If you’re looking for a family-friendly cruise that everyone in your group will enjoy, you might be comparing Disney Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line. Both popular cruise companies offer a variety of onboard experiences, top-notch service and lively entertainment that will keep everyone in your family having fun every day.
The two lines offer tricked-out play areas for kids and adults-only sun decks and fun bars for mom and dad. Couples looking for rest and relaxation and seniors wishing to play bingo or sip martinis can find their happy place on either Carnival or Disney.
Both lines have sun-drenched itineraries that take passengers to the Bahamas and Caribbean, with seasonal sailings to the Mediterranean and Alaska.
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Still, there are lots of differences between the lines, starting with price. Here, we compare Disney Cruise Line and Carnival to see what they have in common and what they don’t, so you can figure out the best cruise for you.
Size of ships
Disney Cruise Line has three classes of ships while Carnival Cruise Line has eight.
The smaller ships on both cruise lines (Disney Cruise Line’s Magic class and Carnival Cruise Line’s Fantasy and Spirit classes) carry between 2,000 and 3,000 guests.
Carnival’s midsize ships include the Conquest, Splendor, Vista and Dream classes that can carry upward of 4,900 guests at full capacity. The midsize ships carry more passengers than Disney Cruise Line’s largest ships (the Triton and Dream class), which have a maximum cruise capacity of 4,000 passengers.
Another difference in these two ship sizes is tonnage (essentially, how big the ships are). Carnival’s midsize ships range from 110,000 to 130,000 gross registered tonnage. Disney’s Dream-class ships are equal to Carnival’s larger midsize ships at 130,000 gross tons, while the Triton class is larger at 144,000 gross tons.
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Even though Disney’s Triton-class ships are bigger than Carnival’s Dream-class ships, Disney’s ships carry fewer people, even at full capacity. That makes for a higher space-to-guest ratio and a less crowded feeling on board.
Related: Best Carnival cruise ships: Here’s which ship you should sail, based on your travel style
Carnival’s largest ships can accommodate over 6,400 people at full capacity.
On Carnival’s larger Excel-class ships, such as Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, guests will find an abundance of amenities that aren’t available on the smaller and older ships like Carnival Elation. The Excel-class ships have a roller coaster, ropes course and a flex-space theater in the middle of the ship with panoramic views of the ocean. While the party vibe is high on Carnival Elation, Carnival’s smallest and oldest ship, the over-the-top amenities just aren’t available.
What guests sailing on Carnival will find on every ship in the fleet is restaurants from celebrity chefs like Guy Fieri, fun waterslides, vibrant kids clubs and an adults-only pool area known as Serenity.
Disney Wish, the first ship in Disney Cruise Line’s Triton class of ships, feels different from the other four ships in the Disney fleet. While the ship does have a lot of the same amenities, including Disney-themed bars, exciting kids clubs, a slew of restaurants and movie theaters showing first-run movies, Disney Wish has a more upscale vibe than the ships in the Dream or Magic classes.
On the flip side, Disney Wish doesn’t have the adults-only district that the other four ships have. On those ships, lounges and bars are clustered together to create a true retreat with nighttime entertainment for adults.
The three ships in Disney’s larger Dream- and Triton-class ships feature raft rides, including the AquaMouse on Disney Wish and the AquaDuck on Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. The smaller Disney Magic has a drop slide, called the AquaDunk, that plunges guests down multiple decks. Its sister ship Disney Wonder does not have a major water ride, though it does have a twisting waterslide as part of its kids splash area.
Every ship in the Carnival fleet is a floating resort with outdoor pools, casinos, spas, bars and live entertainment taking place day and night. Disney ships also have that resort feel but without the casino and with more dedicated kids spaces.
Related: The 8 classes of Carnival Cruise Line ships, explained | The 3 types of Disney Cruise Line ships, explained
Price
One of the biggest differences between Carnival Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line is the price of a sailing. Carnival is known for its affordable prices and many drive-to departure ports around the U.S. (eliminating the need for the added expense of airfare). Disney’s prices are more akin to a luxury vacation.
For example, a weeklong sailing to the Eastern Caribbean in July 2024 starts at $909 for two people in an inside cabin or $1,249 for two people in a balcony cabin on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, one of its newest and biggest ships. The same itinerary on Disney Fantasy starts at $5,171 for an inside cabin or $6,445 for a verandah cabin for two people.
In 2024, the starting rate for a three-night Bahamas cruise is $189 per person on Carnival or $618 per person on Disney, both based on double occupancy.
