celebrity-horizon9

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Frank Darpli/Ann Salo
Email: darplif@co.county.chesterfield.va.us
Age: 53/53
Occupation: Psychologist/Information Systems Manager
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: February 14, 2000
Itinerary: Ultimate Caribbean
Cabin: 6071
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 89
FoodRoomService: 96
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 96
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets: 92
CabinSteward: 92
ShoreExcVariety: 89
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 88
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 82
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 83
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 89
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 92
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 92
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 06 Mar 2000
Time: 12:42:00
Remote Name: firewall.co.chesterfield.va.us
Remote User:

Comments

We were glad we booked this cruise as a land/sea package. Our flight connections weren't as convenient
as we would have liked but we live in a small city and not a major city or airline hub. Weather caused our
original flight to be cancelled and the new connections had us arriving in Fort Lauderdale uncomfortably
close to the published sailing time. We called the number Celebrity provided with our travel documents
for this type of problem. They took our names, assured us that, though it would be close, we would arrive
in time to embark and asked us to call if we would be later than the time we had been given by the airline.
Our anxieties were eased by this information and by the fact if we did miss the ship we assumed Celebrity
would make whatever alternate arrangements were needed to get us on board. We entered the
embarkation area, which was empty of other passengers, whisked through the formalities, boarded the
ship as the other passengers were finishing the lifeboat drill, and arrived in our cabin as the ship began
to ease out of port. Too close a call, but we were happy to be aboard. On our next cruise we will consider
arriving the day before the cruise begins to insure we will be able to board on time.

We chose the Horizon in part because of its size. We had been on RCL's Majesty of the Seas and found
the vessel too much like a large hotel with a hull. We were looking for a more nautical feel and fewer
guests. The Horizon delivered. Cruise passengers seeking soaring atriums, glass-enclosed elevators,
and large numbers of shops would be disappointed with Horizon. The lounges were ample in size with no
difficulty finding seating on either side of the ship or your desired distance from the musicians.
Understated elegance, more modest shop selection and a tasteful but smallish guest relations, shore
excursions lobby met our needs well.

The cleanliness of the ship was excellent. Hallways, stairways, elevator lobbies were spotless, buffed to a
high shine by constant attention from the crew. Lounges and the dining room were similarly well
maintained. The pool and sun decks were also subject to constant attention. Crew were vacuuming,
wiping, removing used towels, bussing empty drink glasses, and straightening deck chairs for the next
guest. Excellent job in these heavily used areas, especially on at sea days. Finding a deck chair on the
pool deck was often difficult but this was due to many passengers reserving a deck chair with a towel and
a book for hours at time without actually occupying them. Celebrity obviously can't do much about selfish
behavior by some of their guests.

Our cabin on the Caribbean deck (deck 6) was a nice sized space even when made up in the queen bed
configuration. There was a small safe, ample drawer and rod space in the closet. The desk/vanity was a
little tight because Celebrity had added a television to each room after the interior spaces had already
been designed. Still four drawers on either side of the desk and three drawers in the nightstand allowed
us to stow all of our belongings comfortably and conveniently out of sight. Two clothes hooks on the side
of the closet were handy for hanging pool attire between sunning sessions. The night stand panel had a
switch for the main over head lighting, an on/off switch for announcements, and three choices of
recorded music, classical, pop, and light jazz. The night stand lamp had two settings which along with the
main overhead lighting and the lighting for the desk permitted a variety of lighting effects to suit or needs
and mood. The bathroom was large enough to not feel cramped and the shower was larger than what we
remember from other cruise ships. A retractable clothesline in the shower was convenient. The height
adjustable showerhead was attached with a flexible hose to allow for thorough rinsing. Hot water was
ample and hot. Body lotion, soaps, cotton balls, q-tips; emery boards and bathrobes were provided.
Shampoo was provided but, surprisingly on a ship of this caliber, conditioner was not.

