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Carnival Dream vs Carnival Vista
The Carnival Dream was built in 2009. It was renovated in 2026. It's 7 years older than the Vista, which was built in 2016 and renovated in 2024. The Carnival Vista was the first cruise ship to have a working brewery on board.
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 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. It's about the same size as the Carnival Vista.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Dream holds about the same number of passengers as the Vista based on double occupancy (two people per room). At full capacity, Carnival Dream holds about the same number of passengers as the Vista.
When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Dream has more space per person compared to the Vista. 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.
| Carnival Dream | Carnival Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Dream | Vista |
| Gross Tonnage | 128,000 | 133,596 |
| Length | 1,004 | 1,055 |
| Beam/Width | 122 | 122 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,646 | 3,934 |
| Passengers (maximum occupancy) | 4,631 | 4,977 |
| Crew | 1,367 | 1,450 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 28 | 27 |
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 fifteen different dining options like Carnival Deli, The Chef's Table, and Guys Pig and Anchor BarBQue. Of those options, fourteen are complimentary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Vista has six more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Guys Pig and Anchor BarBQue, Pizzeria del Capitano, and Captain's Pasta Bar. Fifteen of these restaurants are complimentary and the other eleven have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Vista might be a better choice. It has 40% more dining options than the Dream.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Dream might be a better choice than the Vista. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
Restaurants on Carnival Dream & Vista
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Dream has 1 fewer bar than the Carnival Vista.
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 Barq's Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out the recent bar menus for the Dream and the Vista below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Carnival
Dream
2
pools
8
hot tubs
Carnival
Vista
3
pools
6
hot tubs
| Dream | Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| General-access pools | 2 | 2 |
| Adults-only pools | 0 | 0 |
| Exclusive pools | 0 | 1 |
| General-access hot tubs | 6 | 2 |
| Adults-only hot tubs | 2 | 2 |
| Exclusive hot tubs | 0 | 2 |
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Carnival Dream has a total of 2 pools and 8 hot tubs.
Carnival Vista has more pools than the Dream and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Vista. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Looking to get away from the kids onboard? Try relaxing in the Serenity Adult-only area, for guests 21 and older only. Neither the Dream nor the Vista has an adult-only pool but they do have adult-only hot tubs. The Serenity Area on both ships is unenclosed and open to the elements. The Dream's adult-only area is in the middle, while the Vista's is in the front. Typically, the back of the ship has less wind and better views than the front of the ship.
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, featuring places like 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. Both ships have about the same share of included activities: 69%
| Carnival Dream | Carnival Vista | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brewery Tour | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| IMAX Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✓ |
| Outdoor gym | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ropes course | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Skyride | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
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 Vista.
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 may 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.
| Carnival | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.25 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | |
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