Are you someone who has to sail on the biggest, newest, and flashiest cruise ships?
Having been cruising for over two decades, I can attest that newer and larger does not always mean better. However, there are definite pros to choosing the latest vessels at sea.
For starters, they generally offer the best technology, entertainment, amenities, staterooms, and dining options within their respective fleets.
They also typically have high-energy, theme-park-like atmospheres. Whereas older ships are more itinerary or relaxation-focused, many passengers often see newer vessels as the destination itself.
If this is your style of cruising, then you have likely considered cruising on either Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class or Carnival's Excel Class.
These two lines are often pitted against each other since they're considered mainstream cruise lines, aiming to offer affordable and exciting cruise vacations. However, that doesn't mean everything about them is interchangeable.
Recently, I tried out Carnival's Excel Class and Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class vessels on seven-night itineraries. Rather than trying to determine a "winner," I was simply intrigued by each line's definition of "big ship" cruising.
Ultimately, choosing between them comes down to what kind of cruise experience you want to have. If you're stuck between them, you're in the right place. In this article, I'll compare these mega-ship classes from two of the most popular and beloved cruise lines at sea.
Overview: Royal Caribbean Oasis Class vs Carnival Excel Class Ships
Royal Caribbean International debuted its first Oasis Class ship in 2009. From the ship's innovative neighborhood design to its sheer size and first-of-its-kind entertainment, Oasis of the Seas was the best of the best — and nothing else simply compared.
Following Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean welcomed Allure of the Seas (2010), Harmony of the Seas (2016), Symphony of the Seas (2018), Wonder of the Seas (2022), and Utopia of the Seas (2024) to its fleet.
There are plans for Oasis 7, too. According to Royal Caribbean Group's 10-Q filing with the SEC in April 2026, the unnamed vessel is scheduled for delivery in Q2 2028 and will have a passenger capacity of around 5,700.
Oasis Class highlights include the outdoor Boardwalk and Central Park neighborhoods, with the latter featuring live plants and even requiring a full-time horticulturist on board to maintain the greenery, along with the AquaTheater high-diving venue and zip line.
As you might expect from that description, Oasis Class cruise ships are among the world's largest. In fact, they held the title of world's largest cruise ship from 2009 until 2024 when Icon of the Seas launched.
These massive vessels range from 225,282 to 236,473 gross tons, are around 1,188 feet long, and can hold around 5,400 to 5,700 passengers at double occupancy.
Read more: I tried Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class for the first time
Just as Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships redefined the cruise experience, Carnival raised the bar with the Mardi Gras ship, introducing the most modern vessel the cruise line had launched to date.
Mardi Gras entered service for Carnival Cruise Line in 2021 and was followed by Carnival Celebration in 2022 and Carnival Jubilee in 2023. Carnival plans on welcoming two more Excel Class ships to the fleet in 2027 and 2028, too.
Before these ships, the cruise line focused on building ships with a similar design and size, leading to a lack of innovation. Although each new class was a little bit larger than the last, there weren't any true wow factors or changes in layout, design, or onboard experiences.
That all changed with the Mardi Gras. Coming in at 180,800 gross tons, she measures roughly 40% bigger than any other ship in the fleet!
Aside from her sheer size, she has a similar neighborhood concept as the Oasis Class vessels, although they're called "zones." These six areas help break up the ship into distinct environments, each with its own personality, dining, and entertainment options.
For example, walking through the French Quarter and grabbing a drink at Fortune Teller has a completely different feel than wandering into Summer Landing and sipping on a beer at Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse.
That said, although Excel Class ships are larger than any other vessel in Carnival's fleet, they're still smaller than Royal Caribbean Oasis Class ships.
Food: Main Dining Room, Fast Casual, & More
Eating is undeniably one of the best parts about a cruise vacation. I don't know about you, but I seem to love eating more when I don't have to worry about cooking and cleaning!
Rest assured that both Oasis Class and Excel Class ships have plenty of spots to eat onboard, from casual coffee shops to elegant main dining rooms, poolside fast-casual restaurants, and extra-charge specialty venues.
Oasis Class ships feature over eight complimentary restaurants, ranging from the Main Dining Room to the Windjammer buffet, Park Café, and more.
Some venues are ship-specific, such as Spare Tire (Utopia of the Seas) and Boardwalk Donuts (Allure of the Seas). However, regardless of which ship you choose, you're guaranteed easy access to a wide variety of included options.
Moving on, Oasis Class ships also have a ton of specialty restaurants. These are extra-cost venues that generally focus on one cuisine or cooking style, such as Italian or Teppanyaki.
Some aren't available on every Oasis Class ship (i.e., Royal Railway on Utopia and Wonderland on Symphony), but the core favorites are found across the class. These include Chops Grille, Chef's Table, 150 Central Park, Izumi, and Johnny Rockets.
