Cruise Spotlight
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Celebrity Reflection vs Carnival Horizon
The Celebrity Reflection was built in 2012. It's 6 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 Reflection is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,047 feet long and 123 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 13-story building. Compared to the Carnival Horizon, the Reflection is 6% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Celebrity Reflection holds 23% fewer passengers than 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 Reflection 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.
| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Horizon | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Solstice | Vista |
| Gross Tonnage | 126,000 | 133,596 |
| Length | 1,047 | 1,055 |
| Beam/Width | 123 | 122 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,030 | 3,960 |
| Crew | 1,293 | 1,450 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 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 Reflection has twelve different dining options like Tuscan Grille, Murano, and Main Dining Room. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eight options have an additional fee.
The Horizon has seven more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are JavaBlue Cafe, Seafood Shack, and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse. fifteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Horizon might be a better choice. It has 58% more dining options than the Reflection.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Horizon might be a better choice then the Reflection. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Horizon | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 19 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 9 | 15 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 8 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 33% | 53% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Celebrity Reflection and Carnival Horizon both have 14 bars to choose from during your sailing. The Reflection has 14 bars like Cafe al Bacio, Casino Bar and Mast Bar. On Reflection, you can grab a drink at 14 different bars such as Fahrenheit 555 Bar, Piano Bar 88 and RedFrog Rum Bar.
| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Horizon |
|---|---|
| •Cafe al Bacio • Casino Bar • Cellar Masters • Ensemble Lounge • Entertainment Court Bar • Il Secondo Bacio • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Michael's Club • Passport Bar • Pool Bar • Sky Observation Lounge • Sunset Bar • World Class Bar | •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Fahrenheit 555 Bar • Guy's Pig and Anchor Brewhouse • Havana Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • Ocean Plaza Bar • Piano Bar 88 • RedFrog Rum Bar • Serenity Pool Bar • SkyBox Sports Bar • Tides Pool Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Reflection serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. The Horizon serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew.
You can check out recent the bar menus for 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 Celebrity Reflection has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs.
The Carnival Horizon has the same number of pools as the Reflection and the same number of 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.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Reflection.| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Horizon | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 0 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 |
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 Reflection, 64% 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.
| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Horizon | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bingo | ✓ | ✗ |
| Brewery Tour | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| IMAX Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lawn Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outdoor gym | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outdoor movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ropes course | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skyride | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thrill Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Celebrity is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Carnival, on the other hand, is considered 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. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
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 compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Horizon | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $4.00 | $3.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.00 | $8.75 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $65 - $95 | $83 - $88 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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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