If you’re looking to book a cruise for the first time, you are likely comparing Carnival vs Norwegian vs Royal Caribbean. After taking more than 50 cruises across the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Asia, and even Africa, I’ve spent most of my time onboard the three biggest mainstream cruise lines: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival Cruise Line.
These are the cruise lines that most people will consider when booking their first cruise, and they compete directly for the same family-friendly market. They all offer big cruise ships, international itineraries, and an expansive fleet. You can find older and smaller vessels alongside newer mega ships loaded with attractions, restaurants, and non-stop fun.
While they may seem interchangeable, I’m here to tell you that each cruise line is very different.
Across dozens of sailings, these differences have become more obvious to me. While some cruise lines do certain things exceptionally well, they can also fall short in other areas.
And depending on what matters most to you, whether that’s food, entertainment, itineraries, value, stateroom comfort, or overall vibe, the best cruise line for you may not be the same as someone else’s.
Here’s my genuine, unfiltered comparison of Carnival vs Norwegian vs Royal Caribbean based entirely on my firsthand experience.
Cost and value
Most would argue that Norwegian Cruise Line offers the best upfront value with its Free at Sea package. This includes NCL’s drink package, specialty dining credits, shore excursion credit, and free internet minutes.
Free at Sea can save you hundreds of dollars compared to Royal Caribbean and Carnival, where you’ll need to pay for drink packages, internet, and specialty dining separately. A drink package alone can easily add $800 to $1,200 to your trip, depending on the itinerary. If you’re comparing the three cruise lines, be sure to account for this in your budget.
However, Norwegian can feel like you’re being nickel-and-dimed in other areas. For instance, activities like go-kart racing or VR games come with added fees, and certain programs or upgrades can feel surprisingly expensive once onboard.
Royal Caribbean might cost more overall, but the experience is more inclusive for onboard thrills. Many of the cruise line’s popular and innovative attractions, like their FlowRider surf-simulator, zip-line, and waterpark, are included in your cruise fare.
Carnival is usually the cheapest option for cruising, with some of the lowest fares in the industry. Because so many of their best food venues are included, such as Guy’s Burger Joint, Big Chicken, and BlueIguana, you don’t feel pressured to spend much once you’re onboard.
You can also enjoy some of the ship’s main amenities without paying extra, such as the ropes course and water slides. Other attractions, like the BOLT rollercoaster, cost extra.
Ships and fleet design
Royal Caribbean unquestionably sails the most innovative ships in the industry. The cruise line’s newest Icon Class, Oasis Class, and Quantum Class set the standard for design, activities, and crowd flow. Even when the ship is full, Royal Caribbean does a good job dispersing guests so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
In comparison, Norwegian’s newest ships are smaller and more compact. In particular, the Prima class ships are notorious for being crowded, although they are modern and aesthetically stunning.
Carnival’s fleet is a mix of older, more basic ships and newer Excel class ships that represent a huge leap forward in ship design. The Excel ships feel modern, open, and full of activities. I’d argue the Excel class ships are easily on par with some of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class ships.
But, when comparing Carnival’s Excel class ships to Royal’s Oasis class vessels, I’d still prefer Royal Caribbean’s with a more modern design and better crowd control.
Moreover, I find that Carnival’s older ships do show their age more noticeably than NCL’s or Royal Caribbean’s. I recently sailed on Carnival Sunshine, the oldest ship in Carnival’s fleet, and it was definitely in worse shape than Royal Caribbean’s oldest vessel, Grandeur of the Seas.
Conversely, Norwegian deserves credit for how well they maintain their older ships. Even their oldest and smallest vessels have updated staterooms with modern touches like USB outlets, refreshed decor, and improved bathrooms. When comparing older ships between the three cruise lines, Norwegian’s would be my top choice.
Food and dining
Overall, food quality between Royal Caribbean and Norwegian is similar in the main dining room, including service, menus, and consistency. One noticeable difference is that Norwegian rotates its dining menus more often than Royal Caribbean, adding a little more variety throughout its fleet.
However, Royal Caribbean tends to keep its main dining room menus consistent across every ship, which can feel repetitive for frequent cruisers.
Moreover, Norwegian charges $5 for a second entrée in the dining room, while Carnival charges $5 for three or more entrees. Royal Caribbean’s dining room is still all-you-care-to-eat without any up-charging for extra servings.
In terms of specialty dining, Royal Caribbean has the best between Carnival and Norwegian. Upscale restaurants like Chops Grille, Hooked, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, and Izumi consistently feel higher quality.
On Norwegian, specialty dining is often bundled into the Free at Sea pricing, which means more passengers visit the specialty restaurants. This can impact reservation availability and the overall “premium” feel, and I find the experience can be watered down.
