Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Magic
- Cruises
- 10
- From
- $320
Ship comparison
Carnival Magic vs Discovery Princess
Princess Cruises
Discovery Princess
- Cruises
- 20
- From
- $429
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Magic is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 3,690 passengers, in service since 2011. Discovery Princess is a large Princess Cruises ship carrying 3,668 passengers, in service since 2022.
Choose Carnival Magic if you want a more active cruise, a more family-friendly ship or a lower starting fare: it outscores Discovery Princess for active (7.0 vs 6.0) and family friendly (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $320 (vs $429).
Choose Discovery Princess if you want a more romantic trip, more adventure and nature or better-rated staterooms: it outscores Carnival Magic for romantic (7.0 vs 2.0), adventure & nature (5.0 vs 2.0) and staterooms (8.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Magic | Discovery Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Princess Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2011 | 2022 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2018 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 130,000 | 141,000 |
| Passengers | 3,690 | 3,668 |
| Crew | 1,367 | 1,346 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 35.2 | 38.4 (better) |
| Cabins | — | 1,834 |
| Decks | 17 | 18 |
| Length | 1,004 ft | 1,083 ft |
| Beam | 122 ft | 155 ft |
| Speed | 29 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 10 | 20 |
| Upcoming sailings | 72 | 148 |
| Cruise lengths | 6 to 8 nights | 4 to 14 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $320 (better) | $429 |
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 2 of the ten, Discovery Princess on 5, with 3 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.
Princess Cruises
Discovery Princess
Discovery Princess, the newest ship from Princess Cruises, debuted in March 2022, sailing out of Seattle in summer and Los Angeles in winter.
Sailing now
20 cruises on sale, from $429.
About Discovery Princess Plan my cruise on Discovery Princess
Questions
Carnival Magic or Discovery Princess?
Which is bigger, Carnival Magic or Discovery Princess?
Discovery Princess is bigger at 141,000 gross tons, against 130,000 gross tons for Carnival Magic. Carnival Magic carries 3,690 passengers and Discovery Princess carries 3,668.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Magic or Discovery Princess?
Discovery Princess is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2022 against 2011 for Carnival Magic.
Which has more space per passenger?
Discovery Princess, with 38.4 gross tons per passenger against 35.2 on Carnival Magic. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
They are level, with one crew member for every 2.7 passengers.
Which is better for families?
Carnival Magic scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10, against 7.0 for Discovery Princess.
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