Uncommon Access

Enjoy Exclusive, Personal Experiences that Help you Discover the Essence of your Destination

On our small ship cruises, a new day promises a new place to discover. Imagination, creativity and ingenuity first inspired Tauck's combination of small ship cruising with cultural land exploration. Every cruise detail is carefully crafted and handled for you. Because it's not only what you see, but how you see it. And that's what makes a Tauck small ship cruise unique.

You enjoy exclusive experiences ashore that take you to the heart and soul of the world's most amazing destinations. Experiences that are well timed, at the best time of day to avoid crowds. Experiences that help you connect on a deep, meaningful level with places, people and a way of life. Once-in-a-lifetime experiences that come around just once and that you won't want to miss.

On Our Shore Excursions, The Choice is Yours

Whether you are returning to one of your favorite destinations or visiting for the first time, we are committed to maximizing your experience. Keeping true to our roots, we have carefully choreographed itineraries that take you everywhere from the heart of cities to the hidden gems tucked away for your eyes only. Along the way, on many days, there will be opportunities for you to personalize your journey with shore excursions that appeal to your unique interests. You may choose to spend an afternoon on a guided bicycle tour or explore a royal palace. Learn about a town's architecture from a local guide or stretch your legs on a scenic hike. In many destinations, choice is an important part of small ship cruising – because choice brings with it possibilities. And those possibilities are what travel is all about. Choices are yours, and they're all included, no additional charges!

While some shore excursion choices can be made onboard your cruise, there are certain excursions where advanced sign-up is requested. Tauck will contact you 90 days prior to your departure date with the information you need to make your selection. So get excited... the adventure is just getting started!

Go Beyond The Ordinary & Do Something Extraordinary...

• Linger longer in the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel – after hours, without crowds
• Enjoy a sensory symphony at Barcelona's Palace of Catalan Music on an early opening visit
• Discover the secret world of the geisha in Osaka during a private dinner and performance
• Explore Antarctica with filmmakers and naturalists at home on glacial shores
• Take a bucket-list daylight transit through the Panama Canal with insights by an expert
• Sip champagne and savor a private ballet, performed for you in a St. Petersburg palace
• Sample sherry and tapas at a manor house where Andalucían horses show off just for you
• Tour Tresco Abbey Gardens on the Isles of Scilly with a gardener who tends to the plantings
• Dine under the stars in ancient Ephesus, with live music in a storied setting that stirs the soul
• Take a guided walk across the Arctic Circle in Grímsey, Iceland
• Go inside Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on a private early visit before it's open to anyone else
• Meet wildlife found nowhere else as you explore remote Galápagos Islands with a naturalist