Mini Cruises & Short Breaks

Departure ports

Mini cruises from Southampton tend to be the obvious pick when you think about weekend cruises. But, there are many more ports on offer across the UK. Your options include short break cruises from Newcastle, Liverpool, Dover or Rosyth. Tilbury, Hull, Belfast and Oban are also departure port options that can cut down your travel time. Happy to fly out to a port? Your mini cruise options open up hugely. From Miami and New York to Singapore and Australia, there are ports worldwide offering mini cruise breaks.

Ease of travel

With the large range of departure ports offering mini cruises from the UK, it’s never been easier to hop on a 3 day cruise. With no flights or airport queues (if you’re cruising from the UK) your mini break will be hassle free. As soon as you’re on board your cruise ship, your holiday begins!

Perfect for

Mini cruises are perfect for anyone new to cruising. You get the chance to sample life at sea, explore the ship - and explore a new destination, while discovering what cruising is really like. Mini cruises from the UK are also fantastic for anyone with mobility problems, especially those who can’t fly. Accessible ships, and the accessible cabins that go with them, open up travel for everyone. And, of course, weekend cruises are perfect for hassle-free breaks for families.

Mini Cruises

Euro culture, cuisine and iconic sights are all with a day’s sail on mini cruises from Southampton - but your holiday starts the minute you step on board. Hassle free, relaxing and with all the amenities you’d find on a longer cruise, short cruises are the ideal mini break.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam mini cruises are hugely popular. Being able to feast on stroopwafels, browse museums and sail along the historic waterways of this culture-packed city within just a day’s sailing time from the UK makes it the ideal mini cruise destination. Spring, of course, brings a rainbow of colour to the bustling tulip markets, but don’t rule out a winter sailing. The Christmas markets and cosy coffee shops are all the more appealing when there’s a crisp frost in the air.

Find inspiration on other things to see and do with our Amsterdam city guide

Bruges

If you pick just one destination for your 3 day mini cruise, choose Bruges. Far less cosmopolitan than Amsterdam, and all the quainter for it, Bruges Old Town truly feels like stepping back into history. Picturesque canals are perfect for strolling - or boating on. While the indulgent local beer, fries, waffles and chocolate are fine fodder for foodies to sample, all eyes tend to be on Bruges’ iconic square. But exploring wider is addictively rewarding.

Read our travel guide to Bruges to make the most of your visit.

Hamburg

Itineraries for mini cruises from Southampton tend to overlook Hamburg until the Christmas markets roll around. But do try to track down short cruises sailing to this architecturally stunning city. Art, music, food and maritime history aren’t in short supply here. The only dilemma in this sprawling and vibrant city will be how to see it all within a 3 day mini cruise.

Currency considerations

Credit cards are widely accepted in ports accessible on mini cruises from the UK. Check the currency used in the ports you’re sailing to. As, although Denmark and Sweden are in the EU, their official currency isn’t the Euro.

Customs / traditions to be aware of 

If you’re booking an Amsterdam mini cruise, be prepared for bike - and tram - traffic. Walking around the city is safe, as long as you keep your eyes and ears open.

Making the most use of short durations in port

Try not to pack too many sights into your time in port. Think of a mini cruise as a city break. Pick an activity for the morning, a stand out spot for lunch and a leisurely afternoon sight that sees you heading back to the ship - not away from it, for a relaxing day.

Transport

It’s tempting to travel ‘just that bit further’ as soon as you arrive in port. And, while seeing the sights is important, on a mini cruise, it often pays to walk around the port you’ve arrived in, rather than add to your travelling time by hopping on a bus or train.

• P&O Cruises
• Cunard Cruises
• Royal Caribbean Cruises
• Celebrity Cruises
• Fred Olsen Cruises
• NCL Cruises
• MSC Cruises
• Princess Cruises

• Cruises from UK
• Cruises from Southampton
• Caribbean Cruises

We have put together the following FAQs. We hope that you will be able to find an answer to your question below, but if you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our customer service team. 

• What is a mini cruise?

Put simply, mini cruises are short breaks at sea. Most mini cruises last between 2-5 nights, but you could include any cruise that lasts 7 nights or less. Also known as ‘taster cruises’, these shorter breaks are ideal for anyone new to cruising. 

Read our article ‘What is a taster cruise?’ to find out more information.

• Which cruise lines offer mini-cruises?

​A wide range of cruise lines offer short duration mini-cruises, such as, Princess, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.

• Do I need a passport for a mini cruise?

Yes, you do need a passport for a mini cruise. Even if the cruise line is offering a mini cruise around the British Isles, you’ll still need a valid passport. The only exception? Cruise lines such as Carnival and Holland America offer US Port to US Port cruises that don’t require passports - but, of course, you’ll need your passport to get to the US in the first place.

• What are the shortest cruises you can take?

​The shortest cruises you can take last for 2 - 3 nights. Short mini cruises from Southampton tend to head for France or Amsterdam on their shortest sailings, but other ports are reachable too. Your options open up further if you add just a couple more days to your itinerary.

• Are mini cruises all-inclusive?

​​Some mini cruises are all-inclusive. It all depends on the cruise line and their pricing policies. Some cruise lines, such as Celebrity Cruises offer packages to upgrade to an all-inclusive mini cruise.

• Can you take a mini cruise one way?

Yes, you can take a mini cruise one way. Some itineraries sail you to a destination and you can fly home, others require you to fly out and sail home. You may want to cruise to visit family, friends or extend your stay with a land tour.