Silverseas vs Viking ocean cruises

[Phylnov]

I would like to try a luxury cruise line and I am wondering if any of you more experienced cruisers have a preference. I’m looking for a quiet and relaxing cruise. Don’t need watersports or rock climbing walls. Is the extra money really worth it for a luxury cruise?

[tubeamps]

I think you should try a luxury line and see for yourself. I’ve sailed on Crystal, Regent and Viking and find that I prefer the Viking product, at least for now.

 

I thought Crystal was too dressy, stuffy and we found the food to be disappointing. Food is of course subjective and others will disagree.

 

Regent was great across the board, but lately their prices are in the stratosphere.

 

Viking put out a product at a comfortable price point with food and service that equaled if not surpassed the luxury lines.

 

Just my opinion, take it with a few grains of salt.

[Jim Avery]

53 minutes ago, Phylnov said:

I would like to try a luxury cruise line and I am wondering if any of you more experienced cruisers have a preference. I’m looking for a quiet and relaxing cruise. Don’t need watersports or rock climbing walls. Is the extra money really worth it for a luxury cruise?

The title of your post mentions Silversea but your question is about "luxury" cruise lines, not specifically Silversea.  You might get more responses if it did not seem to be specifically a Silversea comparison.  I have not sailed Silversea but have sailed a few of the other lux lines.  Most recently we sailed on Seabourn a couple of weeks in Alaska one month after leaving Viking Sun WC1.  We both agree Viking was a much better product.  We found the Seabourn Sojourn to be old, poorly maintained, and poorly laid out.  Service and food were not up to Viking Sun standards.  For now Viking is our cruise of choice too.

[orchestrapal]

25 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

The title of your post mentions Silversea but your question is about "luxury" cruise lines, not specifically Silversea.  You might get more responses if it did not seem to be specifically a Silversea comparison.  I have not sailed Silversea but have sailed a few of the other lux lines.  Most recently we sailed on Seabourn a couple of weeks in Alaska one month after leaving Viking Sun WC1.  We both agree Viking was a much better product.  We found the Seabourn Sojourn to be old, poorly maintained, and poorly laid out.  Service and food were not up to Viking Sun standards.  For now Viking is our cruise of choice too.

Given our choice we would always cruise on Crystal which we found to be just about perfect. Unfortunately  thay only go in and of NY once or so a year. We find Oceania and Viking good number two and threes.

[Haworth]

Like others Viking have become our line of choice, having also sailed Silversea I would say that the daily wine offered was of a higher standard and very knowledgeable sommeliers, for the rest Viking all the way.

 

[philw1776]

Direct answer from someone who has sailed with both.

Depending on preferences, either is excellent. I prefer Viking. Have future cruises booked with both.

Silversea Silver Muse (new) & Silver Spirit (totally updated) have 630 passengers; Viking 930.  Both styles are excellent. Viking seems less crowded, particularly @ the pool

Silversea has larger rooms that have both a larger shower plus a bubble bath.  Better than Viking's Penthouse Veranda.

Silversea has a butler, formally dressed while Viking has excellent room steward teams plus room service.  Prefer Viking's style.

All Viking specialty restaurants are included, no fees.  Fees $ for 2 specialty restaurants on Silversea.

Silversea restaurant service seems a little better. No complaints about Viking meal service.
Silversea requires suit coat in main restaurants & has more formal nights.  Prefer Viking more informal, collared shirt (no jeans) and slacks in restaurants EXCEPT World Cafe where jeans, shorts, T shirts OK.

Viking excellent World Cafe buffet totally beats out any similar Silversea venue.  This surprised me as before sailing Viking I thought wife liked dressing up a bit & table service but she loves her WC.

Silversea offers all included liquor and wide selection of good wines.  "Bring me the wine I liked last Wednesday" works on Silversea. Viking includes standard beers & wine @ lunch & dinner. Sliver Spirits extra package on Viking you pay ~$25 per day per person for liquor & specialty wines.  Never bought it as a Viking martini at $8.50 tip included does it for me.

Excursion experience seems similar with the 2 lines. 

Silversea has a casino.  Not intrusive.  Had fun watching one night, otherwise ignored.

No experience with either's entertainment.

Both have excellent port lectures.  Silversea better.  Viking has resident historians aboard.  On Homelands they were Meh.  On Med Odyssey, Oxford's Jeremy Paterson's lectures were superb.  Evening bull sessions in Explorer Lounge after dinner.

2 story Explorer Lounge on Viking blows away Silversea front observation lounge which is still excellent.

Silversea has a nice library.

The owners of Viking & Silversea are personal friends and have named parts of their ships after each other, e.g. Manfredi's Italian restaurant on Viking.

Edited February 14, 2019 by philw1776

[Focused1]

And Tor’s Observation Lounge on the Silver Muse. Totally agree with above poster on Silversea as I have sailed on all of their ships except for the expedition ships. Also sailed on Seabourn and Regent many times. But I can’t compare to Viking, yet, as I am about to take my first cruise on the Orion out of Auckland next week. 

[philw1776]

On 2/14/2019 at 8:25 PM, Focused1 said:

And Tor’s Observation Lounge on the Silver Muse. Totally agree with above poster on Silversea as I have sailed on all of their ships except for the expedition ships. Also sailed on Seabourn and Regent many times. But I can’t compare to Viking, yet, as I am about to take my first cruise on the Orion out of Auckland next week. 

I would be very interested in a detailed comparison post cruise.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Viking, I believe, is not strictly luxury, but rather a premium line, comparable more to Oceania. Haven't done Silversea but I understand it's similar to Regent,  but more formal, plus R includes most excursions.

 

We did a cruise on Seabourn Quest last fall and we were very happy, wonderful stateroom and terrific service. Regent is still our goto line, when not doing French Polynesia where the Paul Gauguin surpasses all.

[caviargal]

2 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Viking, I believe, is not strictly luxury, but rather a premium line, comparable more to Oceania.

 

 

 

That is my understanding as well and we are not expecting a luxury cruise from VO, but hopefully it will be on par overall with a premium experience.

We are fans of Oceania, especially the quality of their dining.  La Reserve, their Wine Spectator experience, was exceptional!  It will be interesting to see how food and service compare on VO. 

 

We have our first Crystal cruise coming up soon and are very much looking forward to that experience.  Our last ocean cruise was on Ponant and while ship was very nice, non French passengers definitely were treated as second class citizens and they lacked any specialty dining venues.

 

Edited February 18, 2019 by caviargal