Ultra Luxury cruise line
Silversea in Alaska
Silversea runs two distinct products in Alaska: classic luxury ships calling at the main ports, and expedition vessels carrying zodiacs and expedition teams into places large ships cannot reach. Both are all inclusive, with fares covering drinks, gratuities, WiFi and in many cases shore excursions and flights. It is one of the few operators offering a genuine expedition alternative to the standard port circuit.
The short answer
Silversea suits travellers who want a small ship, an all inclusive fare and either polished luxury or a genuine expedition. Its classic ships carry a few hundred guests with butler service throughout, while its expedition vessels use zodiacs to reach bays, glaciers and wildlife sites that no large ship visits. Expect to pay $6,000 to $15,000 or more per person for a week.
Key points
- Two products: classic luxury ships and expedition vessels with zodiacs and a naturalist team.
- All inclusive fares covering drinks, gratuities, WiFi and often excursions and flights.
- Butler service in every suite, which is unusual even among luxury lines.
- Small ships reach anchorages and bays that large vessels cannot enter.
- Expect $6,000 to $15,000+ per person for a week. This is the top of the Alaska market.
Silversea Cruises at a glance
- Segment
- Ultra Luxury
- Price band
- $$$$$
- Alaska home ports
- Vancouver, Seward, Juneau, Sitka
- Parent company
- Royal Caribbean Group
- Glacier access
- Varies by product. Classic ships use Hubbard Glacier and the Tracy Arm area; expedition voyages reach smaller tidewater glaciers and remote fjords inaccessible to large ships.
- Best for
- Luxury travellers · Expedition and wildlife focused travellers · Repeat Alaska visitors · Those who want an all inclusive fare
Ships used in Alaska
| Ship | Guests | Launched | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Nova | 728 | 2023 | Nova class. Asymmetrical design with unusually large glass areas and outdoor space, well suited to scenic cruising. |
| Silver Muse | 596 | 2017 | Muse class. Eight restaurants for under 600 guests, which is the highest venue to guest ratio in Alaska. |
| Silver Shadow | 388 | 2000 | Shadow class. Small, classic and able to use berths that larger ships cannot. |
| Silver Endeavour | 200 | 2021 | Expedition vessel with ice strengthened hull, zodiac fleet and a full expedition team. |
Typical Alaska itineraries
Classic Alaska
7 to 10 nightsVancouver to Seward or reverse
Ketchikan · Juneau · Skagway · Sitka · Hubbard Glacier · Icy Strait Point
Alaska expedition
9 to 12 nightsJuneau, Sitka or Seward
Remote fjords · Tidewater glaciers · Wildlife anchorages · Small communities
Alaska and Russia Far East (subject to routing)
14+ nightsExtended repositioning
Aleutian Islands · Kodiak · Bering Sea communities
Cabins
Every accommodation on Silversea is a suite, and every suite comes with a butler. That is not a marketing distinction: the butler unpacks, handles reservations, arranges in suite dining course by course and manages the small logistics that a week of shore excursions generates.
| Category | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Vista Suite | 240 to 287 sq ft | Large window rather than a veranda. The entry level, and perfectly comfortable. |
| Classic Veranda Suite | 295 to 387 sq ft | Private teak veranda with floor to ceiling glass doors. |
| Superior and Deluxe Veranda | 335 to 400 sq ft | Better position on the ship, same layout. |
| Silver Suite | 580 to 1,000 sq ft | Separate living room and a substantially larger veranda. |
| Owner's and Grand Suite | 1,000 to 1,900 sq ft | Multiple rooms, dining table, sometimes convertible to two bedrooms. |
Dining
Silversea carries an unusually high number of restaurants for its guest count, and dining is open seating with no fixed times or tables anywhere on the ship.
- Atlantide or The Restaurant covers the main dining room role, with an à la carte menu changed daily.
- La Terrazza serves Italian in the evening and is one of the best Italian rooms at sea.
- La Dame is a French fine dining venue with a modest surcharge, and is worth it once per voyage.
- Kaiseki covers Japanese, and on Alaska sailings the local seafood makes it particularly strong.
- S.A.L.T. on newer ships is a regional food programme that develops menus around the destination, including Alaska specific sourcing and cooking classes.
- In suite dining is available course by course from any restaurant menu at any time, served by your butler.
Entertainment and programming
Silversea does not attempt production spectacle. Evening entertainment is a pianist, a small ensemble, a modest show lounge and conversation. The substantive programme is enrichment.
