Regent Seven Seas and Silversea both sit firmly in the ultra-luxury category, with all-suite accommodation, highly inclusive fares, refined dining and a strong focus on service. Regent offers a more traditional small-ship luxury experience with unlimited shore excursions included, while Silversea generally sails with fewer guests, includes butler service in every suite and also operates a substantial expedition fleet.
Silversea’s classic ships are generally more intimate than Regent’s, with a mix of smaller vessels and newer ships such as Silver Nova and Silver Ray. Regent’s ships are larger but still very spacious, with all-suite accommodation, generous public areas and almost every suite featuring a private balcony. Both attract well-travelled guests looking for a sophisticated, quieter cruise experience, although Silversea gives you the added option of true expedition cruising in destinations such as Antarctica, the Arctic, the Galápagos and the Kimberley.
Both are highly inclusive, with dining, premium beverages, Wi-Fi, gratuities and 24-hour in-suite dining included. Regent goes further with unlimited shore excursions, valet laundry and all specialty dining included, while Silversea includes butler service in every suite and lets you choose between All-Inclusive fares with excursions purchased separately or All-Inclusive Plus fares that add a shore excursion credit on Classic voyages. If you plan to take organised excursions in most ports, Regent’s inclusions are particularly strong; if personalised in-suite service matters more, Silversea has a clear advantage.
Both have an excellent reputation for food and service, but there are some differences. Regent includes every specialty restaurant without surcharge and offers a broad choice of dining across its newer ships, while Silversea also includes most dining but charges for selected specialty experiences - depending on the ship and venue. Every Silversea suite comes with a butler, whereas Regent reserves butler service for Penthouse Suites and above. Both also include premium wines and spirits, with Regent now offering a customisable in-suite minibar across all suites.
Regent includes unlimited shore excursions in every port, with additional Regent Choice and private touring options available for a fee. Silversea’s current Classic cruise fares are more flexible: its standard All-Inclusive fare leaves shore excursions at your expense, while All-Inclusive Plus adds a shore excursion credit, and expedition voyages include their expedition activities. Regent therefore remains the stronger option if you want extensive organised touring built into the fare, while Silversea gives you more flexibility if you prefer to choose and pay only for the shore experiences that interest you.
Both cruise extensively around the world, with strong programs in Europe, Alaska, Asia, Australia, the Americas and longer Grand or World Voyages. Silversea has the broader reach overall because it combines classic cruising with expedition voyages to destinations such as Antarctica, the Arctic, the Galápagos and the Kimberley. Regent focuses on classic luxury cruising, often with longer stays and overnights in port, so if expedition travel is part of your plans Silversea offers considerably more choice; for traditional luxury cruising, there is plenty of overlap between the two.
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