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Good to know I have a good chance!

You also get to drop your carry-ons as soon as you board, and for me and my last sailing on Elation, that alone was worth the hundred bucks. I am also an earlier arriver - I can't sit around at home or in my hotel room just twiddling my thumbs to avoid the madness at the pier lol. I just want to get on board and get a drink and start my vacay.

How many people are you trying to book in one cabin? I have found that the havana cabins cater to 2 passengers, and there are very few cabins for 3 people (I have 3 in my party). You just have to look under the class of cabin you are trying to book. I recently booked a havana cabana on Horizon for Aug 2025 - it was listed under "balcony". I was also eyeing an interior in havana, and it was all the way at the bottom of "interior". I booked online on the Carnival site. You may just have to keep scrolling down.

I do plan on booking at least one night at JiJi's. I am waiting until we board so I can see all the MDR menus and nighttime activities before I commit to a day and time. Fingers crossed the days and times I want do not sell out 🤞

Great tips, thanks for the info!

I was just watching some YouTube videos about the Horizon, and the lunch option at Jiji's appears to have changed. It seems to be specific bowls with set ingredients vs create-your-own like at Cucina/Pasta Bella. I know the adult comedy shows fill up quickly, but what about the PG and PG-13 shows? One of the videos I saw said to show up an hour early, but I didn't know if that was for the adults only or all of them. If you have sailed on Horizon recently, could you provide some insight please??

I did. We sail March 30th. Haven't done this excursion before, but I read wonderful things about it. We are all excited!

I despise set dining times. I don't like to be told it's time to eat if I'm not hungry or ready for a meal. I skip more meals in the MDR due to this. It takes longer as you are waiting for the rest of the table to show up, although with a big family group, you will probably show up at the same time and/or will know to communicate to the server that so-and-so will not be attending. I never felt that anytime dining it was more or less formal/fancy/special than set dining, and I have done both. The ONLY advantage that I have experienced is the serving addressing me by name and asking if I wanted peanut butter with my chocolate melting cake after the first time I asked for it. It was a nice touch and appreciated, but it would not make me choose set dining. The only reason I had set dining on my last cruise with it is because I cruised with my older sister who is very, very adamant that late set dining is the only way to go, and it wasn't worth the argument.

What is a good shoe to wear for the waterfalls? I know they say closed toe and closed back. I heard others have worn water shoes, but I don't think that would be very comfortable for all the hiking and climbing that gets done.

I would assume so.

Where did it say in there the name of the resort? I didn't see it. I'm going to Freeport next Feb (on the Elation ironically, lol). I want to be sure we stay away from the right place.

Has anyone worn a cream colored top with khaki bottoms for white night? I planned to wear a white top with khaki bottoms, and I think that would be okay, but the top I ordered came in today and it's a cream color. I know it doesn't really matter and it's not anything that's enforced, but I would personally feel silly if no one else does that. I can just get a different top.

Horizon! We've been looking forward to this for almost 400 days!!

I haven't sailed on either of those ships, but I vote for Magic because of the extra day. And a friend of mine says that's her family's favorite Carnival ship. There's a waterfall excursion in Amber Cove - Damajagua Falls. You can book through Carnival or through reputable 3rd party vendors that I've read about on some of these boards.

I will be cruising over Easter with my hellacious kids 🤣 Haha, just kidding; I raised them right 🙂 I thought there might be a ton of other spring breakers at that time, but when you have kids, you tend to notice the other ones a lot less. We can ONLY cruise when school is out and the ships are loaded with kids, so we don't know any differently. And totally agree with the no responsibility (to a point) - no cooking, cleaning, etc, for a week!

Yes. When you do your check-in, one of the things you will need to input is whether or not the kids S&S card has spending ability, and then you say how much. It is a total for the entire cruise. You can take the gc's you were going to give them for the arcade and take to customer service to have applied to your account for their spending limit.

Thanks for the ideas. I actually stayed in Ft. Lauderdale the last (and only) time I sailed out of Miami, but it was more about the logistics because the rest of my traveling group was flying in to FLL. And all at different times, and I wasn't playing taxi, lol. They were able to get an airport shuttle at FLL to the hotel we were staying at, and then I just drove to the port the next morning. I am staying right by the port of Miami when we go on Horizon in a couple months. It's spring break, so I knew to start looking early and expect to shell out some $$$, but there was nothing all that great for a decent cost in FLL, and I was looking for a little more than a place to sleep and shower. It didn't cost much more to stay in Miami, and I am happy to pay it to be 30 mins to an hour closer depending on the traffic.

The yellow ones are the ones I'm eyeing for several reasons: 1) MG in June - most nights, closest port, and new class of ship; 2) MG in Aug - same as above and cheaper; 3) Horizon in Aug - Havana Cabana is within my budget, although it's at the top, and I'm willing to splurge for it once. I am loving the idea of Bermuda. I would need a hotel for Miami as well bc that's a little too far for my comfort to drive the day of.