The cabin steward had the cabin meticulously clean when we arrived and kept it that way throughout the
cruise with three to four daily visits. Each day the cabin was made up when we returned from breakfast,
towels and ice were refreshed throughout the day and the bed was turned down and chocolates placed
on our pillow when we returned after dinner. The cabin steward provided excellent service. The sound
proofing between cabins was adequate but if you have neighbors with loud voices you might be
disturbed. There was a slight squeak from the ceiling panels while underway but this did not bother us.
The Horizon provided quite a steady ride with more movement forward to aft than rolling side to side. The
sea swells were quite pronounced on our first two sea days. We were not seasick at all with our cabin
amidships (6071). Dining room table mates whose cabin was quite far forward complained of seasickness
and that the booming of the bow as it pushed through the swells made sleep difficult.

The dining on Celebrity lived up to their marketing and reputation as the cruise line in this category with
the finest menus, preparation and service. We were extremely pleased with almost all aspects of the
dining operation. We chose to avoid any food item that would be served in a fast food or pizza restaurant.
As a result we can't comment on the foods available at The Grill which were hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs,
french fries, and a small selection of deli salads, e.g. potato salad, cole-slaw etc. Nor can we comment on
the pizza that was available during most of the afternoon and evening. Both of these food stations at the
rear of the Coral Seas Café provided seating in the Coral Seas or the sundeck at the stern of the ship.
The Coral Seas Café' served as the venue for the breakfast, lunch, and informal tea buffets. The food
quality at the breakfast and lunch buffets was far superior to the typical land based buffet. Many of the
menu items were identical to those served in the dining room at the same meal although some items were
only offered in one place or the other. The positive aspects of taking meals here is the flexibility in when
you dine, the fact that you can chose to join others at a table or eat with your companion or alone, and
the casual dress code. The negative aspects of using the buffet were, the need to stand on line at times,
a tray with a cloth place mat is a poor substitute for a linen covered table, the food presentation is
haphazard and the temptation to take more food than you want or can finish. Waiters at the end of the
line offer to carry the women's trays to the table and other servers circulate through the Café' to
replenish coffee though not other beverages. The décor and ambience of the Coral Seas Café seemed
just slightly tired and worn. Some seating fabrics were worn; some metal work had been polished down to
the base metal and some tabletops looked less than fresh. These flaws were minor but compared to all
other public spaces on Horizon the Coral Seas Café did not 'exceed our expectations'.

The main dining room is divided into four areas. On both the port and starboard sides a large, long
dining room is adjoined by a smaller dining room. The fourth room is a smaller, slightly raised, space
between the two large main rooms. Our table was in this raised space and I would recommend it for its
more intimate feel, proximity to the string and violin duo who play during the initial stages of the evening
meal and the quieter sound levels compared to the main dining areas. The dining areas are handsome
spaces with much chrome and glass and attractive fabric, carpeting and draperies. Seating close to the
service/bus stands was noisy and those seated in banquettes were unable to be as professionally served
as those guests were in individual chairs.

We purposely chose to eat almost all of our meals in the dining room. On at sea days were asked to sit at
our assigned table. On days Horizon was in port open seating, waiters seating you with other diners to fill
tables, was used at breakfast and lunch. The open seating allowed us to meet and converse with other
guests. Waiters at open seating provided excellent service even though they knew their tips would come
from their assigned table rather than open seating guests.

The breakfast menu did not change during the cruise. There were plenty of choices though, a variety of
fresh pastries, hot and cold cereals, fruits, juice, eggs every conceivable way, a variety of omelet
stuffings, pancakes, french toast, and a variety breakfast meats including kippers.

