Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Radiance vs Norwegian Dawn
The Carnival Radiance was built in 2020. It was renovated in 2024. The Radiance was previously known as the Victory from 2000-2020, but was renamed after it went through huge renovations. It's 18 years newer than the Dawn, which was built in 2002 and renovated in 2016.
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 Radiance is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 893 feet long and 125 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.5 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 13-story building. Compared to the Norwegian Dawn, the Radiance is 23% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Radiance holds 28% more passengers than the Dawn 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 Radiance has less space per person compared to the Dawn.
| Carnival Radiance | Norwegian Dawn | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Sunshine | Dawn |
| Gross Tonnage | 101,509 | 82,250 |
| Length | 893 | 965 |
| Beam/Width | 125 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 12 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,984 | 2,340 |
| Crew | 1,108 | 1,032 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.7 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 34 | 35 |
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 Radiance has 20 different dining options like Big Chicken, Carnival Deli, and Seafood Shack. Of those options, 14 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 6 options have an additional fee.
The Dawn has 1 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Teppanyaki, Le Bistro French, and Main Dining Room. 9 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 9 have an additional fee.
The Carnival Radiance has about the same number of dining options as the Norwegian Dawn.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Radiance might be a better choice then the Dawn. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Radiance | Norwegian Dawn | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 20 | 19 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 14 | 9 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 70% | 53% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Radiance has 2 more bars than the Norwegian Dawn. The Radiance has 11 bars like BlueIguana Tequila Bar, Casino Bar and RedFrog Rum Bar. On Radiance, you can grab a drink at 9 different bars such as Bimini Bar & Grill, Bliss Ultra Lounge and Juice Bar.
| Carnival Radiance | Norwegian Dawn |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • Piano Bar 88 • RedFrog Pub • RedFrog Rum Bar • Siren Bar • SkyBox Sports Bar | •Bimini Bar & Grill • Bliss Ultra Lounge • Cellars Wine Bar • Gatsby's Champagne Bar • Java Cafe • Juice Bar • Sake Bar • Sugarcane Mojito Bar • Topside Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Radiance 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 Dawn 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 Radiance and the Dawn 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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Carnival Radiance has a total of 2 pools and 3 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are adults only.
The Norwegian Dawn has the same number of pools as the Radiance and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Dawn. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
| Carnival Radiance | Norwegian Dawn | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | |
| 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 Radiance, 71% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Dawn, only 60% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Radiance | Norwegian Dawn | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ropes course | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Carnival and Norwegian 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. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Carnival Radiance will likely be more expensive than on Norwegian Dawn.
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 Radiance | Norwegian Dawn | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $7.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $59.95 - $69.95 Learn more | $109 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $15.30 to $21.25 per device per day | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
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