About Tauck Small Ship Cruising
“Tauck’s European Riverboat Fleet, comprised of sister ships ms Swiss Emerald, ms Swiss Sapphire, and ms Swiss Jewel, represents the state of the art in modern river cruising. Operating exclusively for Tauck, each ship features three passenger decks custom-designed to comfortably accommodate 118 Tauck guests in gracious style; most similar-sized riverboats average about 140 guests. Tauck's small ship cruising - The difference in Tauck's small ship cruising lies in the choreography of the total cruise experience – the combination of personalized cruising with cultural land exploration. How you spend your days ashore – where you go, what you do, who you meet – that's the Tauck difference.” — Tauck Small Ship Cruising
Tauck has been guiding travelers since 1925, and a century of family stewardship shows in how the company approaches the sea: not as a cruise line running ships, but as a journey designer choosing the right small vessel for each coastline. Depending on the itinerary, guests sail aboard yachts of the Ponant Explorer series, Silversea’s Galápagos-based Silver Origin, regional Galápagos vessels such as Isabela II and Santa Cruz II, or Windstar’s sailing yacht Wind Star in the Greek Isles — ships small enough to reach harbors and island moorings the big ships must pass by.
What makes these voyages unmistakably Tauck happens around the sailing. Shore excursions are private to Tauck and built for insight rather than headcounts. Tauck Directors travel with the group throughout, and the price covers what others sell as extras: accommodations on land and at sea, fine dining onboard and onshore, premier hotels before and after the cruise, airport transfers, luggage handling, taxes and port charges, and every customary gratuity to directors, crew, drivers and local guides. No options sold, no hidden costs — it is a promise the company states plainly.
Itineraries range from the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Greek Isles to Alaska’s Inside Passage, Iceland, Scotland’s island archipelagos, Norway’s fjords, Japan, the Galápagos and Antarctica. For travelers who value seamless quality and cultural depth over onboard spectacle, this is small-ship cruising the Tauck way.
Book Tauck Small Ship Cruising with Pavlus Travel
Pavlus Travel is the #1 producing Tauck agency in the world — a distinction earned over decades of sending travelers on Tauck journeys. When you book Tauck through Pavlus, you get our very best price on every departure, senior advisors who know Tauck's ships, riverboats, and itineraries first-hand, and personal advocacy from your first call to your welcome home. And you never pay a service or planning fee.
- #1 producing Tauck agency worldwide
- Our best price on every Tauck departure
- Never any service or planning fees
- Advisors who have sailed these itineraries themselves
- Family-owned and trusted by travelers since 1994
Get Your Tauck Small Ship Cruising Quote
Tauck asks that we quote our best price personally — call or request a quote and we'll have it to you fast.
Call 1-800-528-9300 Browse Sailings & Get a QuoteThe Tauck Small Ship Cruising Experience
Handpicked small ships
Ponant Explorer yachts, Galápagos vessels and Windstar's Wind Star are chosen ship by ship to fit each region's harbors and character.
Excursions private to Tauck
Shore experiences are arranged exclusively for Tauck guests, offering insights and access not available to independent visitors.
Tauck Directors throughout
Professional Tauck Directors accompany every journey end to end, orchestrating each day so guests simply enjoy it.
One upfront price
Hotels, dining, excursions, transfers, gratuities, taxes and port charges are all included — no options sold, no hidden costs.
Land and sea, woven together
Cruises pair with premier hotel stays and guided touring ashore, so the destination story continues beyond the gangway.
A century of family ownership
Founded in 1925 and still guided by the founding family's standards of quality, service and value.
What's Included with Tauck Small Ship Cruising
- All accommodations, on land and at sea
- Fine dining, onboard and onshore
- All shore excursions, private to Tauck
- All gratuities to the Tauck Director, ship and hotel staff, drivers, local guides and experts
- Airport transfers on arrival and departure
- All taxes, port charges, fees and luggage handling
- Premier hotels, handpicked for location, service and style
The Tauck Small Ship Cruising Fleet (13 ships sailing bookable itineraries)
Isabela II
Le Boreal
Le Champlain
Le Dumont d' Urville
Lupus Mare
Santa Cruz II
Silver Moon
Silver Origin
Star Legend
Wind Star
Wind SurfWhere Tauck Small Ship Cruising Sails
Good to Know Before You Book
Gratuities & tipping
Cancellation policy
Cancellation By Guest
With Cruise Protection – Guests choosing to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection will incur the loss of the Guest Protection fee, per person.