Carnival's Excel Class ships also boast an impressive number of dining options, though they're more consistent. For example, each ship has a Guy's Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, Big Chicken, Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse, and Street Eats for easy, complimentary meals.
Other signature Carnival venues include a pizzeria, sandwich shop, JavaBlue coffee shop, Lido Marketplace buffet, and two main dining rooms.
There are fewer specialty restaurants onboard, but still enough to offer guests a good mix of elevated dining experiences should they choose to splurge.
On Excel Class ships, you'll find the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Teppanyaki, Bonsai Sushi, Seafood Shack, the Chef's Table, Emeril's Bistro, and Rudi's Seagrill.
Something unique to Excel Class ships compared to other vessels in the fleet is that two specialty restaurants — Chibang and Cucina del Capitano — are included in your cruise fare for the first visit.
Read more: 6 Carnival foods that cruisers swear are the line's best-kept secrets
Cruise Entertainment and Production Shows
Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class and Carnival's Excel Class ships feature some of the best entertainment the respective cruise lines have to offer.
For starters, most Oasis Class ships have Broadway-caliber production shows in the main theater, including "Mamma Mia," "Hairspray," and "Cats."
However, the shining star of Oasis Class ships has to be the AquaTheater. Located at the very back of the ship, this theater is home to a high diving and swimming show — and it is nothing short of show-stopping.
These unique productions showcase spectacles like synchronized swimming, dancing, and Olympian-level high diving. Take my word for it, you won't leave disappointed.
Something else that's unique to Royal Caribbean versus Carnival is its ice skating rink. While you can free skate during select hours, you can also watch professional-level ice-skating shows that combine daring tricks, music, and fun costumes.
Aside from those main three forms of entertainment, the daily schedule will give you the lineup of comedians, variety acts, dance parties, and more. In short, it's quite literally impossible to be bored on an Oasis Class ship!
Read more: I tried Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas: Is a mega ship the best?
Generally speaking, Carnival's entertainment has fallen short of Royal Caribbean's offerings, but that changed with its Excel Class ships.
Although you won't find any Broadway-style musicals, ice skating rinks, or high-diving performances, the new Center Stage venue really allowed them to step up their game.
Here, you'll find original production shows like the "Most Magnificent Circus," "Celestial Strings," "VooDoo Moon," "We Are One", and "Vegas Nights". All production shows incorporate live singers, dancers, acrobats, and aerialists.
If you'd prefer something a little more low-key, you can check out the Production Playlist in the main theater, which typically features concert-style shows featuring covers of popular tunes.
I'd be remiss not to mention Carnival's famous Punchliner Comedy Club, which generally offers multiple shows each day with rotating comedians for all ages. This is a highlight of any Carnival cruise, especially if you are into adult-oriented comedians (the R-rated shows are always the best, in my opinion!).
Another claim to fame is Carnival's deck parties. These lively nighttime events take over the Lido Deck with a live DJ, tons of dancing, and themed costumes — all under the stars.
Excel Class ships also have a dedicated piano bar, tons of live music, movies on the big screen by the pool, and dance parties in the club.
Carnival Cruise Activities vs. Royal Caribbean Thrills
It's amazing how cruise lines squeeze a seemingly infinite amount of activities and onboard thrills on these massive ships. It's so easy to forget that you're actually on a floating vessel and not a resort.
In terms of onboard activities, thrills, and amenities, Royal Caribbean and Carnival both offer the best of the best on their Oasis Class and Excel Class ships.
That said, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships take the cake as some of the most innovative at sea. You can find everything from a ten-story dry slide to waterslides, rock climbing walls, surf simulators, ice skating rinks, zip lines, mini-golf courses, escape rooms, and more on these vessels.
Most amenities are included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare, though select attractions cost extra. Thankfully, most of the commercial-worthy thrills won't cost a penny extra.
Similar to Oasis Class ships, Carnival introduced a whole slew of new onboard thrills and activities on its Excel Class ships. The most notable innovation is easily BOLT: the Ultimate Sea Coaster. Available exclusively on Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee, this roller coaster wraps around the upper decks of the ship in the Ultimate Playground zone.
Unfortunately, it costs $15 for two laps around the track. It might seem pricey, but it is definitely worth it if you're an adrenaline junkie!
Other fun amenities include the WaterWorks aqua park, mini-golf course, sports court, jogging track, and ropes course — all included!
Finally, both cruise lines offer a solid lineup of daytime activities, ranging from bingo to trivia, dance lessons, poolside competitions, and more. In short, you won't be bored on either class of ship!
