🌟 Introduction: Two Lines, Two Luxury Experiences
Luxury cruising can mean many things — impeccable service, exceptional food, enriching experiences, and comfort that feels effortless. Two of the most respected names in this space are Viking Ocean Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line.
Since originally writing this comparison, we’ve now sailed again with both lines — including a Viking Land of the Midnight Sun voyage and a Seabourn Southeast Asia itinerary — giving us deeper insight into what makes each unique.
This updated guide breaks down how these two luxury brands compare across key categories that matter most to travelers.
Important Size Note:
Viking ships are identical in size and layout and carry approximately 980 passengers. Seabourn ships generally carry about half that number, except for a few newer ships accommodating around 600 guests.
This size difference matters. It affects:
- Amenities
- Restaurant size and atmosphere
- Spa and gym space
- Crew-to-passenger feel
- Overall onboard intimacy
In some areas, Viking’s larger ships have the edge — particularly the spa and workout facilities, which are among the best at sea. In other areas, Seabourn’s smaller ships provide more personalized service, especially in restaurants.
🛏️ Cabins & Comfort
Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking’s staterooms are clean, modern, and Scandinavian-inspired with neutral design, abundant natural light, and thoughtful details. All cabins include verandas — there are no interior rooms.
I would describe them as efficient luxury — beautiful lines, clean furnishings, and intelligent design.
However, standard Veranda cabins are smaller than Seabourn’s and offer less storage. Both lines include a sitting area with chairs and a desk, but Viking’s standard configuration is tighter.
An upgrade to a Junior Suite provides comparable space to Seabourn’s standard Veranda Suites. On our next Viking cruise, we plan to upgrade if we’re sailing longer than two weeks. The price of a Viking Junior Suite is often close to Seabourn’s standard Veranda Suite.
View Viking ship suites and amenities. We recommend the Junior Penthouse suite for longer cruises.
Seabourn Cruise Line
Seabourn’s suites feel like luxury hotel rooms at sea — spacious, richly appointed, and more traditionally elegant in design.
Their standard Veranda Suites include:
- Walk-in closets
- Bathtubs
- Full six-drawer dressers
- Generous seating areas
We upgraded to an Owner’s Suite on our Southeast Asia cruise and were thoroughly spoiled by the space and richness. That said, even Seabourn’s standard Veranda Suites are more than spacious enough for us.
Quick Take:
If you prefer modern Scandinavian simplicity, Viking wins.
If you prioritize space and traditional luxury, Seabourn pulls ahead.
Cabin Stewards and Service:
Cabin service on both Viking and Seabourn has been excellent.
Both lines were extremely accommodating and respectful of our schedules. Bob often worked from the cabin, and the stewards thoughtfully returned later to tidy up after he left.
We would rate both lines equally outstanding in this category.
Photo Compliments of Seabourn.com. View all Seabourn Suites
🍽️ Dining and Cuisine
Viking Ocean Cruises
Dining on Viking is excellent, with fresh, globally inspired cuisine.
- The World Café (buffet-style) is comparable to Seabourn’s Colonnade and is located aft.
- The main dining room offers rotating menus with local specialties and classic favorites.
- Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant remains one of our favorites.
- The Chef’s Table features tasting menus with wine pairings and is consistently impressive.
- The Pool Bar Restaurant
- Mumfords – Scandinavian breakfast, lunch and snack options.
During our Midnight Sun cruise, many meals incorporated local influences beautifully.
Seabourn Dining:
Seabourn has long been known for exceptional cuisine.
Restaurants include:
- The Colonnade (casual breakfast/lunch buffet, table service at dinner)
- Earth & Ocean
- The Main Dining Room
- The Pool Galley
Historically, we rated Seabourn’s dining slightly above Viking’s.
However, on our most recent cruise aboard Seabourn Ovation, the Colonnade was poorly managed. Food was frequently cold, and service was consistently below Seabourn’s usual standards. Multiple guests raised concerns, but the issues were not corrected.
We believe this was a management issue specific to that sailing — not indicative of the entire fleet — but it was disappointing.
As a result, we now rate Viking and Seabourn equally overall in food quality, with Seabourn’s edge diminished.
Onboard Cooking Classes
Viking excels here.
- Dedicated cooking classroom and dining space
- Hands-on instruction
- Multiple classes per sailing
- Strong focus on local cuisine
Seabourn’s classes are often held in the auditorium and are more demonstration-based than participatory.
Viking clearly wins in this category.
Vikings Cooking Class Facility featuring the chef and passenger. Note the TV’s that allow all to see exactly what the chef is doing.
