Better Late than Pregnant, Horizon mini-review, mostly pic dump time waste 3/5/22.

[MardiGras10022021]

On 5/2/2022 at 1:18 PM, TxTeach79 said:

Blanton's at the P&A.

 

 

We're in international waters! Let the teasing begin....

 

 

I was concerned before my Vista cruise about the V Class casino bars being ripped out, but honestly on both Vista and Horizon sailings bar service was fast, friendly, and I was never dry unless I wanted to be. So I'll celebrate this little win with some Buffalo Trace!

 

 

Let's build good hits on good hits guys, one at a time. 

 

 

This trio was legit... Like, you think they're good, then you see Celestial Strings and it's like.... Big WHOA.

 

 

Come to Papa

 

 

Ooooh, my first time to post up at Alchemy! It would packed all week, but we were usually able to stalk an open seat here and there.... wish the Big A was bigger on Vista class, one of my only qualms. 

 

 

I think the Black Crowes said it best...

 

"Can I have some remedy?
Remedy for me please
Cause if I had some remedy
I'd take enough to please me"

 

that's Vera i believe

 

[TxTeach79]

9 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

 

 

You used to be able to eat there. At least on Vista you could. I assume Horizon was the same.

 

 

That's good to know. I cruise solo a good bit, and that would be a pretty ideal setup for me to get back in the MDR. 

[Saint Greg]

4 minutes ago, TxTeach79 said:

 

That's good to know. I cruise solo a good bit, and that would be a pretty ideal setup for me to get back in the MDR. 

Yeah I ate there a couple times in 2019.

[TxTeach79]

Headed aft to check out the Havana Bar = MOJITO TIME! 
 

Let me just tell Ya - the Havana Bar was about 100% more packed and rowdy and fun on Horizon than it was Vista. I think that’s the difference in hitting the Cuban bar when you leave Miami vs. when you leave Galveston. I swear, every time the band was playing, this place was a fiesta. 
 

 

caefcito! Nothing keeps the night going like a Cuban coffee. 

 

oooooh, they have the special birthday beer! Since this was the first week of the anniversary stuff, I hadn’t known this was rolling out. This was the first time I saw it, and I got excited. 
 

 

Cuban Iced Tea. Oh my. Nowwwww we’re cooking with gas. 
 

 

one failed samba attempt later, back to the P&A for a bourbon to bring it back down. Again, other than a small loyal crew, it never got too packed in here. 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Stopped by the piano bar on the way back “home”…. My gf loves the piano bar, but on our cruise the regular guy was out with COVID all week. 

 

it was a shame, because the fella who was playing was incredibly talented and played beautifully, but he wasn’t a singer and it was more of just mellow mood music to relax and chat to. I felt badly for him that so many people were openly disappointed and the crowds were sparse, but times are challenging I suppose. 
 

Back to alchemy for a… cucumber sunrise I don’t recall having, and I’m pretty sure this was #14, but I CAN say it was good!  
 

 

closing it out with my go to

 

 

time to hop into bed! 
 

[peteandpris]

Nice review thank you.

[F27TW]

On 5/2/2022 at 12:08 PM, TxTeach79 said:

you'll see that this was the week Southwest went back to full bar service... and our flight attendant was a fun loving dude who DID NOT HOLD BACK, with numbers or his pour. By the time we made it to Fort Lauderdale 3 hours later, I'd had 5 of these mama bears. Pure rocket fuel. Oh, and he didn't charge us a thing. 

 

 

.... The flight attendant comped you -5- drinks?!  You do realize that he was hitting on you, right?!  😉😉  LOL  . ..    Looking fwd to reading this review .. looks like its gonna be fun!   

Edited May 5, 2022 by F27TW

[BlerkOne]

On 5/2/2022 at 3:35 PM, TxTeach79 said:

 

 

the chef's compliments of the evening.... Honestly, I don't recall, but I know I liked it!

 

 

 

 

I'm thinking fried avocado 

[TxTeach79]

13 hours ago, F27TW said:

 

.... The flight attendant comped you -5- drinks?!  You do realize that he was hitting on you, right?!  😉😉  LOL  . ..    Looking fwd to reading this review .. looks like its gonna be fun!   

Hey, I've done worse for less. I appreciate the effort 😂

[F27TW]

1 minute ago, TxTeach79 said:

Hey, I've done worse for less. I appreciate the effort 😂

 

Now, that's the spirit!   LOLOL !!

[TxTeach79]

I gotta say, the morning stateroom delivery service was strong to quite strong. Not pictured: my smoked salmon platter. Always on time, too. 
 

 

not gonna lie, I was hurting today. Second straight sea day (third if you count embarkation day), and all the Cheers and sun and travel blah blah blah was catching up to me. I needed a do nothing, nap hard, leave me alone recovery day. 
 

 

meanwhile, this ol’ gal was doing some high level vacation reading, really sending a message tbh. A true academic, yet also a woman of the people. 
 

 

the view from my recovery perch in the deadest part of the lanai I could find 

 

 

Southward! (Not the old NCL ship. That one is probably screws and spark plugs by now.)

 

[TxTeach79]

Rested up for my first time at JiJi!

