The brand spankin’ new Carnival Horizon has kicked off a summer schedule from Gotham. It’s currently running Bermuda and Caribbean cruises from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal through September.
None other than Queen Latifah is its godmother.
The ship, Carnival’s newest, is, in a word, amazing, especially in its entertainment options and cuisine. Guests can take in a movie in the IMAX Theatre, or a set at the Punchliner, a dedicated comedy club.
After catching a show at the Liquid Lounge, the main show venue (the largest on any cruise ship), you might amble over The Havana Bar, a Latin nightspot, for a nightcap. For more active entertainment, hope aboard the Sky Ride (essentially, you’re pedaling your way over the ship). A suspended ropes obstacle course and a two-level, nine-hole mini golf course are other unique places to soak up the sea air.
Food Network star Guy Fieri cut the ribbon on his Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse|Brewhouse, a full-service barbecue restaurant. Craft beers, including the ParchedPig Smoked Porter, are served straight from the in-restaurant brewery (Yes, this vessel has an actual brewery on board.) Dragon Chili Cheese Fries featuring smoked beef brisket, cheddar cheese, onions and jalapenos; and Trash Can Nachos topped with pulled pork, Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ sauce and melted cheese promise to be the most popular selections.
Another intriguing eatery is Bonsai Teppanyaki, where one can sample Pork Belly Yakitori with Sesame Asparagus Fries and Seaweed Salad and Spicy Tuna on the Rocks with Onion Sesame Sauce and Den Miso. Even the buffet seems to be a step above the norm, offering salmon eggs benedict and the “sweet spot,” a nook with treats, including cotton candy, so lovely you don’t want to eat them. But you’ll manage.
The two-story mall also breaks the cruise-ship shopping mold, with the first Victoria’s Secret at sea, along with Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Breitling, and Hublot.
The Bermuda junkets are Thursday-Sunday long weekends, with a full day on the island. The Caribbean trips last eight days, stopping at Grand Turk, San Juan, and Amber Cove in the DR. Eventually, Miami will be the Horizon’s homeport, so you may want to get on while the getting on’s good.
