Carnival cruise ships by size: Largest Carnival cruise ships, biggest to smallest
What is the biggest Carnival cruise ship? Currently, the largest Carnival ship is Carnival Jubilee, in terms of both tonnage and passenger capacity. It debuted in late 2023 and is tied for size with sister ship Carnival Celebration, which first set sail in 2022, at 183,521 gross tons and 5,374 passengers at double occupancy.
It’s easy to remember that, generally, the newest ships are the largest Carnival ships. However, because Carnival Cruise Line has more than two dozen vessels in its fleet, it can be difficult to keep track of the ships that fall in between the newest and oldest.
So, to help you out, here is a list of Carnival ships, biggest to smallest, based on tonnage — a ship’s internal capacity, as measured by volume.
Carnival cruise ships by size
1. Carnival Jubilee
Size: 183,521 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 5,374
Maiden voyage: 2023
2. Carnival Celebration
Size: 183,521 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 5,374
Maiden voyage: 2022
3. Mardi Gras
Size: 180,800 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 5,282
Maiden voyage: 2021
4. Carnival Venezia (formerly Costa Venezia)
Size: 135,225 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 4,072
Maiden voyage: 2019 (renamed in 2023)
5. Carnival Firenze (formerly Costa Firenze)
Size: 135,156 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 4,126
Maiden voyage: 2021 (renamed in 2024)
6. Carnival Panorama
Size: 133,500 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 4,008
Maiden voyage: 2019
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7. Carnival Horizon
Size: 133,500 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 3,960
Maiden voyage: 2018
8. Carnival Vista
Size: 133,500 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 3,934
Maiden voyage: 2016
9. Carnival Breeze
Size: 130,000 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 3,690
Maiden voyage: 2012
10. Carnival Magic
Size: 130,000 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 3,690
Maiden voyage: 2011
11. Carnival Dream
Size: 130,000 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 3,646
Maiden voyage: 2009
12. Carnival Splendor
Size: 113,300 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 3,012
Maiden voyage: 2008
13. Carnival Freedom
Size: 110,000 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,980
Maiden voyage: 2007
14. Carnival Valor
Size: 110,000 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,980
Maiden voyage: 2004
15. Carnival Glory
Size: 110,000 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,980
Maiden voyage: 2003
16. Carnival Conquest
Size: 110,000 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,980
Maiden voyage: 2002
17. Carnival Liberty
Size: 110,000 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,974
Maiden voyage: 2005
18. Carnival Sunshine (formerly Carnival Destiny)
Size: 102,853 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 3,002
Maiden voyage: 1996 (overhauled and renamed in 2013)
19. Carnival Radiance (formerly Carnival Victory)
Size: 101,509 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,984
Maiden voyage: 2000 (overhauled and renamed in 2021)
20. Carnival Sunrise (formerly Carnival Triumph)
Size: 101,509 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,984
Maiden voyage: 1999 (overhauled and renamed in 2019)
21. Carnival Luminosa (formerly Costa Luminosa)
Size: 92,720 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,260
Maiden voyage: 2009 (overhauled and renamed in 2022)
22. Carnival Miracle
Size: 88,500 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,124
Maiden voyage: 2004
23. Carnival Legend
Size: 88,500 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,124
Maiden voyage: 2002
24. Carnival Pride
Size: 88,500 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,124
Maiden voyage: 2002
25. Carnival Spirit
Size: 88,500 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,124
Maiden voyage: 2001
26. Carnival Paradise
Size: 71,925 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,124
Maiden voyage: 1998
27. Carnival Elation
Size: 71,909 gross tons
Passenger capacity: 2,190
Maiden voyage: 1998
What is the biggest Carnival ship?
The biggest Carnival ships are Carnival Jubilee and Carnival Celebration. They’re tied in terms of size, each coming in at 183,521 gross tons and carrying 5,374 passengers at capacity.
Both vessels are throwback ships, along with fellow Excel Class vessel Mardi Gras. All three are named after members of Carnival’s original fleet. They feature cutting-edge entertainment, luxury cabin options, a slew of cuisine choices, onboard breweries, tons of lounge areas and top-deck amusements — ropes courses, waterslides and even roller coasters — that rival what you might find at an amusement park.
What is the smallest Carnival ship?
The smallest Carnival cruise ship is Carnival Elation, the line’s second-oldest vessel. At 71,909 gross tons, it carries just 2,190 passengers — less than half the amount accommodated on ships in Carnival’s Excel class.
Are bigger Carnival ships coming?
At the time of publication, Carnival Cruise Line had ordered a fourth ship for its Excel Class, which also includes Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee. The fourth vessel is currently unnamed, but it’s set to be delivered in 2027.
What is the Carnival Jubilee tonnage?
Carnival Jubilee is 183,521 gross tons. Not to be confused with weight, gross registered tonnage measures a ship’s size in terms of internal volume and what a vessel can hold or contain. Each gross registered ton is equal to 100 cubic feet of space.
What’s the difference between big and small Carnival ships?
One of the biggest differences is that Carnival’s tiniest ships carry between 2,100 and 3,000 passengers, while its biggest can accommodate more than 5,000 people. In addition, the largest vessels measure more than 180,000 gross tons, while the smallest measure less than 90,000 gross registered tons.
Smaller ships don’t have space to offer as many attractions as huge vessels, but Carnival invested $500 million over five years to make its fleet more uniform, regardless of ship size.
Thanks to this initiative, all ships now feature venues including Alchemy Bar, Guy’s Burger Joint by Guy Fieri — now a staple, along with barbecue and microbrewed beer on some ships — and the Punchliner Comedy Club, among other popular amenities that are now Carnival hallmarks.
Besides the obvious size differences between big and small cruise ships, smaller ships also tend to be older than their larger counterparts.
Decor is a dead giveaway to the age of a Carnival ship. Older hardware boasts interiors designed by Joe Farcus, a renowned architect known for his kitschy, fun style that employs bright colors, whimsical art installations and neon lights. (He’s also responsible for the line’s iconic “whale tail” funnels.) Newer vessels tend to have a more toned-down look.
Finally, fares are a factor. The smaller the ship, the more likely it is to sail short, affordable itineraries. Major exceptions to this rule are Carnival Journeys voyages, which are offered a few times each year and feature extended itineraries of two weeks or longer.
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