Silversea
Silver Shadow
- Cruises
- 79
- From
- $3,900
Ship comparison
Silver Shadow vs Viking Octantis
Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking Octantis
- Cruises
- 36
- From
- $7,799
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Silver Shadow is a small Silversea ship carrying 382 passengers, in service since 2000. Viking Octantis is a small Viking Ocean Cruises ship carrying 378 passengers, in service since 2022.
Choose Silver Shadow if you want more culture, better-rated dining or a lower starting fare: it outscores Viking Octantis for cultural (9.0 vs 5.0) and dining (10.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $3,900 (vs $7,799).
Choose Viking Octantis if you want more of a party, a newer ship or a better-rated spa and gym: it outscores Silver Shadow for party (5.0 vs 0.0) and spa & fitness (10.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its maiden voyage was in 2022 (vs 2000).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Silver Shadow | Viking Octantis | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Silversea | Viking Ocean Cruises |
| Ship size | Small | Small |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2000 | 2022 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2015 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 28,258 | 30,150 |
| Passengers | 382 | 378 |
| Crew | 302 | 260 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 1.3 (better) | 1.5 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 74.0 | 79.8 (better) |
| Cabins | — | 189 |
| Decks | 10 | 7 |
| Length | 610 ft | 665 ft |
| Beam | 81 ft | 79 ft |
| Speed | 21 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 10 / 10 | 10 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 79 | 36 |
| Upcoming sailings | 81 | 112 |
| Cruise lengths | 7 to 132 nights | 7 to 80 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $3,900 (better) | $7,799 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Silver Shadow leads on 6 of the ten, Viking Octantis on 4.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Silversea
Silver Shadow
Silversea's Millennium Class ships, Silver Shadow and its sister ship Silver Whisper, are built with proportions slightly larger in size than other Silversea ships yet retain the same level of genuine hospitality.
Highlights
- Gaming in the onboard casino
- Views and complimentary cocktails from the Panorama Lounge
- Broadway-style entertainment in the Show Lounge
- Lectures by noted historians, ambassadors, state leaders, authors and geographers
Sailing now
79 cruises on sale, from $3,900.
Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking Octantis
Viking Octantis is the first expedition cruise ship to be introduced by Viking Cruises under the banner of its new Viking Expeditions brand. Given Viking's stellar fleet of midsize ocean ships, this new entry into the cruise market promises a new way for adventure travelers to explore the world.
Sailing now
36 cruises on sale, from $7,799.
Questions
Silver Shadow or Viking Octantis?
Which is bigger, Silver Shadow or Viking Octantis?
Viking Octantis is bigger at 30,150 gross tons, against 28,258 gross tons for Silver Shadow. Silver Shadow carries 382 passengers and Viking Octantis carries 378.
Which ship is newer, Silver Shadow or Viking Octantis?
Viking Octantis is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2022 against 2000 for Silver Shadow.
Which has more space per passenger?
Viking Octantis, with 79.8 gross tons per passenger against 74.0 on Silver Shadow. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Silver Shadow, with one crew member for every 1.3 passengers against one for every 1.5 on Viking Octantis.
Which is better for families?
Silver Shadow scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 2.0 out of 10, against 1.0 for Viking Octantis.
Still deciding?
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