🧭 Shore Excursions & Enrichment
Shore excursions for both lines are driven by the locations and amenities of each port you stop at. Both strive to offer the best assortment of on-shore excursions to meet the needs and interests of all their passengers. From more gentle cultural trips to adventurous helicopter and speed boat excursions, you’ll get a great selections aboard both cruise lines.
However, on Ocean and River Cruises, I give the edge to Viking especially when traveling to Europe. They have their own fleet of very nice tour buses and have an excellent cruise excursion staff that is always finding the most interesting options in each port.
Viking Ocean Cruises Excursions
Viking often offers 6–9 excursions per port, including one complimentary excursion in every port. This keeps costs down and allows flexibility to combine a paid excursion with the included option.
We frequently do exactly that.
Viking also operates its own fleet of high-quality buses in Europe and has an outstanding excursion staff.
Important tip: Viking allows priority booking based on cabin category. Higher decks book first. If you’re below Deck 5, your first choices may fill quickly. Use waitlists strategically.
Viking’s lecture program is extensive. On longer cruises, we often had 8–10 lectures per day to choose from. Quality varied, but the programming was consistently educational and enriching.
Another option is to book with Local Guides or Viator in some ports to see the “Must See” attractions. Local guides are usually cheaper than cruise excursions and more flexible. Be sure they get you back to the ship on time though. No cruise ship will wait for passengers who have made their own port arrangements and are late returning to the ship.
Viking Enrichment Programs:
Viking’s lecture program is extensive. On longer cruises, we often had 8–10 lectures per day to choose from. Quality varied, but the programming was consistently educational and enriching.
Seabourn Cruise Line Shore Excursions
Seabourn offers immersive, often more intimate experiences due to fewer passengers.
Highlights have included:
- Local farm visits
- Concerts
- Cheese factories
- Cultural immersion excursions – High end Restaurant Outings
Their Venture team in Alaska was exceptional — offering RIB tours, kayaking, helicopter rides, and glacier exploration.
The onboard marina is a standout perk in both warm and cold climates.
Seabourn Enrichment Programs:
Seabourn does offer lecturers but relies more heavily on cruise directors and enrichment teams compared to Viking’s guest expert model.
👩✈️ Service & Crew
This is difficult — but after our last two cruises, we give the edge to Viking.
Viking’s service is friendly, professional, and relaxed.
What sets them apart is leadership. Their hotel managers prioritize crew well-being. Their philosophy — happy crew, happy passengers — works.
The result is a loyal, experienced, upbeat staff. We genuinely connected with many Viking team members.
While Seabourn’s staff was professional and polished, Viking’s felt warmer and more consistent overall.Viking Cruise Lines
Cruise director(right), passenger(center) and guest entertainer(left) all having a blast on a sea day.
🎭 Entertainment & Daily Life
Both lines provide high-quality entertainment.
Viking features:
- Strong in-house ensemble
- Frequent guest artists
- Destination-focused performances
- No casino (a plus for us)
Seabourn also offers talented resident entertainers and guest performers.
We rank both highly, with a slight edge to Viking based on the volume and quality of guest entertainers we experienced on longer voyages.
Viking’s onboard Entertainment Troupe
💰 Pricing & Value
Viking Ocean Ships:
- Transparent pricing
- Free beer and wine at meals
- Optional affordable beverage package
- Incredible spa facilities (Snow Grotto, cold plunges, extensive gym)
The spa alone often tips the scale for me.
Viking ships are stunning — Scandinavian museum-quality pieces, beautiful public spaces, curated libraries, and comfortable lounges.
Downside: Viking requires full payment about six months prior to sailing. Access to excursions is prioritized by the cost of your cabin. The more you spend, the earlier you book your excursions. This applies to both Ocean and River cruises.
Seabourn Pricing and Value:
Seabourn’s all-inclusive pricing is appealing. However, spa services and excursions are not inclusive.
Their exclusive events — like Caviar in the Surf in Thailand — are unforgettable.
However, spa upselling can be aggressive compared to Viking.
🗺️ Itineraries & Destinations
Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking’s itineraries are broad and culturally engaging — from the fjords of Norway to the Mediterranean, Baltic, and beyond. During our Midnight Sun cruise, the blend of natural beauty, history, and small-town exploration made each stop memorable.
On the world cruise, we enjoyed so many special stops along the way. Viking special presentation of the Little Blue Penguin’s on Phillip Island, Australia was a memorable event. The way in which Viking facilitated the entire experience was total class. They provided free transportation and comped the entry to the Penquin viewing sanctuary for all guests. As we arrived back to the ship around midnight they had a wonderful midnight meal waiting for us served by senior staff so their crew could get the rest they needed.
Seabourn Cruise Line
Seabourn’s routes emphasize alluring locations and immersive journeys. On our Southeast Asia sailing, we visited ports that blended local culture with beach time, urban exploration, unusual cultural water excursions on rivers and seas and rich regional history exploration.
