Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Paradise
- Cruises
- 14
- From
- $200
Ship comparison
Carnival Paradise vs MSC Opera
MSC Cruises
MSC Opera
- Cruises
- 37
- From
- $179
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Paradise is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 2,124 passengers, in service since 1998. MSC Opera is a large MSC Cruises ship carrying 2,142 passengers, in service since 2004.
Choose Carnival Paradise if you want more of a party, more culture or more crew per passenger: it outscores MSC Opera for party (8.0 vs 5.5) and cultural (3.0 vs 2.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and it has a crew member for every 2.3 passengers (vs 2.9).
Choose MSC Opera if you want a more romantic trip, more adventure and nature or a more active cruise: it outscores Carnival Paradise for romantic (5.5 vs 2.0), adventure & nature (4.0 vs 2.0) and active (5.0 vs 4.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Paradise | MSC Opera | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | MSC Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 1998 | 2004 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2015 | 2015 |
| Gross tonnage | 71,925 | 65,591 |
| Passengers | 2,124 | 2,142 |
| Crew | 920 | 750 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.3 (better) | 2.9 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 33.9 (better) | 30.6 |
| Decks | 10 | 9 |
| Length | 855 ft | 902 ft |
| Beam | 103 ft | 94 ft |
| Speed | 24 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 6 / 10 | 8 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 14 | 37 |
| Upcoming sailings | 109 | 278 |
| Cruise lengths | 4 to 6 nights | 3 to 14 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $200 | $179 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Paradise leads on 4 of the ten, MSC Opera on 6.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Paradise
Carnival Paradise, the final Fantasy class ship created by Carnival, features fun indoors, outdoors and everywhere in between. Cruise passengers can find fun in and near the water courtesy of hot tubs, pools and the Twister Waterslide, as well as tasty fare from the sea, complements of the Carnival Paradise Sushi Bar.
Highlights
- Peace and quiet in the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat
- Splish-splash fun on the Twister WaterSlide
- Testing your luck in the onboard casino
- Nine-hole, mini-golf course
Sailing now
14 cruises on sale, from $200.
MSC Cruises
MSC Opera
MSC Opera certainly lives up to its name — classic, grand, opulent. It's a cruise ship with something to sing about! A true sense of grandeur and spaciousness prevails on MSC Opera, one of the most welcoming ships in the fleet of Italy-based MSC Cruises.
Highlights
- Chic and contemporary public areas
- Some of the best staterooms at sea
- Drinks package options available
- Will be "stretched" in 2015 with the addition of new cabins and a new water park
Sailing now
37 cruises on sale, from $179.
Questions
Carnival Paradise or MSC Opera?
Which is bigger, Carnival Paradise or MSC Opera?
Carnival Paradise is bigger at 71,925 gross tons, against 65,591 gross tons for MSC Opera. Carnival Paradise carries 2,124 passengers and MSC Opera carries 2,142.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Paradise or MSC Opera?
MSC Opera is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2004 against 1998 for Carnival Paradise.
Which has more space per passenger?
Carnival Paradise, with 33.9 gross tons per passenger against 30.6 on MSC Opera. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Carnival Paradise, with one crew member for every 2.3 passengers against one for every 2.9 on MSC Opera.
Which is better for families?
Carnival Paradise scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10, against 7.5 for MSC Opera.
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