If you're considering a sailing on either Crystal Cruises or Seabourn, you're in luck! Both lines are known for exemplary service and sail interesting itineraries throughout the world. You will definitely feel pampered, no matter which line you select.
Celebrity chefs work their magic on ships across both fleets, and both have fabulous sun decks where you can splash in the pool or sip an umbrella drink while watching the world from your perch in the hot tub. Both lines also offer some excellent evening entertainment.
The ways in which these cruise lines differ are more subtle, but these differences might be enough to sway you to book with one or the other. Let's take a closer look at Crystal vs. Seabourn.
Fleet
Crystal CruisesYou're probably most familiar with Crystal's two cruise ships: the 848-passenger Crystal Symphony (launched 1995, refurbished in 2017) and 980-passenger Crystal Serenity (2003, refurbished 2018). The line also sails the 62-passenger Crystal Esprit yacht (2015) and five riverboats: the 154-passenger Crystal Mozart (2016), the 110-passenger Crystal Bach (2017), and the 106-passenger Crystal Debussy (2018), Crystal Mahler (2017) and Crystal Ravel (2018).Crystal will also introduce a new Diamond Class ship in 2022. The Diamond Class vessel will be about 67,000 GRT and can accommodate around 800 passengers. Crystal Endeavour, a polar-class mega-yacht, will debut August 2020.For the purpose of this story, we'll focus mainly on the cruise ships.Seabourn Cruise LineSeabourn sails three sister ships: Seabourn Odyssey (launched in 2009; refurbished in 2017), Seabourn Quest (2011; 2016 refurb) and Seabourn Sojourn (2010; 2017 refurb), each accommodating 458 passengers. Two 600-passenger sister ships -- Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation -- debuted in 2016 and 2018, respectively.Two new expedition ships are also set to launch in June 2021 and May 2022. Both are 23,000 GRT and meet PC6 Polar Class standards for Artic and Antarctica cruises. Each vessel will have 132 balcony suites, two submarines, 24 Zodiacs and a kayak fleet, and will accommodate 264 passengers,.Price
Crystal and Seabourn's fares include a great mix of perks. Crystal's all-inclusive fare includes Wi-Fi and gratuities for housekeeping, restaurant and bar service, plus butler service for Penthouse guests. Seabourn charges for Internet access but says "tipping is neither required, nor expected." Both lines offer complimentary beverages, wines and spirits onboard at all times, but Seabourn goes beyond by stocking your in-suite bar with your preferences. Crystal provides passengers with an evening of specialty dining in each of its two for-fee restaurants, but on Seabourn, all dining venues -- including the Grill by Thomas Keller -- are complimentary, as is the popular show "An Evening with Tim Rice."Choose Crystal if you want free Wi-Fi.

Itineraries
Both Crystal Cruises and Seabourn sail the seven seas and hit just about every corner of the globe; they both even offer a few Antarctica voyages, which is a bit far afield for most luxury cruise lines. Both lines visit Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific as well as Southeast Asia and China, Korea and Japan. Northern Europe, Baltic, Africa and Mediterranean sailings can also be booked on both lines. Crystal offers a full world cruise annually, while Seabourn has scheduled a world cruise in 2020 -- its first official World Cruise in six years.Choose Crystal Cruises if you'd like to try a theme cruise.

Shore Excursions
These two cruise lines have similar approaches to shore excursions, and you'll find a variety of tours that include gentle walking options, motor coach explorations beyond the city center, active adventures (think kayaking and other water sports) as well as tours with a hands-on component, such as a cooking class or wine tasting. Both cruise lines charge extra for shore tours but Seabourn does throw in a special freebie experience -- such as Caviar in the Surf or Shopping with the Chef -- in select ports on some voyages.Choose Crystal if you want to participate in voluntourism activities during your cruise.

Cabins
You'll enjoy the design, decor and amenities of cabins aboard both Crystal and Seabourn ships. Entry-level cabins are larger on Seabourn ships. However, if you're booking an upper-tier category, Crystal offers butler service in all its Penthouse suites while butlers aren't available at all on Seabourn ships.Choose Crystal if you want a cheaper ocean-view cabin.

Dining
You won't lose weight on a Crystal or Seabourn cruise. That's because both lines put an emphasis on the cuisine they serve and you'll want to try it all. Both call on celebrity chefs to design some of their dining experiences (Nobu Matsuhisa for Crystal and Thomas Keller on Seabourn). Seabourn's buffets get high marks and Crystal added a Brazilian Churrascaria in 2017 that's already a hit with passengers.Choose Crystal for more dining variety.

Entertainment
Both lines excel in different aspects of the entertainment spectrum. Both have excellent evening shows. Seabourn presents "An Evening with Tim Rice," which includes talented singers in a concert-style revue combined with a video screen that shows Mr. Rice telling stories about songs he wrote, including "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and the Lion King's "Hakuna Matata. Crystal comes to the table with multiple entertainment options each evening, as well as Crystal on Broadway. In partnership with Tony award-winning producer Kevin McCollum, the line brings Broadway performers onboard for a variety of performances and lecture-style events.Choose Crystal Cruises if you want to dance every single night of your voyage.

Family
Choose Crystal if you are traveling with young kids.

Bottom Line
Choose Crystal if you're looking to experience a themed cruise in an elegant suite, superb Asian cuisine and dining variety, an array of onboard activities and entertainment, and voluntourism opportunities. Choose Seabourn if you're looking for more spacious accommodations, VIP-type events with plenty of Champagne and caviar, and dining by Thomas Keller.Updated October 10, 2019
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