Ready to cruise on a new, beautiful ship? Check out these 10 fun facts about the Carnival Horizon – the newest ship in Carnival’s fleet (2018) and you’ll be ready to book a trip! 
It’s no secret that I love to travel – especially in family friendly ways! Cruising is no exception and we have LOVED partnering with Carnival Cruise Line the past few years! Most recently, I was invited to attend the official naming ceremony and celebration in New York City for their newest ship – Carnival Horizon! The ship is a beauty with SO much to do and so many great features! So, I thought I’d share some fun facts about Carnival’s newest ship that we learned at the event!
Carnival Horizon Fun Facts…
1. Carnival Horizon debuted April 2, 2018
The 26th ship in Carnival’s fleet, the Horizon had a couple sailings in the Mediterranean before making its 14-day transatlantic voyage to New York. It’s in New York for 2018 summer sailings to Bermuda and the Caribbean. Then the Horizon will reposition to Miami in September for various Caribbean sailings!
2. Queen Latifah is the ship’s godmother!
Did you know every cruise ship has a Godmother? It’s a fun tradition with a lot of history behind it! Queen Latifah had the honor of being named Godmother of the Horizon…and getting to preside over the festivities at the ship’s naming ceremony.
Thanks to a big bottle of champagne, @IAMQUEENLATIFAH, the ship’s captain, and a lot of cheers, the @CarnivalCruise Horizon is officially named! ? #cruisingcarnival #funonthehorizon #carnivalpartner pic.twitter.com/g4ml5T9SQ1
— Sara (@momendeavors) May 23, 2018
She also faced off in an epic Lip Sync Battle on the ship going up against Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott! And it probably comes as no surprise that Queen reigned supreme! Jake didn’t stand a chance, though he was a very good sport for trying! What a night! 
3. $16 Million Raised for St. Jude
Did you know that Carnival is St. Jude’s Official Celebration Partner? To celebrate the new Carnival Horizon and this partnership, Carnival presented St. Jude with a $100,000 check!
I’ve had the pleasure of visiting St. Jude and working with Carnival on a special Day of Play there for the kids – and it’s a beautiful partnership! In fact, Carnival has give $16 MILLION to St. Jude since 2010, with a pledge to hit $20 Million by 2020!
4. St. Jude Patient Artwork Featured
But the Horizon is extra special because the St. Jude partnership is really celebrated on board with artwork for over 30 St. Jude patients feature prominently on the atrium’s LED Dreamscape sculpture.
The St. Jude children (and their families) were on hand to witness the unveiling on board, which made this extra special! And this wasn’t a one-time thing! The artwork will be there on every sailing – a good reminder I think for guests to join in the “Groove for St. Jude” on board their trip!
5. 1st ever Dr. Seuss Waterpark!
I LOVE that Carnival has a partnership with Dr. Seuss! And that gets even more visible on board the Horizon with the first-ever Dr. Seuss themed WaterWorks on board. Seriously how cute is all of that?! 
Not only is it the 1st Dr. Seuss themed WaterWorks in the fleet, but it is the first-EVER Dr. Seuss themed water park. Period. The bright colors, characters, slides – it all looks SO fun! I canNOT wait to take my boys on this ship someday for some serious fun!
6. Carnival’s 1st Smokehouse|Brewhouse
At this event, Guy Fieri officially opened his newest addition to the Carnival Cruise Line -Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse|Brewhouse, featuring down-home smoked-on-board barbecue and traditional sides created by the renowned chef, along with a selection of distinctive craft beers brewed on board at a brewery located within the restaurant. Yes brewed ON BOARD! How cool is that?! 
The restaurant will be open from 5 pm ‘til late every night of the cruise with menu items offered on an a la carte basis and live music nightly. If you don’t want to pay extra, then plan to check out Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse|Brewhouse for a self-service BBQ lunch buffet from noon to 2:30 p.m. on embarkation day and sea days. Sure to be delicious!
7. Carnival’s 1st Teppanyaki at Sea!
From the Smokehouse|Brewhouse to the first-ever Teppanyaki at sea on Carnival at Bonsai Teppanyaki, there are some really fun, new & unique food offerings to check out on the Horizon!
8. Largest Shopping Space
Fancy shopping at sea? Well, the Horizon is the ship for you then with Carnival’s most expansive retail space in their fleet. You’ll find stores on board like LeVian, Victoria’s Secret and, for the first time, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Breitling and Hublot!
9. “Sista” to the Vista
If you’ve had the pleasure of sailing on Carnival Vista, you know it’s a fabulous ship with fun options at every turn. Well, the Horizon is a sister ship to the Vista so it is very similar in layout and offerings (with just about everything you love on the Vista, plus all these new things I’ve mentioned here).
10. Party Perfect
Carnival knows how to party and this Horizon inaugural event was no different! An excited, celebratory vibe at every turn with a night capped off with fireworks in New York City! YES! It was such a cool experience to be there (thanks, Carnival for the opportunity)! And now, I am READY to sail on this magnificent ship! Who wants to come with?! 😉
Plan your Carnival Horizon Trip!
Seriously – are you totally interested in sailing on this awesome ship?! I am! Be sure to heck out the upcoming Carnival Horizon itineraries! And, you can follow along with Carnival on their social media channels for even more fun and info: Facebook || Instagram || Twitter at @CarnivalCruise
Disclosure: I was thrilled to be invited & hosted as guest of Carnival’s at the Horizon naming ceremony event. As always, all thoughts, opinions, and love of cruising are my own.
