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Name: Pat M.
Email: webmaster@cruiseopinion.com
Age: 27
Occupation: Cruise Travel Agent
NumberOfCruises: 12
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Celebrity-Horizon
SailingDate: 12/10/94
Itinerary: 7 Day Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 92
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 87
FoodLidoDeck: 92
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 60
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 96
FoodVariety: 92
DeckService: 88
ShoreExcValue: 88
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 88
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 82
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 88
EntertShowLounge: 82
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 88
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 93
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 94
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Aug 1996
Time: 20:47:15
Remote Name: 127.0.0.1
Remote User:
This was my husband’s favorite cruise for one reason - THE FOOD! In fact, the food was so good on this ship, that the midnight buffets on Celebrity were better than most sit-down meals on other ships. We ate ourselves silly! On top of the great food, most other aspects of the cruise were very good to excellent.
Highlights included: First and foremost, the meals were fantastic. The variety was great, and the food quality and presentation were consistently excellent. It amazed us that they were able to serve so many hundreds of meals at one time and do them so well. The excellence continued to the midnight buffets. The Italian midnight buffet on the Horizon was better than any sit-down meal we experienced on our entire CostaRomantica cruise! Amazingly, the buffets were not super crowded. Next, the embarkation/disembarkation process was the fastest and smoothest we’ve experienced. The ship felt very uncrowded overall, both outside and inside (and it was a nearly full sailing). We heard not a single negative comment from other passengers. The ship was very stable - we felt practically no movement at all. There was a wide age range on the ship - quite a few honeymooners, many families with kids, and a good number of seniors.
The negatives were minor. Our biggest problem was one we see on too many ships - cabins that creak when the ship is at sea. This cabin was particularly bad, with what sounded like old pieces of aluminum siding slowly twisting in the ceiling. We tried stuffing sheets up there, bending the metal on the ceiling, and even (don’t tell Celebrity) giving it a good punch after being awakened for about the 10th time one particular night. The only solution that worked was to turn up the TV to a music channel, or try and stuff our ears with Kleenex. If you’re not a light sleeper, this may not be a problem. But it made us very tired during the day. Other problems were even smaller - the entertainment was just so-so, and the cruise director made no great impression. Also, as those of you who have sailed in and out of San Juan already know, the San Juan airport is, to say the least, hot and dirty. We highly recommend doing a last-day-of-the-cruise shore excursion the day you disembark, to avoid having to sit in the San Juan airport for six hours waiting for your departing flight.
As far as ports go, this was a very port-intensive trip. The variety of islands was great, with our favorite being the stunningly beautiful Antigua. We booked the Jolly Roger (booze cruise) and had a great, wild time (along with some of the entertainers from the ship). Although I just could not bring myself to drink rum punch at 9:30am, most people had no problem doing so. On St. Lucia, we took a Circle Island tour, which was very interesting. We rented a car on Martinique and drove the radius of the island, which included traversing an "Indiana Jones" style one-lane wooden bridge at the North end of the Island. It does get exhausting, though, by the end of the cruise when you are on such a port-intensive itinerary. An extra day at sea would have been very welcome.
The ship was elegant, in the RCCL style of brass, cream, and peach. It was also kept immaculately clean. Dining room service was good, but doesn’t stand out in our memory. Finally, we must mention that the poolside band, Onyx, was the best we've ever heard. If they are still playing out there, please let us know. If you’re like us and you love food, this is the cruise for you. We can not wait to go on another Celebrity cruise, and we’re working on getting on the Century this year. Highly recommended!
