Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Venezia
- Cruises
- 23
- From
- $347
Ship comparison
Carnival Venezia vs Costa Smeralda
Costa Cruises
Costa Smeralda
- Cruises
- 105
- From
- $296
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Venezia is a mega Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 4,072 passengers, in service since 2019. Costa Smeralda is a mega Costa Cruises ship carrying 5,224 passengers, in service since 2019.
Choose Carnival Venezia if you want a more active cruise or more of a party: it outscores Costa Smeralda for active (7.0 vs 5.0) and party (7.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Costa Smeralda if you want more cruises to choose from: it has 105 cruises on sale (vs 23).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Venezia | Costa Smeralda | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Costa Cruises |
| Ship size | Mega | Mega |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2019 | 2019 |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2023 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 135,225 | 180,000 |
| Passengers | 4,072 | 5,224 |
| Crew | 1,424 | 1,646 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.9 (better) | 3.2 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 33.2 | 34.5 (better) |
| Cabins | — | 2,612 |
| Decks | 14 | 20 |
| Length | 1,061 ft | 1,105 ft |
| Beam | 122 ft | 137 ft |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 9 / 10 (better) | 6 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 23 | 105 |
| Upcoming sailings | 76 | 334 |
| Cruise lengths | 4–14 nights | 2–17 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $347 | $296 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Venezia leads on 2 of the ten, Costa Smeralda on 0, with 8 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Venezia
The 4,090-passenger Carnival Venezia debuted for Carnival in 2023 with a generous dose of Italian flair. The ship, which launched under the Costa Cruises banner in 2019, is a heady blend of signature Carnival ship attractions plus a dollop of Italiana meant to evoke the experience of visiting the ship's namesake, Venice.
Sailing now
23 cruises on sale, from $347.
Costa Cruises
Costa Smeralda
The new flagship of the Costa Cruises fleet, Costa Smeralda debuted in December 2019 with hallmark Made in Italy touches throughout, from the public areas to the cabins.
Sailing now
105 cruises on sale, from $296.
Questions
Carnival Venezia or Costa Smeralda?
Which is bigger, Carnival Venezia or Costa Smeralda?
Costa Smeralda is bigger at 180,000 gross tons, against 135,225 gross tons for Carnival Venezia. Carnival Venezia carries 4,072 passengers and Costa Smeralda carries 5,224.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Venezia or Costa Smeralda?
Both made their maiden voyage in 2019.
Which has more space per passenger?
Costa Smeralda, with 34.5 gross tons per passenger against 33.2 on Carnival Venezia. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Carnival Venezia, with one crew member for every 2.9 passengers against one for every 3.2 on Costa Smeralda.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
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