Silversea
Silver Shadow
- Cruises
- 79
- From
- $3,900
Ship comparison
Silver Shadow vs Viking Polaris
Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking Polaris
- Cruises
- 31
- From
- $7,999
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Silver Shadow is a small Silversea ship carrying 382 passengers, in service since 2000. Viking Polaris 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 Polaris 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 $7,999).
Choose Viking Polaris if you want more of a party, a newer ship or a better-rated spa and gym: it outscores Silver Shadow for party (6.0 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 Polaris | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 31 |
| Upcoming sailings | 81 | 112 |
| Cruise lengths | 7 to 132 nights | 7 to 80 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $3,900 (better) | $7,999 |
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 5 of the ten, Viking Polaris on 4, with 1 level.
- 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 Polaris
Viking Polaris debuted in August 2022 with sailings from Norway to the Arctic. Polaris is the second expedition cruise ship introduced by Viking Cruises under its new Viking Expeditions brand, following Viking Octantis.
Sailing now
31 cruises on sale, from $7,999.
Questions
Silver Shadow or Viking Polaris?
Which is bigger, Silver Shadow or Viking Polaris?
Viking Polaris is bigger at 30,150 gross tons, against 28,258 gross tons for Silver Shadow. Silver Shadow carries 382 passengers and Viking Polaris carries 378.
Which ship is newer, Silver Shadow or Viking Polaris?
Viking Polaris is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2022 against 2000 for Silver Shadow.
Which has more space per passenger?
Viking Polaris, 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 Polaris.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 2.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
Tell us what matters and we will match the sailing
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