13 Days, 8 Ports and One New Ship: Nicole721's FULL PICTORIAL Horizon Review

[Nicole721]

Fried Wontons

 

Caramelized Crepes

 

Rose Crème Brulee

 

Rinyami grabbed us on the way out to wish us safe travels, telling us she’d see us on the next new ship (hopefully we will see her on the Mardi Gras now that we're booked!). From dinner, we made a beeline to the Liquid Lounge for the headliner show for the evening: Lip Sync Battle.

[Nicole721]

If I have one criticism of the Horizon, it’s that the Liquid Lounge is a little on the small side. From what I’ve gathered, it’s the smallest theater on Carnival’s fleet, and it’s on Carnival’s largest ship. Getting a decent seat was a pain in the butt and involved a masterfully timed shuffle between whatever restaurant we were dining at on any given evening and the forward theater.

 

That aside, Lip Sync Battle was hilarious and so much fun to watch. It was the perfect way to end our cruise. I wish we’d been able to see the new Playlist show, Celestial Strings, but for one reason or another, they weren’t premiering it until the following cruise, so I just had to hope some videos would pop up online.

 

 

And after the show, after a full day of sea day fun, I couldn’t put off the packing anymore. I commandeered just about the entire room, all three beds, to fold, sort, stuff and pack. I didn’t realize how much I’d packed and how much I’d bought until it was all sitting in front of me. I’d pack, I’d stress, I’d complain and then I’d pack some more.

 

It all got done. Three women in Europe for two and a half weeks, four suitcases, three backpacks and three very large tote bags. We got it all packed. We got it all in. And, spoiler alert, if our bags were overweight, the American Airlines agent checking us in at BCN didn’t mention it.

 

By the time all was said and done, it was nearing midnight. Mom was already asleep and Stephanie and I ended up on the Lido deck with plates of pizza and cookies. The Cubs were coming back from a nine run deficit in the eighth inning, and I was convinced if I moved, something would shift in the universe and kill their rally. So we sat with our pizza and our cookies and our tea, we waited for the little pitch tracker to show In Play – Runs and we reminisced on everything we saw and did

 

Stephanie fell asleep just as soon as she got into bed when we got back to the room. I couldn’t sleep. I was so awake, which was even more remarkable given that I didn’t drink coffee and didn’t nap all day. I wanted to go out and see more of the ship, take in every bit of it I could until I couldn’t anymore, but 13 days was enough of something that could never really be enough, and staying out late to take in more wouldn’t stop the morning sun from coming out, ushering us off the ship and onto an airplane headed back to the states.

 

I shut off all the lights and once the cabin was dark, noticed the lights in the distance. We were pulling into Barcelona, just after 1:30 AM. If I thought on it more, I probably would have headed upstairs to take pictures. It’s probably for the best I didn’t – I had to wake up four hours later and I’d need any and all energy I could muster for debarkation.

[BALCONETTE]

Yay, Nicole's back!!  Sad the review is coming to an end, though. 

[georgiacat]

I hate that packing day too. I honestly don't know how you get everything you buy in your suitcases.  Of course we carry too much to begin with.

 

We will be taking our first Mediterranean cruise in 2020.  Looking forward to it, and your postings have told me a lot that will help.

 

Thank you so much for doing this review.  I love your pictures.  I could just eat that food off the computer.  When will they invent a machine that will take a picture and cook that food for you?  (and plate it, and serve it, and   OH, not gain weight.  :)

[MrFunInTheSun]

Nice report! 

[tinkr2]

Really great pictures of food. What kind of camera are you using? Oh and I think it is totally amazing that you won this trip!

[Luke Saint Joe]

Nicole721, now that months & months have flown by, have you given more thought to the June 2020 TA from Barcelona to NYC? I'm asking because I'm booked on this Radiance TA & would absolutely love to meet you, Stephanie, and Mom!!!  Your reviews have helped me decide (against my husband's wishes) that I must ABSOLUTELY visit Montserrat.  We will have nearly 3 full days in Barcelona before we embark on June 11th.

[beshears]

Just found your review and great pictures and posting on the Carnival Horizon too.  I book the Horizon for 8 of us, and now I will get to read/see some of it before we get on it in March next year.

[babsee101]

While I will likely never do an extended port intensive cruise in Europe, or anywhere else, due to lack of time off and the absolute need to simply relax on our cruises, I can live vicariously through you and other cruisers who are so generous as to take the time to share their adventures. Thanks for your amazing review! I look forward to your next one  

Edited August 17, 2019 by babsee101

[Anyislandwilldo]

I'm in the process of doing research for our Mediterranean cruise 2023.  Thanks for sharing your review with us.

[CoasterGuy]

@Anyislandwilldo Thank you for bumping this thread. This is one of the best reviews I have ever read. 

 

It appears @Nicole721 isn't very active anymore, which is too bad. I wanted to thank her for this review. The pics of the Amalfi Coast were the best. I have had breakfast at Blue Iguana several times and never even knew about arepas. I will be sure to try them on my next cruise, goodness willing this damned pandemic ever be over. The entire review was good and it was awesome seeing the three of you smiling and enjoying yourselves. 

 

@princess76021 I know you've been looking up old cruise reviews. Check this one out! 

[princess76021]

8 hours ago, CoasterGuy said:

@Anyislandwilldo Thank you for bumping this thread. This is one of the best reviews I have ever read. 

 

It appears @Nicole721 isn't very active anymore, which is too bad. I wanted to thank her for this review. The pics of the Amalfi Coast were the best. I have had breakfast at Blue Iguana several times and never even knew about arepas. I will be sure to try them on my next cruise, goodness willing this damned pandemic ever be over. The entire review was good and it was awesome seeing the three of you smiling and enjoying yourselves. 

 

@princess76021 I know you've been looking up old cruise reviews. Check this one out! 

thank you!  saw this and bookmarked it already!!!

hugs

Nicki

[CruzinKristin]

Nicole usually writes updates on her travel blog - sunglassesandumbrelladrinks

 

[teacher34]

Nicole, I was so glad to find tour review ! You do an excellent job of helping us to see everything you were able to see and experience, plus, your pictures are fantastic ! We are supposed to be on two European cruises July of 2021. I only hope they don’t get cancelled ! You mentioned you had booked the Mardi Gras, may I ask when ? We are booked on her in December. Of 2021. We were supposed to be on her first two sailings, one from Copenhagen and the other her TA, however both of those got cancelled. Hope to see you sometime and again, thanks for this great review !!

[Anyislandwilldo]

@coasterguy    I'm trying to find reviews of European cruises so I'm glad someone else has enjoyed reading this review as well.