Virtuoso, the leading global network specialising in luxury and experiential travel, has named Aqua Expeditions “Best Small Ship Cruise Experience” at the 2026 Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas.
The award recognises the cruise line offering the most exceptional and unique experience within a specialised or niche market – a fitting acknowledgment for a brand built entirely around intimacy, exclusivity and access to the world’s most remote and biodiverse destinations.
A recognised global leader in luxury small-ship expeditions, Aqua Expeditions explores the world’s most biodiverse and culturally significant destinations aboard best-in-class vessels. Guests can expect tailored five-star itineraries, an exceptional one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio, world-class dining and small-group, expert-guided activities and excursions. The line currently operates river explorations on the Amazon (Peru) and the Mekong (Cambodia and Vietnam), alongside coastal yacht voyages to Komodo National Park, Ambon and the Spice Islands, and Raja Ampat in East Indonesia, with its newest superyacht sailing the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
“Being recognised by Virtuoso as Best Small Ship Cruise Experience is an incredible honour, and a reflection of everything our teams do every day to deliver truly transformative journeys to the world’s most remote corners,” said Francesco Galli Zugaro, Founder and CEO of Aqua Expeditions.
“This recognition comes at an exciting time for Aqua, as we continue to expand into new and extraordinary regions of the world.” This latest accolade comes as Aqua Expeditions enters a significant period of growth. The line recently welcomed its sixth vessel, Aqua Lares, a 15-suite, ice-class superyacht offering a unique dual-hemisphere deployment.
From November to April, Aqua Lares sails five- to eleven-night voyages through the Seychelles, with select itineraries extending to the remote Aldabra Atoll – home to more than 100,000 giant tortoises – and onward to Zanzibar, Tanzania, marking the first time a luxury expedition yacht in the Seychelles has been available to book by the cabin, rather than exclusively by private charter. From May to September, the same vessel repositions to the polar north, sailing through Svalbard and the wider Arctic Circle – making Aqua Lares the only superyacht in the Arctic offering both private charters and individual cabin bookings.
