Caribbean cruise with Carnival – travelogue – Day 8: Miami

Day 8 was our farewell aboard the Carnival Horizon in 2018. The ship docked at six in the morning in Miami, and instead of another Caribbean island we found an entire city. We headed straight to Miami Beach to squeeze every last drop out of our final day. If you’re mapping the same route today, much remains the same-and some things have turned. Here’s what counts.

Miami sits at the southern tip of Florida, and even in November 28 °C is nothing unusual. The city is more than its cruise terminal: Miami Beach, the Cuban-flavoured Little Havana, and the perfect springboard for trips to the Florida Keys or the Everglades. That’s exactly why we swapped our final shipboard night for a hotel night on Miami Beach. A single port day alone won’t do the city justice, and that still holds true in 2026 just as it did in 2018.

Before disembarking, we enjoyed the obligatory final breakfast with a view of the harbour entrance. In 2018 the Carnival Horizon had just completed her maiden voyage and was hailed as one of the fleet’s most modern ships. She’s no newcomer anymore, yet she’s stayed technically current: in 2025 she entered dry dock, received the new red-white-and-blue livery and a refreshed waterpark. If you book the route today, you’ll step aboard a freshly spruced-up ship-and still end up at the same pier we did.

Downtown for free: the Metromover

We started by heading downtown, straight to the heart of the city. Our tip then and now: the Metromover. This fully automated elevated train loops through Downtown and Brickell, completely driverless and entirely free of charge. You hop on, take a round trip, and get a bird’s-eye view of the skyline-all without spending a single euro on a taxi. For a first look at Miami, nothing beats it. If you want to venture further toward Wynwood or the Design District, switch to a bus or rideshare at the northern end, because the long-planned Metromover extension to those areas still hasn’t been built.

From Downtown, we continued on foot with a short transfer northward. The route is doable, but don’t underestimate the distances: Miami is a car-centric city, and the gaps between neighborhoods stretch farther than the map suggests. If you’re aiming to include Little Havana and its cafecito stop on Calle Ocho, build it into your route in advance-spontaneous detours between two stations rarely work out.

Half a port day isn’t enough for Miami. To really see the city, stay an extra night and begin your morning with the Metromover.

Wynwood and the Design District

The Wynwood Arts District was already vibrant in 2018; today it’s a must-visit. The Wynwood Walls have grown into the world’s largest open-air street-art museum: entire building facades turned into canvases, murals by international artists on every corner. We were lucky enough to watch a few artists at work. If street art is your thing, budget more time than you expect-just the official Wynwood Walls grounds can easily eat up an hour.

Right next door, the scene flips to its opposite: the Miami Design District is all modern architecture, palm trees, and a luxury mile of flagship stores, galleries, and upscale cafés. Wynwood is color and raw edge; the Design District is polished concrete and brand names. The two neighborhoods sit side by side and tell two entirely different Miami stories-exactly what makes the contrast so appealing. You can walk from the last graffiti to the first designer boutique in ten minutes.

Grand finale on Ocean Drive

Our last stop was South Beach and Ocean Drive. The street runs right along the beach, lined with pastel Art-Deco facades, restaurants, and bars. By day, beach towels and volleyball in Lummus Park; by night, the pulse of music, neon, and crowds. The best part? The beach, the park, and the stroll along Ocean Drive cost nothing. You only pay if you sit down in a bar, and the sunset light on those Art-Deco façades is free anyway.

After that, we headed to the airport and back to Munich. Eight days of Caribbean sun, one farewell city, and a logbook full of impressions. If you book the same Carnival Horizon route today, you’ll still land in Miami-and our advice remains the same: give the city one extra night, and what was once a port day becomes a proper city break.

Want to read the full logbook? Start with the Day 7 sea day. Planning the trip? Check the concise route overview at Discover the Highlights of the Caribbean with the Carnival Horizon.