6 nt Carnival Horizon November 2020

[Kilmarlic]

I've never sailed Carnival before. To say I'm excited is an understatement because this has ended up being next year's Christmas present to my sons and grandsons. It started out that friends were going to celebrate a birthday and invited a group of mutual friends to tag along. I was planning to take my Daughter In Laws who have both wanted to cruise with me. I had the travel agent price out the 3 of us going big with a suite and all the perks or going smaller and taking the "Boys" with us. Turns out the price was comparable and now my Christmas shopping is done!! 

The stops are Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.  We've got plenty of time to plan excursions, find the best places for a couples massage (that will be their anniversary presents) and debate the drink package.   I'm most interested in tips, tricks and suggestions that you guys might have concerning the grandsons. They will be just under 4 years old at the time we sail.  

Thanks for all the help to all the questions I'll be asking that are Carnival & port specific.   - Iris

[stetucke]

On 12/17/2019 at 1:29 PM, Kilmarlic said:

I've never sailed Carnival before. To say I'm excited is an understatement because this has ended up being next year's Christmas present to my sons and grandsons. It started out that friends were going to celebrate a birthday and invited a group of mutual friends to tag along. I was planning to take my Daughter In Laws who have both wanted to cruise with me. I had the travel agent price out the 3 of us going big with a suite and all the perks or going smaller and taking the "Boys" with us. Turns out the price was comparable and now my Christmas shopping is done!! 

The stops are Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.  We've got plenty of time to plan excursions, find the best places for a couples massage (that will be their anniversary presents) and debate the drink package.   I'm most interested in tips, tricks and suggestions that you guys might have concerning the grandsons. They will be just under 4 years old at the time we sail.  

Thanks for all the help to all the questions I'll be asking that are Carnival & port specific.   - Iris

My kids go to the kids club and devastated when they have to leave. Its the worst thing that has ever happened to them. 

[beshears]

When I first started reading what you wrote, I was "thinking" it as similar to my plan, but found out that your grandsons were very young, and there is no problem with that.  There are 8 of us planning on doing the same itinerary, only in March.  I am taking my 3 sons and wives and a friend, so it looks like we, as well as you all will be finding out about the Horizon for the first time too. 🙂

[soonernstlouis]

We are taking the same Western Caribbean route on Horizon a month before you (October 2020).  Selfishly we are leaving the grandkids behind and staying in a Havana cabin.  But since our grandkids live with us, we need a kid-free vacay!  Looking forward to relaxing a lot more than our 1st Carnival cruise in 2019 (7 day cruise that only had 1 sea day).  
 

Hope you enjoy your 1st Carnival cruise!

[beshears]

Actually we will be cruising before you, as ours is March 15th, 2020.  I agree, if I had my "15" grandchildren living with me, or even less, I would need to get away too.  I have been blessed to cruise over 25 years for 19 cruises, and several on Carnival.  I know a lot of people call it the "party" ship, and it can be, but we don't do what some people do to "party", but still have a wonderful time!  Enjoy your cruise when you go next year!

[Organized Chaos]

On 12/17/2019 at 2:29 PM, Kilmarlic said:

I'm most interested in tips, tricks and suggestions that you guys might have concerning the grandsons. They will be just under 4 years old at the time we sail.  

Thanks for all the help to all the questions I'll be asking that are Carnival & port specific.   - Iris

 

I've heard only good things about Carnival's kids clubs. I've even seen some people say their kids had more fun on a Carnival cruise than Disney. At 4 years old, your grandsons will be in the Penguins program. You can read more about it here: https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1397/~/carnivals-youth-program Click on "Penguins" to read more about that program specifically.

 

If you eat dinner in the MDR (Main Dining Room), they have kids menus.

 

The WaterWorks out on deck has an area for smaller children, so if they like playing in the water, they should have a lot of fun there.

 

There is an arcade, but there isn't much, if anything, for children that young. You might be able to find something in there they could do.

 

There's soft-serve ice cream available 24/7. 😁

 

One morning, they'll have a Dr. Seuss Green Eggs & Ham breakfast, for an additional fee. If you want to sign up for that, there will be someone registering families on embarkation day. There will also be some free Dr. Seuss activities, like story time, a character parade, & more. Horizon has a Dr. Seuss library called Bookville.

 

Mini golf.