Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Splendor vs Celebrity Equinox
The Carnival Splendor was built in 2008. It was renovated in 2024. It's 1 year older than the Equinox, which was built in 2009 and renovated in 2019.
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 Splendor is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 952 feet long and 116 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.6 football fields, as wide as 2.2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 13-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Equinox, the Splendor is 7% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Splendor holds about the same number of passengers as the Equinox 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 Splendor has less space per person compared to the Equinox.
| Carnival Splendor | Celebrity Equinox | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Conquest | Solstice |
| Gross Tonnage | 113,300 | 122,000 |
| Length | 952 | 1,033 |
| Beam/Width | 116 | 121 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,012 | 2,852 |
| Crew | 1,150 | 1,290 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 3.2 | 2.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 38 | 43 |
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 Splendor has twelve different dining options like Mad Sizzle, Pizzeria del Capitano, and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse. Of those options, twelve are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other five options have an additional fee.
The Equinox has two fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Blu, Murano, and AquaSpa Cafe. nine of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Splendor might be a better choice. It has 20% more dining options than the Equinox.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Splendor might be a better choice then the Equinox. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Splendor | Celebrity Equinox | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 9 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 5 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 58% | 40% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Splendor and Celebrity Equinox both have 14 bars to choose from during your sailing. The Splendor has 14 bars like Casino Bar, Java Blue Cafe and RedFrog Pub. On Splendor, you can grab a drink at 14 different bars such as Craft Social, Il Secondo Bacio and Martini Bar.
| Carnival Splendor | Celebrity Equinox |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • El Morocco Aft Lounge • Grand Piano Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Juice and Java • Our House Sports Bar • Red Carpet Dance Club • RedFrog Pub • RedFrog Rum Bar • The Cool Lounge • Topside Bar | •AquaSpa Cafe • Cafe al Bacio • Casino Bar • Craft Social • Ensemble Lounge • Il Secondo Bacio • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Oceanview Bar • Passport Bar • Pool Bar • Quasar • Sky Observation Lounge • World Class Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Splendor 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 Equinox 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 Splendor and the Equinox 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 Splendor has a total of 2 pools and 4 hot tubs.
Celebrity Equinox has more pools than the Splendor and more hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Splendor.| Carnival Splendor | Celebrity Equinox | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 4 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| 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 Splendor, 69% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Equinox, only 67% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Splendor | Celebrity Equinox | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hot Glass Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lawn Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Carnival is considered 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.
Celebrity, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 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. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
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 Splendor | Celebrity Equinox | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | $4.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | $55 - $99 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. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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