| Days Before Departure | Cancellation Penalty |
|---|---|
| 120 days or more before departure | Loss of Cruise Protection fee per person |
| 119–60 days before departure | Loss of 25% of cost of tour per person, not including air (if applicable), plus loss of Cruise Protection fee |
| 59–1 day before departure | Loss of 50% of cost of cruise per person, not including air (if applicable), plus loss of Cruise Protection fee |
Without Cruise Protection – Guests choosing not to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection will incur cancellation penalties as follows for land tours:
| Days Before Departure | Cancellation Penalty |
|---|---|
| 120 days or more before departure | Loss of deposit, per person |
| 119–60 days before departure | Loss of 50% of tour cost, not including air (if applicable) per person |
| 59–1 day before departure | Loss of 100% of tour cost, not including air (if applicable) per person |
Europe Land Journey – Land Tours
| Guests choosing to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection will incur the loss of the Guest Protection fee, per person. |
| Days Before Departure | Cancellation Penalty |
|---|---|
| 90 days or more before departure | Loss of Deposit, per person. |
| 89–8 days before departure | USD: $900 per person – Europe land tours CAD: Loss of 15% of cost of tour, not including air (if applicable) per person |
| 7-1 days before departure | USD $1,500 per person – Europe land tours CAD: Loss of 25% of cost of tour, not including air (if applicable) per person |
North America Journey – Land Tours
| Guests choosing to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection will incur the loss of the Guest Protection fee, per person. |
| Days Before Departure | Cancellation Penalty |
|---|---|
| 90 days or more before departure | Loss of Deposit, per person. |
| 89–30 days before departure |
$2,670 per person – Manitoba: Polar Bear Adventure $1,400 per person – A Week In... Mexico & Oaxaca |
| 89–8 days before departure |
$600 per person – Most North America land tours $925 per person – Spirit of the Desert; Grand Canadian Rockies; Vancouver & the Rockies by Rocky Mountaineer; Best of Western Canada & Rocky Mountaineer; Salt Lake City to Denver with Canyon Spirit |
| 29–1 days before departure |
$3,560 per person – Manitoba: Polar Bear Adventure $2,000 per person – A Week In... Mexico & Oaxaca |
| 7–1 days before departure |
$900 per person – Most North America land tours $1,500 per person – Spirit of the Desert; Grand Canadian Rockies; Vancouver & the Rockies by Rocky Mountaineer; Best of Western Canada & Rocky Mountaineer; Salt Lake City to Denver with Canyon Spirit |
Tauck Bridges Family Adventures – Land Tours
| Guests choosing to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection will incur the loss of the Guest Protection fee, per person. |
| Days Before Departure | Cancellation Penalty |
|---|---|
| 90 days or more before departure | Loss of Deposit, per person. |
| 89–8 days before departure |
$600 per person – Tauck Bridges North America land tours; Costa Rica: Jungles & Rainforests; Mystical Peru $900 per person – Tauck Bridges Europe land tours $1,250 per person – Tanzania: A Grand Family Safari; Journey Through Japan... A Family Adventure |
| 7–1 days before departure |
$900 per person – Tauck Bridges North America land tours; Costa Rica: Jungles & Rainforests; Mystical Peru $1,500 per person – Tauck Bridges Europe land tours $2,000 per person – Tanzania: A Grand Family Safari; Journey Through Japan... A Family Adventure |
Land Tours – US & Canada
| Guests choosing to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection will incur the loss of the Guest Protection fee, per person. |
| Days Before Departure | Cancellation Penalty |
|---|---|
| 90 days or more before departure | Loss of Deposit, per person. |
| 89–30 days before departure | $1,400 per person – Most South American Land Tours |
| 89–8 days before departure |
$600 per person – Costa Rica: Jungles & Rainforests; Mystical Peru; Sand & Surf: Death Valley to San Diego; Wonderland: Yellowstone in Winter; The Best of Hawaii $900 per person – Cuba: A Cultural Odyssey $1,250 per person – Most Egypt/Jordan, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand Land Tours |
| 29–1 days before departure | $2,000 per person – Most South American Land Tours |
| 7–1 days before departure |
$900 per person – Costa Rica: Jungles & Rainforests; Mystical Peru; Sand & Surf: Death Valley to San Diego; Wonderland: Yellowstone in Winter; The Best of Hawaii $1,500 per person – Cuba: A Cultural Odyssey $2,000 per person – Most Asia, India, Africa, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Australia and New Zealand Land Tours |
| Days Before Departure | Cancellation Penalty |
|---|---|
| 90 days or more before departure | Loss of Deposit, per person. |
| 89–30 days before departure | Loss of 15% of cost of tour, not including air, per person |
| 89–8 days before departure | Loss of 15% of cost of tour, not including air, per person |
| 29–1 day before departure | Loss of 25% of cost of tour, not including air, per person |
| 7–1 day before departure | Loss of 25% of cost of tour, not including air, per person |
Smoking on board
Traveling with minors
Pregnancy policy
Policies are provided by Tauck Small Ship Cruising and can change; your Pavlus advisor will confirm current terms for your specific sailing before you book.