Carnival Pride vs Carnival Vista

The Carnival Pride was built in 2002. It was renovated in 2023. It's 14 years older than the Vista, which was built in 2016 and renovated in 2024. The Carnival Vista was the first cruise ship to have a working brewery on board.

Comparison Overview

Ship Size

The Pride 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 Carnival Vista, the Pride is 34% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Pride holds 46% fewer passengers than the Vista 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 Pride has more space per person compared to the Vista. 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
Pride
Carnival
Vista
ClassSpiritVista
Gross Tonnage88,500133,596
Length9631,055
Beam/Width106122
Passenger Decks1215
Passengers (double occupancy)2,1343,934
Crew9301,450
Passenger to Crew Ratio2.32.7
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)4233


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 Pride has ten different dining options like Bonsai Sushi, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, and The Chef's Table. Of those options, ten are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other five options have an additional fee.

The Vista has nine more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Bonsai Sushi, Seafood Shack, and Cucina Del Capitano. fifteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Vista might be a better choice. It has 90% more dining options than the Pride.

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

Restaurants on Carnival Pride & Vista

Restaurant Carnival
Pride
Carnival
Vista
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
Pizzeria del CapitanoLearn More
Swirls
A la carte
Bonsai SushiLearn More
Cherry on Top
JavaBlue CafeLearn More
Redfrog Pub & BreweryLearn 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

Atrium Bar on the Pride
Atrium Bar on the Pride
Atrium Bar on the Vista
Atrium Bar on the Vista

The Carnival Pride has 3 fewer bars than the Carnival Vista.

Carnival
Pride
Carnival
Vista
Alchemy Bar
Atrium Bar
Beauties Nightclub
BlueIguana Tequila Bar
Butterflies Lounge
Fahrenheit 555 Bar
Havana Bar
Heroes Tribute Bar
Ivory Piano Bar
Java Blue Cafe
Limelight Lounge
Ocean Plaza Bar
Piano Bar 88
Raphael Lounge
RedFrog Pub
RedFrog Pub and Brewery
RedFrog Rum Bar
Serenity Pool Bar
The Piazza Cafe
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 Pride and the Vista below.



Pools and Hot Tubs

Lido Pool on the Carnival Pride
Lido Pool on the Carnival Pride
Lido Pool on the Carnival Vista
Lido Pool on the Carnival Vista

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Carnival Pride has a total of 3 pools and 2 hot tubs.

The Carnival Vista has the same number of pools as the Pride and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Vista. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.

Looking to get away from the kids onboard? Try relaxing in the Serenity Adult-only area, for guests 21 and older only. Only the Pride 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 Pride’s adult-only area is in the back, while the Vista’s is in the front. Typically, the back of the ship has less wind and better views than the front of the ship.

Carnival
Pride
Carnival
Vista
Total Pools33
Pools - General Access22
Pools - Adults Only10
Pools - Exclusive01
Total Hot Tubs26
Hot Tubs - General Access12
Hot Tubs - Adults Only12
Hot Tubs - Exclusive02


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 Pride, 71% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Vista, only 65% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.

Carnival
Pride
Carnival
Vista
Adult Only Relaxation Area
Arcade
Basketball
Brewery Tour
Casino
Comedy Club
Dr Seuss Breakfast
Fitness Center
IMAX Theater
Jogging Track
Mini golf
Outdoor gym
Pool-side Movies
Ropes course
Shows - musical review
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 Pride will likely be cheaper than on Carnival Vista.

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.

We sailed aboard the Carnival Pride

Follow along on our sailing on the Carnival Pride. We take you through every aspect of our sailing, from getting to the port to debarking the ship. See the schedule of events, menus, what excursions we did, and what we really thought about the ship.

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 1 - Baltimore

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Another Sea Day

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Half Moon Cay

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 5 - Nassau

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 6 - Freeport

Carnival Pride - Cruise Blog - Day 7 - Final Sea Day

5 Hits & Misses of the Carnival Pride

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