If you’re planning on taking a cruise in the near future, and you’re relatively new to cruising, you might not be entirely sure which cruise line you’d prefer to book.
However, if you’re looking to cruise to major cruise destinations, and with one of the major cruise lines, chances are you’ve found yourself debating between Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line.
So, which is right for you? Here’s everything you need to know, to decide between Royal Caribbean vs. Carnival Cruise Line.
Cruise Ship Sizes
As of the latter half of 2024, Carnival Cruise Line has 27 ships operating worldwide. Royal Caribbean, meanwhile, has 28 ships. Both have numerous ships coming down the pipeline as well.
Royal Caribbean will have three new Icon-class ships debuting within the next few years, while Carnival will have two Excel-class ships debuting around the same time. Looking even further into the future, Carnival expects to unveil multiple mega cruise ships, including the line’s largest ever, within the next decade.
However, while these two may be close in fleet size, there’s no denying that, in general, Royal Caribbean has larger ships.
Royal Caribbean has long been the cruise line that continues to up the ante when it comes to cruise ship size. Thanks to the cruise line’s Oasis class ships, Royal Caribbean has boasted the largest cruise ships in the world for more than a decade, and the cruise ships that are continuously coming down its production pipeline continue to set world records.
That’s not to say that Carnival doesn’t have some big ships. However, unfortunately, even Carnival’s largest ships don’t currently break into the world’s top 10 largest cruise ships.
Currently, Carnival’s largest ship, Carnival Jubilee, weighs in at 182,015 GT and can carry about 6,500 passengers, while Royal Caribbean’s largest ship, Icon of the Seas, tops that at 248,663 GT, carrying over 7,500 passengers at max capacity.
If you’re looking at the smallest ships, Carnival’s is Carnival Paradise at just over 70,000 GT, with a 2,124 double-occupancy passenger capacity, and Royal Caribbean’s is Grandeur of the Seas at just under 74,000 GT, with a 1,992 double-occupancy passenger capacity.
How much this fact should impact your decision and who you book your cruise with, though, is up for debate. Some cruisers feel that, the bigger, the better. Larger cruise ships do come with more stateroom options, more restaurants and bars, more activities and state-of-the-art, first-at-sea attractions.
However, other cruisers feel like a smaller ship will always be better. The big ships just aren’t worth the massive crowds that come with them. A more intimate cruising experience is the way to go, even if it means you have to sacrifice enjoying such a plethora of options.
You’ll need to think about what kind of cruising experience feels right to you, to determine whether Carnival Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean wins in the size department.
Do note that both cruise lines have done a pretty good job of keeping their cruise ships up to date, with initiatives like Royal Caribbean’s Royal Amplification and Carnival’s Fun 2.0 initiative, which have kept the cruise ships looking their best and offering the most fun possible, for their ages.
Cabins and Suites
When looking at cabins and suites, this is another area where you’ll need to really think about what matters most to you, to decide which cruise line is the winner.
If you want a wide array of different cabin and suite types, Royal Caribbean delivers with tons of different cabin types and features. Royal Caribbean notably offers unique cabin types such as virtual balcony cabins and the Ultimate Family Suite, which comes with everything from an in-cabin slide to a jacuzzi to all the fun and games your kiddos could want.
Carnival may not offer as many unique cabin types, but overall Carnival cabins do include larger standard staterooms — ideal if you don’t plan on upgrading to a cabin with a balcony or ocean views.
Read Also: Incredible Cruise Ships With Family Suites
Royal Caribbean does have a VIP suites-guest experience, allowing suite guests extra benefits and access to a suite lounge and perks via “The Key.” However, when shopping through Royal Caribbean cabins, you’ll see the cruise line doesn’t have a VIPs-only area wherein exclusive guests can mix, mingle, dine and drink.
While, yes, Royal Caribbean ships do have concierge or Diamond Club lounges for suite guests, they are just not the same. Some cruise lines have suite-guest-specific restaurants, pools and decks, on top of the suite-guest lounges.
