Horizon Review 6/13-21

[Hans van Smeiter]

Recently returned from NYC after 8 day cruise on the Horizon (Eastern Caribbean). Had a great time! General impressions: food and food options were abundant, some was very good, some was mediocre, but more or less as expected. Service started out a bit rough, but improved after the first couple of days - maybe waiters and stewards still getting the feel for each other and new ship? DW and DS love the comedians, and saw multiple shows, all were entertaining. Didn't get to see the musical productions, so can't comment. Alchemy Bar - need one in my house! Ports were a lot of fun (Grand Turk, Puerto Rico, Amber Cove (DR)). Ship itself is beautiful, obviously pretty big. Stateroom as expected. Spa nice, we didn't use the services much, because the weather was great except a brief rain while in port at PR.

 

For more details, read on!

 

First, the boarding process is very much streamlined since our last cruise (about 2 years ago). Probably in the port at NYC for 30 -40 minutes. Arrived (after a 2 hour cab ride!! from LGA) almost exactly at 1:30 and had arrived to cabins that were ready by 2:15. DW and I in a balcony, DS and his friend across the hall (not old enough for a balcony, plus who wants to pay for that for the kids!). Room about the same as other balconies we have had in past, though one fewer closet, and life vests now under the bed. The reduced closet may be because this was a 2 person cabin, as opposed to the 3 person when DS was younger and stayed in our cabin. Did have USB outlets on wall, did not have them on the lamps. Met the lead steward, Samuel, who introduced himself and asked if we preferred morning, evening, or twice daily service. We elected evening, and had no issues with the timing. A couple of times they forgot dirty glasses on the balcony - oh, well.

 

There are so many food options on the ship, we didn't get close to trying them all. We typically have enjoyed our late dining and getting to know the waiters, so we have yet to book a specialty restaurant. Our first night, the service in the MDR was a mess. Slow, disorganized, and they had to ask us our names. Now, that would not be a big deal to us, except on our previous cruises, they already knew our names, and we didn't recall any obvious confusion even on the first night. By the second night, it was improved (we think Roger, the main waiter, cracked the proverbial whip a bit), and by the 3rd night, the service was on par with previous cruises.

Food in the MDR was more or less as we have come to expect - some dishes are very good, steaks (on Feast nights) are overcooked, the lobster was also overcooked. Of the "adventurous" appetizers, the rabbit, ox tongue, and escargot were the best. Alligator is in a fritter, and mostly tastes like fried batter. The cold soups tend to be good (cream peach and mango are yummy, and the gazpacho had decent spice to it). None of the entrees really stood out as fantastic, but they were warm, and certainly acceptable. We both enjoy good food, but DW doesn't enjoy much seafood, so unfortunately the Chef's table is not worthwhile for us.

For breakfast, by far we most enjoyed the burritos at Blue Iguana. DW loved, loved, loved the watermelon jicama salsa (though the sign said "jirama" - a source of amusement for us the whole time!). Also did a sea day brunch once, and my steak and eggs were pretty delicious! The Lido buffet holds no surprises. For lunch, we went to the Mongolian BBQ a couple of times - I liked the spicy sauce (not all that spicy), DW thought the soy sauce selection needed more flavor. Never made it to the pasta bar. Pizza is good for what it is (though they put the prosciutto on AFTER they bake the pizza - what is that about?), burritos were good, burgers and fries were quite good. Never ate at the seafood shack. Never ate at Guy's BBQ place. Salads on Serenity did not have any staff prepared options - was essentially just a salad bar - but what they had was good and a nice change of pace.

 

For entertainment, as noted above, we mostly went to the comedy shows. PG options were appropriate and funny, adult options were always funny and occasionally hilarious. Kids lived at the arcade :rolleyes:. Also played some bingo (and won $200!), listened to the electric violin group and the "coffee house" singer. Brief stints in the casino. We didn't find it super smoky - it did smell like smoke, but it's not like clouds were billowing or anything. Never made it to the musical shows, but the lounge is small. Went to the IMAX once, it was a lot like a movie theatre (shocking, I know!). Although they can't pop fresh popcorn there, so that is disappointing. The SkyRide broke after the first or second day. The kids got to ride it once, and said it was pretty cool. The clubhouse area has a lot to do, and kids also enjoyed the rope course thing. Lido parties were fun enough. Didn't go to the Havana area at night, so can't comment.

