Carnival Ships by Size and Age

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Carnival Cruise Line is best known for its family-friendly cruises. The cruise line excels with traditional entertainment for guests of all ages.

Carnival’s fleet contains delivers fun, laid-back vacations that keep passengers returning year after year. And,

Carnival Mardi Gras Rendering sailing in open ocean ariel view
(Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line)

With few exceptions, the cruise line sails exclusively from North American homeports and offers some of the lowest fares in the industry.

Carnival Ships by Size

Carnival Magic docked at a Caribbean port in crystal blue water
(Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line)

Below is a list of all the Carnival ships by size.

We’ve arranged the list according to size measured in gross tonnage (the internal volume of a ship) and length measured in feet.

Ship NameClassGross TonnageLengthPassengers (Max Occupancy)Crew Members
Mardi GrasExcel180,000 GT1,130 ft6,5001745
Carnival CelebrationExcel180,000 GT1,130 ft6,5001745
Carnival PanoramaVista133,500 GT1,055 ft5,1461450
Carnival HorizonVista133,500 GT15 ft4,9771450
Carnival VistaVista133,500 GT1,055 ft4,9771450
Carnival BreezeDream130,000 GT1,004 ft4,6901386
Carnival MagicDream130,000 GT1,004 ft4,7241386
Carnival DreamDream130,000 GT1,004 ft4,6311367
Carnival SplendorSplendor113,300 GT952 ft3,7341150
Carnival ValorConquest110,000 GT952 ft3,7561180
Carnival FreedomConquest110,000 GT952 ft3,7541150
Carnival LibertyConquest110,000 GT952 ft3,7561160
Carnival GloryConquest110,000 GT952 ft3,7561150
Carnival ConquestConquest110,000 GT953 ft3,7561150
Carnival SunshineDestiny102,853 GT893 ft3,758920
Carnival RadianceSunshine101,509 GT893 ft3,8731108
Carnival SunriseDestiny101,509 GT893 ft3,8731108
Carnival MiracleSpirit88,500 GT963 ft2,680910
Carnival PrideSpirit88,500 GT963 ft2,680910
Carnival LegendSpirit88,500 GT963 ft2,610930
Carnival SpiritSpirit88,500 GT963 ft2,610930
Carnival EcstasyFantasy70,367 GT855 ft2,606920
Carnival ElationFantasy70,367 GT855 ft2,606920
Carnival ParadiseFantasy70,367 GT855 ft2,606920

List of Carnival Ships by Age

Knowing the age of a cruise ship is essential.

While newer vessels aren’t necessarily better, if you’re looking for the latest thrills, you might want to look at booking a voyage on a newer ship.

The differences are easy to see when comparing the oldest and newest vessels.

New cruise ships have newer technology, better amenities, more activities, and a broader range of entertainment options.

The table below shows Carnival’s cruise ships from, newest to oldest.

Ship NameClassYear Built
Carnival CelebrationExcel2022
Mardi GrasExcel2021
Carnival PanoramaVista2019
Carnival SunriseDestiny2019
Carnival HorizonVista2016
Carnival VistaVista2016
Carnival SunshineDestiny2013
Carnival BreezeDream2012
Carnival MagicDream2011
Carnival DreamDream2009
Carnival SplendorSplendor2008
Carnival FreedomConquest2007
Carnival LibertyConquest2005
Carnival ValorConquest2004
Carnival MiracleSpirit2004
Carnival GloryConquest2003
Carnival ConquestConquest2002
Carnival PrideSpirit2002
Carnival LegendSpirit2002
Carnival SpiritSpirit2001
Carnival RadianceSunshine2000
Carnival ElationFantasy1998
Carnival ParadiseFantasy1998
Carnival EcstasyFantasy1991

Although the cruise ships on the bottom of the list are very old, they receive regular refurbishments every three to five years. So, even if you aren’t sailing on the newest vessel, the ship won’t show its age.

List of Carnival Ships by Age

Knowing the age of a cruise ship is essential.

While newer vessels aren’t necessarily better, if you’re looking for the latest thrills, you might want to look at booking a voyage on a newer ship.

Carnival Radiance Sailing in open water
Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line

The differences are easy to see when comparing the oldest and newest vessels.

New cruise ships have newer technology, better amenities, more activities, and a broader range of entertainment options.

The table below shows Carnival’s cruise ships from, newest to oldest.

