On most cruise ships, the basic necessities such as accommodations, entertainment, and standard meals are included in the standard fare. Carnival Corporation and P& Princess Cruises plc. Since they can’t be packed in a travel suitcase, cruise liners take the initiative to provide them for their passengers. While large ships come with certain advantages (bowling at sea, anyone?), some cruisers prefer the intimacy, personalized service and destination-focused itineraries of a smaller vessel.

But there is one other advantage – since sailboats are smaller than the other cruise liners, they can go to places the other giant ships cannot. If you’re a flexible traveler, you’ll have a better chance of finding cheap cruises. Queen Mary 2 was for a time the largest passenger ship before being surpassed by Royal Caribbean International ‘s Freedom -class vessels in 2006.

Their Sky vessel offers an all-inclusive experience, so drinks are already paid for. Parent company Viking Cruises has expanded feverishly in recent years, with more than 60 river ships and six ocean vessels in its fleet. In cruises for adults only, no kids are permitted to avail of the deals.

Because luxury ships tend to be smaller, they can often reach off-the-beaten-path destinations bigger ships can’t – ports like St. Tropez or Guadeloupe. The Destiny-class ships, Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph and Carnival Victory also have one installed.

River cruising has been heating up over the past few years, with itineraries that send passengers down the Danube or Rhine rivers in Europe or to even more exotic locations, like the Mekong River in Cambodia or Vietnam or the Volga River in Russia. Crystal Cruises has been offering world cruises for 20 years.