Welcome our guest writer, Mike Scudiero. Mike is a Royal Caribbean Blog reader who wanted to share his experience trying a Carnival Cruise after years of sailing with Royal Caribbean.

2023 has been the "Year of the Cruise Ship" in my household. Living in Central Florida certainly makes it easier and more affordable to cruise frequently, and we got the “bug” after a post-covid cruise with our kids in 2022.

Since then, we have taken six different Royal Caribbean cruises and have several more planned between now and early 2025. But tempted by attractive pricing and a rare visit to Bimini, we recently took a 3-day cruise on the Carnival Liberty.

Read more: Royal Caribbean vs Carnival: Which is a better choice?

While there were several things we both felt Carnival got right and perhaps stood out in a positive way compared to Royal Caribbean, the overall experience reminded us why we prefer Royal Caribbean and will continue to sail with them almost exclusively. 

Things Carnival got right

Before I point out the reasons Carnival left us frustrated and less likely to cruise with them anytime soon, let me first offer some positive reasons one might choose Carnival over a similar-sized and similar-length cruise with Royal Caribbean. 

Room numbering

While perhaps trivial, we liked that each side of the ship was divided for room number purposes by “odd” and “even.”

No matter which direction you came off the stairs or elevator when heading back to your stateroom, it was easy to look at the signs indicating which way to odd-numbered rooms versus even-numbered ones. 

Room comforts

On this cruise, we opted for the best-priced interior option Carnival had on this sailing. For the age and class of the ship and stateroom, we both felt the beds were more comfortable than a Royal Caribbean bed typically has been on an equivalent sailing.

Also, the mini refrigerator provided was very cold and seemed to be a better option than the coolers provided in Royal Caribbean staterooms, most of which never seem to keep bottled waters cold. 

Towels in room

We appreciated the Carnival method of placing two pool towels in our room up front.

Sure, they will hit you for $25 apiece if you keep them. Still, the idea of having them right there and easily swapped out by the room attendant made this process appear more seamless than on Royal Caribbean ships. 

Stateroom attendant

Even though it was quick, 3-day weekend cruise, our stateroom attendant was highly professional and attentive. He introduced himself on the first night with a firm handshake and asked what, if anything, we needed from him.

I haven’t always found this to be the case with Royal Caribbean, though it certainly seems this is a mileage-may-vary situation from ship to ship, and maybe even cruise line to cruise line.

Some dining options were better

While clearly not an across-the-board situation (more on this below), there were some food offerings that we found much more enjoyable than Royal options.

For example, the Blue Iguana taco bar we felt was tastier than El Loco Fresh. Guy’s Burgers, apparently a staple on all Carnival ships, was one of the best cheeseburgers I’ve had anywhere, let alone at sea. And Pirate Pizza we both agreed was superior to Sorrento’s. All of these options were free and highly enjoyable.

Adults-only pool area

While not necessarily better than the Solarium on Royal Caribbean, we did find the Carnival adults-only pool to be a great option for lounging, and both the pool and hot tubs themselves to be a tick better than the options found on the comparable Royal ships. 

Casino

There were pros and cons with the Carnival casino. On the positive side, the position in the ship – with windows overlooking the water on both sides – was a nice change and even included plenty of casual seating along each side.

A small stage was setup and typically had a guitar player performing each night to keep the vibe up. I liked that the craps table was open early each day and that tier points were visible in the Carnival Hub app minutes after you finished playing, whether at a slot machine or table game. 

The Modern Trio Project (ship violinists)

Lastly, the trio of professional violinists that perform in the main lobby each night should not to be missed on Carnival Liberty.

These talented musicians were amazing to listen to, and we hadn’t seen a performance of that caliber on a Royal Caribbean ship that wasn’t an actual theatre/production show. Hats off to those three folks for keeping everyone entertained for a few hours each night.

Things Carnival got wrong

Suffice to say, there were plenty of nice features and options available on the Carnival Liberty that might be difference-makers for those looking for something different.

That said, we found the shortcomings problematic enough that we missed the Independence of the Seas before even sailing away from Port Canaveral and watching it pass us in the open Atlantic a few hours later. Here are some of the reasons.

Beverage and table bussing service was slower or non-existent

Not only were the bar servers constantly in the weeds, seemingly unable to keep pace with demand, not once the entire cruise, in any bar or pool area, did we have a waiter or waitress come by to take a drink order. And along with that came the piling up of plates and cups on tables.

With Royal Caribbean, we find that we barely finish a drink before there’s a waiter coming to ask if we want another and taking our empty glass away. Not the case at all on Carnival Liberty, at least not this past weekend.

Limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day and signing for every purchase…and Pepsi

At my age and weight, it’s quite possible for me to drink 15 drinks over the course of a day and not be too drunk to safely make it back to my room. The Carnival drink package that caps you at 15 drinks per day is not a good fit for everyone, and it made me appreciate that while Royal may charge more for their Deluxe Beverage Package, there is no such predetermined limit.

Add to it that Carnival requires you sign a receipt for every drink, even sodas and bottled waters, and it was another check in the box for Royal. If nothing else, the receipt issue slows down the overall service at crowded bars, leaving less time to enjoy your vacation.

Lastly on this section, I am the grandson of a Coca-Cola warehouse supervisor and have grown up with zero use for Pepsi products. Royal wins that battle for me all day, every day over Carnival. If you’re like me and dread the, “Is Pepsi OK?” response from servers when you ask for a Coke some place, Carnival isn’t for you.