If the price is the determining factor of your vacation, then Carnival is easily the best value for the price. Its ropes course, adults-only sun deck and many of its dining options (including venues linked with celebrity chef Guy Fieri) are included in the fare. Just be sure to watch for added fees that can increase the cost of your cruise, such as drinks packages, specialty dining, shore excursions and roller coaster rides.
Related: 6 ways to get a deal on a cruise
For those who have a larger budget, Disney Cruise Line may be a better fit with more-spacious ships, standard cabins created for families and a more upscale feel. Cruise fares include access to first-run Disney, Marvel, Pixar and “Star Wars” movies at the onboard theater, meals in multiple venues (often with dinnertime entertainment), nonalcoholic drinks (including soda) and Disney’s high-quality entertainment, from original musicals to deck parties with character performances and fireworks.
Added costs on Disney include tours, alcoholic beverages (Disney doesn’t have onboard drinks packages to potentially save you money) and specialty dining in the adults-only restaurants.
Cabins and suites
Both cruise lines offer a wide range of cabin styles in various price ranges for all types of families, including windowless inside, ocean view, verandah (with a private balcony) and suite. Carnival and Disney offer connecting rooms and cabins that can sleep four or more. However, they vary in design and layout, with different specialty cabins and perks for the top categories of accommodations.
Disney Cruise Line is better if you want a cabin with virtually everything your family needs on a cruise. Most of Disney’s standard cabins have the cruise line’s signature split bathroom (toilet and sink in one room, sink and shower in another), which is helpful for larger families looking to get ready for the day with ease. The cabins also have a large curtain dividing mom and dad’s bed from the upper bunk and sleeper sofa the kids are sleeping on. Parents can get a bit more privacy and can keep the lights on after kid bedtime without bothering sleeping children.
Another fun touch: The smaller inside rooms on Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy feature a “magical porthole,” a window-shaped LED screen with real-time views of the outside world, along with appearances by Disney characters.
Carnival’s standard cabins are more casual, with plenty of storage and colorful decor. The line does offer some of the largest standard cabins in the cruise industry.
Related: Everything you want to know about cabins and suites on Carnival Cruise Line ships
Carnival offers more specialty cabins and suites than Disney, if you’re interested in a unique or themed room. Some of the specialty cabins include Havana suites that have access to a private pool and lounge deck, the Cloud 9 Spa rooms that have exclusive perks like unlimited use of the spa’s thermal suite, and Family Harbor cabins and suites that come with access to a family-friendly lounge packed with snacks, board games and TVs.
Both cruise lines have larger suites with extra amenities, but Disney gets the nod in this category.
Disney Cruise Line’s larger concierge suites range in style from family ocean-view cabins to lavish two-story suites, one of which is located inside the forward funnel on Disney Wish. Perks of booking a concierge suite include access to the concierge lounge, where snacks and drinks are available all day. Attentive hosts can book specialty dining reservations, excursions and more for your family. Concierge guests also get priority access to embark and disembark the ship and the first pick of seats inside the Walt Disney Theatre for shows.
Newer Carnival ships have more suites than older ships in the fleet, where the nicest rooms are bigger but not always fancy. On Carnival’s Excel-class ships, the Havana cabins and suites have access to a private pool deck, and Cloud 9 Spa cabins come with unlimited access to the ship’s thermal suite in the spa. Travelers who pick a standard suite can enjoy access to Loft 19, a private pool deck with loungers and cabanas, concierge service and an infinity whirlpool.
Related: Why it pays to upgrade your cruise ship cabin
Food and drink
Dining on both Carnival and Disney is abundant, but Carnival leads the pack with its plentiful and tasty free options, plus a variety of extra-fee specialty restaurants. Disney is known for its unique rotational dining plan and entertaining dinner shows.
Carnival cruisers have their favorite food destinations on board each ship. For some, the celebrity chef-led restaurants pique their interest. They might go for complimentary burgers or barbecue at Guy’s Burger Joint or Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse, respectively, both of which are collaborations with celebrity chef Guy Fieri, or extra-fee New Orleans fare from Emeril Lagasse. Other cruisers enjoy the extra-cost classic steakhouses or Italian favorites at Cucina del Capitano.
Complimentary restaurants are mostly found on the pool decks and include a make-your-own taco and burrito bar, Italian-style pizza and a deli dishing out sky-high sandwiches. The main dining room gets high marks, especially for its outstanding Indian cuisine and iconic melting chocolate cake.
