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Carnival Mardi Gras vs MSC Seashore
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. The MSC Seashore was built in 2021. The MSC Seashore has a New York City-inspired aesthetic complete with a 10-foot-fall replica of the Statue of Liberty at the heart of the casino and shopping area called Times Square.
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 MSC Seashore, the Mardi Gras is 7% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Mardi Gras holds about the same number of passengers as the Seashore 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 Seashore. 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.
| Carnival Mardi Gras | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Excel | Seaside EVO |
| Gross Tonnage | 180,800 | 169,400 |
| Length | 1,130 | 1,060 |
| Beam/Width | 137 | 135 |
| Passenger Decks | 17 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 5,282 | 5,632 |
| Crew | 1,735 | 1,648 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 3.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 35 | 30 |
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, Bonsai Sushi, and Emeril's Bistro 1396. Of those options, 19 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 8 options have an additional fee.
The Seashore has 11 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Kaito Teppanyaki, Ocean Cay Restaurant, and Butcher's Cut. 7 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 9 have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Mardi Gras might be a better choice. It has 69% more dining options than the Seashore.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Mardi Gras might be a better choice then the Seashore. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Mardi Gras | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 27 | 16 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 19 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 8 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 70% | 44% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Mardi Gras has 3 fewer bars than the MSC Seashore. The Mardi Gras has 16 bars like Alchemy Bar, Center Stage and Grand View. On Mardi Gras, you can grab a drink at 19 different bars such as Aurea Bar, Casino Bar and Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar.
| Carnival Mardi Gras | MSC Seashore |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Bar Della Rosa • Center Stage • Fahrenheit 555 Bar • Fortune Teller Bar • Grand View • Guy's Pig and Anchor Brewhouse • Havana Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Piano Bar 88 • Punchliner Comedy Club • RedFrog Tiki Bar • Serenity Pool Bar • The Brass Magnolia • The Watering Hole • Tides Pool Bar | •Aurea Bar • Brooklyn Cafe • Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • Chef's Court Cocktail Bar • Horizon Bar • Infinity Bar • Jungle Pool Beach Bar • Le Cabaret Rouge • Long Island Bar • MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar • Seashore Bar • Shine Bar • Sky Bar • Sports Bar • The Uptown Lounge • The Wine Cellar • Top Sail Lounge • Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Mardi Gras 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 Seashore 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 Mardi Gras and the Seashore 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.
MSC Seashore has fewer pools than the Mardi Gras and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Seashore. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
| Carnival Mardi Gras | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 6 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 2 | 2 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 7 | 15 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 | 12 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 3 |
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 Mardi Gras, 61% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Seashore, only 54% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Mardi Gras | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adventure Trail | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brewery Tour | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cooking Class | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| F1 Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Glass Bridge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor gym | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Roller Coaster | ✓ | ✗ |
| 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.
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 Mardi Gras | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $59.95 - $69.95 Learn more | $46 - $85 |
| Internet Plan | $15.30 to $21.25 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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