Silversea
Silver Whisper
- Cruises
- 58
- From
- $3,400
Ship comparison
Silver Whisper vs Viking Polaris
Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking Polaris
- Cruises
- 34
- From
- $7,499
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Silver Whisper is a small Silversea ship carrying 382 passengers, in service since 2001. Viking Polaris is a small Viking Ocean Cruises ship carrying 378 passengers, in service since 2022.
Choose Silver Whisper 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 $3,400 (vs $7,499).
Choose Viking Polaris if you want more of a party, more adventure and nature or a newer ship: it outscores Silver Whisper for party (6.0 vs 0.0) and adventure & nature (10.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its maiden voyage was in 2022 (vs 2001).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Silver Whisper | Viking Polaris | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Silversea | Viking Ocean Cruises |
| Ship size | Small | Small |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2001 | 2022 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2018 | — |
| 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 | 82 ft | 79 ft |
| Speed | 24 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 10 / 10 | 10 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 58 | 34 |
| Upcoming sailings | 97 | 118 |
| Cruise lengths | 7–28 nights | 7–86 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $3,400 (better) | $7,499 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Silver Whisper 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 Whisper
Competing in the ultra-luxury segment alongside lines like Seabourn, Crystal and Regent Seven Seas, Silversea is a small privately owned line with a strong Italian influence and heritage. The focus is on offering a comfortable, stylish and personal approach to cruising with an emphasis on food and service.
Highlights
- Broadway-style entertainment in the Show Lounge
- Relaxing spa treatments at the Spa at Silversea
- Teak chaise lounges and whirlpools on the pool deck
- Cognacs along with a premium selection of cigars for purchase at Connoisseur's Corner
Sailing now
58 cruises on sale, from $3,400.
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
34 cruises on sale, from $7,499.
Questions
Silver Whisper or Viking Polaris?
Which is bigger, Silver Whisper or Viking Polaris?
Viking Polaris is bigger at 30,150 gross tons, against 28,258 gross tons for Silver Whisper. Silver Whisper carries 382 passengers and Viking Polaris carries 378.
Which ship is newer, Silver Whisper or Viking Polaris?
Viking Polaris is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2022 against 2001 for Silver Whisper.
Which has more space per passenger?
Viking Polaris, with 79.8 gross tons per passenger against 74.0 on Silver Whisper. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Silver Whisper, 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?
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