On Disney cruise ships, passengers aren’t assigned to one main dining room, as they are on Carnival, but rotate through three themed dining rooms with their waiters in tow. Each included restaurant has its own set of menus and theme.
Related: The ultimate guide to cruise ship food and dining
Among the three, you’re likely to find one more elegant dining space, a dining room with character interactions (like the “Frozen” or “Tangled”-themed dining rooms on Disney Wish and Disney Magic, respectively) and a restaurant with interactive elements – such as creating animations or taking down a Marvel villain – to keep everyone occupied during mealtime.
Guests can also indulge in complimentary fast-food fare (burgers, chicken strips, etc.) at the buffet and casual pool deck venues.
Disney ships offer minimal extra-fee restaurants, with Disney Magic and Disney Wonder offering just one and Disney Wish, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy featuring two. All are adults-only. The highlight of all five ships is Palo (Palo Steakhouse on Disney Wish), which features elevated Italian cuisine with sweeping ocean views. On Disney’s larger ships, Remy and Enchante are French fine dining restaurants ideal for date night or celebrating one of life’s many milestones.
Kids activities
No matter what age your kids are, they will find plenty of fun inside the kids clubs on board both lines’ cruise ships. Both lines have impeccable programs that keep kids entertained throughout the day with age-appropriate activities and different spaces for kids of all ages. For younger kids, you just can’t beat the size and innovation of Disney’s Oceaneer Club.
On Carnival, Camp Ocean divides junior cruisers ages 2 to 11 into three age-based groups and offers activities like games, movies and crafts. Carnival also has a Suess at Sea program, and kids can participate in activities inspired by Dr. Suess books and meet favorite characters like the Cat in the Hat.
Kids ages 2 to 11 interested in space can also join the Space Cruisers program, where youngsters learn about space exploration and participate in activities developed in partnership with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Over at Circle “C,” teens ages 12 to 14 have a hangout spot that’s all their own with counselor-led activities like dance parties, games and outdoor movies. Older teens ages 15 to 17 head to Club O2 to enjoy karaoke sessions, movies and video games with their peers.
Carnival does not have a nursery for kids under age 2, but at night, parents can drop their youngsters off at Night Owls, where kids ages 6 months to 11 years can enjoy games, activities and parties or get some rest until 1 a.m.
Related: 5 best cruise lines for families
Disney Cruise Line has some of the most impressive kids clubs at sea. Kids ages 3 to 12 can enjoy Disney’s Oceaneer Club on all five ships, though the themed spaces are different from ship to ship. Inside this space, kids can enjoy learning how to fly the Millennium Falcon in a “Star Wars”-themed area or building roller coasters at the Walt Disney Imagineering Lab. Kids can also see and play with their favorite Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and Thor.
Tweens and teens also have their own spaces on the Disney fleet with Edge and Vibe, respectively. As on Carnival, teens can enjoy counselor-led activities like trivia contests, shipwide scavenger hunts and even a movie-making course.
Unlike Carnival, Disney does have a nursery for kids ages 6 months to 3 years. Parents can reserve times to drop their kids off at the nursery online or once on board the ship, and the minimum reservation time is one hour. There is a small fee to use the nursery, but it can be helpful for parents who want to enjoy specialty dining or the spa. The nursery is also open while in port, so parents can drop their kids off if they have a planned excursion or want to explore on their own.
Onboard attractions
Carnival is known for its over-the-top upper decks where families can have thrilling adventures throughout the sailing. Its WaterWorks water parks feature waterslides and splash pads for every thrill level on most ships. Most also have sports courts and minigolf.
Starting with the Dream class of ships, the outdoor decks feature an added ropes course; on the Vista-class ships, the upper decks include a suspended bicycle that goes around the perimeter of a deck. Carnival’s newest ships – Mardi Gras, Celebration and the upcoming Jubilee – all feature a roller coaster, water park and ropes course.
Related: The 10 wildest attractions you’ll find on a cruise ship
On Disney Cruise Line, the activities are much more subdued but still exciting. Each ship has large outdoor pools, and most have a raft ride or slide.
On Disney Magic, the water ride is a drop-floor body slide called the AquaDunk, while Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy feature a family-friendly raft ride around the top deck of the ships called the AquaDuck. On Disney Wish, the family raft ride is the AquaMouse, which also goes around the edge of the ship but includes snippets of cute Mickey Mouse cartoons. The Disney Wonder doesn’t have one of the big slides, but does have a bright yellow double-looping waterslide called the Twist ‘n’ Spout slide.
