Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Miracle vs Celebrity Solstice
The Carnival Miracle was built in 2004. It was renovated in 2025. It's 4 years older than the Solstice, which was built in 2008 and renovated in 2021. The Celebrity Solstice was the first cruise ship to feature a full half-acre of living grass on board. It'll undergo rennovations and will debut in March 2026 with some new upgrades.
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 Miracle is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 963 feet long and 106 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 12-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Solstice, the Miracle is 27% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Miracle holds 25% fewer passengers than the Solstice 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 Miracle has less space per person compared to the Solstice.
| Carnival Miracle | Celebrity Solstice | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Spirit | Solstice |
| Gross Tonnage | 88,500 | 122,000 |
| Length | 963 | 1,033 |
| Beam/Width | 106 | 121 |
| Passenger Decks | 12 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,124 | 2,850 |
| Crew | 910 | 1,284 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 43 |
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 Miracle has ten different dining options like Pizza Pirate, Carnival Deli, and The Chef's Table. Of those options, eleven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other four options have an additional fee.
The Solstice has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Blu, Oceanview Cafe, and Murano. nine of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
The Carnival Miracle has about the same number of dining options as the Celebrity Solstice.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Miracle might be a better choice then the Solstice. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Miracle | Celebrity Solstice | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 11 | 9 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 4 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 60% | 40% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Miracle has 6 fewer bars than the Celebrity Solstice. The Miracle has 10 bars like Dr Frankenstein's Lab Dance Club, Gotham Lounge and RedFrog Pub. On Miracle, you can grab a drink at 16 different bars such as Mast Bar, Michael's Club and Quasar.
| Carnival Miracle | Celebrity Solstice |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Dr Frankenstein's Lab Dance Club • Gotham Lounge • Heroes Tribute Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Mad Hatter's Ball • RedFrog Pub • Sam's Piano Bar | •Cafe al Bacio • Casino Bar • Cellar Masters • Ensemble Lounge • Il Secondo Bacio • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Michael's Club • Oceanview Bar • Passport Bar • Pool Bar • Quasar • Sky Observation Lounge • Sunset bar • The Whiskey and Cigar House • World Class Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Miracle 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 Solstice 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 Miracle and the Solstice 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 Miracle has a total of 3 pools and 3 hot tubs.
The Celebrity Solstice has the same number of pools as the Miracle and more hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Miracle.| Carnival Miracle | Celebrity Solstice | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 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 Miracle, 71% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Solstice, only 67% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Miracle | Celebrity Solstice | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hot Glass Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lawn Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| 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.
Celebrity, 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 Miracle | Celebrity Solstice | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | $4.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | $55 - $99 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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