 

For better or worse, it turns out DW and I are too lightweight to make the Cheers package pay off. Probably ended up spending $100-150 more on the package than if we had just bought drinks. I can have a big day (though never near 15...maybe 10), but then I don't really feel like doing it again the next day. Anyway, live and learn. However, it did mean we went to the Alchemy Bar almost every day. It is awesome, and highly recommended. My favorite was the Caribbean Manhattan (I like me some whiskey), and my wife got into this watermelon-strawberry lemon drop that they made off menu. Tried lots of other things, as well. If you imbibe, do not miss it.

 

All 3 ports were new to us. Had a great time on the beach at Grand Turk - walked up to Jack's Shack, got an umbrella and some chairs, swam in the ocean. Saw Topher dig a huge hole, and then he came and hung out with DW for a while. Did the zipline tour in PR, which was really fun! The ziplines were long, and the whole experience is very organized. Much more so than one we did in Roatan a couple years ago, which felt like maybe each line was about to collapse - though that added to the excitement. Went on "The Beast" which is almost a mile long. That was fast, and a very pretty ride, though it was raining, which stung a bit. At Amber Cove, we went to help at a local chocolate farm and manufacturing factory. It's organized through Fathom Impact Excursions, and was a great time!. Got to help plant new seeds for the trees, see how they process the cacao, sift through the nibs to prepare them for tempering, and fill a few molds. I'm sure we slow the ladies at the factory down, but it was nice to see how their jobs work, and they use the money we pay to help pay off their government loan.

 

Miscellaneous musings: Elevators were a headache until people figured them out. And of course, the least understanding is on the first day, which is the worst time for it. Not much to be done about that. You do sometimes wait longer to get on them, but usually less time on them. And you don't have to feel guilty for closing the door on someone who happens upon your elevator as you go. The biggest complainers, unsurprisingly, are the ones who seem reasonably able-bodied and whine about waiting 5 minutes for an elevator to take them up 2 decks...(and many of them could use the exercise...just saying). Atrium is small feeling, the LED sculptures are nice, the poker table is in the Sports Bar, not the casino, and I only ever saw 3 people at it at once the entire trip. Water slides appeared good for kids (ours went on them one afternoon, and that was enough. They are 12).

 

Overall a great trip! Food was better in the city afterwards, but for some reason, they made us pay for it each time!

[jimbo5544]

Nice review, thanks for posting it

 

 

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[Shawnkat]

Thanks for posting.

Sailing on the Horizon on July 31. [emoji41]

 

 

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[poz222]

Ok to Explain... Prosciutto AFTER exiting the oven IS the ITALIAN way... how it is done in Italy. Prosciutto is a thin sliced meat and when baked in the oven, dries out and becomes like jerky... so it is put on immediately upon exiting the oven so it gently warms instead of cook the life out of it... otherwise a good balanced review. Can’t wait to sal her in October!

[Sizzlechest]

Did you ever try the buffet for dinner?

[wcarreto21]

How much was the IMAX on the ship?

 

 

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[Jenjer]

Thank You for your review. Just booked Horizon for our first Carnival cruise. How much is the typical cocktail drink? Thinking about the Cheers program. I did not see online a non alcoholic package for drinks like specialty coffee and virgin cocktails (specifically virgin mojitos). Do they have one?

 

What nights are formal nights on a 8 day?

[April42749]

Did you ever try the buffet for dinner?

 

I was on the 6/2 sailing and did the buffet 7 out of 8 nights. It was fine....an ample assortment of food. There was a choice of several entrees and a few vegetables, a salad bar and a dessert area. There was also one soup available. The quality of the food was excellent.

 

I was on the Sunshine about a year ago, and this was much better in terms of choices.

 

 

Also, no problem with seating........

[jayknee]

Thank You for your review. Just booked Horizon for our first Carnival cruise. How much is the typical cocktail drink? Thinking about the Cheers program. I did not see online a non alcoholic package for drinks like specialty coffee and virgin cocktails (specifically virgin mojitos). Do they have one?

 

What nights are formal nights on a 8 day?

 

I found this on the horizon facebook page,

[jayknee]

I found this on the horizon facebook page,

 

if its too small to see let me know and I'll try to enlarge it

[JaniceB]

Thanks for your review! I will get the cheers package for the Alchemy Bar and the water. I don't like surprises at the end of a cruise.

