The Horizon makes the occasional attempt at sophistication. There’s still a cruise formal night, where guests are expected to dress up for dinner in the main dining rooms. A library bar. Expensive suites and spa services. Diamond jewelry for sale. Wild boar and escargot on menu for dinner. And, most successfully, there’s a really good new show in the theater – Celestial Strings – set all in white and with a live string trio providing some of the music. But if you’re looking for class and elegance you’re on the wrong cruise line. Carnival is home of the FUN ships – capital F. U. N. – and simple (some may call it low-brow) dining and entertainment is what they do best. The very hairy chest competition. The “Love and Marriage Show” version of the classic Newlywed Game. A group of (very drunk) friends singing Karaoke in lounge. PG-13 and R rated comedy and games. Not one, but two restaurants by Guy Fieri (burgers and BBQ). 24 hour pizza and ice cream. If you’re going on a cruise to have fun – and don’t have snobbish expectations – then you’ll do well on the Horizon.
----------
Cheers and Jeers – what good and what needs improvement on the Carnival Horizon
The Cove Balcony cabins are a great choice on Carnival ships. They don't get as much sun as higher level cabins (no one can look down into the Balconies from above), but they are more private and you get to stay closer to the water. Most of the cabins on this level are below the life boats, but we chose 2306 because there was no life boat directly above it.
The downside to this cabin was that it's right below two external access doors (for crew) on the floor above, and they tended to slam close at all hours. Cabin 2308 or 2310 might be better. Look at my pictures for details.
As a first time cruiser I was pleasantly surprised wasn't as tiny as I was expecting. There was enough room to move around and store all of stuff.