Casino downsides

As I noted above, there were several aspects of the Carnival casino that I enjoyed, but there were some definite downsides.

For starters, if you’re an experienced Blackjack player, be aware that the tables on this ship were all using continuous shuffle machines, which adds to the house advantage. They were also paying out 6-5 on natural Blackjacks, another decided blow to the players.

The slot machines do not print out tickets when you cash out. Instead, they add the funds you left in the machine to your ship card, and you have to go to the cashier to cash out. Considering my wife ran down to the casino late on the last night when remembering that she had $100 on her card, it’s easy to see where many might forget, adding to the Carnival casino profit margin.

Stateroom problems

For a ship renovated in 2016, our interior stateroom on Carnival Liberty fell woefully short of our expectations. There was only one outlet in the room, with another tucked up in the ceiling corner above the sink in the bathroom.

Speaking of the bathroom, the décor itself was a stale green theme straight out of a horror movie and had a shower curtain instead of a door.

The deadbolt didn’t work in our room door, leading to some cause for concern safety-wise. And for an 8th floor room, it was rather noisy. Whenever the ship was sailing, we could hear the engine noise in our ears from the bed, as though we were in the bowels of the ship. Add to that the walls and doors seemed to allow for much more hallway noise in your room, and it’s easy to see where Royal just does better by us.

Buffet was subpar, even by mass market cruise ship standards

Look, I get it. The food at any cruise ship buffet is not going to rival a 5-star dining spot. Nonetheless, we found ourselves once again appreciating the comforts of the Windjammer on Royal Caribbean when we went to the Carnival buffet the first night.

The options were extremely limited and the quality regrettable. The next day for breakfast proved no better. It reached a point where we planned our remaining meals around the peculiar hours of Blue Iguana and Guy’s Burgers. 

Why we'll remain Loyal to Royal

For my wife and I and what we desire when cruising, the choice was clear, and we knew it the first night.

Royal Caribbean simply seems a cut above Carnival in most areas and worth whatever reasonable extra cost comes with this choice. From the specialty dining options to the staff service and the comforts of home we feel when on a Royal ship, the positive attributes Royal has make them a clear leader in mass market cruising.

While I try not to deal in absolutes and would not want to say “never again," with several other Royal cruises in my app on the horizon, the things we appreciate about our favorite cruise line are the reasons we will book almost exclusively with them in the years ahead.

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.

In comparison, both mainstream cruise lines take a family-friendly approach to cruising, with a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy onboard from dining to entertainment, accommodations and amenities. 

It’s no surprise that millions of passengers choose to set sail with both Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line each year. Both offer affordable cruise fares and various itineraries around the world - all with a big emphasis on fun. 

Carnival Cruise Line's current fleet of cruise ships includes 27 vessels, which is similar in size to Royal Caribbean’s fleet of 28 ships. The newest ships from both cruise lines feature dazzling entertainment, one-of-a-kind onboard thrills, unique amenities and endless dining options. 

However, there is an obvious competition between these two cruise lines. It’s a tale as old as time: which cruise line is better between Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line? 

As with anything, the best cruise line for you and your family mostly depends on travel style, cruise preferences and vacation budget. 

In my experience, people either love to cruise with Carnival or they love to hate on Carnival. In all honesty, I used to be someone who scoffed at the idea of setting sail on a Carnival ship now that I am far removed from my college spring break days. These days, I much prefer to cruise with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises. 

But, I’ve sailed on three Carnival cruises in the last year, two of which were on the cruise line’s newest Excel-class, Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration. Prior to this, I had previously only cruised with Carnival on short spring break itineraries during college and high school. My recent, positive experiences onboard Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration really gave me a new perspective about the cruise line.

As a loyal Royal Caribbean cruiser, I can now see why Carnival cruisers choose to return to the cruise line over and over again. In fact, it’s obvious that Carnival’s newest ships in the Excel class represent a new era for the cruise line. These two modern cruise ships have transformed the cruise line with up-to-date ship design, technology and amenities. 

If you’re considering a cruise with Carnival, here’s everything you need to know about how the cruise line’s “fun ships” compare to Royal Caribbean’s fleet of innovative ships. 

Overview of Fleet

While Royal Caribbean’s fleet is slightly larger than Carnival’s with two more vessels, the two cruise lines are very similar in size. Today, both cruise lines are focusing on building modern and massive cruise ships that can hold more than 5,000 passengers.

Both lines have relatively smaller ships as well, with passenger counts ranging between 2,000 and 4,000 passengers. And the ships ages range between brand new and going as far back as approaching 30 years old.

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. 

This approach was used until 2021 when Carnival Mardi Gras set sail. The building of this ship started a new era for the cruise line with the Excel-class of ships. Mardi Gras paved the way for the equally modern and advanced Carnival Celebration to set sail in late 2022, in which my sister and I were onboard one of the inaugural sailings.

On the other hand, Royal Caribbean has always been pushing the envelope when it comes to innovation across its fleet. The cruise line is constantly creating ship classes that are bigger and better than ever before. 

The Oasis Class ships hold the title as the largest in the world, and Royal Caribbean has held the title of the world's biggest ship for many years now.

With the release of Icon of the Seas, the first of a new astonishing class of ships, this approach still stands. Royal Caribbean continues to be a pioneer in the cruising industry and sets the bar for other cruise lines, like Carnival, to follow.

