"Which line is cheapest" is the wrong question. The right one is what each fare has already paid for by the time you step aboard.
Three models, not three prices
| Line | How the fare is built | What that means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Regent Seven Seas | Bundles the most before departure — the model is built so that little is bought later | Highest headline fare of the three, and the least room to economise by opting out |
| Silversea | Strong onboard inclusion, with air and shore-excursion treatment varying by the fare you select | Two fares on the same sailing can differ materially — the fare type matters as much as the line |
| Seabourn | Bundles the onboard experience and generally leaves flights and most touring to you | Lowest apparent fare of the three, and the most that can be added to it after booking |
This is the whole comparison in one idea. A bundled fare and an unbundled fare are not two prices for the same thing. Regent looks expensive because it has already bought your excursions and, on many voyages, your flights. Seabourn looks cheaper because it has not. Neither is better value in the abstract — the answer depends entirely on whether you would have bought those things yourself.
The comparison that actually works
Build every option to the same finished state before you look at a single total. For one exact sailing, add up: the fare, flights, transfers, the excursions you would genuinely take rather than the ones included, drinks at the level you actually drink, gratuities, speciality dining, and insurance.
Do that and the gap usually narrows sharply — sometimes it closes, and occasionally it inverts. What it will not do is match the ranking you would have guessed from the brochures.
On Silversea, the fare type matters as much as the line. Two fares on the same ship and the same sailing can differ materially on air and shore excursions. Comparing "Silversea" against another line is not a real comparison until you have fixed which Silversea fare you are pricing.
The solo number, corrected
Silversea is frequently described as unusually generous to solo travellers, with supplements "as low as 10%". That figure comes from comparison sites. Silversea's own single-supplement page says solo travellers pay a supplement of 25% on selected voyages — read on 5 September 2026.
Twenty-five per cent on selected voyages is genuinely competitive for this segment, and it does not need inflating. The distance between 10% and 25% on an ultra-luxury fare is a large sum of real money, and a traveller who budgets on the lower figure has mispriced the trip before they start.
What this piece deliberately does not tell you
You will not find an itemised inclusion list for Regent or Seabourn here. Both lines' published positions are broadly as the market describes them, but neither could be read to the same standard as the Silversea figure above, and a comparison whose entire value is accuracy should not pad itself with claims it has not checked.
The same applies to Silversea's S.A.L.T. culinary programme. The useful, verified point is that it is ship-specific rather than fleetwide — so if it is part of why you are choosing the line, confirm the actual ship on your sailing carries it. Which vessels those are is a question for the operator, not for a comparison article.
Get these in writing before you pay
- Which fare type you are being quoted, and what changes if you move to another.
- Air: included or not, from which gateway, in which cabin, and what a deviation costs.
- Excursions: unlimited, one per port, a credit, or nothing.
- Beverages: which brands and tiers, and what sits outside them.
- Gratuities, onboard and ashore.
- The single-occupancy total as a number, not a percentage, if you travel alone.
- Expedition sailings: which activities are included and which are paid.
- Deposit, final payment and the date each cancellation band begins.
Frequently asked
Which of Silversea, Seabourn and Regent is most all-inclusive?
Regent Seven Seas bundles the most before departure, which is why its headline fare is the highest of the three. Seabourn generally bundles the onboard experience and leaves flights and most shore touring separate. Silversea sits between them, with air and excursion treatment that depends on the specific fare you book.
What single supplement does Silversea charge?
Silversea’s own single-supplement page states that solo travellers pay a supplement of 25% on selected voyages. Lower figures circulate on comparison sites; they are not what the operator publishes. Price the exact sailing for one guest and get the supplement confirmed in writing before you commit.
Is a higher all-inclusive fare better value?
Only if you would have bought the inclusions anyway. Take the lower fare, add the flights, excursions, drinks and gratuities you would genuinely purchase, and compare the totals. A bundled fare wins for travellers who use everything and loses for those who prefer to explore ports independently.
Does Silversea’s S.A.L.T. culinary programme run fleetwide?
No. S.A.L.T. is ship-specific rather than fleetwide, so it should not be assumed for any given voyage. If the culinary programme is part of why you are choosing Silversea, confirm that the actual ship on your sailing carries it before you book.
How should I compare these three lines properly?
Compare one exact sailing at a time, not the brands. Build each option to the same finished state — fare, flights, transfers, excursions you would actually take, drinks, gratuities, insurance — and only then look at the totals. Brand reputation does not price a voyage.
Are these lines good for solo travellers?
They can be, but the supplement decides it and it moves by sailing and promotion rather than by brand. Ask for the single-occupancy total as a number for your exact voyage and cabin, and treat any advertised percentage as conditional until it is written down.
What we verified, and what we would not. Silversea's 25% single supplement on selected voyages was read on the line's own page on 5 September 2026. The widely repeated "as low as 10%" appears only on third-party comparison sites and is not asserted here. Regent's and Seabourn's inclusion lists are described at the level of fare model rather than itemised, because they could not be confirmed at source to the same standard.
Sources
Off The Grid Getaways is an independent travel advisor affiliated with Nexion Travel Group. Fares, inclusions, promotions, cabin inventory and deposit schedules are set by the operators and change without notice. This article is informational, is not a quote, and does not guarantee availability, pricing or eligibility for any promotion. Photographs by Boris Hamer and irembeyzay via Pexels, used under the Pexels licence and resized only.
Compare them properly, on one sailing
Tell me the dates and the region and I will build all three to the same finished state — fare, air, excursions, drinks, gratuities, solo total where it applies — so you are comparing trips rather than brochures.
Begin the Journey