Luncheon menus were wonderful. No menu items other than ice cream varieties were repeated in 11
days. Each day a choice of five course meals, appetizer, soup, salad, entrée, dessert was on offer. Cold
soups were especially good, and the appetizers were imaginative. I chose many of the seafood entrees
while my wife chose more freely from both the seafood and other meats. Vegetarian, entrée salads, egg
specialties, and heart healthy entrees were available. The entrée portions were as large as dinner
entrees so order carefully if overeating or waste concern you. Examples include broiled halibut with
duchess potatoes and quickly boiled vegetables, arroz con pollo, and lamb curry (too mild for my taste).
These luncheon meals were the equal of the dinner choices. All of the courses were beautifully
presented on the plates, the wait staff never had to ask who ordered what, a plate was never placed
before the wrong guest, and the Celebrity logo on the plate was always at the top. This was very high
quality wait and bus service. We really enjoyed the luxury and pampering of having our meals served to
us by highly competent waiters, at beautifully dressed tables while conversing with a changing cast of
interesting people.

Dinner menus, preparation, presentation and service were also excellent. Again, appetizers, soups,
salads, entrees or desserts were not repeated during the 11 days of the cruise. We were extremely
satisfied with everything we ordered. We are adventurous eaters and so we tried many of the items that
are unlikely to be found in many restaurants, e.g. sweetbreads. We also chose items that appeared to
require more individual attention from the chefs rather than simple sauté's or broils. Our tablemates and
others did complain that the steaks seemed to be less than prime quality. We were well pleased with the
skills displayed by the chefs. The table settings were attractive, crisp linens; napkins folded in a wide
variety of shapes, fresh flowers and ten-piece place setting of flatware. Our waiter was top notch,
remembering our likes and dislikes, suggesting items to order and treating us warmly but professionally.
Our assistant waiter was only average. Initially his service was below the standard we expected so we
spoke with the maitre'd. He was very concerned that we were not satisfied, spoke with the assistant
waiter, informed us that he had taken action and inquired a number of times if the situation had improved.
It had, but it was not up to the caliber of the high quality service we were receiving from the other dining
room staff. We went to two of the midnight buffets. A number of these buffets were actually at 11:30 p.m.
The grand buffet on the last formal night was spectacular. The culinary staff used this occasion to display
their impressive skills. The presentation was grand, ice and vegetable sculptures, bread sculptures,
exquisitely decorated cakes and pastries. The quality of the food was also at the highest level with pates',
lobster, forcemeats, beautifully done pork rolls, quail, among many, many more items. I surely would not
miss this buffet. We did not try room service but other guest reported fast service and large quantities of
the items they ordered. We also did not try the alternative casual dinners held in the Coral Seas. We
chose Celebrity in part because of the reputation for very high quality dining and were very well pleased.
I think that the more knowledgeable you are about foods and cooking, the more wide-ranging your taste
in foods, the more you will enjoy and appreciate the dining experience on Celebrity.

The ports of call were varied in their levels of sophistication, poverty and interest. Six ports in six days
sounded more daunting than it actually was, although two of the days in port were limited by fairly
constant rain. We wanted more relaxation than stimulation on this vacation so we limited our time ashore
to walking tours of the ports. We did not take any of the shore excursions but others said they met their
expectations. There were a wide variety of excursions to choose from. The excursions did seem a little
expensive but if you want the peace of mind that comes from Celebrity providing a quality control function
on the tours and operators the value for your dollar seems more reasonable.

The entertainment in the show lounge did not 'exceed our expectations'. The Celebrity singers and
dancers performed four Los Vegas styled reviews heavy with show tunes and older rock/pop standards.
The dancers were good though not exceptional. The female vocalist was excellent both of voice and
presentation. The male vocalist was less successful vocally and his presentation was wooden. Numerous
costume changes provided lots of eye candy but the reviews did not hold together very well and the
songs and shows had a routine sameness, with very few numbers being memorable or unique. The
entertainers on the other nights ranged from a very good comedian, to a good vocal impressionist to a
below average violinist. I did not expect the shows on this smaller ship to be as high in quality as those on
the larger ships but these shows were truly average.

