
Vote for the best boutique cruise line
Boutique cruise lines, like these 20 nominated as the best of the best by a panel of cruising experts, elevate your vacation experience with extras like small ships, attractive passenger-to-staff ratios, luxury amenities, unique on-board activities and excursions or all-inclusive fares. What's your favorite boutique cruise line? Vote once per day until polls close on Monday, December 16 at noon ET. The cruise lines with the most votes will be declared out winners on Friday, December 27. Read the official Readers' Choice rules here.
Boutique cruise lines, like these 20 nominated as the best of the best by a panel of cruising experts, elevate your vacation experience with extras like small ships, attractive passenger-to-staff ratios, luxury... Read More
Best Boutique Cruise Line Nominees
The Experts
Carrie Finley Bajak
Carrie Finley is a cruise travel writer who lives... Read More
Carrie Finley is a cruise travel writer who lives in Southern California. Carrie cruises around the world and reports about her adventures on CruiseBuzz.net and via social media where she shares cruise news, tips and insight from the ships and ports. Carrie has curated small ship and river cruise experiences for AFAR.com and is frequently a guest Blogger-at-Large for cruise lines.
Carrie Finley Bajak

Carrie Finley is a cruise travel writer who lives in Southern California. Carrie cruises around the world and reports about her adventures on CruiseBuzz.net and via social media where she shares cruise news, tips and insight from the ships and ports. Carrie has curated small ship and river cruise experiences for AFAR.com and is frequently a guest Blogger-at-Large for cruise lines.
Don and Heidi Bucolo
Don and Heidi Bucolo, also known as DB & The... Read More
Don and Heidi Bucolo, also known as DB & The Princess, are the husband and wife team behind EatSleepCruise.com. The pair took their first cruise vacation together over 10 years ago and have been hooked ever since. You can find them on the web and social media sharing detailed cruise ship reviews, shore excursion reviews, guides on ports of call, hotel reviews, travel tips and the latest cruise news to help travelers “sea the world, one port at a time.”
Don and Heidi Bucolo

Don and Heidi Bucolo, also known as DB & The Princess, are the husband and wife team behind EatSleepCruise.com. The pair took their first cruise vacation together over 10 years ago and have been hooked ever since. You can find them on the web and social media sharing detailed cruise ship reviews, shore excursion reviews, guides on ports of call, hotel reviews, travel tips and the latest cruise news to help travelers “sea the world, one port at a time.”
Danielle Fear
Danielle Fear is one of the UK’s most recognized... Read More
Danielle Fear is one of the UK’s most recognized and trusted cruise bloggers and is better known to her readers as Cruise Miss. As well as maintaining an award-winning blog, she also works as a freelance writer and social media professional covering all aspects of sea travel. Having embarked on more than 60 sailings, including a 108-night World Cruise and 168-night Grand Voyage, it’s fair to say that Danielle knows a thing or two about cruising.
Danielle Fear

Danielle Fear is one of the UK’s most recognized and trusted cruise bloggers and is better known to her readers as Cruise Miss. As well as maintaining an award-winning blog, she also works as a freelance writer and social media professional covering all aspects of sea travel. Having embarked on more than 60 sailings, including a 108-night World Cruise and 168-night Grand Voyage, it’s fair to say that Danielle knows a thing or two about cruising.
Sherry Laskin
Sherry is a cruise and travel writer who hasn’t... Read More
Sherry is a cruise and travel writer who hasn’t set foot on an airplane for 25 years. Since her first transpacific cruise at age eight, Sherry’s been hooked on cruising and cruise ships of all sizes. Her website, CruiseMaven.com, features cruise ship reviews, detailed port guides and shore excursions plus the latest cruise news. On Sherry's River Cruise Radio podcast, she takes listeners to the rivers and waterways around the world. In any free time, she's either trying a new recipe, planning an around the world adventure without flying, playing the ukulele or taking tap lessons.
Sherry Laskin

