Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Magic
- Cruises
- 10
- From
- $320
Ship comparison
Carnival Magic vs Costa Serena
Costa Cruises
Costa Serena
- Cruises
- 106
- From
- $468
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Magic is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 3,690 passengers, in service since 2011. Costa Serena is a large Costa Cruises ship carrying 3,700 passengers, in service since 2007.
Choose Carnival Magic if you want a better-rated spa and gym, a more active cruise or better-rated entertainment: it outscores Costa Serena for spa & fitness (7.0 vs 2.0), active (7.0 vs 2.0) and entertainment (7.6 vs 3.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Costa Serena if you want more cruises to choose from: it has 106 cruises on sale (vs 10).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Magic | Costa Serena | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Costa Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2011 (better) | 2007 |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2018 (better) | 2015 |
| Gross tonnage | 130,000 | 114,500 |
| Passengers | 3,690 | 3,700 |
| Crew | 1,367 | 1,100 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.7 (better) | 3.4 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 35.2 (better) | 30.9 |
| Decks | 17 | 14 |
| Length | 1,004 ft | 951 ft |
| Beam | 122 ft | 116 ft |
| Speed | 29 mph | 23 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 (better) | 7 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 10 | 106 |
| Upcoming sailings | 72 | 190 |
| Cruise lengths | 6 to 8 nights | 2 to 41 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $320 (better) | $468 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Magic leads on 8 of the ten, Costa Serena on 0, with 2 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Magic
At 1,004 feet, Carnival Magic continued Carnival's Dream class tradition, with food and entertainment space in the Ocean Plaza, the splashy stylings of Carnival WaterWorks and The Lanai, a convenient and scenic half-mile outdoor wraparound promenade deck.
Highlights
- Exclusive teens-only Club O2
- Waterslides at Carnival WaterWorks
- Mini golf course at SportSquare
- Relaxing in Serenity Adult-Only Retreat
Sailing now
10 cruises on sale, from $320.
Costa Cruises
Costa Serena
Costa Serena is a ship inspired by classical legends such as Jupiter, Apollo, Bacchus, Clio. Design featuring serene colors and inspired by Greek and Roman mythology create an unrivaled ambience on this Costa Cruises ship.
Sailing now
106 cruises on sale, from $468.
Questions
Carnival Magic or Costa Serena?
Which is bigger, Carnival Magic or Costa Serena?
Carnival Magic is bigger at 130,000 gross tons, against 114,500 gross tons for Costa Serena. Carnival Magic carries 3,690 passengers and Costa Serena carries 3,700.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Magic or Costa Serena?
Carnival Magic is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2011 against 2007 for Costa Serena.
Which has more space per passenger?
Carnival Magic, with 35.2 gross tons per passenger against 30.9 on Costa Serena. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Carnival Magic, with one crew member for every 2.7 passengers against one for every 3.4 on Costa Serena.
Which is better for families?
Carnival Magic scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10, against 5.0 for Costa Serena.
Still deciding?
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