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.

Dining Options 

Food is arguably one of the most important aspects of a cruise, right after the places in the world the ship visit.

Comparatively speaking, I think Royal Caribbean comes out on top with its traditional and specialty dining, while Carnival’s plethora of complimentary, quick dining options onboard are second to none.  

Where Carnival truly shines is its approach to casual dining onboard its ships - and the food is pretty darn good too. Carnival crushes the competition when it comes to its complimentary dining. Cruisers have a wide range of eateries to choose from on their ships.

To start, Carnival has partnered with Food Network celebrity chef, Guy Fieri, to create the popular Guy’s Burger Joint and new Pig & Anchor Smokehouse and Brewery.

In addition, the cruise line debuted a new partnership with Shaq’s Big Chicken, which is nearly as good as Chick-fil-A in my opinion.

This is just the start of the complimentary dining options and doesn’t even include the pizza shoppe for Napoli-style pizza, fresh made sandwiches from the panini grill and authentic tacos from BlueIguana cantina. 

Another favorite onboard Carnival is the SeaDay Brunch, hosted into the early afternoon for those who stayed up past their bedtime. Some signature dishes include (possibly the best) 12-hour French toast topped with roasted peaches and skillet pancakes with freshly whipped ricotta. 

Finally, Carnival’s newest ships have debuted complimentary, speciality-style restaurants called ChiBang and Cucina del Capitano. While ChiBang serves up Mexican and Asian dishes on two separate menus, Cucina del Capitano is the Italian speciality restaurant onboard. While other cruise lines would certainly charge for this experience, it’s free for guests on Excel-class ships.

This isn’t to say that Carnival’s main dining experience is lackluster (that award goes to the cruise line’s buffet, which has always left me disappointed); rather, the cruise line truly shines with its quick service options. 

And don’t even get me started about Carnival’s Chocolate Melting Cake. It’s the best dessert at sea for chocolate lovers and the cruise line has perfected this molten, warm decadence. Best of all? It’s on the menu every day. 

Where Carnival falls short is where Royal Caribbean sparkles. Specialty dining on Royal Caribbean is top-notch food and service, from Chop’s Grille steakhouse, Izumi Sushi and Teppanyaki and Jamie’s Italian - to name a few. 

Royal Caribbean’s main dining room service is also more sophisticated with a diverse menu compared to Carnival. You won’t find the servers dancing each night on tables like you will in Carnival’s dining room where you get a small ‘show’ each evening you dine. Royal Caribbean focuses on offering a varied menu with quality food for cruisers. 

The onboard buffet is the main spot for meals on the majority of the cruise line’s fleet. The food is similar quality to what you’d find at a hotel; while it might not be the most impressive thing you eat onboard, it will hit the spot. 

Entertainment

Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival offer an excellent range of daily entertainment for cruisers. You might even run out of time to see everything during your cruise; however, the cruise line take a different approach to entertainment. 

Royal Caribbean offers large-scale production shows on most of its Oasis and Quantum-class ships. You can find 90-minute, Broadway-style shows like “Hairspray” and “Mamma Mia”. The cruise line also offers one-of-a-kind aquatics shows on Oasis-class ships, along with jaw-dropping, ice skating spectacles on some of the larger vessels.

Older Royal Caribbean ships will still offer a variety of entertainment, but on a smaller scale. You can still find production shows, comedians, magicians, acrobatics and more on a Royal Caribbean cruise. 

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. Each show lasts just 30 minutes, so you have plenty of time to try the other entertainment available. 

Carnival also features Playlist Production shows where the singers and dancers showcase familiar tunes with dazzling choreography. If that’s not your cup of tea, you might enjoy live gameshows of Deal or No Deal or Family Feud, which can only be found on Carnival’s cruise ships. 

With Carnival’s newest Excel-class of cruise ships, the entertainment has been kicked up a notch. The cruise line has developed some really incredible shows for its transformative Center Stage, like the Most Magnificent Circus on Carnival Celebration. This acrobatic-style headliner show was quite possibly one of the best shows I’ve seen at sea. 

Kids and Families

Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean program offers programmed activities for kids and teens to mingle with peers their own age. It's supervised, which means parents can drop their kids off and then enjoy time with their children.

Adventure Ocean caters to kids and teens between the ages of 3 and 17, dividing them into five different groups:

1. Aquanauts (3-5)
2. Explorers (6-8)
3. Voyagers (9-11)
4. Pre-teens (12-14)
5. Teens (15-17)

Now, depending on which category your child falls into, they'll likely be able to take part in karaoke showdowns, pajama parties, carnival games, epic games of crazy tag, sports tournaments, and dance parties that will have them busting moves all night long.

Related: Best Royal Caribbean cruise ships for Kids

If you have younger kids, there is also Royal Babies and Royal Tots, which costs extra and is for toddlers between the ages of 6 and 36 months years old.

Camp Ocean is Carnival's complimentary youth club and is also split by ages:

1. Penguins (2 - 5)
2. Stingrays (6 - 8)
3. Sharks (9 - 11)

Tweens and teens have their own spaces, too, in the form of Circle C and Club O2. They can keep themselves busy with stuff like video and board games, sports and karaoke.

Attractions and Thrills

When it comes to onboard thrills, no one in the cruise industry does this better than Royal Caribbean. This has been Royal Caribbean’s bread and butter for decades. 

