PORT ST. MAARTEN – Carnival Cruise Lines newest class Vista ship, Carnival Horizon, will be making its inaugural call to destination St. Maarten in October for the 2018-2019 high cruise season. The vessel carry’s close to 4,000 cruise passengers and 1,450 crew.
Port St. Maarten Management is looking forward to welcoming the new cruise ship in October as cruise tourism continues to recover. “The country is on the rebound where cruise tourism is concerned. We are looking forward to welcoming additional new cruise vessels for the upcoming 2018-2019 season,” Port Management said on Sunday.
The 1,055-foot Carnival Horizon arrived in New York City last week after a 13-day inaugural cruise that started in Barcelona, Spain and kicked off the ships European season that runs through May.
Following its Mediterranean voyages, the Horizon has been repositioned to New York for a summer schedule of four-day Bermuda and eight-day Caribbean cruises then launch year-around six- and eight-day Caribbean sailings from Miami, Florida in September.
The new 133,500-ton vessel Carnival Horizon introduced the first-ever Dr. Seuss water park, the new Bonsai Teppanyaki and Smokehouse Brewhouse with a tantalizing menu of “real deal” barbecue favorites created by Food Network star Guy Fieri, along with four craft beers developed by the line’s expert brew master Colin Presby. These complement such popular venues like the cocktail pharmacy-themed Alchemy Bar and SkyRide, a groundbreaking bike-ride-in-the-sky, among others.
The second in the line’s highly successful Vista-class, Carnival Horizon also offers an IMAX Theatre, the Havana section with tropics-inspired staterooms and its own pool, and Family Harbor featuring extra-roomy accommodations and the Family Harbor Lounge. Like its name implies, Carnival Horizon also includes food and beverage outlets offering amazing views with both indoor and al fresco seating options at venues such as Bonsai Sushi, Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse and Library Bar.
The third vessel in the Vista-class series, Carnival Panorama, is currently under construction and set to debut in Long Beach, California in December 2019.
Carnival Cruise Line was founded in 1972 and is considered — “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line®” — that carries millions of passengers every year. The first vessel of the Vista-class debuted in April 2016, namely Carnival Vista.
Carnival Cruise Line is part of a family of companies owned by Carnival Corporation, which includes sister lines Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Cunard Line, among others.
Carnival currently has 26 ships operating three- to 16-day voyages, departing from every coast in the U.S., plus from Canada, Puerto Rico, Europe and Barbados.
While Carnival is best known for Caribbean cruises, they sail to other exotic and amazing destinations like Mexico, Alaska, The Bahamas, Cuba, Hawaii and the Mediterranean.
Additionally, Carnival Cruise Line Australia now has two ships, and offers cruises from Sydney to New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Singapore.
