Cruise line comparison
Regent vs Silversea: which should you choose?
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is the pick if you want the most inclusive luxury fare at sea, with excursions in every port, top-shelf drinks, every restaurant and tips all prepaid, on spacious all-suite ships. Silversea Cruises is the pick if you want butler service in every suite, a wider range of ship sizes, an inventive S.A.L.T. food program and the strongest expedition fleet in luxury, from Antarctica to the Galápagos. Regent bundles more ashore; Silversea goes farther afield.
- Regent
- Silversea
Photo: Mustang Joe, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Our verdict
Regent offers the most inclusive classic-cruise package in luxury, and for guests who tour in every port it’s hard to beat on value. Silversea offers personal butler service across the board, a more international feel and an expedition fleet Regent can’t match. For a Mediterranean or Northern Europe voyage where you’ll take a tour every day, choose Regent. For polar regions, the Galápagos or remote corners of the globe, choose Silversea.
Regent and Silversea sit at the top of ocean cruising, and both deliver all-suite ships, all-inclusive bars, excellent restaurants and service that remembers your name. The decision usually comes down to two things: how much you want included in port, and where you want to go.
Regent, part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, includes a shore excursion in every port, often several to choose from, and sails six ships of roughly 500 to 750 guests on classic routes worldwide. Silversea, owned by Royal Caribbean Group, assigns a butler to every suite, runs ships from about 100 to 730 guests, and pairs its classic fleet, led by Silver Nova and Silver Ray, with expedition ships such as Silver Endeavour for the polar regions and Silver Origin in the Galápagos. Its standard ocean fares don’t include excursions, though a higher fare tier adds credit and expedition voyages include daily outings.
Regent vs Silversea: head to head
| Feature | Regent | Silversea |
|---|---|---|
| Vibe | Spacious, plush and quietly American; lots of marble, chandeliers and room to spread out. | Italian-born and cosmopolitan, intimate on most ships, with a more international guest list. |
| Typical guest | Affluent North American couples, mostly 60 and older. | Well-traveled guests from North America, Europe and Australia, from their 50s up. |
| Ships and size | Seven Seas Navigator, Mariner, Voyager, Explorer, Splendor and Grandeur, about 500 to 750 guests. | Silver Nova and Silver Ray, Silver Muse, Moon and Dawn, older Silver Shadow and Whisper, plus expedition ships. |
| Shore excursions | Included in every port, with premium Regent Choice tours available for a fee. | Not standard on classic voyages; a higher fare tier adds excursion credit, and expedition voyages include daily landings. |
| What else is included | All drinks, specialty dining, Wi-Fi, gratuities and a pre-cruise hotel night for Concierge suites and above. | All drinks, dining, Wi-Fi, gratuities and butler service in every suite. |
| Dining | Compass Rose, Prime 7, Chartreuse, Pacific Rim and Sette Mari at La Veranda, with no surcharges. | S.A.L.T. Kitchen and Lab on newer ships, Kaiseki, Atlantide, La Terrazza and Hot Rocks; La Dame carries a surcharge. |
| Suites | Generous suites, most with balconies; the Regent Suite on the newer ships is among the largest at sea. | All suites with butlers, many with verandas, rising to Grand and Owner’s Suites; older ships have smaller entry-level suites. |
| Expedition cruising | None; Regent sticks to classic itineraries. | A full expedition fleet for Antarctica, the Arctic, the Kimberley and the Galápagos. |
| Itineraries | Worldwide classic routes, annual World Cruises and Grand Voyages. | Even broader, with more remote ports, expeditions and an annual world cruise. |
| Dress code | Elegant casual most evenings; longer voyages add optional formal nights. | Elegant casual, with formal-optional evenings on longer sailings. |
| Price positioning | Luxury; high fares, but excursions and more are prepaid. | Luxury; comparable fares, with fewer inclusions ashore on classic voyages. |
| Loyalty | Seven Seas Society. | Venetian Society. |
Which should you choose?
Choose Regent if…
- You want shore excursions in every port included, with no decisions about budgets ashore.
- You prefer bigger suites and a more spacious ship.
- You want an American-style luxury experience and fellow guests mostly from North America.
- You want a pre-cruise hotel night and as much handled as possible.
Choose Silversea if…
- You want a butler in every suite, even the entry-level ones.
- You dream of Antarctica, the Arctic or the Galápagos on a luxury expedition ship.
- You enjoy a more international crowd and a wider choice of ship sizes.
- You like the idea of S.A.L.T., Silversea’s regional food and cooking program.
The fleets by the numbers
| Measure | Regent | Silversea |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean ships in our guide | 6 | 11 |
| Average ship age | 15.7 years | 12.4 years |
| Average ship size | 46,000 GT | 35,000 GT |
| Newest ship | Seven Seas Grandeur | Silver Ray |
| Largest ship | Seven Seas Grandeur | Silver Ray |
Calculated from the ocean ships in our guide, with build years and tonnage from Wikidata.
Regent vs Silversea: FAQs
Is Regent or Silversea more all-inclusive?
Regent. Both include drinks, dining, Wi-Fi and gratuities, but Regent also includes shore excursions in every port. Silversea’s standard ocean fares don’t include excursions, though a higher fare tier adds credit and expedition voyages include daily landings.
Which is better for expedition cruising, Regent or Silversea?
Silversea, by a wide margin. It operates a dedicated expedition fleet, including Silver Endeavour for the polar regions and Silver Origin in the Galápagos. Regent doesn’t run expedition voyages.
Do all Silversea suites have a butler?
Yes. Every Silversea suite comes with butler service, which can include unpacking, pressing and in-suite dining. Regent offers butler service only in its higher suite categories.
Who owns Regent and Silversea?
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, alongside Oceania and Norwegian. Silversea is owned by Royal Caribbean Group, alongside Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.
Read the full reviews
Updated November 2026 by the BookMyDreamCruise editorial team. How we research and fact-check.
Sources: Regent official site, Silversea official site.