Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Tropicale vs Celebrity Constellation
The Carnival Tropicale is a fairly new ship, being built in 2028. The Tropicale is named after the original ship that sailed with Carnival from 1982 - 2001. It has two unique zones not found on its sister ships. Unlike the first Excel Class ships, Tropicale does NOT have a BOLT roller coaster, instead it has a waterpark called "Sunsation Point." The ship will debut in 2028. It's 26 years newer than the Constellation, 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 Tropicale is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,130 feet long and 137 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.6 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 17-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Constellation, the Tropicale is 101% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
The Carnival Tropicale holds more than double the amount of people as the Constellation 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 Tropicale has less space per person compared to the Constellation.
The Tropicale uses a zone layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.
| Carnival Tropicale | Celebrity Constellation | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Excel | Millennium |
| Gross Tonnage | 182,800 | 91,000 |
| Length | 1,130 | 965 |
| Beam/Width | 137 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 17 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 5,400 | 2,184 |
| Crew | 1,700 | 1,022 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 2.1 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 35 | 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 Tropicale has twenty-three different dining options like Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi, and JavaBlue Cafe. Of those options, nineteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.
The Constellation has seventeen fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Sushi on Five, Tuscan Grille, and Main Dining Room. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other three have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Tropicale might be a better choice. It has more than double the amount of dining options than the Constellation.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Tropicale might be a better choice then the Constellation. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Tropicale | Celebrity Constellation | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 23 | 6 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 19 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 9 | 3 |
| % of Included Options | 61% | 50% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Tropicale 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 Constellation serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like 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 Tropicale and the Constellation 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 Tropicale has a total of 6 pools and 7 hot tubs. 2 of the pools are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Celebrity Constellation has fewer pools than the Tropicale and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Constellation. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Tropicale.| Carnival Tropicale | Celebrity Constellation | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 6 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 2 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 7 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| 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 Tropicale, 65% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Constellation, only 60% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Tropicale | Celebrity Constellation | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Brewery Tour | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cooking Class | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor gym | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ropes course | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Waterpark | ✓ | ✗ |
| 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 Tropicale | Celebrity Constellation | |
|---|---|---|
| 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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