Cruise Spotlight
Helping you find cruise ships you'll love
MSC Seashore vs Carnival Luminosa
The MSC Seashore 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. It's 12 years newer than the Luminosa, which was built in 2009 and renovated in 2022. The Carnival Luminosa originally sailed with Carnival's sister cruise line, Costa Cruises. Because of that, it will have some differences compared to other Spirit-class ships and will be missing some Carnival signature items like Guy's Burger Joint.
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 Seashore is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,060 feet long and 135 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Carnival Luminosa, the Seashore is 83% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
The MSC Seashore holds more than double the amount of people as the Luminosa 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 Seashore has less space per person compared to the Luminosa.
| MSC Seashore | Carnival Luminosa | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Seaside EVO | Spirit |
| Gross Tonnage | 169,400 | 92,720 |
| Length | 1,060 | 964 |
| Beam/Width | 135 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 12 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 5,632 | 2,260 |
| Crew | 1,648 | 926 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 30 | 41 |
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 Seashore has eleven different dining options like Ocean Cay Restaurant, Kaito Sushi Bar, and Marketplace Buffet. Of those options, seven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.
The Luminosa has two fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Pizzeria del Capitano, and The Chef's Table. ten of these restaurants are complementary and the other four have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Seashore might be a better choice. It has 22% more dining options than the Luminosa.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Luminosa might be a better choice then the Seashore. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| MSC Seashore | Carnival Luminosa | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 11 | 9 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 7 | 10 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 9 | 4 |
| % of Included Options | 18% | 56% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The MSC Seashore has 10 more bars than the Carnival Luminosa. The Seashore has 19 bars like Chef's Court Cocktail Bar, Long Island Bar and Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar. On Seashore, you can grab a drink at 9 different bars such as Alchemy Bar, Java Blue Cafe and Piano Bar 88.
| MSC Seashore | Carnival Luminosa |
|---|---|
| •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 | •Alchemy Bar • Altair Nightclub • Atrium Bar • Casino Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • Ocean Plaza Bar • Piano Bar 88 • Sunset Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. 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. The Luminosa serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Luminosa 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 MSC Seashore has a total of 5 pools and 15 hot tubs. 2 of the pools and 3 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 Luminosa has fewer pools than the Seashore and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Luminosa. 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? One of the pools are adults only on Seashore.| MSC Seashore | Carnival Luminosa | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 2 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 15 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 12 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 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. You might up paying more while on board the Seashore. Only 54% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Luminosa, 58% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| MSC Seashore | Carnival Luminosa | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
MSC and Carnival 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 MSC Seashore will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Luminosa.
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.
| MSC Seashore | Carnival Luminosa | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Drink Package Price | $46 - $85 | $83 - $88 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $17 - $27 per device per day | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
Articles Related the These Ships
About Cruise Spotlight
Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
Learn more about Cruise Spotlight.