CDF Horizon Transatlantic 11th April 2014 - Eventful

I'll post a full review in a few days, we are still on the cruise and do not have internet.

Its been eventful to say the least, a suicide on the first night and French passengers fighting.

Late for every port, so late that several were closed in town by the time we got there.

So many breaches of basic hygiene you wouldn't believe but no Noro or GI outbreak thank goodness.

Dining room food is excellent and alcoholic and soft drinks are free.

Good value for what it cost, not sure if I'd do it again.

The news story about the man overboard is here:

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-abroad/irish-man-67-missing-after-going-overboard-cruise-ship-in-caribbean-sea-31146902.html

I look forward to the review as I will be doing a similar transatlantic on the Horizon's sister ship, CDF's Zenith, next March.

The news story about the man overboard is here:

 

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-abroad/irish-man-67-missing-after-going-overboard-cruise-ship-in-caribbean-sea-31146902.html

 

I look forward to the review as I will be doing a similar transatlantic on the Horizon's sister ship, CDF's Zenith, next March.

We made it to Barcelona this morning, the first port we have not been hours late getting into.

I think most of the Anglophone passengers breathed a sigh of relief at having made it without a major breakdown of this tired old ship and being towed into port.

Only 30 minutes of free internet at Barcelona airport so I'll post when I have better access.

Going on the Zenith? Good Luck is all I can say.

We made it to Barcelona this morning, the first port we have not been hours late getting into.

I think most of the Anglophone passengers breathed a sigh of relief at having made it without a major breakdown of this tired old ship and being towed into port.

Only 30 minutes of free internet at Barcelona airport so I'll post when I have better access.

Going on the Zenith? Good Luck is all I can say.

Please don't be overly negative. The ship is hardly old. My first ship was the QE2 which was by far the oldest of any liner I have been on but still the best. 1990's is young, 30 years younger than the QE2. 1960's would be oldish now, hardly the 1990"s!

As for timings, I only care if I am late into port before my flight home. Other ports do not matter at all. I will arrange my days around whatever happens.

I too loved the QE2, but CDF just seem to paint over the rust. And Horizon wasn't built by John Browns. Its been worked to death.

Having said that some of the public rooms are beautiful and in 100% cosmetic condition, Horizon was a ship built with a stylish interior and some remains.

Regular cabins are very basic and outdated and have poor sound insulation between decks though, if you want to sleep at night never - NEVER - contemplate a cabin below a galley or buffet deck.

I too loved the QE2, but CDF just seem to paint over the rust. And Horizon wasn't built by John Browns. Its been worked to death.

Having said that some of the public rooms are beautiful and in 100% cosmetic condition, Horizon was a ship built with a stylish interior and some remains.

Regular cabins are very basic and outdated and have poor sound insulation between decks though, if you want to sleep at night never - NEVER - contemplate a cabin below a galley or buffet deck.

Ultimately CDF is Royal Caribbean with local oversight. I am not a fan of RCI but I hope that the local, in this case French, would bring something to the party - especially when it comes to dining as the French make dining such an institution.

We Brits have rolled over to Americanisation but the French never will.

Hence I hope to hear your full review....

Hopefully dropping the AI may lead to higher quality drinks being stocked on the ship. Plus a lot of other changes are needed.

The AI drinks package had only low quality spirits available (smirnoff red label vodka was classed as a premium brand :eek:). No draught beer at any bar on the ship. Frozen drinks at the pool bar never frozen. Drink mixers not cleaned after each use.

To get me back on this ship so many things would have to change.

Maybe they could get the hand sanitisers to work, get the crew to wash hands after using the restrooms ( but that would require a faucet to be fitted to the basin on deck 12 male), do the heavy duty maintenance in dry dock (list too long to note). Get security to deal with unruly guests (2 domino players fighting, twice) security guy just watching the second time, seemed he was posted to watch over the large unruly group of players. Someone to stop chairs been thrown around by guests in the casino bar.

Oh, and install automatic man overboard detection system ( standard on RCCI. Carnival. Princess. etc,etc. You never know when it may be required ( it was and hours were wasted , It could save hours in an Oscar situation.

I thought this cruise line, CDF offered a bargain for the TA cost but was so wrong.

Sorry to those who enjoyed this ship, but my experience was that this cruise line aims for the bottom feeders of the cruise world.

These TAs are not the bargain they look to be. Beware you do get what you pay for, ie. Not a lot.

I have never seen so many complaint forms been filled out.

We loved the ship, à chacun son goût I guess....(BTW I think the OP meant 2015 rather than 2014)...and would like to address a few points:

- Basic hygiene: Both DH & I have observed passengers leaving restrooms without washing their hands after using the toilets, on this, and on other ships, and elsewhere: http://consumer.healthday.com/public-health-information-30/centers-for-disease-control-news-120/only-5-percent-of-restroom-patrons-wash-hands-properly-study-finds-677246.html

What CDF can do about this behavior I don't know.

- Man overboard system: AFAIK the alert "Oscar Starboard" was sounded immediately - perhaps CDF should institute psychological testing for passengers preboarding?

Painting over rust: Again AFAIK standard shipboard procedure everywhere, (especially while at sea), sand/grind the rust off and paint.

Major breakdown: We didn't once sense that the ship wasn't totally seaworthy - (DH has been on a ship that broke down in the Red Sea and basically drifted - he said there was no comparison with that and the Horizon).