- Expedition team lectures on classic voyages as well as expedition ones, covering glaciology, marine mammals and Alaska Native cultures.
- Zodiac operations on expedition voyages, with multiple landings and cruises per day.
- Observation library and forward lounges with excellent glass for scenic cruising.
- Photography guidance on expedition voyages, often with a dedicated photo team member.
Family suitability
Silversea has no youth programme and does not market to families. Children are permitted but there is nothing on board for them.
Strengths
- A teenager genuinely interested in wildlife will get more out of an expedition voyage than any mainstream ship could offer.
- Suites are large enough for a family of three to share comfortably.
- Expedition activities including zodiac cruising suit active older children.
Trade offs
- No youth club, no childcare, no children's menu culture.
- Very few or no other children on board.
- Minimum age restrictions apply on expedition voyages.
- The cost per family is prohibitive for most.
Suites and luxury features
Silversea is a luxury line rather than a mainstream line with a luxury tier, so these features apply to every guest rather than to a suite enclave.
- Butler service in every suite, from the entry category upward.
- All inclusive fare covering premium spirits and wines, gratuities, WiFi, in suite dining and room service.
- Door to door fares on many bookings include economy or business flights and private transfers.
- Included shore excursions on many itineraries, with expedition voyages including all activities.
- Crew to guest ratio approaching one to one, which is felt most in how quickly the ship anticipates rather than reacts.
Strengths and trade offs
Our editorial assessment: 4.6 out of 5 for Alaska specifically, weighing itinerary access, suitability for the travellers this line serves, and value. How we rate is explained in our editorial policy.
Strengths
- Genuine all inclusive pricing that removes almost all onboard decisions about money.
- Small ships access ports and anchorages large vessels cannot reach.
- The expedition product is the strongest way to see Alaska wildlife from a ship.
- Butler service in every category, which no competitor matches at entry level.
- Outstanding food across a large number of venues for the guest count.
Trade offs
- Very expensive. The entry fare exceeds a mainstream suite.
- No facilities for children of any age.
- Limited Alaska capacity, so dates sell out early.
- Classic voyages do not access Glacier Bay, so check itinerary detail carefully.
- Expedition voyages are physically demanding in a way the marketing understates.
Pricing
Silversea fares look enormous next to mainstream lines until you account for what is included. On a mainstream line, a couple spending on drinks, WiFi, gratuities, specialty dining and excursions will add $2,000 to $4,000 to a seven night fare. Silversea includes almost all of that.
| Product | 7 to 10 nights | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Classic, Vista Suite | $5,500 to $8,500 | Drinks, gratuities, WiFi, butler, most excursions |
| Classic, Veranda Suite | $6,500 to $11,000 | As above with a private veranda |
| Classic, Silver Suite | $11,000 to $18,000 | Separate living room, larger veranda |
| Expedition voyage | $9,000 to $17,000 | All zodiac activities, expedition team, gear on loan |
| Door to door fare | Add roughly 15 to 30 percent | Includes flights and private transfers |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Silversea classic and expedition voyages in Alaska?
Does Silversea go to Glacier Bay?
Is Silversea worth the price for Alaska?
Are shore excursions included with Silversea?
How physically demanding is a Silversea expedition voyage in Alaska?
Can children sail on Silversea in Alaska?
Related destinations and planning guides
A complete Hubbard Glacier cruise guide: the six mile wide calving face, why it is advancing, which lines visit, what to expect from the day and photography advice.
A complete Sitka cruise port guide: Russian colonial history, Tlingit heritage, Sitka Sound wildlife, raptor centre, excursion costs and tendering advice.
A complete Tracy Arm cruise guide: the narrow fjord, North and South Sawyer glaciers, why large ships often cannot enter, wildlife and how it compares to Glacier Bay.
A complete Icy Strait Point cruise port guide: Tlingit owned destination, whale watching in Icy Strait, the ZipRider, Hoonah village and excursion costs.
Planning an Alaska cruise for couples: which lines suit, adults only spaces, the best cabins, quiet excursions, honeymoon and anniversary planning.
How to choose Alaska shore excursions: what is worth booking, ship versus independent operators, real prices by port, weather cancellations and how many to book.
Planning an accessible Alaska cruise: accessible cabins, tender port limitations, port by port accessibility, excursions with step free access and equipment hire.
What travel insurance matters for an Alaska cruise: medical evacuation limits, trip interruption, missed connections, pre existing conditions and what cruise line policies leave out.