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Ship comparison

Carnival Breeze vs Independence of the Seas

The verdict

Which should you choose?

Carnival Breeze is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 3,690 passengers, in service since 2012. Independence of the Seas is a large Royal Caribbean ship carrying 3,634 passengers, in service since 2008.

Choose Carnival Breeze if you want a more family-friendly ship, more of a party or a lower starting fare: it outscores Independence of the Seas for family friendly (9.0 vs 6.5) and party (8.0 vs 6.5) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $285 (vs $363).

Choose Independence of the Seas if you want a better-rated spa and gym, a more active cruise or a more romantic trip: it outscores Carnival Breeze for spa & fitness (8.5 vs 6.0), active (8.0 vs 6.0) and romantic (4.0 vs 2.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.

Side by side

Specifications

marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.

Carnival BreezeIndependence of the Seas
Cruise line Carnival Cruise Line Royal Caribbean
Ship size Large Large
Maiden voyagenewer highlighted 2012 (better) 2008
Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted — 2018
Gross tonnage 130,000 160,000
Passengers 3,690 3,634
Crew 1,386 1,360
Passengers per crew memberfewer is better 2.7 2.7
Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier 35.2 44.0 (better)
Decks 15 18
Length 1,004 ft 1,112 ft
Beam 122 ft 184 ft
Speed 26 mph 26 mph
Cruiseable ratingout of 10 8 / 10 8 / 10
Cruises on sale 11 45
Upcoming sailings 82 75
Cruise lengths 4 to 14 nights 4 to 9 nights
Fares fromlower highlighted $285 (better) $363

Bliss scores

How they rate, out of 10

Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Breeze leads on 2 of the ten, Independence of the Seas on 7, with 1 level.

  • Active Carnival Breeze: 6.0 Independence of the Seas: 8.0
  • Adventure & nature Carnival Breeze: 2.0 Independence of the Seas: 4.0
  • Cultural Carnival Breeze: 6.0 Independence of the Seas: 6.0
  • Dining Carnival Breeze: 5.5 Independence of the Seas: 6.0
  • Entertainment Carnival Breeze: 8.0 Independence of the Seas: 8.3
  • Family friendly Carnival Breeze: 9.0 Independence of the Seas: 6.5
  • Party Carnival Breeze: 8.0 Independence of the Seas: 6.5
  • Romantic Carnival Breeze: 2.0 Independence of the Seas: 4.0
  • Spa & fitness Carnival Breeze: 6.0 Independence of the Seas: 8.5
  • Staterooms Carnival Breeze: 6.0 Independence of the Seas: 8.0

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Breeze

Carnival Breeze, sailing from Miami, will take you to some of the hottest spots in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, while you get to experience some fun in the sun on board.

Highlights

  • Two waterslides at Carnival WaterWorks
  • Carnival's house brew at RedFrog Pub
  • Relaxing in Serenity Adult-Only Retreat
  • Testing your luck at Winner's Luck Casino

Sailing now

11 cruises on sale, from $285.

Royal Caribbean

Independence of the Seas

Meet Independence of the Seas, packed with a long list of onboard activities typical of Royal Caribbean's Freedom class of ships. Highlights include the FlowRider surf simulator, a rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, cantilevered whirlpools, Royal Promenade, mini golf course, and more.

Highlights

  • Relaxing spa treatments at Vitality Spa
  • Four pools in adults-only Solarium
  • 30 types of cupcakes from the Cupcake Cupboard
  • Broadway-style entertainment in the Main Theater

Sailing now

45 cruises on sale, from $363.

Questions

Carnival Breeze or Independence of the Seas?

Which is bigger, Carnival Breeze or Independence of the Seas?

Independence of the Seas is bigger at 160,000 gross tons, against 130,000 gross tons for Carnival Breeze. Carnival Breeze carries 3,690 passengers and Independence of the Seas carries 3,634.

Which ship is newer, Carnival Breeze or Independence of the Seas?

Carnival Breeze is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2012 against 2008 for Independence of the Seas.

Which has more space per passenger?

Independence of the Seas, with 44.0 gross tons per passenger against 35.2 on Carnival Breeze. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.

Which has more crew per passenger?

They are level, with one crew member for every 2.7 passengers.

Which is better for families?

Carnival Breeze scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 9.0 out of 10, against 6.5 for Independence of the Seas.

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