In fact, the cruise line pioneered many firsts for the cruise industry, like the first zip line at sea, the first FlowRider surf simulator, and the first ice skating on a cruise ship. This doesn’t even encompass all of it, like the waterslides, rock climbing walls, bumper cars, bungee jumping and skydiving you can try!

For the most part, these onboard thrills are all complimentary for Royal Caribbean cruisers (other than the iFly sky diving simulator). 

Read more: 15 free things to try on your next cruise

Comparatively, Carnival showcases plenty of pools, hot tubs and waterslides. The biggest ships, Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee, feature The Ultimate Playground where guests can find the cruise line’s onboard thrills. Here, you can take your turn on the ropes course or dare to try the thrilling waterslides for free. 

This is also where you’ll find the first rollercoaster at sea, called Bolt. Costing $15 each for two laps, cruisers can twist and turn around the aft of Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee!

Although pricey, my sister and I would recommend this unique experience at least once for all Carnival guests.

Experience Onboard

Undoubtedly, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line offer incredible cruise experiences. Both cruise lines aim to provide affordable, family-friendly cruises with something onboard for everyone. 

Carnival’s entire brand revolves around having “the most fun ships at sea.” You can’t get off a Carnival cruise without seeing the word “fun” multiple times each day.

As such, the environment onboard is very casual with a major focus on fun. No one takes themselves too seriously and this creates a very carefree style of cruising. 

Carnival attracts a younger crowd, including young adults and families. It’s a popular cruise line for spring breakers because of its notoriously cheap cruise fares. Carnival cruises have a lively nightlife scene with plenty of parties, although this doesn’t mean it’s necessarily out of control. Imagine everyone - even your mom and grandma - simply letting loose together on a cruise!

I will say, nobody does a sailaway party like Carnival Cruise Line. Everyone onboard shows up with their drinks in hand, ready to celebrate the start of vacation. In fact, I would verge to say it’s a right of passage to attend a Carnival sailaway party if you consider yourself a seasoned cruiser! 

With Royal Caribbean’s cruises, you’ll find a more varied crowd thanks to the cruise line’s international presence. Comparatively, Royal Caribbean offers more international cruises to places like Europe, Asia and Australia.

Along with young adults and families, you’ll also find solo travelers, couples and grandparents onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise. Because of Royal Caribbean’s slightly higher cruise fares thanks to high-end suites, the parties onboard tend to be more subdued and upscale. 

For those traveling without kids, Royal Caribbean’s adult-only areas are superior for relaxing during your cruise. Each ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet offers a serene space for adults called The Solarium - it’s my favorite place to relax.

Comparatively, Carnival also offers an adults-only area called Serenity, although it’s not as large or secluded. I also prefer the motif of the Solarium over Serenity. 

If you’re sailing around spring break or on a short getaway itinerary, your Royal Caribbean cruise will likely entice a more energetic crowd.

Read more: Everything you should book before the cruise to avoid it being sold out

Itineraries and where they sail

Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival focus primarily on North American cruises, with lots of cruises to the Caribbean and Mexico.  Both have seasonal sailings to Alaska, Bermuda and Canada.

Royal Caribbean has a larger presence in Europe and Australia compared to Carnival.

Both have private destinations in the Caribbean, although Carnival has one more than Royal Caribbean: Amber Cove, Half Moon Cay, and Princess Cays vs Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee.

Read more: The best cruise itineraries for every type of traveler

Final Thoughts

When it comes to comparing Royal Caribbean and Carnival, the two cruise lines are more similar than they are different. Each aims to provide an amazing and affordable cruise vacation for families. You can’t really go wrong between the two, as long as you have the right expectations. 

If you’re a major foodie or someone who loves to really let loose and party the night away on a cruise, you might find that Carnival is the best cruise line for you. The upbeat and carefree atmosphere is perfect for cruisers who want a casual getaway without any of the fuss. 

Those who might want a slightly more upscale experience with better specialty dining options and innovative onboard thrills would probably prefer Royal Caribbean. This is also the best cruise line for an adults-only cruise vacation or those looking to truly relax. 

Personally, I wouldn’t hesitate to book another cruise on Carnival’s Excel-class ship, as it truly changed my opinion of the cruise line and amplified the fleet. I’m excited about the future of the cruise line as it starts to put innovation and technological advancement at the forefront.

However, I still prefer Royal Caribbean overall as a cruise line as it fits my budget and travel style; of course, the lucrative loyalty benefits don’t hurt either! 

Ask almost any loyal cruiser, and most will agree that there’s something extra special about sailing on a newer cruise ship. Not only is everything onboard spick-and-span, but you’re also experiencing the most advanced innovation and technology from the cruise line. 

This isn’t to say that I don’t like sailing on older cruise ships by any means; I’ve actually sailed on some of the oldest cruise ships in the industry. I also find that older ships can sail more unique itineraries since size isn’t a concern for docking in less popular ports. But, I have to admit that I do love setting sail on a newer cruise ship, especially the most modern cruise ships that a cruise line has to offer. 

Last month, I set sail on Carnival Mardi Gras, which is one of Carnival Cruise Line's newest cruise ships. Launched in 2021, this cruise ship was the flagship vessel for Carnival’s new Excel-class of cruise ships. In my opinion, this shift towards modernizing their fleet was revolutionary for Carnival Cruise Line. 

In fact, some might argue that the new Excel-class of ships is giving Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships a run for their money. With fantastic entertainment and more eateries than most, Carnival has certainly upped its game.

