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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Lynda Irwin
Email: irwin@philau.edu
Age: 31
Occupation: secretary
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: 9/27/99
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 4150/12
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 70
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 79
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 75
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Oct 1999
Time: 14:23:44
Remote Name: proxy2.philau.edu
Remote User:
Comments
This was mine and my husband's first cruise and we were quite satisfied with every aspect
of it. Celebrity's Horizon
is an older ship, but well maintained. Our stateroom was a catagory 12 (located at the
back of the ship) which we
thought would be as big as a shoebox, but we were pleasantly surprised to find a decent
sized room. Our only
complaint about the room was that when the motors were slowing down or we were going in
reverse it felt as if we
were having an earthquake.
Since this was our first cruise, we can not compare the stability of this ship. We felt an
awful lot of motion, especially
on the way home. Thank goodness for the couple we met at our table who gave us patches for
the trip home. I was
actually woken up one night due to the rocking of the ship.
Our cabin steward and his assistant were wonderful from day one. They anticipated our
every need and always
greeted us with a smile. We had a problem with our room being extremely cold and he made
sure to take care of it
right away for us.
The food on this ship has been rated as one of the best and we can not agree more. Each
night the dinner
presentation was incredible as well as the taste. Our waiter and bus boy were two of the
nicest people who work for
Celebrity. We wanted for absolutely nothing! Breakfast and lunch buffets rated almost as
high as dinner, but not
quite. It was just nice to have someone carry my tray for me. Not only were there buffets
for lunch but you could also
choose from a pasta bar or The Grill which served burgers and hot dogs.
Midnight buffets were incredible on the Horizon. We have never seen so much food in our
lives! The Grand buffet
was by far the best!!
The shows are on this ship are a bit on the hokey side. They seem geared toward the older
audience. We did enjoy
a comedian though. And the last show of the trip was very entertaining with singers and
dancers.
The beauty spa was nice, but when I went for a very expensive massage, they tried to sell
me everything under the
sun. Also, they would not let me tip them in cash, it had to be put on the card they use
for the cashless system.
Getting to the cashless system - I was a little annoyed at how each time you get a drink
or use your card, you have
to sign a receipt which you then have to carry around with you. We had tons of little
papers in our wallets! I really
hope they find a better way for passengers to use this system.
Embarkation was extremely easy. We weren't supposed to get on the ship until 2:30, but
when we arrived at 2:00 we
were allowed to board. Our ship went out of the Philadelphia Navy Yard who we think really
needs to find a better
system for the arrival of passengers. We had to wait in a long line of cars because they
only have room for so many
to pull up curb side to unload luggage. This is no fault of Celebrity's though.
Disembarkation was smooth but took
quite a while for us to get off since we were a catagory 12. The ship docked at 8 a.m. and
we didn't disembark until
11 a.m.
As for the ports of call in Bermuda, we were very happy with King's Wharf also referred to
as the Royal Navy
Dockyard. There wasn't a lot to see there, but it was nice to walk around and there were
some shops to go in.
There were more water sports type of activities to do there. We sailed over to Hamilton
and were very disappointed.
We were surprised to find how busy it was. It was like being in Center City Philadelphia
for us. All in all though, the
island of Bermuda is beautiful! Next time we would like to visit St. George.
For a first cruise I think Celebrity was an excellent choice and we would certainly choose
them again.
Name: Mary Toth
Email: mimat@msn.com
Age: 33
Occupation: Administrative Assistant
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: October 03, 1999
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 5127/10
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 100
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 1
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 92
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Oct 1999
Time: 15:25:36
Remote Name: 1cust244.tnt1.toms-river.nj.da.uu.net
Remote User:
Comments
My husband and I experienced our first cruise with Celebrity's Horizon leaving from
Philadelphia, PA to Bermuda.
This cruise was nearly perfect from the beginning to the end. Celebrity does an
outstanding cruise!
