Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Jubilee
- Cruises
- 6
- From
- $398
Ship comparison
Carnival Jubilee vs Icon of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Icon of the Seas
- Cruises
- 14
- From
- $820
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Jubilee is a mega Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 5,372 passengers, in service since 2023. Icon of the Seas is a mega Royal Caribbean ship carrying 5,610 passengers, in service since 2024.
Choose Carnival Jubilee if you want a lower starting fare: its cruises start from $398 (vs $820).
Choose Icon of the Seas if you want a more romantic trip, better-rated entertainment or more of a party: it outscores Carnival Jubilee for romantic (7.0 vs 4.0), entertainment (10.0 vs 7.0) and party (9.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Jubilee | Icon of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Royal Caribbean |
| Ship size | Mega | Mega |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2023 | 2024 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 182,800 | 250,800 |
| Passengers | 5,372 | 5,610 |
| Crew | 1,735 | 2,350 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 3.1 | 2.4 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 34.0 | 44.7 (better) |
| Decks | 20 | 20 |
| Length | 1,130 ft | 1,192 ft |
| Beam | 137 ft | 213 ft |
| Speed | 19 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 9 / 10 (better) | 8 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 6 | 14 |
| Upcoming sailings | 138 | 76 |
| Cruise lengths | 4 to 8 nights | 6 to 9 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $398 (better) | $820 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Jubilee leads on 0 of the ten, Icon of the Seas on 5, with 5 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Jubilee
Carnival Jubilee debuted in December 2023 with sailings out of Galveston, Texas. It's tied as the largest ship in the Carnival fleet, carrying 5,374 passengers at double occupancy and 6,500 guests at full capacity. (Expect more guests during peak and holiday sailings.)
Sailing now
6 cruises on sale, from $398.
Royal Caribbean
Icon of the Seas
The massive Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's newest megaship, made its maiden voyage in January 2024 as the world's largest cruise ship, clocking in with a gross tonnage of 250,800. It carries a whopping 5,610 passengers at double capacity, though the ship can squeeze in up to 7,600.
Sailing now
14 cruises on sale, from $820.
Questions
Carnival Jubilee or Icon of the Seas?
Which is bigger, Carnival Jubilee or Icon of the Seas?
Icon of the Seas is bigger at 250,800 gross tons, against 182,800 gross tons for Carnival Jubilee. Carnival Jubilee carries 5,372 passengers and Icon of the Seas carries 5,610.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Jubilee or Icon of the Seas?
Icon of the Seas is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2024 against 2023 for Carnival Jubilee.
Which has more space per passenger?
Icon of the Seas, with 44.7 gross tons per passenger against 34.0 on Carnival Jubilee. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Icon of the Seas, with one crew member for every 2.4 passengers against one for every 3.1 on Carnival Jubilee.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 9.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
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