MSC Seaside vs Carnival Sunrise

The MSC Seaside was built in 2017. It's 2 years older than the Sunrise, which was built in 2019 and renovated in 2024. The Sunrise was previously known as the Triumph from 1999-2019, but was renamed after it went through huge rennovations.

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 Seaside 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 Sunrise, the Seaside is 51% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

MSC Seaside holds 70% more passengers than the Sunrise 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 Seaside has less space per person compared to the Sunrise.

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 Seaside has 16 different dining options like Butcher's Cut, Biscayne Bay Restaurant & Buffet, and Marketplace Buffet. Of those options, 8 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 8 options have an additional fee.

The Sunrise has 4 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, JavaBlue Cafe, and Seafood Shack. 14 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 6 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Sunrise might be a better choice. It has 25% more dining options than the Seaside.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Sunrise might be a better choice then the Seaside. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Bars and Drinks

The MSC Seaside has 7 more bars than the Carnival Sunrise. The Seaside has 18 bars like Haven Lounge, Marketplace Bar and Miramar Bar. On Seaside, you can grab a drink at 11 different bars such as Casino Bar, New World Bar and RedFrog Rum Bar.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Seaside 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 Sunrise 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 Sunrise 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 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 MSC Seaside has a total of 4 pools and 5 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools 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.

Carnival Sunrise has fewer pools than the Seaside and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Sunrise. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.

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 Seaside. Only 57% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Sunrise, 71% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

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 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.

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