In a bid to attract high-end travelers, a growing number of cruise operators are introducing trips at a more leisurely pace aboard smaller ships.

More exclusive than mainstream packages, these “slow cruises” have a more intimate atmosphere and often sail to more unusual destinations.

Costa Cruises, Ponant and Croisières de France are among those on board with the emerging “slow cruising” movement.

Slow cruises aim first and foremost to attract a wealthy clientele.

Prices for these packages start at around $2,000 per person for one week, compared to half that for a more conventional mainstream cruise. Why so much? In a word: exclusivity.

With a maximum of around 700 passengers, slow cruises offer a far more intimate atmosphere than ocean liners with over 3,000 vacationers on deck.

Another key difference: rather than generic shows and activities, slow cruises cater to high-brow travelers with more specialized events such as wine tastings, lectures and master classes.

In addition to offering more intimacy, ships with a more modest size are able to dock at smaller ports, meaning slow cruises can travel to destinations far from the typical tourist circuit. Often, this also leads to more emphasis on local culture, architecture and cuisine.

Costa Cruises, for example, points out that several of its slow cruise destinations are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Finally, slow cruises typically spend longer at ports of call, often giving passengers several days to take advantage of each destination.

Costa Cruises is perhaps the leading promoter of the slow cruise concept through its recently launched neoCollection.

This winter, the Italian company will add a new ship to this fleet, the NeoClassica, which will sail the Indian Ocean to Réunion, Mauritius, Seychelles and Madagascar (from €2,168/around $2,700 per person).

The latest cruises from Ponant, which has always specialized in high-end packages, are also representative of the trend.

In summer 2015, the French company will offer its first ever trips to Alaska. The two ships that will cruise the northern Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Alaska have just 132 cabins each, and expert lecturers will be on board to share their knowledge of local history and culture.