Carnival Freedom vs Carnival Valor

The Carnival Freedom was built in 2007. It was renovated in 2023. It's 3 years newer than the Valor, which was built in 2004.

Comparison Overview

Ship Size

The Freedom is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 952 feet long and 116 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 13-story building. The Freedom and the Valor 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 Freedom holds about the same number of passengers as the Valor 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 Freedom has the same amount of space per person as the Valor.

Carnival
Freedom
Carnival
Valor
ClassConquestConquest
Gross Tonnage110,000110,000
Length952952
Beam/Width116116
Passenger Decks1313
Passengers (double occupancy)2,9802,980
Crew1,1501,180
Passenger to Crew Ratio2.62.5
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)3737


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 Freedom has 18 different dining options like Guy's Burger Joint, Mongolian Wok, and Carnival Deli. Of those options, 13 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 5 options have an additional fee.

The Valor has 1 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Carnival Deli, Pizza Pirate, and The Chef's Table. 13 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 4 have an additional fee.

The Carnival Freedom has about the same number of dining options as the Carnival Valor.

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

Restaurants on Carnival Freedom & Valor

Carnival
Freedom
Carnival
Valor
Blue Iguana CantinaLearn More
Bonsai Sushi ExpressLearn More
Carnival DeliLearn More
Coffee Bar
Guy's Burger JointLearn More
Lido BuffetLearn More
Main Dining RoomLearn More
Mongolian WokLearn More
Pizza PirateLearn More
Seafood ShackLearn More
SteakhouseLearn More
Swirls
The Chef's TableLearn More

Bars and Drinks

Habana Bar on the Freedom
Habana Bar on the Freedom
Atrium Bar on the Valor
Atrium Bar on the Valor

The Carnival Freedom and Carnival Valor both have 13 bars to choose from during your sailing.

Carnival
Freedom
Carnival
Valor
70's Night Club
Alchemy Bar
Atrium Bar
BlueIguana Tequila Bar
Casino Bar
Eagle Aft Lounge
Endless Bar
Habana Bar
Heroes Tribute Bar
International Aft Lounge
Java Blue Cafe
Lindy Hop Piano Bar
One Small Step Dance Club
Paris Hot Bar
Prometheus Bar
RedFrog Rum Bar
Scott's Piano Bar
SkyBox Sports Bar
Swingtime Bar
Winston's Bar

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 Freedom and the Valor below.



Pools and Hot Tubs

Lido Pool on the Carnival Freedom
Lido Pool on the Carnival Freedom
Lido Pool on the Carnival Valor
Lido Pool on the Carnival Valor

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 Freedom has a total of 2 pools and 4 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.

The Carnival Valor has the same number of pools as the Freedom and the same number of hot tubs.

Carnival
Freedom
Carnival
Valor
Total Pools22
Pools - General Access11
Pools - Adults Only11
Pools - Exclusive00
Total Hot Tubs44
Hot Tubs - General Access22
Hot Tubs - Adults Only22
Hot Tubs - Exclusive00


cruise coloring book

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, 73% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare.

Carnival
Freedom
Carnival
Valor
Adult Only Relaxation Area
Arcade
Basketball
Casino
Comedy Club
Dr Seuss Breakfast
Fitness Center
Jogging Track
Mini golf
Pool-side Movies
Shows - musical review
Spa
Splash park
Water slides
Learn moreLearn 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 Freedom will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Valor.

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.

Carnival
Base Daily Gratuities*
(Per Person Per Day)
$16.00
Tip added to drinks & services18%
Soda Price$3.00
Domestic Beer Price$8.75
See drink menus
Drink Package Price$59.95 - $69.95
Learn more
Internet Plan$15.30 to $21.25 per device per day
*Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates.

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