Carnival Legend vs Carnival Pride

The Carnival Legend was built in 2002. It was renovated in 2024. The Carnival Pride was built in 2002 and renovated in 2023.

Comparison Overview

Ship Size

The Legend is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 963 feet long and 106 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 12-story building. The Legend and the Pride 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 Legend holds about the same number of passengers as the Pride 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 Legend has the same amount of space per person as the Pride.

Carnival
Legend
Carnival
Pride
ClassSpiritSpirit
Gross Tonnage88,50088,500
Length963963
Beam/Width106106
Passenger Decks1212
Passengers (double occupancy)2,1342,134
Crew930930
Passenger to Crew Ratio2.32.3
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)4242


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 Legend has 16 different dining options like Bonsai Sushi, David's Steakhouse, and Blue Iguana Cantina. Of those options, 12 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 4 options have an additional fee.

The Pride has 1 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are The Chef's Table, JavaBlue Cafe, and Bonsai Sushi. 10 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 5 have an additional fee.

The Carnival Legend has about the same number of dining options as the Carnival Pride.

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

Restaurants on Carnival Legend & Pride

Carnival
Legend
Carnival
Pride
Blue Iguana CantinaLearn More
Bonsai SushiLearn More
Carnival DeliLearn More
Cherry on Top
David's SteakhouseLearn More
Fahrenheit 555 SteakhouseLearn More
Guy's Burger JointLearn More
JavaBlue CafeLearn More
Lido BuffetLearn More
Main Dining RoomLearn More
Pizza PirateLearn More
Swirls
The Chef's TableLearn More

Bars and Drinks

Atrium Bar on the Legend
Atrium Bar on the Legend
Atrium Bar on the Pride
Atrium Bar on the Pride

The Carnival Legend and Carnival Pride both have 11 bars to choose from during your sailing.

Carnival
Legend
Carnival
Pride
Alchemy Bar
Atrium Bar
Beauties Nightclub
Billie's Piano Bar
BlueIguana Tequila Bar
Butterflies Lounge
Casino Bar
Dream Team Sports Bar
Firebird Lounge
Heroes Tribute Bar
Ivory Piano Bar
Legends' Cafe
Medusa's Lair Dance Club
Odyssey Lounge
Raphael Lounge
RedFrog Pub
RedFrog Rum Bar
The Piazza Cafe

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 Legend and the Pride below.



Pools and Hot Tubs

Lido Pool on the Carnival Legend
Lido Pool on the Carnival Legend
Lido Pool on the Carnival Pride
Lido Pool on the Carnival Pride

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 Legend has a total of 3 pools and 3 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are adults only.

The Carnival Pride has the same number of pools as the Legend and the same number of hot tubs.

Carnival
Legend
Carnival
Pride
Total Pools33
Pools - General Access22
Pools - Adults Only11
Pools - Exclusive00
Total Hot Tubs33
Hot Tubs - General Access22
Hot Tubs - Adults Only11
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. You might up paying more while on board the Legend. Only 69% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Pride, 71% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Carnival
Legend
Carnival
Pride
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. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit Carnival's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.

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.

We sailed aboard the Carnival Pride

Follow along on our sailing on the Carnival Pride. We take you through every aspect of our sailing, from getting to the port to debarking the ship. See the schedule of events, menus, what excursions we did, and what we really thought about the ship.

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 1 - Baltimore

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Another Sea Day

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Half Moon Cay

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 5 - Nassau

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 6 - Freeport

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 7 - Final Sea Day

5 Hits & Misses of the Carnival Pride

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