Carnival Dream vs Carnival Mardi Gras

The Carnival Dream was built in 2009. It's 12 years older than the Mardi Gras, which was built in 2021. The Mardi Gras pays homage to Carnival's first ship, also named the Mardi Gras. It has two unique zones not found on its sister ships: The French Quarter, a New Orleans-themed area, and La Piazza, which is dedicated to the Italian heritage of Carnival cabins.

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 Dream is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,004 feet long and 122 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.8 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Carnival Mardi Gras, the Dream is 29% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Dream holds 31% fewer passengers than the Mardi Gras based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or tons of ship compared to number of passengers, the Dream has the same amount of space per person as the Mardi Gras.

The Mardi Gras uses a zone layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.

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 Dream has 19 different dining options like Blue Iguana Cantina, Guys Pig and Anchor BarBQue, and Pizzeria del Capitano. Of those options, 14 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 5 options have an additional fee.

The Mardi Gras has 8 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Cucina Del Capitano (Excel-ship), Blue Iguana Cantina, and Emeril's Bistro 1396. 19 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 8 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Mardi Gras might be a better choice. It has 42% more dining options than the Dream.

Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.

Restaurants on Carnival Dream & Mardi Gras

Bars and Drinks

The Carnival Dream has 4 fewer bars than the Carnival Mardi Gras.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew, although the selection can vary by ship.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Dream and the Mardi Gras 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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.

The Carnival Dream has a total of 2 pools and 8 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.

Carnival Mardi Gras has more pools than the Dream and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Mardi Gras. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.

Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books. These are the Carnival editions with featuring places Pizza Pirate and mini-golf.

Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5 - Carnival Edition

Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8 - Carnival Edition

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. On the Dream, 69% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Mardi Gras, only 61% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.

Cruise Costs

Carnival is a mainstream cruise line. 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 Carnival Dream will likely be cheaper than on Carnival Mardi Gras.

The cost will also vary depending on the type of cabin you book. You can see the differences between the Carnival cabins and how to choose the best one here:

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 understand what you might spend onboard a Carnival ship.

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