Mini Cruise Vacations

Mini cruises are the ideal way to combine the experience of ocean vacation with the convenience of a short-break. Mini cruses are designed for people who do not have the luxury of extended time but crave the luxury of a cruise vacation.

Many tour operators offer a mini cruise itineraries that include ports of interest in a condensed number of stops with fewer days at open sea and may require passengers to fly to a destination start point. Popular destinations for mini cruises include the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Nile.

Cruise liners for shorter breaks tend to include the same dazzling array of facilities and activities as ships for longer vacations. Indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, squash courts, gyms, fitness classes cater for the sporty types, spas, beauticians, and dedicated sun bathing decks are provided for those looking to unwind, and there are a vast selection of bars, restaurants and nightclubs to choose from for a varied night life on board.

As mini cruises are shorter than standard vacations it is important to choose your itinerary carefully and select the cruise operators that offer the port visits and points of interest that appeal to you. It's also important to bear in mind the travel time to and from your mini cruise.

Cruises from Rome that take in Pisa, Florence, Portofino, Sorrento and Pompeii are extremely popular. A five day trip from Piraeus in Greece to Istanbul includes the stunning island locations of Mykonos, Delos, Sanatori and then Rhodes.

Many passengers like to combine a mini cruise with a short city break at at the start or end of their cruise vacation. Visitors like to spend a few days absorbing the inland culture before sailing off anf getting a taste of the cruising lifestyle.

It is also possible to take a six day sail trip from New York to Southampton which is now a popular choice for the ecologically minded or those with a fear of air travel. As air travel becomes more expensive, and increasingly unreliable many people are looking at alternative methods of travel and mini cruises are the perfect solution.