Carnival sets its sights on Horizon

Royal Caribbean isn’t the only major cruise line rolling out a giant new vessel. Rival Carnival has unveiled a sizable newcomer, too.

Miami-based Carnival’s 26th ship, the 3,954-passenger Carnival Horizon, entered service Monday in Barcelona with a 13-day inaugural sailing to the Mediterranean.

Constructed at a shipyard in Italy, Horizon is a sister to Carnival Vista, which debuted in 2016 and is the cruise line’s biggest vessel ever. Both ships are

133,500 tons.

Like Vista, Horizon boasts an 800foot-long sky ride around its top deck, and inside, an IMAX Theater. Another notable feature is a 455-foot-long water tube attraction that will be part of a Dr. Seuss-themed water park.

Like other Carnival ships, Horizon has a range of other deck-top fun zones, eateries, bars and entertainment.

Still, while relatively large as cruise ships go, Horizon is significantly smaller than Royal Caribbean’s new ship, the

228,081-ton Symphony of the Seas. Horizon will make four Mediterranean sailings out of Barcelona before crossing the Atlantic to New York for a series of cruises to Bermuda and the Caribbean. In the fall, it’ll move to Miami for sailings to the Caribbean. Fares start at $419 per person for a six-night Caribbean sailing from Miami.