The first port stop of this 8-day Southern Caribbean Cruise has us docked in “One Happy Island” – Aruba where the trade winds are blowing and the sun is hot, hot, hot! The Carnival Horizon arrived in the port city of Oranjestad, which is also the island’s capital, around 9:00 am and those ready to give up their sea legs for some time of terra firma were the first to line up and get off the ship to do some exploring or take in a port excursion. All aboard isn’t until 9:30 pm, so there is plenty of time to be out and about.
Having been here many times before, I wasn’t in a hurry to get off the ship, but when it was time, I headed out and walked around the port area. One of the first things people do when they get ashore is head over for an obligatory selfie at the “I Love Aruba” sign which is just outside the gates of the port.
The sign also marks what I call the “don’t go any further” line for that side of the city. There’s nothing to see past the sign unless you’re trying to get gas or buy a Hyundai. If you go in the opposite direction, you’ll pass through some local vendors, which actually have a nice setup believe it or not, before you enter the main shopping area which consists of approximately 32 stores selling diamonds for “the best price in the Caribbean.”
Just up the street is the Renaissance Mall and Renaissance Resort which has its own stores, a casino, a beachfront hotel, dining, an outdoor bar, and more. If you hang just outside the resort, you can scoop up some of their free WiFi. While Private Property signs are up around the resort, you can still meander around and just pretend you got lost as you check out the property and some of the amenities they offer including their own small beach, tiki bar, and loungers under palm trees that are all available to resort guests only, so peek but don’t loiter.
If you’re looking for a beach that is a walkable distance from the ship, well forget it. However, just past the Renaissance, there is Govenor’s Beach. Don’t expect anything, and I mean ANYTHING, fancy about this beach. In fact, you probably wouldn’t even want to lie down in the sand, but if you’re looking for a quick dip in the Caribbean, you can do it here. The nice beaches of Aruba all require you to take a taxi or a shore excursion to get to.
There are about three or four blocks of streets that I consider “safe” to walk around during the daytime but would be a tad sketchy after dark. You’ll find what is typical about all the islands in the Caribbean in these areas: dilapidated buildings, stores that make you wonder how they pay the rent, sidewalks, local dive bars and restaurants all along streets that are falling apart, but hey… It’s one happy island after all!
Back on board, there wasn’t much happening on the ship since we had such a late departure with many taking advantage of the full day ashore with shops and the ship’s casino not opening until 7:00 pm, so plenty of time to be lazy before partaking in the evening’s activities, which were on the lite side. The evening’s entertainment was a magician/comedian which I did not get to go see. There were no large gatherings or big events planned at all, just typical lounge acts spread out throughout the ship.
When it came time for dinner, I decided to hit up Ji Ji Asian Bistro for you guessed it… Asian food!
The restaurant is pretty small and comes with an $18 per person surcharge. For groups dining, food is served family style so you can pick and choose from several different entrees and an appetizer and dessert for each person. For a single, I was able to choose one appetizer, one main, one side, and one dessert.
Before ordering, an amuse bouche was served a breaded and deep-fried mozzarella served with two different sauces. Crunchy, and melty, with minced veggies inside, the starter was good but the sauces felt out of place, especially the one that was more like vinegar than anything else.
For an appetizer, I chose the Nanjing-Style Duck which was a duck leg that was slow-cooked and then wok-fried and served with tomato, mung bean fritters, with a hoisin sauce. As a lover of anything duck, this was off the hook good. Tasty with a hint of heat from the green chili sauce, the duck skin was crispy while keeping the meat moist and simply delicious.
For an entree, I went with Chairman Mao’s Master Stock Pig which is a clay pot stewed pork with a spicy sauce served with spinach. The dish is presented with the spinach on top of, instead of underneath the roast pork, and is great for scooping up some of the flavorful sauce.
The pig… err pork… was tender and paired well with the sauce. This had a striking similarity to lettuce wraps from the spinach down to the sauce. A good choice for sure.
I asked for a side of Chinese broccoli and Hakka-style Noodles, but the “only one” rule was strictly enforced, so no veggies for me, I opted for the noodles which were standard.
Finally, for dessert Fried Wontons that were served on a layer of tapioca pearls and coconut milk. An interesting combination for sure, but I wasn’t much of a fan.
Overall, I was expecting the food to be in line with Panda Express, but was pleasantly surprised and may make a second trip here for dinner before the end of the cruise.
With a blast on the ship’s horn, we were pulling out of Aruba about 15 minutes early at 9:45 pm enroute just down the road to our next port of call, Curacao, with an arrival time of 7:15 am. With a late all aboard, as noted previously there wasn’t much going on around the ship, and many like myself, called it an early night.
That’s all for today, thanks for stopping by!
Fun Times for Day 4:
The Fun Times for September 5, 2023, can also be downloaded as a PDF by clicking here.