Ship NameClassYear Built
Carnival CelebrationExcel2022
Mardi GrasExcel2021
Carnival PanoramaVista2019
Carnival SunriseDestiny2019
Carnival HorizonVista2016
Carnival VistaVista2016
Carnival SunshineDestiny2013
Carnival BreezeDream2012
Carnival MagicDream2011
Carnival DreamDream2009
Carnival SplendorSplendor2008
Carnival FreedomConquest2007
Carnival LibertyConquest2005
Carnival ValorConquest2004
Carnival MiracleSpirit2004
Carnival GloryConquest2003
Carnival ConquestConquest2002
Carnival PrideSpirit2002
Carnival LegendSpirit2002
Carnival SpiritSpirit2001
Carnival RadianceSunshine2000
Carnival ElationFantasy1998
Carnival ParadiseFantasy1998
Carnival EcstasyFantasy1991

Although the cruise ships on the bottom of the list are very old, they receive regular refurbishments every three to five years. So, even if you aren’t sailing on the newest vessel, the ship won’t show its age.

Carnival Cruise Ship Classes

Carnival Celebration Rendering
(Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line)

Carnival Cruise Line has eight cruise ship classes.

ClassGross Tonnage (GT)
Excel Class180,000 GT
Vista Class133,500 GT
Dream Class130,000 GT
Splendor Class113,300 GT
Conquest Class110,000 GT
Sunshine Class102,000 GT
Sprit Class88,500 GT
Fantasy Class70,367 GT

Carnival Cruise Ships on Order

Carnival Cruise Line currently has one cruise ship on order, Carnival Jubilee.

Jubilee is the third Excel-class cruise ship with an identical design to her sister ships Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration

Carnival will also be accepting delivery of three cruise ships that formerly sailed under Costa Cruises. The three vessels will undergo extensive renovations before the cruise line takes ownership.

FAQs

Which Carnival Cruise Ship is the Biggest?

Carnival Celebration is the biggest cruise ship in Carnival’s fleet. Carnival Celebration boasts an internal volume of 180,000 GT and a length of 1,130 ft. The ship has a maximum capacity of 6,500 with an international crew of 1745.

Which Carnival Cruise Ship is the Smallest?

Carnival’s smallest ship is the Carnival Paradise measuring 70,367 gross tons. The 855-foot-long vessel can hold up to 2,606

Are Bigger Carnival Ships Better?

Newer ships tend to have more activities, better amenities, and modern decor. But, the best cruise ship depends on what you are looking to get out of a cruise. Bigger Carnival ships are usually better for most people. But they also have higher prices.

What is the Newest Carnival Ship?

The newest Carnival ship is Carnival Celebration. The second of Carnival’s Excel-class of cruise ships, Celebration sailed on her maiden voyage on November 21, 2022.

The 180,000 gross ton vessel is fully powered by liquified natural gas with a capacity for 6,500 passengers and 1745 crew members.

How Many Cruise Ships Does Carnival Have?

Carnival currently has 24 ships in its fleet.

What is the Oldest Carnival Ship?

The oldest Carnival ship is the Carnival Ecstasy, which launched in 1991. In February 2022, the cruise line announced that the vessel would be retired from the fleet in October 2022.

Carnival Ecstasy is also the smallest Carnival cruise ship at 70,367 gross tons and a length of 855 ft.

Are Newer Carnival Cruise Ships Better?

Newer Carnival ships feature better technology, more activities, modern facilities, and updated decor. While old vessels are refreshed every three to five years, they simply don’t compare to the range of amenities and features offered by newer cruise ships.

However, the great part about cruising is that there’s no single best cruise ship for everyone. While new cruise ships tend to have more thrills and activities, many passengers prefer the slower pace that older vessels provide.
What’s most important is finding the best cruise ship for you and your travel party.

What Was the First Carnival Cruise Ship?

Carnival's first cruise ship Mardi Gras moored at Montreal on August 28, 1979

The first Carnival Cruise ship was the TSS Mardi Gras.

The vessel (named RMS Empress of Canada at the time) was built for Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd. in 1960 before being bought by the newly formed Ted Arison Carnival Cruise Line.

Empress of Canada was a little over 27,000 gross tons, a considerable difference compared to the 180,000 Excel-class ships.

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Author

Marcello De Lio

I’ve been cruising since I was 11 years old. I love the freedom that cruising provides, meeting new people, and exploring amazing new ships. I love to share my passion for cruising and travel with readers.

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