Ready to Set Sail? Small-Scale Luxury Cruising is In!

Experience the Triple Crown

Horse racing is truly the sport of celebrity, extravagance, tradition, and luxury. Nothing compares to seeing the world’s finest horses and jockeys racing for glory and each of the jewels in racing’s prestigious Triple Crown. Don those fabulous hats and seersucker suits and get ready for some of the most exciting moments in the world of racing. 

Departure Lounge offers luxury and first-class packages as well as preferred seating to some of horse racing’s most exciting events of the year. If you’re thinking about experiencing one of horse racing’s biggest events next year, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, or Belmont Stakes, Departure Lounge would love to help you get there.

The Art of Small-Scale Cruising

While cruise lines have been hit hard by the global pandemic, the enthusiasm for this style of vacation has returned like a tidal wave—pun intended. Travelers are eager to get back on the water, but not quite in the same way as before. For the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the "city on the water" style liners are out, and small-scale luxury cruising is in. Smaller boats mean smaller groups, more attention to detail in every aspect of the onboard experience, and greater flexibility to customize your journey. Below you’ll find our shortlist of cruise lines that have turned the small-scale experience into an art form, plus some journeys they currently offer.

Founded in 1988, PONANT is a French cruise line with 11 ships in its fleet. While the cruise line operates around the globe, an exciting development is their upcoming partnership with the Smithsonian to curate education-forward journeys that embrace local culture and dive deep into an area’s language, cuisine, and history. Nineteen destinations are on the roster for the 2022 season including Antarctica, Japan and Iceland.  

Seabourn pioneered small-ship, ultra-luxury cruising, and continues to represent the pinnacle of that unique style of travel. Seabourn’s fleet of intimate, all-suite ships, carrying between 458 and 600 guests each, sail to the world’s most desirable destinations at their peak seasons. On board, guests are served by an award-winning crew numbering nearly as many as the guests, hand-picked and extensively trained to deliver Seabourn’s signature style of thoughtful, personalized and heartfelt hospitality.

Silversea’s intimate, ultra-luxury ships can sail up narrow waterways into the heart of a city, or tie up right at the pier while others must anchor off shore. And for those who yearn to explore the new and unknown, Silversea’s 4 expedition ships can transport you to the furthermost boundaries of the planet.

With a legacy 40 years in the making, Linblad Expeditions guarantees all their guests experience the thrill of discovery. Explore the wilds of Alaska with their week-long excursion between Juneau and Ketchikan. Highlights include whale spotting and viewing famous native petroglyphs on Wrangell Island.  

Established in 2001,  SeaDream Yacht Club launched with twin mega-yachts, SeaDream I and SeaDream II, and has achieved the industry’s highest accolades. "It’s Yachting, Not Cruising" defines SeaDream’s mission: to provide a casual yachting experience that exceeds guests’ expectations as they explore the world’s most amazing destinations. From May through October, SeaDream I and SeaDream II sail the Mediterranean. From November through April, the twin, mega-yachts visit the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. To ensure that our guests experience all that each specially selected port of call has to offer, many of our itineraries feature overnight stays in some of the best yachting ports and harbors in the world.

For those who are not typical cruise travelers but wish to explore the world via waterways, Uncruise Adventures provides small ship, river boat or yacht options to experience wild regions in comfort with top nature experts and guides. 

Dynamic Africa 

2020 saw Africa emerge as a top international destination, and 2021 is no different. Whatever type of vacation you’re looking for, there’s a destination on the continent that will suit your travel style.  

Want to take a safari? Check out the Serengeti in Tanzania! This corner of northern Tanzania plays host to the second-largest terrestrial mammal migration in the world, making it one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa. 

Looking for a beach vacation? Check out Zanzibar! Situated on Africa's eastern coast, Zanzibar's beaches are unforgettable — white sand and turquoise waters galore. Not to miss in particular are quiet beaches like Matemwe and Pongwe. Zanzibar City’s Stone Town is also a must-visit for a dose of local history.  

In the mood for a culinary adventure? Look no further than Morocco. The country’s capital of Marrakesh is a melting pot of North African and French cuisine. Couscous, tagine and kefta top the list of dishes visitors should try. Another must is a stroll through the city’s medina—a UNESCO World Heritage site.  

Ideas for the Vaccinated and Non-Vaccinated Traveler

Knowing where in the world you can even travel these days is a constant struggle. While monitoring ever-changing entry requirements is our job to handle during the trip planning process, keeping up on your own is highly suggested. Visiting the CDC’s  "Travel Recommendations by Destination" page is a good place to start. That said, here are some destination ideas for the vaccinated and non-vaccinated traveler.  

Vaccinated travelers —As a vaccinated person, you are rewarded with more options and can occasionally bypass the negative COVID test entry requirement to be admitted to some countries. Go island-hopping off the coast of Greece, or explore the historically beautiful streets of Vienna. Iceland and Tahiti also top the list of countries open solely to vaccinated travelers.  

Unvaccinated travelers — While this isn’t encouragement to not travel abroad, remember that domestic destinations are your friend! The U.S. is a big place, and there are plenty of historic cities, white sand beaches and national parks to explore within our borders. With low infection rates and open borders, African countries like Botswana and Tanzania are perfect to check a safari off your bucket list.  

Reachable and Connected

As many travelers have discovered as they start to venture out into the world again, planning a vacation from the ground up can be a monumental task. Instead of dialing another 800 number and hoping someone will be able to answer your questions, give us a shout instead. Not only are travel advisors real, reachable people, but we also have connections in the industry that will make planning your next trip a breeze.  

We’ve spent years—and even decades—building relationships with hoteliers, airlines and tour operators so we can get your questions answered, as well as know which companies will fit your travel style. Everyone vacations differently, and it’s the human touch to the process that will make your next travel experience unforgettable.  

Preferred Partners Offers

Here are a few of the current promotions available to Departure Lounge clients: