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Ship comparison

Le Bougainville vs Viking Egil

The verdict

Which should you choose?

Le Bougainville is an intimate Ponant Cruises ship carrying 184 passengers, in service since 2019. Viking Egil is an intimate Viking River Cruises ship carrying 190 passengers, in service since 2016.

Choose Le Bougainville if you want more space per passenger, more crew per passenger or more adventure and nature: it outscores Viking Egil for adventure & nature (7.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores, it has 53.8 gross tons per passenger (vs 26.3) and it has a crew member for every 1.7 passengers (vs 3.8).

Choose Viking Egil if you want a lower starting fare or better-rated entertainment: it outscores Le Bougainville for entertainment (6.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $2,499 (vs $4,180).

Side by side

Specifications

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

Le BougainvilleViking Egil
Cruise line Ponant Cruises Viking River Cruises
Ship size Intimate Intimate
Maiden voyagenewer highlighted 2019 (better) 2016
Gross tonnage 9,900 5,000
Passengers 184 190
Crew 110 50
Passengers per crew memberfewer is better 1.7 (better) 3.8
Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier 53.8 (better) 26.3
Decks 6 4
Length 430 ft 443 ft
Beam 59 ft 55 ft
Speed 14 mph 17 mph
Cruiseable ratingout of 10 7 / 10 8 / 10 (better)
Cruises on sale 40 7
Upcoming sailings 53 98
Cruise lengths 4–12 nights 7–11 nights
Fares fromlower highlighted $4,180 $2,499 (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 5 of the ten, Viking Egil on 1, with 4 level.

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

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.

Questions

Le Bougainville or Viking Egil?

Which is bigger, Le Bougainville or Viking Egil?

Le Bougainville is bigger at 9,900 gross tons, against 5,000 gross tons for Viking Egil. Le Bougainville carries 184 passengers and Viking Egil carries 190.

Which ship is newer, Le Bougainville or Viking Egil?

Le Bougainville is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2019 against 2016 for Viking Egil.

Which has more space per passenger?

Le Bougainville, with 53.8 gross tons per passenger against 26.3 on Viking Egil. 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 3.8 on Viking Egil.

Which is better for families?

They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 5.0 out of 10.

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