Carnival outshines Royal Caribbean and Norwegian with casual dining onboard its ships. Guy’s Burger Joint, Big Chicken, BlueIguana Cantina, and the pizzerias are excellent and included in your cruise fare. You can eat fantastic, grubby food on Carnival without ever paying extra. This is where Royal Caribbean falls short, even on their newest ships.
And for Norwegian, Indulge Food Hall is my favorite on Prima class ships. It’s one of my favorite dining concepts at sea with fast service and varied cuisine. It’s a delicious and fun experience that I haven’t found anywhere else!
Entertainment
In terms of entertainment for Carnival vs Royal Caribbean vs Norwegian, most would agree that Royal Caribbean is in a league of its own. From AquaTheater shows and ice skating productions to Broadway-caliber performances and high-tech multimedia shows, Royal Caribbean consistently offers the best entertainment at sea.
Royal Caribbean’s newest classes of ships, such as Icon, Oasis, and Quantum, are entertainment destinations themselves, and I have yet to find a mainstream cruise line that competes.
Unfortunately, Norwegian has been making noticeable cutbacks to their entertainment program in recent years. The Broadway shows that used to be a highlight on certain ships are no longer offered, and on some longer itineraries, I’ve experienced entire evenings without any entertainment scheduled.
And finally, Carnival Cruise Line offers a fun lineup of nightly comedy shows in the Punchliner Comedy Club. You can sing along at the piano bar or participate in a variety of interactive game shows. Theatre productions are in-house, but nothing close to the production scale of Royal Caribbean.
If you’re someone who loves cruise ship entertainment, I would book an Icon or Oasis class cruise with Royal Caribbean, hands down!
Staterooms
Although you might not spend much time in your cabin, a bad stateroom can dampen your entire cruise experience.
I’ve found that Norwegian generally offers the best standard cabins across the board. Interior cabins and balcony staterooms tend to be larger with more spacious bathrooms. Even the older ships have surprisingly modern cabins with thoughtful updates (like USB ports and new carpets) with larger bathrooms, unlike Royal Caribbean and Carnival.
Even Norwegian’s oldest ships that are upwards of 30 years old can still feel modern inside the staterooms. Their newer ships, like the Prima class, have beautifully designed cabins with contemporary decor.
In contrast, Royal’s newest ships also have excellent staterooms with forward-thinking designs and functional layouts. Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean hasn’t prioritized stateroom upgrades on its older ships like Norwegian.
My cabin on Grandeur of the Seas was easily the worst stateroom experience I’ve had on Royal Caribbean. I’m even surprised that slightly newer Radiance and Voyager class staterooms have not received much-needed modern updates.
Similarly, Carnival’s staterooms are functional and straightforward, but not as modern as NCL or Royal Caribbean.
The oldest ships are particularly outdated, and my absolutely worst cabin experience was on Carnival Sunshine. The bathroom flooded each evening, and our cabin shared a wall with the elevator shaft, which made awful noise all night.
And for solo cruisers, Norwegian is the clear winner. Their dedicated solo staterooms, including access to an exclusive Solo Lounge, make the experience far better than anything Royal or Carnival offers.
Attractions and activities
Royal Caribbean has the best option for innovative attractions, and most are included in your cruise fare. The cruise line outperforms Carnival and Norwegian in terms of included onboard thrills – and the competition isn’t even close.
Some of Royal Caribbean’s best adrenaline-pumping attractions include FlowRider surf simulators, water parks, ice skating, rock climbing, bumper cars, and zip lines. These onboard activities create a high-energy environment without feeling nickel-and-dimed.
In comparison, Norwegian has exciting attractions like go-karts, VR arenas, and ropes courses, but many come with extra fees. For families with kids, the costs can add up quickly if you want to try all of the latest and greatest options onboard.
Waterslides, miniature golf, and dry slides are typically included on Norwegian Cruise Line, so you won’t be bored on your cruise!
Compared to Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, Carnival falls somewhere in the middle. Many of the newest ships offer ropes courses, waterparks, mini-golf, and the SkyRide, and these are all included in your cruise fare. The ropes course is a favorite for many, especially as you climb around the ship’s top decks!
The BOLT rollercoaster on Excel class ships will cost extra, at $15 for two loops around a short track. In general, Carnival’s attractions are not as numerous or elaborate as Royal Caribbean.
Organization, operations, and overall experience
In my experience, Royal Caribbean consistently provides a smooth, seamless, and organized operation onboard.
