Cruise Spotlight
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Anthem of the Seas vs Venezia
The Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas was built in 2015. It's 4 years older 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 Anthem of the Seas is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,141 feet long and 136 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.2 football fields, as wide as 2.6 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Carnival Venezia, the Anthem of the Seas is 24% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas holds about the same number of passengers as 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 Anthem of the Seas 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.
| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Carnival Venezia | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Quantum | Venice |
| Gross Tonnage | 168,666 | 135,500 |
| Length | 1,141 | 1,061 |
| Beam/Width | 136 | 122 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,180 | 4,072 |
| Crew | 1,500 | 1,424 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 2.9 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 32 |
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 Anthem of the Seas has 21 different dining options like Cafe Promenade, Solarium Bistro, and Izumi. Of those options, 12 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 9 options have an additional fee.
The Venezia has 1 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Tomodoro, La Strada Grill, and The Chef's Table. 13 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 7 have an additional fee.
The Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas has about the same number of dining options as the Carnival Venezia.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Venezia might be a better choice then the Anthem of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Carnival Venezia | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 21 | 20 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 13 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 9 | 7 |
| % of Included Options | 57% | 65% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas has 2 fewer bars than the Carnival Venezia. The Anthem of the Seas has 10 bars like Bionic Bar, Casino Bar and Vintages. On Anthem of the Seas, you can grab a drink at 12 different bars such as Burano Pool Bar, Carnevale Bar & Lounge and Gondola Lounge.
| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Carnival Venezia |
|---|---|
| •Bionic Bar • Boleros • Casino Bar • English Pub • Music Hall • Pool Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Bar • Solarium Bar • Vintages | •Amari Bar • Atrium Bar • Burano Pool Bar • Carnevale Bar & Lounge • Frizzante • Gondola Lounge • Heroes Tribute Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • Pergola Bar • Piano Bar 88 • Rococo |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Anthem of the Seas serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations. 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 Anthem of the Seas 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 Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.
Carnival Venezia has fewer pools than the Anthem of the Seas and the same number of hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Venezia. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Carnival Venezia | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 0 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 2 |
Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books.
Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean Edition)
Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean Edition)
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 Anthem of the Seas, 76% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Venezia, only 75% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Carnival Venezia | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bionic Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bumper Cars | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Indoor Sky Diving | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Laser Tag | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| North Star | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor gym | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ropes course | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean 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 Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas will likely be cheaper 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.
| Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas | Carnival Venezia | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $3.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $8.75 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 - $118 Learn more | $83 - $88 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 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. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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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.
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