September 2, 2026
4-Night Asia Cruise
Departing from Busan
From
$1,428
Price / day
$357
Costa Serena|Carnival Luminosa
Costa Serena vs Carnival Luminosa
Compare ship age, size, passenger capacity, itineraries and upcoming cruise prices.
Costa Serena
Costa Cruises
Check prices on CruiseDirectVS
Newer Ship
Carnival Luminosa
Built in 2009
2 years newer
Lower Price Per Day
Carnival Luminosa
$106 / day
$230 less per day
More Spacious Ship
Carnival Luminosa
32.8 GT per guest
Gross tonnage divided by passenger capacity
Costa Serena vs Carnival Luminosa: Quick Comparison
Carnival Luminosa is the newer ship in this comparison. Built in 2009, it is 2 years newer than Costa Serena, which entered service in 2007. Costa Serena is approximately 23% larger by gross tonnage at 114,147 GT. Costa Serena also carries 954 more passengers. Costa Serena has upcoming sailings in Asia, while Carnival Luminosa has sailings in Alaska Inside Passage & Glacier and Alaska & Japan Transpacific. Based on the upcoming cruises currently displayed, Carnival Luminosa has the lower average starting price per day. The sailings shown cover different itineraries, so the price per day figures are not a like-for-like comparison. Cruise fares vary significantly by itinerary, departure date and cabin availability, so any price difference should be treated as a snapshot rather than a permanent gap.
Ship Comparison
| Spec | Costa Serena | Carnival Luminosa |
|---|---|---|
| Year Built | 2007 | 2009Newer |
| Gross Tonnage | 114,147 GT | 92,720 GT |
| Passenger Capacity | 3,780 | 2,826 |
| Space per Passenger | 30.2 GT | 32.8 GT |
| Length | 289.6 m | 294 m |
| Decks | — | — |
| Cabins | — | — |
Key Differences: Costa Serena vs Carnival Luminosa
Age
Carnival Luminosa was built in 2009, making it 2 years newer than Costa Serena, which was built in 2007.
Size
At 114,147 GT, Costa Serena is approximately 23% larger by gross tonnage than Carnival Luminosa at 92,720 GT.
Passenger capacity
Costa Serena carries up to 3,780 passengers compared with 2,826 aboard Carnival Luminosa, a difference of 954 passengers.
Passenger space
Carnival Luminosa offers more space per passenger: 32.8 GT per guest, compared with 30.2 aboard Costa Serena. A higher passenger space ratio generally means less crowding in public areas.
Itineraries
The upcoming sailings shown for Costa Serena (Asia) and Carnival Luminosa (Alaska Inside Passage & Glacier and Alaska & Japan Transpacific) currently cover different regions or departure ports.
Price
Among the upcoming sailings currently displayed, Carnival Luminosa has the lower average starting price per day at $106 per day.
Compare Ports of Call
Costa Serena
Asia from Busan
- Departure Port
- Busan
- Region
- Asia
- Nights
- 4
- Round Trip
- No
- Day 1 · Sep 2, 2026Busan
- Day 2 · Sep 3, 2026Sasebo
- Day 3 · Sep 4, 2026At Sea
- Day 4 · Sep 5, 2026Shanghai
- Day 5 · Sep 6, 2026Seogwipo
Dates are estimates based on the published departure date.
Carnival Luminosa
10-Day Alaska Inside Passage & Glacier from San Francisco, CA
- Departure Port
- San Francisco
- Region
- Alaska Inside Passage & Glacier
- Nights
- 10
- Round Trip
- Yes
- Day 1 · Sep 10, 2026San Francisco
- Day 2 · Sep 11, 2026At Sea
- Day 3 · Sep 12, 2026At Sea
- Day 4 · Sep 13, 2026Juneau
- Day 5 · Sep 14, 2026Skagway
- Day 6 · Sep 15, 2026At Sea
- Day 7 · Sep 16, 2026Ketchikan
- Day 8 · Sep 17, 2026Prince Rupert
- Day 9 · Sep 18, 2026At Sea
- Day 10 · Sep 19, 2026At Sea
- Day 11 · Sep 20, 2026San Francisco
Dates are estimates based on the published departure date.
Upcoming Cruises & Prices
Costa Serena
September 2, 2026
1-Night Asia Cruise
Departing from Busan
From
$314
Price / day
$314
Carnival Luminosa
September 10, 2026
10-Night Alaska Inside Passage & Glacier Cruise
Departing from San Francisco
From
$1,150
Price / day
$115
September 20, 2026
18-Night Alaska & Japan Transpacific Cruise
Departing from San Francisco
From
$1,729
Price / day
$96
Prices shown are starting fares and may change.
Which Ship Is Cheaper?
Costa Serena
Average
$336 / day
VS
Carnival Luminosa
Average
$106 / day
Carnival Luminosa has the lower price per day among the sailings shown
$106/day vs $336/day
About $230 less per day
This comparison is based on the upcoming sailings currently shown and may not represent like-for-like itineraries.
Cruise prices vary by departure date, itinerary, cabin type and availability.
Which Ship Should You Choose?
Choose Costa Serena if…
- You prefer the larger ship by gross tonnage.
- You do not mind sailing on a ship with a higher passenger capacity.
- You want to sail in Asia.
- Departing from Busan works for your plans.
- You do not place as much importance on sailing on a newer ship than Carnival Luminosa.
Choose Carnival Luminosa if…
- You prefer the newer ship.
- You prefer the ship with the lower passenger capacity.
- You value having more space per passenger (higher GT-per-guest ratio).
- You want to sail in Alaska Inside Passage & Glacier and Alaska & Japan Transpacific.
- Departing from San Francisco works for your plans.
- The lower price per day among the sailings currently shown matters to you.
Costa Serena vs Carnival Luminosa: Final Comparison Summary
Newer
Carnival Luminosa
Built in 2009
2 years newer
Bigger
Costa Serena
114,147 GT
23% larger by gross tonnage
Lower Price Per Day
Carnival Luminosa
$106 / day
About $230 less per day
- Carnival Luminosa is 2 years newer.
- Costa Serena is 23% larger by gross tonnage.
- Costa Serena carries 954 more passengers.
- Carnival Luminosa offers more space per passenger (32.8 GT per guest).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is newer, Costa Serena or Carnival Luminosa?
Carnival Luminosa is newer. It was built in 2009, while Costa Serena was built in 2007, making Carnival Luminosa 2 years newer.
Which is bigger, Costa Serena or Carnival Luminosa?
Costa Serena is larger by gross tonnage. It measures approximately 114,147 GT compared with Carnival Luminosa at 92,720 GT.
Which ship carries more passengers?
Costa Serena has a passenger capacity of approximately 3,780, compared with 2,826 for Carnival Luminosa.
Which ship is more spacious, Costa Serena or Carnival Luminosa?
Carnival Luminosa has the higher passenger space ratio at 32.8 GT per passenger, versus 30.2 for Costa Serena. The ratio is gross tonnage divided by passenger capacity; a higher number means more ship space per guest.
Which ship is cheaper, Costa Serena or Carnival Luminosa?
Among the upcoming sailings currently displayed, Carnival Luminosa has the lower average starting price per day at $106 per day versus $336 per day. Fares vary by itinerary, departure date, cabin type and availability.
Where does Costa Serena sail?
The upcoming Costa Serena sailings currently listed cover Asia, departing from Busan.
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