Carnival vs NCL
Both are contemporary lines, so the choice comes down to atmosphere, ships and where you want to sail from.
| Feature | Carnival Cruise Line | Norwegian Cruise Line |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Contemporary | Contemporary |
| The vibe | Laid-back, loud in the best way and unpretentious; flip-flops, burgers by the pool and a comedy show after dinner. | Flexible and lively, with a Las Vegas-meets-resort feel; dinner whenever you want, in whatever you packed. |
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| Fleet size | 29 (as of March 2025) | 21 (as of March 2026) |
| Founded | 1972 | 1966 |
| Parent company | Carnival Corporation & plc | Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings |
| Gratuities | Carnival adds recommended gratuities of $17 per person per day for standard cabins and $19 per person per day for suites. Children under 2 are exempt. You can prepay gratuities before sailing or have them charged to your Sail & Sign account. (as of 2026-10-13) | NCL adds a daily service charge of $20 per person per day for most cabins and $25 per person per day for suites and The Haven. Children under 3 are exempt. A 20% gratuity is added to bar purchases and some specialty venues. (as of 2026-10-13) |
| Dress code | Most evenings are cruise casual: shorts are fine at the buffet and casual spots, with nice shorts, jeans or slacks preferred in the main dining room at night. Most sailings have one or two cruise elegant nights where guests dress up a bit, though a suit or gown is never required. | Resort casual every night. There are no formal nights; some sailings have an optional dress-up evening. Swimwear is not appropriate in the restaurants, and main dining rooms and specialty restaurants ask for a neater resort-casual look at dinner, so pack a pair of slacks or nice jeans and a collared shirt or sundress. |
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| Loyalty program | Carnival Rewards (replaced the VIFP Club) | Latitudes Rewards |
| US/Canada homeports in our guides | 13 | 13 |
Both sail to: Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Canada & New England, Australia & New Zealand.
Both depart from: Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, Jacksonville, Galveston, New Orleans, New York City, Seattle. Pricing the same week on both is the fastest way to decide.
Questions people ask
Is Carnival or NCL better for families?
Carnival: Camp Ocean (roughly ages 2 to 11) is the included kids' club, with Circle C for ages 12 to 14 and Club O2 for 15 to 17. NCL: Splash Academy is the included kids' club (ages 3 to 12, grouped by age) and Entourage serves teens.
Which has higher gratuities, Carnival or NCL?
As of the dates we last checked, Carnival: Carnival adds recommended gratuities of $17 per person per day for standard cabins and $19 per person per day for suites. Children under 2 are exempt. You can prepay gratuities before sailing or have them charged to your Sail & Sign account. NCL: NCL adds a daily service charge of $20 per person per day for most cabins and $25 per person per day for suites and The Haven. Children under 3 are exempt. A 20% gratuity is added to bar purchases and some specialty venues. Lines change these, so we confirm current amounts in every quote.
Do Carnival and NCL sail from the same ports?
Yes. Both sail from Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, Jacksonville, Galveston, New Orleans, New York City, Seattle, which makes it easy to compare the same week on both lines.
Price Carnival and NCL side by side
Tell us your dates and who's going. We'll quote the same trip on both lines with the full price, taxes and fees included.