Costa Cruises
Costa Pacifica
- Cruises
- 94
- From
- $318
Ship comparison
Costa Pacifica vs Costa Smeralda
Costa Cruises
Costa Smeralda
- Cruises
- 95
- From
- $296
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Costa Pacifica is a large Costa Cruises ship carrying 3,780 passengers, in service since 2009. Costa Smeralda is a mega Costa Cruises ship carrying 5,224 passengers, in service since 2019.
Choose Costa Smeralda if you want a better-rated spa and gym, a more active cruise or a more family-friendly ship: it outscores Costa Pacifica for spa & fitness (5.0 vs 2.0), active (5.0 vs 2.0) and family friendly (8.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Costa Pacifica does not lead by a clear margin on any measure we track, so pick it for its itinerary or its dates.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Costa Pacifica | Costa Smeralda | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Costa Cruises | Costa Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Mega |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2009 | 2019 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 114,147 | 180,000 |
| Passengers | 3,780 | 5,224 |
| Crew | 1,110 | 1,646 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 3.4 | 3.2 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 30.2 | 34.5 (better) |
| Cabins | — | 2,612 |
| Decks | 17 | 20 |
| Length | 952 ft | 1,105 ft |
| Beam | 118 ft | 137 ft |
| Speed | 26 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 7 / 10 (better) | 6 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 94 | 95 |
| Upcoming sailings | 241 | 303 |
| Cruise lengths | 3 to 16 nights | 2 to 17 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $318 | $296 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Costa Pacifica leads on 0 of the ten, Costa Smeralda on 9, with 1 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Costa Cruises
Costa Pacifica
Music is the soul of the world, and Costa Cruises' Costa Pacifica is the ship of music, ready to engulf you with its beautiful sounds and accompany you throughout your vacation with the harmony of its soundtrack.
Sailing now
94 cruises on sale, from $318.
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
95 cruises on sale, from $296.
Questions
Costa Pacifica or Costa Smeralda?
Which is bigger, Costa Pacifica or Costa Smeralda?
Costa Smeralda is bigger at 180,000 gross tons, against 114,147 gross tons for Costa Pacifica. Costa Pacifica carries 3,780 passengers and Costa Smeralda carries 5,224.
Which ship is newer, Costa Pacifica or Costa Smeralda?
Costa Smeralda is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2019 against 2009 for Costa Pacifica.
Which has more space per passenger?
Costa Smeralda, with 34.5 gross tons per passenger against 30.2 on Costa Pacifica. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Costa Smeralda, with one crew member for every 3.2 passengers against one for every 3.4 on Costa Pacifica.
Which is better for families?
Costa Smeralda scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10, against 5.0 for Costa Pacifica.
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 Pacifica, Costa Smeralda or a ship that suits you better.