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Carnival Dream vs Celebrity Ascent
The Carnival Dream was built in 2009. It was renovated in 2026. It's 14 years older than the Ascent, which was built in 2023. The Celebrity Ascent features many of the new additions seen on the Celebrity Beyond including more outdoor space, a more grand central atrium, and an improved Rooftop Garden.
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. Compared to the Celebrity Ascent, the Dream is 9% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Dream holds 12% more passengers than the Ascent based on double occupancy (two people per room). At full capacity, Carnival Dream holds 18% more passengers than the Ascent.
When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Dream has less space per person compared to the Ascent.
| Carnival Dream | Celebrity Ascent | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Dream | Edge |
| Gross Tonnage | 128,000 | 141,410 |
| Length | 1,004 | 1,073 |
| Beam/Width | 122 | 128 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 17 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,646 | 3,260 |
| Passengers (maximum occupancy) | 4,631 | 3,937 |
| Crew | 1,367 | 1,416 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 3.4 | 2.8 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 28 | 36 |
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 fourteen different dining options like Seafood Shack, Guys Pig and Anchor BarBQue, and Blue Iguana Cantina. Of those options, fourteen are complimentary, or included with your cruise fare. The other five options have an additional fee.
The Ascent has six more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Cosmopolitan Restaurant, Craft Social, and Dinner on the Edge. Eight of these restaurants are complimentary and the other twelve have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Ascent might be a better choice. It has 43% 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 Ascent. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Dream | Celebrity Ascent | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 14 | 20 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 14 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 5 | 12 |
| % of Included Options | 64% | 40% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Dream and Celebrity Ascent both have 13 bars to choose from during your sailing. The Dream has 13 bars like Burgundy Lounge, Plaza Cafe and Rendezvous. On Ascent, you can grab a drink at 13 different bars such as Pool Bar, The Club and The Retreat Pool Bar.
| Carnival Dream | Celebrity Ascent |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Burgundy Lounge • Caliente Night Club • Casino Bar • Plaza Cafe • RedFrog Rum Bar • Rendezvous • Sam's Piano Bar • Serenity Pool Bar • Sunset Bar • The Song | •Cafe al Bacio • Craft Social • Eden Bar • Il Secondo Bacio • Magic Carpet Bar • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Oceanview Bar • Pool Bar • Sunset Bar • The Club • The Retreat Pool Bar • World Class Bar |
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 Ascent 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 Carnival Dream has a total of 2 pools and 8 hot tubs.
Celebrity Ascent has more pools than the Dream and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Ascent. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? two of the hot tubs are adults only on Dream.
| Carnival Dream | Celebrity Ascent | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 8 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 2 |
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 end up paying more while on board the Dream. Only 69% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Ascent, 71% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Carnival Dream | Celebrity Ascent | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Eden Entertainment Space | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rooftop Garden | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Carnival is considered 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.
Celebrity, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 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. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
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 compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Carnival Dream | Celebrity Ascent | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.25 | $4.75 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $9.99 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | $55 - $99 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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