Carnival Horizon vs Carnival Spirit

The Carnival Horizon was built in 2018. It's 17 years newer than the Spirit, which was built in 2001.

Comparison Overview

Ship Size

The Horizon is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,055 feet long and 122 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Carnival Spirit, the Horizon is 51% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Horizon holds 86% more passengers than the Spirit based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Horizon has less space per person compared to the Spirit.

Carnival
Horizon
Carnival
Spirit
ClassVistaSpirit
Gross Tonnage133,59688,500
Length1,055963
Beam/Width122106
Passenger Decks1512
Passengers (double occupancy)3,9602,124
Crew1,450930
Passenger to Crew Ratio2.72.3
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)3442


Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Horizon has twenty-five different dining options like Guys Pig and Anchor Smokehouse, Captain's Pasta Bar, and Carnival Deli. Of those options, sixteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.

The Spirit has ten fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are JavaBlue Cafe, Blue Iguana Cantina, and Pizza Pirate. twelve of these restaurants are complementary and the other three have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Horizon might be a better choice. It has 67% more dining options than the Spirit.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Spirit might be a better choice then the Horizon. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Restaurants on Carnival Horizon & Spirit

Carnival
Horizon
Carnival
Spirit
Blue Iguana CantinaLearn More
Bonsai SushiLearn More
Bonsai TeppanyakiLearn More
Captain's Pasta BarLearn More
Carnival DeliLearn More
Cherry on Top
Cucina Del CapitanoLearn More
Fahrenheit 555 SteakhouseLearn More
Fresh CreationsLearn More
Guy's Burger JointLearn More
Guys Pig and Anchor BarBQueLearn More
Guys Pig and Anchor SmokehouseLearn More
JavaBlue CafeLearn More
JiJi Asian KitchenLearn More
Lido BuffetLearn More
Main Dining RoomLearn More
Mongolian WokLearn More
Pizza PirateLearn More
Pizzeria del CapitanoLearn More
Seafood ShackLearn More
Swirls

Bars and Drinks

Atrium Bar on the Horizon
Atrium Bar on the Horizon
Atrium Bar on the Spirit
Atrium Bar on the Spirit

The Carnival Horizon has 3 more bars than the Carnival Spirit.

Carnival
Horizon
Carnival
Spirit
Alchemy Bar
Atrium Bar
BlueIguana Tequila Bar
Casino Bar
Dancin' Dance Club
Deco Lounge
Fahrenheit 555 Bar
Guy's Pig and Anchor Brewhouse
Havana Bar
Java Blue Cafe
Limelight Lounge
Ocean Plaza Bar
Piano Bar 88
RedFrog Pub
RedFrog Rum Bar
Serenity Pool Bar
Shanghai Piano Bar
SkyBox Sports Bar
The Fountain Cafe
Tides Pool Bar
Versailles Lounge

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew, although the selection can vary by ship.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Horizon and the Spirit below.



Pools and Hot Tubs

Lido Deck Pool on the Carnival Horizon
Lido Deck Pool on the Carnival Horizon
Main Pool on the Carnival Spirit
Main Pool on the Carnival Spirit

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Carnival Horizon has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.

The Carnival Spirit has the same number of pools as the Horizon and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Spirit. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.

Looking to get away from the kids onboard? Try relaxing in the Serenity Adult-only area, for guests 21 and older only. Only the Spirit has an adult-only pool in its Serenity Area (it’s a full-depth pool). The Serenity Area on both ships is unenclosed and open to the elements. The Horizon’s adult-only area is in the front, while the Spirit’s is in the back. Typically, the back of the ship has less wind and better views than the front of the ship.

Carnival
Horizon
Carnival
Spirit
Total Pools33
Pools - General Access22
Pools - Adults Only01
Pools - Exclusive10
Total Hot Tubs63
Hot Tubs - General Access22
Hot Tubs - Adults Only21
Hot Tubs - Exclusive20


cruise coloring book

Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books. These are the Carnival editions with featuring places Pizza Pirate and mini-golf.

Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5 - Carnival Edition

Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8 - Carnival Edition


Ship Features and Activities

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Horizon. Only 62% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Spirit, 71% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Carnival
Horizon
Carnival
Spirit
Adult Only Relaxation Area
Arcade
Basketball
Brewery Tour
Casino
Comedy Club
Dr Seuss Breakfast
Fitness Center
IMAX Theater
Jogging Track
Mini golf
Outdoor gym
Pool-side Movies
Ropes course
Shows - musical review
Skyride
Spa
Splash park
Thermal Suites
Thrill Theater
Water slides
Learn moreLearn more
Carnival is also known for its energetic theme parties which vary per ship.

Cruise Costs

Carnival is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Carnival Horizon will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Spirit.

The cost will also vary depending on the type of cabin you book. You can see the differences between the Carnival cabins and how to choose the best one here:

Onboard Costs

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Carnival ship.

Carnival
Base Daily Gratuities*
(Per Person Per Day)
$16.00
Tip added to drinks & services18%
Soda Price$3.00
Domestic Beer Price$8.75
See drink menus
Drink Package Price$83 - $88
Learn more
Internet Plan$18.70 to $23.80 per device per day
*Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates.

We sailed aboard the Carnival Horizon

Follow along on our sailing on the Carnival Horizon. We take you through every aspect of our sailing, from getting to the port to debarking the ship. See the schedule of events, menus, what excursions we did, and what we really thought about the ship.

Carnival Horizon - Cruise Blog - Day 1 - Miami

Carnival Horizon - Cruise Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day

Carnival Horizon - Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Amber Cove

Carnival Horizon - Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Grand Turk

Carnival Horizon - Cruise Blog - Day 5 - Sea Day

Carnival Horizon - Cruise Blog - Day 6 - Nassau

5 Hits & Misses of the Carnival Horizon

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