Seabourn Spirit vs Silversea Silver Spirit

So, the name's the same (nearly) but how do the ships compare?

Just finished South Pacific cruise on Silversea and just booked Seabourn Spirit for Caribbean cruise end Nov.

Are the 2 similar? Any startling differences (other than the obvious difference in ship size)?

I can't compare the ships, only the lines. My Silver Shadow cruise had some of the worst food I've had at sea, versus my Seabourn Pride cruise which had some of the best.

I agree - loved the food on the Pride, did not love the food on the SilverSeas Cloud. Also thought the service on Seabourn was much better than SilverSeas. Am boarding the Sojourn in two weeks in Manaus, so I'll post a review of the food, service, etc. when I return.

So, the name's the same (nearly) but how do the ships compare?

 

Just finished South Pacific cruise on Silversea and just booked Seabourn Spirit for Caribbean cruise end Nov.

 

Are the 2 similar? Any startling differences (other than the obvious difference in ship size)?

Both ships are totally different. 208 guests V 550 for a start.

The tonnage,The layout.The service.The food.The Gym.

It's Apples V Oranges again

This is a great question to ask your TA. He/she, if any good, should be able to tell you exactly what you need to now about the differences between the two. As Mr Luxury says, they are totally different experiences. Silver Silver Spirit is the largest Silversea ship carrying 560 passengers. Seabourn Spirit is one of the small Seabourn ships carrying 208. Personally, I love the small SB ships and as they will soon be gone from the fleet I'd choose one of them in a hot minute.

Both ships are totally different. 208 guests V 550 for a start.

The tonnage,The layout.The service.The food.The Gym.

It's Apples V Oranges again

While one can't compare apples with oranges you can compare apples to oranges.

I was really looking for personal preferences to get a feel for the difference in the experience.

This is a great question to ask your TA. He/she, if any good, should be able to tell you exactly what you need to now about the differences between the two. As Mr Luxury says, they are totally different experiences. Silver Silver Spirit is the largest Silversea ship carrying 560 passengers. Seabourn Spirit is one of the small Seabourn ships carrying 208. Personally, I love the small SB ships and as they will soon be gone from the fleet I'd choose one of them in a hot minute.

Clearly, the ships are different as you describe. While the TA can advise on the differences (and the SB website fills in the detail) he can't offer personal experiences (if he could we would be paying him too much!).

Your comment at the end about choosing one of the small SB ships is comforting. Thanks for that.

Tothesunset, from a TA point of view, you should not be presuming things about your agent's life or who is paying him/her. Many of us have had former careers, might be old enough to be debt free, (I'm close but not), and we also sell our product because we DO experience it.

I'm an agent and sailed many times on Silversea as a full paying guest and on Regent 3 times and am going on Seabourn this month.

I can't compare Sebourn yet but can compare the various sizes on Silversea because we have sailed on all 3 sizes.

When number of guests goes up, the number of available options on the ship goes up, but then the intimacy of the ship goes down. It's a trade off. We have enjoyed all the sizes of 296 to 700 that we have been on. Silver Spirit is different from Wind, so I am sure it is different from Seabourn triplets. However, some things are similar such as the included services and the clientele. You will find that a lot of the people around here sail the various luxury lines, while some are totally loyal to one or the other. Did you sail on one or the other, and if so, are you going up or down in size. It may matter in your opintions.

Happy sailing.

My TA sails Seabourn all the time, must tell him he should give me bigger discounts as I am obviously paying too much!! :rolleyes:

Now that I've gone back and read the OP, I see you were comparing going from SS Spirit to SB Spirit. Even on the 3 sizes of Silversea ships, you see a different personality change in the ship itself due to the size, so you will see a difference.

Tothesunset, from a TA point of view, you should not be presuming things about your agent's life or who is paying him/her.

No presumption - the TA has experience of neither line. He does, however, appear to have an extensive knowledge of their brochures and can root out some good cruise/air/hotel deals.

When number of guests goes up, the number of available options on the ship goes up, but then the intimacy of the ship goes down. It's a trade off. We have enjoyed all the sizes of 296 to 700 that we have been on. Silver Spirit is different from Wind, so I am sure it is different from Seabourn triplets. However, some things are similar such as the included services and the clientele. You will find that a lot of the people around here sail the various luxury lines, while some are totally loyal to one or the other. Did you sail on one or the other, and if so, are you going up or down in size. It may matter in your opintions.

 

Happy sailing.

Thanks for that. I'm starting to get the feeling from reading many threads on here that we should expect similar levels of service/food/quality but that the SB Spirit might feel more intimate and club-like? Interesting point about the similarity of the clientele (and that's a good thing!).

Now that I've gone back and read the OP, I see you were comparing going from SS Spirit to SB Spirit. Even on the 3 sizes of Silversea ships, you see a different personality change in the ship itself due to the size, so you will see a difference.

It will be interesting to compare. We liked SS a lot but want to try SB. Furthermore we hope to have a crack at Regent, Azamara etc as time and the bank manager allow. So we are not yet ready to cast our chips for one particular line.

