Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Liberty
- Cruises
- 9
- From
- $335
Ship comparison
Carnival Liberty vs Norwegian Viva
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Viva
- Cruises
- 36
- From
- $369
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Liberty is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 2,974 passengers, in service since 2005. Norwegian Viva is a large Norwegian Cruise Line ship carrying 3,223 passengers, in service since 2023.
Choose Carnival Liberty if you want more of a party or better-rated entertainment: it outscores Norwegian Viva for party (9.0 vs 7.0) and entertainment (7.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Norwegian Viva if you want a more romantic trip, more adventure and nature or a newer ship: it outscores Carnival Liberty for romantic (7.0 vs 2.0) and adventure & nature (5.0 vs 2.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its maiden voyage was in 2023 (vs 2005).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Liberty | Norwegian Viva | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Norwegian Cruise Line |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2005 | 2023 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2015 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 110,000 | 142,500 |
| Passengers | 2,974 | 3,223 |
| Crew | 1,160 | 1,506 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.6 | 2.1 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 37.0 | 44.2 (better) |
| Decks | 13 | 20 |
| Length | 952 ft | 965 ft |
| Beam | 116 ft | 133 ft |
| Speed | 26 mph | 26 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 9 | 36 |
| Upcoming sailings | 76 | 110 |
| Cruise lengths | 6 to 14 nights | 3 to 14 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $335 (better) | $369 |
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 2 of the ten, Norwegian Viva on 6, 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 $335.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Viva
The 3,223-passenger Norwegian Viva debuted in July 2023 and sails the Greek Isles and Mediterranean in spring to fall and Caribbean itineraries in winter.
Sailing now
36 cruises on sale, from $369.
Questions
Carnival Liberty or Norwegian Viva?
Which is bigger, Carnival Liberty or Norwegian Viva?
Norwegian Viva is bigger at 142,500 gross tons, against 110,000 gross tons for Carnival Liberty. Carnival Liberty carries 2,974 passengers and Norwegian Viva carries 3,223.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Liberty or Norwegian Viva?
Norwegian Viva is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2023 against 2005 for Carnival Liberty.
Which has more space per passenger?
Norwegian Viva, with 44.2 gross tons per passenger against 37.0 on Carnival Liberty. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Norwegian Viva, with one crew member for every 2.1 passengers against one for every 2.6 on Carnival Liberty.
Which is better for families?
Norwegian Viva scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 9.0 out of 10, against 8.0 for Carnival Liberty.
Still deciding?
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