Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Liberty
- Cruises
- 9
- From
- $409
Ship comparison
Carnival Liberty vs Carnival Sunshine
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Sunshine
- Cruises
- 37
- From
- $423
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Liberty is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 2,974 passengers, in service since 2015. Carnival Sunshine is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 3,002 passengers, in service since 2013.
Choose Carnival Liberty if you want more culture, better-rated staterooms or more of a party: it outscores Carnival Sunshine for cultural (6.0 vs 3.0), staterooms (7.0 vs 6.0) and party (9.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Carnival Sunshine if you want a better-rated spa and gym or more cruises to choose from: it outscores Carnival Liberty for spa & fitness (9.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and it has 37 cruises on sale (vs 9).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Liberty | Carnival Sunshine | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Carnival Cruise Line |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2015 (better) | 2013 |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2015 | 2021 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 110,000 | 102,853 |
| Passengers | 2,974 | 3,002 |
| Crew | 1,160 | 1,040 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.6 (better) | 2.9 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 37.0 (better) | 34.3 |
| Decks | 13 | 12 |
| Length | 952 ft | 892 ft |
| Beam | 116 ft | 116 ft |
| Speed | 26 mph | 26 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 9 | 37 |
| Upcoming sailings | 83 | 78 |
| Cruise lengths | 6–14 nights | 4–15 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $409 (better) | $423 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Liberty leads on 4 of the ten, Carnival Sunshine on 4, with 2 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Liberty
Guess which is the first ship to serve up gourmet Guy Fieri burgers daily? How about one with a sports bar that combines live sports on TV with lively competition through the latest EA SPORTS titles, not to mention delicious drinks?
Highlights
- Dancing to beats by DJ Irie
- Competitive games such as ping pong and mini-golf at City Sports Park
- Delicious sweets from Cherry on Top
Sailing now
9 cruises on sale, from $409.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Sunshine
Carnival Sunshine offers something for everyone in your family or group. First, there's the biggest Serenity Adult-Only Retreat on any of the Carnival ships, featuring three decks, plenty of recliners and even a waterfall. Carnival WaterWorks, the onboard water park, features waterslides such as the slick Speedway Splash.
Highlights
- Relaxing at Carnival's largest Serenity Adult-Only Retreat
- Grabbing a burger from Guy's Burger Joint
- Playing some ping pong at SportSquare
Sailing now
37 cruises on sale, from $423.
Questions
Carnival Liberty or Carnival Sunshine?
Which is bigger, Carnival Liberty or Carnival Sunshine?
Carnival Liberty is bigger at 110,000 gross tons, against 102,853 gross tons for Carnival Sunshine. Carnival Liberty carries 2,974 passengers and Carnival Sunshine carries 3,002.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Liberty or Carnival Sunshine?
Carnival Liberty is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2015 against 2013 for Carnival Sunshine.
Which has more space per passenger?
Carnival Liberty, with 37.0 gross tons per passenger against 34.3 on Carnival Sunshine. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Carnival Liberty, with one crew member for every 2.6 passengers against one for every 2.9 on Carnival Sunshine.
Which is better for families?
Carnival Liberty scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10, against 7.8 for Carnival Sunshine.
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