The OP may seem a little simple but we are new to this and in amongst this thread, and more particularly the forum as a whole, are little nuggets of information, opinion and dogma that help to get a feel for what to expect.

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

Maybe Tothesunset you should try a different agent, the one we use knows both lines, because he does sail on them and is always ready with an opinion. Also I think it better that they have first hand knowledge of the product they are selling, not to mention you would be probably saving pennies and we know in these straightened times it is something we all need to do.

Maybe Tothesunset you should try a different agent, the one we use knows both lines, because he does sail on them and is always ready with an opinion. Also I think it better that they have first hand knowledge of the product they are selling, not to mention you would be probably saving pennies and we know in these straightened times it is something we all need to do.

I think you may be right!

We have been recommended an agent in Houston, Tx from some friends. The slight downside is being at the mercy of the exchange rate but the upside is that she deals exclusively with cruise customers and has over 30 years experience.

The SB cruise is booked but I think we need to be a bit more worldly-wise in the future especially as we seem to have been bitten very hard by the cruise bug.

Well for future reference you should do a little research for the UK Agent that many of cruise critic posters in the UK use, in fact even our American friends use him as well because his prices are so competitive. Unfortunately I can't give you a name as it is against the policy on this board, but I can tell you they are based in Reading and usually advertise in the weekend travel supplements, with big adverts for Cunard!! Happy cruising with which ever line you most enjoy and I am sure you will be happy with Seabourn.

I have had another thought, have you visited the referral coupon thread? If you are a first time Seabourn sailor you can get someone to refer you and you will receive an onboard credit of $400 and the person that refers you also gets $400 on their next cruise! We have a coupon available if you are interested.

I have had another thought, have you visited the referral coupon thread? If you are a first time Seabourn sailor you can get someone to refer you and you will receive an onboard credit of $400 and the person that refers you also gets $400 on their next cruise! We have a coupon available if you are interested.

Didn't know about that. We've booked so I guess it's a little late. That'll teach me to look round the forum a bit more carefully next time!

Tothesunset,

You are clearly using an agent that does not have any experience of sailing on either line.

The exchange rate is not favourable for the £v$ at the moment.

As another poster mentioned many of us use the same TA who offers the best deals.

Tothesunset

I am one of those in the US using a UK agent. For the past four years i have received better service and pricing from her than I ever did from a US agent affiliated with the Virtuoso consortium.She only handles cruises and only the luxury lines.

Didn't know about that. We've booked so I guess it's a little late. That'll teach me to look round the forum a bit more carefully next time!

No it's not too late you just have to have a booking number. Unfortunately my husband has promised our coupon to a friend who is sailing on the Legend in September, but if you go onto the referral thread at the top of the page you will find numerous willing souls.

We now use the same TA as Mr Luxury and Prunella, and lots of other CC regs. Gave us a very generous discount on our first Seabourn cruise in December. We got a quote from a top selling SB agent in the US for the same cruise but even with his discount it didn't work out so favourably, because of the exchange rate currently.

The TA we're talking about has the expertise and inside knowledge of both SS and SB and we found them very helpful indeed, having previously used Amex Platinum (UK) who really acted just as booking agents who could arrange OBC and a bottle of Dom Perignon. (ie total waste of time!). The TA referred to here is far superior in every way.

I can't compare Silver Spirit with SB Spirit as our only SB cruise was on Quest (we've sailed Silver Spirit several times). I agree that fellow guests are very similar in outlook.

I have clearly been naive in my choice of TA and must endeavour to contact the agent in the above posts. If only there were a PM system on this forum...

We have sailed on the Silver Spirit but not Seabourn. I have been able to compare the almost new ship (Silver Spirit) with the smaller and much older Silver Wind (296 passengers). I found that no matter how I looked at it, the Silver Wind was an old ship with updated furnishings. Some people enjoy the older, smaller ships and others prefer the newer ships.

To be honest, I would prefer sailing on one of the new Seabourn ships rather than on the Silver Spirit as it our least favorite Silversea ship. The only reason we have not tried Seabourn yet is that there is smoking in the suites and balconies. Hopefully this will change someday:o

Tothesunset,

I know in the past Host Dan has been willing to act as a go between regarding Referral Coupons for those of us like you and me who prefer to not publicly post our Email address. If you are interested in a $400 coupon it is not too late and I have one I would be happy to send across the pond to you. Just let me know and then we can each Email Dan.

Having been on both Seabourn Spirit and Silversea Wind within the last six months

(disembarked SS in January) we found the ONLY comparison with SB was their

marvellous staff and there it ended. SS was a smoker's paradise, food was terrible,

officers rarely seen, the only music to dance to was one painist, they did have a band

but they only played where the dance floor only held 3 couples with the result no one

ever went there. Needless to say we will not be returning to SS. It was not our first

one however the last time we tried their 'Whisper' and found their food was terrible

as well. Thankfully in 10 days we will be joining the 'Pride' and I already know, as per

usual, we will enjoy our 18 days of paradise.