Two Weeks until we FINALLY sail again! Horizon ABCs!!! Tell me your best tips!!!

[lasekeye]

We just got off the Splendor, I have Celiac & we didn’t have set time dining…when you are seated & greeted let them know that you had pre ordered your meal..they will retrieve it from their computer & verify everything with you.

The MDR menu is clearly marked with a little symbol (sprig of wheat with a red circle & a red line thru the centre means it’s GF).  They also have another symbol (black oval with GFA inside..meaning this food is AVAILABLE in GF form). 
Dining room table staff had me pre order my meal for the next day, in case I wanted to tweak anything.  
Since I would pre order my evening meal, I was able to ask for items (eg deep fried mozzarella sticks), to be made GF for me, even though it didn’t have the sprig of wheat with red circle & cross on it..or the black oval with GFA.  …. BTW, they were very tasty!

Dont worry, just ask the table wait staff.

Dessert in the MDR is lacking for GF offerings.  My standbys are chocolate melting cake with icecream, banana split (found on the kids menue) or crème  brûlée (which isn’t on the menu every night, but they will make it for u…if you pre order).
 

[momof4girls]

On 9/28/2022 at 7:38 PM, 80sGal said:

Agreed ... did the Sunset Cruise in Aruba.  It was very nice.   Kukukanuku bus and beach tour is fun too!  And the Saint Helena red wine is BAD.  Drank a few sips, took it to cabin and it went down the drain.  It was THAT bad.   

Is this a Carnival excursion? Or one you booked with an independent company?

 

We are doing this same cruise and ship in 2025. We booked early so we could be sure to get a room in the Havana area. 

[DramaQueen22]

On 11/23/2022 at 12:43 PM, leahthecaterer said:

Just booked our cruise last week after a long break because of ...you know... 

 

We haven't been on Horizon before or to any of the ABC islands so are looking forward to new adventures!  Has anyone used ABC Tours in Aruba?  We still need to book something there and also La Romana.

 

This is our 10th cruise and this is the first time that we've never been able to book a dinner seating in the dining room.  They said it was all full so we need to do open seating.  Has that happened to any of you?  I was really hoping for a regular table/waiter since I have Celiac Disease and need a gluten free menu.

Thanks!

Even with YTD, you will be offered the option to be seated with the same team each night.  Might not be the same table, but you'll have the same wait staff.  

[80sGal]

On 2/11/2023 at 11:33 AM, momof4girls said:

Is this a Carnival excursion? Or one you booked with an independent company?

 

We are doing this same cruise and ship in 2025. We booked early so we could be sure to get a room in the Havana area. 

Yes both are Carnival excursions.   Booking on your own might save some money but I am fine with paying a little more to not have to worry about something running late, missing a port, etc.   

[Pellaz]

On 9/29/2022 at 11:02 AM, havanadaydreaming said:

Horizon might be our fave CCL ship.   We loved the elevator system of pressing floor before entering lift...it eliminates the line jumpers, mostly.  

Oh, yeah, that deserves mentioning.   We liked it too, but a lot of folks had no idea how it worked.  

One thing to note:  if you have a party of, say, 3 people, make the request on the number-pad 3 times.   When people don't do this, the elevators get overcrowded.  

 

The system is used on the Horizon ...and possibly the Panorama.  We sailed on the Vista not long after her inaugural, but the elevator system was replaced by a "regular" system about two weeks after we sailed.  

 

We'll be on Horizon in October for a similar cruise although, like someone else posted, ours is doing Aruba, Bonaire (our first time there!), La Romana and Amber Cove.  We have a regular balcony...but it's the first one "in" from the Lido deck pool area.  If a Havana cabana room opens up, we'll try to grab it, since we LOVED ours on the Horizon last October.  

 

And yes, the Fresh Creations salad bar in Serenity is one of the unsung heroes on ships that are so equipped.  ❤️