[SNJCruisers]

I found this on the horizon facebook page,

Way outdated price list. It states that Alchemy Bar drinks are 10.29 with 15% included when in fact they are 10.95 each, plus 15% or 12.59 each.

[SNJCruisers]

Thank You for your review. Just booked Horizon for our first Carnival cruise. How much is the typical cocktail drink? Thinking about the Cheers program. I did not see online a non alcoholic package for drinks like specialty coffee and virgin cocktails (specifically virgin mojitos). Do they have one?

 

What nights are formal nights on a 8 day?

There are variations on some sailings, but on most 8 night cruises, the cruise elegant nights are on nights 2 and 7. Carnival did away with formal nights years ago. Tuxes and formal cocktail dresses are rare, jackets/ties on men are sparse as well. Collared shirt and dockers is the norm for many men as well as pants and sparkly top or basic dress for women. There are of course many that will push the limit and wear what they want.

There is no non alcoholic drink package only bottomless bubbles and Cheers. Cheers does in fact cover many non alcoholic drinks as well such as soda, juice, bottled water (still/sparkling) energy drinks, vitamin water, bottled iced tea, espresso based coffee drinks (hot & cold) and milkshakes. The Shake Spot on the Horizon even has alcohol infused milkshakes and floats that will count towards your 15 alcoholic drinks per day. https://www.carnival.com/~/media/Images/explore/dining/menus/shake-spot-menu.pdf The non alcoholic drinks are unlimited. The best bang for your buck place alcohol wise is the Alchemy Bar, which opens late afternoon till about 1230 AM or so. Typical frozen drinks are maybe 8.95 and Alchemy Bar is 10.95. Cheers covers up to 50.00 per drink, but there are none that are over 20.00. If you like better wines, the best selection is at the bar at the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, which you can drink at even if you're not having dinner there.

[stargazer424]

Thank You for your review. Just booked Horizon for our first Carnival cruise. How much is the typical cocktail drink? Thinking about the Cheers program. I did not see online a non alcoholic package for drinks like specialty coffee and virgin cocktails (specifically virgin mojitos). Do they have one?

 

What nights are formal nights on a 8 day?

 

FWIW: I convinced myself to get the cheers package, and it was well worth it (for me). Even on the day I drank the least, I still "made my quota". Most drinks are around $10. Alchemy is 10.95, cocktails at Pig & Anchor about the same (beer was about $6), cocktails at Havana Bar were around $8-$9. The most expensive drink I had was probably $14-$15. It was either the Macallan single malt or the Hennessy XO (note there is a Hennessy Paradis at the steakhouse that is $60 per glass!)

 

Best part of the Cheers package was trying new stuff. Never had a single malt scotch or cognac before! :)

 

Definitely worth it if you think you will have about 6 drinks per day plus specialty coffee in the morning ($2-$4), bottled water to go, vitamin water, coconut water, spiked shakes, etc...plus tip is included with Cheers. I assume the above prices were pre-tip. I did give some bartenders an extra tip as appreciation. Especially after repetitive visits when they started to know me by name.

 

Alchemy was great because the bartenders are mixologists. So if you tell them what you like, they will make something that is not menu. Pig & Anchor was great too. We generally spent our evenings between the two.

[Hans van Smeiter]

Looks like most questions have been answered, but yes - elegant nights were nights 2 and 7 for us. I suppose I understand about the prosciutto - just seemed like if you could get it a little crispy on the edge it would be tasty. Drink prices quoted are accurate. Depending on your preference in wine, not that much difference in the bar at the steakhouse - I think they have one additional Pinot Noir and one additional Cabernet in the red department. The Library Bar dispenser sometimes has others, but not covered by Cheers. We did always get a glass of wine just before dinner to take in so as not to wait on the waiters. The IMAX was 12.95 for the adults, 9.95 for the kids (12 and under).

[texasgirl73]

I agree with you on Cheers. I would end up spending more on the package than a la carte. I know people will say but you can get this and that too, not just alcohol but I often reach a point where all I want to do is guzzle water and stop taking in so many calories just because I’m trying to get more bang for my buck. Been there done that, forced myself to over indulge with alcohol, coffee drinks, etc just to feel like it was worth it. My body just doesn’t want all of that for more than a few days so no more drink packages for me.