Read more: 10 things I wish I knew before booking the Carnival Mardi Gras cruise ship
Kid Friendly Cruise: Camp Ocean vs Adventure Ocean
Adults deserve (and need) time to themselves: enter Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean and Carnival's Camp Ocean. These complimentary youth programs are available on Oasis Class and Excel Class ships for young sailors between six months and 17 years old.
Children are grouped by age, with appropriate programming and activities offered, ranging from video games to crafts, scavenger hunts, and more.
Oasis Class and Excel Class ships also offer late-night child programming for an extra fee. The charge on Royal Caribbean ships is $15 per hour, and reservations are required. Carnival's Night Owls program costs $9 per hour.
Adult Only Spaces: Royal Caribbean Solarium and Carnival's Serenity Deck
Although Oasis and Excel Class ships make for excellent vacations with young ones, they also offer adult-only spaces. On Oasis Class ships, you'll find the Solarium at the front of the vessel. This serene space is large and typically offers a pool and multiple hot tubs. Most of the area is enclosed with glass panels, too. This prevents strong winds from disrupting the laid-back atmosphere.
If the noisy Lido Deck isn't your thing, you can check out Carnival's Serenity Deck. This large deck has plenty of lounge chairs and day beds, along with a dedicated pool and two hot tubs. Compared to the Solarium, the Serenity Deck has more open-air space for sunbathing.
Both adult-only spaces have conveniently located food options, too. On sea days, the Fresh Creations bar offers customizable salad options with fresh toppings in the Serenity Deck.
On Oasis Class ships, you will find the Solarium Bistro steps from the adults-only sun deck. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this restaurant offers a more flexible, buffet-style eating experience than Fresh Creations.
Cruise Rooms and Suites
With so many passengers sailing aboard Oasis Class and Excel Class ships, you can expect to find a variety of stateroom accommodations available. From windowless inside cabins to luxurious suites, there is the perfect stateroom for all budgets and preferences.
Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise ships have four stateroom categories: Interior, Ocean (or Outside) View, Balcony, and Suite. Both ships also have unique cruise rooms within those categories.
Starting with Oasis Class interior-facing balcony cabins in the Boardwalk and Central Park neighborhoods, you won't have a front row view of the ocean, but you will have some natural light and private outdoor space — albeit with less privacy than ocean-front balconies provide.
Similarly, you can book a Promenade View Stateroom with a view of the lively Royal Promenade, which is more interesting than a standard inside cabin.
Carnival's Excel Class ships are among some of the few in the fleet with special Family Harbor rooms. These nautical-themed cabins are conveniently located near the kids' club and a special family lounge that serves light bites, such as sandwiches and cookies, throughout the day. The lounge also has access to board games and family-friendly movies.
Other Family Harbor room perks include one free evening of Night Owls babysitting and kids eat free in most specialty restaurants.
They also feature Havana staterooms, which are known for their tropical décor and exclusive access to a private Havana pool area. Plus, these cabins are only available to guests aged 12 or older.
The real differences come into play with the suites available on Oasis Class and Excel Class cruise ships. If you want a more robust suite experience, complete with a private dining room and butler service, you will want to sail on an Oasis Class ship.
These vessels all feature the iconic Royal Suite Class collection, which provides a more elevated suite experience across three tiers: Sea, Sky, and Star.
Plus, you will find more dazzling suite options — ranging from the multi-deck Royal Loft suites to the epic Ultimate Family Suite.
That said, the Excel Class suite experience is a definite step up from the line's older vessels. Each suite has more indoor living space, a balcony, and access to some of the best perks on the ship.
Benefits of Carnival Excel suites include complimentary access to the Loft 19 sun deck, dedicated concierge phone line, free Bottomless Bubbles soda package, upgraded bathroom amenities, sparkling wine and fruit upon arrival, and more.
So, needless to say, regardless of which ship class you sail on, you'll find a wide range of staterooms to accommodate any travel style, family size, or budget.
Carnival Excel Class vs Royal Caribbean Oasis Class: Which Do I Like More?
After spending over a dozen days on both Excel Class and Oasis Class ships, I've come to the conclusion that neither is "better." Each class of cruise ships has its strengths. Carnival, for example, has better fast-casual dining options, while Royal Caribbean's entertainment blows Carnival out of the water.
Ultimately, the best decision for your next vacation comes down to what kind of cruise experience you are looking for. If you are seeking a more laid-back vacation with easygoing fun, lots of casual dining, and included amenities, Excel Class ships would be my pick.
However, if you want more of a true "mega-ship" experience, with jaw-dropping shows, elevated dining, and premium cabins, Oasis Class ships are hard to beat.
Another thing to consider is the itinerary. Excel Class ships sail exclusively to The Bahamas and Caribbean, while there's one Oasis Class ship that offers European cruises each summer.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
