Ponant vs Silversea: which is better for an expedition cruise?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 9 November 2026
No score and no verdict of ours: what Ponant and Silversea each publish on their own websites, read 9 November 2026, topic by topic, each line linked to the page it came from.
Ponant vs Silversea: which is better for an expedition cruise?
Neither is better for everyone: Ponant waives its single supplement on cruises marked Voyageur Solo 0%, while Silversea quotes single fares on request and says its expedition fares include butler service, drinks, gratuities and, where needed, charter flights.
What is each line?
Ponant sells expedition and other ocean cruises on its own fleet as PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP, which also takes in PONANT YACHTING, PAUL GAUGUIN CROISIÈRES and, since 2025, Aqua Expeditions. Source
Silversea runs what it calls luxury and expedition cruises on a fleet of 12 ships, eight Classic and four Expedition, as part of the Royal Caribbean Group. Source
Which ships does each line sail?
Ponant sails Le Commandant Charcot, the PONANT Explorers (Le Bellot, Le Bougainville, Le Lapérouse, Le Champlain, Le Dumont d'Urville and Le Jacques Cartier) and the sisterships Le Boréal, L'Austral, Le Soléal and Le Lyrial; its group's other brands sail Le Ponant, Spirit of Ponant and Paul Gauguin. Source
Silversea sails 12 ships, eight Classic and four Expedition; its expedition ships include Silver Endeavour (welcomed in July 2022) and Silver Cloud (built in 1994, last refurbished in 2017). Source
How many guests are on board?
Silversea says its expedition ships take 100 to 274 guests; Silver Cloud has a guest capacity of 254 with 212 crew. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Where does each line sail?
Ponant sells named voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea, South Georgia and the Falklands, Svalbard, Greenland, Norway, the Chilean fjords, the Kimberley and Indonesia. Source
Silversea sells expedition voyages to Antarctica, the Arctic and Greenland, the Galápagos and the Kimberley, with 10-night Antarctica sailings that include South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Source
Who leads the landings?
Ponant sends a team of about ten naturalist guides and experts on every expedition cruise, double that on Le Commandant Charcot, covering history, marine biology, geology, marine and land mammals and ornithology. Source
Silversea carries up to 28 specialists on an expedition cruise, among them scientists, historians, naturalists, marine biologists, kayak guides and photographers; it says all its Expedition Experts are certified Zodiac drivers. Source
How much time ashore?
Silversea takes guests ashore almost entirely by Zodiac; Silver Cloud carries 20 Zodiacs and 10 kayaks for what it calls ship-wide simultaneous explorations. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
What can you do off the ship?
Ponant includes sea kayaking (from age 16), snowshoeing (17), hiking (10) and the polar plunge (16) on Le Commandant Charcot, with limited places; diving and kayak outings are paid extras on some cruises. Source
Silversea's expedition fares include guided Zodiac, land and sea tours with expert lectures; it also names kayaking, hikes, snorkelling with in-water guides and a polar plunge, plus private Zodiac and photography tours in selected destinations, subject to availability. Source
What does a voyage cost?
Ponant prices Fjords et glaciers du Spitzberg, 7 nights on Le Lyrial round trip from Longyearbyen, 3 to 10 July 2027, from 9,720 € per person, double occupancy. Source
Silversea does not publish a dated price on the pages read.
What does the fare include?
Ponant's fares include the cabin, full board, an open bar (premium spirits excepted), free wifi, port taxes and one activity per call except on Paul Gauguin; polar cruises add a parka to keep and loaned boots, while visas, paid excursions, spa treatments and premium drinks are extra. Source
Silversea's fares include butler service, an all-suite stay, drinks including champagne and up to 50 wines, onboard gratuities, port taxes and fees; expedition fares add charter flights, a hotel stay, expedition activities and gear such as a parka when operationally required. A flight package is optional and extra. Source
What do solo travellers pay?
Ponant applies a single supplement automatically but waives it on a choice of cruises each season, marked 'Voyageur Solo 0%', giving a double cabin for one at no extra price. Source
Silversea quotes fares for single guests on request; a single occupant paying 200% pricing earns one extra Venetian Society day per day sailed. Source
How much is the deposit?
Silversea advertises reduced deposits from 15% in its Black Friday sale; it names no balance date. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
What insurance do you need?
Silversea offers Allianz travel protection, with an Expedition Plan for trips under $100k per person that covers emergency medical transportation; it names no required cover or evacuation minimum. Source
Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Can children come?
Ponant accepts no children under 6 on expedition cruises and none under 8 on Le Commandant Charcot; its Kid Explorers club, run with the Maud Fontenoy Foundation, sails on Mediterranean cruises. Source
Silversea does not publish this on the pages read.
When is each not the fit?
The limits below are published by each line on their own websites.