Embarktion was a breeze. We arrived at the cruise terminal around 1:00 PM, showed our
bording passes, etc. and
we were escorted to our room within ten mintues. The room was perfect. We decided to do an
inside stateroom. At
first, I was a little un-easy about staying in an inside stateroom but once I saw the
room, that feeling subsided
quickly. The room was perfect. Plenty of closet and drawer space. Nice size bathroom as
well, and clean at all times.
In fact the entire ship was immaculate at all times!
The food was wonderful! Our waiter, Marius and his assistant, Ivo, were the best! They
made us feel like a king and
queen.
Our cabin steward, Lucille, was also wonderful. Our room was always clean with plenty of
clean towels.
We arrived in Bermuda on Tuesday at noon and booked our first excursion with the ship. It
was the Hartley
Underwater Walk. Wow...what a thrill! You walk on the bottom of the ocean with a helmet on
your head and a tube
from the ship that feeds you air constantly. You don't even have to know how to swim. Greg
Hartley tours you
around the coral reefs and shows you many tropical fish. These fish seem very used to
Greg's presence there. He
even trained an angel fish to swim through hoops. You get to feed the tropical fish and
pet them and Greg shows
you all the different types of coral reefs in the area. You are under water for
approximately a half hour but you wish
you could stay under longer! This is a wonderful experience. The best $$$ we spent. This
is a must for anyone
visiting Bermuda whether with Celebrity or on your own.
The following day it rained all day with a few down pours. The news said that in that one
day, Bermuda received
more than half of their monthly average of rain. Our snorkeling excursion was cancelled.
Even though it poured all
day, it was still a wonderful day! We purchased the three day bus/ferry pass. I recommend
this. It gives you
unlimited use of the ferry and bus system for three entire days. I truly enjoyed the ferry
rides more than the bus
rides. We went into Hamilton a couple of times that day and had a blast touring around. We
were soaked but
laughed the entire time. While in Hamilton, we saw the Zenith.
Thursday, we toured the naval dockyard at King's Wharf. This is where the Horizon was
docked. This was also a
great tour. There are some magnificant views fron the top of the dockyard.
We left Bermuda Thursday at 2:00 PM with the band, Xtasea playing in the background.
Friday was spent all day at
sea and what a wonderful day that was! We arrived in Philadelphia around 7:30 AM but did
not disembark until
10:10 AM. If there was one negative about the entire cruise, it would be the disembarktion
time.
All in all, this was the perfect vacation for us. Because this is our first cruise, we do
not have another cruise to
compare it to. I truly feel though, that the next cruise will have a really tough time
trying to beat this cruise. Celebrity,
in my own opinion, is the best. The crew and staff were excellent and the food was
wonderful! I can't wait for our
next cruise!!!! Please e-mail me if you have any questions.
Name: Brett Sorge
Email: bsorge@mindspring.com
Age: 52
Occupation: Real Estate Developer
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: November 22, 1999
Itinerary: Ft Lauderdale to Southern Caribbean
Cabin: 4034
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 70
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 70
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Dec 1999
Time: 18:19:59
Remote Name: user-38lddrp.dialup.mindspring.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first longer cruise of 11 nights after having cruises of 4 and 7 days. The
nice part was that we were ready to
get off the cruise this time and get back to our regular lives. The vessel Horizon is
approximately 10 years with a lot of
pluses and some minuses.
The plus size is that we had a very experienced crew and this showed. The crew had a lot
of experience working together
and this made for a better experience with dining and cabin services. The negative is that
the boat is an older
configuration and smaller then the new ships coming out and a longer cruise this can make
a difference.
One area that we found was the Dining Room was at mid ship and we have grown to enjoy the
rear ship format. Also
having the dining room at mid ship meant having to travel up and down stairs to get to
activities on the other side of the
vessel. Also the Exercise room was smaller and many of the amenities that we see on the
newer vessels were missing.
The Horizon made up for many of these 'Slight' inadequacies by having a fantastic kitchen.
