Our cruise around the Caribbean had been just like a second honeymoon. At least, that’s what my wife told our friends — and I’d love to think I played a part in those memories. If I’m honest, though, Charlotte was more smitten with our ship.

The Wind Surf certainly ticks lots of romantic boxes. For starters, it has yachtie good looks, its five immense sails hauled and trimmed by computer rather than chaps in matelot gear. And once you go aboard, things are utterly relaxed, the tranquillity of the open sea rarely shattered by loudspeaker announcements, the curse of many a cruise ship. We even got to wondering whether they’d disturb us if we ran aground — but the captain seemed to know what he was doing.

We dined whenever we chose, on tables just for two, sprucing up, but never dressing up. I didn’t pack a jacket or tie, let alone a tux. Breakfast was taken on the open deck, invariably with the gorgeous greens of a Caribbean island bobbing off the bowsprit — pure heaven.

With just 300 passengers, Wind Surf is a minnow in the world’s cruising fleet, small enough for us to spend nights at anchor in secluded bays, where it glided delicately in among the pleasure yachts (whose skippers were doubtless less than thrilled to see us looming up above their sterns).

The tables turned when, one afternoon, we sailed down the west coast of St Lucia in tandem with Royal Caribbean’s 2,500-passenger Serenade of the Seas. We looked at them, and I’m sure they looked at us. But here’s the thing: I’d bet a pirate’s booty that not a single person among our lot would have switched places with one of that lot. Nor, probably, would the Serenaders have opted to swap with us. And that’s what cruising is all about. Smaller isn’t necessarily better or worse, but size is everything — it will shape both your on-board experience and your choice of itineraries.

The itineraries: Wind Surf island-hops through the Caribbean all winter long, following two alternating week-long routes out of Barbados. In April, it crosses the Atlantic, and during the summer, port-hops in the western Med, now offering alternating seven-day itineraries out of Barcelona.

The cabins: a bit of a squeeze, and I don’t mean in a romantic sense. All have sea views, but through portholes not windows. Ours had a flat-screen television and DVD player (the ship’s library is good and free), even a docking station for an iPod, plus a nice shower, lots of fluffy towels and decent soapy stuff.

The action: Wind Surf offers plenty of watersports — canoeing, diving, sailing, snorkelling — organised from a nifty platform at the stern. This is lowered like a drawbridge when the ship is at anchor. Sporty types will also love the top-deck gym with sea views.

Night owls won’t be so happy, however. The ship has a small casino and two bar-cum-lounges with live music, but no disco or cinema.

There is also an open bridge, where you’re welcome to poke your nose at any time — but it’s all dials and gauges, and frankly rather boring.

The service: our crew — mainly Filipino and Indonesian lads — were exceptionally good, all smiles and eager to please. And the service generally was far better than you’d find ashore in an equivalent (four+-star) hotel. A £5.50pp-per-day tip is automatically added to all bills, so I resented the additional 15% service charge on all drinks, including wine at dinner, although the prices were reasonable: wines starting from £9, cocktails from £2.50. The food: good, but not gastronomic. There are two restaurants, one of them operating a reservations-only system, and with a less elaborate but better menu. Unfortunately, both lacked atmosphere — softer lighting would help. Round-the-clock cabin service was also available at no extra cost.

The shipmates: mainly middle-aged couples, average age 50. Most were from America, alongside plenty of Brits and a smattering of other nationalities.

Who will like it? People who think of cruising as big, impersonal and probably not for them.

Who won’t? Families: there is nothing for children to do, and they are unlikely to find playmates (there were just two youngsters on board our cruise). Also people who like wall-to-wall entertainment and dressing to impress.

The details: David Wickers was a guest of Virgin Atlantic and Windstar Cruises (020 7940 4488, www.windstarcruises.com ). A seven-night Caribbean cruise, plus a night ashore in a hotel, starts at £1,889pp, including flights from Gatwick to Barbados and transfers.

Other sailboat cruises: Wind Surf’s two little sisters, Wind Star and Wind Spirit, are both similar in looks to Wind Surf, but less than half its size: good for intimacy, but tight on space. Wind Surf’s twin sister is Club Med 2 (Wind Surf used to be Club Med 1), a floating version of a Club Med Village holiday. Details: 0845 367 6767, www.clubmed.co.uk .

Star Clippers (01473 292029, www.starclippers.com ) also has three traditional square-riggers in its fleet, which spend a lot more time under sail. They are smaller and more cramped than the Windstar ships, the on-board style even more casual, with a broader, friendlier mix of passengers. From next winter, all three have a choice of sailings in the South Sea islands in addition to the Med and the Caribbean.

Windjammer Barefoot Cruises (www.windjammer.com ; bookable through Seafarer Cruising, 0871 423 5547) operates the world’s largest fleet of tall ships, with five historic vessels spending most of their time in the Caribbean. As the name implies, the approach is very shorts and T-shirts.

Two sailing ships are at the top of the mast for luxury, but cater almost exclusively for overseas markets. The super-elegant 70-year-old Sea Cloud II (bookable through the Ultimate Travel Company: 020 7386 4646, www.ultimatetravelcompany.co.uk ) is predominantly one for the Germans; and Le Ponant (00 33 4 88 66 64 00; www.ponant.com ), almost wholly French.

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