In contrast, Carnival does have a VIP area on certain ships, if you book a Havana stateroom or suite. These rooms come with access to the Havana exclusive area that can contain a bar, pool, deck and hot tubs, among other features.
Beyond the above, you’ll also notice a stark difference in style when it comes to Carnival vs Royal Caribbean staterooms and suites.
Carnival has a very bright and almost carnival-esque décor motif, with lots of bright colors, whereas Royal Caribbean staterooms and suites are often decked out in calming shades of blue. Carnival staterooms have the feel and vibe of a family-friendly Caribbean all-inclusive resort, while Royal Caribbean staterooms have the feel and vibe of a moderately high-end urban hotel.
Dining
Consider yourself a foodie? Care about your cruise cuisine, from sandwiches to sushi? Then listen up.
It’s no doubt that Carnival delivers when it comes to the complimentary dining options. Cruisers rave about Carnival’s free eateries like the Guy Fieri-endorsed Guy’s Burger Joint.
There’s also newly a Shaq-endorsed Big Chicken restaurant on some of the newer Carnival ships. If you want to cruise with Carnival, but not spend a ton of extra money on specialty dining, you’ll be more than happy with your plenteous complimentary options.
In contrast, Royal Caribbean might not offer all that many amazing complimentary dining options (limited mostly to the main dining rooms and buffet), but the ships do have plenty of other venues to love, if you’re willing to buy a dining package or to splurge a bit on some individual reservations. Expect high-end options with celebrity chef appeal (Royal Caribbean partners with Jamie Oliver).
Worth Reading: Icon of the Seas Restaurants – Dining Venue Guide
If you’re looking for the best dining experience possible on a cruise, and you don’t mind spending a little extra, go with Royal Caribbean. If, however, you want to still enjoy all your cruise ship eats without spending a pretty penny, go with Carnival.
If you’re the type of cruiser who just really wants a decent meal to fuel all your fun, and you don’t care if it came from a celebrity chef or if you’re enjoying a different dining experience every night, then you could opt for either option.
Activities and Entertainment
Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival attempt to offer ground-breaking, first-at-sea activities and entertainment across their fleets.
Royal Caribbean ships offer standard activities and entertainment that include FlowRider surfing simulators, zip lines, rock climbing walls, carousels, an ice skating rink, bumper cars waterslides, dry slides, skydiving simulators, escape rooms, laser tag, mini golf and more. In the theater, expect Broadway-style shows. In the past, Royal Caribbean has produced showings of CATS, Hairspray, Grease and other favorites.
Carnival offers a nice Waterworks water park on many ships, as well as the first roller coaster at sea. Carnival also offers ropes courses, mini golf and SkyRide, a ride that’s a bit like riding a bike, just over the top deck and ocean.
Carnival does also offer a lot in the way of scheduled activities. You can expect a lot of crew-led fun, from trivia to contests to game shows to comedy shows. Favorites include the Family Feud live game show, and both family friendly and adults-only sets at the Punchliner Comedy Club. As such, even if your ship isn’t outfitted with tons of water features or tech-heavy activities, you’ll hardly be bored.
When you’re not staying active and having fun, both ships do provide plenty of ways to relax, whether by the pool or at the spa. Additionally, both ships offer similar experiences when it comes to seated, theatrical entertainment, with acrobats, singers and dancers galore. Kids clubs are also robust, with offerings for everyone from babies to teens.
Overall, if you’re looking to stuff your days with plenty of fun and endless opportunities for adventure, without ever setting foot off the ship, Royal Caribbean is probably your best bet, for the most fun for your cruise fare.
However, if you’re envisioning a more balanced cruise that includes plenty of time spent having fun, but also plenty of time lounging by the pool or off the ship in port, you would likely be fine with a Carnival cruise.
Private Destinations
Carnival’s main private island is Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. This award-winning private island offers a range of tours and experiences that you can book for your cruise, from hiking or biking tours to snorkeling excursions, horseback riding adventures to stingray encounters. If you don’t want any adventures during this stop in your itinerary, you can simply rent a cabana or villa on the beach.
