FunDay in Miami

If you were a cruise line with a huge new ship, a new blimp and a larger-than-life sports legend who is on the payroll with the title of Chief Fun Officer, what would you do? That's right. You'd bring them all together for an afternoon of fun, and that's what Carnival Cruise Line did in Miami yesterday.

The occasion was Carnival Horizon's inaugural special two-night cruise from Miami. After a summer series of cruises from New York, the new ship has arrived in Miami, its new year round home port.

Details appeared in the September 21 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

The Carnival AirShip over Carnival Horizon (lower right ship) in Miami

Photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Pier Gets in the Way of Carnival Horizon Docking

When you get a new car, it's only a matter of time until you get that first scratch, and then you can relax. Carnival can now relax because Carnival Horizon, which was delivered in March, got more than a scratch today when it made contact with the west end of Pier 90 at the West Side Cruise Terminal as it was docking in New York Tuesday morning, about 5:50am.

The complete story appeared in the August 28 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Made You Look!

If the point of christening a new ship is to be noticed, Carnival took their best shot yesterday, but it takes a lot to get noticed in New York. How could anyone not notice a 133,500-ton ship with Queen Latifah headlining a lip-sync battle with Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl champion Jake Elliott? In New York, you never know.

In an other-than-classic ceremony, Queen Latifah named the ship and christened the ship by pouring champagne on the ship's bell.

The complete story appeared in the May 24 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

PLEASE NOTE: The video contains quick edits in places with flashes of light that may affect some viewers. If you are susceptible these, PLEASE DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO.

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For Those Who Can't Sing

The battle lines are drawn. Next month Jake Elliott, kicker for the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles, and Queen Latifah, Grammy-award winning musical artist, actress and most important of all - godmother of Carnival Horizon, will face off aboard the new ship in a special edition of “Lip Sync Battle.”

The complete story appeared in the April 26 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - April 18, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Carnival Horizon's new features (video below)
• An island-wide blackout (again) in Puerto Rico today

Details appeared in the April 18 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Horizon Even Offers Extra Retail Therapy

Don't put away your wallet once you board Carnival Horizon. Carnival has expanded the shopping - both the amount of space and the scope of the brands.

The complete story appeared in the April 10 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Carnival Horizon Enters Service - but No Bottle Broken

Carnival Horizon arrived in Barcelona yesterday, ready for her first passengers to board today. They did, and the ship left as scheduled this afternoon, on her maiden cruise, a 13-night Mediterranean voyage.

There was no naming ceremony in Barcelona today. That will wait until the ship reaches New York on May 23 and actress Queen Latifah will name the ship before it sets sail on its summer series of cruises from the Big Apple.

The complete story appeared in the April 2 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Photos courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Fincantieri Delivers Carnival Horizon

Carnival took delivery of the 133,500-ton Carnival Horizon today at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard. It is the 26th in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. 

The complete story appeared in the March 28 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

The Trouble with Horizon

Newspapers in northern Italy (where Fincantieri is the hometown business and they follow the progress of each new ship from the time it is ordered until it is delivered) are reporting there's trouble with Carnival Horizon.

It is in the Marghera yard, near Venice, which is and ultra-environmentally-sensitive area anyway. Very basically, the paint is not sticking to the hull, and flakes of the paint, which is filled with all sorts of nasty chemicals, are coming off and polluting the water.

The complete story appeared in the March 20 edition of Cruise News Daily.

A Queen Will Name Carnival Horizon

A queen will name Carnival Horizon. Queen Latifah has agreed to be the godmother to Carnival's next ship.

The award-winning musician and actress will name Carnival Horizon in New York on May 23.

The complete story appeared in the March 1 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Carnival Horizon Passengers Will Be Entertained

Carnival Horizon is about to debut (April 2) in the Mediterranean and aboard will be three brand-new production shows.

Carnival is following the same formula they have followed with all their new ships of late, and why not? The shows, produced by Playlist Productions in their unique style have proven a hit with customers. In addition to the production shows, Carnival is also bringing some of the proven-favorite entertainment from other ships such as Hasbro, The Game Show, the Punchliner Comedy Club and even an IMAX theater.

The complete story appeared in the February 23 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - January 9, 2018

CND subscribers also read about:

• Carnival has created four new beers which will be brewed aboard Carnival Horizon
• An old friend may soon have an historic new role
• Carnival returned to St. Thomas today when Carnival Glory visited St. Thomas. 

Details appeared in the January 9 edition of cruise News Daily. 

Taking Horizon out for a Spin

Carnival Horizon successfully completed its final sea trials earlier this week, and has returned to the Fincantieri yard at Marghera.

Details appeared in the November 8 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Photos courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Now You Can Get a Beer with That Barbeque

Passengers love Guy's Burger Joint on many Carnival ships. As a result, Guy Fieri developed the Pig & Anchor barbeque restaurant for Carnival where the meat is smoked right on the ship. It's available on just a couple of ships and only at selected times. Now Carnival has him branching out again.

Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse/Brewhouse is more of an evolution to a third brand than just an expansion of the Pig & Anchor franchise. It will debut aboard Carnival Horizon.

The complete story appeared in the October 11 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Still Delicious after All These Years

You loved it in the '60's. Then came the Disco era, and you still loved it. Then NCL (that was before they discovered they were Norwegian) brought the first teppanyaki table aboard a ship, and those dozen seats were the most coveted spots on the ship. Trying to satisfy passenger demand, with each new ship they expanded the number of teppanyaki tables until today when Norwegian Cruise Line has whole rooms full of people huddled around hot steel tables just waiting for one of a dozen or more chefs to flip them a sizzling little shrimp.

So whaddya know? Carnival has decided just maybe their customers would enjoy teppanyaki, so the line is going to put two tables on Carnival Horizon which will debut in April.

The complete story appeared in the September 1 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

On the Horizon

It's still there. Construction continues on the 133,500-ton Carnival Horizon at Fincantieri's Marghera yard. To remind us, Carnival sent along some photos taken this month at the yard. The ship is set to enter service on April 2 from Barcelona.

Photos courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - June 13, 2017

CND subscribers also read about:

• The senior officers have been chosen for Carnival Horizon.
• Cunard will be official sponsors of the Broadway musical War Paint,

Details appeared in the June 13 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

It May Not Look Like Much Now, But ....

Carnival Horizon is set to enter service less than a year from now (April 2). The line released some current yard photos, and it looks like there is a massive amount of work yet to do (there is), but it will go quickly.

Details appeared in the May 15 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Photos courtesy o Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Carnival Expands Partnership with Dr Seuss to Top Deck

A favorite feature of many kids on Carnival ships is the top deck water park, Carnival Waterworks. When Carnival Horizon debuts next spring, it will have a Waterworks like no other, unless you happen to know of another one inspired by the writings of a doctor who hangs with a cat in an extra tall striped stovepipe hat.

Carnival announced today that Carnival Horizon will be the first ship with a Dr. Seuss Waterworks.

The complete story appeared in the April 20 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Carnival Horizon Readied to Leave Dry Dock

Carnival Horizon will debut in Europe in just a little more than a year from now, and today it passed a major construction milestone when water was let into the dry dock at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard.

Details appeared in the March 10 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Carnival Horizon in the empty dry dock. Water will flood in after the coin ceremony and christening with a bottle of champagne. 

Photo courtesy of Fincantieri. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.