Horizon Elevators

[jewel825]

Does anyone know what the new technology is for the Horizon elevators? I heard there is something new but I have no idea what it is or what it means. I'm guessing someone here knows. :)

[lincdax]

Here is some info:

Known as a destination-based elevator, the technology eliminates the push buttons inside the cab of a traditional elevator. Floor selection is relocated to a touch screen in the elevator waiting area, which functions for all of the elevator cabs servicing that floor -- typically four or six.

 

A guest chooses the floor and the system assigns an elevator cab to the guest. The cab then takes the guest to that floor without intermediate stops. On the Carnival Horizon, the cabs are assigned letters -- T, X, Y, Z and so on -- and the letter pops up as soon as the floor is selected.

The only buttons in the cab are for accelerated opening and closing of the doors.

 

One advantage to the system is that it can be reprogrammed on embarkation days, when some elevators are programmed to stop only at Deck 3 (where passengers embark) and Decks 5 and 10 (where lunch is served). When staterooms are ready to be occupied, the elevator programming is normalized.

[jewel825]

Thanks Linc for responding! That is really cool! I saw something similar to that at a local hospital but not quite as high tech as this.

[Pellaz]

They installed this system on the Vista's forward elevator bank about a week before we cruised on it, back in October...and promptly uninstalled it within a week or two afterwards. :loudcry:

 

I personally thought it was really nifty, but it was confusing for many people on embarkation day and they had crew members in each elevator car manually pressing floor buttons on a service panel. Just on embark day, though.

 

I'd like to see the new system used more often and maybe reinstalled on the Vista, but Carnival really should send an email to incoming guests about the system and how it works. It would save a lot of headache, especially on embark day.

 

I included some photos of the displays and the status board in my Vista review (link is in my signature).

[Saint Greg]

I don’t get why this is hard for some people. Press your floor. Get in the elevator it tells you to get in. Some large hotels have had this system for years.

[1025cruise]

They have this system in many hotels and office buildings. It makes things efficient.

[lab_love123]

They have a system similar to this in the building I work in, and the building has it designed so poorly. The elevators take forever because the elevators are only programmed to serve certain floors. For example, if someone on the 8th floor calls it to go the lobby, and someone on another floor that specific elevator services calls it a second later, they have to wait for the elevator to complete the initial call, even if that persons route starts and ends within the 8th floor-lobby route. Did that make sense? Lol.

 

Hopefully carnival has them programmed better! The technology is certainly smart enough - like only serving certain decks on embarkation day. It’s good tech, just needs to be implemented well.

[Bobbysjack]

I thought they felt slow on the Horizon. I know it was only a couple of minutes at most, but standing there waiting was frustrating. And they had no capacity control, so sometimes you would get on an elevator with a lot of other people. It could get pretty cozy!

 

 

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[CruisinPedsNurse]

They have the system like this in the hospital I work in and it is a god send! We have it in the patient transport elevators to alleviate stopping on every floor. Must say it is lovely after a 12 hour day! Hope it catches on and doesn’t cause too much widespread panic! Can’t wait to sail her in Nov.

 

 

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[riclop]

Does anyone know what the new technology is for the Horizon elevators? I heard there is something new but I have no idea what it is or what it means. I'm guessing someone here knows. :)

John Heald gave a video on it.

[Pellaz]

And they had no capacity control, so sometimes you would get on an elevator with a lot of other people. It could get pretty cozy!

 

After we got back from our cruise on Vista, someone posted here that you were supposed to press the floor button once for each person in your party, which would take care of that capacity issue. I never saw anything about that on the ship, but it would make sense.

 

This is definitely a time when a little explanatory pre-cruise email from Carnival would go a long way.

[trherald]

We were on the inaugural cruise April 2-15. The new elevator system worked marvelously - we rarely, if ever, saw any kind of major queuing for the elevators. Our room was on deck 14 and most of the time we had an express elevator to or from our floor - very nice indeed! The system takes a little getting used to because you have to remember to select your floor when you call the elevator (or you can check the monitor to see if one has already been called for that floor).

