Ecstasy/Spirit differences

[mclinns04]

We are considering an Alaskan cruise on the Spirit in a year or so. We've been on Ecstasy. According to the numbers on the Carnival web site, they look to be about the same size. Spirit shows about 50 more passengers. I would like to know how the two compare?

[MrPete]

There is no comparison between the two ships.

[Cruzman]

They are both Carnival ships; Ecstasy built in 1991, Spirit in 2000. Ecstasy, 70,000 GRT; Spirit 86,000 GRT; both hold about the same # of passengers. Spirit has lots of balconies and the supper club, Ecstasy has very few balconies, and no supper club. Just a few of many differences in these two ship classes.

[o2banotter]

I was on the ecstasy last Feb. and I have no idea what you mean by 'class' when talking about ships. It obviously has nothing to do with size, so what determines class? I was too busy on shore to mess around on the ship much, so ship amenities weren't a big sell for me I've found. If I had to stay on the ship the whole trip that may make a difference.

[Bonneville02]

I was on the ecstasy last Feb. and I have no idea what you mean by 'class' when talking about ships. It obviously has nothing to do with size, so what determines class? I was too busy on shore to mess around on the ship much, so ship amenities weren't a big sell for me I've found. If I had to stay on the ship the whole trip that may make a difference.

 

A series of identical design ships is a class. The class gets its name from the first ship built. The Ecstacy is a Fantasy Class ship, because the first ship built in its class was named Fantasy. The Spirit was the first ship built in its class, so its a Spirit Class ship.

[firefly333]

I was on the ecstasy last Feb. and I have no idea what you mean by 'class' when talking about ships. It obviously has nothing to do with size, so what determines class? I was too busy on shore to mess around on the ship much, so ship amenities weren't a big sell for me I've found. If I had to stay on the ship the whole trip that may make a difference.

 

Ecstasy is a Fantasy class ship ... all the ships built similar starting with Fantasy are all Fantasy class ships ... it has everything to do with size.

 

Miracle is a Spirit class ship

 

Conquest is a Conquest class ship

 

There are a couple in between that were predecessors to Conquest class, Triumph and Destiny class.

 

If you look at Carnival on cruisedeckplans site, it will list which class ship it is.

 

Dream is a new class, and Magic will be the same class.

[mclinns04]

Ecstasy is the smallest ship that we have sailed on. It felt like everything was done in miniature, especially the atrium and the shops. I was just wondering if it would be better on the Spirit. I guess I was mentally comparing it to the Conquest, which is very spacious. Also, my traveling companion suffers from arthritis and can't walk long distances easily. Ecstasy's size is a plus for her. I was hoping Spirit isn't too much larger.

[Liffey]

I have been on Elation (same class/design as Ecstasy) and Spirit, and it's hard to say without knowing where your cabin is, what you like to do, etc. We seemed to pretty much live at the front of Spirit: cabin, Monarch games room, library, Fountain Cafe, showroom, spa, Shanghai Bar, Versailles Lounge. I think I was on the aft deck twice during the whole trip. It was a very "vertical" cruise!

 

So, for us, everything felt as close as Elation and maybe even a smidge more convenient because there seemed to be fewer traffic jams than on Elation. I haven't been on a Conquest-class ship, but I have been on Splendor, and at first Spirit's smaller size disappointed me. I quickly got over it, though, and in your situation you may get the best of both worlds - the ease of navigating that makes people love the Spirit class, plus a greater sense of space than you had on Ecstasy. But again, it may depend on where you are and what you like to do. :)

[Upandadam]

Generally speaking, the Spirit class ships are most likely the overall favorite class while one may say the opposite is true of the Fantasy class ships.

 

Roughly the same amount of passengers yet the Spirit is larger so you get more public area per passenger.

 

Having been on both classes, we much prefer the Spirit. One huge reason is the balconies on the Spirit class.