As someone who has sailed on every Royal Caribbean ship class, I was eager to see how Mardi Gras compared to an Oasis-class ship. Last year, I sailed on Harmony of the Seas with my family for a 7-night Caribbean sailing. The two ships are similar in size, holding around 6,000 passengers, and offer a similar type of cruise experience centered around family fun for all. 

Here’s how Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas compared to Carnival’s Mardi Gras, along with some of my honest thoughts about each cruise experience. 

Ship Class Overview

Overall, Carnival’s Excel-class and Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships represent important new eras of ship design and technology for each respective cruise line. 

Royal Caribbean has always been known to push the envelope on innovation and advancement in the cruise industry. As such, the debut of its Oasis-class ship in 2009 was met with much excitement from the cruise industry. At the time, there was no other cruise ship like it due to the ship’s sheer size and its unique entertainment. 

These ships are best known for creating an unparalleled design with multiple neighborhoods, including an open-aired space in the middle of the ship. This space is home to Central Park - a serene space with real greenery and open air - along with the aft-facing Boardwalk, which includes a carousel, Johnny Rocket’s diner and AquaTheatre with diving shows. 

With Oasis of the Seas being a smash-hit for Royal Caribbean, the cruise line continued to build similar vessels in the same class. Harmony of the Seas was launched in 2016; at the time, it was the biggest cruise ship in the world. The cruise ship has endless amounts of options for dining, onboard thrills, entertainment and accommodations onboard. 

Personally, I love Oasis-class ships and find they are easy to navigate with their distinct neighborhood designs. Harmony of the Seas was no exception and the open-air spaces were some of the highlights for me. At maximum capacity, Harmony of the Seas can hold 6,700 passengers and weighs 226,000 gross tons. 

On the flip side, Carnival Mardi Gras is the second largest vessel in Carnival’s fleet, only coming in second to sister-ship Carnival Celebration. In comparison, Mardi Gras is smaller than Harmony of the Seas, weighing 180,000 gross tons and holding 5,500 passengers at full capacity. 

Although smaller than Harmony of the Seas, Mardi Gras was revolutionary for Carnival because it was 40% bigger than anything the cruise line had built before. Carnival had resisted the industry’s shift towards building massive mega ships for many years. Instead, Carnival built new vessels that were designed with the same look and feel as previous ship classes. This led to a stagnant innovation from the cruise line - that is, until the debut of the Excel-class ship.  

Mardi Gras was the first introduction of Carnival’s take at having different designated zones onboard. Similar to Harmony of the Seas’ neighborhoods, you can find similarly themed bars, lounges and eateries in Mardi Gras’ six different zones. 

Similar to Harmony of the Seas, Carnival Mardi Gras has an extensive list of dining options, onboard thrills and entertainment choices. The newest vessel debuted a brand-new entertainment venue called Center Stage, which is an outward-facing atrium in the center of the ship that transforms into a nightly space for headliner productions. 

As someone who had cruised previously on older Carnival ships, I was blown away by Carnival Mardi Gras. Quite frankly, I didn’t know what to expect since my prior experiences were on ships that felt dark, cramped and outdated. However, Carnival’s new ship was not only modern, but it was surprisingly stylish and very well designed. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean vs Carnival: Which is a better choice?

Dining and Restaurants

If you’re like me, then trying out all of the restaurants onboard is one of your favorite cruise ship activities! Lucky for me, Mardi Gras and Harmony of the Seas both had a seemingly endless amount of places to eat onboard. I ran out of time to try everything onboard, only to the praise of my jeans back home in my closet. 

Harmony of the Seas had 9 different dining options onboard that were complimentary. The main dining room serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner during the cruise, offering world-class cuisine in an upscale restaurant. The Windjammer Buffet - which we all know and love as a Royal Caribbean staple - was also great for grabbing breakfast or lunch. 

Harmony of the Seas also features a variety of spots to grab a quick bite to eat, such as Sorrento’s Pizza, Dog House, Mini Bites, Cafe Promenade and Park Cafe. However, it’s really tough to beat Mardi Gras’ dining options for casual spots to eat. Ask anyone who has sailed on both Royal Caribbean and Carnival, and I would bet they agree with this statement. 

Comparatively, Mardi Gras has 20+ complimentary eateries onboard - and they’re all pretty dang delicious. We ran out of time to try every option onboard, although we did try our best. Mardi Gras has Carnival’s signature dining options, such as Guy Fieri’s restaurants Guy’s Burger Joint and Pig & Anchor BBQ Smokehouse. Our personal favorite was Big Chicken, which is a Chick-Fil-A dupe serving crispy chicken tenders and sandwiches thanks to another celebrity partnership with Shaq O’Neal. 

Celeb-chef, Emeril Lagassi, has also partnered with Carnival to debut Emeril’s Bistro, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with a creole flair. We loved coming here for breakfast during our cruise, even with the extra $5 surcharge per menu item. 

This doesn’t even scratch the surface for the eateries, as Mardi Gras also has BlueIguana Cantina, the pizzeria onboard, a panini shop and JavaBlue coffeeshop. Sit-down restaurants include the Italian Cucina del Capitano and Asian/Mexican fusion ChiBang. Both of these have the look and feel of specialty dining, but these dining options are complimentary. 

