Carnival Horizon: Perfect Fit for a Family Cruise?

Carnival Horizon is the newest ship in Carnival Cruise Line’s Vista Class. What makes this new ship special? From delectable dining options to entertainment for all ages, there is endless fun on board for toddlers, teens, and parents alike. See why we loved our eight-day vacation on Carnival Horizon and determine if it’s the best fit for your family’s next Caribbean cruise!

If you’re looking for a fun way to visit exotic destinations in the Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean, or Eastern Caribbean, Carnival Horizon has got you covered. Vacation on this festive, new cruise ship feels like a floating celebration at sea. This summer, my family of seven took a cruise on Carnival Horizon from Miami to Turks & Caicos, Dominican Republic, Curaçao, and Aruba. But, the destinations hardly mattered to my kids. They had so much fun on sea days, they would have been just as happy to stay on the ship when we arrived at port.

Traveling with Young Children Aboard Carnival Horizon

For my six-year-old, vacation is all about ice cream and keeping cool. On Carnival Horizon, if she wasn’t eating the 24-hour soft serve, she wanted to be swimming. She loved all the Jacuzzis and pools, but the main attraction for her was Dr. Seuss WaterWorks. This fun water park has a splash zone play area and a 150-gallon dumping bucket. Plus, there are also two small water slides with no height requirement. But my daughter was thrilled to be tall enough to ride the Fun Things water slides, named for Thing 1 and Thing 2. Her favorite was the blue speckled slide, which twists and turns down several decks, before landing in shallow water below.

For more kid-friendly fun, we attended all of the whimsical Seuss at Sea programming. This included an interactive Seuss-a-palooza Parade followed by an onstage Seuss-a-palooza Storytime, Dr. Seuss Bookville where families can read Dr. Seuss classics together, and the delightful Green Eggs and Ham breakfast. Reservations are required for the breakfast. But, it is well worth the $5 per person to enjoy the brightly colored menu items and visits from literary characters including the Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2, and Sam I Am.

Nonstop Fun for Kids Onboard Carnival Horizon

A nice surprise for me was that my daughter loved Carnival Horizon’s Camp Ocean. She begged to be checked in for the nightly themed parties, and didn’t want to leave at bedtime. Sometimes, I had to lure her out with the promise of Build-a-Bear at Sea or musical productions. Her favorite was a Cuban song and dance performance by Playlist Productions. It was a wonderful experience for both of us.

Tweens Will Want to do it all on Carnival Horizon

There are so many places to play on the new Carnival Horizon, my tweens and teens barely saw the inside of their stateroom. Instead, they were out tackling the SkyRide aerial bicycles, climbing the SkyCourse elevated ropes course, playing mini-golf, and making friends in the SportSquare.

My 11 and 13-year-old’s favorite things to do on Carnival Horizon were watching scary movies in the Thrill Theater and staying up late for poolside movies under the stars. The fun didn’t stop for them when the sun went down.

What Teens Will Love About the Carnival Horizon

Possibly the coolest thing on this cruise ship is the onboard IMAX, which plays movies currently in theaters for a fraction of the price. And the movie snacks are cheap, too. So, my three teens wanted to see every screening available. They also loved the Punchliner Comedy Club, Library Bar, Club O2, and the arcade. With so many options, Carnival ships are like never-ending parties for teenagers.

Adults Are In For a Treat On Carnival Horizon

While the kids were off doing their own thing, I headed to the Cloud 9 Spa for a massage. Then I snuck off to the Serenity adult deck for a salad and a soak in the hot tub. It was nice to have some grown-up time. Sometimes, my husband would go to the gym while I read on the balcony of our ocean view stateroom. Other times, we would take dance lessons and play trivia games. From the Alchemy Bar to karaoke at the gorgeous Havana Bar, there was always something to do (and to eat, and to drink).

Dining Options the Whole Family Will Enjoy

On vacation, there’s nothing better than a great meal. And with specialty restaurants offering every type of cuisine on Carnival Horizon, every meal was amazing. My boys went crazy for the Bonsai sushi and ramen at Bonsai Teppanyaki. The casual options on Lido deck, like Blue Iguana Cantina, Seafood Shack, and Guy’s Burger Joint, were also a hit. And not wanting to miss any Guy Fieri fare, my husband grabbed brisket at Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse. I preferred the fancier restaurants. The main dining room was always a delicious option. But my absolute favorite restaurants were Jiji Asian Kitchen or Cucina del Capitano. And, our ultimate dining experience was Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse. We found it to be a perfect choice for formal night, which just happened to fall on Father’s Day.

Carnival Horizon: Perfect Fit for a Family Cruise?

Is Carnival Horizon the perfect fit for a family cruise? My family votes yes! From the six-year-old to the 19-year-old, my kids all loved cruising on the Carnival Horizon. Their parents did, too!

Ready to plan your next Carnival cruise? Use our Family Cruise Planning Guide and Cruise Packing List to help.