Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Radiance
- Cruises
- 6
- From
- $207
Ship comparison
Carnival Radiance vs Norwegian Prima
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Prima
- Cruises
- 51
- From
- $349
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Radiance is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 2,984 passengers, in service since 2000. Norwegian Prima is a large Norwegian Cruise Line ship carrying 3,215 passengers, in service since 2022.
Choose Carnival Radiance if you want a lower starting fare or more of a party: it outscores Norwegian Prima for party (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $207 (vs $349).
Choose Norwegian Prima if you want a newer ship, more culture or more space per passenger: it outscores Carnival Radiance for cultural (7.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores, its maiden voyage was in 2022 (vs 2000) and it has 44.3 gross tons per passenger (vs 34.0).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Radiance | Norwegian Prima | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Norwegian Cruise Line |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2000 | 2022 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2021 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 101,509 | 142,500 |
| Passengers | 2,984 | 3,215 |
| Crew | 1,108 | 1,388 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.7 | 2.3 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 34.0 | 44.3 (better) |
| Cabins | — | 1,646 |
| Decks | 13 | 20 |
| Length | 893 ft | 965 ft |
| Beam | 125 ft | 133 ft |
| Speed | 24 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 6 | 51 |
| Upcoming sailings | 223 | 92 |
| Cruise lengths | 3 to 14 nights | 3 to 17 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $207 (better) | $349 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Radiance leads on 1 of the ten, Norwegian Prima on 5, with 4 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Radiance
Carnival Radiance, formerly Carnival Victory, has been reengineered and reimagined from stem to stern for short jaunts out of Long Beach, Calif., to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico, where cruisers can enjoy beaches, shopping and excursions. The ship debuted in November 2021.
Sailing now
6 cruises on sale, from $207.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Prima
First in a new class of smartships from Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima sailed its maiden voyage in August 2022. The next-generation ship was Norwegian's first major redesign in nearly 10 years.
Sailing now
51 cruises on sale, from $349.
Questions
Carnival Radiance or Norwegian Prima?
Which is bigger, Carnival Radiance or Norwegian Prima?
Norwegian Prima is bigger at 142,500 gross tons, against 101,509 gross tons for Carnival Radiance. Carnival Radiance carries 2,984 passengers and Norwegian Prima carries 3,215.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Radiance or Norwegian Prima?
Norwegian Prima is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2022 against 2000 for Carnival Radiance.
Which has more space per passenger?
Norwegian Prima, with 44.3 gross tons per passenger against 34.0 on Carnival Radiance. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Norwegian Prima, with one crew member for every 2.3 passengers against one for every 2.7 on Carnival Radiance.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10.
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