Carnival Spirit
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Spirit is one of Carnival's 31 active ships and first entered service in 2001 with its most recent renovation in 2025. In terms of size, it comes in at 88,500 gross tons, 963 feet in length, and 12 passenger decks. On board, it supports up to 2,610 guests and approximately 930 crew members. The ship had an estimated build cost of $375 million and is flagged in Malta.
Carnival Spirit
Ship Stats
Year Built
2001
Last Renovated
2025
Tonnage
88,500 GT
Length
963 ft
Capacity
2,610
Crew
930
Cost
$375 million
Decks
12
Spirit Class
Spirit Class groups ships with similar design and onboard features within Carnival. The first ship introduced in this class was Carnival Spirit (2001), followed by Carnival Legend (2002), Carnival Pride (2002), and Carnival Miracle (2004).
Carnival Spirit Ship Age
Carnival Spirit entered service in 2001. Across Carnival's active fleet, the average build year is 2009 and across all major active cruise lines the average ship launch year is 2011. Ranked newest-to-oldest, this ship is 26 of 31 (newest ship = rank 1).
Timeline order: newest to oldest
- Carnival Spirit
Current ship
Carnival Spirit Renovations
Latest recorded dry dock / major renovation date: 2025.
Renovation details
The Spirit completed a dry dock in March 2025. The project added a brand-new Heroes Tribute Bar and the Carnival Adventures Store. All staterooms received new bedding, and the Nouveau Steakhouse was refreshed with new decor and an updated menu.
Carnival Spirit Ship Size
Length and tonnage across Carnival's fleet
Carnival Spirit measures 963 feet (294 m) (vs Carnival fleet average of 992 ft) and has gross tonnage of 88,500 GT (vs fleet average of 121,145 GT). It ranks 18 of 31 by length and 29 of 31 by tonnage in Carnival's active fleet.
Passenger Capacity & Crew Size
Carnival Spirit vs Carnival fleet averages
Carnival Spirit carries 2,610 passengers (vs Carnival average of 4,085) and has 930 crew members onboard (vs fleet average of 1,226). That puts this ship at a passenger-to-staff ratio of 2.81:1 compared with Carnival's overall 3.33:1 average.
Passenger Capacity
2,610
passengers
Crew Members
930
staff members
Passenger to Crew Ratio
2.81 : 1
Carnival Avg
3.33 : 1
Carnival Spirit
Venues & Experiences
Explore dining, bars, activities, and onboard experiences available on Spirit.
Deck 9buffetLa Playa Grille Lido Marketplace
Deck 9buffetLido Cafe
Deck 9buffetSalad Bar
Deck 9buffetTaste of the Nations
Deck 2cafeFountain Cafe
Decks 2 & 3main dining roomEmpire Restaurant
Deck 9quick eatsBlue Iguana Cantina
Deck 9quick eatsGuy's Burger Joint
Deck 9quick eatsPizzeria del Capitano
Deck 9quick eatsThe Carnival Deli
Deck 2specialtyBonsai Sushi
Decks 10 & 11specialtyNouveau Steakhouse
Deck 9specialtySeafood Corner
Deck 3sweetsCherry On Top
Deck Plans
The Carnival Spirit has a total of 12 passenger decks. The lowest level available to guests is Deck 1. The highest passenger deck is Deck 12. Click below to access deck plans for the Carnival Spirit. The resulting page will provide a floor plan and summary of all things to do offered on that level of the ship.
Cruise Director
On duty now · Charne Marais
The cruise director is the heartbeat of the ship... the person responsible for onboard entertainment, activities, and guest engagement from embarkation to farewell. Think emcee, social director, and morale officer rolled into one. Below you'll find the current cruise director's bio, followed by a full historical timeline of every director who has served aboard Carnival Spirit.
Charne Marais
Charne Marais is a Carnival Cruise Line cruise director recognized for her upbeat energy, positivity, and strong guest engagement.
Charne Marais Full ProfileCruise Director Schedule
- Previous
Cruise Director
- Current
Cruise Director
- Upcoming
Cruise Director
Frequently Asked Questions
Carnival Spirit quick answers covering size, capacity, deck plans, and what to expect onboard.
You will find the Carnival Spirit Casino on Deck 2 of the ship.
You will find the Carnival Spirit buffet on Deck 9 of the ship.
The Spirit completed a dry dock in March 2025. The project added a brand-new Heroes Tribute Bar and the Carnival Adventures Store. All staterooms received new bedding, and the Nouveau Steakhouse was refreshed with new decor and an updated menu.
The ship belongs to the Carnival class of ships known as the Spirit class.
The ship features 16 restaurants, 14 bars, 31 activities, 0 shows and 7 other venues for your enjoyment. You can click on our ship deck plans or details pages for a full list of activities, sorted by feature type.
The Carnival Spirit has a total of 12 passenger decks. The lowest deck is Level 1. The upper most passenger deck is Level 12.
We're often asked how many passengers are on the Carnival Spirit. The ship's capacity is 2,610. When comparing the occupancy to the average Carnival passenger capacity, you'll find that the average ship in the fleet holds 4,158 guests. Feel free to look at our graph above to see where this ship falls in line with all other live Carnival ships.
The Carnival Spirit was built in 2001. Carnival includes 31 active ships. The oldest in the fleet was built in 1996 while the newest ship was built in 2028. The average Carnival ship is 17 years old and the median build date for all active ships is 2007
Each of Carnival's ships offers a unique layout with features and activities catered to all. Whether the Carnival Spirit is right for you will depend on your individual preferences. Do you prefer a larger or smaller ship with many or fewer guests? Are you hoping for many family activities or entertainment options for an older clientele. Our deck maps layout and activities list provide a helpful guide to what you'll find on board. Feel free to explore the see if this ship is suited towards your preferences.
From end to end, the Carnival Spirit length equals 963 feet (294 meters). Compare that to the average ship length of all 31 active vessels in Carnival fleet, measuring 992 feet (302 meters). Please see our size comparison chart above to see how this ship falls in line with all other active ships in the fleet.