Of course, Carnival has a main dining room, which is home to the cruise line’s famous SeaDay brunch. I appreciate having a brunch option that goes until early in the afternoon, as we had some late nights on Mardi Gras and needed to sleep in. You can also find the Lido Marketplace buffet and specialty dining restaurants, although I’d argue this is where Harmony of the Seas shines in comparison. 

Harmony of the Seas features upwards of 10 different specialty dining venues, including specialty options for steak at Chops Grille, Italian at Jamie’s Italian, Izumi sushi and even 150 Central Park for fine dining. Although I’ve tried the steakhouse and sushi-equivalent on Mardi Gras, I much prefer the specialty dining on Harmony of the Seas. The food was higher quality, portions were more generous and service was more attentive. Overall, the ambiance was more elegant and upscale too.  

I also found that Harmony of the Seas had better service and food at the main dining room in comparison to Mardi Gras. The appetizers, entrees and desserts were higher quality and provided more variety, in my opinion. However, no one can beat Carnival’s melting chocolate cake, which is served each night in the dining room! As a chocolate lover, this one is heavenly each night.

From my experiences, Carnival’s buffets have always left me feeling disappointed - and the Mardi Gras buffet was no exception. The cramped Lido Marketplace space lacked variety and quality in comparison to the Windjammer, which has never let me down.

Overall, Mardi Gras has unbeatable food when it comes to quick, casual options onboard, such as Guy’s Burger Joint and Big Chicken, while Royal Caribbean’s dining room, specialty dining and buffet options are superior. 

Headliner Productions and Entertainment

In general, cruise ships have their best entertainment and headliner productions on the biggest cruise ships. Mega cruise ships tend to have more resources to perform the big-name headliner shows and Broadway productions. For me, this was definitely the case for us when sailing on Harmony of the Seas and Carnival Mardi Gras. 

Generally speaking, the entertainment we experienced on both of these cruise ships were incredible with lights, music, dancing, acrobats, ice skaters, divers, comedians and much more. We were throughly impressed by all of the entertainment provided. Regardless of which cruise line you sail on, I can almost guarantee that you will be awestruck by the entertainment onboard.

As an Oasis-class ship, Harmony of the Seas has some of the best entertainment that Royal Caribbean has to offer. The highlight of the entertainment for me was a 90-minute production of Grease, which felt like I was transported to New York for a Broadway musical.

Harmony of the Seas also features an onboard ice skating rink and AquaTheatre, which are unique venues that showcase even more spectacular production shows. The AquaTheatre had a production show with high-divers, synchronized swimmers and aerial acrobatics. It’s truly unlike anything you’ve seen before on land and truly took our breath away. 

Similarly, Harmony of the Seas features 1887: A Journey Through Time as its main production  in Studio B Ice Skating Rink. The production has skaters with twirls, turns and flips in gravity-defying stunts.

Of course, Harmony of the Seas also offers evening headliner theatre shows, including comedians, magicians, and other singing and dancing productions. You’ll also found bars and lounges with parties, live musicians and more throughout your cruise. 

While Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas has fantastic production shows, Carnival has definitely taken its entertainment to the next level onboard Mardi Gras. Other production shows from Carnival had always felt low budget to me, although the daily comedians are normally a spotlight on any Carnival ship. 

For starters, Carnival debuted the Center Stage concept on Mardi Gras as a main venue for its production shows. This atrium is located midship and spans across multiple decks with an outward facing design. Here, you can find some of Mardi Gras’ biggest productions. 

During our cruise, we enjoyed shows like Celestial Strings (an electrifying strings performance with acrobats), VooDoo Moon (a spooky musical production with aerobatics), Vegas Nights (a flashy production, Vegas-style) and We Are One (a worldly journey with singing and dancing). 

Mardi Gras also features Production Playlist shows in a smaller, more traditional theatre with another group of onboard performers. Special to Carnival is the live gameshows of Family Feud and Deal or No Deal. Finally, you can enjoy Punchliner Comedy Club with multiple shows each day featuring rotating comedians. Fun Fact: Carnival employs more comedians than any other company in the world!

Comparing the two, Harmony of the Seas has more specialty-style entertainment with Broadway musicals, diving shows and ice skating productions. These are entertainment options that are uniquely available on Harmony of the Seas (and other Oasis-class ships).

On the other hand, Mardi Gras certainly has wonderful entertainment headliner productions too. In addition, those who enjoy late-night deck parties and energetic nightclubs will definitely enjoy the fast-paced environment on Mardi Gras.

At the end of the day, I personally think you can’t go wrong with entertainment from either cruise line.

Read more: 7 things I liked better about Royal Caribbean cruises than Carnival

Activities and Thrills

The bigger the cruise ship, the more onboard thrills, activities and amenities you’ll be able to find. For me, this is one of my favorite parts of sailing on a cruise line’s largest ship, as you’ll have an endless amount of things to do. Both Harmony of the Seas and Carnival Mardi Gras are two of the largest vessels in each cruise line’s fleet. As such, we found these ships features more things to do than we had time for!  

To start, Royal Caribbean is known for creating jam-packed cruise ships with nonstop fun thanks to a plethora of onboard thrills. Harmony of the Seas is one of the most innovative ships sailing for the cruise line. Even as an adult, many of the onboard thrills were enticing. Best of all, pretty much all of the onboard thrills are complimentary on Harmony of the Seas. From the Ultimate Abyss (the tallest slide at sea), along with an ice skating rink, zip line, miniature golf, FlowRider surf simulator and a rock climbing wall. 

