Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Magic vs Carnival Horizon
The Carnival Magic was built in 2011. It's 7 years older than the Horizon, which was built in 2018.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
- See Our Detailed Cruise Blog
Ship Size
The Magic is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,004 feet long and 122 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.8 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. It's about the same size as the Carnival Horizon.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Magic holds about the same number of passengers as the Horizon based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Magic has more space per person compared to the Horizon. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Carnival Magic | Carnival Horizon | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Dream | Vista |
| Gross Tonnage | 128,000 | 133,596 |
| Length | 1,004 | 1,055 |
| Beam/Width | 122 | 122 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,690 | 3,960 |
| Crew | 1,386 | 1,450 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 35 | 34 |
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 Magic has 22 different dining options like Cucina Del Capitano, Bonsai Sushi, and Guy's Burger Joint. Of those options, 15 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 7 options have an additional fee.
The Horizon has 3 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Pizzeria del Capitano, Bonsai Sushi, and Guy's Burger Joint. 16 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 9 have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Horizon might be a better choice. It has 14% more dining options than the Magic.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
Restaurants on Carnival Magic & Horizon
| Carnival Magic | Carnival Horizon | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Iguana Cantina | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Bonsai Sushi | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Bonsai Teppanyaki | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Captain's Pasta Bar | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Carnival Deli | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Cherry on Top | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Coffee Bar | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Cucina Del Capitano | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Fresh Creations | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Guy's Burger Joint | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Guys Pig and Anchor BarBQue | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Guys Pig and Anchor Smokehouse | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| JavaBlue Cafe | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| JiJi Asian Kitchen | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Lido Buffet | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Mongolian Wok | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Pizzeria del Capitano | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Redfrog Pub | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Seafood Shack | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Steakhouse | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Swirls | ✓ | ✓ | |
| The Chef's Table | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Magic has 3 fewer bars than the Carnival Horizon.
| Carnival Magic | Carnival Horizon | |
|---|---|---|
| Alchemy Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Atrium Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| BlueIguana Tequila Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fahrenheit 555 Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Guy's Pig and Anchor Brewhouse | ✗ | ✓ |
| Havana Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Java Blue Cafe | ✗ | ✓ |
| Limelight Lounge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ocean Plaza Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Piano Bar 88 | ✗ | ✓ |
| Play it Again Piano Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Plaza Cafe | ✓ | ✗ |
| RedFrog Pub | ✓ | ✗ |
| RedFrog Rum Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Serenity Pool Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| SkyBox Sports Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spotlight Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tides Pool Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Vibe Dance Club | ✓ | ✗ |
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 Magic and the Horizon below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Carnival Magic has a total of 2 pools and 8 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.
Carnival Horizon has more pools than the Magic and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Horizon. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
| Carnival Magic | Carnival Horizon | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | 0 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 8 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 2 |
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. On the Magic, 73% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Horizon, only 62% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Magic | Carnival Horizon | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 more | Learn more |
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 Magic will likely be cheaper than on Carnival Horizon.
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 & services | 18% |
| 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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