Carnival Horizon
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Horizon is one of Carnival's 31 active ships and first entered service in 2018 with its most recent renovation in 2025. In terms of size, it comes in at 133,500 gross tons, 1,055 feet in length, and 15 passenger decks. On board, it supports up to 4,977 guests and approximately 1,450 crew members. The ship had an estimated build cost of $800 million and is flagged in Panama.
Carnival Horizon
Ship Stats
Year Built
2018
Last Renovated
2025
Tonnage
133,500 GT
Length
1,055 ft
Capacity
4,977
Crew
1,450
Cost
$800 million
Decks
15
Vista Class
Vista Class groups ships with similar design and onboard features within Carnival. The first ship introduced in this class was Carnival Vista (2016), followed by Carnival Horizon (2018), Carnival Panorama (2019), Carnival Venezia (2019), and Carnival Firenze (2020).
Carnival Horizon Ship Age
Carnival Horizon entered service in 2018. Across Carnival's active fleet, the average build year is 2009 and across all major active cruise lines the average ship launch year is 2011. Ranked newest-to-oldest, this ship is 9 of 31 (newest ship = rank 1).
Timeline order: newest to oldest
- Carnival Horizon
Current ship
Carnival Horizon Renovations
Latest recorded dry dock / major renovation date: 2025.
Renovation details
In May 2025, the Horizon completed a three-week dry dock. Key updates included the relocation of the Dreams Studio and the addition of a non-smoking section in the casino. The WaterWorks area was fully repainted, and the ship’s hull was updated with the new signature red-white-and-blue livery. The next scheduled ship refurbishment will occur in June 2026. The Carnival Horizon upgrades were rescheduled to 2026 to align with its Mediterranean and Transatlantic deployment. The focus will be on the Vista-class technical systems (propulsion) and a major refresh of the Havana Bar & Pool area.
Carnival Horizon Ship Size
Length and tonnage across Carnival's fleet
Carnival Horizon measures 1,055 feet (322 m) (vs Carnival fleet average of 992 ft) and has gross tonnage of 133,500 GT (vs fleet average of 121,145 GT). It ranks 8 of 31 by length and 9 of 31 by tonnage in Carnival's active fleet.
Passenger Capacity & Crew Size
Carnival Horizon vs Carnival fleet averages
Carnival Horizon carries 4,977 passengers (vs Carnival average of 4,085) and has 1,450 crew members onboard (vs fleet average of 1,226). That puts this ship at a passenger-to-staff ratio of 3.43:1 compared with Carnival's overall 3.33:1 average.
Passenger Capacity
4,977
passengers
Crew Members
1,450
staff members
Passenger to Crew Ratio
3.43 : 1
Carnival Avg
3.33 : 1
Carnival Horizon
Venues & Experiences
Explore dining, bars, activities, and onboard experiences available on Horizon.
Deck 10buffetLido Marketplace
Deck 5cafeJavablue Cafe
Decks 3 & 4main dining roomMeridian Restaurant
Deck 3main dining roomReflection Restaurant
Deck 10quick eatsBlue Iguana Cantina
Deck 15quick eatsFresh Creations
Deck 10quick eatsGuy's Burger Joint
Deck 10quick eatsPizzeria del Capitano
Deck 5quick eatsShake Spot
Deck 5specialtyBonsai Sushi
Deck 5specialtyBonsai Teppanyaki
Deck 11specialtyCucina del Capitano
Deck 5specialtyFahrenheit 555 Steakhouse
Deck 5specialtyGuy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse
Deck 11specialtyJiJi Asian Kitchen
Deck 10specialtySeafood Shack
Deck 3specialtyThe Chef's Table
Deck 5sweetsCherry On Top
Deck Plans
The Carnival Horizon has a total of 14 passenger decks. The lowest level available to guests is Deck 1. The highest passenger deck is Deck 15. Click below to access deck plans for the Carnival Horizon. The resulting page will provide a floor plan and summary of all things to do offered on that level of the ship.
Deck 1 of 14
Cruise Director
On duty now · Deon Williams
The cruise director is the heartbeat of the ship... the person responsible for onboard entertainment, activities, and guest engagement from embarkation to farewell. Think emcee, social director, and morale officer rolled into one. Below you'll find the current cruise director's bio, followed by a full historical timeline of every director who has served aboard Carnival Horizon.
Deon Williams
Deon Williams is a Carnival Cruise Line cruise director known for his smooth delivery, strong crowd control, and polished hosting style.
Deon Williams Full ProfileCruise Director Schedule
- Previous
Cruise Director
- Previous
Cruise Director
- Current
Cruise Director
- Upcoming
Cruise Director
- Upcoming
Cruise Director
Frequently Asked Questions
Carnival Horizon quick answers covering size, capacity, deck plans, and what to expect onboard.
You will find the Carnival Horizon Casino on Deck 4 of the ship.
You will find the Carnival Horizon buffet on Deck 10 of the ship.
In May 2025, the Horizon completed a three-week dry dock. Key updates included the relocation of the Dreams Studio and the addition of a non-smoking section in the casino. The WaterWorks area was fully repainted, and the ship’s hull was updated with the new signature red-white-and-blue livery. The next scheduled ship refurbishment will occur in June 2026. The Carnival Horizon upgrades were rescheduled to 2026 to align with its Mediterranean and Transatlantic deployment. The focus will be on the Vista-class technical systems (propulsion) and a major refresh of the Havana Bar & Pool area.
The ship belongs to the Carnival class of ships known as the Vista class.
The ship features 19 restaurants, 12 bars, 39 activities, 0 shows and 7 other venues for your enjoyment. You can click on our ship deck plans or details pages for a full list of activities, sorted by feature type.
The Carnival Horizon has a total of 14 passenger decks. The lowest deck is Level 1. The upper most passenger deck is Level 15.
We're often asked how many passengers are on the Carnival Horizon. The ship's capacity is 4,977. When comparing the occupancy to the average Carnival passenger capacity, you'll find that the average ship in the fleet holds 4,158 guests. Feel free to look at our graph above to see where this ship falls in line with all other live Carnival ships.
The Carnival Horizon was built in 2018. Carnival includes 31 active ships. The oldest in the fleet was built in 1996 while the newest ship was built in 2028. The average Carnival ship is 17 years old and the median build date for all active ships is 2007
Each of Carnival's ships offers a unique layout with features and activities catered to all. Whether the Carnival Horizon is right for you will depend on your individual preferences. Do you prefer a larger or smaller ship with many or fewer guests? Are you hoping for many family activities or entertainment options for an older clientele. Our deck maps layout and activities list provide a helpful guide to what you'll find on board. Feel free to explore the see if this ship is suited towards your preferences.
From end to end, the Carnival Horizon length equals 1,055 feet (322 meters). Compare that to the average ship length of all 31 active vessels in Carnival fleet, measuring 992 feet (302 meters). Please see our size comparison chart above to see how this ship falls in line with all other active ships in the fleet.