Silversea vs Regent: How I’d Choose for the Mediterranean
Silversea vs Regent Seven Seas: what each fare really includes, how the ships compare, what a Mediterranean week costs all-in, and which line fits how you travel.
The short version: if you want one fare that covers nearly everything — flights, transfers, unlimited shore excursions — book Regent Seven Seas. If you care most about food, newer ships, and building the trip your own way with your own guides, book Silversea. Both are all-suite, both are quiet-luxury rather than glitter, and on a Mediterranean itinerary both will treat you exceptionally well. The real decision isn’t “which line is better.” It’s how much of the trip you want decided for you before you board.
I place clients on both lines, so I have no horse in this race. The Silversea vs Regent question comes up in nearly every luxury cruise conversation I have, and here is how I actually walk someone through it.
What does each fare actually include?
Both fares include drinks (including good wine and spirits), gratuities, specialty restaurants, and Wi-Fi. From there they diverge. Regent bundles in round-trip airfare — business class on intercontinental routes — airport transfers, and unlimited shore excursions, plus a pre-cruise hotel night in Concierge-level suites and above. Silversea sells two fare types: a door-to-door fare that adds flights and private transfers from your home, and a port-to-port fare that strips those out for a lower price and lets you make your own arrangements.
Here is my honest take on the bundle question. Regent’s inclusions are real value if you would have booked those things anyway. But many of my Mediterranean clients skip ship excursions entirely — in ports serving Florence, or in Kuşadası for Ephesus, they want a private guide and their own pace, not a group coach. If that is you, part of Regent’s fare is paying for tours you will not take, and Silversea’s port-to-port pricing plus your own arrangements can come out meaningfully ahead. If you like the ship handling everything, Regent’s math wins.
Silversea vs Regent: how do the ships compare?
Both fleets are all-suite, veranda-heavy, and small by mass-market standards. These are the ships you are most likely to see in the 2027 Mediterranean:
| Ship | Line | Guests | Debut | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Nova / Silver Ray | Silversea | 728 | 2023 / 2024 | Asymmetrical design, huge glass, the fleet’s most open connection to the sea |
| Silver Moon / Silver Dawn | Silversea | 596 | 2020 / 2021 | Home of the S.A.L.T. culinary program at its most complete |
| Seven Seas Grandeur | Regent | 746 | 2023 | Regent’s newest style: polished, art-filled, formal in the best sense |
| Seven Seas Prestige | Regent | 850 | Dec 2026 | New class; Skyview Suites with private terrace decks, padel court, seven specialty restaurants |
Two differences matter more than the brochures suggest. First, butlers: every Silversea suite, at every level, comes with butler service; on Regent, butlers start at the Penthouse level. Second, the top end: Regent goes bigger — the Prestige’s two-deck Skyview Regent Suite measures 8,794 square feet, the largest suite at sea — while Silversea’s advantage is consistency across the whole ship rather than one spectacular penthouse.
What does a Mediterranean week actually cost on Silversea vs Regent?
As of this writing, a seven-night 2027 Mediterranean sailing in an entry veranda suite typically runs roughly $4,500–$6,500 per person on Silversea port-to-port, and roughly $6,500–$9,500 per person on Regent — but that Regent figure includes intercontinental business-class air and all excursions. To compare honestly, add your real flight and touring costs to the Silversea number, then look again. For a couple flying business from the U.S., those add-backs can run $4,000–$8,000 for the trip, which is why the two lines end up closer than the sticker prices suggest. The right comparison is always the all-in number for your travel style, not the headline fare.
If you would like me to run that all-in math on an actual sailing you are considering, that is exactly what a discovery call about luxury cruise planning is for.
Which line has better food?
Both feed you very well; the philosophies differ. Silversea’s S.A.L.T. program (Sea and Land Taste) changes with the itinerary — the menus, cooking classes, and market tours follow the coastline you are sailing, so a Sicily day tastes like Sicily. Regent’s strength is a consistent, polished repertoire: Prime 7 steakhouse, Chartreuse’s French fine dining, and on Prestige the new Mediterranean venue Azure. My rule of thumb: destination-led eaters lean Silversea; travelers who want reliably excellent classics every night lean Regent.
Which works for a milestone trip or three generations?
Neither ship is a floating resort with waterslides — if the teens need a kids’ club, look elsewhere. But for a 50th anniversary or a family of adults, both work, differently. Regent’s included excursions remove the “who is organizing today” problem for a group, and its biggest suites give a family a real gathering room. Silversea’s every-suite butler quietly solves the grandparents’ logistics — luggage, laundry, in-suite breakfast before an early tour. For mixed mobility, both lines’ newest ships (Nova, Ray, Grandeur, Prestige) have step-free access nearly everywhere; ask specifically about tender ports, which are the real accessibility constraint on any Mediterranean itinerary.
When should you book for summer 2027?
Twelve to fifteen months out — meaning now through early next year. Luxury lines open inventory roughly 18 months ahead, and the popular categories (entry verandas especially) go first on July and August sailings; as of this writing, marquee 2027 dates are already selling. Wave season promotions in January–March can sweeten terms, but you will be choosing from thinner suite selection. If a specific ship, date, and suite matter to you, book early and let a later promotion re-price it if one appears — most luxury lines will honor that.
If you are newer to this class of cruising, my guide to planning your first premium cruise covers how I match a traveler to a line in the first place, and my piece on why ships are finally staying longer in port explains a trend both these lines are leading. Both also run expedition fleets, which is a different decision entirely — see how I would decide between flying and sailing the Drake Passage. And their itineraries range far beyond the Mediterranean; Silversea’s Japan sailings are a case in point.
Frequently asked questions
Is Regent really all-inclusive?
Closer than anyone else. Air (business class on intercontinental routes), transfers, unlimited excursions, drinks, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and specialty dining are in the fare. You will still pay for spa treatments, premium excursions, and some top-shelf wines.
Does Silversea include flights?
Only on its door-to-door fares, which also include private transfers from your home. Port-to-port fares leave air to you — often an advantage if you use points or prefer specific routings.
Which line is more formal, Silversea or Regent?
Regent, slightly. Both are elegant casual most nights; Silversea keeps a formal option on longer sailings but has relaxed considerably. Neither will make you pack a tuxedo for a week in the Mediterranean.
Which is better for a first luxury cruise?
If the jump from premium lines feels risky, Regent’s bundle removes every variable, which first-timers find reassuring. Travelers who already know how they like to travel tend to prefer Silversea’s flexibility.
Are children welcome on Silversea or Regent?
Welcome, yes; catered to, no. Neither has meaningful kids’ programming. For a three-generation trip with children under 12, I would usually point you toward a different ship — ask me.
How far ahead should I book a 2027 Mediterranean cruise?
Twelve to fifteen months for first pick of suites and dates. Later can work if you are flexible on category and itinerary, but the best veranda suites on summer sailings go early.
I’m Eric Hempel, a luxury travel advisor who plans a limited number of trips each year, personally. If you are weighing these two lines for 2027, bring me the sailing and I will give you the all-in comparison for how you actually travel.
Plan this with Eric
Turn the idea into the right voyage.
Tell me what appealed to you: the pace, the destination or the ship’s atmosphere. I’ll compare realistic options and explain what deserves a closer look.