With everything from fine wining and dining to shore tours, transfers and tips included in the fare, bill shock at the end of a voyage is never a problem for luxury-loving cruise clients on these cruise lines.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Regent is considered the most inclusive luxury line in the business.
Its six elegant, mid-size ships – the 770-guest Seven Seas Grandeur, Splendor and Explorer, 700-guest Voyager and Mariner, and 490-guest Navigator – are known for their opulent décor, grand lobbies and all-suite, all-balcony accommodation.
In 2026, Seven Seas Prestige, the first of a new, slightly larger class of ship, will join the fleet, and Navigator is due to move to residential line Crescent Seas.
What’s included?
All suite guests receive a selection of free shore excursions, dining in all restaurants, unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks, in-suite minibar replenished daily with your preferences and unlimited access to spa facilities.
They also have gratuities covered, Wi-Fi, valet laundry service, 24-hour in-suite dining, one night pre-cruise hotel for guests in Concierge suites and above, and dedicated concierge staff to cater to “off-menu” personal requests. Butler service is provided in Penthouse suites and above.
Guests staying in the Regent Suite on the Explorer-class ships (Explorer, Splendor and Grandeur) enjoy an even more extensive list of inclusions: a personal car and guide, daily spa and wellness services with priority reservations, and access to The Study, a private dining room for up to 12 guests, just to name a few.
What’s not included?
Flights from Australia and New Zealand, spa treatments, extra-fee shore excursions, ultra-premium drinks, onboard shopping.
Silversea
Silversea’s fleet comprises eight classic luxury and four luxury expedition ships.
The classic vessels range in age and size from the newest, the 728-guest Silver Ray (2024) and sister Silva Nova (2023) to the 392-guest Silver Shadow (2000) and sister Silver Whisper (2001).
The expedition ships are 2021’s 220-guest Silver Endeavour, 2020’s 100-guest Silver Origin (operating in the Galapagos), 1995’s 274-pax Silver Wind and 1994’s 254-guest Silver Cloud.
Silversea offers three tiers of fares: Door to Door, Port to Port, and Essential Fare. As well as onboard inclusions and shore excursions (see below), Door to Door includes international flights, airport transfers, and private car service from home to airport and return; Port to Port covers the cruise plus one daily shore excursion.
Essential Fares apply to last-minute voyages on select sailings within six months of departure (no shore excursions included).
All fare tiers include charter flights, hotel, expedition activities and gear for Silversea’s expedition cruises when operationally required.
What’s included?
All fares include butler service in every suite, dining in most restaurants, soft and alcoholic drinks throughout the ship, in-suite minibar restocked daily, Wi-Fi, gratuities, 24-hour room service, fitness classes, one free daily shore excursion, onboard culinary classes at S.A.L.T. Lab, cocktail classes at S.A.L.T. Bar and dining at S.A.L.T. Kitchen on Silver Moon, Dawn, Nova and Ray, and Muse from December 2025.
What’s not included?
Most shore excursions, spa services, onboard shopping, dining at S.A.L.T. Chef’s Table and specialty restaurants Seishin, Kaiseki and La Dame, ultra-premium drinks, laundry service.
Seabourn
Like Silversea, Seabourn has a mix of luxury and luxury expedition ships in its all-suite fleet.
The non-expedition ships are the twin 600-guest Seabourn Encore (2016) and Seabourn Ovation (2018), and twin 450-guest Seabourn Quest (2011) and Seabourn Sojourn (2010). Suites on the younger twins all have balconies, as do about 90 per cent on Quest and Sojourn. Sojourn will leave Seabourn in May 2026, having been bought by Mitsui Ocean Cruises.
The 264-guest Seabourn Venture (2022) and 2023’s sister, Seabourn Pursuit, are ultra-luxe expedition vessels that each carry two mini-submarines, among other essential and top-of-the-range expedition kit. Encore, Ovation and the expedition ships share similarly chic, yacht-inspired interiors, thanks to globally renowned hotel designer Adam Tihany.
What’s included?
Use of water toys from onboard marina, dining in all restaurants, all soft and alcoholic drinks, in-suite minibar restocked daily, caviar served in various venues (including the famous Caviar in the Surf event), gratuities, most gym classes, Wi-Fi.
What’s not included?
Shore excursions (except on expedition ships although submarine trips and kayaking cost extra), spa treatments, laundry service (except for top-tier Seabourn Members).
Scenic
Scenic’s two oceangoing Discovery Yachts, Scenic Eclipse I and Scenic Eclipse II, are among the newest ultra-luxe expedition ships sailing today.
Entering service in 2021 and 2023 respectively, each ship accommodates a maximum of 228 guests, and 200 in polar regions.
They are almost identical, although Scenic Eclipse II introduced new or enhanced features such as a salt therapy lounge, bar with indoor and outdoor seating, and a larger steam room. Super-sleek inside and out, the ships offer a smorgasbord of restaurants and dining experiences across 10 venues, including in-suite – French, Asian, Italian, Middle Eastern, Chef’s Table degustation and culinary masterclasses – and these are all included in the fare.
The ships each carry two helicopters and one mini-submarine, along with kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and snorkelling equipment that are available from the marina platform in warm weather destinations.
What’s included?
Scenic gives Regent a run for its money in terms of inclusions. As mentioned, all dining, alcoholic and soft drinks, plus butler service in every suite, airport transfers on arrival and departure from ports, excursions, wellness facilities, fitness classes, WiFi, gratuities.
What’s not included?
Submarine dives, helicopter flights, spa treatments, wines from the Chairman’s list.
Explora Journeys
Having entered the luxury cruise sector in 2023 with the very elegant Explora I, MSC Cruises’ sister line Explora Journeys has proved to be a huge success story.
Explora II followed in 2024 and four more ultra-luxe ships are set to debut by 2028 – Explora III in 2026, Explora IV and V in 2027, and Explora VI in 2028.
They are the largest ships in our selection and like Regent’s ships, offer a very high ratio of space per guest. The first pair accommodate about 900 guests, the second pair will be larger but still accommodate the same number of guests, and the third pair are still at the earliest stages of construction.
What’s included?
Dining in eight venues (except Italian specialty restaurant Anthology) plus in-suite dining, all soft and alcoholic drinks, in-suite welcome bottles of wine and spirit of choice, thermal spa access, some fitness classes, shuttle service from ports to city centres, Wi-Fi, gratuities, Nautilus Club activities for children age six-17.
Guests in the top four suite categories receive a range of additional benefits, such as butler and laundry service, minibar refreshed daily and airport-ship transfers.
What’s not included?
Shore excursions, culinary classes at Chef’s Kitchen, laundry service, spa treatments, some fitness classes, some top-shelf wines and spirits.
For more information, visit RSSC, Silversea, Seabourn, Scenic, Explora Journeys.