- Ponant: not the fit if you want helicopter flights: the helicopter on Le Commandant Charcot is used only for navigation and safety. Source
- Silversea: not the fit if you want to step ashore without a Zodiac: it says nearly all discovery ashore is by Zodiac launch to and from the ship. Source
How do their reviews compare?
Their figures per platform, read 9 November 2026, each from a listing under the line's own name; a whole-company profile is marked. Figures are never added together.
- Ponant: Google (whole company): 4.8 out of 5 from 699 reviews; Trustpilot (whole company): 4.6 out of 5 from 644 reviews, newest 7 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Silversea: Trustpilot (whole company): 2.4 out of 5 from 58 reviews, newest 9 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
The lines at a glance
One card each, as on every Uncompromised Travel expedition page: what each sells, why to choose each, what to ask for and the limits each publishes.
Ponant
- Best for
- Polar expeditions with French-style service
- What it sells
- Runs expedition cruises on its own fleet, including Le Commandant Charcot, the PONANT Explorers and Le Boréal, L'Austral, Le Soléal and Le Lyrial, from Antarctica and the Arctic to the Kimberley.
- Why choose them
- Le Commandant Charcot is a hybrid electric ship running on LNG, which it says cuts CO2 by 25%, nitrogen oxides by 85% and fine particles by 95%. Google (whole company): 4.8 out of 5 from 699 reviews; Trustpilot (whole company): 4.6 out of 5 from 644 reviews, newest 7 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a departure with the single supplement waived, marked 'Voyageur Solo 0%', for a double cabin to yourself at no extra price.
- Not the fit if
- you travel with children under 6, who are not accepted on expedition cruises (under 8 on Le Commandant Charcot).
- Published price
- From 9,720 € per person, double occupancy, Fjords et glaciers du Spitzberg, 7 nights on Le Lyrial round trip from Longyearbyen, 3 to 10 July 2027. Read 9 November 2026.
- Website
- ponant.com
Silversea
- Best for
- Expedition ships with butler service
- What it sells
- Runs 12 ships under its own name, eight Classic and four Expedition, with expedition voyages to Antarctica, the Arctic, the Galapagos and the Kimberley.
- Why choose them
- Runs a fleet of 12 ships, eight Classic and four Expedition; it was founded in 1994. Trustpilot (whole company): 2.4 out of 5 from 58 reviews, newest 9 November 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a private Zodiac tour with an Expedition Expert as your personal guide.
- Not the fit if
- you need step-free shore access: nearly all discovery ashore is by Zodiac launch to and from the ship.
Which other lines sell the same voyages?
The lines that sell voyages to the same regions are compared on What are the best alternatives to Ponant in 2026?
Ponant vs Silversea: the questions people ask
How many guests are on board with Ponant and Silversea?
Silversea says its expedition ships take 100 to 274 guests; Silver Cloud has a guest capacity of 254 with 212 crew. Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
How much does a voyage cost with Ponant and Silversea?
Ponant prices Fjords et glaciers du Spitzberg, 7 nights on Le Lyrial round trip from Longyearbyen, 3 to 10 July 2027, from 9,720 € per person, double occupancy. Silversea does not publish a dated price on the pages read.
What does the fare include with Ponant and Silversea?
Ponant's fares include the cabin, full board, an open bar (premium spirits excepted), free wifi, port taxes and one activity per call except on Paul Gauguin; polar cruises add a parka to keep and loaned boots, while visas, paid excursions, spa treatments and premium drinks are extra. Silversea's fares include butler service, an all-suite stay, drinks including champagne and up to 50 wines, onboard gratuities, port taxes and fees; expedition fares add charter flights, a hotel stay, expedition activities and gear such as a parka when operationally required. A flight package is optional and extra.
How much is the deposit with Ponant and Silversea?
Silversea advertises reduced deposits from 15% in its Black Friday sale; it names no balance date. Ponant does not publish this on the pages read.
Is there a single supplement with Ponant and Silversea?
Ponant applies a single supplement automatically but waives it on a choice of cruises each season, marked 'Voyageur Solo 0%', giving a double cabin for one at no extra price. Silversea quotes fares for single guests on request; a single occupant paying 200% pricing earns one extra Venetian Society day per day sailed.
How do I compare prices like for like?
Ask for a written quote for the same dates and the same cabin type, with every inclusion listed: flights, hotel nights, drinks, gratuities, kayaking or camping and the parka. The price lines above give what each line publishes and on what basis.
Can I book directly?
Yes. Each card links the line's own website; ask for a written quote that lists what the fare includes.
Where can I check these facts myself?
Every line on this page links the page of the line's own website it was read from, read 9 November 2026.
Is any company on this page paying to be here?
No. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel; none paid to be on it.
Read next
Built to answer the question in the main heading. What is shown: what each line published on its own website, read on 9 November 2026, with links to the pages read. Google and Trustpilot figures are shown where the listing carries the line's own name, from the Uncompromised Travel expedition cruise lines table. Lines are set out in the order the question names them. No score and no verdict. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel. How this site earns · How we work.