Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Royal Caribbean vs Carnival: Which big-ship cruise line should you choose?

royal caribbean vs carnival cruise

Carnival wins for the size of its standard cabins, which are the largest in the industry. Specialty cabins on select ships include Family Harbor cabins, with access to a shared family lounge, and Havana suites, with daytime access to a private pool area. With 26 ships afloat and more to launch in 2023, Royal Caribbean boasts that their Oasis Class of ships are touted as the world's largest cruise ships.

MSC Cruises

The Carnival Vista ship that Monica sailed on is 1,000 feet long and weighs 133,500 tons. The ship has 15 decks, 1,450 employees, and 3,934 passengers, according to Carnival. Royal Caribbean also charged Joey a single supplement fee, which doubled the total price. Monica was not charged any additional fees for traveling solo, likely because the ship was running at partial capacity. According to USA Today, Carnival does charge a single supplement for solo cruisers but often runs promotions that waive the fee. Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Lines are two of the world's most popular cruise lines, according to Cruise Web.

Cruise Ship Design

Activities include pools, waterparks (including the WaterWorks water park), outdoor sports centers (with mini golf, basketball, volleyball and more) and, for the new Mardi Gras ship, a roller coaster. Other entertainment options on newer ships include ropes courses and SkyRide, a recumbent bike ride on the top decks. In terms of included dining, Norwegian Viva has fewer options to align with her smaller size.

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royal caribbean vs carnival cruise

This is simply the gross tonnage of a ship divided by the occupancy at double occupancy. Consider that Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas is nearly 1,200 feet and carries more than 5,700 guests at double occupancy. When looking at the fares for each sailing in July (the peak of the cruise season in North America), we found that Carnival’s fares are less expensive on average. Still, it’s better if you get perks for free as part of the loyalty program. In this realm, Royal Caribbean wins — it has a reciprocal partnership with sibling companies like Celebrity that can increase the benefit opportunity. Live music is available in many venues, but it’s the DJs in the nightclub that keep things busy late into the night.

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Your personal family vacation planning starts now

Carnival's lineup of free eats is impressive — headlined by poolside burgers by Food Network star Guy Fieri, but also including Mexican, barbecue, excellent Italian-style pizza and Shaq's fried chicken. Families shouldn't rule out Carnival Jubilee though, as it's a far more affordable option with some of the best cruise food at sea. Those who are a fan of Galveston will appreciate that Carnival brought their newest ship to Texas. Favorites like Park Cafe and Sorrento’s pizzeria can be found, along with new options like the food stalls at AquaDome Marketplace.

I tried the newest ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian. Here’s how they compare

If cruising solo, you have the option of single cabins that mean you won’t be paying double just to have your own space. For those on a tight budget, Carnival is hard to beat — as the pricing comparison above makes clear. But if you have a little more wiggle room with your pocketbook, there are good arguments for paying up for a week with Royal Caribbean or Disney. When it comes to the quality of service, entertainment and dining, it's a little bit of "you get what you pay for" with the lines.

Family cruising

There was also comedy every night, which she noticed would get so packed that passengers stood and crowded the door of the comedy hall. Wonder of the Seas' main buffet, Windjammer, served breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Joey's sailing. Always full of guests, the buffet offered a wide variety of options for each meal, from French toast to falafel. A DIY taco bar, all-you-can-eat pizza, and unlimited soft-serve were also available. Joey found that some of her favorite meals were in the restaurants that were included for guests.

Food Offerings

You can’t get off a Carnival cruise without seeing the word “fun” multiple times each day. On the other hand, Carnival’s entertainment leans into a variety of comedy shows with singing and dancing productions. Something unique to Carnival is the cruise line’s Punchliner Comedy Club with daily comedy shows and rotating comedians.

It’s undoubtedly exciting to see the latest and greatest that a cruise line has to offer. NCL's Haven provides a private sanctuary in terms of luxury accommodations which can keep the adult traveler out of touch with the younger set, if they so choose. Located at the top of the ship, this pricier option is inaccessible to other cruisers and includes its own restaurant, private concierge service and 24-hour personal butler. Described as a ship within a ship, this aspect of cruising is unique to NCL when being compared to Carnival and Royal Caribbean. While these brands do have other lines that fall underneath their parent companies, this summary focuses on only the ships operating under these brands.

The cruise line is constantly creating ship classes that are bigger and better than ever before. Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are two of the biggest names in the cruising industry and both vie for the general public to try their ships. With My Family Timing Dining, kids ages 3 to 11 are served their meals first and then picked up by kids club staff so parents can have the rest of dinner to themselves. Equally buzzy, night-time entertainment ranges from Broadway shows to virtual concerts. Lots of branded food and drink venues around the pool deck, including Guy's Burger Joint, RedFrog Rum Bar and the BlueIguana Tequila Bar. Carnival has a partnership with celebrity chef Guy Fieri, whose Guy's Burger Joint is found across the fleet and whose Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-b-Que is on 10 vessels.

It offers ample specialty dining and activity options, not to mention a good experience at a generally cheaper price point. While suites are more expensive for traveling families, the entertainment available to young cruisers is hard to beat. Both cruise lines offer excellent dining options that span a global palate profile, but if you’re looking for specialty dining, Royal Caribbean has more options.

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Below we've compared the two of the most well-known cruise brands so you can make an informed decision, based on key areas like food, cabins and, of course, price. Regardless of which line you pick, you'll find big ships that have plenty to do. Neither line truly offers a small ship experience, but they have sister brands that fill that gap. For many years, Carnival’s approach to ship design was implementing “tried-and-true” deck plans that had already proven successful for the cruise line. Each ship class was built similarly (some nearly identical) to the last with only minor changes to accommodate larger vessels. As with anything, the best cruise line for you and your family mostly depends on travel style, cruise preferences and vacation budget.

The activities are not just fun but also creatively designed to be enriching, including science experiments, art projects, themed parties, and a DJ academy. Carnival Cruise Line, often called the ‘fun ships,’ truly shines regarding nightlife. The emphasis is on creating a high-energy, engaging party atmosphere that encourages guests to let loose and have fun. Royal Caribbean’s bars and lounges are as diverse as their dining options. Carnival’s ships also host themed nights and deck parties that encourage guest participation, creating an environment that’s both interactive and entertaining.

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