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Silver Muse vs. Regent Seven Seas Explorer

Editor-In-Chief
Colleen McDaniel

Last updated
Sep 21, 2017

Read time
8 min read
Silver Muse in Santorini
Silver Muse in Santorini (Photo: Silversea Cruises)

Only a handful of cruise lines truly fall into the high-end luxury category, but two of the biggest -- Silversea and Regent Seven Seas -- launched new ships within a year of each other. The two opulent cruise ships, Silver Muse and Seven Seas Explorer, couldn't be more different. Let us help you decide which is the right fit.


Compare by: Size | Decor | Suites | Dining | Spa | Inclusions


Size

Silver Muse:

Launched in 2017, Silver Muse has eight passenger decks, measures 40,700 gross tons and carries 596 passengers. It carries 411 crew members.

Seven Seas Explorer:

Launched in 2016, Seven Seas Explorer has 10 passenger decks, measures 54,000 gross tons and carries 750 passengers. It carries 542 crew members.


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Decor

Seven Seas Explorer:

There's no such thing as "too much" when it comes to decor on Seven Seas Explorer. Every space has a wow factor, thanks in part to an impressive art collection that includes pieces by Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso. CEO and President Frank Del Rio put together the collection himself. The ship also features more than an acre each of marble and granite, as well as nearly 500 chandeliers -- including a massive crystal fixture that serves as the gorgeous visual centerpiece for the atrium.

Silver Muse:

Silversea's vessel relies on understated elegance when it comes to decor. The ship employs a luxe, subtle, monochromatic brown color palette that's accented by marble detailing. Silver Muse is smartly cohesive: The marble used in the lounges, for example, is the same marble you'll find in your suite. Art also is elegant yet restrained, and it's mostly confined to staircases and the atrium.

Choose Explorer If:

You like your decor to be front-and-center or if you're an art aficionado. The cruise ship has got one of the best art collections we've ever seen at sea.

Choose Muse If:

You prefer your decor to serve as a serene backdrop to your cruise experience.


Regent Suite
Regent Suite (photo: Regent Seven Seas)

Suites

Silver Muse:

The smallest suite on Silver Muse is the entry-level balcony suite, which comes in at 367 square feet (including a 64-square-foot balcony). The biggest suites onboard come in at 1,970 square feet (with a 635-square-foot balcony). In between, Silver Muse's suites are quite large by industry standards; even the ship's version of the junior suite (called the Silver Suite) comes in at a whopping 786 square feet. Additionally, Muse offers a Royal Suite (up to 1,528 square feet) and Grand Suite (up to 1,970 square feet). All suites include bathtubs and butler service, along with a bevy of amenities, such as refrigerated mini-bars, walk-in closets, interactive TVs (set into mirrors) and lots of outlets and USB ports. Suites are heavy on creamy marble and fabrics in shades of beige. The ship's Owner's Suite features art and objects, such as books and music, that are favorites of Silversea owner Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio.

Seven Seas Explorer:

On Seven Seas Explorer, the smallest cabins are the Veranda Suites, which start at 219 square feet but have incredibly deep balconies that add an additional 88 square feet. The ship's mid-level suites range from 450 square feet for a Penthouse Suite to 655 square feet for the Seven Seas Suite. Seven Seas Explorer also offers the Explorer Suite (1,013 square feet), Grand Suite (920) and Master Suite (1,115). At the top end is the 2,917-square-foot Regent Suite, which includes a $150,000 master bed, a $250,000 piano and an in-suite spa (with unlimited included treatments). All cabins include interactive TVs, refrigerated mini-bars, USB charging stations and multiple outlets, and most feature marble and stone detailing and separate tubs and showers. Balconies across all cabin categories are large, and Penthouse Suites and above come with butler service.

Choose Muse If:

You want more spacious mid-level suites or you love the special attention you get from a world-class butler.

Choose Explorer If:

You want a larger variety of suite options or your outdoor veranda space is as important to you as your indoor space.


Cuisine on Silversea
Cuisine on Silversea (Photo: Silversea)

Dining

Seven Seas Explorer:

Compass Rose is the ship's main dining room, and passengers can eat here as often as they like. The dining room is open for breakfast and dinner, and serves a wide variety of dishes. If you don't want a formal sit-down, you can head to La Veranda, the ship's buffet, which transforms to Italian venue Sette Mari at night. Explorer also offers alternative dining venues included in the price; passengers can eat in each one at least once a cruise, but they have to make reservations. Pacific Rim is the ship's Pan-Asian restaurant, Prime 7 serves up delicious steaks and Chartreuse offers modern French cuisine. The ship also has several casual eateries, including a pool grill and cafe, and it has an extensive room service menu.

