Horizon / (*Not) Live / Solo - May - 25 - June - 2024...

[Roscoe13]

12 minutes ago, MeganGC1983 said:

And here I thought love would keep them together. 

Sadly, it turned out to be Muskrat Love...

[sid_9169]

At around 3:45 I went to my usual spot on the outer tables of the Alchemy Bar to wait for them to open. I didn't want to go sit down at the main bar while they were setting up because if one person sits down there, all the sudden twenty more people show up thinking it was opened already. Just trying to be respectful to the hardworking bartenders there, as I know what it's like to show up to work and there's already customers standing outside. 

 

 

[sid_9169]

At about 3:59 I made my way to the third barstool from the left side, which is the same seat I occupied on my 50th birthday cruise back in 2019... Also, it's the seat with the best overhead lighting for pictures. By the end of the cruise it was well known to everyone that this was "my seat"... 

 

Fortunately this day they at least had a bottle of Patron Silver, but on a couple of occasions I'd get someone to watch my seat while I went and retrieved the good tequila from the Pig and Anchor Bar. One time someone just came and sat down there anyway, even though the patrons as well as the bartenders let him know that it was taken. I didn't want to get in a fist fight or anything over a barstool, so I just stood about two inches behind him until he got uncomfortable and left... This was the only time all week that I had any trouble holding "my seat" at the bar... 

 

Here's a few creations by Karen and Diana... It wasn't until the next day or the day after, I believe, that Sara got her turn at bat mixing my drinks. Of course that meant another $25 opening tip, but by this point we all had become pretty"chummy " if that's even a word... 

 

(*** These pictures represent five different drinks, two angles each...)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sid_9169]

The very last picture from the first sea day ended up to be a piece of pizza that I definitely don't remember eating. In fact, the next morning when I was looking through the photos, I said to myself "I 100% do not remember eating pizza) Apparently that must've been my dinner, and also one of my famous"going to bed at 7:30 evenings*... 

 

 

[ohioNCLcruiser]

If you get a drink from Nelsha (from St. Lucia) in the Pig & Anchor tell her David and James say hello and we can't wait to sail with her in Aug! She will 100% know who you are talking about. Love your reports as always. (Ugh my bad I don't know how I missed that this wasn't slightly delayed each day but a post cruise one) 

Edited June 4 by ohioNCLcruiser

[sid_9169]

Monday, May 27th. Memorial Day... 

 

My notes say that I was up at 7:38 after a full 12 HOURS of sleep... (*** Breaking news: this didn't end up being my longest night's sleep)

 

Wild, wild dreams including aliens, a "magical transporter phone", and some kind of fringe militia group... (You can't make this stuff up)

 

Headed down to my usual coffee spot at Ocean Plaza, which I dubbed the "secret coffee place" since there was never a line, even when the line forty feet away at Java Blue was twenty deep... Went up to the buffet and got the first of many omelettes this week, and even paid a visit to the bacon police. (No pictures)

 

Went up for some sun at Serenity before going back "home" to take a shower. After that, my notes say that I snuck my dirty towels into the bag on the room steward's cart and retrieved a new, clean set of towels, enough to last me several days... (For the record, I allowed Ariswan into my cabin to clean only once during the entire eight night cruise)

 

Here's a couple of shots of today's patriotic tornado in the Atrium...

 

 

 

 

[sid_9169]

Next, according to my notes it rained for a bit. I went to the buffet for lunch, which of course is unusual for me, but it became "the usual" over this past cruise.

 

 

 

[sid_9169]

Around mid day they had a moment of silence in the Atrium to honor those that didn't return from their service defending our country. Right after that, some kids threw a bunch of stuff from the top balcony down onto the Atrium Bar below and ran away... Little bastards. I wanted to chase them down but I'm too old to catch 12 year olds with my bad knees.

 

Went by Ocean Plaza where classic rock trivia was happening. I didn't officially play, but I did exceptionally well with my vast knowledge of old rock... I was there, remember? 

 

Wandered around some more in the afternoon before heading over to Pig and Anchor Bar for some good tequila.

 

These are the only other photos I took the entire day. I was kinda getting used to not having it with me.

 

 

 

 

[sid_9169]

For the rest of the day on Monday / Memorial Day I left my phone in the cabin and went "full vacation mode"... Hanging out at the Pig and Anchor Bar in the mid afternoon prior to Alchemy opening. There was a family of good 'ol boys from North Carolina who looked like ZZ Top but a little heavier. They were a hoot. The bartenders there: Nelsha, Danni, and John Wick poured the good tequila with three ice cubes per my request. 

 

When Alchemy opened, I made my way the 75 or so feet down the hall over there and just continued drinking, but only the crappy Patron Silver they had in hand. I'd gotten tired of running back and forth, and honestly I can't believe they "couldn't" get a bottle of the good stuff there. No pictures whatsoever, since my phone was back in the cabin. It was Diana's birthday, so we sung happy birthday to her. Next thing it was getting time to eat something to soak up all those afternoon drinks, so I headed up to the buffet and ate whatever looked good there. I assume it wasn't memorable, or I would've made a note of it. Next thing I knew I was back at the cabin and watched TV for a bit and then went to bed early again. Other than a couple of evenings, this would be a recurring theme for the cruise. 

[Riles34]

With multiple $25 tips at alchemy you’d think they would get you “good tequila”. 
 

*Must have hit submit at the same time. They should have been able to “order” it for the next day. One guy had that happen on the Venezia for heroes bar, had the booze he wanted there everyday from that point on. Sucks they wouldn’t do that for you. 