Sherry is a cruise and travel writer who hasn’t set foot on an airplane for 25 years. Since her first transpacific cruise at age eight, Sherry’s been hooked on cruising and cruise ships of all sizes. Her website, CruiseMaven.com, features cruise ship reviews, detailed port guides and shore excursions plus the latest cruise news. On Sherry's River Cruise Radio podcast, she takes listeners to the rivers and waterways around the world. In any free time, she's either trying a new recipe, planning an around the world adventure without flying, playing the ukulele or taking tap lessons.
Jason Leppert
Jason Leppert is a San Diego-based cruising expert... Read More
Jason Leppert is a San Diego-based cruising expert with more than 150 sailings under his belt and a fresh, millennial perspective on the industry. He has been cruising since before he was two years old, thanks to his parents’ shared passion for traveling and their desire to experience all journeys together as a family. Now, he regularly sails and writes “he said, she said” cruise columns with his wife Heidi. He is the founding editor of Popular Cruising, producer of the successful Popular Cruising YouTube channel and Cruise Editor for TravelAge West. He also contributes to Cruise Travel, Porthole and Cruise Business Review magazines; USA Today 10Best; Oyster.com; MiceChat.com and the Cruise Radio podcast.
Jason Leppert

Jason Leppert is a San Diego-based cruising expert with more than 150 sailings under his belt and a fresh, millennial perspective on the industry. He has been cruising since before he was two years old, thanks to his parents’ shared passion for traveling and their desire to experience all journeys together as a family. Now, he regularly sails and writes “he said, she said” cruise columns with his wife Heidi. He is the founding editor of Popular Cruising, producer of the successful Popular Cruising YouTube channel and Cruise Editor for TravelAge West. He also contributes to Cruise Travel, Porthole and Cruise Business Review magazines; USA Today 10Best; Oyster.com; MiceChat.com and the Cruise Radio podcast.
Chris Owen
Chris Owen is a photojournalist from Florida... Read More
Chris Owen is a photojournalist from Florida charged with sharing frank, inside information about cruise vacations with travelers. Also certified a Master Cruise Counselor by the Cruise Lines International Association, Chris offers a unique perspective; tapping his behind-the-scenes working knowledge of cruise vacations. Beginning his cruise history as a family vacation option, Chris has written his way through a variety of cruise lines, ships and itineraries. His goal is simple: to never forget that travel has a positive impact on our world, and to introduce cruising to as many people as possible.
Chris Owen

Chris Owen is a photojournalist from Florida charged with sharing frank, inside information about cruise vacations with travelers. Also certified a Master Cruise Counselor by the Cruise Lines International Association, Chris offers a unique perspective; tapping his behind-the-scenes working knowledge of cruise vacations. Beginning his cruise history as a family vacation option, Chris has written his way through a variety of cruise lines, ships and itineraries. His goal is simple: to never forget that travel has a positive impact on our world, and to introduce cruising to as many people as possible.
Ming Tappin
Ming Tappin is a cruise industry veteran residing... Read More
Ming Tappin is a cruise industry veteran residing in Ontario, Canada. Ming has been in the cruise industry for over 25 years, working with travel agencies to promote cruising to their clients. In 2015, Ming created Your Cruise Coach and transitioned into a career in cruise writing. She is currently a journalist for Canadian travel trade publication PAX Global Media, with a regular cruise column. She has also been published in various consumer publications and continues to explore avenues to preach cruising to the trade and public. To date, Ming has sailed on over 50 cruises and has experienced over 20 ocean and river cruise lines.
Ming Tappin
Ming Tappin is a cruise industry veteran residing in Ontario, Canada. Ming has been in the cruise industry for over 25 years, working with travel agencies to promote cruising to their clients. In 2015, Ming created Your Cruise Coach and transitioned into a career in cruise writing. She is currently a journalist for Canadian travel trade publication PAX Global Media, with a regular cruise column. She has also been published in various consumer publications and continues to explore avenues to preach cruising to the trade and public. To date, Ming has sailed on over 50 cruises and has experienced over 20 ocean and river cruise lines.