Carnival Cruise Line vs. Royal Caribbean International

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By:

Dori Saltzman

Senior Editor

Two of the cruise industry's biggest players go head to head as Cruise Critic breaks down what's on offer from each line in a number of categories, including fleet, pricing, cabins, dining, entertainment, family and more. Find out which line is best for you.

In a Nutshell

Carnival Cruise Line

Budget-conscious, family-friendly cruise line with a we-don't-take-ourselves-too-seriously casual vibe that's all about having fun

Royal Caribbean International

Focus on the "wow" factor with high-tech entertainment and activities, a vast array of dining choices and an emphasis on family togetherness

Fleet size, ship sizes and ages

Carnival Cruise Line

26 ships, nine built before 2000
Oldest ships: Carnival Fantasy (1990), Carnival Ecstasy (1991)
Smallest ships: Fantasy Class (2,052 passengers) -- Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Elation, Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Sensation
Largest ship: Carnival Horizon (3,960 passengers)

Carnival Cruise Line Ship List

Royal Caribbean International

25 ships, seven built before 2000
Oldest ships: Empress of the Seas (1990), Majesty of the Seas (1992)
Smallest ships: Empress of the Seas (1,602 passengers), Grandeur of the Seas (1,992), Rhapsody of the Seas (1,998)
Largest ships: Oasis Class (5,400 to 5,518 passengers) -- Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International Ship List

Pricing

Carnival Cruise Line

Has a reputation for some of the lowest fares in the industry
Pricing includes most of the alternative restaurants.
Most entertainment included, with the exception of Carnival Live! concerts and 3D Thrill and IMAX theaters (only available on select ships)

Royal Caribbean International

Prices on Royal Caribbean's newest ships are significantly higher than prices for other ships in its fleet
Pricing includes only about half of the line's alternative restaurants
All entertainment is included, with the exception of lunch or dinner theater shows
Last minute discounts only available on cruises of four nights or less
Free Bloody Mary or Mimosa during the sea day brunch on one ship (Empress of the Seas)

Demographics

Carnival Cruise Line

Families and couples in their 30s to 60s
About half of all passengers are 35 to 55 years old.

Carnival Cruise Line Forums

Royal Caribbean International

Families, plus couples and singles in their 30s to 50s
The median age is low 40s, but it's slightly lower on shorter cruises and slightly higher on cruises of 10 nights or more.

Royal Caribbean International Forums

Itineraries/Destinations/Homeports

Carnival Cruise Line

Has 16 homeports on the North American mainland from which cruise ships depart regularly, if not always year-round
Offers standard Caribbean, Bermuda, Bahamas, Mexico, Alaska and Hawaii itineraries
Does not offer sailings in Europe
Has two ships sailing out of Australia regularly but can only be booked through the line's Australian division
No exotic itineraries

Royal Caribbean International

Has 14 homeports on the North American mainland from which cruise ships depart regularly, if not always year-round
Offers standard Caribbean, Bermuda, Bahamas, Mexico, Alaska and Hawaii itineraries
Cruises Europe year-round, offering Baltic, Northern Europe and Mediterranean cruises out of ports throughout the continent
Stations ships in Australia and Asia
Exotic itineraries include those visiting South America, the Middle East and the South Pacific

Cabins

Carnival Cruise Line

Among the industry's largest standard cabin sizes
Has a relatively simple cabin structure with not a lot of cabin type options (exceptions being Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon, which have many cabin types to choose from)
Eight ships have Cloud 9 Spa rooms, which include free fitness classes and access to the thermal suites and Thalassotherapy pool, as well as discounts on spa treatments when the ship is docked in port
Suite privileges limited to priority embarkation and debarkation
Has limited family cabins, including some with connecting doors; Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon have the line's largest selection of family-specific cabins with their Deck 2 Family Harbor that include insides, oceanviews and balconies that can hold up to five people

Royal Caribbean International

Offers a large variety of cabin categories, especially on its newest ships
Innovative cabin options include Virtual Balcony inside cabins. (Giant TV screens give the impression of floor-to-ceiling windows.)
Offers comprehensive tiered suite privileges, including free drinks and specialty dining (on Quantum- and Oasis-class ships only), priority boarding and disembarking, reserved theater seating, VIP pool seating where available, and more
Has some of the largest suites in the mainstream cruise category, including some duplex options
Has many family cabin options, including those with connecting doors, as well as family-size cabins that include full baths

Dining

Carnival Cruise Line

Offers fixed and flex dining options
Each ship has just a handful of specialty restaurants, and most -- like Guy's Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina -- are included in the cruise fares. Specialty restaurants that cost extra include Cucina del Capitano ($15), Seafood Shack (a la carte), Bonsai Sushi (a la carte), Ji Ji Asian Kitchen ($15) and The Steakhouse ($35). Only Vista and Horizon offer all of these restaurants. Carnival Sunshine features most, and all other ships feature one to three.
Has a partnership with celebrity chef Guy Fieri, whose Guy's Burger Joint is found on 24 ships in the fleet and whose Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-b-Que is on four ships
At least one formal night per cruise, asking passengers to dress up for dinner (or eat in the buffet where casual is acceptable)

Royal Caribbean International

Offers fixed and My Time dining options
Extraordinary array of specialty restaurants with few included in the cruise fares: Sorrento's pizzeria and the Cafe Promenade are two that are complimentary
Has a partnership with Jamie Oliver, whose Jamie's Italian is on the two Quantum-class ships as well as Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas
At least one formal night per cruise requiring passengers to dress up for dinner (or eat in the buffet where casual is acceptable)

Pool Deck Fun

Carnival Cruise Line

All ships have at least one pool; many also have an aft pool
The WaterWorks water park, featuring a variety of water slides, is onboard 16 ships; another seven have a single water slide
Lots of poolside fun, including traditional cruise ship contests like hairy chest, sexy legs and belly flop
Lots of branded food and drink venues around the pool deck, including Guy's Burger Joint, RedFrog Rum Bar and the BlueIguana Tequila Bar

Royal Caribbean International

All ships have at least two pools, with some having three or four
At least one FlowRider surf simulator is onboard 13 ships, and the kids' H2O Zone or Splashaway Bay is on 12
Will be adding water slides to all ships over the course of several years; five ships have them as of mid-2018
Poolside fun can include sexiest man and belly flop competitions, but some ships will have little poolside activity.

