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It’s like they’ve given some kids the brief of designing their dream suite, and then just built it from their sketches and notes. Carnival doesn’t have a ship homeporting in the UK for any length of time. Some cruises from the UK are available, but the ship will move around Europe for the summer, so your options are a little more limited if you’re looking to sail from the UK. The Royal Caribbean and Carnival fleets are the largest in the world. Royal Caribbean’s is marginally bigger, with 27 ships currently sailing for the cruise line and another three under construction.
Sailing Map
The lounge has a selection of board games for families to enjoy too. The choice of destinations really isn’t too different between Royal Caribbean and Carnival. I’d suggest that, if you wanted a cruise around Europe, you’ll find better options with Royal Caribbean – not just the UK-based ships, but there are usually ships homeporting in Barcelona and Rome too for the summer. Carnival’s private islands and resorts include Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay, offering a similar range of activities to Royal Caribbean’s islands. Royal Caribbean puts much emphasis on North America — the Caribbean, Bahamas (including the line's own extravagant private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay), Alaska, Canada/New England and the Mexican Riviera — but also sails several regions in Europe.
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Carnival does offer some trips from Brisbane and Sydney for Carnival fans in the southern hemisphere. Royal Caribbean ships consistently measure in the low 40s in this segment, no matter whether a ship is new or old. Carnival has a few that measure in the 40s, but most are around 34-37, meaning a significantly smaller size per passenger. That said, Carnival is moving in the direction of Royal Caribbean. For instance, Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration and Jubilee have the first-ever roller coaster at sea, and the cruise line is the only one to have an IMAX on some of its ships.
Royal Caribbean Destinations
Carnival can't quite compete in this department, but its ships don't lack things to do. It's known for its WaterWorks water parks with multiple waterslides and splash areas for little kids, as well as for Bolt, the first roller coaster at sea (found only on Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee). Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean program (for ages 3-12) includes an opportunity for kids to become Certified Jr. There are also Royal Babies and Royal Tots options for those travelers with infants and toddlers, and cool hangouts for tweens and teens.
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Night Western Caribbean CruiseDetails
This is simply the gross tonnage of a ship divided by the occupancy 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. While both lines do have a lot of similarities, there are also some major differences. This blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. Carnival’s fares can appear much cheaper than Royal Caribbean’s, especially when comparing some of the newer ships, but the difference isn’t huge once you take into account all the fees and taxes when booking.
In the week leading up to Shrove Tuesday (aka Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras), the French-Caribbean island of Martinique celebrates its own unique Carnival. On Fat Sunday, parades feature locals carrying fantastically dressed puppets known as bwa bwa as well as nègres-gros-sirop (revelers with bodies covered in coal tar and sugarcane syrup). One of the most popular places on the ship is Guy’s Burger Joint — a tasty fresh-grilled burger with seasoned fries. As well, there is also BlueIguana Cantina, Pizzeria del Capitano and a few other places where you can grab a bite (ChiBang!, Big Chicken, the deli) without any additional charge. And some spots that charge for dinner also have free lunch options. Carnival, on the other hand, has more traditional pricing that doesn’t change from trip to trip (at least right now).
Cabins and suites
From finding the right destination to choosing the best departure date, we're here to help. Plus, our experienced travel consultants have access to exclusive vacation deals to make sure you get the best value for your time and money. The island of Montserrat is one of several Caribbean island nations that celebrates Carnival to close out one year and welcome in the next.
U.S. Virgin Islands
When looking at dining options on Royal Caribbean versus Carnival, Carnival has the edge for abundant included offerings, and Royal Caribbean leads with its number of extra-fee specialty restaurants. In Miami, you’ll enjoy a small taste of the tropical weather many of you will experience during your cruise, and you’ll see why Miami is one of the most popular places to live in America. Later that day and all day on Carnival Tuesday the streets fill with costumed revelers, energetic dancers and bands playing Soco, steelpan, and calypso.
Dynamic Pricing
Stateroom photos are for sample purposes only -- actual design and layout may vary. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. As cruise lines grow their fleet, they are able to add more cruises — including from smaller ports. Today, Icon of the Seas takes over as the largest cruise ship in the world and comes in at more than 250,000 gross tons.
When booking a cruise with either Royal Caribbean or Carnival, you really aren’t short of cabin options. There are a wealth of different staterooms and suites to choose from, even on the smallest ships in the fleet. The choice of embarkation ports for Carnival is a little more limited than Royal Caribbean, although there are still plenty of options – there are 21 ports you can sail from, again mostly based in the US. The same Miami ports are popular, although Carnival also offers more cruises from Galveston. The destinations that both cruise lines sail to are very similar, with only a few minor differences. As you’d expect, the Caribbean and Bahamas are the most prominent regions for both lines, but there are plenty of options around the world for guests further afield or who want to explore other destinations.
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If you’re adults who want more of a party cruise, especially for a weekend break, Carnival is likely to cater to you better. Royal Caribbean cruises are rarely ‘cheap’, but the price will vary greatly depending on your chosen itinerary and especially the ship. Understandably, if you want to try the biggest ships with the best features, you’ll need to pay more.
The newest ship is Carnival Jubilee of the Excel Class, which launched at the very end of 2023. The oldest ship in the fleet is Grandeur of the Seas, which first launched back in 1996. The newest ship is also the biggest in the world – Icon of the Seas, which launched in January 2024.
Royal Caribbean guests tend to be families – mostly with parents in their 30s or 40s, but you will get some younger families too, though Royal’s pricing can sometimes exclude some younger parents. There will be a lot of couples too, and some solo travellers and groups of friends, but the latest ships in the fleet are definitely family-oriented. There’s no way to really separate the two cruise lines when it comes to dining. In the past, I would’ve said that the only real differentiator would’ve been Royal Caribbean had better options for vegans. But in late 2023, Carnival rolled out a new vegan menu across the fleet, and so now there’s not really anything between them. Royal Caribbean offers an extensive range of casual and speciality dining options.
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