Live Horizon/Mardi Gras B2B 8/1-8/7and 8/7-814

[ProgRockCruiser]

2 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Got back to Tides pool and found this……

Is that a regular cleaning type thing they are doing, or was there an "accident"?

 

IIRC, on port days they take advantage of lower on-board pax numbers and will do pool cleanings and whatnot.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

10 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Got back to Tides pool and found this……

 

Baby Ruth?  

 

lol

 

Tom

[jimbo5544]

5 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Baby Ruth?  

 

lol

 

Tom

Well, that might be the best case scenario, in our “new” world.

[jimbo5544]

12 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Is that a regular cleaning type thing they are doing, or was there an "accident"?

 

IIRC, on port days they take advantage of lower on-board pax numbers and will do pool cleanings and whatnot.

WHen I asked he said it was an emergency cleaning.

[funinthesun1964]

16 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Talked to our room steward this evening.  I was curious on her take on things.  Two quick mentions here.  . First was happy to have a job.  She was first assigned to Liberty then Freedom before coming on board here last week.  The second was that she had 34 cabins to aerviceans a helper for 1/2 an hour in the morning and again in the evening.  

Wasn't it 26 cabins  previously? and I thought the helper was there for the entire shift, right along with the room steward. Wow.

[Brew12]

9 minutes ago, funinthesun1964 said:

Wasn't it 26 cabins  previously? and I thought the helper was there for the entire shift, right along with the room steward. Wow.

Part of the CDC's CSO requires ships to have fewer staff, both to attempt to minimize room sharing and to leave empty rooms for QT'ing positive cases. My guess is that this is the #1 reason for only 1 per day room cleanings.

[funinthesun1964]

2 minutes ago, Brew12 said:

Part of the CDC's CSO requires ships to have fewer staff, both to attempt to minimize room sharing and to leave empty rooms for QT'ing positive cases. My guess is that this is the #1 reason for only 1 per day room cleanings.

 

We have been "pressed" to  choose morning or evenings for a couple of years before this.

[jimbo5544]

2 minutes ago, funinthesun1964 said:

 

We have been "pressed" to  choose morning or evenings for a couple of years before this.

I really don't want this to be an off shoot tangent of my review please.  If we want I would be happy to post on it if someone starts a thread.  I brought it up because it is what it is and is factual of what everyones cruise experience will be like.  

[jimbo5544]

8 minutes ago, Brew12 said:

Part of the CDC's CSO requires ships to have fewer staff, both to attempt to minimize room sharing and to leave empty rooms for QT'ing positive cases. My guess is that this is the #1 reason for only 1 per day room cleanings.

Thanks for the update of info.

[Brew12]

.

Edited August 3, 2021 by Brew12

[surfone]

Hi Jimbo   We board the Horizon this Saturday and will be in the Havana area.  It looks to be the same size as the VIsta which we sailed about 3 years ago.  Has it been quiet in the Havana pool area?  We have stops at Amber Cove and La Romana and also will be staying on the ship.  Been there several times are don't want to wear masks, but looking forward to Aruba and Curacao.  Have you been in the casino and if so how has the drink service been?  If you are trying the steakhouse can you give us your opinion on the food please.  We haven't decided if we will book it or not.  I hope to have those same views of the sunsets next week.  Beautiful.  Thanks

[jimbo5544]

3 minutes ago, surfone said:

Hi Jimbo   We board the Horizon this Saturday and will be in the Havana area.  It looks to be the same size as the VIsta which we sailed about 3 years ago.  Has it been quiet in the Havana pool area?  We have stops at Amber Cove and La Romana and also will be staying on the ship.  Been there several times are don't want to wear masks, but looking forward to Aruba and Curacao.  Have you been in the casino and if so how has the drink service been?  If you are trying the steakhouse can you give us your opinion on the food please.  We haven't decided if we will book it or not.  I hope to have those same views of the sunsets next week.  Beautiful.  Thanks

WE currently are not staying in the Havana area.  We booked this cruise as an add on and the “comprimise” was no specialty rooms (which we mostly get.  The pool; is the same size as the Vista, we have stayed in Havana Cabana rooms and suites on 5.  LOVE THEM.  Not a casin person, so really cannot help you there.  Supposedly they took out the bar threre, but have not even passed thru.  I can tell you that we spoke to others who go there a lot and they seemed….well imbibed.   The food has been Carnival food. Our dinner service has been top notch.  To be honest I expected speed bumps with the staff being tpgether a s a group for a relatively short time, but hat has not been my experience.  Mypleasure on the posting.  Love sharing the “new” cruise experience.

[JaniceB]

Enjoying your pictures and review.  Looking forward to what others say about Amber Cove and swimming/standing in pool.

 

[funinthesun1964]

1 hour ago, jimbo5544 said:

I really don't want this to be an off shoot tangent of my review please.  If we want I would be happy to post on it if someone starts a thread.  I brought it up because it is what it is and is factual of what everyones cruise experience will be like.  