We were truly served Gourmet
meals and the Pastry Chef was beyond belief. If you did not gain 10 pounds on this cruise
you must have been doing
something wrong. Some of the highlights included the Filet Mignon, Lobster Tails, Strip
Steak, Sirloin Steak, and
Chateaubriand. The only areas I found unexceptional was the fish, except for the Mahi
Mahi. Adrian our Waiter (And as I
understand all the others) came from a 5 star Restaurant and Knocked himself out to please
us. Our busboy remembered
the small things such as hot cream for our coffee that I requested every night. You made a
request once and it was
carried out everytime thereafter.
We had a Grand midnight Buffet the night prior to the last night that truly was
magnificent. Every item was hand made and
you could tell that effort that went into the food preparation.
The entertainment was very good and the best was Mario Delesandrio who had a beautiful
voice. Every other night they
had a cast of singers and dancers who put on Las Vegas style shows. They were young and
energetic. The cruise
director Dave we have seen on prior cruises and he was great as always!
Areas that we would have like to see some improvement included lack of flexibility with
their programs. One day all of the
shore excursion were delayed from returning to the vessel due to a rain storm. This caused
us to miss our lunch and the
management should have lenghthen to lunch period. They did offer us 'Pizza', but this is
certainly not wat we want to eat
on a cruise.
We also feel that the onboard activities need some more original ideas. Everyday we saw
the same activities, ie Table
tennis, Darts, Water Volleyball, trivia. Some alternative educational programs would have
been greatly appreciated,
especially on a longer cruise.
Ports of call and shore excursions - Curacao - Scuba at the Natl. water park was very
good. The town is very pretty and
worth seeing LaGuaira- Mainly visited to pick up cheap fuel. The town is pretty ugly, but
a half day tour of Caracas is
definitely worthwhile and very interesting. Grenada - Kind of 3 rd world. We did a tour of
Annandale falls and the rest of
the island. Nothing exceptional here. Barbados - A nice place that we did a 4 X 4 tour
with Adventure travel and was a lot
of fun. Very beautiful place to visit and a lot of local color. Antigua - Yuck! Understand
that the cruise line is thinking about
dumping this from the itinerary. St . Thomas - Definitely the Jewel of the trip. Make sure
to bring a lot of money for
shopping. We also did a snorkeling trip to St. Johns island that is a must to see! Our
only problem was we only have 10
am to 6 pm on the island and we needed more time. Our overall experience as very good. We
had a 'Older crowd' due to
the lenght of the voyage. Not many people our age can get away for more then one week.
Having a younger crowd would
have been nice. Celebrity is a first class line and I would not hesitate to travel with
them again, although I would prefer one
of their newer bigger ships on a longer trip.
Name: Andrew Taylor
Email: ataylor@lta.com
Age: 46
Occupation: Administrator
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: 11/22/99
Itinerary: 11 Night Ultimate Caribbean
Cabin: 6127/04
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 99
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 70
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 70
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess: 95
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Dec 1999
Time: 23:17:18
Remote Name: beth1ts3.md.us.prserv.net
Remote User:
Comments
Horizon 11 Night Ultimate Caribbean Cruise in Review
Finally, I thought, for once and for all I would be able to decide for myself whether
Celebrity Cruises are
any nicer than the other mass market cruise lines. For over a year, I had read on the
different bulletin
boards on the Internet a debate over and over on this topic. It seemed to me that the
cruising public was
almost evenly divided. Many sang the praises of Celebrity but just as many decried that is
was nothing but
a big sham, an ad campaign and nothing more. I couldn't wait to decide for myself.
Embarkation
We flew down the day before the cruise and stayed at the Best Western Marina Inn which was
better than
expected. We saw the Grand Princess and the Mercury leave and then early to bed in
anticipation of our
cruise the next day. After a nice breakfast poolside and a walk around the marina we took
a cab to the port
to meet our Internet cruise buddies Linda and Phil and arrived about 11 AM. We had been
corresponding
for a couple of months after discovering that they were sailing on the ten night cruise
right before ours.
After dropping our bags off I spied Linda and Phil by the entrance and ran over to meet
them. Linda and I
hugged like we had known each other for years. They both looked very tan and relaxed. We
had been
worried about them since their cruise turned out to be in the middle of hurricane Lenny.