The Caribbean band, Prodigy, did an excellent job throughout the cruise. They performed on both the
pool deck and the Zodiac lounge. They had a very large repertoire ranging from fifties rock for Fifties
night through Disco, Pop, Funk, Reggae and amazingly a country western tune or two. They were adept
at varying the song selection of their sets to suit the particular audience, varying the proportion of
romantic slow songs to more up-tempo rockers. They got people out of their chairs and onto the dance
floor, no small feat for a sometimes older, more reserved crowd. The Family-Duo was less entertaining
with their more swing oriented sets. An over reliance on computer cued loops and effects produced a
sound that resembled background music rather than fine dance music. The piano/violin duo had very
good command of their instruments but their arrangements of rock and pop standards were too
schmaltzy for our tastes. Service by the bar staff on the pool deck was fine. There were plenty of servers
and while they were always present they were not intrusive or pushy. The same was true in the
entertainment lounges. Although, on one occasion in a lounge we were approached at least fifteen times
in less than ten minutes. Others at our table left because of the onslaught of 'service' and it wasn't until I
responded NO! with a louder than normal voice that we were free of their solicitations.

Cruise staff were invariably friendly, helpful and upbeat. They appeared to be satisfied with their jobs and
clearly were interested in their guests having a wonderful time. The cruise director for the beginning of
the cruise was excellent. His extroverted bravado was at just the right level to induce the feeling of 'we
are having fun' and 'let's participate'. Celebrity removed this cruise director in mid-cruise to attend a
corporate training event and his replacement was barely adequate. This man's enthusiasm seemed
canned, he conveyed some inaccurate information about up coming activities and seemed very anxious
that his job performance be up to Celebrity standards, sadly it was not.

The average age of the guests on this cruise was probably in the 50-59 range, with this age group being
very well represented. There were many guests in their forties and sixties. The few guests in their
twenties seemed to be with family groups. A large contingent of passengers 70 and older led to plenty of
space in the lounges at night and a more sedate ambience during the day.

We had a wonderful time. Celebrity will be the first option we explore as we begin shopping for our next
cruise vacation.

Name: Doug Otto
Email: doug_otto@excite.com
Age: 40
Occupation: Project Manager
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: 2/25/00
Itinerary: 10 Night Ultimate Carribean
Cabin: 9062/7
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 82
CabinComfort: 84
FoodRoomService: 84
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 84
FoodLidoDeck: 86
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 78
FoodVariety: 88
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 74
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 74
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 72
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 86
EmbarkDisembark: 88
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 84
Stabilization: 72
ShopsOnBoard: 72
SpaceRatio: 84
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Mar 2000
Time: 15:52:23
Remote Name: ss08.ny.us.ibm.com
Remote User:

Comments

My wife and I sailed from Ft. Lauderdale on 2/25/00 on the 10 night Ultimate Carribean itinerary. We
arranged our own airfare, and transportation between Port Everglades and the airport. We chose this
line and itinerary specifically for the duration, ports of call, multiple days at sea, and Celebrity's service
and food reputation. The overall cruise grade was a solid B vacation! My wife would probably grade it a
low B or C plus (it was her 1st cruise) because the ship pitched and rolled quite a bit the first 2 days at
sea (though the seas were not the least bit rough). The ship was sold out. We seldom found ourselves
waiting in line to do anything, perhaps it was good luck or the fact that our stomachs were out of sync with
the majority of the other passengers!

