We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
A cruise is a big-ticket item. So you want to make sure you travel with the cruise line that’s best for you.
We have put Carnival and Princess under the microscope to see how they compare on everything from the provision of formal nights to the cost of laundry facilities.
Discover the results here:
| Feature | Carnival Australia | Princess Cruises | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where does it sail to? |
|
| Princess covers more destinations. |
| Does it have Wi-Fi? | Yes, for a fee. | Yes, for a fee. | Both offer Wi-Fi at a cost. |
| Does it provide towels? | Yes. | Yes. | Both provide towels. |
| Contact options |
|
| Contact options are the same. |
| Is it all-inclusive? | No. | No. | Neither is all-inclusive. |
| How much is the deposit? | Deposits vary by cruise duration and deal, but the following generally applies:
| Deposits start at 5% of the cruise cost. | Carnival’s deposits are set amounts. |
| Does it have a gym? | Yes. | Yes. | Both have gyms. |
| Does it have hairdryers, laundry and irons? | Yes. Laundry and irons are available for a fee. | Yes. Charges apply for self-service laundry. | Both charge for laundry services. |
| Does it include food? | Yes. | Yes. | Both include food. |
| Does it have casinos? | Yes. | Yes. | Both have casinos. |
| Does it have an ATM? | Yes. | Yes. | Both offer ATMs. |
| Does it have formal nights? | Yes. | Yes. | Both hold formal nights. |
| How much are drinks? | $5-$8 for a beer and $6-$12 for wine. | US$5-6 for a beer and US$7-$11 for wine. | Drink prices are similar. |
| Is it good for families? | Yes. | Yes. | Both are family-friendly. |
| Does it have child care? | Carnival’s kids’ clubs are not day care. Evening babysitting is available for children 6 months to 11 years. | Yes, group babysitting. | Both offer forms of childcare. |
| Does it have virtual balconies? | No. | No. | Neither offers virtual balconies. |
| Does it have a waterslide? | Yes. | No. | Princess does not offer waterslides. |
| Does it have a promenade? | Yes. | Yes. | Both have promenades. |
| Does it have free room service? | 24-hour room service is charged. | Yes. | Princess offers free room service. |
| What are my payment options? |
|
| Carnival has more ways to pay. |
| Can I price match? | No. | No. | Neither price match. |
| Does it allow for cancellations/changes? | Some fares come with cancellation penalties. | All fares come with cancellation penalties, from the loss of deposit to loss of the full cost of the cruise. | Both have cancellation penalties. |
| How much are airport transfers to the departure port? | Prices vary. A 30km journey costs approx. $40. | Prices vary. Most transfers cost around $18 per 15km. | Transfer costs are comparable. |
| How much are gratuities? | Tipping is not required. | A discretionary gratuity of between $13.50 and $15.50 is added to all on-board accounts every day. | Princess’s tipping policy is a bit more formal. |
| Has a ship ever sunk? | No. | No. | A ship has never sunk with either. |
On Cruise Critic, Carnival’s ships are rated as either 4 or 4.5/5 and reviewers praise the service and staff friendliness.
Princess is rated overall as 3.5/5 on Cruise Critic. The ships that operate around Australia rank from 3/5 to 4/5. Reviews talk about food being good and entertainment being varied.Prices for a four-night, round-trip cruise from Sydney to Moreton Island start at $649 with Carnival in January 2019.
In a similar vein, prices for a four-night, round-trip cruise from Sydney to Moreton island in January 2019 starts at $679 with Princess.
Carnival comes out slightly cheaper than Princess, but the difference isn’t earth-shattering making them quite competitive with each other.
Carnival Australia runs discounts on last-minute cruises and deals on specific itineraries that change every week.
Princess Cruises runs deals like low 5% deposits and limited period on-board spend deals.
Carnival’s deals go further in offering money off.
From $247: Australia cruises in 2022-2023
Up to $1,000 OBC on worldwide cruises
Up to 50% off deposits + up to $200 onboard credit on cruises
Free drinks and perks with Princess Cruises
Cruises from Sydney from $247
Brisbane cruises from $249
Up to 71% off holiday cruises
Melbourne cruises from $348
Up to $500 OBCs on worldwide cruises
3+ nights last-minute cruises from USD$180
Australia and New Zealand cruises from USD$228
Black Friday has landed, which means its time to get a deal on some fancy tech, from phones and headphones to laptops and cameras.
Black Friday's best Christmas shopping deals for kids include Lego for 40% off, 38% off Beyblade, LEGO bargains galore and big Bluey discounts
Setting a goal of making $200k per year passive income may seem all but unattainable, but investing experts Scott & Mina O'Neill say it's possible.
Come for the football, stay for the quality original TV.
In spite of the recent crash which saw nearly AU $400 billion being wiped out from the market, ETH has been able to register monthly gains of over 6%.
Over the course of the last 14 days, Bitcoin has registered losses of over 16%.
Top Black Friday iPhone deals include 26% off the iPhone 12 Mini at The Good Guys and cut-price refurbished models at Amazon and eBay.
The best Black Friday 2021 discounts include over $1,000 off 75-inch and 85-inch smart TVs from Samsung and Hisense.
We've handpicked the 50 best Black Friday deals available in Australia right now, including tech favourites, games, toys, beauty, homewares and more.
We've handpicked the 50 best Black Friday deals available from eBay right now, including tech, games, home appliances and more.
