Carnival Firenze vs Carnival Paradise

The Carnival Firenze was built in 2020. The Firenze is part of Carnival's "Fun Italian Style" Program. This ship is on loan from sister company Costa cruises. It's similar to Carnival's Vista-class ships, but it has a distinct Italian style. It's 22 years newer than the Paradise, which was built in 1998 and renovated in 2023.

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 Firenze is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,061 feet long and 122 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Carnival Paradise, the Firenze is 93% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Firenze holds 98% more passengers than the Paradise 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 Firenze has less space per person compared to the Paradise.

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 Firenze has 23 different dining options like Bonsai Teppanyaki, The Chef's Table, and Seafood Shack. Of those options, 16 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 7 options have an additional fee.

The Paradise has 9 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are The Chef's Table, Carnival Deli, and Pizza Pirate. 12 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 2 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Firenze might be a better choice. It has 64% more dining options than the Paradise.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Paradise might be a better choice then the Firenze. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Restaurants on Carnival Firenze & Paradise

Bars and Drinks

The Carnival Firenze has 2 more bars than the Carnival Paradise.

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 Firenze and the Paradise 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 Firenze has a total of 2 pools and 6 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 2 of the hot tubs are adults only. 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.

Carnival Paradise has fewer pools than the Firenze and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Paradise. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.

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 Firenze, 75% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Paradise, only 73% 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 Firenze will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Paradise.

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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