They directed us
inside and we got a boarding number (very important to do this first thing upon your
arrival at the terminal)
and since we were so early we got number 2. We had to wait until 12:45 or so before they
called our
number but the time flew by while we were visiting with our new friends. After they called
our number we
said our good-byes and headed through the doors for the next line where they check your
tickets. This
took about another 20 minutes or so and after the obligatory photo we finally walked
aboard our home for
the next 11 nights, the Celebrity Horizon. If it weren't for our visit with Linda and
Phil, the wait would have
been terrible. Plan on a long wait if you get there early.
The Cabin
The ship looked beautiful from the moment we stepped aboard. There were white-gloved
stewards waiting
to escort you to your cabin. The steward took time to go over the features of the cabin
before he was off to
escort others. We were thrilled to find a present of a pair of champagne flutes from Linda
and Phil waiting
for us! The cabin was lovely, a little smaller that we would ultimately have liked, but
tasteful and very
practically arranged. We were in cabin 6127 on deck 6 a category 4. A good location for
the restaurants
and bars but quite a multi-deck hike to the pool area. The cabin was tastefully furnished
and had several
nice features. The storage was phenomenal, 18 drawers and two closets. Built into the
nightstand was a
selection of four different music stations. There was a stainless steel tray with ice,
glasses and a carafe of
water. This was nice and meant that you didn't have to purchase bottled water. The bath
was on the large
side for a cruise ship and very tasteful also, all white and chrome with a blue gray tile
floor. It had shampoo
and lotion dispensers, a hair dryer and a fabulous shower. All in all we were very pleased
with the cabin.
The Ship
We were immediately impressed with the Horizon. The understated elegance permeates the
ship
completely, even the casino. We checked out all the major public rooms and for the most
part they were all
stunning. Particularly beautiful are the new areas including the Library, Card Room and
Michael's Club.
The only areas of the ship I felt in need of some updating were the Coral Seas Café and
the Zodiac
lounge. Both were certainly still in good condition and serviceable but could stand some
sprucing up.
There was plenty of deck space and we never had to search for a chair. The deck chairs
around the pool
have navy blue cushions and look really nice with the camel color beach towels provided.
We usually found
a quiet spot either up front or aft, away from all of the action.
The health spa was definitely too small for a ship this size. It had very limited
equipment. Certainly nothing
like you would find on a Carnival ship.
The dining room, although crowded, has a very nice look to it. It could use a little more
ceiling height but
basically is a pretty room.
All in all, we loved the décor and look of this ship, nothing flashy, everything in good
taste.
Food and Service Main Dining Room
This was one of the main reasons we decided on Celebrity and they really do phenomenally
well with the
food. It was definitely better than any other cruise we have taken, Carnival, NCL or Regal
Empress. Strong
points were the entrees, I had some stuffed Quail that were incredible, red meat and Lamb
were always
fantastic and cooked to perfection even if you like it rare. I don't eat fish but others
seemed pleased with it.
The pastas were also good and the appetizers were often fantastic. They even had
sweetbreads one
evening, my favorite! The salads were hit and miss. For the most part they were very tasty
but sometimes
they looked like not enough care was taken putting them on the plate. The breads were
wonderful, soups
very good, deserts mostly were outstanding. All in all we were thrilled with the food. The
service was
another matter however. We felt rushed at almost every meal. I would often practically
have my plate
removed while still having my fork in my hand. There is no excuse for this at second
seating. Our waiter
and busboy were OK, nothing more. I know that they have better.
Food and Service Buffets, Grill
While the food was consistently good in the Coral Seas Café, it was almost always very
crowded. Long
lines were the norm. This cruise was filled with seniors who seemed to do nothing but eat,
or wait to eat.
The waiters did take your tray to your table for you if you needed help or if they knew
you. The décor in
this area as noted before, needs work, the baby blue walls look very passé. The grill had
very good
hamburgers and hot dogs and really good French-fries. The outdoor dining area by the grill
was lovely too.
The afternoon teas, and midnight buffets looked good but I was too full to sample the
food!