Bottom Feeders: I guess that's us - we feel no inducement to part with (often a great deal) more of our money to travel on behemoths that offer rock climbing, bungee jumping, etc, when we neither participate in nor enjoy this type of vessel. As I say "à chacun son goût".

The food was great, and, if we encountered noisy passengers in a particular location (which was rare) we simply went elsewhere - just as one would in 'real life'.

Oh, and none of the people we spoke to complained about anything.

Bottom line.....we've already booked, (and started a roll call on), the 2016 transatlantic leaving from St. Maarten on March 28.

I was on the Horizon April 2015 TA. I tend to agree with some of the comments above and will add my own.

Embarkation in Santa Domingo was tediously prolonged due to insufficient staff mainly down to only one person collecting the departure taxes. Or did I just get unlucky with my arrival time.

Yes the Ship is old but does still retain some of the charming decor.

I thought the restaurant food was excellent and the choice always good, however the buffet food was always cold this could be due to one of the doors from the buffet area to the pool not working and it would only close half way causing a cold draught to blow through the area.

Our cabin, deck 4 outside was very quiet we never heard our neighbours. The bed was large and very comfortable, the wardrobe space was one of the largest we have encountered on a ship.

The All Inclusive drinks package for me was hit and miss, The drinks did seem to be presented far better at the inside bars than the pool bar which could be down to the staff or the volume of guests using the pool bar where I tried one Pina Colada and it was like slops, I did notice everybodys was the same. Solution I went to the inside bars for frozen drinks. Its true there was no draught beer at any of the bars as an alternative you could get cans of Stroh's beer apparently its a US premium beer. If you didn't mind paying for your beer Corona was a great deal at 8 euros for 5 bottles. I also found the speciality coffee was very good and also included in the package.

The maintenance work that was carried out did seem to be over the top, quite annoying when you finally get a sunbed and the banging, welding fumes, sanding machines? electric cable leads spread out on the floor, paint smells, pool emptied on numerous occasions to facilitate repairs. On more days than is acceptable the pool area resembled a building site. I was at the pool area when a large percentage of guests cheered and clapped when the workmen finished and I have to admit I joined in.

Re the age old debate on sanitisers and the use of. I also noticed hand sanitisers were not working, not that that seemed to be of concern to the larger than average number of non users. I always take my own pocket sized gel and wipes, but that's me.

The only toilet I saw without a basin tap was on deck 12. However I did note at other locations that the hot water took an age to come through, again probably due to an old plumbing system and the non partakers of this free facility.

Unruly guests. I heard about the fights between the card/domino players but thankfully missed the Caribbean version of wrestlemania. The only action I saw was an unpleasant altercation at the terrace cafe between a couple who were non smokers and a male smoker, very abusive language with a few threats, age and health seemed to be the factor with these "seasoned cruisers" not coming to blows as according to the female in the couple the smoker would have got it had it not been for her husbands emphysema.

Shows I can't comment on as I don't do shows.

I met a lot of nice people on this cruise, had great table mates and enjoyed the crossing albeit for the maintenance issues.

Regarding the unfortunate Oscar Starboard that occurred on the second night. Its hard to tell what did or didn't happen but one thing that is alarming is the wasted time searching for footage to confirm that someone was overboard as reported here.

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2015/04/articles/disappearances-1/horizon-passenger-goes-overboard/

I never knew such a system existed but agree the cost of the search and rescue should be passed on to the guilty cruise operators as this extract from the above points out.

"The U.S. Government should invoice cruise ships that refuse to install automatic man overboard systems. Average search expenses of the U.S. can easily exceed $500,000 and reach $1,000,000. These expenses would be largely unnecessary if the cruise lines invested money to install new technology needed to keep passenger safe."

I will not respond on the bottom feeders comment above.

So yes, the crossing was eventful and very different to my previous crossings.

Would I cruise on this ship again, probably not, due largely to the what seemed never ending maintenance issues. I didn't list above the full schedule of works I saw.

Would I cruise on this ship again if maintenance work was kept to the acceptable level I have witnessed on my other TA crossings, 11 to date yes I would.

Just my thoughts

Sean

...mainly down to only one person collecting the departure taxes.

I could be wrong, but I believe that particular action falls under the auspices of the Dominican Government, (and in which case would be beyond the control of the cruise line).......I do know we experienced similar delays when they collected 'arrival taxes' when we flew in from Toronto the previous day.

These expenses would be largely unnecessary if the cruise lines invested money to install new technology needed to keep passenger safe."

If, as appears to be the case, the Oscar on this trip was a suicide, I'd suggest that no amount of technological 'safeguards' instituted by the cruise line would have deterred that action.

If, as appears to be the case, the Oscar on this trip was a suicide, I'd suggest that no amount of technological 'safeguards' instituted by the cruise line would have deterred that action.

True. I would not have deterred his action but would have saved vital time starting the search effort.

Next time it may not be a suicide.

In the defence of this ship you seem to object to anyone who has posted differing opinions to you. I however gave my opinion and respect other peoples without the need to criticise.

In the defence of this ship you seem to object to anyone who has posted differing opinions to you. I however gave my opinion and respect other peoples without the need to criticise.

No criticism intended, my apologies if it appeared that way; I was merely presenting different perspectives/observations and attempting to offer other possible scenarios.

Forgiven?

Hi there,

I have never found it so difficult to find a thread on this site as i have for this cruise. I am joining in Gudelope going to Marseille.

Where exactly is the thread?:D