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Carnival Magic vs MSC Poesia
The Carnival Magic was built in 2011. It's 3 years newer than the Poesia, which was built in 2008 and renovated in 2025. The Poesia will receive a major dry dock refurbishment before its North America debut in May 2026 that will add new venues and Yacht Club cabins with associated areas.
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 Magic is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,004 feet long and 122 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.8 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the MSC Poesia, the Magic is 38% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Magic holds 45% more passengers than the Poesia 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 Magic has less space per person compared to the Poesia.
| Carnival Magic | MSC Poesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Dream | Musica |
| Gross Tonnage | 128,000 | 92,627 |
| Length | 1,004 | 964 |
| Beam/Width | 122 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,690 | 2,550 |
| Crew | 1,386 | 1,027 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.7 | 2.5 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 35 | 36 |
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 Magic has seventeen different dining options like Cucina Del Capitano, Pizzeria del Capitano, and Mongolian Wok. Of those options, fifteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other seven options have an additional fee.
The Poesia has ten fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Kaito Sushi Bar, Butcher's Cut, Seven of these restaurants are complementary and the other five have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Magic might be a better choice. It has more than double the amount of dining options than the Poesia.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Magic might be a better choice then the Poesia. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Magic | MSC Poesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 17 | 7 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 15 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 7 | 5 |
| % of Included Options | 59% | 29% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, 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 Magic and the Poesia 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 Magic has a total of 2 pools and 8 hot tubs.
MSC Poesia has more pools than the Magic and fewer hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? two of the hot tubs are adults only on Magic.| Carnival Magic | MSC Poesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 8 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 |
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 Magic, 73% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Poesia, only 43% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Magic | MSC Poesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor gym | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ropes course | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Carnival and MSC are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. 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 Magic will likely be more expensive than on MSC Poesia.
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 Magic | MSC Poesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.25 | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $9.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | $46 - $85 |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $17 - $27 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
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