Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Dream
- Cruises
- 10
- From
- $388
Ship comparison
Carnival Dream vs Royal Princess
Princess Cruises
Royal Princess
- Cruises
- 61
- From
- $294
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Dream is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 3,646 passengers, in service since 2008. Royal Princess is a large Princess Cruises ship carrying 3,560 passengers, in service since 2013.
Choose Carnival Dream if you want more of a party, a more family-friendly ship or a more active cruise: it outscores Royal Princess for party (8.0 vs 6.0), family friendly (9.0 vs 7.8) and active (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Royal Princess if you want a more romantic trip, better-rated staterooms or more adventure and nature: it outscores Carnival Dream for romantic (8.0 vs 2.0), staterooms (10.0 vs 8.0) and adventure & nature (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 Dream | Royal Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Princess Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2008 | 2013 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2015 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 130,000 | 142,229 |
| Passengers | 3,646 | 3,560 |
| Crew | 1,367 | 1,200 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.7 (better) | 3.0 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 35.7 | 40.0 (better) |
| Decks | 15 | 19 |
| Length | 1,004 ft | 1,083 ft |
| Beam | 122 ft | 126 ft |
| Speed | 26 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 10 | 61 |
| Upcoming sailings | 107 | 102 |
| Cruise lengths | 4–14 nights | 3–36 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $388 | $294 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Dream leads on 3 of the ten, Royal Princess on 5, with 2 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Dream
Carnival Dream, the first of Carnival's Dream class ships (followed by Carnival Magic and Carnival Breeze), features two dual-level dining rooms, a gourmet steakhouse and the Lido Restaurant. It also features Ocean Plaza, which combines tasty treats with entertainment.
Highlights
- Waterslides at Carnival WaterWorks
- Carnival's house brew at RedFrog Rum Bar
- Thalassotherapy pool at the Cloud 9 Spa
Sailing now
10 cruises on sale, from $388.
Princess Cruises
Royal Princess
Royal Princess remains one of the jewels of the Princess Cruises line. Features include an expanded atrium with additional entertainment and casual dining options, a top deck pool with a water and light show, an enhanced Movies Under the Stars screen and the new SeaWalk with views 128 feet straight down.
Highlights
- Balconies on all outside staterooms
- Expanded atrium with additional entertainment and casual dining options
- Uper-deck pool exclusively for adults, featuring plush private cabanas
- The SeaWalk & SeaView Bar — a first-of-its-kind enclosed walkway extending from the ships top deck and a port side cantilevered bar, each with glass floors and sweeping ocean views
Sailing now
61 cruises on sale, from $294.
Questions
Carnival Dream or Royal Princess?
Which is bigger, Carnival Dream or Royal Princess?
Royal Princess is bigger at 142,229 gross tons, against 130,000 gross tons for Carnival Dream. Carnival Dream carries 3,646 passengers and Royal Princess carries 3,560.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Dream or Royal Princess?
Royal Princess is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2013 against 2008 for Carnival Dream.
Which has more space per passenger?
Royal Princess, with 40.0 gross tons per passenger against 35.7 on Carnival Dream. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Carnival Dream, with one crew member for every 2.7 passengers against one for every 3.0 on Royal Princess.
Which is better for families?
Carnival Dream scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 9.0 out of 10, against 7.8 for Royal Princess.
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