Norwegian Aqua vs Carnival Venezia

The Norwegian Aqua is still being built and will debut in 2025. The Norwegian Aqua will be the 20th ship in the NCL fleet and will debut in March 2025. The Aqua is still under construction and Norwegian hasn't released all the details yet. It's 6 years newer than the Venezia, which was built in 2019. The Venezia is part of Carnival's "Fun Italian Style" Program. This ship is on loan from sister company Costa cruises. It's similar to Carnival's Vista-class ships, but it has a distinct Italian style.

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 Aqua is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,056 feet long and 133 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 Venezia, the Aqua is 15% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Norwegian Aqua holds 12% fewer passengers than the Venezia 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 Aqua has more space per person compared to the Venezia. 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.

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 Aqua has 17 different dining options like Sukhothai, Onda by Scarpetta, and Cagney's Steakhouse. Of those options, 6 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 11 options have an additional fee.

The Venezia has 3 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Tomodoro, Bonsai Teppanyaki, and The Chef's Table. 13 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 7 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Venezia might be a better choice. It has 18% more dining options than the Aqua.

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

Bars and Drinks

The Norwegian Aqua has 4 more bars than the Carnival Venezia. The Aqua has 16 bars like Luna Bar, Observation Lounge Bar and The Haven Bar. On Aqua, you can grab a drink at 12 different bars such as Amari Bar, Gondola Lounge and Java Blue Cafe.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Aqua 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 Venezia 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 Aqua and the Venezia 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 Norwegian Aqua has a total of 4 pools and 6 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 4 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 Venezia has fewer pools than the Aqua and the same number of hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Venezia. 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 Aqua. Only 53% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Venezia, 75% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Cruise Costs

Norwegian 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 Norwegian Aqua will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Venezia.

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.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.

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

Norwegian Evolves Onboard Activities for Aqua and Luna

Norwegian Luna – Twin Sister-Ship to the Aqua

Norwegian Aqua Entertainment Options Revealed

What Theme Parties Will Be On Your Carnival Cruise?

Sliding Into Norwegian's Rush and the Drop Thrill Slides

Norwegian Honors Teachers With a Discount and a Cruise Giveaway

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.