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Carnival Spirit vs Carnival Legend
The Carnival Spirit was built in 2001. It was renovated in 2025. It's 1 year older than the Legend, which was built in 2002 and renovated in 2026.
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 Spirit is considered a small 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. The Spirit and the Legend are in the same class, which means they're sister ships. For the most part, they're similar in terms of size and layout; although they may have different features and attractions on board.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Spirit holds about the same number of passengers as the Legend based on double occupancy (two people per room). At full capacity, Carnival Spirit holds about the same number of passengers as the Legend.
When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Spirit has more space per person compared to the Legend. 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 Spirit | Carnival Legend | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Spirit | Spirit |
| Gross Tonnage | 88,500 | 88,500 |
| Length | 963 | 963 |
| Beam/Width | 106 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 12 | 12 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,124 | 2,134 |
| Passengers (maximum occupancy) | 2,610 | 2,680 |
| Crew | 930 | 930 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 2.9 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 34 | 33 |
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 Spirit has thirteen different dining options like Pizza Pirate, The Chef's Table, and Bonsai Sushi. Of those options, twelve are complimentary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Legend has one fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Blue Iguana Cantina, Carnival Deli, and David's Steakhouse. Twelve of these restaurants are complimentary and the other five have an additional fee.
The Carnival Spirit has about the same number of dining options as the Carnival Legend.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
Restaurants on Carnival Spirit & Legend
| Restaurant | Carnival Spirit | Carnival Legend | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Included | |||
| Blue Iguana Cantina | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Carnival Deli | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Guy's Burger Joint | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Lido Buffet | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Pizza Pirate | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Swirls | ✓ | ✓ | |
| A la carte | |||
| All Things Wings | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Bonsai Sushi | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Cherry on Top | ✓ | ✓ | |
| JavaBlue Cafe | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Flat fee | |||
| David's Steakhouse | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| The Chef's Table | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Spirit has 1 fewer bar than the Carnival Legend.
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-Cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barq's Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out the recent bar menus for the Spirit and the Legend below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Carnival
Spirit
3
pools
2
hot tubs
Carnival
Legend
3
pools
2
hot tubs
| Spirit | Legend | |
|---|---|---|
| General-access pools | 2 | 2 |
| Adults-only pools | 1 | 1 |
| General-access hot tubs | 1 | 1 |
| Adults-only hot tubs | 1 | 1 |
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Carnival Spirit has a total of 3 pools and 2 hot tubs.
The Carnival Legend has the same number of pools as the Spirit and the same number of hot tubs.
Looking to get away from the kids onboard? Try relaxing in the Serenity Adult-only area, for guests 21 and older only. Both the Spirit and the Legend have full-depth adult-only pools in the Serenity area. The Serenity Area on both ships is unenclosed and open to the elements. They're both located in the back of the ship.
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, featuring places like 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. Both ships have about the same share of included activities: 71%
| Carnival Spirit | Carnival Legend | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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 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.
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 may 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) | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.25 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 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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