As for the food: a solid B plus. The best dinner entree we had was the Salmon steak (A+!) on the first
night! Only one other dinner item reached the A+ range -- a salmon mousse enveloped with smoked
salmon appetizer (even if you hate salmon, you must try this!). We sat at a table for two -- this turned out
to be not so good for us because our waiter was inundated by his other three tables of six. In other
words, we were less fussy than the other 18 diners (so said our waiter!). On the last evening, our
waiter-assistant apologized for his lack of attention to our table throughout the cruise! I did eat the 2nd
best filet mignon I've ever consumed during this cruise, though earlier in the cruise the beef tenderloin we
ordered were not top quality cuts. As I've read before, the salad presentations were not much of any
presentation -- ours at home are nicer, and we're not gourmet snobs. During two dinners in the dining
room, our salads never reached our table! We went from appetizer to main entree -- on the 3rd
consecutive night where it seemed we were not going to be seeing our Caesar salads, we asked the
waiter if he could bring our salads with the main entree. The remaining 5 nights we had our salads served
as expected. The chilled soups were superb (I had them every night). There was always one decent
dessert each evening, though I really enjoyed the ice creams every meal. To make up for his salad
mishap, our waiter insisted on bringing us every dessert each night (the lemon tart is really really good).

Breakfast and lunch buffets were pretty good -- the made-to-order omelet line moved well in the
mornings, the breakfast sausage is really good, and eating salmon every morning on a toasted bagel
with cream cheese was a really good thing! A drawback is the fact that Celebrity shuts down their juice
machines prematurely at breakfast and lunch (but you can order pitchers of very good orange juice, dare
I say better than what comes out of the machines (?), delivered to your cabin at no charge!). We really
enjoyed the pizza after returning back to the ship after a full day on the islands -- the veggie is the best (I
don't know why); the pepperoni is lean and tasty (though they always managed to burn it). The desserts
on the buffet line after 3pm were pretty damn good! (At least I thought it was late afternoon) An excellent
chocolate mousse cake, and pecan pie were most notable companions to our post-pizza inhalement. As
we were 2nd seating diners, we had no interest in seeing more food at midnight, so the only midnight
buffet we visited was the Grand Buffet. Grand yet small and intimate is more like it. We overheard a
staffer earlier in the cruise tell a passenger that she'd just about die for the Grand Buffet's chocolate
cheescake. So we went in search of this wonderful cake, but it was not to be found! So I jokingly said to
our Head Waiter, Peter, 'you know Peter, we heard there was going to be this great chocolate
cheesecake and we're sort of disappointed it isn't here tonight.' Boy, did he take off in haste to query the
pastry guys! He came back with a huge slice of regular cheescake and a huge slice of a very tasty
chocolate cake, all on one plate, and said he hoped this would satisfy our craving. That was unexpected,
entertaining, and gastronomically gratifying (Peter earned his tip that night).

We only went to two evening shows: Charlie Frye & Co. with comedian Ralph Achilles, and Paul Borland
(man of a 1,000 voices) also with Ralph the comedian. Mr. Frye is worth the time! Ralph's jokes catered
to the over 50 crowd (meaning you've heard most of his jokes before) -- his 1st 30 minutes of his 1st
show were OK to sit through. Paul Borland sings with his take on famous singing voices (I thought his Neil
Diamond was pretty pathetic, then again I'm not that fond of Mr. Diamond either).

We only booked 2 shore excursions through Celebrity: the St. Maarten America's Cup Yacht Race
(overpriced, yet fun and physically challenging for some -- depends on what you end up doing on the
vessel; I thought it would last for 3 plus hours but the actual time in the vessel was less than 95 minutes),
and the Barbados-based Jolly Roger booze cruise (10 years ago this was fun, this time it couldn't end
soon enough -- yet I drank the same amount of rum punch both times, hmmmm). The Antigua snorkeling
excursion sold out before we could book it. We love to snorkel and ventured out on our own full day
snorkeling advenutres in Antigua (taxi to excellent Long Bay), St. John's (Red Hook ferry from St. Thomas
to jeep rental to Waterlemon Cay near Leinster Bay), and St. Lucia (hired a boat to take us from the
cruise dock down to the Pitons -- the best snorkeling was off the boat along the rocks somewhere
between Anse Chastenet and the Pitons). We were disappointed with the lack of port information
assistance the cruise staff provided (I hear they're pretty decent if you want to shop though). Here's an
example of an actual conversation I had with a staffer standing on the pier waiting for the upcoming
snorkeling excursion passengers to gather around:

