Quantum of the Seas vs Luminosa

The Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas was built in 2014. It was renovated in 2024. It's 5 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 Quantum 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 Luminosa, the Quantum of the Seas is 82% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas holds 85% more passengers than 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 Quantum of the Seas has less space per person compared to the Luminosa.

	Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas	Carnival Luminosa
Class	Quantum	Spirit
Gross Tonnage	168,666	92,720
Length	1,141	964
Beam/Width	136	106
Passenger Decks	14	12
Passengers (double occupancy)	4,180	2,260
Crew	1,500	926
Passenger to Crew Ratio	2.8	2.4
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)	40	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 Quantum of the Seas has sixteen different dining options like Splashaway Cafe, Chef's Table, and La Patisserie. Of those options, thirteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eight options have an additional fee.

The Luminosa has seven fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are The Chef's Table, Pizzeria del Capitano, and JavaBlue Cafe. 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 Quantum of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 78% 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 Quantum of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

	Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas	Carnival Luminosa
Total Dining Options	16	9
Complimentary Dining Options:	13	10
Additional Fee Dining Options:	8	4
% of Included Options	50%	56%
	See the options	See the options

Bars and Drinks

The Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas and Carnival Luminosa both have 10 bars to choose from during your sailing. The Quantum of the Seas has 10 bars like Casino Bar, Schooner Bar and Sky Bar. On Luminosa, you can grab a drink at 10 different bars such as Altair Nightclub, Casino Bar and Piano Bar 88.

Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas	Carnival Luminosa
•Bionic Bar • Boleros • Casino Bar • English Pub • Music Hall • Pool Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Bar • Solarium Bar • Vintages	•Alchemy Bar • Altair Nightclub • Atrium Bar • Casino Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • Ocean Plaza Bar • Piano Bar 88 • Serenity Pool Bar • Sunset 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 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.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Quantum of the Seas and 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 Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas has a total of 4 pools and 6 hot tubs. 1 of the pools 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 Quantum of the Seas 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 and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Quantum of the Seas.

	Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas	Carnival Luminosa
Total Pools	4	2
Pools - General Access	2	1
Pools - Adults Only	1	1
Pools - Exclusive	1
Total Hot Tubs	6	4
Hot Tubs - General Access	4	2
Hot Tubs - Adults Only	2	2
Hot Tubs - Exclusive	0

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 Quantum of the Seas, 69% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Luminosa, only 58% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.

	Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas	Carnival Luminosa
Adult Only Relaxation Area	✓	✓
Arcade	✓	✓
Basketball	✓	✓
Bionic Bar	✓	✗
Bumper Cars	✓	✗
Casino	✓	✓
Climbing Wall	✓	✗
Comedy Club	✗	✓
Dr Seuss Breakfast	✗	✓
Escape Room	✓	✗
Fitness Center	✓	✓
FlowRider	✓	✗
Indoor Sky Diving	✓	✗
Jogging Track	✗	✓
Laser Tag	✓	✗
North Star	✓	✗
Pool-side Movies	✓	✓
Shows - musical review	✓	✓
Spa	✓	✓
Thermal Suites	✗	✓
	Learn more	Learn more

Carnival is also known for its energetic theme parties which vary per ship.

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 Quantum of the Seas 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.

	Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas	Carnival Luminosa
Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day)	$18.50	$17.00
Tip added to drinks & services	18%	20%
Soda Price	$3.50	$3.25
Domestic Beer Price	$7.49 See drink menus	$8.25 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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