Similarly, Carnival Mardi Gras is designed with family-fun in mind. One of the most innovative parts of Mardi Gras is Bolt - the very first rollercoaster at sea. As a rollercoaster aficionado, this was one of the best thrill rides I’ve ever experienced on a cruise ship.

However, Bolt is not complimentary. For $15 each, you can take two quick laps around the top deck of Carnival Mardi Gras. I found it worth the cost to ride this coaster, as you’ll whip around the ship in a way you’ve never experienced before.

For complimentary onboard thrills, Mardi Gras also offers plenty onboard thrills at the Ultimate Playground, where cruisers can enjoy adrenaline-pumping waterslides at WaterWorks, participate in a round of miniature golf or play some basketball at the sports court. One of the craziest onboard thrills includes the complimentary ropes course, which takes you across the top deck of the ship while doing an obstacle course. You can even hang over the side - if you’re brave enough! 

Onboard Vibe and Atmosphere

Harmony of the Seas and Carnival Mardi Gras are designed to offer an incredible vacation for everyone in your family. As such, you’ll definitely find a little something for everyone onboard these two ships. 

During my Caribbean cruises on both of these ships, Carnival Mardi Gras certainly had an edge when it comes to the party and nightlife scene onboard. Mardi Gras cultivated a more casual ambiance as well with carefree cruisers looking to have a blast. This isn’t to say that things were out of control - and I think Carnival gets a bad rep for this, honestly. 

If party isn’t your vibe, you can enjoy the adults-only area called Serenity onboard. This is located at the front of Mardi Gras and features tons of padded loungers, daybeds and pools to be used just for adults. This is where we spent our afternoons at sea, as we appreciated the quiet space in comparison to the always busy pool deck. 

In a more subdued manner, Harmony of the Seas was still very lively with cruisers looking to have a fantastic vacation. The nightlife wasn’t quite as prominent. In general, the onboard atmosphere of Harmony of the Seas was slightly more upscale with so many specialty restaurant and quality production shows.  

Adults can especially enjoy the beautiful Solarium on Harmony of the Seas. Similar to Serenity on Mardi Gras, you can enjoy an adults-only pool with loungers and daybeds surrounding the space. It’s quiet and peaceful - the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail, read a book or take a nap.

While Serenity is entirely open-air, most of the Solarium is enclosed though with glass panels surrounding the space, meaning it can be enjoyed during less-than-ideal weather.

Staterooms and Suites

To appeal to a wide range of cruisers, both Harmony of the Seas and Carnival Mardi Gras have a variety of accommodations onboard. These include everything from budget-friendly inside cabins to luxurious suites. 

When sailing on Harmony of the Seas, my sister and I stayed in our typical choice: an inside cabin. We were impressed with the stateroom’s decor, design and functionality - it had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. Since Royal Caribbean tends to be slightly more expensive than Carnival, we opted to save money by choosing a cheaper cabin. 

Read more: I sailed in an interior cabin on Carnival and a balcony room on Royal Caribbean. Here's the one I'd pick next time.

For those looking to splurge, Harmony of the Seas has some very unique staterooms available onboard thanks to neighborhood zones like Central Park and the Boardwalk. You can choose to stay in these inward-facing balcony rooms where you’ll have views of each respective neighborhood. 

Harmony of the Seas also features massive suites for those looking to splurge, including the aft-facing AquaTheatre Suite (including unparalleled views of the diving spectacles) and Crown Loft Suites.

On the other hand, Mardi Gras’ stateroom selection and prices allowed us to splurge a bit more. We opted to spend a but more so we could try out an Ocean Suite onboard the snazzy new ship, and it did not leave us disappointed. Our room was very large and featured a separate living room and extended balcony. This entry-level suite was only about 50% more than our inside cabin on Harmony of the Seas. 

In as similar way to Harmony of the Seas, Mardi Gras also features themed staterooms to accommodate different cruisers and families. These include the Havana Club staterooms, which provides convenient access to the Havana Club and an exclusive lounge area. Families can enjoy the Family Harbor deck, which are conveniently located near Mardi Gras’ childcare programs in Camp Ocean and include a special family lounge with snacks like PB&J sandwiches and cookies.

Final Thoughts: Is one better?

It’s no surprise that Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line are two of the most popular cruise lines in the world. This is especially true in comparison of each cruise line’s biggest and most modern cruise ships. After sailing on both, Carnival Mardi Gras and Harmony of the Seas showcase the best-of-the-best from each cruise line.

Do I think one cruise ship is better than the other? Maybe for me, but that’s not the case for everyone. 

I’ve been a loyal Royal Caribbean cruiser for most of my life, which inherently sets a bias towards Harmony of the Seas. However, I love to cruise and can truthfully say I’ve enjoyed every single cruise I’ve taken, although some fit my travel style better than others. 

If you prefer your cruises to focus on headliner and unique entertainment, along with more upscale dining choices in specialty restaurants (like Jamie’s Italian, which is one of my favorites), then you’d perhaps lean towards Harmony of the Seas. 

I’m not a huge partier on a cruise; I like to spend my Caribbean cruises taking it slow with a cocktail and good book in hand. I prefer to relax onboard while exploring ports during the day. You won’t find me staying up late at the nightclub most night, which tends to align with onboard vibe on Harmony of the Seas. I also preferred the entertainment onboard Harmony of the Seas with the diving show, Grease musical and ice skating spectacles. 