A note on the liquor policy we encountered. Much has been discussed about this but we
found it not to be
a problem at all. We brought liquor on in our luggage and had no trouble. They even
addressed it in an
early taped introduction asking to limit the use of liquor you brought to your cabin. I
bought additional liquor
in port and had no trouble bringing it back on board. They did not x-ray purchases and
only on one
occasion (when someone official was standing by) did they look into anyone's bag. The guy
in the shop on
board even indicated he would let us take a bottle back to our cabin so I certainly think
that the policy at
least on this ship was very lenient.
Staff
While not everyone at our table agreed, I thought this was where Celebrity shined.
Everywhere you turned
there were smiling faces with a cordial greeting. The staff is very attractive and
helpful. Although we felt like
we had somewhat special treatment due to our introductions from Linda and Phil, they
seemed to us to
treat everyone well. The only area that needs improvement is in the dining room.
Entertainment
Hit and miss. The one big production show we saw was fantastic but some of the other
entertainment was
tired. A pretty bad magician (I kept waiting for him to make his toupee disappear), a
couple of so-so singers
and a really bad accordion and violin duo in the America's Cup Lounge who effectively kept
everyone out
of there! Jay Scott on the piano was good and the lead female singer is fantastic. These
entertainers
change often so should not be used as a criterion for not selecting this cruise.
Itinerary
This was our first eastern and southern Caribbean cruise so we have nothing to base this
on. We enjoyed
all the ports but now understand why the private island concept has become so popular
since the beaches
are really one of the high points of these cruises.
Curacao is post card pretty and has some great shopping values. Buy as much as you can
here, it will be
more expensive later in the cruise. The people were friendly too but didn't bother you.
La Guaira, Caracas is an interesting stop. We did the Caracas tour and found the city very
interesting. It is
a huge city with lots of poverty and also lots of wealth. Stunning mountains and vistas
will greet you here.
As everyone has said in the past, don't go exploring around the docks, very poor and
probably not too
safe.
Grenada is a beautiful island but the port city is poor and not very interesting. The
tours to the Annandale
falls are marred by aggressive panhandlers who won't take no for an answer. Incredibly
beautiful, this
island has a long way to go as a destination.
Barbados port area is not impressive but the island does have its charm. Since we were
there on a
Sunday, nothing much was open so we got a cab and went to the most beautiful resort,
Glitter Bay, for
lunch. It was a stunning place with excellent food. Our driver waited for us and then gave
us a tour on the
way back to the ship. Barbados looks like it might be verging on a lot of big development
so you might want
to get there quick. We also did the Atlantis Submarine excursion here and that was a
wonderful once in a
lifetime experience.
Martinique was not what we had expected. Everyone seems to think that the people here are
rude but we
found it to be just the opposite. All right, I admit that one of us speaks French and that
helps, but most
people we encountered spoke English too. We took the ship's excursion to St. Pierre and
Mt. Pele. This is
worth seeing but the excursion was overpriced. Do it on your own.
St. Thomas was what we expected, beautiful from a distance but too commercial on closer
inspection. We
didn't bother with St. Thomas and spent the day in St. John. The island of St. John is
stunning. We arrived
in Cruz Bay and got a taxi to Trunk Bay. This was without a doubt the most beautiful beach
either of us has
ever seen. I was blown away by the snorkeling, so many beautiful fish and coral.
A word of advice on ship sponsored shore excursions. For the most part, try to avoid them.
We only did
three but wished we had only done the one in Caracas. Believe it when people tell you that
there are
PLENTY of taxis willing to give you the same experience at a cheaper cost and without all
the waiting for
people to get on and off the busses. You might think that this is scary but believe me, it
isn't!
Overview
We had a great time! On the two days at sea on the return we had gray skies and rough seas
though. We
also had an emergency evacuation with a helicopter and this caused the ship to be a few
hours late getting
into Ft. Lauderdale. Although this wasn't Celebrity's fault, I'm sure many, many people
missed their flights.
