Silversea vs Viking Ocean Cruises

[coco88]

How does Viking Ocean Cruises compare with Silversea. I've been on Silversea before and enjoyed it immensely. Trying Viking Sky for first time in February /18.

[philw1776]

Loved Silversea Silver Spirit on an Istanbul Mediterranean cruise. Also sailed Viking Sea, Homelands Baltic cruise.

Silver is all inclusive so you need to buy Viking Silver Spirits package $ to be equivalent. We did not spend the $ on Viking. You can bring wines onboard on Viking and they will serve to you with no corkage fees.

 

Rooms:

Had least expensive Vista picture window room on Silversea. Bigger than our Penthouse Veranda on Viking. Major difference is Silversea bathroom with sinks, LARGE shower and separate bubble tub. Silversea offers personal butler service (wife didn't care for it). Viking will bring rapid room service; never used it. All Viking rooms have verandas. Silversea wins except for the dark decor. Viking PV includes restocked small liquor bottles daily.

 

Dining:

Silversea main restaurant slightly better service, better menu selection than Viking. Loved that on Silversea you could say, "Bring me the specialty wine from 3 days ago again". Silversea main dining room was our favorite. Felt very at home there with the service.

Viking is very good. Viking offers a better vista with all floor to ceiling windows.

Specialty restaurants Viking wins especially with Viking's Manfredi's beating the Silversea Italian restaurant. I feel funny saying this about an Italian owned cruise line. No $ fees for specialty restaurants on Viking.

World Cafe buffet with service is where Viking really wins big. Main restaurant selections plus tons of other choices. Sushi bar. Gellato bar. If you ask they'll do a special order where possible and bring it to you. Viking needs to find a way to get World Cafe buffet dinner plates hot.

 

Touring:

Viking included tours tend to be bus panoramas with too little walking for my taste. Still enjoyed them except for crowded Copenhagen.

Both lines offer a variety of EXCELLENT optional tours. Took several with each line. Never disappointed.

Viking very cooperative with guests taking non-Viking private tours. Let us off 1st in St Petersburg because our private tour started early.

 

Ships:

Loved the Silver Shadow with 600 people. Feared Viking's 950 would seem crowded. WRONG. Often felt we owned the Viking ship. Roomy with lots of places. Two story glass bow facing Explorer's lounge on Viking was the best.

No casino on Viking. Not missed by me. Loved Silversea library with printed newspapers, even though a day or so old. Viking has books throughout the ship. Great reading material.

Viking shows movies in the pool area at night with headphones & blanket if needed. Silversea slightly larger main pool but no Infinity pool on stern as on Viking.

Can't compare entertainment as we never went on Viking. Only once on Silversea. However we loved Viking's 3 piece orchestra playing in the foyer, the unique & beautiful Wintergarden and explorer's lounge. Also Viking's pianist and guitar player.

 

I now prefer the Viking Ocean ships but I would choose my cruise based on destinations and would book again with either line.

Edited August 7, 2017 by philw1776

[coco88]

Hi Phil

Thank you for taking the time to write such a comprehensive comparison between the two lines. It is much appreciated. We are very much looking forward to our Viking Cruise.

[philw1776]

Welcome.

Forgot to mention that on Viking I saw no sports coats for dinner. Not required.

[Peregrina651]

Welcome.

Forgot to mention that on Viking I saw no sports coats for dinner. Not required.

 

Although not required, there are those who do wear them but it is a personal choice and not a requirement. We saw more of them on our winter cruise in the Med than we did on our summer cruise to Norway.

[Tarwood3]

Thanks for a Great review...concise and fair. We have often been on Silversea and have been kicking around the idea of Viking. The ships look beautiful....you’re right....Silversea sometimes seems old fashioned....but I hear Muse is different. I think we will definitely give them a try. We like to sample different cruise lines and are also more motivated by itinerary then anything.

[philw1776]

As much as I preferred Viking Ocean, we are considering booking Silversea's newest ship on an Alaskan cruise June 2019. Our travel friends are Uniworld fans and won't consider Viking. All inclusive drink package "that is free" (sic) and no tipping is a big with them. I am happy to sail with Silversea again and am eager to contrast Silversea's newest flagship Muse with its former flagship Spirit which is heading to be remodeled to be like the Muse this spring. Silversea has more experience in that area and with their Expeditions culture I expect more adventurous excursions choices, or maybe not.