I didn't intend it to be.  I also didn't intend it to be a negative. I'll agree to keep further comments to myself on this thread.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, funinthesun1964 said:

I didn't intend it to be.  I also didn't intend it to be a negative. I'll agree to keep further comments to myself on this thread.

I have had threads get derailed easily.  I just do not want that to ahppen.  Posts are fine, I was stating my desire not to have someone reply to yours and then someone reply to that etcetc

 

From my perspective we a re good

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by jimbo5544

[SNJCruisers]

7 hours ago, redsox1584 said:

What do you have planned for Amber Cove?  I am on the Horizon in September and my itinerary just got changed to include Amber Cove. 

Very similar to Grand Turk as there is a pool adjacent.  But, you must currently wear a mask unless you're eating, drinking or swimming.

[SNJCruisers]

5 hours ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

 

I think Helene meant the deck chairs at Amber Cove pool area, off the ship.

 

Any useful images of the one-sheet FunTimes?  Always curious to see what else is going on!

Copies are on the John Heald walking tour thread of each day so far.

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, surfone said:

Hi Jimbo   We board the Horizon this Saturday and will be in the Havana area.  It looks to be the same size as the VIsta which we sailed about 3 years ago.  Has it been quiet in the Havana pool area?  We have stops at Amber Cove and La Romana and also will be staying on the ship.  Been there several times are don't want to wear masks, but looking forward to Aruba and Curacao.  Have you been in the casino and if so how has the drink service been?  If you are trying the steakhouse can you give us your opinion on the food please.  We haven't decided if we will book it or not.  I hope to have those same views of the sunsets next week.  Beautiful.  Thanks

If you are going to the steakhouse, there is a package deal that will save you 16 bucks.  Instead of 68 pp, for 60 pp, you get a voucher towards one night at the steakhouse and two nights at either Cucina, Jiji's or a 15.00 credit at Bonsai or Pig and Anchor for dinner.

[jimbo5544]

12 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

If you are going to the steakhouse, there is a package deal that will save you 16 bucks.  Instead of 68 pp, for 60 pp, you get a voucher towards one night at the steakhouse and two nights at either Cucina, Jiji's or a 15.00 credit at Bonsai or Pig and Anchor for dinner.

One of the interesting things we have found was how popular the “for pay” restaurants have been.  With all the first time cruisers I had expectations of empty restaurants, which has def not been the case.  Cannot speak for pig and anchor in the evening but Cucina, Steakhouse and Tepanyaki have been wall to wall.  The “deal” you talked about which can only be purchased on board, may be a reason why.  

Edited August 3, 2021 by jimbo5544

[surfone]

31 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

If you are going to the steakhouse, there is a package deal that will save you 16 bucks.  Instead of 68 pp, for 60 pp, you get a voucher towards one night at the steakhouse and two nights at either Cucina, Jiji's or a 15.00 credit at Bonsai or Pig and Anchor for dinner.

Sounds great.  We will more than likely take advantage of this deal and will check on the avail of the restaurants.  TY  

[jimbo5544]

Entertainment so far.  We saw the first show last night.  My better half said the theme was kind of a downer in these times (ghouls and demons).  I thought the show as good, not great, the singing and dancing on par with other Carnival cruises in the past.  

 

There is a duo whom we saw in the P&A from Brazil whihc was different and good.  Female lead playing guitar and male supprt from a guy who played harmonica and beat box.  We went because they were doing a tribute to the Eables (my FAV).  After the first song, she mentioned that when they signed the contract they were given the playlist, and she said she had only heard of one Eagles song (of course Hotel California)…I said uh oh.  They were really good.

 

Last night we saw the the house band play 2 sets (moTown and 70’s).  Really nice vocals and lead guitar and keyboard players were exceptional.  .  

Edited August 3, 2021 by jimbo5544

[jimbo5544]

2 minutes ago, surfone said:

Sounds great.  We will more than likely take advantage of this deal and will check on the avail of the restaurants.  TY  

If you are going to use the 4 nights, it is a no branier.  

[SNJCruisers]

53 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

One of the interesting things we have found was how popular the “for pay” restaurants have been.  With all the first time cruisers I had expectations of empty restaurants, which has def not been the case.  Cannot speak for pig and anchor in the evening but Cucina, Steakhouse and Tepanyaki have been wall to wall.  The “deal” you talked about which can only be purchased on board, may be a reason why.  

The deal was available on our last Horizon cruise in August of 2019.  They of course have since added the three 15.00 venues for 38.00, saving 14.00 per couple.

[SNJCruisers]

33 minutes ago, surfone said:

Sounds great.  We will more than likely take advantage of this deal and will check on the avail of the restaurants.  TY  

Enjoy, just paying it forward.  Will be on the Horizon for the third time at the end of August.

[surfone]

1 minute ago, SNJCruisers said:

Enjoy, just paying it forward.  Will be on the Horizon for the third time at the end of August.

Good for you!!    I can't wait, our last one was on the Breeze last January  but I still have my favorite which is any of the Spirit class ships.  Maybe the Horizon will change that Lol