Celebrity definitely met or exceeded our expectations in most areas. The ship was stunning
but had a few
problems. The space ratio was not the best (it's much better on their larger ships) and
caused crowding in
the buffets, Rendezvous Lounge, and sometimes on deck. The passengers were overwhelmingly
senior
citizens (not Celebrity's fault) with the average age being around 70. Celebrity must be
marketing in
Europe because there was a huge group (hundreds) on board. Most of the seniors, regardless
of where
they were from, were very pushy with a "me first" attitude. I don't have a
problem with traveling with seniors
but this group was very old with many rude and complaining people. Another charming
fashion statement
was made with many passengers wearing their complementary bathrobes around the ship.
The good points are décor, food (really wonderful) and a terrific staff. Everywhere you
went on the ship
there was a smile and a friendly hello. We think that the Horizon is a very nice ship but
feel that it could be
improved in some areas. It is sorely in need of some upscale alternative dining as the
Coral Seas Café had
a terrible ambiance (just heard it is being updated during the next dry dock). We enjoyed
the cruise but will
probably not do such a long one again. After the first 7 nights we were really ready for
it to be over.
Surprising as that may sound it was true. Perhaps if the weather on our last few days at
sea had been
nicer and the other passengers were younger or more fun, we would have felt differently.
We will definitely
give Celebrity another chance though and look forward to trying some of the larger ships
in their fleet.
Andy Taylor, Arlington Virginia
Pictures from this cruise can be found at the following web site:
http://members2.clubphoto.com/andrew89261/
Name: David Greenberg
Email: tamu84@erols.com
Age: 37
Occupation: Electrical Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: 22 November 1999
Itinerary: Ultimate Caribbean
Cabin: 5073
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 97
CabinComfort: 87
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 97
DeckService: 97
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 97
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 88
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 91
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Dec 1999
Time: 09:39:22
Remote Name: jt055.jtrs.sarda.army.mil
Remote User:
Comments
I spent alot of time reading the reviews provided by the other cruisers, so I thought that
I'd better provide
input for other people out there considering a cruise vacation.
I did quite a bit of research on the different cruise lines and after reading all that I
could selected Celebrity
based on the fact that they seemed to give more bang for the buck. Next we had to select
the length of
cruise and since we had been on a 7 day prior and it didn't seem long enough we decided on
an eleven
day.
I emailed Celebrity in advance asking about their kids program (ours are ages 15 and 6).
They provided
alot of useful information about the ship and the facilities, and programs for each of my
children.
I booked my airline flights independent of the cruise, but used the cruise service for
picking up my bags at
the airport and the shuttle over to the cruise terminal. This worked just fine for a
family of four, but you may
not want the extra expense if a couple is going.
The flight down was uneventful (and on-time), and the Celebrity Rep was there to meet us
as we arrived in
Ft Lauderdale (9:45 am). We had to wait for the shuttle over to the terminal which didn't
arrive until 11am,
but this wasn't a problem as we relaxed in the airport.
We arrived at the port terminal around 11:15 and received a boarding number from the rep.
We had a low
number, which ment that after the Captain's Club (which I recommend joining if you plan to
cruise with
Celebrity again) boarded we would board soon after. Boarding commenced at 1pm with the
Captain's Club
members and all people who had suites cabins. Make sure all of your cruise paperwork is
filled out in
advance, because this will save you lots of time when trying to board. We boarded the ship
at about
1:20pm and headed for our cabin (which was larger than expected (Royal Caribbean's cabin
didn't have
near as much closet space).
After dropping off all of our carry-ons in the cabin, we headed up to the Coral Seas Cafe
for lunch. The
quality of of there is very good, but not to the standard of the food in the main
diningroom. We spent the
next hour exploring the ship. The Horizon though 9 years olds is in excellent shape (It
was refitted in 1998).
After a quick lifeboat drill, we left port and headed out to sea. The drinks that were
being peddled by the
bar staff as the bonvoyage drink came with a souvenier glass ($6). The glass was nice but
six bucks was a
little pricey.
The two and a half days of sailing to the first port were very relaxing and the ride was
relatively smooth.
