Silversea Cruises

Silversea runs two kinds of trip under one name: classic voyages on small luxury ships calling at Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Asian ports, and expedition voyages to Antarctica, the Arctic and other remote coasts on a dedicated expedition fleet. Every suite comes with a butler, and crew numbers run close to one per guest, a level of service the premium big-ship lines do not try to match.

All fares cover wine, spirits, beer and soft drinks, gratuities, Wi-Fi, butler service and onboard entertainment, so there is no tipping and very little on the bill at the end. Where fares differ is ashore. The basic All-Inclusive fare leaves classic-voyage shore excursions to buy separately; All-Inclusive Plus adds an excursion credit whose value varies by voyage. On expedition voyages, landings and excursions are part of the trip regardless.

For sailings from June 1, 2026, Silversea has two evening dress codes: Elegant Casual and Formal Optional. Cruises of seven days or fewer are Elegant Casual every night, 8-14 day trips have up to two Formal Optional evenings, and longer voyages have two or more - when tuxedos and gowns appear, though Elegant Casual is still acceptable. Families should note the age rules: babies under six months cannot sail on the classic ships, and the minimum age on expedition ships is five.

Seabourn is the closest like-for-like rival, with similar ship sizes and both classic and expedition fleets. Regent includes more in its fare, unlimited excursions above all, while Silversea's draw is its expedition program and its smaller, quieter ships.

Sources: silversea.com, silversea.com, silversea.com, my.silversea.com