guests and 2,193 crew members.
   Interest in travelling onboard ships with a smaller passenger capacity is on the rise among travellers,” says Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).