Me: Do you know WHERE on the island the snorkeling excursion is going to snorkel? Staffer: We're
gathering now, go over there and stand in line -- we'll be leaving in 15 minutes [quickly turns her attention
to no one else]. Me: The excursion sold out before we could book it. We'd like to know where on the
island they'll be going to to do the snorkeling. Staffer: Oh, I have no idea [blowing us off abruptly,
immediately focusing her attention on passengers coming down the gangway]

There was one or two other similar fruitless queries made of other Celebrity staffers. Good service means
being polite AND helpful, even if you've been asked the same question by 1,000s of other passengers
earlier in the same day. I truly felt I was on the receiving end of rude, pretentious snubbery when dealing
with some of the Celebrity staff on this cruise. On a very positive note, I realized I had forgotten to pack
shirt studs, a dear at the front desk arranged for tux shirt studs to be delivered to our cabin within 30
minutes...., no charge! That is courtesy! A funny note -- I called cabin service one night to have the
steward bring us a new vanity pack (they contain q-tips and cotton balls). When we arrived back to our
cabin later we found two dozen sanitary napkin disposal 'envelopes' instead! Don't ask for q-tips, you'll
get something for kotex!

The ship is quite nice and is kept pretty clean; my wife pointed out to me that she noticed several staff
not picking up trash/cups/plates/towels in certain deck areas at all or not as expeditiously as she'd desire
[I didn't notice anything substantially messy nor upsetting to me (then again I'm a guy who doesn't always
pull his share of housework)].

Overall I had a really good time, though the mix of passengers was skewed toward those born 2 decades
before me (I knew that when I booked anyhow); best part is the fact there were very few yahoos who
acted as if they were having their first beer (ahh, experienced drinkers are always welcome on my boats).
Unfortunately for me AND Celebrity, my wife will be a tough sell to get back onto a cruise ship anytime
soon (even tougher than getting her on this 1st cruise) -- something about beds that push together,
ship's motion, and missing salads at tables of 2.

I could easily write another dozen paragraphs, instead, I'd be happy to share more info if you e-mail me.

Name: Libby Child
Email: lchild@steelcase.com
Age: 50
Occupation: Human Resources Manager
NumberOfCruises: 18
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: March 17, 2000
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: 6062
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Apr 2000
Time: 15:34:06
Remote Name: steelcase-cp.steelcase.com
Remote User:

Comments

Celebrity’s Horizon Southern Caribbean March 17-27, 2000

We’ve recently returned from just a delightful cruise on Celebrity’s Horizon. This was our 18th cruise, the
6th on the Celebrity Line and the 2nd time on the Horizon. We were traveling with 6 other couples,
ranging in age from their early 40s to early 70s; for us – this was a challenge, but also an opportunity to
have additional fun. There were some couples who had never cruised at all, and some that had cruised
once or twice, but never on Celebrity. Before I go any further – they all had a WONDERFUL time and
our worry about whether they would enjoy the cruise was completely unfounded. I always feel that when I
talk someone in to cruising with us, that I’m personably responsible for their satisfaction with the cruise;
lesson learned: with Celebrity – customer service and satisfaction are at the top of their priority list, and I
don’t have to worry about it at all.

The itinerary was great – two days at sea departing Ft. Lauderdale, followed by stops at St. Maarten,
San Lucia, Barbados, Antigua, St. Thomas, and then two more days at sea back in to Ft. Lauderdale.
This gives passengers a chance to relax, get to know the ship, and generally ‘leave their cares behind’.
Each island stop had such a variety of activities, it was never difficult to decide on the days’ activities –
sometimes we went as a group, and sometimes divided up. For anyone traveling with a group of more
than just a couple of couples/people, I’d suggest a pre-cruise discussion of the flexibility of everyone
being able to do what they want. The two days at sea on the return leg gives one an opportunity to
enjoy the ship …. and begin facing the harsh reality of returning to life’s every day routines.

