Carnival vs Royal Caribbean and more: Which big-ship cruise line should you take?

On a given day at PortMiami, the cruise capital of the world, cruise ships line up shoreside to disembark guests and welcome others. From a distance, with their towering hulls and rows of skyward decks, they might look similar.

While major cruise operators have many features in common, there are differences that can have implications for passengers’ vacations. RacQuelle Major-Holland, owner of Major Adventures Travel Agency, said picking the right cruise line and ship can be as important as the destination.

“I do think that cruising should be a balance of looking at the itinerary but also looking to see, ‘Do I want to be on board a family ship?’ ” she told USA TODAY. “ ‘Do I want to be around a bunch of kids, or do I want something more laid back and easygoing, you know, because I want to relax and read a book?’ ”

Here are some of the key differences between four of the most popular mainstream cruise lines. Travelers should note, however, that programming and activities may vary by ship and itinerary.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival is known as the “Fun Ship,” and it lives up to the name. “It's going to be, like, back-to-back, non-stop activities,” said Major-Holland.

Those include deck festivities like the 80s Rock-N-Glow Party, Family Feud Live, karaoke, a bean bag toss, bingo and more. Some ships also have high-tech options like its BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster, but the line’s Fun Squad and other employees really set the tone, according to Major-Holland.

“Carnival, I think the crew is what brings out the fun more so than having those features,” she said.

Alyssa Griffin, who makes videos about cruising with her husband, Cullen, on their YouTube channel, Griff & Alyssa, added that the line does “fast, quick food service very well.” The couple pointed to Big Chicken, a casual chicken joint from the line’s Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal, as an example.

Families will find plenty to do, to be sure, but grown-ups who want to relax can do so at spaces like the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat. The relatively reasonable fares may also be attractive to budget-conscious travelers, Major-Holland noted.

“I think it's a good introductory line for people who've never done a cruise before,” said Alyssa Griffin.

Eight cruise ships debuting in 2025: Royal Caribbean, Princess, Norwegian and more

Royal Caribbean International

When it comes to large vessels, Royal Caribbean is a reigning title holder: The cruise line launched the world’s biggest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, in January. The company followed that about six months later with Utopia of the Seas, the second-biggest.

“They kind of lead the way with what I would classify as megaships,” said Cullen Griffin. The cruise line takes onboard features like slides and rides to the next level, from Icon’s Category 6 water park – billed as the largest at sea – to Crown’s Edge, where guests can walk more than 150 feet above the ocean. Utopia even has an immersive train-car dining experience built into the ship.

In spaces like the Royal Promenade, guests may even forget they’re on a cruise. “It gives you more of a feel of a city on the water or city at sea,” said Major-Holland.

That could be especially helpful for passengers who are nervous about being on a ship. “They can go to (the open-air Central Park area) and feel like they're at a park and not, you know, out on the ocean,” she added.

The Griffins shouted out the line’s entertainment as particularly high quality, from Broadway musicals and ice skating shows to performances with aerial dancing and high diving.

Those kinds of features can come at a premium, though. “So it's not necessarily for the most budget-conscious because (even) their middle-age to older ships are going to be a lot more expensive than, like, if you're on Carnival.”

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian is a bit more laid back, Major-Holland said. The cruise line introduced “Freestyle Cruising” more than 20 years ago, ushering in a more flexible approach to dining times, attire and other elements of cruising.

Even so, she noted that its “dining experience is a bit elevated.” (I can confirm that the Indian food I tried at Indulge Food Hall on its Norwegian Viva ship is some of the best I’ve ever had.)

Norwegian boasts exciting activities of its own, too, from The Drop – an exhilarating free-fall dry slide – to go-karts and the Galaxy Pavilion virtual-reality arcade. “They're known for their Broadway productions as well,” Major-Holland added.

The cruise line has also invested in offerings for solo travelers, Cullen Griffin said, and has a wide range of single-occupancy cabins.

The price point tends to be higher than Carnival, according Major-Holland, but Norwegian’s Free at Sea package – which the company recently announced is becoming More at Sea – that allows guests to bundle extras like Wi-Fi and specialty dining meals can make it feel more inclusive.

“There are some cruisers that just appreciate getting on board and having those things and not having to be nickel-and-dimed to get it,” Major-Holland said.

MSC Cruises

MSC has been rapidly growing its U.S. presence in recent years. But Major-Holland said the cruise line, which has headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, said “they attract more of an international crowd.”

The cruise line is also affordable, the Griffins said. They booked a week-long cruise in a balcony cabin on MSC Seashore with their daughter earlier this year for less than $1,500.

Even so, the line offers some premium experiences. For example, Cullen Griffin said the high chairs and booster seats, which might typically be hard plastic, were cushioned (the line has a partnership with baby product brand Chicco). The MSC Yacht Club, its luxe ship-within-a-ship concept, gives guests a more exclusive, pampering experience with all the perks of a big cruise ship – though other lines, such as Norwegian, have similar offerings.

That also extends to the aesthetics. “Their ships are just gorgeous,” Major-Holland said.

The cruise line will further cement its U.S. foothold with the upcoming MSC World America, launching in April 2025. “It looks like a very premium, luxury vacation on a very small amount of money,” said Alyssa Griffin.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Norwegian vs MSC and more: How to pick a big-ship cruise line