Carnival Valor vs Carnival Paradise

The Carnival Valor was built in 2004. It's 6 years newer than the Paradise, which was built in 1998 and renovated in 2023.

Comparison Overview

Ship Size

The Valor 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 Carnival Paradise, the Valor is 56% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Valor holds 45% more passengers than the Paradise 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 Valor has more space per person compared to the Paradise. 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.

Carnival
Valor
Carnival
Paradise
ClassConquestFantasy
Gross Tonnage110,00070,367
Length952855
Beam/Width116103
Passenger Decks1310
Passengers (double occupancy)2,9802,052
Crew1,180920
Passenger to Crew Ratio2.52.2
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)3734


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 Valor has 17 different dining options like Pizza Pirate, The Chef's Table, and Blue Iguana Cantina. Of those options, 13 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 4 options have an additional fee.

The Paradise has 3 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Blue Iguana Cantina, Carnival Deli, and The Chef's Table. 12 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 2 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Valor might be a better choice. It has 21% more dining options than the Paradise.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Paradise might be a better choice then the Valor. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Restaurants on Carnival Valor & Paradise

Carnival
Valor
Carnival
Paradise
Blue Iguana CantinaLearn More
Carnival DeliLearn More
Coffee Bar
Guy's Burger JointLearn More
Lido BuffetLearn More
Main Dining RoomLearn More
Mongolian WokLearn More
Pizza PirateLearn More
Seafood ShackLearn More
SteakhouseLearn More
Swirls
The Chef's TableLearn More

Bars and Drinks

Eagle Aft Lounge on the Valor
Eagle Aft Lounge on the Valor
Carnival's RedFrog Rum Bar
Carnival's RedFrog Rum Bar

The Carnival Valor has 3 more bars than the Carnival Paradise.

Carnival
Valor
Carnival
Paradise
Alchemy Bar
America Piano Bar
Atrium Bar
BlueIguana Tequila Bar
Casino Bar
Eagle Aft Lounge
Java Blue Cafe
Leonardo Lounge
Lindy Hop Piano Bar
One Small Step Dance Club
Paris Hot Bar
Prometheus Bar
Punchliner Comedy Club
RedFrog Rum Bar
Rex Dance Club
Rotterdam Bar
SkyBox Sports Bar
Winston's Bar

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 Valor and the Paradise below.



Pools and Hot Tubs

Lido Pool on the Carnival Valor
Lido Pool on the Carnival Valor
Lido Pool on the Carnival Paradise
Lido Pool on the Carnival Paradise

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 Valor has a total of 2 pools and 4 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.

Carnival Paradise has fewer pools than the Valor and the same number of hot tubs.

Carnival
Valor
Carnival
Paradise
Total Pools21
Pools - General Access11
Pools - Adults Only10
Pools - Exclusive00
Total Hot Tubs44
Hot Tubs - General Access22
Hot Tubs - Adults Only22
Hot Tubs - Exclusive00


cruise coloring book

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. On both ships, 73% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare.

Carnival
Valor
Carnival
Paradise
Adult Only Relaxation Area
Arcade
Basketball
Casino
Comedy Club
Dr Seuss Breakfast
Fitness Center
Jogging Track
Mini golf
Pool-side Movies
Splash park
Water slides
Learn moreLearn more

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 Valor will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Paradise.

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.

Carnival
Base Daily Gratuities*
(Per Person Per Day)
$16.00
Tip added to drinks & services18%
Soda Price$3.00
Domestic Beer Price$8.75
See drink menus
Drink Package Price$59.95 - $69.95
Learn more
Internet Plan$15.30 to $21.25 per device per day
*Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates.

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