Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Vista vs Disney Magic
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 18 years newer than the Magic, which was built in 1998 and renovated in 2013. Disney Magic's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Deco styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Goofy painting the name on the stern.
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 Disney Magic, the Vista is 59% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
The Carnival Vista holds more than double the amount of people as the Magic 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 Magic.
| Carnival Vista | Disney Magic | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Vista | Magic |
| Gross Tonnage | 133,596 | 84,000 |
| Length | 1,055 | 984 |
| Beam/Width | 122 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,934 | 1,750 |
| Crew | 1,450 | 950 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.7 | 1.8 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 33 | 48 |
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 nineteen different dining options like Captain's Pasta Bar, Guys Pig and Anchor BarBQue, and JiJi Asian Kitchen. Of those options, fifteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.
The Magic has nine fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Animator's Palate, Lumiere's, and Duck-in Diner. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other two have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Vista might be a better choice. It has 90% more dining options than the Magic.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Magic might be a better choice then the Vista. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Vista | Disney Magic | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 19 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 15 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 9 | 2 |
| % of Included Options | 53% | 80% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Vista 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 Magic 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 Vista and the Magic 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.
The Disney Magic has the same number of pools as the Vista and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Magic. 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? two of the hot tubs are adults only on Vista.| Carnival Vista | Disney Magic | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 |
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 Magic, 83% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Carnival Vista | Disney Magic | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brewery Tour | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✗ |
| Character experiences | ✗ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| IMAX Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Movie Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outdoor gym | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ropes course | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skyride | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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.
Disney, 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 Vista | Disney Magic | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $6.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $12 - $36 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
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