Carnival Horizon|Carnival Magic

Carnival Horizon vs Carnival Magic

Compare ship age, size, passenger capacity, itineraries and upcoming cruise prices.

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Carnival Horizon

Carnival Cruise Line

Check prices on CruiseDirect
VS
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Carnival Magic

Carnival Cruise Line

Check prices on CruiseDirect

Newer Ship

Carnival Horizon

Built in 2018

7 years newer

Lower Price Per Day

Carnival Magic

$68 / day

$27 less per day

More Spacious Ship

Carnival Magic

35.2 GT per guest

Gross tonnage divided by passenger capacity

Carnival Horizon vs Carnival Magic: Quick Comparison

Carnival Horizon is the newer ship in this comparison. Built in 2018, it is 7 years newer than Carnival Magic, which entered service in 2011. Carnival Horizon is approximately 3% larger by gross tonnage at 133,500 GT. Carnival Horizon also carries 270 more passengers. Carnival Horizon has upcoming sailings in Western Caribbean and Southern Caribbean, while Carnival Magic has sailings in Eastern Caribbean. Based on the upcoming cruises currently displayed, Carnival Magic has the lower average starting price per day. The sailings shown cover different itineraries, so the price per day figures are not a like-for-like comparison. Cruise fares vary significantly by itinerary, departure date and cabin availability, so any price difference should be treated as a snapshot rather than a permanent gap.

Ship Comparison

Specification comparison of Carnival Horizon and Carnival Magic
SpecCarnival HorizonCarnival Magic
Year Built2018Newer2011
Gross Tonnage133,500 GT130,000 GT
Passenger Capacity3,9603,690
Space per Passenger33.7 GT35.2 GT
Length321.5 m306 m
Decks
Cabins

Key Differences: Carnival Horizon vs Carnival Magic

Age

Carnival Horizon was built in 2018, making it 7 years newer than Carnival Magic, which was built in 2011.

Size

At 133,500 GT, Carnival Horizon is approximately 3% larger by gross tonnage than Carnival Magic at 130,000 GT.

Passenger capacity

Carnival Horizon carries up to 3,960 passengers compared with 3,690 aboard Carnival Magic, a difference of 270 passengers.

Passenger space

Carnival Magic offers more space per passenger: 35.2 GT per guest, compared with 33.7 aboard Carnival Horizon. A higher passenger space ratio generally means less crowding in public areas.

Itineraries

The upcoming sailings shown for Carnival Horizon (Western Caribbean and Southern Caribbean) and Carnival Magic (Eastern Caribbean) currently cover different regions or departure ports.

Price

Among the upcoming sailings currently displayed, Carnival Magic has the lower average starting price per day at $68 per day.

Compare Ports of Call

Carnival Horizon

6-Day Western Caribbean from Miami, FL

Departure Port
Miami
Region
Western Caribbean
Nights
6
Round Trip
Yes
  1. Day 1 · Sep 6, 2026Miami
  2. Day 2 · Sep 7, 2026Celebration Key™
  3. Day 3 · Sep 8, 2026At Sea
  4. Day 4 · Sep 9, 2026Montego Bay
  5. Day 5 · Sep 10, 2026Grand Cayman
  6. Day 6 · Sep 11, 2026At Sea
  7. Day 7 · Sep 12, 2026Miami

Dates are estimates based on the published departure date.

Carnival Magic

8-Day Eastern Caribbean from Miami, FL

Departure Port
Miami
Region
Eastern Caribbean
Nights
8
Round Trip
Yes
  1. Day 1 · Sep 5, 2026Miami
  2. Day 2 · Sep 6, 2026Princess Cays
  3. Day 3 · Sep 7, 2026At Sea
  4. Day 4 · Sep 8, 2026San Juan
  5. Day 5 · Sep 9, 2026St. Maarten
  6. Day 6 · Sep 10, 2026St Thomas
  7. Day 7 · Sep 11, 2026At Sea
  8. Day 8 · Sep 12, 2026At Sea
  9. Day 9 · Sep 13, 2026Miami

Dates are estimates based on the published departure date.

Upcoming Cruises & Prices

Carnival Horizon

Carnival Magic

Prices shown are starting fares and may change.

Which Ship Is Cheaper?

Carnival Horizon

Average

$95 / day

VS

Carnival Magic

Average

$68 / day

Carnival Magic has the lower price per day among the sailings shown

$68/day vs $95/day

About $27 less per day

This comparison is based on the upcoming sailings currently shown and may not represent like-for-like itineraries.

Cruise prices vary by departure date, itinerary, cabin type and availability.

Which Ship Should You Choose?

Choose Carnival Horizon if…

  • You prefer the newer ship.
  • You prefer the larger ship by gross tonnage.
  • You do not mind sailing on a ship with a higher passenger capacity.
  • You want to sail in Western Caribbean and Southern Caribbean.
  • Departing from Miami works for your plans.

Choose Carnival Magic if…

  • You prefer the ship with the lower passenger capacity.
  • You value having more space per passenger (higher GT-per-guest ratio).
  • You want to sail in Eastern Caribbean.
  • Departing from Miami works for your plans.
  • The lower price per day among the sailings currently shown matters to you.
  • You do not place as much importance on sailing on a newer ship than Carnival Horizon.

Carnival Horizon vs Carnival Magic: Final Comparison Summary

Newer

Carnival Horizon

Built in 2018

7 years newer

Bigger

Carnival Horizon

133,500 GT

3% larger by gross tonnage

Lower Price Per Day

Carnival Magic

$68 / day

About $27 less per day

  • Carnival Horizon is 7 years newer.
  • Carnival Horizon is 3% larger by gross tonnage.
  • Carnival Horizon carries 270 more passengers.
  • Carnival Magic offers more space per passenger (35.2 GT per guest).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is newer, Carnival Horizon or Carnival Magic?

Carnival Horizon is newer. It was built in 2018, while Carnival Magic was built in 2011, making Carnival Horizon 7 years newer.

Which is bigger, Carnival Horizon or Carnival Magic?

Carnival Horizon is larger by gross tonnage. It measures approximately 133,500 GT compared with Carnival Magic at 130,000 GT.

Which ship carries more passengers?

Carnival Horizon has a passenger capacity of approximately 3,960, compared with 3,690 for Carnival Magic.

Which ship is more spacious, Carnival Horizon or Carnival Magic?

Carnival Magic has the higher passenger space ratio at 35.2 GT per passenger, versus 33.7 for Carnival Horizon. The ratio is gross tonnage divided by passenger capacity; a higher number means more ship space per guest.

Which ship is cheaper, Carnival Horizon or Carnival Magic?

Among the upcoming sailings currently displayed, Carnival Magic has the lower average starting price per day at $68 per day versus $95 per day. Fares vary by itinerary, departure date, cabin type and availability.

Where does Carnival Horizon sail?

The upcoming Carnival Horizon sailings currently listed cover Western Caribbean and Southern Caribbean, departing from Miami.

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