Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Magic vs Princess Cruises Enchanted Princess
The Carnival Magic was built in 2011. It's 10 years older than the Enchanted Princess, which was built in 2021.
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 Princess Cruises Enchanted Princess, the Magic is 12% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Magic holds about the same number of passengers as the Enchanted Princess 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 Enchanted Princess.
| Carnival Magic | Princess Cruises Enchanted Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Dream | Royal |
| Gross Tonnage | 128,000 | 145,000 |
| Length | 1,004 | 1,083 |
| Beam/Width | 122 | 126 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 19 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,690 | 3,660 |
| Crew | 1,386 | 1,346 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 35 | 40 |
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 22 different dining options like The Chef's Table, Pizzeria del Capitano, and Blue Iguana Cantina. Of those options, 15 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 7 options have an additional fee.
The Enchanted Princess has 3 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Crown Grill, International Cafe, and O'Malleys Irish Pub. 11 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 8 have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Magic might be a better choice. It has 16% more dining options than the Enchanted Princess.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Magic might be a better choice then the Enchanted Princess. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Magic | Princess Cruises Enchanted Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 22 | 19 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 15 | 11 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 7 | 8 |
| % of Included Options | 68% | 58% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Magic 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 Enchanted Princess serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like 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 Enchanted Princess 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 Magic has a total of 2 pools and 8 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.
Princess Cruises Enchanted Princess has more pools than the Magic and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Enchanted Princess. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
| Carnival Magic | Princess Cruises Enchanted Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 4 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 8 | 10 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 9 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
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 Magic | Princess Cruises Enchanted Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adults-only area (additional fee) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Art Auctions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✓ |
| Outdoor gym | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ropes course | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sports Court | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
Princess Cruises, 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 Magic | Princess Cruises Enchanted Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | $2.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $6.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $59.95 - $69.95 Learn more | $64.99 - $84.99 |
| Internet Plan | $15.30 to $21.25 per device per day | $24.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Princess Cruises offers two packages to bundle onboard expenses. The Princess Plus package includes daily gratuities, the basic beverage package, 2 fitness classes, 2 casual dining meals, and internet for $60 per day per guest. The Princess Premier package upgrades to the premiere beverage package, wifi for up to 4 devices per guest, two specialty dining meals, unlimited casual dining meals, unlimited fitness classes, and a photo package for $80 per guest per day.
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