Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Horizon
- Cruises
- 11
- From
- $391
Ship comparison
Carnival Horizon vs Norwegian Encore
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Encore
- Cruises
- 12
- From
- $109
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Carnival Horizon is a large Carnival Cruise Line ship carrying 3,960 passengers, in service since 2018. Norwegian Encore is a large Norwegian Cruise Line ship carrying 3,998 passengers, in service since 2019.
Choose Carnival Horizon if you want a more family-friendly ship, more of a party or a more active cruise: it outscores Norwegian Encore for family friendly (10.0 vs 7.0), party (10.0 vs 7.0) and active (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Norwegian Encore if you want a lower starting fare, more crew per passenger or more space per passenger: its cruises start from $109 (vs $391), it has a crew member for every 1.9 passengers (vs 2.8) and it has 42.3 gross tons per passenger (vs 33.7).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Carnival Horizon | Norwegian Encore | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Carnival Cruise Line | Norwegian Cruise Line |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2018 | 2019 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 133,457 | 169,116 |
| Passengers | 3,960 | 3,998 |
| Crew | 1,400 | 2,100 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.8 | 1.9 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 33.7 | 42.3 (better) |
| Decks | 15 | 16 |
| Length | 1,055 ft | 1,094 ft |
| Beam | 122 ft | 136 ft |
| Speed | 21 mph | 26 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 9 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 11 | 12 |
| Upcoming sailings | 99 | 107 |
| Cruise lengths | 4–8 nights | 1–15 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $391 | $109 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Carnival Horizon leads on 5 of the ten, Norwegian Encore on 0, with 5 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Horizon
Carnival Horizon from Carnival Cruise Line is a bold, sophisticated, gorgeous ship brimming with activities, dining options, and bars and lounges galore. The ship carries 3,936 passengers (double occupancy) and 1,450 crew members — both identical to sister ship Carnival Vista — and it measures the same 133,457 gross registered tons.
Sailing now
11 cruises on sale, from $391.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Encore
Since its debut in November 2019, Norwegian Encore from Norwegian Cruise Line has impressed travelers with the one-two combination of a beautiful, fun ship and great ports of call.
Sailing now
12 cruises on sale, from $109.
Questions
Carnival Horizon or Norwegian Encore?
Which is bigger, Carnival Horizon or Norwegian Encore?
Norwegian Encore is bigger at 169,116 gross tons, against 133,457 gross tons for Carnival Horizon. Carnival Horizon carries 3,960 passengers and Norwegian Encore carries 3,998.
Which ship is newer, Carnival Horizon or Norwegian Encore?
Norwegian Encore is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2019 against 2018 for Carnival Horizon.
Which has more space per passenger?
Norwegian Encore, with 42.3 gross tons per passenger against 33.7 on Carnival Horizon. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Norwegian Encore, with one crew member for every 1.9 passengers against one for every 2.8 on Carnival Horizon.
Which is better for families?
Carnival Horizon scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 10.0 out of 10, against 7.0 for Norwegian Encore.
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