 

Overall - we liked it and thought it worked really well.

[RWolver672]

Here is some info:

Known as a destination-based elevator, the technology eliminates the push buttons inside the cab of a traditional elevator. Floor selection is relocated to a touch screen in the elevator waiting area, which functions for all of the elevator cabs servicing that floor -- typically four or six.

 

 

That is very confusing. According to the picture, Deck 9 is the Panorama Deck, 10 Is Lido and 11 is Sun. According to the deck plans on Carnival's site, 10 is Lido, 11 and 12 have no name, just numbers. Or am I seeing that picture wrong?

[Cruise-Crazy]

My PVP told me it is less than a positive response from those that have used it.

[evandbob]

For those posters who think a pre-cruise email explaining how these elevators work would work, perhaps consider this: pre-cruise emails on embarkation scheduling and procedures are routinely sent out, yet how many people actually read and/or understand them? I've seen emails on dress codes for dining that also seem to get ignored by a large % of guests.

 

Elevator instructions might be more "technical" than dress codes or check-in scheduling and hence, more likely to be "glazed over" by future cruisers.

.

[NYcruzzer]

My PVP told me it is less than a positive response from those that have used it.

 

 

 

#takethestairs

 

 

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[Cruise-Crazy]

#takethestairs

 

 

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With all the food that is the best idea. :D

[NYcruzzer]

With all the food that is the best idea. :D

 

 

 

I know I should you the stairs more often [emoji16]

 

 

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[Bookworm1985]

I was not a fan. I felt like is caused way more waiting then normal, and i hated not knowing what floor the assigned elevator was currently at. Just my opinion.

 

 

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[steve4031]

Kids can't get on and push the buttonsand ride up and down. Lol

 

 

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[cccer]

I don’t get why this is hard for some people. Press your floor. Get in the elevator it tells you to get in. Some large hotels have had this system for years.

 

Some people have difficulty figuring out what buttons to push on regular elevators. This should be real fun for them.

[pkfrizzlefry]

The smart elevators need some re-programming... Most of the time u end up stopping on at least 5 floors where no-one gets on or off, which makes them not so smart, at least at this point (3 months into sea-launch)

 

I feel like with some good programming tweaks, this could work BUT normal button elevators IMHO worked perfectly for so many decades, I and many of the guests i spoke with would have preferred normal buttons for too many reasons to list...that money could have been invested into something else, like glass elevators and a promenade...

 

Horizon has a weird layout, odd elevators, no promenade, no glass elevators, no place to really chill and enjoy the view up high. Every ship we have ever been on we always found a spot that was inside but had a great view of the ocean/outside, not this ship...seems like everything is inside without windows.. Overall it is a beautiful ship but I do hope this isn't a future blueprint of all cruise ships to come...

 

Just my 2 cents...

PK

[BlerkOne]

Some people have difficulty figuring out what buttons to push on regular elevators. This should be real fun for them.

 

Some people can't walk and chew gum. I liked the new system and found it more efficient. I imagine elevator jumpers (sort of like line jumpers), wouldn't approve.

[Sizzlechest]

The smart elevators need some re-programming... Most of the time u end up stopping on at least 5 floors where no-one gets on or off, which makes them not so smart, at least at this point (3 months into sea-launch)

 

Somebody either hit the wrong floor (there is no way to undo a wrong selection), got on an elevator they were not assigned to, or gave up and took the stairs. The latter one would happen on the first day or when the elevator usage was super high.

[BlerkOne]

Somebody either hit the wrong floor (there is no way to undo a wrong selection), got on an elevator they were not assigned to, or gave up and took the stairs. The latter one would happen on the first day or when the elevator usage was super high.[/quote]

 

or the passenger!

 

You can't undo a wrong selection on the old elevators, either.