TomS,
We took our first cruise on the Horizon in Nov,2002. We sailed her again in Jan, 2004.
There is not too much bad to look out for on the ship, other than overeating, and getting used to being treated like royalty. Well, maybe I should take that back. In the casino, they will gladly give you $20 bills to put in the slot machines if you hand them your shipboard credit card. Sometimes, the slots get very hungry.
If you are traveling to Tampa by air and arriving a day early, a lot of the hotels near the airport will provide transportation to the pier at a very reasonable price. For instance, the airport Hilton charges $5.00 per person for a shuttle from the hotel to the dock. Try to arrive at the dock somewhere around noon if you have a 4:30 pm departure. This will give you time to have the buffet lunch on the ship, wander around the ship to find out where all of the bars, lounges, dining rooms, theatre, pool, spa are located. If you pack your swim suits in your carryon, you can also get a quick dip in the pool or a few minutes in the hot tub before the lifeboat drill and sailaway party.
The Horizon is a small ship by today's standards. The staff will really pamper you. If you haven't made a dinner selection yet, I would suggest you ask for a large (8-10 people) table. Your table assignment and dining time will be noted on a card that will be in your cabin when you board. My wife and I traveled alone on our first cruise and it was very nice to meet a bunch of people that you saw every day at dinner. If you want to learn the size of your table or change the dining time, do it quickly after you board the ship. The Guest Relations desk (5th deck) will always direct you where to go if you have questions.
Your luggage will arrive within an hour after the Horizon leaves the dock. Most of it will be showing up about an hour before departure. If it hasn't arrived within an hour after departure, you should be concerned. On both of our cruises, Celebrity has good about handling luggage. However, you still sweat until that last bag shows up.
The Horizon has a buffet dining area on Deck 11 that is open for both breakfast and lunch. They also serve dinner in this room on a "reservation basis." It is a casual dining room and offers steak, salmon, porkchops, pasta and similar items. I think they are trying to accomodate passengers who don't wan't to dress for dinner. In addition, cabin service will deliver anything from the dinner menu during the normal dinner hours. Eating dinner in your cabin on the Horizon would be a bit of a chore. On our first cruise, we ate lunch once from the room service menu. However, dear wife sat on the bed to eat her sandwich and I sat on the sofa and used the cocktail table. We got back to the ship after the restaurants had closed for lunch. It would have been better to get a hamburger on the 11th deck.
Make sure you have at least one breakfast and one lunch in the Starlight Restaurant (main dining room on the 7th deck) during the first few days of your voyage. At dinner, it is assigned seating. For breakfast and lunch, it is open seating. They seat groups of people as they arrive. Again, make sure they seat you at a large table. These casual opportunities allow you to meet more people on the ship. Hearing about people's hometowns, their occupations, etc., etc., etc., are what cruises are all about (in our opinion). If you do the buffet on the 11th deck, you normally sit by yourselves. What fun is that???
Do not miss the Grand Tea held in the Starlight Dining Room held at 4:00 pm one day during your cruise. Good tea sandwiches, sinful desserts, an assortment of fruit and the tea of your choice!!!! Have you ever seen anyone snatch a cocktail toothpick from a table with tongs wearing white gloves?? At high tea on the Horizon, they know how to do it.
Do not miss any of the late-night buffets. Don't go there to eat food because you don't want the extra calories. Go there to look at the presentation. Carved fruit, ice sculptures, sugar castles, etc. On the last formal night, a bit of the "Beef Wellington" from the Grand Buffet does taste good.
Man, I have told you so much information here that you probably want to take us (wife and me) along as tour directors. Just tell us where and when and we will be there.
Seriously, your first cruise is something to be enjoyed. Remember this, it is your vacation and not anyone else's. If something is not up to par as you would expect in a resort-class hotel, ask why it isn't. Again, the guest relations people on the 5th deck are the place to go. Bear in mind that we have only visited the Guest Relations Desk to tell them everything is great. This really brings smiles to their faces.
Cruising is a great way to spend a week, or two, and hopefully next time, three. Unpack once. Leave the driving to us. Gee, this island is hot and sunny. Let's go ashore and take a swim. When we were younger, we had to go to the vacation spot. Now, we just drive or fly to a town in Florida. The cruise line then brings the islands to us.
Our Cabins on the Horizon were 1069 and 1081!
Have A Great Cruise,
Shirley and Les
