Carnival Mardi Gras vs Carnival Jubilee

The Carnival Mardi Gras was built in 2021. The Mardi Gras pays homage to Carnival's first ship, also named the Mardi Gras. It has two unique zones not found on its sister ships: The French Quarter, a New Orleans-themed area, and La Piazza, which is dedicated to the Italian heritage of Carnival cabins. It's 2 years older than the Jubilee, which was built in 2023. The Jubilee is Carnival's newest ship. It's named after the original Jubilee that sailed with Carnival from 1986 - 2004. It has two unique zones not found on its sister ships, The Shores, a beach-themed area, and Currents which explores the depths of the ocean.

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 Mardi Gras is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,130 feet long and 137 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.6 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 17-story building. The Mardi Gras and the Jubilee 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 Mardi Gras holds about the same number of passengers as the Jubilee 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 Mardi Gras has the same amount of space per person as the Jubilee.

Both the Mardi Gras and Jubilee use a zone layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.

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 Mardi Gras has twenty-seven different dining options like Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Teppanyaki, and Seafood Shack. Of those options, nineteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eight options have an additional fee.

The Jubilee has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Big Chicken, JavaBlue Cafe, and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse. nineteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other eight have an additional fee.

The Carnival Mardi Gras has about the same number of dining options as the Carnival Jubilee.

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

Restaurants on Carnival Mardi Gras & Jubilee

Bars and Drinks

The Carnival Mardi Gras has 1 fewer bar than the Carnival Jubilee.

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 Mardi Gras and the Jubilee 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 Mardi Gras has a total of 6 pools and 7 hot tubs. 2 of the pools are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.

The Carnival Jubilee has the same number of pools as the Mardi Gras and the same number of hot tubs.

Looking to get away from the kids onboard? Try relaxing in the Serenity Adult-only area, for guests 21 and older only. Both the Mardi Gras and the Jubilee have full-depth adult-only pools in the Serenity area. The Serenity Area on both ships is unenclosed and open to the elements. They’re both located in the front of the ship.

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 Mardi Gras. Only 61% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Jubilee, 63% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

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.

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