Edited January 4, 2018 by philw1776

[Tarwood3]

We are looking forward to the Muse as well....we are going on her in November ...Singapore to Hong Kong with stops in Vietnam,

 

Spirit actually hasn’t been refurbished yet. We are on the last cruise before it goes into dry dock. We are doing a Mumbai to Dubai cruise from Feb 14-22nd...then it goes in for a makeover..including a 50’ section installed to make it bigger..it will be done to mimic the Muse...

I agree...I would definitely do a small cruiseline on Alaska like

Silversea.

[Vineyard View]

As much as I preferred Viking Ocean, we are considering booking Silversea's newest ship on an Alaskan cruise June 2019. Our travel friends are Uniworld fans and won't consider Viking. All inclusive drink package "that is free" (sic) and no tipping is a big with them. I am happy to sail with Silversea again and am eager to contrast Silversea's newest flagship Muse with its former flagship Spirit which is heading to be remodeled to be like the Muse this spring. Silversea has more experience in that area and with their Expeditions culture I expect more adventurous excursions choices, or maybe not.

 

 

We have not sailed SIlverseas - I have heard mostly positive about them. When we are looking, itinerary is key for us. I am only guessing that the two lines destinations would be similar in Alaska? So aside from personal preferences that travel friends have, in your opinion for Alaska (or I suppose any shared market), were there key pluses and minuses for Viking vs SIlverseas? Your two points of all inclusive, and experience with expeditions are two very good ones in my opinion.....

[philw1776]

We are doing our 2nd Viking Ocean in October in the Med aboard Viking Sky. I loved the ports & tour offerings.

Unlike when I book my own cruises I did not do a detailed comparison of V vs S for Alaska as we're planing to sail with our travel friends who need all inclusive "free" drink pkg. On my own I'd lean to Viking UNLESS I did the research to see if Silversea had better port & tour selection to my own taste, which I've not done and compared. I am excited to do a change of pace & sail the Muse.

[Vineyard View]

Thank you Philw....that makes perfect sense.

We too are, and have travelled with friends/family who, for various reasons have their cruise line choices....and the chance to do that together becomes the key driver in the trip....which makes it a good choice! I look forward to your feedback afterward

[Azulann]

Besides the small details (well, could important for some cruisers) the major difference is as follows:

Viking is a true resort ship while Silversea ships are club style/boutique ships - floating boxes.

4.5*+ vs 3.5-4* at best.

Yes, there are some misses due to the limited size of the ship and some design "imperfection", but nevertheless the result is just beautiful.

 

Explanation to the star rating:

 

 

Thank you for the link. it was very informative. I now understand what you mean about Viking being a resort ship.

I have been smitten with the Viking ships since I first saw the glossy brochure in my mailbox a number of years ago.

I realize having an observation lounge, promenade deck, great spa area, are important common spaces for me. More so than when I first started cruising. In the beginning, all I wanteded was a comfortable bed, good food, and sun loungers for a sea day. It was all about the ports, not really the ship. Celebrity fitted that bill for many years.

Now I look forward to sailing for 15 days on the Viking Sea in March and enjoying this resort ship along with some new ports of call.

[elease2]

Does Silversea include shore excursions like Viking?

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 1/27/2019 at 12:45 PM, elease2 said:

Does Silversea include shore excursions like Viking?

 

Haven't done Silversea, but no, they do not.  And Viking doesn't either.  They include one free excursion per cruise, usually half day, usually a bus or walking tour.  Of the ocean lines, I think Regent is the only one to include excursions (most are free, some enhanced ones have a charge.)

[philw1776]

11 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

Haven't done Silversea, but no, they do not.  And Viking doesn't either.  They include one free excursion per cruise, usually half day, usually a bus or walking tour.  Of the ocean lines, I think Regent is the only one to include excursions (most are free, some enhanced ones have a charge.)

This is incorrect.

Viking includes one excursion per port visited, not one per cruise.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 1/29/2019 at 11:30 AM, philw1776 said:

This is incorrect.

Viking includes one excursion per port visited, not one per cruise.

 

Oh sorry, I mispoke, of course it's one per port.  My bad.  But it is only one, and I believe a fairly rudimentary one, sometimes good, sometimes mediocre?  Just from what I've gathered, not my experience.