Premium vs. Luxury Cruises: Compare the Fare, Not Just the Label
Premium and luxury are labels on the line. The decision is the fare, the space ratio and what the inclusion table actually fills in. An empty inclusion table means those items are Not listed, not that everything is covered.
It’s All Cruises · October 25, 2026
Compare the fare and the ship, not the word luxury on its own. Regent and Seabourn are labeled luxury. Oceania, Celebrity, Viking and Virgin are labeled premium. Cunard is labeled luxury, and its ship specs and inclusion rows are Not listed.
Quick facts
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Luxury labels among these sailings | Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Cunard |
| Premium labels used below | Oceania, Celebrity, Viking, Virgin |
| Regent inclusion table | Not listed |
| Seabourn inclusion table | Not listed |
| Cunard ship specs | Not listed |
| Highest recorded space ratio below | Seven Seas Grandeur 74.4 |
Label, space and a dated fare
| Line / ship | Label | Space ratio | Guests (double) | Sample starting fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regent, Seven Seas Grandeur | Luxury | 74.4 | 746 | Not listed for Grandeur in the soonest recorded sailings |
| Regent, Seven Seas Explorer | Luxury | 73.9 | 748 | $14,449 starting cruise fare, as of October 13, 2026. 10 nights. Ports: Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Okinawa (Naha), Ishigaki (Sakishima Islands), Taipei (Keelung), Kaohsiung, Hong Kong |
| Seabourn, Seabourn Encore | Luxury | Not listed | Not listed | $8,398 starting cruise fare, as of October 10, 2026. Alaska Glaciers, Canadian Inside Passage & Glacier Bay |
| Oceania Allura | Premium | 56.7 | 1,200 | Not listed on Allura in the soonest recorded sailings |
| Oceania, Oceania Marina | Premium | 52.9 | 1,250 | $4,275 starting cruise fare, as of October 20, 2026. Ports: Barcelona, Alicante, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Sète, Toulon, Ajaccio, Monaco, Portofino, Livorno, Civitavecchia |
| Viking Saturn | Premium | 51.4 | 930 | $2,399 starting cruise fare, as of October 13, 2026 |
| Celebrity Edge | Premium | 45.1 | 2,902 | Suite chart recorded. A sample Edge fare is on other guides |
| Scarlet Lady | Premium | 39.7 | 2,770 | Adults only. Bar tab extra on the base fare |
Inclusions where a table exists
| Item | Oceania wine and beer choice | Viking ocean fare | Virgin base fares | Celebrity Premium Suites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialty dining | Included. Reservations and venue availability apply | Included. Alternative restaurants; reservations apply | Included. All 20+ eateries | Included. Unlimited lunch and dinner in all specialty restaurants |
| Beer and wine | Partly. Selected drinks during lunch and dinner restaurant hours | Partly. House selections at lunch and dinner | Extra. Bought as a bar tab | Included. Within the premium package |
| Premium drinks | Extra | Extra | Extra. Bought as a bar tab; included in Mega RockStar suites | Included. Premium drinks package, plus two bottles of premium spirits or wine |
| Wi-Fi | Included. Two logins per stateroom; streaming extra | Included. Connection speed varies | Included | Included. Premium package, one device per guest |
| Gratuities | Included. Room and dining staff; other purchases can carry service charges | Extra. Separate for US bookings | Not listed | Not listed |
| Shore excursions | Extra. Wine-and-beer choice does not include excursion credit | Partly. One included tour per port; optional tours extra | Extra. Sold separately as Shore Things | Extra. Sold separately |
How to read the label
- Space ratio is gross tonnage per double-occupancy guest. Seven Seas Grandeur lists 74.4. Oceania Allura lists 56.7. Viking Saturn lists 51.4. Celebrity Edge lists 45.1. Scarlet Lady lists 39.7.
- Oceania guests 1 and 2 choose wine and beer or an excursion credit, same choice per cabin, by final payment. Specialty dining is included on both choices.
- Viking's ocean fare includes one shore tour in each port, house beer and wine with lunch and dinner, and Wi-Fi. It is not a river fare. River products are outside that table.
- Virgin includes soda, Wi-Fi, fitness classes and all of its restaurants on Base, Essential and Premium. Those three fares match on board and differ on flexibility, which is Not listed as a dollar amount.
- Regent and Seabourn sample fares are high relative to a mainstream week, and their inclusion cells are still Not listed. Do not fill the blank from the label.
- Cunard is labeled luxury. Queen Mary 2 and the other queens have Not listed specs among these sailings, so there is no space ratio to cite.
Fares are marketing prices, confirmed when you book. Seabourn ship specifications are Not listed even where a fare is recorded.
Frequently asked questions
Does luxury mean the fare includes drinks and excursions?
Not from these records. Regent and Seabourn inclusion tables are Not listed. Use a line whose table is filled in, or wait for the quote.
Is premium smaller than luxury?
Not as a rule. Compare space ratio and guest count. Oceania Allura lists 1,200 guests and space ratio 56.7. Seven Seas Grandeur lists 746 guests and space ratio 74.4.
Why is Viking in a premium comparison?
The line is labeled premium, and the ocean fare table is recorded. The river product is a different table and is not this one.
Can I rank these by the sample fare?
You can read the dated fares. They are different lengths and routes, so the fare alone does not rank the line.
Filed under ocean, luxury, supporting guide