Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Dream vs Princess Cruises Ruby Princess
The Carnival Dream was built in 2009. It's 1 year newer than the Ruby Princess, which was built in 2008 and renovated in 2018. This ship is the second to sail under the Regal Princess name.
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 Princess Cruises Ruby Princess, the Dream is 13% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Dream holds 18% more passengers than the Ruby Princess based on double occupancy (two people per room). 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 Ruby Princess.
| Carnival Dream | Princess Cruises Ruby Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Dream | Crown |
| Gross Tonnage | 128,000 | 113,561 |
| Length | 1,004 | 951 |
| Beam/Width | 122 | 118 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 19 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,646 | 3,080 |
| Crew | 1,367 | 1,200 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 35 | 37 |
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 The Chef's Table, Mongolian Wok, and Guy's Burger Joint. Of those options, 14 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 5 options have an additional fee.
The Ruby Princess has 1 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Coffee and Cones, The Salty Dog Gastropub, and Slice. 11 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 5 have an additional fee.
The Carnival Dream has about the same number of dining options as the Princess Cruises Ruby Princess.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
| Carnival Dream | Princess Cruises Ruby Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 19 | 18 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 14 | 11 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 5 | 5 |
| % of Included Options | 74% | 72% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Dream serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew, although the selection can vary by ship. The Ruby Princess serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Dream and the Ruby Princess 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.
Princess Cruises Ruby Princess has more pools than the Dream and fewer hot tubs.
| Carnival Dream | Princess Cruises Ruby Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 4 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 8 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 |
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 Ruby Princess, only 67% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Dream | Princess Cruises Ruby Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adults-only area (additional fee) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Art Auctions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Putting green | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sports Court | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
Princess Cruises, 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 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.
| Carnival Dream | Princess Cruises Ruby Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | $2.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $6.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $59.95 - $69.95 Learn more | $64.99 - $84.99 |
| Internet Plan | $15.30 to $21.25 per device per day | $24.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Princess Cruises offers two packages to bundle onboard expenses. The Princess Plus package includes daily gratuities, the basic beverage package, 2 fitness classes, 2 casual dining meals, and internet for $60 per day per guest. The Princess Premier package upgrades to the premiere beverage package, wifi for up to 4 devices per guest, two specialty dining meals, unlimited casual dining meals, unlimited fitness classes, and a photo package for $80 per guest per day.
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