While searching for just the right cruise itinerary in Greece and Turkey, I came across a line that is largely unknown in North America. Quail (also known as Happy Cruises) is a major tour operation in Europe that has branched out into the cruise business in the past few years.
This line does not use mega-ships. We took the M/V Gemini in 2010 (capacity 900 passengers), and the M/V Happy Dolphin (even smaller) serves the same itinerary in 2011. The primary language on board is Spanish. But there are rewards for budget travelers willing to overlook the smallish swimming pool or the possibility that you might be the only native English speaker on the ship.
Cruise lines these days are apt to charge you for any extra you might request, including such things as charter flights to port and even soft drinks. But the fare on this cruise was branded as "all-inclusive pricing."
As I considered my booking, I could find very few online reviews for this line, and none in English. So it's likely I will be the first to invite you to consider a review of the Quail Cruises' Treasures of the Adriatic & Turkey and its stops at Venice, Dubrovnik, Santorini, Rhodes and Kusadasi on the western coast of Turkey.