I hit submit too soon, so I am posting the entire post here: Here is what I'm looking at: Mardi Gras: 8 nights 6/7/25-6/15/25 PC-Aruba-Curacao (new port)-Grand Turk (new port)-PC small interior $3k Vista: 6 nights 6/8/25-6/14/25 Port Canaveral > Celebration Key > Half Moon Cay > Amber Cove > End: Port Canaveral interior $2,600 Celebration: 8 nights 6/14/25-6/22/25 Miami-Bonaire-Aruba-Curacao (new port)-Miami premium interior $3,150 Mardi Gras: 6 nights 6/15/25-6/21/25 PC-Nassau-Amber Cove-Grand Turk (new port)-PC premium interior $2,800 Celebration: 6 nights 8/3/25-8/9/25 Miami-Celebration Key-Amber Cove-Grand Turk-Miami premium interior $2,500 Celebration: 6 nights 8/3/25-8/9/25 Miami-Celebration Key-Amber Cove-Grand Turk-Miami cove balcony $2,985 Vista: 6 nights 8/3/25-8/9/25 PC-Celebration Key-Half Moon Cay (new port)-Amber Cove-PC havana interior $2,920 Sunshine: 6 nights 8/3/25-8/9/25 Norfolk > Bermuda (new port) > Bermuda > End: Norfolk interior $2,700 Magic: 7 nights 8/3/25-8/10/25 Miami-Cozumel-Mahogany Bay-Celebration Key (all new ports) deluxe ocean view $2,800 Mardi Gras: 8 nights 8/2/25-8/10/25 PC-Aruba-Curacao (new port)-Grand Turk (new port)-Miami *midship 5372* premium interior $2,900 Horizon: 8 nights 8/2/25-8/10/25 Miami-Aruba-Bonaire-Curacao (new port)-Miami Havana cabana $4k Our availability is fixed to June or 1st week in August. We are traveling from south Georgia, so Port Canaveral (PC) is preferred over Miami. We are an 8-night on Horizon in April of this year to Bonaire, Aruba, La Romana, and Amber Cove. Is early August less busy than June? I know June is always packed, and that is when we usually go. I'm usually with the masses of saying "always the most days", but when you really look at my choices, there are lots of variables (new ship but meh ports; new ship but shorter duration, etc). Out of the June dates, I like MG for 8 nights... longer, and closer port, but pricey I've been eyeing Bermuda for a while because we have never been and don't see itineraries there much when we are able to cruise. But Norfolk is a 9 hour drive. Miami is 6 and PC is 3. Which would you pick and/or which would completely disregard, and why? Side note: the extra free food options on MG and Celebration are a definite bonus for us. We haven't sailed on any ship larger than Liberty until we go on Horizon in 2 months.

Here is what I'm looking at: Mardi Gras: 8 nights 6/7/25-6/15/25 PC-Aruba-Curacao (new port)-Grand Turk (new port)-PC small interior $3k Vista: 6 nights 6/8/25-6/14/25 Port Canaveral > Celebration Key > Half Moon Cay > Amber Cove > End: Port Canaveral interior $2,600 Celebration: 8 nights 6/14/25-6/22/25 Miami-Bonaire-Aruba-Curacao (new port)-Miami premium interior $3,150 Mardi Gras: 6 nights 6/15/25-6/21/25 PC-Nassau-Amber Cove-Grand Turk (new port)-PC Celebration: 6 nights 8/3/25-8/9/25 Miami-Celebration Key-Amber Cove-Grand Turk-Miami premium interior $2,500 Celebration: 6 nights 8/3/25-8/9/25 Miami-Celebration Key-Amber Cove-Grand Turk-Miami cove balcony $2,985 Vista: 6 nights 8/3/25-8/9/25 PC-Celebration Key-Half Moon Cay (new port)-Amber Cove-PC Our availability is fixed to June or 1st week in August. We are traveling from south Georgia, so Port Canaveral (PC) is preferred over Miami. We are an 8-night on Horizon in April of this year to Bonaire, Aruba, La Romana, and Amber Cove. Is early August less busy than June? I know June is always packed, and that is when we usually go. I'm usually with the masses of saying "always the most days", but when you really look at my choices, I'm not sure the extra day(s) are necessarily worth it.

I had this happen in Jax in June! I just happened to hear one of the port workers say to someone "oh you have 11:00? Come through the middle." I had 11:00 so I did the same, but I felt awkward doing it 😕

I saw this fan posted on a cruise board, and I bought 2, lol. Super compact and love that you can run it on batteries to take to the beach, etc. I have another one that I just recently purchased from Sam's Club. It's a tabletop version of my everyday pedestal fan (I'm in FL and it's hotttt 9 months out of the year), and it's 12", which is Carnival's maximum. I am bringing that one next time as well. I also have the small box fan posted above, and it works decent, but the super compact one has better air flow, and my 12" tabletop is better overall. A bit bulky for travel, but I've brought it to several hotels already. Probably going to be a PITA packing it for a cruise in a suitcase, but I'll figure out a way. https://www.amazon.com/Northern-Portable-Foldable-Plastic-Settings/dp/B0B5MWT2JR/ref=asc_df_B0B5MWT2JR/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=647310495020&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2117457439372509868&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1015067&hvtargid=pla-1966347452580&psc=1&mcid=67c3cb00fc783ae0925b1090f3a47e64

Yep!! I turned Gold on the last night of my 5-night Elation cruise in June. My S&S card was gold and I got the extra drink the last night. Forget to get my pin though 😞

Right. I actually enquired with my TA about a possible "list" and how I can get on it because I really wanted a Havana cabin. *Side note: I didn't know that Havana was a thing when I booked. Lesson learned.*

My guess is that when you booked the cruise, you mentioned your husband's birthday. I just did that for the birthday cruise I booked for my daughter's 18th bday next Feb, and I can see the "birthday celebration" listed in my booking. So they probably just mentioned that to you to increase THEIR odds of you accepting the offer, lol. But either way, sounds like it's a win-win 🙂