Other onboard attractions include interactive games featuring Disney characters and a salon where kids can get made up as princesses and pirates. Disney also has movie theaters showing Disney classics and first-run movies.
Carnival and Disney Cruise Line both offer pool decks open to everyone, as well as adults-only sun decks. (Carnival’s have hot tubs, while Disney’s also have a pool.)
Entertainment
Disney Cruise Line and Carnival have different entertainment styles, but you’ll never be bored with so much happening around any of the ships.
Disney excels with its Broadway-caliber live shows, which are either virtual retellings of Disney movies such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Tangled” or “Frozen,” or original productions featuring characters from multiple movies and themes around the power of wishing and magic.
Adults will also find entertainment just for them at the various adults-only clubs and bars on board, with comedians and variety acts performing throughout the sailing. (Note that unlike Carnival, Disney Cruise Line does not offer a flat-fee all-you-can-drink package.)
Guests on board Disney’s ships are also privy to seeing Disney characters around the decks, whether it’s at scheduled meet-and-greets or surprise times when families unexpectedly run into the likes of Captain Minnie Mouse or Spider-Man. One of the most popular meet-and-greet times is the Princess Gathering, an opportunity to meet multiple Disney princesses at the same time.
Disney Cruise Line is also known for its Pirate Night deck party on all five ships. The swashbuckling fun includes scheduled character meet-and-greets with Disney pirates such as Captain Hook and Captain Jack Sparrow, and themed menus and waiter attire at dinner. The culmination of the event is a massive deck party with singing, dancing and appearances by Disney characters followed by a fireworks display.
Related: Best Disney cruise ships for everyone — even Disney adults
Carnival is known for its onboard versions of TV shows like “Deal or No Deal” and “Family Feud,” and its comedy shows at The Punchliner Comedy Club. Multiple guest comedians come aboard every sailing to perform family-friendly shows during the day and spicy adults-only shows after the sun goes down.
The line’s high-tech musical shows, called Playlist Productions, are worth checking out, too. Each show is under an hour and features popular tunes performed by live singers backed up by energetic dancers.
Both cruise lines also have a roster of small-group musical acts that entertain guests in lounges and bars around the ship, though Carnival’s live music options are more varied than Disney’s. They feature everything from tribute bands to tropical steel drum sounds. If you’re feeling like becoming the entertainment, Carnival offers karaoke almost every night around the ship.
Disney’s live music is generally regulated to the atrium of the ship during mealtimes, when the space is packed with people coming and going from the nearby restaurant, or in the adults-only spaces after dark. If you want to sing your heart out to your favorite Disney song, the D Lounge is the spot to be on the Magic- and Dream-class ships.
Both cruise lines have classic cruise entertainment like bingo, trivia and games for the family.
Who is on board?
Carnival is known for its affordable cruises with departures from numerous U.S. homeports, attracting travelers who prefer to drive rather than fly to their departure port. The casual cruise line’s “Fun Ship” fleet sees a mostly American crowd, including plenty of young adults, multigenerational families and large groups traveling together. Many people book Carnival for its low cruise fares, lively and casual atmosphere, tasty free food and ease of travel.
Disney Cruise Line’s passenger base is a mix of American and international travelers. While the cruise line mainly welcomes families with younger kids on board, you’ll also see couples without kids and adult travelers who have fond memories of Disney from their childhood. The crowd on Disney is a bit more upscale than Carnival, partly because of the higher fares (even for the most basic cabins) and the fancy suites with concierge service and perks on Disney.
Itineraries
Carnival sails from 14 different ports around the United States, so there’s likely a ship setting sail within driving distance of your family if you live near the coast. Cruises take passengers to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska, Canada and New England, Bermuda and Mexico. The cruise line does offer some European sailings, limited cruises around Australia and two 2024 Asia sailings.
Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Carnival Cruise Line ship
Disney focuses its attention on North America, with ships making their way to the Caribbean, Bahamas (home to the line’s exciting private island, Castaway Cay, and upcoming private destination Lighthouse Point), Mexican Riviera, Pacific Coast and Alaska. Disney Dream sets sail in Europe over the summer months. Disney also takes guests to international destinations like the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia.
Bottom line
First-time cruisers will find that both lines have an abundance of activities and top-notch service. Pick Disney Cruise Line if you’re looking for a more upscale atmosphere and plenty of kid-friendly activities, and don’t mind Disney theming and characters everywhere. Choose Carnival if you’re on a budget but still want to maximize the amount of fun you have onboard.
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