Costa Cruises
Costa Diadema
- Cruises
- 103
- From
- $109
Ship comparison
Costa Diadema vs MSC Virtuosa
MSC Cruises
MSC Virtuosa
- Cruises
- 55
- From
- $70
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Costa Diadema is a mega Costa Cruises ship carrying 4,947 passengers, in service since 2012. MSC Virtuosa is a mega MSC Cruises ship carrying 4,842 passengers, in service since 2021.
Choose Costa Diadema if you want more adventure and nature: it outscores MSC Virtuosa for adventure & nature (6.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose MSC Virtuosa if you want more culture, a more active cruise or more space per passenger: it outscores Costa Diadema for cultural (9.0 vs 6.0) and active (8.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and it has 37.5 gross tons per passenger (vs 26.8).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Costa Diadema | MSC Virtuosa | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Costa Cruises | MSC Cruises |
| Ship size | Mega | Mega |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2012 | 2021 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 132,500 | 181,541 |
| Passengers | 4,947 | 4,842 |
| Crew | 1,253 | 1,704 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 3.9 | 2.8 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 26.8 | 37.5 (better) |
| Decks | 20 | 18 |
| Length | 1,004 ft | 1,087 ft |
| Beam | 122 ft | 141 ft |
| Speed | — | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 103 | 55 |
| Upcoming sailings | 188 | 433 |
| Cruise lengths | 1–27 nights | 1–25 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $109 | $70 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Costa Diadema leads on 1 of the ten, MSC Virtuosa on 6, with 3 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Costa Cruises
Costa Diadema
Sailing now
103 cruises on sale, from $109.
MSC Cruises
MSC Virtuosa
MSC Virtuosa debuted in May 2021 as the largest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, equalizing the size of twin sister MSC Grandiosa. It's a dazzling megaship with room for 4,842 passengers at double occupancy and 6,334 at maximum capacity.
Sailing now
55 cruises on sale, from $70.
Questions
Costa Diadema or MSC Virtuosa?
Which is bigger, Costa Diadema or MSC Virtuosa?
MSC Virtuosa is bigger at 181,541 gross tons, against 132,500 gross tons for Costa Diadema. Costa Diadema carries 4,947 passengers and MSC Virtuosa carries 4,842.
Which ship is newer, Costa Diadema or MSC Virtuosa?
MSC Virtuosa is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2021 against 2012 for Costa Diadema.
Which has more space per passenger?
MSC Virtuosa, with 37.5 gross tons per passenger against 26.8 on Costa Diadema. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
MSC Virtuosa, with one crew member for every 2.8 passengers against one for every 3.9 on Costa Diadema.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
Tell us what matters and we will match the sailing
Send your dates, budget and who is travelling, and our partner travel agency will come back to you about Costa Diadema, MSC Virtuosa or a ship that suits you better.