The Horizon is not one of those mega-ships, so you are going to feel the seas even with
stabilizers
onboard. My wife has a tendency towards motion sickness, so she used the patch and other
than one
rocky evening she was fine.
Most of our first 2 days we spent at pool. I do like to lift weights and did while aboard
(even found a great
workout partner), but the exerciseroom is geared to people who are very casual about
lifting weights, so my
partner and I just had to make do and improvise.
My daughter (age 6) got involved in the kids program from day one and stayed involved the
entire time
onboard. There were plenty of activities for her, and she really looked forward to being
there with the
friends she made. The counselor (Lorraine), was extremely good with the little kids and
they all seemed to
gravitate towards her.
My son (age 15) on the other hand tried to stay away from the kids program and he just
hung out with the
4 other teenagers on the ship. There were plenty of other activities to keep them busy and
while at sea he
was normally gone until almost 1am everyday.
The food and service in the main diningroom was fabulous. Our waiter Mario catered to our
every need
and seemed to be able to read our mind on what we wanted and how we wanted it cooked after
a couple of
days. My wife had her birthday while on the cruise and they made it extra special for her.
The food in the
other dining area, though very good was not to the standard of the main dining area. The
pizza bar was a
welcome treat in the afternoon returning from ports and tasted quite good. The back deck
served hotdogs,
burgers, and sausages which were also good. Midnight buffets looked wonderful, but we only
had a few
snacks and they were excellent.
The room staff is very efficient and almost like ghosts moving in and out of the room with
the greatest of
ease. They will do just about anything you could ask for as far as room service and you
will wonder how
they get it all done.
The cruise staff like all other members of the crew is very cordial and willing to help
you with anything at a
moments notice. The crew aboard the Horizon were always smiling, not a forced smile, but a
true
personable smile. The cruise director (David) is a real character and real enjoys his job.
My wife and I really enjoyed the Martini bar and ended up there every evening after
dinner. The
conversation there was wonderful and the staff (Lee, the bar manager) would make any
martini you could
come up with.
Aw, the ports: We didn't take any of the cruises tours. Research your ports on the web and
catch a cab in
port. This will save you tons of money. AAA has a good Caribbean Tour Book for some good
ideas of
things to see.
Curacao - A very pretty little island, with a very scenic shopping front. The snorkeling
was average but the
main advantage that my son loved was that the beach was topless.
La Guiera, Venezuela - This could be deleted as far as we were concerned (Very
unstable/unsafe). Most
people just went into the cruise terminal shops and then spent the rest of the day on the
boat.
Grenada - The main beach is very pretty....this is not a snorkeling beach....Make sure you
catch a cab in
the port area and have him take you to Annandale Falls (very pretty area).
Barbados - We arrived on Sunday so the entire town was closed down. There is good shopping
in the
terminal. The beaches are nice (not developed). We went to the underwater park which was
below average
for snorkeling. I'll try some place else next time.
Martinique - Go to the volcano (Mt Pele) if you want a good workout. The cabride will be
very expensive
though. In main beach area swimsuit models wonder the area selling their wares, constantly
changing tops
and putting on a very nice show. Snorkeling is about average.
St Thomas - Make sure you head over to Coki Beach ($5 cab ride per person) for snorkeling.
The are tons
of fish, sea turtles and plenty of other underwater adventures. The shopping in downtown
St Thomas is
very good, so avoid the terminal area (cost are quite a bit higher).
The evening shows were a little cheesy, and the lead male singer was just not very good. I
thought the
juggler was good and the magician wasn't too bad. The rest we pretty much left after a few
minutes, but the
people we were partying with late told us they even thought the shows were bad.
The ride back was a little rough, and a we to turn around one morning so that a lady who
had a heart
attack could be airlifted back to Puerto Rico. Other than that everything aboard ship ran
like a top (smooth
and constantly).
Disembarkation took a little long, but as long as you didn't have a real early flight back
home, there wasn't
really any problem.
Thats about all I can tell you without writing a book, so if you want anymore info feel
free to contact me and
I will be more than happy to tell you more.
and YES we will be aboard another Celebrity ship in the future. They are true
professionals in the cruise
business.
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