Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Valor vs MSC Seascape
The Carnival Valor was built in 2004. It was renovated in 2025. It's 18 years older than the Seascape, which was built in 2022. The MSC Seascape has a New York City-inspired theme complete with a 10-foot-fall replica of the Statue of Liberty at the heart of the casino and shopping area called Times Square.
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 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 MSC Seascape, the Valor is 35% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Valor holds 49% fewer passengers than the Seascape 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 Seascape. 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 | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Conquest | Seaside EVO |
| Gross Tonnage | 110,000 | 169,400 |
| Length | 952 | 1,060 |
| Beam/Width | 116 | 135 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,980 | 5,877 |
| Crew | 1,180 | 1,648 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.5 | 3.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 37 | 28 |
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 twelve different dining options like Blue Iguana Cantina, The Chef's Table, and Carnival Deli. Of those options, thirteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other four options have an additional fee.
The Seascape has one fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Ocean Cay Restaurant, Butcher's Cut, and Kaito Sushi Bar. seven of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.
The Carnival Valor has about the same number of dining options as the MSC Seascape.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Valor might be a better choice then the Seascape. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Valor | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 11 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 13 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 4 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 67% | 18% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Valor has 6 fewer bars than the MSC Seascape. The Valor has 13 bars like Heroes Tribute Bar, Java Blue Cafe and Lindy Hop Piano Bar. On Valor, you can grab a drink at 19 different bars such as Champagne Bar, Seascape Bar and Sports Bar.
| Carnival Valor | MSC Seascape |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • Eagle Aft Lounge • Heroes Tribute Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Lindy Hop Piano Bar • One Small Step Dance Club • Paris Hot Bar • Prometheus Bar • RedFrog Rum Bar • Winston's Bar | •Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • Chef's Court Cocktail Bar • Horizon Bar • Infinity Bar • Jungle Pool Beach Bar • Le Cabaret Rouge • Loft Cafe • Marina Bar • MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar • Seascape Bar • Shine Bar • Sky Bar • Sports Bar • The Uptown Lounge • The Wine Cellar • Top 19 Bar • Top Sail Lounge • Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar |
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.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Valor and the Seascape 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 Valor has a total of 2 pools and 6 hot tubs.
MSC Seascape has more pools than the Valor and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Seascape. 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? two of the hot tubs are adults only on Valor.| Carnival Valor | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 2 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 15 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 12 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| 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 Valor, 73% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Seascape, only 54% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Valor | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adventure Trail | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| F1 Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Glass Bridge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Robotron | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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 Valor will likely be cheaper than on MSC Seascape.
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 Valor | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | 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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