Edited June 4 by Riles34

[sid_9169]

Tuesday May 28th Aruba 

 

Up at 8:20 after another 12 straight hours of sleep. Well, 12 hours in bed anyway, as I wake up about a hundred times a night. Ariswan was itching to clean my room by this point, so I told him I'd hand it over once I got ready and headed out into Aruba. 

 

It rained pretty hard for awhile then cleared up. Then rained again, but I wasn't in any hurry since we were there until 10:00 PM that night. Eventually I had all my junk packed up inside my Publix "beach bag" and made my way down to deck zero. You had to go down some very steep stairs through a crew only area to get all the way down, but of course most people took the elevator. 

 

(*** Just a side note: I never got on the elevator for the entire eight days and nights. I guess one of the ways I can cruise and not gain a single pound.)

 

I walked outside the pier area and didn't see a bus stop, so I just started walking North on this long sidewalk. I was the only person walking out this way, and I hoped I'd eventually come across the public bus stop. Pretty soon I did see a sign that looked like a stop, and minutes later a big bus stopped to pick me up. I asked the driver if this would get me up to Eagle Beach, and he said yes, so I gave him three bucks even though the fare is only $2.50... Last thing I need to bring home is a bunch of change.

 

 

 

[sid_9169]

11 minutes ago, Riles34 said:

With multiple $25 tips at alchemy you’d think they would get you “good tequila”. 
 

*Must have hit submit at the same time. They should have been able to “order” it for the next day. One guy had that happen on the Venezia for heroes bar, had the booze he wanted there everyday from that point on. Sucks they wouldn’t do that for you. 

Believe me I tried. Sometimes Diana would even make the trek herself over to Pig and Anchor Bar with my card to get it for me, so I assume that they had an actual problem trying to procure it for me...

[sid_9169]

A few pictures I took before heading out into Aruba. Just trying to keep everything in order.

 

Well, I guess it's out of order now.

 

 

 

 

 

[sid_9169]

This is the entirety of my "plan" for Aruba. No hand drawn map, no nothing except this little piece of paper with the names of a few places I would like to go...

 

Spoiler alert: I ended up making it to 3 of the places on my list, so I was satisfied.

 

 

Edited June 4 by sid_9169

[sid_9169]

The bus driver announced "Eagle Beach" when we got up that way, since he'd remembered that I asked about going there. I jumped out and was on foot from here. I first walked all the way from the South end of it to the North end, but then just kept going. I had all day, so time wasn't a factor. There's cactus everywhere here, but I'm not sure if it's indigenous or someone planted it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sid_9169]

Eventually I was all the way past Eagle Beach and I just kept going. I was on this long sidewalk and at a certain point I was the only human in either direction for as far as I could see. I just kept going, and after about twenty minutes I came to what I believe they call Palm Beach. It was mostly hotels, and I don't think they want you trespassing on their property to get to the beach, so I just stopped by a bus stop and waited for the next Southbound bus.

 

 

 

 

 

[sid_9169]

That's going to be it for today, since all my Aruba pictures are on my backup phone, and I have no WiFi at home... We'll pick this up tomorrow at Eagle Beach and some of the best food I had the entire cruise... I know this "after" review probably isn't nearly exciting as the rapid fire "live" version, but it is what it is... We'll see y'all tomorrow.........

[Saint Greg]

32 minutes ago, sid_9169 said:

There's cactus everywhere here, but I'm not sure if it's indigenous or someone planted it.

 

 

 

It's everywhere on Aruba and Bonaire. I didn't drive across Curacao so I can't say if it's the same there. But Aruba and Bonaire are very much like you would imagine New Mexico or Arizona to be.

 

Edited June 4 by Saint Greg

[sid_9169]

[sid_9169]

3 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

It's everywhere on Aruba and Bonaire. I didn't drive across Curacao so I can't say if it's the same there. But Aruba and Bonaire are very much like you would imagine New Mexico or Arizona to be.

 

Hmmmm... Far I made it was up and down the one coast and it was mostly in the middle of the road, so it appeared to be planted there...

[Saint Greg]

1 minute ago, sid_9169 said:

Hmmmm... Far I made it was up and down the one coast and it was mostly in the middle of the road, so it appeared to be planted there...

 

May have been but it is all over the island. Here are a few of my pics from various locations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TrqoisWtrs]

On 5/27/2024 at 6:30 PM, ninjacat123 said:

Thank you!! I have reread that review at least three times and it brings me such joy. I will be posting a LIVE review of my land trip to Japan (last week of June) in the ports of call (CC said I could) and I’ll post a link in my past LIVE reviews 👍😁

ooh, looking forward to that!

[TrqoisWtrs]

Just finished - glad you got a break Sid, but this non-Sid review was great!  Honestly, you could hire some of these posters as ghost writers the next time you don't want to do a review.😝

[cellfree]

On 5/27/2024 at 7:30 PM, ninjacat123 said:

Thank you!! I have reread that review at least three times and it brings me such joy. I will be posting a LIVE review of my land trip to Japan (last week of June) in the ports of call (CC said I could) and I’ll post a link in my past LIVE reviews 👍😁

Off topic from @sid_9169’s “(*not) live / solo,” sorry Sid, Bethany will we need to go to each Port separately to read your Live?

[canes20]

1 minute ago, cellfree said:

Off topic from @sid_9169’s “(*not) live / solo,” sorry Sid, Bethany will we need to go to each Port separately to read your Live?