Carnival Panorama vs Carnival Luminosa

The Carnival Panorama was built in 2019. It was renovated in 2024. The Panorama is the only cruise ship to have a Sky Zone trampoline park on board. It's 10 years newer than the Luminosa, which was built in 2009 and renovated in 2022. The Carnival Luminosa originally sailed with Carnival's sister cruise line, Costa Cruises. Because of that, it will have some differences compared to other Spirit-class ships and will be missing some Carnival signature items like Guy's Burger Joint.

Comparison Overview

Ship Size

The Panorama is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,055 feet long and 122 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Carnival Luminosa, the Panorama is 44% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Panorama holds 77% more passengers than the Luminosa 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 Panorama has less space per person compared to the Luminosa.

Carnival
Panorama
Carnival
Luminosa
ClassVistaSpirit
Gross Tonnage133,86892,720
Length1,055964
Beam/Width122106
Passenger Decks1512
Passengers (double occupancy)4,0082,260
Crew1,450926
Passenger to Crew Ratio2.82.4
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)3441


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 Panorama has twenty different dining options like Cucina Del Capitano, JiJi Asian Kitchen, and Bonsai Teppanyaki. Of those options, sixteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.

The Luminosa has eleven fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, The Chef's Table, and Carnival Deli. ten of these restaurants are complementary and the other four have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Panorama might be a better choice. It has more than double the amount of dining options than the Luminosa.

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

Restaurants on Carnival Panorama & Luminosa

Restaurant Carnival
Panorama
Carnival
Luminosa
Included
Blue Iguana CantinaLearn More
Captain's Pasta BarLearn More
Carnival DeliLearn More
Fresh CreationsLearn More
Guy's Burger JointLearn More
Guys Pig and Anchor BarBQueLearn More
Lido BuffetLearn More
Main Dining RoomLearn More
Mongolian WokLearn More
Pizzeria del CapitanoLearn More
Swirls
A la carte
Bonsai SushiLearn More
Bonsai Sushi ExpressLearn More
Cherry on Top
Guys Pig and Anchor SmokehouseLearn More
JavaBlue CafeLearn More
Seafood ShackLearn More
Flat fee
Bonsai TeppanyakiLearn More
Cucina Del CapitanoLearn More
Fahrenheit 555 SteakhouseLearn More
JiJi Asian KitchenLearn More
The Chef's TableLearn More

Bars and Drinks

Carnival's BlueIguana Tequila Bar
Carnival's BlueIguana Tequila Bar
Carnival's Altair Nightclub
Carnival's Altair Nightclub

The Carnival Panorama has 5 more bars than the Carnival Luminosa.

Carnival
Panorama
Carnival
Luminosa
Alchemy Bar
Altair Nightclub
Atrium Bar
BlueIguana Tequila Bar
Casino Bar
Fahrenheit 555 Bar
Guy's Pig and Anchor Brewhouse
Havana Bar
Heroes Tribute Bar
Java Blue Cafe
Limelight Lounge
Ocean Plaza Bar
Piano Bar 88
RedFrog Rum Bar
Serenity Pool Bar
Sunset Bar
Tides Pool Bar

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 Panorama and the Luminosa below.



Pools and Hot Tubs

Lido Deck Pool on the Carnival Panorama
Lido Deck Pool on the Carnival Panorama

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Carnival Panorama has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs 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 Luminosa has fewer pools than the Panorama and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Luminosa. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.

Looking to get away from the kids onboard? Try relaxing in the Serenity Adult-only area, for guests 21 and older only. Only the Luminosa has an adult-only pool in its Serenity Area (it’s a full-depth pool). The Serenity Area on both ships is unenclosed and open to the elements. The Panorama’s adult-only area is in the front, while the Luminosa’s is in the back. Typically, the back of the ship has less wind and better views than the front of the ship.

Carnival
Panorama
Carnival
Luminosa
Total Pools32
Pools - General Access21
Pools - Adults Only01
Pools - Exclusive1
Total Hot Tubs64
Hot Tubs - General Access22
Hot Tubs - Adults Only22
Hot Tubs - Exclusive2


cruise coloring book

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. On the Panorama, 65% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Luminosa, only 58% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.

Carnival
Panorama
Carnival
Luminosa
Adult Only Relaxation Area
Arcade
Basketball
Brewery Tour
Casino
Comedy Club
Dr Seuss Breakfast
Fitness Center
Jogging Track
Mini golf
Outdoor gym
Pool-side Movies
Ropes course
Shows - musical review
Sky Zone
Skyride
Spa
Splash park
Thermal Suites
Water slides
Learn moreLearn more
Carnival is also known for its energetic theme parties which vary per ship.

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 Panorama will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Luminosa.

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.

Carnival
Base Daily Gratuities*
(Per Person Per Day)
$16.00
Tip added to drinks & services18%
Soda Price$3.00
Domestic Beer Price$8.75
See drink menus
Drink Package Price$83 - $88
Learn more
Internet Plan$18.70 to $23.80 per device per day
*Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates.

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