Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Encounter
- Cruises
- 23
- From
- $355
Ship comparison
Carnival Encounter vs Queen Mary 2
Cunard Line
Queen Mary 2
- Cruises
- 127
- From
- $359
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Encounter is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 2,600 passengers. Queen Mary 2 is a large Cunard Line ship carrying 2,620 passengers, in service since 2004. Carnival Encounter has no Bliss scores yet, so the verdict rests on the figures we do hold.
Choose Queen Mary 2 if you want more space per passenger or more cruises to choose from: it has 57.8 gross tons per passenger (vs 41.9) and it has 127 cruises on sale (vs 23).
Carnival Encounter does not lead by a clear margin on any measure we track, so pick it for its itinerary or its dates.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Encounter | Queen Mary 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Cunard Line |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | — | 2004 |
| Gross tonnage | 108,977 | 151,400 |
| Passengers | 2,600 | 2,620 |
| Crew | 1,100 | 1,253 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.4 | 2.1 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 41.9 | 57.8 (better) |
| Decks | — | 17 |
| Length | 950 ft | 1,132 ft |
| Beam | 118 ft | 148 ft |
| Speed | — | 35 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | — | 9 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 23 | 127 |
| Upcoming sailings | 166 | 180 |
| Cruise lengths | 3 to 14 nights | 2 to 35 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $355 (better) | $359 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday.
Carnival Encounter has no Bliss scores yet.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Encounter
Sailing now
23 cruises on sale, from $355.
About Carnival Encounter Plan my cruise on Carnival Encounter
Cunard Line
Queen Mary 2
The ocean liner Queen Mary 2, flagship of the 184-year-old Cunard Line, embodies the grace and classic heritage of ships from the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s. She is the only ship in operation that retains a scheduled transatlantic service, from New York to England and back.
Highlights
- The planetarium shows
- Lectures by leading academics, scientists, politicians, entertainers and historians
- Canyon Ranch Spa and Thalassotherapy pool, if you can afford it
- The transatlantic crossings from New York to Southampton are really one of a kind.
Sailing now
127 cruises on sale, from $359.
Questions
Carnival Encounter or Queen Mary 2?
Which is bigger, Carnival Encounter or Queen Mary 2?
Queen Mary 2 is bigger at 151,400 gross tons, against 108,977 gross tons for Carnival Encounter. Carnival Encounter carries 2,600 passengers and Queen Mary 2 carries 2,620.
Which has more space per passenger?
Queen Mary 2, with 57.8 gross tons per passenger against 41.9 on Carnival Encounter. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Queen Mary 2, with one crew member for every 2.1 passengers against one for every 2.4 on Carnival Encounter.
Still deciding?
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