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Ship comparison

Carnival Miracle vs Norwegian Star

The verdict

Which should you choose?

Carnival Miracle is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 2,124 passengers, in service since 2004. Norwegian Star is a large Norwegian Cruise Line ship carrying 2,348 passengers, in service since 2000.

Choose Carnival Miracle if you want a more family-friendly ship, more culture or a lower starting fare: it outscores Norwegian Star for family friendly (8.0 vs 7.0) and cultural (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $437 (vs $549).

Choose Norwegian Star if you want a more romantic trip, a more active cruise or more adventure and nature: it outscores Carnival Miracle for romantic (6.0 vs 2.0), active (6.0 vs 4.0) and adventure & nature (4.0 vs 2.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.

Side by side

Specifications

marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.

Carnival MiracleNorwegian Star
Cruise line Carnival Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line
Ship size Large Large
Maiden voyagenewer highlighted 2004 (better) 2000
Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted 2020 (better) 2018
Gross tonnage 88,500 91,740
Passengers 2,124 2,348
Crew 934 1,065
Passengers per crew memberfewer is better 2.3 2.2 (better)
Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier 41.7 (better) 39.1
Decks 12 15
Length 963 ft 935 ft
Beam 106 ft 105 ft
Speed 25 mph 28 mph
Cruiseable ratingout of 10 8 / 10 (better) 7 / 10
Cruises on sale 36 61
Upcoming sailings 65 69
Cruise lengths 4–16 nights 6–16 nights
Fares fromlower highlighted $437 (better) $549

Bliss scores

How they rate, out of 10

Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Miracle leads on 2 of the ten, Norwegian Star on 7, with 1 level.

  • Active Carnival Miracle: 4.0 Norwegian Star: 6.0
  • Adventure & nature Carnival Miracle: 2.0 Norwegian Star: 4.0
  • Cultural Carnival Miracle: 8.0 Norwegian Star: 7.0
  • Dining Carnival Miracle: 5.5 Norwegian Star: 6.0
  • Entertainment Carnival Miracle: 7.6 Norwegian Star: 8.0
  • Family friendly Carnival Miracle: 8.0 Norwegian Star: 7.0
  • Party Carnival Miracle: 8.0 Norwegian Star: 8.0
  • Romantic Carnival Miracle: 2.0 Norwegian Star: 6.0
  • Spa & fitness Carnival Miracle: 7.8 Norwegian Star: 8.0
  • Staterooms Carnival Miracle: 6.0 Norwegian Star: 7.0

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Miracle

Not only does Carnival Miracle visit enticing destinations, but she features a variety of onboard spaces inspired by elements of fantasy. Escape from reality as you take in a show at the Phantom Lounge, a drink at Odyssey Bar or a dance at Dr. Frankenstein's Lab.

Highlights

  • Laughing at comedic acts in The Punchliner Comedy Club
  • Taking some time to relax in the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat
  • Singing along to classic songs at Sam's Piano Bar

Sailing now

36 cruises on sale, from $437.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Star

The ship where Norwegian's Freestyle Cruising mantra all began, Norwegian Star has been at sea since 2001, offering a large variety in dining options, lounges from the popular to the secluded, and a childcare program that is top notch.

Highlights

  • Bring your own chopsticks and enjoy Asian cuisine, from sushi to hibachi to Thai and Chinese
  • Extensive childcare services on board make cruiseing with the wee ones a cinch
  • Celebrate like the famous F. Scott Fitzgerald character at Gatsby's Champagne Bar

Sailing now

61 cruises on sale, from $549.

Questions

Carnival Miracle or Norwegian Star?

Which is bigger, Carnival Miracle or Norwegian Star?

Norwegian Star is bigger at 91,740 gross tons, against 88,500 gross tons for Carnival Miracle. Carnival Miracle carries 2,124 passengers and Norwegian Star carries 2,348.

Which ship is newer, Carnival Miracle or Norwegian Star?

Carnival Miracle is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2004 against 2000 for Norwegian Star.

Which has more space per passenger?

Carnival Miracle, with 41.7 gross tons per passenger against 39.1 on Norwegian Star. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.

Which has more crew per passenger?

Norwegian Star, with one crew member for every 2.2 passengers against one for every 2.3 on Carnival Miracle.

Which is better for families?

Carnival Miracle scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10, against 7.0 for Norwegian Star.

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