Norwegian Star vs Carnival Valor

The Norwegian Star was built in 2001. It was renovated in 2024. It's 3 years older than the Valor, which was built in 2004 and renovated in 2025.

Comparison Overview

• Ship Size
• Number of Passengers
• Food and Restaurants
• Bars and Drinks
• Pools and Hot Tubs
• Ship Features and Activities
• Cruise Costs
• Onboard Costs

Ship Size

The Star is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 965 feet long and 125 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 12-story building. Compared to the Carnival Valor, the Star is 17% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Norwegian Star holds 21% fewer passengers than the Valor based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Star has more space per person compared to the Valor. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.

Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Star has twelve different dining options like Topsiders Bar & Grill, Main Dining Room, and O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eight options have an additional fee.

The Valor has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Carnival Deli, Mongolian Wok, and Pizza Pirate. thirteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other four have an additional fee.

The Norwegian Star has about the same number of dining options as the Carnival Valor.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Valor might be a better choice then the Star. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Bars and Drinks

The Norwegian Star has 3 fewer bars than the Carnival Valor. The Star has 10 bars like Atrium Cafe, O'Sheehan's Bar & Grill and Sky High Bar. On Star, you can grab a drink at 13 different bars such as Atrium Bar, Casino Bar and One Small Step Dance Club.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Star and the Valor below.

Pools and Hot Tubs

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Norwegian Star has a total of 2 pools and 5 hot tubs. 1 of the pools are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.

The Carnival Valor has the same number of pools as the Star and more hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Valor. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.

Ship Features and Activities

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Star. Only 64% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Valor, 73% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Cruise Costs

Norwegian and Carnival are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Norwegian Star will likely be cheaper than on Carnival Valor.

Onboard Costs

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.

Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Articles Related the These Ships

Carnival Valor Refreshed with New Water Park and More

What Theme Parties Will Be On Your Carnival Cruise?

All You Need To Know About Carnival’s Cheers Package

Norwegian Redeploys Four Ships for 2025-26: Focus Shifts to North America

How Norwegian Cruise Line’s Drink Packages Work

How To Enjoy Dive-in Movies on Carnival Cruise Ships

About Cruise Spotlight
Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
Learn more about Cruise Spotlight.