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Ship comparison

Le Bougainville vs Scenic Opal

The verdict

Which should you choose?

Le Bougainville is an intimate Ponant Cruises ship carrying 184 passengers, in service since 2019. Scenic Opal is an intimate Scenic ship carrying 169 passengers, in service since 2015.

Choose Le Bougainville if you want more space per passenger, more crew per passenger or better-rated dining: it outscores Scenic Opal for dining (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores, it has 53.8 gross tons per passenger (vs 16.1) and it has a crew member for every 1.7 passengers (vs 3.3).

Choose Scenic Opal if you want a more family-friendly ship, better-rated entertainment or more of a party: it outscores Le Bougainville for family friendly (6.0 vs 5.0), entertainment (6.0 vs 5.0) and party (6.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.

Side by side

Specifications

marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.

Le BougainvilleScenic Opal
Cruise line Ponant Cruises Scenic
Ship size Intimate Intimate
Maiden voyagenewer highlighted 2019 (better) 2015
Gross tonnage 9,900 2,721
Passengers 184 169
Crew 110 51
Passengers per crew memberfewer is better 1.7 (better) 3.3
Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier 53.8 (better) 16.1
Decks 6 4
Length 430 ft 443 ft
Beam 59 ft 63 ft
Speed 14 mph 14 mph
Cruiseable ratingout of 10 7 / 10 8 / 10 (better)
Cruises on sale 40 60
Upcoming sailings 53 86
Cruise lengths 4–12 nights 7–28 nights
Fares fromlower highlighted $4,180 $3,577 (better)

Bliss scores

How they rate, out of 10

Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Le Bougainville leads on 1 of the ten, Scenic Opal on 3, with 6 level.

  • Active Le Bougainville: 7.0 Scenic Opal: 7.0
  • Adventure & nature Le Bougainville: 7.0 Scenic Opal: 7.0
  • Cultural Le Bougainville: 7.0 Scenic Opal: 7.0
  • Dining Le Bougainville: 8.0 Scenic Opal: 7.0
  • Entertainment Le Bougainville: 5.0 Scenic Opal: 6.0
  • Family friendly Le Bougainville: 5.0 Scenic Opal: 6.0
  • Party Le Bougainville: 5.0 Scenic Opal: 6.0
  • Romantic Le Bougainville: 8.0 Scenic Opal: 8.0
  • Spa & fitness Le Bougainville: 7.0 Scenic Opal: 7.0
  • Staterooms Le Bougainville: 7.0 Scenic Opal: 7.0

Ponant Cruises

Le Bougainville

Featuring innovative and environmentally friendly equipment, elegantly designed cabins, spacious suites with large windows and lounge areas that open onto the outside, Le Bougainville launched in August 2019 as one of the new luxury expedition yachts from France-based Ponant cruise line.

Sailing now

40 cruises on sale, from $4,180.

Scenic

Scenic Opal

The luxury river ship Scenic Opal from the Scenic fleet voyages through the heart of Europe on the Rhine, Moselle and Danube rivers. The 85-cabin ship features a heated vitality pool for guests to enjoy on the panoramic Sun Deck.

Highlights

  • Complimentary cocktails, spirits, beer and wine
  • Personal butler service
  • Brand-new and launched in June 2015

Sailing now

60 cruises on sale, from $3,577.

Questions

Le Bougainville or Scenic Opal?

Which is bigger, Le Bougainville or Scenic Opal?

Le Bougainville is bigger at 9,900 gross tons, against 2,721 gross tons for Scenic Opal. Le Bougainville carries 184 passengers and Scenic Opal carries 169.

Which ship is newer, Le Bougainville or Scenic Opal?

Le Bougainville is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2019 against 2015 for Scenic Opal.

Which has more space per passenger?

Le Bougainville, with 53.8 gross tons per passenger against 16.1 on Scenic Opal. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.

Which has more crew per passenger?

Le Bougainville, with one crew member for every 1.7 passengers against one for every 3.3 on Scenic Opal.

Which is better for families?

Scenic Opal scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 6.0 out of 10, against 5.0 for Le Bougainville.

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