 

 

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[SNJCruisers]

Alchemy is 10.95, cocktails at Pig & Anchor about the same (beer was about $6)

Alchemy was great because the bartenders are mixologists. So if you tell them what you like, they will make something that is not menu. Pig & Anchor was great too. We generally spent our evenings between the two.

By any chance do you know if the fresh made lemonade and it's flavored variations, which is expensive IMHO @ 5.95 that you can get at the Pig & Anchor is covered with Cheers? Just curious since the fresh squeezed OJ at Havana is not and the lemonade is even more expensive, but not specifically stated in the terms & conditions of the program as being excluded like the OJ is. Thanks.

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[Jenjer]

Thanks for the info. Very helpful. Cheers for me it is. Sorry to hear they don't have a package for non alcoholic drinks beyond soda. Guess we will just need to give the kids a "Mojito and milkshake budget".

 

5 drinks and a couple of bottles of water is easy to get to. The Alchemy bar sounds perfect for me. Love that water is included. Sad that fresh squeezed OJ is not.

[SNJCruisers]

Love that water is included. .

You can get as many small bottles of still or sparkling at any bar as you can drink, one at a time of course. If you want to get a large bottle to take ashore during a port stop, you need to get it in the MDR or a specialty restaurant one of the prior evenings and just not have them open it and you can then take it back to your cabin, put it in your fridge and you're good to go. If you wait and then get it at the table as you exit the ship, you'll be charged for it. One of those weird quirks about the program.

[Jenjer]

You can get as many small bottles of still or sparkling at any bar as you can drink, one at a time of course. If you want to get a large bottle to take ashore during a port stop, you need to get it in the MDR or a specialty restaurant one of the prior evenings and just not have them open it and you can then take it back to your cabin, put it in your fridge and you're good to go. If you wait and then get it at the table as you exit the ship, you'll be charged for it. One of those weird quirks about the program.

 

 

That is great to know. Plan on taking full use of that quirk

[AAAAmerican]

Dear Hans van Smeiter,

Dag.

Thank-You for your review!

Is the bus running now in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico?

 

 

Recently returned from NYC after 8 day cruise on the Horizon (Eastern Caribbean). Had a great time! General impressions: food and food options were abundant, some was very good, some was mediocre, but more or less as expected. Service started out a bit rough, but improved after the first couple of days - maybe waiters and stewards still getting the feel for each other and new ship? DW and DS love the comedians, and saw multiple shows, all were entertaining. Didn't get to see the musical productions, so can't comment. Alchemy Bar - need one in my house! Ports were a lot of fun (Grand Turk, Puerto Rico, Amber Cove (DR)). Ship itself is beautiful, obviously pretty big. Stateroom as expected. Spa nice, we didn't use the services much, because the weather was great except a brief rain while in port at PR.

 

For more details, read on!

 

First, the boarding process is very much streamlined since our last cruise (about 2 years ago). Probably in the port at NYC for 30 -40 minutes. Arrived (after a 2 hour cab ride!! from LGA) almost exactly at 1:30 and had arrived to cabins that were ready by 2:15. DW and I in a balcony, DS and his friend across the hall (not old enough for a balcony, plus who wants to pay for that for the kids!). Room about the same as other balconies we have had in past, though one fewer closet, and life vests now under the bed. The reduced closet may be because this was a 2 person cabin, as opposed to the 3 person when DS was younger and stayed in our cabin. Did have USB outlets on wall, did not have them on the lamps. Met the lead steward, Samuel, who introduced himself and asked if we preferred morning, evening, or twice daily service. We elected evening, and had no issues with the timing. A couple of times they forgot dirty glasses on the balcony - oh, well.

 

There are so many food options on the ship, we didn't get close to trying them all. We typically have enjoyed our late dining and getting to know the waiters, so we have yet to book a specialty restaurant. Our first night, the service in the MDR was a mess. Slow, disorganized, and they had to ask us our names. Now, that would not be a big deal to us, except on our previous cruises, they already knew our names, and we didn't recall any obvious confusion even on the first night. By the second night, it was improved (we think Roger, the main waiter, cracked the proverbial whip a bit), and by the 3rd night, the service was on par with previous cruises.

