Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Spirit vs Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas
The Carnival Spirit was built in 2001. It's 1 year older than the Brilliance of the Seas, which was built in 2002.
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. It's about the same size as the Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Spirit holds about the same number of passengers as the Brilliance of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or tons of ship compared to number of passengers, the Spirit has the same amount of space per person as the Brilliance of the Seas.
| Carnival Spirit | Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Spirit | Radiance |
| Gross Tonnage | 88,500 | 90,090 |
| Length | 963 | 962 |
| Beam/Width | 106 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 12 | 12 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,124 | 2,142 |
| Crew | 930 | 848 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 42 |
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 15 different dining options like Blue Iguana Cantina, Guy's Burger Joint, and Pizza Pirate. Of those options, 12 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 3 options have an additional fee.
The Brilliance of the Seas has 1 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Chops Grille, Giovanni's Table, and Chef's Table. 8 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 6 have an additional fee.
The Carnival Spirit has about the same number of dining options as the Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Spirit might be a better choice then the Brilliance of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Spirit | Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 15 | 14 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 3 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 80% | 57% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Spirit and Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas both have 11 bars to choose from during your sailing. The Spirit has 11 bars like BlueIguana Tequila Bar, Dancin' Dance Club and The Fountain Cafe. On Spirit, you can grab a drink at 11 different bars such as English Pub, Schooner Bar and Sky Bar.
| Carnival Spirit | Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • Dancin' Dance Club • Deco Lounge • RedFrog Pub • Shanghai Piano Bar • SkyBox Sports Bar • The Fountain Cafe • Versailles Lounge | •Casino Bar • English Pub • Jakarta Lounge • Pool bar • R Bar • Schooner Bar • Singapore Sling's • Sky Bar • Starquest Nightclub • The Colony Club • Vintages |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Spirit 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 Brilliance of the Seas serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Spirit and the Brilliance of the Seas 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 Spirit has a total of 3 pools and 3 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are adults only.
Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas has fewer pools than the Spirit and the same number of hot tubs.
| Carnival Spirit | Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
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.
Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean Edition)
Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean 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 Spirit, 71% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Brilliance of the Seas, only 70% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Spirit | Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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 and Royal Caribbean 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.
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 Spirit | Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $18.50 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | $77 - $118 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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