Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Venezia vs MSC Seashore
The Carnival Venezia was built in 2019. The Venezia is part of Carnival's "Fun Italian Style" Program. This ship is on loan from sister company Costa cruises. It's similar to Carnival's Vista-class ships, but it has a distinct Italian style. It's 2 years older than the Seashore, which was built in 2021. The MSC Seashore has a New York City-inspired aesthetic 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 Venezia is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,061 feet long and 122 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the MSC Seashore, the Venezia is 20% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Venezia holds 28% fewer passengers than the Seashore 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 Venezia has more space per person compared to the Seashore. 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 Venezia | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Venice | Seaside EVO |
| Gross Tonnage | 135,500 | 169,400 |
| Length | 1,061 | 1,060 |
| Beam/Width | 122 | 135 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,072 | 5,632 |
| Crew | 1,424 | 1,648 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.9 | 3.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 32 | 30 |
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 Venezia has twenty different dining options like La Strada Grill, The Chef's Table, and Pizzeria del Capitano. Of those options, thirteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other seven options have an additional fee.
The Seashore has four fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Kaito Teppanyaki, Butcher's Cut, and Marketplace Buffet. seven of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Venezia might be a better choice. It has 25% more dining options than the Seashore.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Venezia might be a better choice then the Seashore. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Venezia | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 20 | 16 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 13 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 7 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 65% | 44% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Venezia has 7 fewer bars than the MSC Seashore. The Venezia has 12 bars like Amari Bar, Burano Pool Bar and Pergola Bar. On Venezia, you can grab a drink at 19 different bars such as Champagne Bar, MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar and The Wine Cellar.
| Carnival Venezia | MSC Seashore |
|---|---|
| •Amari Bar • Atrium Bar • Burano Pool Bar • Carnevale Bar & Lounge • Frizzante • Gondola Lounge • Heroes Tribute Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • Pergola Bar • Piano Bar 88 • Rococo | •Aurea Bar • Brooklyn Cafe • Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • Chef's Court Cocktail Bar • Horizon Bar • Infinity Bar • Jungle Pool Beach Bar • Le Cabaret Rouge • Long Island Bar • MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar • Seashore Bar • Shine Bar • Sky Bar • Sports Bar • The Uptown Lounge • The Wine Cellar • Top Sail Lounge • Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Venezia 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 Seashore 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 Venezia and the Seashore 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 Venezia has a total of 2 pools and 6 hot tubs. 2 of the hot tubs 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.
MSC Seashore has more pools than the Venezia and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Seashore. 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 Venezia.| Carnival Venezia | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 | 12 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 | 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 Venezia, 75% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Seashore, only 54% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Venezia | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor gym | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ropes course | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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.
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 Venezia | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| 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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