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Ship comparison

Royal Clipper vs Viking Vili

The verdict

Which should you choose?

Royal Clipper is an intimate Star Clippers ship carrying 227 passengers, in service since 2000. Viking Vili is an intimate Viking River Cruises ship carrying 190 passengers, in service since 2014.

Choose Royal Clipper if you want more crew per passenger, a more family-friendly ship or a more romantic trip: it outscores Viking Vili for family friendly (2.0 vs 0.0) and romantic (9.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and it has a crew member for every 2.1 passengers (vs 3.8).

Choose Viking Vili if you want a newer ship, a better-rated spa and gym or better-rated entertainment: it outscores Royal Clipper for spa & fitness (6.0 vs 4.0) and entertainment (5.0 vs 4.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its maiden voyage was in 2014 (vs 2000).

Side by side

Specifications

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

Royal ClipperViking Vili
Cruise line Star Clippers Viking River Cruises
Ship size Intimate Intimate
Maiden voyagenewer highlighted 2000 2014 (better)
Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted 2013 —
Gross tonnage 5,000 5,000
Passengers 227 190
Crew 106 50
Passengers per crew memberfewer is better 2.1 (better) 3.8
Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier 22.0 26.3 (better)
Decks 4 4
Length 439 ft 443 ft
Beam 54 ft 37 ft
Speed — 17 mph
Cruiseable ratingout of 10 7 / 10 8 / 10 (better)
Cruises on sale — 6
Upcoming sailings — 40
Cruise lengths — 7 to 14 nights
Fares fromlower highlighted — $3,299

Bliss scores

How they rate, out of 10

Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Royal Clipper leads on 5 of the ten, Viking Vili on 4, with 1 level.

  • Active Royal Clipper: 8.0 Viking Vili: 7.0
  • Adventure & nature Royal Clipper: 7.0 Viking Vili: 6.0
  • Cultural Royal Clipper: 7.8 Viking Vili: 8.0
  • Dining Royal Clipper: 7.0 Viking Vili: 6.0
  • Entertainment Royal Clipper: 4.0 Viking Vili: 5.0
  • Family friendly Royal Clipper: 2.0 Viking Vili: 0.0
  • Party Royal Clipper: 5.0 Viking Vili: 5.0
  • Romantic Royal Clipper: 9.0 Viking Vili: 7.0
  • Spa & fitness Royal Clipper: 4.0 Viking Vili: 6.0
  • Staterooms Royal Clipper: 6.0 Viking Vili: 7.0

Star Clippers

Royal Clipper

Royal Clipper, owned by Star Clippers Cruises, is a distinguished five-masted, fully-rigged sailing ship that offers a unique seagoing experience, blending the grandeur and tradition of classic sailing with modern amenities and luxurious service.

Viking River Cruises

Viking Vili

The 190-passenger Viking Vili takes travelers through scenic vistas of tulip fields, castles and charming riverside towns as well as stops in Vienna, Budapest and Amsterdam.

Highlights

  • Sun Deck with 360-degree views and shaded sitting area; organic herb garden and solar panels; putting green, chess and walking track
  • Free shipwide wi-fi
  • "Balcony" cabins have floor-to-ceiling glass doors
  • Aquavit Terrace at the bow of the ship is great place to watch the river roll by

Sailing now

6 cruises on sale, from $3,299.

Questions

Royal Clipper or Viking Vili?

Which is bigger, Royal Clipper or Viking Vili?

They are the same size, 5,000 gross tons each. Royal Clipper carries 227 passengers and Viking Vili carries 190.

Which ship is newer, Royal Clipper or Viking Vili?

Viking Vili is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2014 against 2000 for Royal Clipper.

Which has more space per passenger?

Viking Vili, with 26.3 gross tons per passenger against 22.0 on Royal Clipper. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.

Which has more crew per passenger?

Royal Clipper, with one crew member for every 2.1 passengers against one for every 3.8 on Viking Vili.

Which is better for families?

Royal Clipper scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 2.0 out of 10, against 0.0 for Viking Vili.

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