SeaDream's Smaller Ports

One of the advantages of small ships - any small ship, for that matter - is the ability to call on small ports. When SeaDream II navigated into the harbor at Port Vendres, France, there were no other passenger ships in port. In fact, it would be hard to imagine more than one passenger ship docked at tiny Port Vendres. The advantage for passengers is that small ports often lead to more authentic travel experiences ashore - not to mention less-crowded experiences. I hopped on one of the Hummer bicycles that SeaDream makes available free of charge and pedaled through town on the Sunday morning we were there. After pedaling not more than five minutes, I passed a group of fisherman who were cooking over an open fire sardines they had just caught. I stood around and watched for a few minutes before being invited to join in. I then pedaled to a charming village 15 minutes away called Collioure, a village that is said to have inspired the painters Matisse, Picasso, Derain and others. Collioure was truly picturesque, and the fact that there were few cruise passengers in port to elbow for space, made the village - and indeed the entire day - all that much more special.