However, I wouldn’t hesitate to sail on Carnival Mardi Gras again. I loved that the cruise ship's ambiance and the vibe was very carefree and chill. Everyone was having a blast, but it never felt rowdy or out-of-control. Carnival’s quick and casual food options, like Big Chicken and Guy’s Burger Joint, are the best in the business and a huge highlight for me - it’s where the cruise line shines!

You can also expect to find massive sailaway parties and deck parties late into the night while you sail, along with great entertainment each evening. The fast-paced environment is perfect for those looking to let their hair down with the whole family. 

At the end of the day, each cruise ship offers a fantastic cruise vacation.

Two major cruise lines have raised their daily gratuities this year, which could be an indicator of what Royal Caribbean may do as well.

CruiseRadio reported Carnival Cruise Line will raise its gratuity beginning on sailings that depart May 1, 2022.

The new gratuity rate for Carnival will be as follows:

• Standard staterooms will pay $14.50 per person, per day
• Suites will pay $16.50 per person, per day

Carnival will allow anyone with a cruise booked right now to lock in the old gratuity rate if they prepay gratuities before May 1, 2022. Cruises booked after May 1 will be subject to the new rate.

According to Carnival, 100% of gratuities are distributed to the crew members, such as stateroom attendants, dining and culinary services staff, as well as others who work behind the scenes.

Carnival's change comes just weeks after Norwegian Cruise Line announced they would increase the daily gratuities.

As of April 1st, NCL increased their gratuity amount as follows:

• Balcony and lower cabins: $16.00 per person, per day
• Haven and Suite guests: $20.00 per person, per day
• Club Balcony Suite guests remains at $18.00 per person, per day

NCL says their gratuities compensate crew members in tandem with a salary for crew members such as complimentary restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff.

Will Royal Caribbean do the same?

With two of Royal Caribbean's biggest competitors changing the daily gratuity amounts, Royal Caribbean cruisers may be wondering if a change is coming soon for them as well.

Royal Caribbean hasn't touched their gratuity rate since the end of 2017, when they announced a change to the gratuity to begin in 2018.

The current gratuity for Royal Caribbean is: $14.50 per guest per day in non-suites. For guests in a Grand Suite or above, the amount is $17.50.

Just like the other cruise lines, the daily gratuity is shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes.

Read more: Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise?

Royal Caribbean has not announced or said anything about changing the gratuity rates, but it's not unusual from a historical perspective for cruise lines to match each other with changes like this.

When Royal Caribbean announced a change in gratuity in 2017, they mentioned keeping up with other cruise lines, "Royal Caribbean is constantly reviewing our competitive environment and this adjustment positions us in-line with our competitors. The additional gratuity collected will be disbursed to our onboard crew".

The good news is Royal Caribbean has in the past done exactly what Carnival is doing now, by offering passengers booked with an existing reservation to lock in the old rate if they pre-pay before the new rate goes into effect.

Following an update by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week, two cruise lines have changed the amount of time guests have to get a negative Covid test before their cruise.

The CDC revised their screening testing and documentation requirements late last week for fully vaccinated passengers and those who are not fully vaccinated, for pre-embarkation, embarkation, and back-to-back sailing.

Specifically, the CDC updated their testing guidelines to recommend fully vaccinated passengers get their Covid test no more than 2 days before boarding or get a test on embarkation day.  It also lists unvaccinated passengers get their test no more than 3 days before the cruise.

As an apparent result of this change, both Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises have changed their policies on Thursday.

Both lines are still accepting either an antigen or PCR test.

Carnival

Beginning with sailings that depart as of September 13, 2021, vaccinated guests must take a covid test within two days prior to the sailing date.

According to Carnival, if the sailing is on Saturday, the test may be taken on Thursday and Friday, and as late as Saturday, if you are guaranteed to receive your results in time for check-in.

Carnival is working to set up mobile pre-cruise rapid testing sites at all of its homeports as a back-up alternative for vaccinated guests who aren’t able to make arrangements. Additional details are forthcoming.

MSC

MSC Cruises also updated their policy for all cruises departing from Miami and Port Canaveral beginning November 1, 2021 and onward.

For these sailings, All guests 2 years and older — regardless of vaccination status — must provide documentation of a negative Covid-19 test taken no more than 2 days before arriving at the terminal for embarkation.

What is Royal Caribbean's policy?

As of right now, Royal Caribbean's policy has not changed for sailings from U.S. Homeports and Nassau, Bahamas.

All guests age 2 and older — regardless of their vaccination status, departure port or the length of their cruise — will need to take a COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) with an accredited test provider, such as a drugstore chain or diagnostic lab, no more than 3 days before arriving at the terminal and show their negative test result upon arriving. 

In addition to the pre-cruise test, kids will take one or two more tests, depending on the length of the cruise. Royal Caribbean’s test provider will administer these, at no cost to children under the age of 12.

• On boarding day, kids will take a complimentary rapid PCR test during check-in at the terminal. We’ll send registration details via email before departure.
• For cruises that are 5 nights or longer, kids will take a complimentary antigen test onboard before the cruise ends. Vaccinated guests who require a COVID-19 test for re-entry into their country may receive one onboard as well. Guests will be notified onboard about how to register for this test.

Guests under the age of 2 have no testing requirements.

Read more: I tried the at-home Covid-19 test that Royal Caribbean accepts