Carnival Vista vs Carnival Freedom

The Carnival Vista was built in 2016. It was renovated in 2024. The Carnival Vista was the first cruise ship to have a working brewery on board. It's 9 years newer than the Freedom, which was built in 2007 and renovated in 2023.

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 Vista is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,055 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 15-story building. Compared to the Carnival Freedom, the Vista is 21% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Vista holds 32% more passengers than the Freedom 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 Vista has less space per person compared to the Freedom.

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 Vista has twenty-five different dining options like JavaBlue Cafe, Carnival Deli, and Cucina Del Capitano. Of those options, sixteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.

The Freedom has seven fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Mongolian Wok, Blue Iguana Cantina, and Seafood Shack. thirteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other five have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Vista might be a better choice. It has 39% more dining options than the Freedom.

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

Restaurants on Carnival Vista & Freedom

Bars and Drinks

The Carnival Vista has 1 more bar than the Carnival Freedom.

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 Vista and the Freedom 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 Vista has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 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.

Carnival Freedom has fewer pools than the Vista and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Freedom. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.

Looking to get away from the kids onboard? Try relaxing in the Serenity Adult-only area, for guests 21 and older only. Neither the Vista nor the Freedom has an adult-only pool but they do have adult-only hot tubs. The Serenity Area on both ships is unenclosed and open to the elements. They’re both located in the front of the ship.

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. You might up paying more while on board the Vista. Only 65% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Freedom, 73% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

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 Vista will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Freedom.

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.

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