 

 

Cool little menu presentation

 

 

I forget exactly what this was called - i'll go back and check - but it was something like the Singapore Street Shrimp maybe? It was crazy spicy (which is exactly what I wanted) and my ONLY hesitation was that they were peel and eat shrimp, which I find an entire waste of time and effort. Flavor was great, though. 

 

 

GF with the steak dish, she really enjoyed it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All in all, I really enjoyed Jiji, but I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I was feeling 100%. 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2022 by TxTeach79

[TxTeach79]

Also, apparently I didn't take any pics, but it was really wild to me how the art in Jiji was so heavily Vegas/gambling themed. All the room decor furnishings was was modern Asian for sure, and then these wild cartoony paintings of dice and cards and animals playing casino games on the walls....

[kittymommax4]

On 5/2/2022 at 1:18 PM, TxTeach79 said:

 

 

I love the Alchemy Bar & used to always get a pre-dinner Caribbean Manhattan until my cruise on the Horizon in March where it was PACKED every night & I couldn’t get close enough to order my drink!  It should definitely be a bigger venue on the bigger ships. 

[TxTeach79]

1 hour ago, kittymommax4 said:

On 5/2/2022 at 12:18 PM, TxTeach79 said:

 

 

I love the Alchemy Bar & used to always get a pre-dinner Caribbean Manhattan until my cruise on the Horizon in March where it was PACKED every night & I couldn’t get close enough to order my drink!  It should definitely be a bigger venue on the bigger ships. 

 

Maybe someone else can chime in, but it looks much bigger on the Mardi Gras.... I'll find out for sure in November!

[TxTeach79]

This was a low key day, but the recovery proved fruitful. A lot of watching the sea go by and Jiji’s. Who’s to complain? 

 

btw, by this point gf was racking up the fancy water. Her weird cheers guilty pleasure. 
 

[TxTeach79]

Goooood morning from Aruba! Today, let's start off with my most common go to b'fast at sea, the greatness of the Blue Iguana.

 

 

Arepas. Huevos Rancheros. Salsa. And a true butt burnin' hot sauce. No better way to start a day, people.... and there's never the line there should be. 

 

 

Oh hey, creepy Scientology ship! Let's do some auditin'! (Commodore Cruise Line would have NEVER)

 

 

Here's your chance to chill on the Lido as a real Operating Thetan, you guys. Perfect way to celebrate the release of Top Gun: Maverick in the tropical sun!

 

 

Here's the floating cardboard box herself, Norwegian Epic! (we needed a palate cleanser)

 

Edited May 6, 2022 by TxTeach79

[TxTeach79]

We were lucky enough to be in Aruba til 10pm, so we had a sunset cruise excursion booked at 6... so til then, let's grab a cab at the pier and roll to Eagle Beach!

 

 

Cheap and friendly cab, easy to get both ways, piece of absolute cake. Rates are posted right there at the pier, no haggling required. I love Aruba. Welcome to Eagle Beach!

 

 

Grabbed a table at the little beach bar, a bucket of a local beer... CHILL INDEED... and i sat here all excited at the surprisingly great deal I got....

 

 

That's when I realized these are freaking 7.4 oz beers. What kinda racket is this?? What's going on, Aruba?? 

 

 

Look, they tasted good, I'm sitting on an Aruban beach, and the tiny bottles make me feel like i have huge powerful hands. What a day. 

Edited May 6, 2022 by TxTeach79

[TxTeach79]

This bar is super cool. Really deep beach, too. What a great spot.

 

 

there are some big resorts down that way

 

 

Walk down the beach... beautiful water, perfect sand

 

 

What a day

 

 

A few hours, a couple buckets of tiny Chills, and an easy, friendly, and cheap cab ride back, and we're home again with time to kill before our excursion.

 

Edited May 6, 2022 by TxTeach79

[TxTeach79]

Also, is there any better feeling than that ice cold ship AC blast hitting you when you get back onboard after a few hours on a sunny beach? Absolutely elite moment. 

[Joe817]

That's about as close I've heard of a perfect beach day! How great is that? 

[TxTeach79]

Always gotta get this shot heading back on

 

 

Back on board. Grabbed a couple drinks, got some pool time in, met a cool couple from Ohio that owned a pinball machine repair company, had a great convo and some birthday beers

 

Edited May 6, 2022 by TxTeach79

[TxTeach79]

Headed back off for the Sunset Cruise!

 

 

 

 

Aruban flag leaving Horizon and Epic in the distance. Yes, in case you were wondering, they IMMEDIATELY cranked "Kokomo" as we sailed off. #arubajamaica

 

Edited May 6, 2022 by TxTeach79

[TxTeach79]

The open bar stayed hopping and stayed delicious 

 

 

Captain my Captain 

 

 

curling back past Horizon. 

 

 

Also, there's a woman on this boat that is pronouncing Horizon like Hor-i-ZAWN and it was SHAKING ME UP

Edited May 6, 2022 by TxTeach79

[TxTeach79]

The rest of it? Open bar. Great music. Perfect breeze... oh yeah.. and all of this. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I mean, it's almost comical.

 

 

Oh come on. 

 

 

All in all, one of the absolute best port days I've ever had. Bar freaking none. Couldn't recommend it all more. 

 

Edited May 6, 2022 by TxTeach79