Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Miracle vs Disney Wonder
The Carnival Miracle was built in 2004. It was renovated in 2025. It's 5 years newer than the Wonder, which was built in 1999 and renovated in 2016. Disney Wonder's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Nouveau styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Donald Duck painting the name on the stern.
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. It's about the same size as the Disney Wonder.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Miracle holds 21% more passengers than the Wonder 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 Wonder.
| Carnival Miracle | Disney Wonder | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Spirit | Magic |
| Gross Tonnage | 88,500 | 84,000 |
| Length | 963 | 964 |
| Beam/Width | 106 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 12 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,124 | 1,750 |
| Crew | 910 | 950 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 1.8 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 48 |
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, Bonsai Sushi, 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 Wonder has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Animator's Palate, Pinocchio's Pizzeria, and Daisy's De-Lites. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other two have an additional fee.
The Carnival Miracle has about the same number of dining options as the Disney Wonder.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Wonder might be a better choice then the Miracle. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Miracle | Disney Wonder | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 11 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 4 | 2 |
| % of Included Options | 60% | 80% |
| See the options | See the options |
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 Wonder 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 Miracle and the Wonder 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 Disney Wonder 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 | Disney Wonder | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| 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. You might up paying more while on board the Miracle. Only 71% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Wonder, 83% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Carnival Miracle | Disney Wonder | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✗ |
| Character experiences | ✗ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Movie Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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.
Disney, 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 | Disney Wonder | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $6.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $12 - $36 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
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