You can get into some serious debates online about which luxury cruise line is "best" -- and both Crystal Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises have die-hard fans that will lobby for their respective causes. Both lines have a long history of providing carefully crafted service to passengers, and both continue to innovate with new ships and fleet upgrades.
Determining which cruise line is right for you will take a bit more investigation. Here's how we compare Crystal Cruises to Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Fleet
Crystal CruisesCrystal currently has two cruise ships, both of which were recently refurbished to lower the passenger count: the 848-passenger Crystal Symphony (launched 1995, refurbished in 2017) and the 980-passenger Crystal Serenity (launched 2003, refurbished in 2018). The line also has one yacht, the 62-passenger Crystal Esprit (2015), but will add Crystal Endeavor, a polar-class, mega-yacht, to its fleet in August 2020.The line also has plans to introduce Diamond Class ships (formerly called Exclusive Class), the first of which will launch in 2022. They will be approximately 67,000 GRT and can accommodate about 800 passengers -- a 20 percent reduction in tonnage-to-passenger ratio -- and will not have the originally announced residences.The line also sails five riverboats: the 154-passenger Crystal Mozart (2016), the 110-passenger Crystal Bach (2017), and the 106-passenger Crystal Debussy (2018), Crystal Mahler (2017) and Crystal Ravel (2018).For the purpose of this story, we'll focus on the cruise ships.Regent Seven Seas CruisesRegent Seven Seas has four cruise ships. The 750-passenger Seven Seas Explorer launched in 2016; the 700-passenger Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner launched in 2003 and 2001, respectively; and the 490-passenger Seven Seas Navigator launched in 1999.The current fleet's three older ships underwent a $125-million refurbishment, starting with Seven Seas Navigator and Seven Seas Voyager in 2016, and Seven Seas Mariner in 2018. A new 750-passenger ship and sister to Explorer -- Seven Seas Splendor -- is scheduled to join the fleet in February 2020.Price
Although both lines claim to be all-inclusive, Crystal fares will generally be lower than Regent's because that line packages more extras (including free shore tours and airfare) into its price. When choosing between the two lines, you need to determine what's included in the fare, and see if those inclusions match your cruise style. After all, is there any reason to pay more for a cruise that includes complimentary shore excursions if you never plan on leaving the ship?Choose Crystal if you're looking for value.

Itineraries
You can sail the globe with both Crystal Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and both plan annual world cruises and grand voyages. So, how do you decide which line for your preferred itinerary?Choose Crystal if you need to book a weeklong cruise.

Shore Excursions
Both lines offer a similar range of shore tours, though Regent includes unlimited land excursions in its cruise fare. Choose Crystal if you'd take advantage of exclusive events and private visits to museums and other cultural centers.

Cabins
Whether you select Crystal or Regent for your cruise, you'll likely fall in love with your stateroom. Both lines offer well-designed and decorated cabins, and penthouse categories and above on both lines include the services of a personal butler.Choose Crystal if you need a hypoallergenic stateroom.

Dining
All Regent dining venues are included in its cruise fare while Crystal offers two for-fee specialty restaurants. Crystal recently revamped its entire dining program, which included the introduction of more flexible "dine anytime" options (instead of its previous set seating plan). Choose Crystal if you love sushi and other Asian cuisine.

Entertainment
Keep in mind that, in general, "nightlife" aboard a luxury ship is probably a bit more sedate than what you've come to expect on, say, a Celebrity or Royal Caribbean ship that offers multiple nightclubs and lavish productions in the theater.Choose Crystal Cruises if you love to dance.

Family
Choose Crystal if you are traveling with children and want a dedicated kids club.

Bottom Line
Choose Crystal if you want many sought-after extras without paying for unwanted options; enjoy enrichment programs or evening shows; love to dance; or want the kids to have a great time at sea through a dedicated kids club. Choose Regent for a truly all-inclusive cruise aboard intimate ships, complete with a variety of free specialty restaurants, active shore excursions and spacious suites.Updated December 11, 2018
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