Carnival Encounter vs Carnival Adventure

The Carnival Encounter was built in 2002. It was renovated in 2025. The Carnival Encounter is a rebranded ship, previously sailing as Star Princess with Princess Cruises and the Pacific Encounter for P&O Australia. It has been brought into the Carnival family and they added things like the HUB app and Camp Ocean, but it missing several key Carnival elements. For example, they charge for pizza outside of lunch hours and there is no complimentary soft serve ice cream or burgers. It's 2 years newer than the Adventure, which was built in 2000 and renovated in 2025. The Carnival Adventure is a rebranded ship, previously sailing as Golden Princess with Princess Cruises and the Pacific Adventure for P&O Australia. It has been brought into the Carnival family and they added things like the HUB app and Camp Ocean, but it missing several key Carnival elements. For example, they charge for pizza outside of lunch hours and there is no complimentary soft serve ice cream or burgers.

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 Encounter is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 951 feet long and 118 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.6 football fields, as wide as 2.2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. The Encounter and the Adventure are in the same class, which means they're sister ships. For the most part, they're similar in terms of size and layout; although they may have different features and attractions on board.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Encounter holds about the same number of passengers as the Adventure 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 Encounter has the same amount of space per person as the Adventure.

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 Encounter has ten different dining options like Dragon Lady, Waterfront Restaurant, and Angelo's. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other five options have an additional fee.

The Adventure has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Waterfront Restaurant, Dragon Lady, and Angelo's. six of these restaurants are complementary and the other five have an additional fee.

The Carnival Encounter has about the same number of dining options as the Carnival Adventure.

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

Restaurants on Carnival Encounter & Adventure

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.

There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Encounter and the Adventure 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 Encounter has a total of 4 pools and 8 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs 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 Adventure has the same number of pools as the Encounter and the same number of hot tubs.

Looking to get away from the kids onboard? Try relaxing in the Serenity Adult-only area, for guests 21 and older only. Neither the Encounter nor the Adventure has an adult-only pool but they do have adult-only hot tubs.

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 both ships, 60% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare.

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.

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.

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

Excursion Review:  Grizzly Falls Ziplining in Skagway, Alaska

P&O Ships Add to Carnival's Growing Brand Identity Issues

Disney Adventure Is Their Closest Ship to a Theme Park Yet

Disney Adventure: A Ship Unlike Any Other in the Disney Fleet

Disney Cruise Line to Add Four New Ships, Expanding Fleet to 13 by 2031

Disney Adventure: Setting Sail from Singapore in 2025

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.