Whether it’s tender operations, shore excursion coordination, boarding procedures, or communication during port days, Royal Caribbean runs like a well-oiled machine. Even in tricky destinations like Vietnam or Phuket, I’ve found Royal Caribbean to be efficient and reliable.
On the other hand, Norwegian Cruise Line is more hit-or-miss. Tender days often feel disorganized with long lines and extremely early mornings to secure a ticket. On the other hand, Royal Caribbean often hands out tender or immigration tickets during the sea day prior to arriving in the port.
I’ve also found that Norwegian’s shore excursions can be chaotic and unorganized.
I’ve noticed this particularly on longer itineraries or in more remote destinations, where strong organization matters most. Additionally, Norwegian also seems to have the worst port locations compared to other cruise lines, meaning you might have to walk further into town or take a shuttle to the city center. If you’re considering an Alaska cruise, this is often a common complaint for Norwegian cruisers.
My cruises with Carnival have been smooth and well-organized as well, although I haven’t visited any remote or unique ports.
Itineraries
Norwegian historically offered the most unique itineraries with more one-way sailings, fewer sea days, and better deployment of newer ships into interesting regions. They still hold an edge in certain destinations, especially when it comes to longer, more immersive itineraries.
But in recent years, NCL has moved many of its ships to the Caribbean. This is very similar to Royal Caribbean’s strategy, as the cruise line has drastically reduced its unique itineraries in favor of short Caribbean sailings.
Royal Caribbean still offers a broad global footprint and a very reliable schedule, but tends to keep its newest ships in mainstream markets. The cruise line has been placing a heavy focus on its private destinations in the Caribbean, including Perfect Day at CocoCay.
In my experience, Perfect Day at CocoCay is easily the best private destination among the three. Norwegian’s Great Stirrup Cay (NCL) and Carnival’s Amber Cove definitely can’t compete with fewer amenities and more nickel-and-diming. And while I haven’t visited Carnival’s new Celebration Key, I would probably still prefer Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Not to mention, you can use your onboard drink and internet package while ashore, unlike Carnival and Norwegian. Both cruise lines require a separate drink package to use ashore. Food is unlimited and delicious across CocoCay, while Carnival only provides one meal for guests ashore.
For itinerary variety, Carnival mostly focuses on the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Mexico, offering fewer unique itineraries. The cruise line focuses on North America primarily, although you can find occasional sailings in Europe and Australia.
However, I can’t discuss Norwegian’s itineraries without mentioning one of my biggest frustrations. Norwegian Cruise Line has become infamous for changing itineraries after final payment, often dropping ports or swapping for less desirable stops. It’s extremely frustrating and leaves a bad taste with their bait-and-switch strategy.
If you’re someone who books a cruise with the destination in mind, I would highly recommend booking with Royal Caribbean. I’ve never had itinerary issues with Royal Caribbean that I’ve experienced with Norwegian!
Royal Caribbean is the best mainstream cruise line
When comparing Carnival vs Norwegian vs Royal Caribbean, I’ve found that Royal Caribbean delivers the best mainstream cruise experience.
Across the board, Royal Caribbean’s ship design, dining, entertainment, staterooms, organization, value, and itineraries consistently rank above the others.
Royal Caribbean’s newest ships are unmatched in innovation, offering incredible neighborhoods, high-end design, and thoughtful layouts that keep crowds moving even on the biggest vessels at sea.
The cruise line’s entertainment is easily the strongest in the industry, with Broadway-caliber productions, AquaTheater shows, ice skating performances, and high-tech venues that no other cruise line can replicate.
When you consider the wide variety of included attractions, like surf simulators, rock walls, bumper cars, and zip lines, Royal Caribbean is my top choice for families.
I also find that Royal Caribbean has smooth operations and runs like a well-oiled machine. Everything from embarkation to tendering and port logistics feels organized and reliable. Even in more challenging destinations, I’ve found Royal’s consistency and communication far superior to Norwegian and Carnival.
However, I would absolutely consider sailing with Norwegian and Carnival again. In fact, I already have a Mediterranean cruise with Norwegian in the spring!
Norwegian excels in cabin comfort and offers better upfront value with the Free at Sea package. NCL also shines with longer, more immersive itineraries while also offering the best option for solo travelers.
On the other hand, Carnival offers unbeatable casual dining and some of the lowest cruise fares in the industry. Carnival’s fun and friendly onboard atmosphere is perfect for those wanting a party-focused vacation.
When comparing Carnival vs Norwegian vs Royal Caribbean, I’ve found that all three cruise lines can deliver a fantastic vacation, and I’ve enjoyed memorable trips on every one of them. But after more than 50 cruises across the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Asia, and Africa, Royal Caribbean is the cruise line I trust most for the best overall experience.
