Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Tropicale
- Cruises
- 0
- From
- —
Ship comparison
Carnival Tropicale vs Icon of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Icon of the Seas
- Cruises
- 16
- From
- $820
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Tropicale is a mega Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 5,200 passengers, due to enter service in 2028. Icon of the Seas is a mega Royal Caribbean ship carrying 5,610 passengers, in service since 2024.
Choose Carnival Tropicale if you want a more active cruise or better-rated dining: it outscores Icon of the Seas for active (8.0 vs 7.0) and dining (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Icon of the Seas if you want a more romantic trip, better-rated entertainment or more space per passenger: it outscores Carnival Tropicale for romantic (7.0 vs 5.0) and entertainment (10.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and it has 44.7 gross tons per passenger (vs 34.6).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Tropicale | Icon of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Royal Caribbean |
| Ship size | Mega | Mega |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2028 (better) | 2024 |
| Gross tonnage | 180,000 | 250,800 |
| Passengers | 5,200 | 5,610 |
| Crew | 1,735 | 2,350 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 3.0 | 2.4 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 34.6 | 44.7 (better) |
| Decks | 18 | 20 |
| Length | 1,128 ft | 1,192 ft |
| Beam | 138 ft | 213 ft |
| Speed | 26 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | — | 16 |
| Upcoming sailings | — | 81 |
| Cruise lengths | — | 6–9 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | — | $820 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Tropicale leads on 3 of the ten, Icon of the Seas on 5, with 2 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Tropicale
About Carnival Tropicale Plan my cruise on Carnival Tropicale
Royal Caribbean
Icon of the Seas
The massive Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's newest megaship, made its maiden voyage in January 2024 as the world's largest cruise ship, clocking in with a gross tonnage of 250,800. It carries a whopping 5,610 passengers at double capacity, though the ship can squeeze in up to 7,600.
Sailing now
16 cruises on sale, from $820.
Questions
Carnival Tropicale or Icon of the Seas?
Which is bigger, Carnival Tropicale or Icon of the Seas?
Icon of the Seas is bigger at 250,800 gross tons, against 180,000 gross tons for Carnival Tropicale. Carnival Tropicale carries 5,200 passengers and Icon of the Seas carries 5,610.
Which has more space per passenger?
Icon of the Seas, with 44.7 gross tons per passenger against 34.6 on Carnival Tropicale. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Icon of the Seas, with one crew member for every 2.4 passengers against one for every 3.0 on Carnival Tropicale.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 9.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
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