Horizon Court

Just returned from the Sapphire and felt the Horizon Court food area missed the boat in the planning stages. It was very hard to manuever around because people were going in all different directions to get to the food. The surrounding seating was plentiful, it's just that the food access was a little tight. Just wondering if all the Princess ships have the same "crampy" feeling in their food access area? Thanks in advance for the response(s).

I like the separate stations in Horizon Court. You can go in, get what you want, and get out without having to wait for someone ahead of you in line to individually select the pieces of lettuce that will become a salad.

I agree with your comments totally.I have always felt the way the HC on Princess ships is layed out is a joke with people bumping into each other without any "flow" or direction.

This is one area where I feel Princess has cut corners as well...the selection and quality of the foods served there has certainly slipped over the years.

I like the separate stations in Horizon Court. You can go in, get what you want, and get out without having to wait for someone ahead of you in line to individually select the pieces of lettuce that will become a salad.

I wish that were true for our cruise. Unfortunately, we had a large population of people that didn't speak English and gathered in crowds just looking at the food. When I would say excuse me and try and go around them, they would just close up the ranks and not allow anyone ahead of them. Frustrating at times, but didn't let it spoil our cruise.

I've never had a problem with the layout of the Princess 24/7 buffets. (They're not all called Horizon Court.) I'd rather have the stations than the RCCL line "around the corner and across the deck" -- literally -- layout. In the long run, the Princess buffet layout is much more efficient and you're in line for a lot shorter time.

I like the separate stations in Horizon Court. You can go in, get what you want, and get out without having to wait for someone ahead of you in line to individually select the pieces of lettuce that will become a salad.

I agree – when you cruise on ships like Regal and Pacific Princess 2, where in order to get food at the buffets you have to stand in a single line, you learn to appreciate the set up of the Horizon Courts where you can scoot in and scoot out. It’s unfortunate that your fellow passengers didn’t understand this.

Again, BDJAM and I agree.

The newer Princess ships with the "open" Horizon Court layout are much quicker, and you can jump around the gawkers who can't make up their minds.

I just personally find the buffet on RCL much more efficient with less "elbowing" and bumping into one an other....

On a recent 19 day cruise on the SAPPHIRE, people still couldn't find their way around the HORIZON COURT buffet on day 19! I think that there are a few things that just aren't logically grouped together. Butter was found at different stations, depending on which meal was being served at the time. But, what really got to me, were those who "prepared" their beverages (coffee, tea, etc.) while on that line! The beverage stations don't work at all. First you get your cup, then your tea bag (if applicable), then your milk, then your sugar, then your coffee or hot water; those having tea backtrack to the milk to "prepare" their tea, instead of taking back to their table and doing it there. This stops the whole line dead in the water. :mad:

I agree that the buffet could be better layed out (traffic going both ways can be an issue), but my main complaint is the drink station.

With only the large plate and no tray, getting a drink at the end of the line is very awkward. There is realy no place to set your plate while you get a drink. It usually takes a second trip and that creates more of a traffic jam. I am not sure all the newer ships are the same, but it was that way on the Coral.

I just personally find the buffet on RCL much more efficient with less "elbowing" and bumping into one an other....

Horizon Court is a "think outside the box" type set-up. You either get it, or you don't. You just have to remember to look before you turn around or back up.

Horizon Court is a "think outside the box" type set-up. You either get it, or you don't. You just have to remember to look before you turn around or back up.

I must not get it…I’ve not had any problems at the drink or coffee stations either…in fact Island Princess had them both at the entrance to the buffet area and at the exit to the seating area…never congested.

I did forget to say that I for one would like to see them return trays to the buffet line. Sometimes difficult to balance several plates, glasses, etc.

I did forget to say that I for one would like to see them return trays to the buffet line. Sometimes difficult to balance several plates, glasses, etc.

For the most part, I've never had any problems with the Horizon Court, however I DO agree with Druke about needing trays... Especially when those plates are extremely HOT!!!!!! (I think they bring them straight from the heated dishwasher!!)

