Carnival Horizon Review
Rating by category
Additional details
Our group as noted above, chose the itinerary to keep things more cost effective and allow people an extra day in Florida prior to the cruise as we all came from the Northeast. We traveled as a group of 46 with an Elvis Tribute artist and a polka band. The weather...coming from what we're calling New Seattle in the Northeast PA, we had FABULOUS weather. 7 FULL days of SUN & Fun. The ship is beautiful. The staff, fantastic. We chose the Your Time dining but ended up making reservation in the aft dining room on deck 3 Meridian. Our table attendants Harlene and Tomina we AMAZING. We kind of did a Sheldon and my spot once we claimed the table, it was ours for the rest of the week. Table 453 aft overlooks the back of the ship and is quite lovely pulling out of port. The food was phenomenal dessert...I am happy to admit I lost a pound but had pretty much double of each night! I'm a sweet tooth person and wow, just delicious! Mike Pack was the CD...he was great. We did not have a Playlist Production due to a tragic event the week before. Mike was a complete professional and handled every twist and turn with the utmost professionalism. We saw the Hypnotist Doug MacCraw...OMG, if you ever get to see him, DO IT! He was just amazing. Total skeptic here...now a believer.
The few downsides I could see of this large ship were on BEAUTIFUL seas days, not enough chairs. We walked all the decks and no chairs...well not really. There were a ton near the waterworks that were ratchet strapped down. No I know how to use one but figured it might be frowned upon by Carnival if I just helped myself. I asked if we could get some, nope. Not cool. Then around 3, I get snacky. The line for the deli...yeah 15 people deep. Guys, same thing. I didn't even try for pizza. I just gave up. Have the buffet with an area of lighter snacks like fruit, lunch meat and cheese. Why can't cruise lines have snacky stuff? The only other downside was every bathroom felt like SIBERIA...why have the AC so COLD there....I mean if you have to go, you don't need extra cold air while waiting, DUH.
The ports I've been to many times so I did some work and in Ocho Rios we spent the day at Sandals doing a site inspection. Beautiful resort, not for the mobility challenged at all. Great food , nice little cove beaches and no one haggling with you to buy their "shells" or "Stuff" like at the port. Walking around I don't like being hassled. All the Jamaicans selling the stuff at the port are owned by Indian companies...I prefer to buy from locals.
Cabin Review
Interior Upper/Lower
Our cabin we chose the 1A cabin because as a travel professional, you know what you sell. Well, pro's and cons of this cabin. We chose to have the sofa made up as a bed which they put a cute little 2-3 inch mattress on the couch. It was comfortable for me all week. My BFF had the main bed, comfortable as well. The two little port-hole windows we neat to have "natural" light in the room. We don't spend a ton of time on a cruise in the room except when I get sick with 2 days to go. Not Norovirus sick, cold sick. Still have it 9 days later. The ladder for the upper bunk is behind the bed, so you can't go back there to look out the window. The windows were cool because they had a really deep well you could put the fun towel animals on, etc. We chose only to have them clean the room in the evenings. Why work the poor people to death when we don't make a mess. Our room was decorated for Jayne's birthday...it was so cool! The con of the room, when we hit rougher seas and a storm...you HEAR everything! I was like did we hit someone in a small boat or the bottom? I've never been frightened but holy crap, I was like, is this it? LOL. I've never stayed low and in the forward of a ship. I've stayed same location on deck 10 on another ship, never felt or heard a thing. New experience, now I know.