In Alaska, Seabourns venture team was amazing taking us kayaking, on helicopter rides, rib tours up rivers and along glaciers. Seabourn’s explorations ships are rated extremely high and we look forward to experiencing one of their extraordinary expedition cruises in the Arctic someday soon.
Quick point: Viking leans toward cultural immersion and learning, while Seabourn leans toward varied and luxurious itineraries with local flavor.
🏆 Verdict: Which Luxury Line is Right for You?
🥇 Best for Culture and Learning
Choose Viking if you love history, enrichment, intimate cultural experiences, and a laid-back onboard vibe while enjoying time aboard a stunning ship with wonderful amenities
🥇 Best for Service and Culinary Focus
Historically Seabourn — but currently tied due to our experience on the Ovation in December of 2024
🥇 Best for Value in Luxury
Viking’s ships, spa, crew culture, and overall comfort have won us over.
Seabourn remains exceptional — but at this moment, Viking is our preference for small luxury cruising.
Our Final Recommendation:
I just told my husband that I want to go on Viking on our next cruise. I LOVE their ships with their luxurious but comfortable Scandinavian designs. The crews are fun and friendly and their spa and gym facilities are second to none. They don’t try to constantly upsell passengers with all sorts of spa products and services. Seabourn is particularly challenging when it comes to spa upsells.
Both Viking and Seabourn offer meaningful luxury.
- Viking: Culture-first, elegant, more onboard amenities
- Seabourn: Indulgent, culinary-driven, intimate
Your choice depends on what kind of luxury resonates with you.
Both deliver unforgettable experiences.
Special note: We have also sailed several times on Windstar Cruise lines aboard both their sailing ships and redesigned yachts. It has been too many years to compare them fairly in today’s market. However, we are heading on the Windstar Windsurf this June for a 23 day cruise from Barcelona to Venice. I’ll be back with a complete review of our experience. Windstar has worked hard to compete in the luxury cruise market over the last five years and we look forward to our trip.
Viking vs Seabourn: At-a-Glance Comparison
| Category | Viking Ocean Cruises | Seabourn Cruise Line |
|---|---|---|
| Ship Size | ~980 passengers (all ships identical) | 450–600 passengers |
| Cabin Size | Smaller, efficient Scandinavian design | Larger suites with walk-in closets |
| Spa & Gym | Outstanding — Snow Grotto & cold plunge | Good, but smaller facilities |
| Dining Quality | Excellent; strong specialty restaurants | Historically exceptional; recent inconsistency |
| Cooking Classes | Dedicated kitchen classroom, hands-on | Demonstration style, limited facilities |
| Excursions | Free excursion in every port + 6–9 paid options | Immersive small-group experiences – a few are included. |
| Enrichment Lectures | Extensive guest lecturer program | Fewer independent guest lecturers |
| Service Style | Warm, relaxed, highly consistent | Polished, intimate, traditionally luxe |
| Entertainment | Strong ensemble + frequent guest artists | Talented performers; smaller scale |
| Value | Strong overall value | Higher price, more inclusive |
| Best For | Culture-focused, spa lovers, enrichment seekers |
💡 Short version: If spa, culture, and enrichment matter most — choose Viking. If suite size and intimate dining matter most — choose Seabourn.
Is one line more formal than the other?
Viking travels feel refined and understated. Seabourn tends more toward classic luxury. Both have similar dress codes. Business casual during dinners. No formal nights. Jackets are not required, but worth packing for a few special nights on board.
Do both lines include excursions?
Yes — but Viking’s included excursions lean educational, with optional excursions that cover a variety of experiences that are special to the area.
Seabourn’s excursions are all an added costs with the exception of one or two ‘Seabourn Experiences’ offered in different markets. There were no free excursions offered on our Alaska trip.
Which has better food?
Both are excellent, but Seabourn’s menus and presentation typically rate higher in guest reviews. However, the only bad food experience we have had cruising has been on Seabourn at the Colonade Restaurant on the Ovation.
🌟 Final Thoughts: Two Great Choices, Different Flavors
Both Viking and Seabourn offer luxury that feels special, but their personalities differ:
- Viking is culture-first and quietly elegant, more options onboard and off.
- Seabourn is service-centric and richly indulgent although not as friendly.
Your choice depends on what type of “luxury” resonates most with you.
Whether it’s a fjord tour under the midnight sun or a culinary journey through Southeast Asia, both cruise lines deliver experiences worth savoring.
🧭 Related Luxury Cruise Reads
- How to Choose Between Luxury and Premium Cruise Lines
- How to prepare for a long or World Cruise.
- Top Luxury Cruise Destinations Around the World