| Cruise Style | Mainstream, casual large-ship cruising from many US homeports | Mainstream large-ship cruising from a Swiss-Italian line; third-largest cruise company globally | — | — |
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| Target Audience | Families and value-minded travellers; kids clubs Camp Ocean (2-11), Circle C (12-14), Club O2 (15-17); adults-only Serenity Retreat on select ships | Families and couples; kids and teens clubs; MSC Yacht Club ship-within-a-ship for suite guests | — | — |
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| Fleet | 29 ships (Mar 2025); classes incl. Excel (Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, Carnival Jubilee), Vista, Dream, Conquest, Spirit; Carnival Festivale (2027) and Tropicale (2028) on order | 25 ships per MSC (Oct 2026); classes incl. World, Meraviglia/Meraviglia Plus, Seaside/Seaside EVO, Fantasia, Musica; MSC World Asia due Dec 2026, MSC World Atlantic winter 2027 | — | — |
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| Destinations | Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Alaska and more from US ports incl. Miami, Port Canaveral, Galveston, Long Beach, New York, Baltimore, Seattle; Australia from Sydney and Brisbane; seasonal Europe | 250+ destinations: Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska, Grand Voyages; terminals in Miami, Barcelona, Galveston | — | — |
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| Price Positioning | Mainstream, value-oriented | Mainstream; MSC Yacht Club tier sold as a premium all-inclusive option | — | — |
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| What's Included | Main dining room, Lido Marketplace buffet, Guy's Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, pizzeria, basic non-alcoholic drinks, shows, WaterWorks and SportSquare; alcohol, soda, specialty dining, Wi-Fi extra | MSC Yacht Club fares include premium drinks, high-speed Wi-Fi, 24/7 butler and Thermal Area spa access; drinks packages sold separately on standard fares | — | — |
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| Onboard Highlights | WaterWorks aqua parks, SportSquare, Dive-In Movies, comedy and live music; BOLT roller coaster and IMAX on select ships (extra cost); Seuss at Sea on select ships | MSC Yacht Club private restaurant and pool deck, kids and teens programmes with sports, games and parties | — | — |
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| Gratuities | Automatic US$17 per person per day (standard cabins), US$19 in suites (as of Oct 2026) | Automatic daily service charge varies by region; about US$17 per person per day on US sailings, US$19 South America (TPG, Oct 2026) | — | — |
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| Loyalty Programme | Carnival Rewards (replaced VIFP Club on 1 Sep 2026): 3 points per US$1 eligible spend; tiers Red, Gold, Platinum, Diamond | MSC Voyagers Club; 6 levels, top tier Blue Diamond | — | — |
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| Private Destinations | Celebration Key (Grand Bahama, opened July 2025), RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay (Bahamas), Isla Tropicale (Honduras) | Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (Bahamas; opened Dec 2019) | — | — |
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| Optional Packages | Cheers! drinks package (max 15 alcoholic drinks per 24 hours), Cheers Zero Proof, Bottomless Bubbles soda package | — | — | — |
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| Parent Company | Carnival Corporation & plc | MSC Group (Mediterranean Shipping Company); sister luxury brand Explora Journeys | — | — |
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| Founded | 1972; headquarters Doral, Florida, USA | 1988, Naples, Italy; headquarters Geneva, Switzerland | — | — |
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