The writer’s view of Positano. With a micro cruise, she was able to avoid the crowds at this popular destination.Heather Greenwood Davis
On any given day, Positano is awash in a sea of tourists. On Italy’s Amalfi Coast, the town’s charming boutiques, winding cobblestone lanes, delicately perched restaurants and white sand beachfront deliver on its promise of Mediterranean charm. But it often comes with a shoulder-to-shoulder tourist experience. Taking it all in from the deck of a 54-foot catamaran bobbing offshore is, I have to admit, a better way.
From where I sit, the crowds are an option, not an obligation. I’m on Dream Amalfi – a six-bedroom catamaran that is booked by the cabin. The other five rooms are taken up by people who until a few days ago were complete strangers to me. We were all equally intrigued by the idea of a cruise that promises comfort, convenience and adventures of our own choosing. The “By the Cabin” experience allows travellers to share the cost of a ship charter with other guests, while offering the perks of private sailing, such as its own captain and cook.
This “micro-cruising” experience is part of a style of travel by sea that is gaining in popularity. The term refers to the travel option that promises smaller ships, fewer guests and more immersive trips. Dream Yacht Worldwide has seen a 20 per cent increase in bookings year-over-year. And it’s not the only one.
Travellers can charter an entire boat or book by the cabin on Dream Yacht’s sailings.Courtesy Dream Yacht Worldwide
According to Virtuoso, a luxury travel advisor company, year-over year growth in this style of sailing is outperforming the overall cruise category for Canadian travellers – 14 per cent compared to 10 per cent respectively. The 2026 Virtuoso Luxe Report: Canada suggests a shift in interest from travellers towards soft adventure and sustainability are likely part of the attraction.
Karen Hardie, General Manager, Canada for Virtuoso, says that “travellers are seeking intimate, nature-rich experiences … paired with personalized itineraries that deliver immersion and meaning.”
The 2025 Travel Intelligence Cruise Report from Travelzoo and marketing agency MMGY reveals similar findings. After surveying more than 14,000 respondents across Canada, the U.S., the UK, and Germany, the survey found a growing interest among Canadian travellers in smaller, experience-driven cruises.
Among the report’s key findings: “The traditional ‘floating resort’ model is giving way to a new emphasis on intimate, personalized experiences, a trend that is especially pronounced among Canadian travellers.”
According to Susan Catto, Travelzoo’s Canadian head of publishing and production, an increased demand for unique and personalized experiences (like high crew-to-guest ratios and staff who note your preferences and fill your mini-bar accordingly), a prioritization of luxury, and an increased demand for cultural immersion (both in-port and on board with guest experts), slower travel and lesser-visited ports are all driving the trend. She points to Maple Leaf Adventures’ six-night Great Bear Rainforest and Kitlope cruise as an example of a micro-cruise that takes guests to places that would be inaccessible by any other means.
Where you go, and when, will determine costs, but there are affordable options. My Positano cruise cost US$1,366 (roughly $1,915) per person for a week and included everything (full board with wine at dinner, accommodations, food, fuel, skipper, cook, berthing) except off-boat excursions.
But prices can go much higher. Luxury hotel giant Ritz-Carlton entered the market in 2022 with Evrima, a 149-suite super yacht. A seven-night Mediterranean cruise is quoted online at US$10,500 ($14,700) per person excluding excursions. Three years later, the company has three yachts on the water; in 2026, Waldorf Astoria (29 suites), Four Seasons (95 suites), and the Orient Express (54 suites) are all joining the market. And in 2027. Aman will launch a 47-suite offering. The common denominator: High luxury (think: 700-square-foot terraced suites and 24-hour butler service) and brag-worthy itineraries.
Whatever the price point, the biggest benefit of a smaller ship is access. In Antarctica, for example, ships with more than 500 people aren’t allowed to let guests disembark on the continent, while smaller ships can let guests off (though there are still limits on how many people can disembark at a time). Literally, the smaller your ship and the fewer guests on board, the more you’ll be able to see.
It’s one of the draws for guests on Secret Atlas Polar Expedition Micro Cruises. The company promises small groups – 12 in the Arctic, 44 in Antarctica and South Georgia – incomparable access to the locations, even if they won’t find Frette linens on board.
“Some [larger ships] require six to eight hours just to complete a full disembarkation, while Secret Atlas can mobilize in under 30 minutes,” says Secret Atlas co-owner Mariano Curiel. “Sailing through the Antarctic straits, we can spot whales or a promising landing site and have all boats and guests in the water within 20 minutes.”
“From what I see, people are finally getting that bigger isn’t better,” says Secret Atlas’s co-founder Michele D’Agostino. “Luxury is being redefined around immersive experiences, authenticity, simplicity and genuine social connection.”
These experiences can be found close to home, too. Aurora Expeditions, for example, offers a 17-day Northwest Passage journey from Toronto to Calgary aboard the Greg Mortimer. It follows the historic route of early explorers in the Canadian High Arctic – and includes a day in Nunavut where travellers interact with the Inuit community in Pond Inlet (Mittimatalik) through drum dancing, traditional Inuit games and storytelling led by local elders. Opportunities to support the community directly through a small craft market are also available. And, before and after arrival an Inuit cultural interpreter is invited on-board to provide context through talks on Inuit history, language and culture.
From my perch over Positano, I understand the attraction. In no time at all, I’ve hopped a water taxi to shore and explored the cobblestone streets among the crowds. A few hours later, lemon gelato consumed, I’m waiting glass in hand as Chef Aldo preps the evening meal. My appetizer: The smug satisfaction of having it all.
The writer was a guest of Dream Yacht Worldwide. It did not review or approve the story before publication.