Silver Muse:

Silver Muse forgoes the traditional main dining room and instead offers a number of intimate restaurants that specialize in various types of cuisine. The closest to the MDR concept is Atlantide, which serves breakfast and lunch every day; at night, it becomes a seafood restaurant and steakhouse. La Terrazza serves as the ship's buffet for breakfast and lunch, but for dinner, it is the ship's sit-down Italian venue. Muse also has an Asian-fusion restaurant (Indochine), a restaurant where food is cooked on lava rocks (Hot Rocks), a tapas-inspired jazz club (Silver Note), a traditional French venue (La Dame by Relais & Chateaux) and a Japanese restaurant that serves sushi during the day and adds a hibachi grill at night (Kaiseki). The ship also offers a solid room service menu and has several casual eating options, including an excellent pizza place for lunch. Passengers technically don't need reservations, but they are helpful to ensure you get to eat where you want, when you want. Kaiseki is included for lunch, but dinner there costs $60 per person. La Dame also costs $60 per person.

Choose Explorer If:

You like a more traditional dining experience, don't want to pay extra for some specialty dining or want to skip making reservations.

Choose Muse If:

You prefer an intimate dining experience -- most of the venues are small, especially Kaiseki and La Dame.


Canyon Ranch SpaClub on Seven Seas Explorer
Canyon Ranch SpaClub on Seven Seas Explorer (Photo: Cruise Critic)

Spa

Silver Muse:

Operated by Steiner Leisure, Silver Muse's Zagara Spa offers treatments like massages and facials as well as salon and medispa services. Passengers meet with their therapist in a "mood room" that features special lighting; there, they pick scents and oils to be used during the treatment together. Zagara Spa also features a thermal suite that includes a private sun deck, lounge chairs, steam room and sauna, and a thalassotherapy pool. Passengers can purchase a cruise-long pass to the thermal suite.

Seven Seas Explorer:

Canyon Ranch operates the spa on Seven Seas Explorer and offers several cruise line exclusive options, such as an Arctic Sea nourishing ritual. Otherwise, treatments run the gamut, offering massages, facials and salon services. The Canyon Ranch Spaclub also has a thermal suite, which includes infrared sauna, cold room, experiential shower and aromatic steam room, as well as heated ceramic loungers. Access to any of the thermal suite offerings is open to all passengers at no additional cost.

Choose Muse If:

You like the option of having a thalassotherapy pool or want to try sound or light therapy treatments.

Choose Explorer If:

You don't want to pay an extra fee for a thermal suite or if you want to try alternative treatments like a cold room or aromatic steam.


wine toast on a cruise
Drink inclusions (Photo: GDmitry/Shutterstock)

Inclusions

Seven Seas Explorer:

All cruises on Seven Seas Explorer include all meals, beverages (except for the highest-end wine and spirits), gratuities, unlimited Wi-Fi, shore excursions, business-class airfare for U.S. passengers, the thermal suite and an always-available concierge. You'll pay extra for things like spa treatments, premium bottles of wine, personal training and tips for drivers and guides ashore. Fares vary widely depending on itineraries; expect to pay between $450 and $800 per person, per night, for an entry-level cabin. Cruises in Europe tend to be priced higher than those in the Caribbean, South America and Mexico.

Silver Muse:

All cruises on Silver Muse include dining in most restaurants (except La Dame and Kaiseki), beverages (except for the highest-end wine and spirits), gratuities and some Wi-Fi. Expect to pay extra for shore excursions, unlimited Wi-Fi, spa treatments, premium wine bottles, personal training and tips for guides and drivers during shore tours. Rates vary greatly depending on itineraries, but you can expect an entry-level cabin to run between $300 to $800 per person, per night. Mediterranean cruises are generally priced higher than other itineraries, such as those to Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

Choose Explorer If:

You want a no-hassle cruise that wraps everything into one package.

Explore Seven Seas Explorer Cruises

Choose Muse If:

You prefer flexibility with things like choosing shore excursions and airfare.

Explore Silver Muse Cruises

Publish date September 21, 2017
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