Both embarkation and disembarkation went very smoothly. Fast, hassle free, and convenient. The
process generally seems to improve each time we cruise, so apparently the cruise lines have listened to
the complaints of how bad each of those processes can be. From start to finish, for both, we spent less
then ½ hour dealing with the detail and the process.

The size of our cabins were more than adequate – and it was great to have our luggage outside our
cabin within a half hour of arriving. There was plenty of storage space, despite the fact that I still take
too many clothes. Our cabin steward, Rudy, was efficient, personable and accommodating – he met and
exceeded our expectations in every way.

The ship was in excellent condition, the entertainment very good (especially the shows done by the
ship’s singers and dancers), and the staff and service outstanding. The food was excellent, and the
three couples that were of Italian descent traveling with us were impressed that every evening their
waiter brought them a different pasta dish – that wasn’t on the menu, and hadn’t been a ‘special’
request. Talk about service ‘above and beyond’ expectations! I suspect they’ll cruise again on Celebrity.
I always like to point out that the food is never 100% perfect all the time, but as my husband points out,
it’s better than the tuna and hamburger helper we often have at home. And there are certainly good
restaurants we’ve been to that occasionally serves a poor meal. My general thoughts are that if I don’t
have to shop for it, prepare it, serve it, and clean up after it, I’m going to enjoy every morsel of food that
is in front of me. Our wait staff, from headwaiter, Rudy, to our waiter, Ibraham and assistant waiter
Zcorask (sp?) was one of the best trios we’ve ever had. Also – once our wait staff knew we were partial
to the bread sticks – we always had an extra basket of them on our table each evening. This falls under
the category of anticipating needs and fulfilling them without being asked.

After 18 cruises it’s not always easy to find something truly remarkable about each one. However, this
cruise was an exception. Besides the quality of the ship, entertainment, food and service, there were
three individuals who made our cruise experience one we will always remember: Our Social Hostess,
Kristina Popovich, was a true delight. After answering a few general questions the first couple of days,
she made a point to seek us out and to make sure we were happy, and were having a good time. Our
photo with the Master, Captain Antonios Manaras, was not exceptional, but I asked her if we could have
it autographed. When both Kristina and the Captain realized it wasn’t a good picture – they made
arrangements to have a few other shots taken…. after we’d had the privilege of dining with the Captain.
He even autographed each of the new photos so we could have our choice. Also – Kristina had a
delicious box of candy sent to our cabin … expressing her sentiments about cruise customers that were
kind enough to write thank you notes, etc., as we are accustomed to doing.

At dinner with the Captain, hearing his philosophy on the cruise world of today, focusing on customer
service, and the need to go above and beyond – only underscored what he and his staff had done for
us during our cruise. I had written a note to the Hotel Manager expressing our pleasure and satisfaction
with our wait staff and cabin steward – and were pleasantly surprised when the Guest Relations
Manager sent a basket of fruit and a bottle of champagne to our cabin, thanking us for our comments.
We later had the pleasure to meet Christina Zenetou, Guest Relations Manager, and what an impressive
individual. Being in the service business myself, I believe I recognize potential, and I fully expect to see
Christina on a future cruise as the Hotel Manager!

In summary – we had an exceptional experience, and we’ll be cruising again on Celebrity. And from the
comments of our traveling companions, they’ll be right in line behind us! If anyone has any specific
questions about the ship or the shore excursion, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly. Usually,
the first question I get is 'What didn’t you like?' In this case, the only response I have is 'it ended.'