Carnival’s also gearing up to open a new private island, Celebration Key. Opening in summer 2025, this private island is also located in the Bahamas, and will offer one of the largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean, shopping, dining, an adult-only beach club and more.
Royal Caribbean, meanwhile, has its CocoCay, also in the Bahamas, where travelers can enjoy the well-known Perfect Day at CocoCay experience. There, you’ll find the tallest waterslide in North America (among a dozen other waterslides), beaches, multiple pools, the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, helium balloon rides and more. You’ll be able to see and do it all during a day-long stop in your cruise’s itinerary.
So, both Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean offer amazing private destinations, and both of these Bahamian islands can appear on either a western or eastern Caribbean cruise.
The only thing to really note is that CocoCay has a pier, while Half Moon Cay is tender-only for the time being (a pier is being constructed). This means that bad weather can prevent stops at Half Moon Cay, as tendering isn’t always possible in rougher waters.
Deployments
While Royal Caribbean’s itineraries may sail to hundreds of different destinations, you can find the majority of its ship sailing out of the Caribbean and Europe. A much smaller number of ships sail to Alaska, Asia and Australia.
For Caribbean itineraries, Royal Caribbean typically sails out of Florida ports, as well as Galveston and New Orleans.
Carnival, while sailing to tons of different destinations around the world, is primarily operating out of the southern United States, with eastern and western Caribbean cruises sailing out of Florida ports like Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Texas and Louisiana. Other cruises sail out of California, headed to Mexico, while others sail out of Seattle, going to Alaska.
In general, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean offer very similar itineraries. If you’re looking to visit some of the most popular cruise destinations in the world, you can find Royal Caribbean and Carnival itineraries that will take you there.
However, if you’re wanting more choice for European cruises, or even specialty cruises like the world cruise that just wrapped up, you’ll want to look to Royal Caribbean.
What Type of Cruiser?
But what type of cruiser sails on Royal Caribbean vs Carnival Cruise Line? Will you fit in with the other passengers, on your chosen cruise?
Carnival has definitely built up its reputation as “the fun ship.” It’s also one of the more budget-friendly cruise lines out there. As such, you’ll find that many cruisers on Carnival are looking for a great time for affordable fares. Expect to see partiers like bachelor and bachelorette parties, as well as groups of younger travelers.
That said, Carnival still attracts its fair share of family travelers, including budget-friendly family travelers, as well as seniors. However, you’ll find the average age on these ships trends younger, as compared to senior-catering cruise lines like Viking.
Royal Caribbean, meanwhile, is a little more expensive, and there are more luxury experiences to be had on board, from the high-priced luxury suites available to the many specialty restaurants that come with a la carte fees. As such, you can expect to see travelers on Royal Caribbean who aren’t afraid to spend a little extra cash.
Additionally, Royal Caribbean offers tons for families to do and experience, as well as tons of family-friendly suites and staterooms. Don’t expect to take a Royal Caribbean cruise and avoid a lot of the kiddos. If it’s a kid-free cruise you’re after, you’re better off taking a cruise with Virgin Voyages or another similar, adults-only line.
In a Nutshell: Which is Best?
Which is best for you — Royal Caribbean vs Carnival — will all depend on a variety of factors. Do you want a cruise that’s very affordable and that comes with lots to do and enjoy, without any extra fees? Go for a Carnival cruise.
Do you want a cruise that may cost a little bit more, but that comes with a few extra luxuries? Go with a Royal Caribbean cruise.
Read Also: Are You Ready to Take a Cruise? Ask Yourself These 11 Questions!
If you’re not really sure what kind of cruise you’d enjoy, and it’s your first time on a cruise, and if you really just have a general idea of what destinations you’d like to visit, you really can’t go wrong with either cruise line.
Both Carnival and Royal Caribbean offer tons of fun for families, lots of stateroom options, delicious foods, fun itineraries and more. If all else fails, try them both and see which is best suited to your personal travel preferences and tastes!
