Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Liberty vs Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady
The Carnival Liberty was built in 2005. It's 16 years older than the Scarlet Lady, which was built in 2021 and renovated in 2024. This is an adults-only ship; all guests must be 18 or older.
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 Liberty 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. It's about the same size as the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Liberty holds about the same number of passengers as the Scarlet Lady 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 Liberty has less space per person compared to the Scarlet Lady.
| Carnival Liberty | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Conquest | Lady |
| Gross Tonnage | 110,000 | 110,000 |
| Length | 952 | 912 |
| Beam/Width | 116 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,974 | 2,700 |
| Crew | 1,160 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 37 | 41 |
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 Liberty has twelve different dining options like Guy's Burger Joint, The Chef's Table, and Pizza Pirate. Of those options, thirteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other four options have an additional fee.
The Scarlet Lady has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Extra Virgin, Gunbae, and The Pizza Place. twelve of these restaurants are complementary.
The Carnival Liberty has about the same number of dining options as the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Scarlet Lady might be a better choice then the Liberty. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Liberty | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 13 | 12 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 4 | 0 |
| % of Included Options | 67% | 100% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Liberty has 5 fewer bars than the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady. The Liberty has 13 bars like Alchemy Bar, BlueIguana Tequila Bar and Hot & Cool Night Club. On Liberty, you can grab a drink at 18 different bars such as The Aquatic Club Bar, The Dock Bar and The Manor.
| Carnival Liberty | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • Hot & Cool Night Club • Jardin Cafe • Piano Man Bar • RedFrog Rum Bar • SkyBox Sports Bar • The Cabinet Bar • The Stage Bar • Versailles Bar • Victoria Aft Lounge | •Casino Bar • Draught Haus • Grounds Club • Gym & Tonic • Mezcal Bar • On The Rocks • Red Bar • Richard's Rooftop Bar • Sip Lounge • Sun Club Bar • The Aquatic Club Bar • The Athletic Club Bar • The Dock Bar • The Dock House Bar • The Grounds Club Too • The Loose Cannon • The Manor • The Social Club |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Liberty 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 Scarlet Lady serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Liberty and the Scarlet Lady 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 Liberty has a total of 2 pools and 4 hot tubs.
The Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady has the same number of pools as the Liberty and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Scarlet Lady. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Liberty.| Carnival Liberty | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 4 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 2 |
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 Liberty, 73% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Scarlet Lady, only 55% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Liberty | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Group Fitness | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Private Karaoke Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
Virgin Voyages, 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 Liberty | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | Included |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | Included |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | Basic Wi-fi is included. Premium is $30/day and Work from Sea is $50/day. |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
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