Carnival Spirit vs Carnival Magic

The Carnival Spirit was built in 2001. It was renovated in 2025. It's 10 years older than the Magic, which was built in 2011.

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 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 Magic, the Spirit is 31% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Spirit holds 42% fewer passengers than the Magic 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 Spirit has more space per person compared to the Magic. 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.

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 twelve different dining options like JavaBlue Cafe, Guy's Burger Joint, and Pizza Pirate. Of those options, twelve are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other five options have an additional fee.

The Magic has five more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Seafood Shack, Captain's Pasta Bar, and The Chef's Table. fifteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other seven have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Magic might be a better choice. It has 42% more dining options than the Spirit.

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

Restaurants on Carnival Spirit & Magic

Bars and Drinks

The Carnival Spirit has 1 fewer bar than the Carnival Magic.

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 Spirit and the Magic 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 Spirit has a total of 3 pools and 2 hot tubs.

Carnival Magic has fewer pools than the Spirit and more hot tubs.

Looking to get away from the kids onboard? Try relaxing in the Serenity Adult-only area, for guests 21 and older only. Only the Spirit 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 Spirit’s adult-only area is in the back, while the Magic’s is in the middle. Typically, the back of the ship has less wind and better views than the front 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 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. You might up paying more while on board the Spirit. Only 71% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Magic, 73% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

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 Spirit will likely be cheaper than on Carnival Magic.

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.

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