Food in the MDR was more or less as we have come to expect - some dishes are very good, steaks (on Feast nights) are overcooked, the lobster was also overcooked. Of the "adventurous" appetizers, the rabbit, ox tongue, and escargot were the best. Alligator is in a fritter, and mostly tastes like fried batter. The cold soups tend to be good (cream peach and mango are yummy, and the gazpacho had decent spice to it). None of the entrees really stood out as fantastic, but they were warm, and certainly acceptable. We both enjoy good food, but DW doesn't enjoy much seafood, so unfortunately the Chef's table is not worthwhile for us.

For breakfast, by far we most enjoyed the burritos at Blue Iguana. DW loved, loved, loved the watermelon jicama salsa (though the sign said "jirama" - a source of amusement for us the whole time!). Also did a sea day brunch once, and my steak and eggs were pretty delicious! The Lido buffet holds no surprises. For lunch, we went to the Mongolian BBQ a couple of times - I liked the spicy sauce (not all that spicy), DW thought the soy sauce selection needed more flavor. Never made it to the pasta bar. Pizza is good for what it is (though they put the prosciutto on AFTER they bake the pizza - what is that about?), burritos were good, burgers and fries were quite good. Never ate at the seafood shack. Never ate at Guy's BBQ place. Salads on Serenity did not have any staff prepared options - was essentially just a salad bar - but what they had was good and a nice change of pace.

 

For entertainment, as noted above, we mostly went to the comedy shows. PG options were appropriate and funny, adult options were always funny and occasionally hilarious. Kids lived at the arcade :rolleyes:. Also played some bingo (and won $200!), listened to the electric violin group and the "coffee house" singer. Brief stints in the casino. We didn't find it super smoky - it did smell like smoke, but it's not like clouds were billowing or anything. Never made it to the musical shows, but the lounge is small. Went to the IMAX once, it was a lot like a movie theatre (shocking, I know!). Although they can't pop fresh popcorn there, so that is disappointing. The SkyRide broke after the first or second day. The kids got to ride it once, and said it was pretty cool. The clubhouse area has a lot to do, and kids also enjoyed the rope course thing. Lido parties were fun enough. Didn't go to the Havana area at night, so can't comment.

 

For better or worse, it turns out DW and I are too lightweight to make the Cheers package pay off. Probably ended up spending $100-150 more on the package than if we had just bought drinks. I can have a big day (though never near 15...maybe 10), but then I don't really feel like doing it again the next day. Anyway, live and learn. However, it did mean we went to the Alchemy Bar almost every day. It is awesome, and highly recommended. My favorite was the Caribbean Manhattan (I like me some whiskey), and my wife got into this watermelon-strawberry lemon drop that they made off menu. Tried lots of other things, as well. If you imbibe, do not miss it.

 

All 3 ports were new to us. Had a great time on the beach at Grand Turk - walked up to Jack's Shack, got an umbrella and some chairs, swam in the ocean. Saw Topher dig a huge hole, and then he came and hung out with DW for a while. Did the zipline tour in PR, which was really fun! The ziplines were long, and the whole experience is very organized. Much more so than one we did in Roatan a couple years ago, which felt like maybe each line was about to collapse - though that added to the excitement. Went on "The Beast" which is almost a mile long. That was fast, and a very pretty ride, though it was raining, which stung a bit. At Amber Cove, we went to help at a local chocolate farm and manufacturing factory. It's organized through Fathom Impact Excursions, and was a great time!. Got to help plant new seeds for the trees, see how they process the cacao, sift through the nibs to prepare them for tempering, and fill a few molds. I'm sure we slow the ladies at the factory down, but it was nice to see how their jobs work, and they use the money we pay to help pay off their government loan.

 

Miscellaneous musings: Elevators were a headache until people figured them out. And of course, the least understanding is on the first day, which is the worst time for it. Not much to be done about that. You do sometimes wait longer to get on them, but usually less time on them. And you don't have to feel guilty for closing the door on someone who happens upon your elevator as you go. The biggest complainers, unsurprisingly, are the ones who seem reasonably able-bodied and whine about waiting 5 minutes for an elevator to take them up 2 decks...(and many of them could use the exercise...just saying). Atrium is small feeling, the LED sculptures are nice, the poker table is in the Sports Bar, not the casino, and I only ever saw 3 people at it at once the entire trip. Water slides appeared good for kids (ours went on them one afternoon, and that was enough. They are 12).

 

Overall a great trip! Food was better in the city afterwards, but for some reason, they made us pay for it each time!