Cruise Spotlight
Helping you find cruise ships you'll love
Disney Wish vs Celebrity Equinox
The Disney Wish is a fairly new ship, being built in 2022. The Disney Wish is inspired by stories of wish fulfilment. You'll enter the ship through the Grand Hall which is themed after a castle with a large statue of Cinderella and a display of her glass slipper. Outside the ship, you'll see Rapunzel painting the name on the stern. It's 13 years newer than the Equinox, which was built in 2009 and renovated in 2019.
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 Wish is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,119 feet long and 128 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Equinox, the Wish is 18% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Disney Wish holds 40% more passengers than the Equinox 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 Wish has less space per person compared to the Equinox.
| Disney Wish | Celebrity Equinox | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Wish | Solstice |
| Gross Tonnage | 144,000 | 122,000 |
| Length | 1,119 | 1,033 |
| Beam/Width | 128 | 121 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,000 | 2,852 |
| Crew | 1,555 | 1,290 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 2.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 36 | 43 |
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 Wish has 10 different dining options like Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, Enchante by Chef Arnaud Lallement, and Marceline Market. Of those options, 5 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 5 options have an additional fee.
The Equinox has 5 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Tuscan Grille, Murano, and Sushi on Five. 9 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 6 have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Equinox might be a better choice. It has 50% more dining options than the Wish.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Equinox might be a better choice then the Wish. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Disney Wish | Celebrity Equinox | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 15 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 5 | 9 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 5 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 50% | 60% |
| See the options | See the options |
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.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.
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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Disney Wish has a total of 8 pools and 3 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are adults only. 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.
Celebrity Equinox has fewer pools than the Wish and more hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Equinox. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Disney Wish | Celebrity Equinox | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 8 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 6 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 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. On the Wish, 83% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Equinox, only 67% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Disney Wish | Celebrity Equinox | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✗ | ✓ |
| Character experiences | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hot Glass Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Kid's Play Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Lawn Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Movie Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water Coaster | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Disney and Celebrity are both considered "Premium" cruise lines. 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. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Disney Wish will likely be more expensive than on Celebrity Equinox.
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.
| Disney Wish | Celebrity Equinox | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $14.50 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | Included | $3.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.50 | $6.00 |
| Drink Package Price | No drink package available | $69 |
| Internet Plan | $12 - $36 per device per day | $20 to $30 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.
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have gratuities and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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