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Carnival Sunrise vs MSC World Asia
The Carnival Sunrise was built in 2019. It was renovated in 2024. The Sunrise was previously known as the Triumph from 1999-2019, but was renamed after it went through huge renovations. It's 7 years older than the World Asia, which was built in 2026. The World Asia is named for the cultural theme of the ship, not where it's sailing. Guests will find unique Asian-inspired veneues on board. The ship is split into seven districts that provide unique restaurants, bars, and attractions; helping to reduce crowding. The World Asia is still under construction and MSC hasn't released all the details yet.
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 Sunrise 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 MSC World Asia, the Sunrise is 53% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Sunrise holds 56% fewer passengers than the World Asia 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 Sunrise has more space per person compared to the World Asia. 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.
The World Asia uses a district layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.
| Carnival Sunrise | MSC World Asia | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Sunshine | World |
| Gross Tonnage | 101,509 | 215,863 |
| Length | 893 | 1,092 |
| Beam/Width | 125 | 155 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 16 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,984 | 6,758 |
| Crew | 1,108 | 2,142 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.7 | 3.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 34 | 32 |
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 Sunrise has fifteen different dining options like Seafood Shack, Pizzeria del Capitano, and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse. Of those options, fourteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The World Asia has three more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Butcher's Cut, Kaito Teppanyaki, and La Brasserie Buffet. Twelve of these restaurants are complementary and the other twelve have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the World Asia might be a better choice. It has 20% more dining options than the Sunrise.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Sunrise might be a better choice then the World Asia. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Sunrise | MSC World Asia | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 15 | 18 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 14 | 12 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 12 |
| % of Included Options | 60% | 33% |
| See the options | See the options |
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 Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Sunrise and the World Asia 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 Sunrise has a total of 2 pools and 3 hot tubs.
MSC World Asia has more pools than the Sunrise and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the World Asia. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? one of the hot tubs are adults only on Sunrise.| Carnival Sunrise | MSC World Asia | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 7 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | 2 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 13 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 10 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 3 |
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 Sunrise, 71% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the World Asia, only 55% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Sunrise | MSC World Asia | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adventure Trail | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bumper Cars | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cliffhanger | ✗ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dueling Pianos | ✗ | ✓ |
| F1 Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Production Shows | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ropes course | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thrill Slide | ✗ | ✓ |
| VR Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zip Line | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Carnival and MSC 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 Sunrise will likely be cheaper than on MSC World Asia.
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 Sunrise | MSC World Asia | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.25 | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $9.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | $46 - $85 |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $17 - $27 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
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