Caribbean Cruise August 28-September 9, 2025: Part 3

Day 5 Curacao (pronounced more like carra-sol).

After a quick French toast breakfast from the main buffet we headed ashore for our final port day of the voyage.

Curacao was probably the prettiest and most interesting port of the trip. Again we didn't book an excursion but spent more time ashore here than the other ports.

This 1800's fortification has been beautifully renovated into a very unique shopping/tourist attraction blending the beautiful original features and modern retail spaces.

In this town we even tracked down a Starbucks!

Mid afternoon we sailed away heaing North for Miami.

After a long enjoyable day ashore, supper tonight was later than usual For appetizers we both started with delicious French onion soup.

I also ordered the stuffed mushrooms which were filled with spinach, Romano cheese and a truffle herb veloute.

For my entree I simply couldn't pass up trying the ships ribs, which even as a homemade smoked rib connoisseur, these were outstanding.

Meanwhile Sandy went for the Pepper steak served with a beautiful pepper sauce and mashed potatoes.

I also ordered a 2nd entree for both of us to try, the delectable Chicken Parmigiana which is about the best I've ever had (don't tell Tash).

For desert I opted for the amazing Tiramisu served with mascarpone cream while Sandy had her favorite chocolate melting cake.

Due to our late supper we missed the Cuban themed show in the Liquid Lounge but instead met up with the Louisville crew up on Deck 11 aft.

Sea day #3 returning to Miami. Now back on a sea day schedule, breakfast brunch at the Meridian Restaurant was back to the longer open hours so we headed there for our mid morning brunch.

We spent the day poolside in the aft pool and up on Deck 11 aft hanging out with the crowd from Louisville with whom we have become great friends.

Dinner tonight was back in the Meridian Restaurant and was regarded as feast night with many extra options on an already incredible menu.

For starters I ordered the crispy buttermilk fried calamari and a Cesar salad.

For entrees I ordered the broiled lobster tail,

and we both ordered the slow cooked prime rib which was just fabulous.

Staying true to feast night I ordered two deserts, the crème brulèe and the panna cotta served with a blueberry compote.

After supper we headed to the Liquid Lounge for our final theatrical performance of this voyage, the Celestial Strings Show which was absolutely incredible.

This was followed by the white party held in the main atrium which was definitely the best party onboard!

Sea day #4 - Saturday was our last full day on Carnival Horizon, we started the day right with another delicious breakfast in the Meridian Restaurant. The rest of the day was spent exploring the ship, resting poolside at the aft pool and chatting up on deck 11 with our friends.

That evening we enjoyed our final formal supper in the Meridian Restaurant.

Tonight I started with an order of Frogs Legs and the app size Penne Mariscos which was pasta served with calamari, shrimp and mussels in a tomato cream (rosè) sauce.

For entrees we both tried the braised beef brisket which was outstanding.

For desert I ordered the baked Alaska which is always a favorite for me.

Our final show in the Liquid Lounge was the extremely funny Love & Marriage show hosted by cruise director George.

Before we knew it our adventure came to an end. Sunday morning we grabbed a quick breakfast from the Main Buffet before heading down to deck 3 at our designated disembarkation time.

Leaving the ship was an easy organized affair as was clearing customs and picking up our luggage.

After letting the crowd die down and people watching, Uber fares dropped so we booked our ride back to the same hotel we stayed at the beginning of our vacation.

We planned a couple days in Miami after our cruise to enjoy the city.

I took advantage of Uber Eats and ordered up a feat of real Taco Bell, something we still don't have at home. The real hero was Mountain Dew Baha Blast.

The following morning we hailed an Uber and headed back to the Dolphin Mall to finish up some shopping.

For supper we hit up the Cheesecake Factory at the mall which is always decent.

Throughout the day Miami was hit by pretty heavy rains as evidenced by flooding all across the area.

That evening we headed over to Publix to see what we could see and picked up a few prizes to bring home.

Farewell Miami

At the beginning of this tale I wondered if we remembered our past cruising holidays through rose colored glasses and whether or not we would be happy or disappointed compared to our Vegas and all inclusive resort trips.

Just like 15 years ago, and unlike Jamaica last year today I was ready to stay aboard another week or two, no problem. Our vacation was incredibly affordable. The food was absolutely outstanding, much better than Jamaica and just on another planet compared to Cuba. Finally we enjoyed our shipboard routines but on port days we got to experience something fresh and new which is simply not an option at inclusive resorts.

I absolutely cannot wait until our next cruise vacation!