by Lisa Alcalay Klug

Do you dislike floating hotels? This informative site helps you research a vast sea of small-ship cruise options. Sharp search feature sorts by date, region, trip length, price, ship capacity—even preferred activity, such as birding, scuba or whale watching. Customizable expedition folder saves itineraries for easy reference. No multimedia features or online bookings here, but abundant articles from field experts, maps, deck plans and message boards help in the decision-making process.

BEST: In-depth information: including best-time-to-go, local culture, natural history and recommended reading.

WORST: Too few ship photos.