Cruise Spotlight
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MSC Seashore vs Carnival Radiance
The MSC Seashore was built in 2021. It was renovated in 2026. 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 1 year newer than the Radiance, which was built in 2020 and renovated in 2024. The Radiance was previously known as the Victory from 2000-2020, but was renamed after it went through huge renovations.
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 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 Radiance, the Seashore is 67% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
MSC Seashore holds 52% more passengers than the Radiance based on double occupancy (two people per room). At full capacity, MSC Seashore holds 45% more passengers than the Radiance.
When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Seashore has more space per person compared to the Radiance. 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.
| MSC Seashore | Carnival Radiance | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Seaside EVO | Sunshine |
| Gross Tonnage | 169,400 | 101,509 |
| Length | 1,060 | 893 |
| Beam/Width | 135 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,540 | 2,984 |
| Passengers (maximum occupancy) | 5,632 | 3,873 |
| Crew | 1,648 | 1,108 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 3.4 | 3.5 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 30 | 26 |
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 twelve different dining options like Kaito Sushi Bar, Kaito Teppanyaki, and Butcher's Cut. Of those options, nine are complimentary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eight options have an additional fee.
The Radiance has four more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Blue Iguana Cantina, Pizzeria del Capitano, and Bonsai Sushi. Fourteen of these restaurants are complimentary and the other seven have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Radiance might be a better choice. It has 33% more dining options than the Seashore.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Radiance might be a better choice than the Seashore. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| MSC Seashore | Carnival Radiance | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 16 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 9 | 14 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 8 | 7 |
| % of Included Options | 33% | 56% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The MSC Seashore has 7 more bars than the Carnival Radiance. The Seashore has 19 bars like Seashore Bar, Shine Bar and The Uptown Lounge. On Radiance, you can grab a drink at 12 different bars such as Alchemy Bar, BlueIguana Tequila Bar and Limelight Lounge.
| MSC Seashore | Carnival Radiance |
|---|---|
| •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 • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • Piano Bar 88 • RedFrog Pub • RedFrog Rum Bar • Serenity Pool Bar • Siren Bar • SkyBox Sports Bar |
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 Barq's Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out the recent bar menus for the Radiance below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
MSC
Seashore
5
pools
15
hot tubs
Carnival
Radiance
2
pools
3
hot tubs
| Seashore | Radiance | |
|---|---|---|
| General-access pools | 2 | 2 |
| Adults-only pools | 1 | 0 |
| Exclusive pools | 2 | 0 |
| General-access hot tubs | 12 | 2 |
| Adults-only hot tubs | 1 | |
| Exclusive hot tubs | 3 | 0 |
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 Radiance has fewer pools than the Seashore and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Radiance. 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.
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 end up paying more while on board the Seashore. Only 54% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Radiance, 71% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| MSC Seashore | Carnival Radiance | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ropes course | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
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 may 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 Radiance | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $3.25 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.00 | $8.25 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. | ||
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