Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Spirit
- Cruises
- 38
- From
- $303
Ship comparison
Carnival Spirit vs MSC Opera
MSC Cruises
MSC Opera
- Cruises
- 37
- From
- $179
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Spirit is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 2,124 passengers, in service since 2001. MSC Opera is a large MSC Cruises ship carrying 2,142 passengers, in service since 2004. Carnival Spirit has no Bliss scores yet, so the verdict rests on the figures we do hold.
Choose Carnival Spirit if you want more space per passenger or more crew per passenger: it has 41.7 gross tons per passenger (vs 30.6) and it has a crew member for every 2.3 passengers (vs 2.9).
Choose MSC Opera if you want a lower starting fare: its cruises start from $179 (vs $303).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Spirit | MSC Opera | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | MSC Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2001 | 2004 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2015 | 2015 |
| Gross tonnage | 88,500 | 65,591 |
| Passengers | 2,124 | 2,142 |
| Crew | 930 | 750 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.3 (better) | 2.9 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 41.7 (better) | 30.6 |
| Decks | 12 | 9 |
| Length | 963 ft | 902 ft |
| Beam | 105 ft | 94 ft |
| Speed | — | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 38 | 37 |
| Upcoming sailings | 105 | 278 |
| Cruise lengths | 3 to 16 nights | 3 to 14 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $303 | $179 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday.
Carnival Spirit has no Bliss scores yet.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Spirit
One of the standbys of the Carnival fleet since 2001, Carnival Spirit has grown into one of Australians' favorite cruise ships. Back in the day, the 2,124-passenger ship introduced a few significant firsts for the cruise line, including specialty restaurants, as the first of four Spirit-class ships.
Sailing now
38 cruises on sale, from $303.
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 Spirit or MSC Opera?
Which is bigger, Carnival Spirit or MSC Opera?
Carnival Spirit is bigger at 88,500 gross tons, against 65,591 gross tons for MSC Opera. Carnival Spirit carries 2,124 passengers and MSC Opera carries 2,142.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Spirit or MSC Opera?
MSC Opera is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2004 against 2001 for Carnival Spirit.
Which has more space per passenger?
Carnival Spirit, with 41.7 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 Spirit, with one crew member for every 2.3 passengers against one for every 2.9 on MSC Opera.
Still deciding?
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