Carnival Mardi Gras vs Carnival Vista

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 5 years newer than the Vista, which was built in 2016 and renovated in 2024. The Carnival Vista was the first cruise ship to have a working brewery on board.

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. Compared to the Carnival Vista, the Mardi Gras is 35% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Mardi Gras holds 34% more passengers than the Vista based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Mardi Gras has more space per person compared to the Vista. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.

The Mardi Gras uses 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 27 different dining options like Blue Iguana Cantina, Emeril's Bistro 1396, and JavaBlue Cafe. Of those options, 19 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 8 options have an additional fee.

The Vista has 2 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Blue Iguana Cantina, Cucina Del Capitano, and Seafood Shack. 16 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 9 have an additional fee.

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

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

Restaurants on Carnival Mardi Gras & Vista

Bars and Drinks

The Carnival Mardi Gras has 2 more bars than the Carnival Vista.

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 Vista 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 Mardi Gras has a total of 6 pools and 7 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only. 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.

Carnival Vista has fewer pools than the Mardi Gras and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Vista. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.

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 Vista, 65% 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. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Carnival Mardi Gras will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Vista.

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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