Cruise Spotlight
Helping you find cruise ships you'll love
Carnival Miracle vs Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas
The Carnival Miracle was built in 2004. The Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas was built in 2004 and renovated in 2021.
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 Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Miracle holds about the same number of passengers as the Jewel of the Seas 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 Miracle has more space per person compared to the Jewel of the Seas. 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.
| Carnival Miracle | Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Spirit | Radiance |
| Gross Tonnage | 88,500 | 90,090 |
| Length | 963 | 962 |
| Beam/Width | 106 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 12 | 12 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,124 | 2,191 |
| Crew | 910 | 852 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 41 |
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 nine different dining options like Bonsai Sushi, Pizza Pirate, and Blue Iguana Cantina. Of those options, eleven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other three options have an additional fee.
The Jewel of the Seas has one fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Windjammer, Giovanni's Table, and Izumi Sushi & Hot Rocks. seven of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Miracle might be a better choice. It has 13% more dining options than the Jewel of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Miracle might be a better choice then the Jewel of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Miracle | Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 9 | 8 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 11 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 3 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 67% | 25% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Miracle has 2 fewer bars than the Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas. The Miracle has 10 bars like Alchemy Bar, Atrium Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar. On Miracle, you can grab a drink at 12 different bars such as Lobby Bar, Solarium Bar and The Safari Club.
| Carnival Miracle | Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Dr Frankenstein's Lab Dance Club • Gotham Lounge • Java Blue Cafe • Mad Hatter's Ball • RedFrog Pub • Sam's Piano Bar • SkyBox Sports Bar | •Casino Bar • Lobby Bar • Pool bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Bar • Solarium Bar • The Congo Bar • The Pit Stop • The Safari Club • Vintages • Vortex Nightclub • Zanzibar Lounge |
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 Jewel of the Seas serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Miracle and the Jewel of the Seas 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.
Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas has fewer pools than the Miracle and the same number of 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 | Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
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.
Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean Edition)
Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean 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 Miracle. Only 69% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Jewel of the Seas, 70% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Carnival Miracle | Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✗ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Carnival and Royal Caribbean 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 Miracle | Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $18.50 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | $77 - $118 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. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
Articles Related the These Ships
About Cruise Spotlight
Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
Learn more about Cruise Spotlight.