Sports Deck Fun

Carnival Cruise Line

Most ships have mini-golf courses and several have basketball or volleyball courts
Four ships have ropes courses
Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon feature SkyRide, a pedal-powered, open-air aerial bike ride, in which riders race each other on hanging recumbent bikes around an 800-foot suspended track, some 150 feet above the sea

Royal Caribbean International

All ships have basketball courts and rock climbing walls, and most also have mini-golf courses.
The three Quantum-class ships have indoor skydiving; the four Oasis-class have ziplines.

Indoor Fun

Carnival Cruise Line

Daily indoor fun includes trivia, bingo, cooking demonstrations, dance classes, the interactive Hasbro the Game Show, cocktail mixing contests and martini tastings.
Select ships have 3D Thrill and/or an IMAX theaters (cover charge required).

Royal Caribbean International

Daily indoor fun includes trivia, bingo, napkin folding demonstrations, dance classes, scrapbooking sessions and jewelry-making classes.
On Oasis-, Quantum-, Voyager- and Freedom-class ships, the Promenade is the place to people-watch, hit a shop, or grab a bite to eat or beer to drink.
12 ships have indoor ice skating rinks
Royal's three Quantum-class ships have the SeaPlex, an indoor activity center that plays host to bumper cars, roller skating, trapeze classes and an arcade

Nightlife

Carnival Cruise Line

Playlist Productions theater shows are short (think 30 minutes), highly visual musical performances that run several times an evening and on multiple days. They're available on 23 ships
Theater shows on ships without Playlist Productions are musical revue-style song-and-dance shows
The Punchliner Comedy Club, found on all ships, offers nightly family-friendly and adults-only comedy routines
Dive-In Movies offered poolside
All ships feature nightclubs with DJs trained by DJ Irie, the official DJ of the Miami Heat
The onboard Piano Bar is a hoot-and-holler sing-along good time, while the Sports Bar is perfect for catching a game or having a brew
The Carnival Live! concert series, available on select sailings, brings well-known musicians onboard for exclusive concerts (cover charge required)

Royal Caribbean International

Seven ships feature Broadway (or London West End) shows: Anthem of the Seas ("We Will Rock You"), Oasis of the Seas ("Cats"), Liberty of the Seas ("Saturday Night Fever"), Allure of the Seas ("Mamma Mia"), Independence of the Seas ("Grease") and Harmony of the Seas ("Grease"); and Symphony of the Seas ("Hairspray")
All ships also feature musical revue-style song-and-dance shows, as well as occasional performances by comedians and magicians.
Select ships in the line's Vision and Radiance classes (seven total) have evening aerial shows.
The four Oasis-class ships feature AquaTheater gravity-defying diving and acrobatic performances.
The three Quantum-class ships feature Two70, a three-deck-high lounge and performance space featuring stunning acts that combine digital visuals with music, dancing and acrobatics.
The onboard Schooner Bar provides a nautical-inspired casual spot for a pre-dinner drink (or post-dinner piano sing-along), while Bolero's, with its Latin beats, is a spot for salsa dancing and sipping mojitos.
All ships feature a nightclub for nighttime dancing.

DreamWorks Characters on Freedom of the Seas

Family Focus

Carnival Cruise Line

Genuinely family-friendly
Seuss at Sea incorporates several events, including the Green Eggs and Ham breakfast, Seussapalooza costume parade with characters from Dr. Seuss' most beloved books and movie screenings of Dr. Seuss classics. Carnival Freedom, Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon have Dr. Seuss' Bookville, a whimsically decorated reading and play space for kids and parents.
Kids clubs include programs for smaller kids, tweens and teens.
Teen girls can get their hair done or a mani/pedi at the teen-only ZSPA.
Teens can learn to DJ with the Spin U program.
Nighttime baby-sitting (for a fee) with the Night Owls program

Carnival Family Cruise Reviews

Royal Caribbean International

Genuinely family-friendly
The DreamWorks Experience (available on select ships) features character parades and meals, as well as screenings of DreamWorks films.
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.
Kids clubs include programs for smaller kids, tweens and teens.
Royal Babies and Tots Nursery (on select ships) is for babies ages 6 to 36 months; a fee applies for daytime and nighttime sessions.
Pre-order diapers, wipes, cream and baby food through the Babies 2 Go program.
Many different family-friendly cabin configurations

Royal Caribbean International Family Cruise Reviews

Sky Diving Simulator on Anthem of the Seas

Tradition vs Innovation

Carnival Cruise Line

Known for sticking with cruising traditions like set dining times, poolside fun and North America-based cruising
Newest ships have a few innovations, including the ropes course (the first at sea for any line was on Carnival Breeze) and SkyRide (a mid-air, suspended bike course), which debuted on Carnival Vista in 2017

Royal Caribbean International

Known for constantly innovating the cruise industry with first-at-sea features like rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks, the FlowRider surf simulator and vertical tube skydiving, among others

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