Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Vista vs MSC Seascape
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 6 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 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 MSC Seascape, the Vista is 21% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Vista holds 33% 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 Vista 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 Vista | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Vista | Seaside EVO |
| Gross Tonnage | 133,596 | 169,400 |
| Length | 1,055 | 1,060 |
| Beam/Width | 122 | 135 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,934 | 5,877 |
| Crew | 1,450 | 1,648 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.7 | 3.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 33 | 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 Vista has nineteen different dining options like JavaBlue Cafe, Bonsai Sushi, 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 Seascape has eight fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Ocean Cay Restaurant, Kaito Teppanyaki, and HOLA! Tacos & Cantina. 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 Vista might be a better choice. It has 73% more dining options than the Seascape.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Vista 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 Vista | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 19 | 11 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 15 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 9 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 53% | 18% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Vista has 5 fewer bars than the MSC Seascape. The Vista has 14 bars like Alchemy Bar, Atrium Bar and Tides Pool Bar. On Vista, you can grab a drink at 19 different bars such as Horizon Bar, Jungle Pool Beach Bar and Marina Bar.
| Carnival Vista | MSC Seascape |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Fahrenheit 555 Bar • Havana Bar • Heroes Tribute Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • Ocean Plaza Bar • Piano Bar 88 • RedFrog Pub and Brewery • RedFrog Rum Bar • Serenity Pool Bar • Tides Pool 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. 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 Seascape 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 Vista 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 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.
MSC Seascape has more pools than the Vista 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 Vista.| Carnival Vista | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 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 Vista, 65% 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 Vista | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adventure Trail | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brewery Tour | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| F1 Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Glass Bridge | ✗ | ✓ |
| IMAX Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor gym | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Robotron | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ropes course | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Skyride | ✓ | ✗ |
| 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 Vista 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 Vista | 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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