We enjoyed being on a new ship. However, I would encourage Horizon to give more attention to the Guest Services area as the lines are too long for extended periods of time. More staff is needed to man the area. Additionally, find a way to prevent people from holding lounge chairs they are not using. Keep up the good work related to embarkation and debarkation. I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly both were done. Even though we are not yet platinum (need 3 more cruises), we experienced no line for embarkation at 12p. While there was a line for debarkation, it moved right along.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
This was my 14th cruise and the smoothest and quickest embarkation we've experienced.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Dining was well organized. Did not experience any standing in line except for the eve of New Year's Eve (Your Time Dining). Our wait for New Year's Eve was 25 minutes. During this cruise, we did not eat at any of the specialty restaurants. They seemed to always be packed so we thought we'd wait until Horizon is not so new anymore and give the specialty dining areas a try. They looked interesting.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Pools were well attended and surrounded by various activities, such as bands, shows, and the theater. But, as usual, there was the chair hoarding. For hours chairs were held by personal items, but no one evidenced using the chairs. So unfair. The fitness center had numerous types of equipment and all functional. The Serenity Spa was relaxing and well serviced. The ship abounded with activities for children. I would love to travel he Horizon when children are in school because there were too many children around after 10pm.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The stage shows were ok but not among the best I've experienced on board various ships (Holland America, Costa, Celebrity, Norwegian).
Children's Programs
We were 2 adults traveling without children.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
My cabin personnel were super. I could not have asked for better. Service personnel were courteous, acknowledged your presence, and kept themselves busy--no lingering around. Did a great job in the burger area (Guy's Burgers) to keep the tables clean and the crowd flowing. I will say that the Guest Services area needs more staff. The lines were much too long, especially for those who cannot stand for extended periods of time. If this were a category by itself, Guest Services would receive only 2 stars. Once at the desk, the staff was courteous and approachable, but lines were much too lengthy for long periods of time. Improvement is definitely needed here.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship was clean. Bathrooms smelled nice. Supplies always plentiful. The Horizon is huge so I didn't get to all areas. However, the layout was such that it was not too tiring for senior citizens to participate in various activities. The activity areas seemed to be well laid out. While the pool area was clean, as mentioned earlier, too many lounge chairs were not occupied by people but rather being held captive by personal items. I wish personnel were more attentive in keeping unused chairs open for those who would actually use them.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I have no complaints whatsoever about my cabin. It was clean and well maintained throughout the 8 days. However, the balcony, port side, midship was small and I heard several passengers make the same observation. Since I cruise because I enjoy being on the ship, the balcony is an important additive so I do enjoy having a bit more balcony space.
Ship tip
Enjoy the ship while it is new. It had its maiden voyage in April 2018 so is still going through the newness of its first year. I loved that the staff wore this designation so proudly.
We took the trip because the ship was going to Dominican Republic. But we were in port on Jan. 1, a holiday and the DR was closed. It seems an oversight on the part of Carnival. We could have been at sea during the holiday and in port on Jan. 2nd so that we could enjoy the DR in its full. Since DR was on holiday, I am not certain why we were in port as the towns people were not being attentive to visitors. I was extremely disappointed.
Disappointed in the food. The quality was subpar for Guys restaurants which we have had on magic and Vista. There wasn’t a variety either that I’m use to from the other ships. The dinner had the same as the buffet. No variety. Everything else was great. We had a great time. It’s a beautiful ship.
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