Horizon Court is a "think outside the box" type set-up. You either get it, or you don't. You just have to remember to look before you turn around or back up.

That's easier said than done 'rob,especially when you're behind a group of bluehairs or a group who don't speak any english and are just clogging up the lanes in your "outside the box" set-up.While I generally always know exactly what I want,getting to it can sometimes prove difficult and frustrating.

I also agree with Druke I,trays would be a big help and a more efficient drink station arrangement would also be an improvement.

In fact,the whole HC process frustrates me so much,sometimes I just find it better to relax by the pool with a great burger or hot dog with plenty of spicy mustard and sauerkraut....:rolleyes:

In fact,the whole HC process frustrates me so much,sometimes I just find it better to relax by the pool with a ... hot dog with plenty of spicy mustard and sauerkraut....:rolleyes:

Now that's some fine dining. All it needs is a cold beer to go along with. You're making me all hungry here! :)

Just returned from the Sapphire and felt the Horizon Court food area missed the boat in the planning stages. It was very hard to manuever around because people were going in all different directions to get to the food. The surrounding seating was plentiful, it's just that the food access was a little tight. Just wondering if all the Princess ships have the same "crampy" feeling in their food access area? Thanks in advance for the response(s).

Totally agree. While I loved the Grand, found the buffet area very cramped and not well thought out. However, as far as the choices, found them better than the Celebrity Mercury but less so than the Carnival Destiny or Paradise. But hey, always something to eat and way more than I would imagine having to choose from in my fridge.

Now that's some fine dining. All it needs is a cold beer to go along with. You're making me all hungry here! :)

Oh,did I forget to mention I prefer an ice-cold Red Stripe with that burger and/or 'dog?;)

...what I wouldn't do to be there right now...:rolleyes:

As a long time tea drinker, I first put the tea bag in the cup and pour the hot water over the tea bag. But I may be one of the few who do that. At the horizon court, the cup comes first, then the hot water, then the tea bags. So my approach becomes a hindrance to some. Other than that, I love the organization of random access to all food. Some one at Princess really acted smart in adopting this approach instead of the sequential line. /Sultan

The Horizon Court Buffet system is the best system going if people use it right - The standard mentality for a buffet is to juggle several plates and get all your courses in one fell swoop - this is not how Princess does it - they have separate stations for salads, cold foods, hot entres and deserts. The object is to get your salad, eat it, go back for your entre, eat it, go back for desert, eat it and get out. If everybody used it properly there would be no problem. We don't have a problem beacuse we never go there for a meal - just a snack occassionaly.

Ron

I liked the setup on the Sapphire. The separate stations made it easy to get what I wanted without waiting through lines for things I didn't. Plus, since the people were dispersed between the various stations, there never seemed to be a line.

I just got off the Regal Princess and they do it differently. No separate stations, just one long line. I hated it! The line always seemed long because you had to wait behind everybody making their selections and couldn't just go to what you wanted. For example, I never ate the salads but I always had to wait what seemed like forever for the people ahead of me to get theirs. My waistline sure did appreciate this system, however, because I rarely went back for seconds since it meant standing in the entire line again.;)

The worst time for the buffet is lunch on embarkation day. We have found that the dining rooms for lunch on embarkation is absolutely the best way to go. We are on the Sapphire in October. Does anyone know if there is a dining room open for lunch on embarkation on this ship? I sure hope so!!!!

The layout works for us! One long line is awful as it can be really long.

In my sample size of 1 (Island), I think that RCI's Radiance-class ships do a much, much better job with buffet layout - more space between the islands, clearer sightlines and navigation, better drinks management, and of course, those cool outdoor seating areas with the rattan...

Eric

I try to avoid the Horizon Court and eat in the dining room whenever possible. Our most recent cruise was on a Celebrity ship. The layout of the casual buffet there made me appreciate the speediness of Princess' buffets. At least in my experience.