Name: William Ribelin
Email: ribelin@gulftel.com
Age: 75
Occupation: retired veterinarian
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: 6 March 2000
Itinerary: 11 day southern caribbean
Cabin: 1087
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 88
GoodForSeniors: 92
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 96
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 75
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 94
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Apr 2000
Time: 20:36:35
Remote Name: 5gis162.gulftel.com
Remote User:

Comments

We drove to Ft. Lauderdale and stayed at the Embassy Suites at our expense (a very nice hotel, and
convenient). Our car was left at the hotel for $5 per day and the valet took us to the ship. Embarcation
was fast and easy. In the absence of verandas we chose a cabin adjacent to the rear deck. It was very
convenient. All cabins on the ship are identical and are compact, pleasant and efficient. The bathrooms
are a model of efficiency and the best we have seen. Storage is abundant and suitcases store easily
under the beds. The only problem was that this ship does roll--although no one got seasick the next time
we will get a cabin on the lowest deck. The ship is beautiful and always clean. Food was excellent as was
the service. The band was essentially rock and fine for age thirties but on cruises over 7 days the
average age is usually twice thirty. Caribbean night was disappointing since the band was definitely not
caribbean. Entertainment was good. Backdrops, props, and costumes were excellent. The cruise
director was apparently hired for his good looks since he displayed no talent other than inducing the
audience to clap one more time for the performers. Port stops were Curacao (interesting), Bonaire
(excellent snorkelling), Barbados (always interesting), Martinique (friendler than last trip, someone must
have spoken to them), Grenada (poverty stricken and depressing, reminded us of Jamaica) and St.
Thomas (crowded and interesting but only if you wish to shop). The ship was large and not crowded
even though fully booked. A relaxing spot was always available. The Americas Cup bar fully forward
being sunny, quiet, with a panoramic view was our favorite during the day. There was a jogging track
and plenty of deck space. The ship and its operation were truly first class and I would love a return
voyage.

Name: Susan Jackson
Email: tomsusanjackson@aol.com
Age: 37
Occupation: Homemaker
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: 1st July 2000
Itinerary: New York - Bermuda - New York
Cabin: 4123 Cat 6
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 50
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 50
DiscoNightclubs: 70
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 70
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 Jul 2000
Time: 14:10:54
Remote Name: tomjack.clark.net
Remote User:

Comments

We are a family of 4 (children aged 6 and 8)and sailed to Bermuda 2 years ago on the Horizon. We
enjoyed it so much we went back a 2nd time. This year the itinerary had improved and featured both
St George and Hamilton.

A couple of the public rooms had been refurbished since last time. the Coral Seas cafe had been
updated, a cigar club had been added and the library seemed smaller than I remembered. Take note
Celebrity, it was hard to get a seat in the library, maybe you need to expand this space for people
looking for a quiet spot on the ship.

Cabin layout was fine, enough closet space even for 4. When the ship was moving however there
was a lot of noise both from the engine noise and vibration in the cabin which was annoying.
Fortunately we spent more time docked than at sea.

The food was good, but not as exquisite as we remembered. The appetisers, soups and desserts
were excellent and very European. The entrees seemed designed more for the American palate,
more meat and less sauce, and very uninteresting potatoes. Room service breakfast was fine and far
less stressful than the dining room. Lunch in the dining room had more of an ethnic feel with gado
gado, pad Thai and fajitas on the menu. Never had the opportunity to try afternoon tea or the
midnight buffet as I was too full! Room service has improved with a wider variety of foods on offer.

Dining room staff were very efficient and helpful.The cabin steward was unobtrusive yet he kept the
cabin clean and tidy.Overall the service on board was excellent.

Childrens counsellors were wonderful. We had a child in shipmates and a child in cadets and both
thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We liked the babysitting being available until 1am.

Entertainment was fine. We listened to the group Prodigy a few times and went to the disco. We only
saw one show, Broadway Hits, and were impressed by the quality.

Embarcation was a zoo. Although we were Captains Club members there was no way of finding the
separate check in. Only when we got near the front of the line did we find someone to ask who
pointed us to the Suites and CC line. We are British and on our return to NYC the immigration
procedures were greatly improved over the last time we travelled, much faster and better organised.
Debarcation was a breeze. CC members were second off the ship.

All in all we had a good time and would definitely cruise Celebrity again.

Susan Jackson

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