formerlivaboard

I'm weighing all of my options for whether to Uber from HOU and stay in Galveston the night before our cruise or to rent a car one-way and stay near League City/Webster area. I'm curious to hear from others who have rented a car from HOU and dropped it off in League City before their cruise. How easy was it to get an Uber or Lyft from the rental car drop-off the morning of your cruise? Essentially, I'm trying to decide if the cost savings and flexibility justify the hassle of not being in Galveston the night before. We are a family of 4 adults and coordinating hotel/transfer to port details is the most stressful part of the cruise for me! (BTW, I'm leaning towards the rental car and non-Galveston hotel stay at the moment.)

How about taxis? Anyone know if they will be running as usual? Trying to help my parents decide whether they should book a ship excursion, or if taxi service will be available so they can go out on their own.

Oh my goodness!! Now I'm curious, did that hubby enjoy the cruise?? I had a family vacation planned for our Magic cruise (by family vacation I mean myself, hubby, and our four girls). It was my girls first cruise, and I was 'over the moon' excited for them. I also figured it was the last family vacation before my oldest daughter got married. Well, when my dad heard about our vacation, he invited himself and my stepmom. Then he invited my stepsister and her family, my stepbrother and his family, and my stepmom's parents. After all of them were invited, my sister called to tell me she might as well join us since everyone else was. It completely changed the dynamics of the vacation, and all I heard from him and his in-laws was how bad Carnival was (they are Holland America cruisers). NIGHTMARE! At least I know he'll never join us on another cruise again! ;p;p

 

 

 

OP: Sorry to hijack:halo:

Oh my goodness! Sounds like a big mess. I’m sure you were wishing it had just been you and your girls to start with. My hubby complained about the food on the Oasis almost the whole time we were sailing. It drove me nuts! I was just so happy to be there and to get away with him, that I didn’t care if the food wasn’t spectacular! People’s attitudes can really put a damper on things.

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Last year I tried to get the family together for a cruise, and created so much anxiety for myself. I kept hounding those dragging their feet to book before no cabins left, and then those that booked, canceled by day 90. The one family left to join us did have a great time, but her hubby is a fussy sort of fellow (the type that only stays in luxury hotels such as the Ritz Carlton), and I wasn’t sure how he would handle sharing a family ocean view with their 3 children. I was a wreck by the time we left! Well, I have booked a cruise for our 50th Anniversary for April 2020. I gave the kids the info, but that’s it. I’m done. I’m not ruining this special celebration with worry. I’m done trying to convince and push. So much so, the hubby and I are driving to the town we were married in 50 years ago to have the JP renew our vows, and we aren’t telling anyone to come. Just the two of us, as it was in 1970 when we eloped.

Wow! That does sound like a lot of stress. You are probably going to enjoy renewing your vows without all the drama! Congrats on 50 years!

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OMG another person that went on Dolphin!! I went in middle school maybe 95-96 it was my first cruise.

 

 

 

I've only been on the Valor on that list and we liked her. We felt it was easy to navigate, and not overly big. My husband really liked the serenity deck, but he thought the decor was dated. We also liked how the casino and sports bar was. No issues with food or cleanliness.

I don’t remember much about Dolphin, but I’m thinking it was a very small ship by today’s standards.

Glad to hear you like the Valor! I agree that the decor looks a bit dated, but as long as it’s clean and fun, that’s ok.

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For $150 more a person, I would switch from the Dream to the Valor! Now, if it meant switching from Dream to Sensation, I’d have to give it some serious thought!

 

Enjoy your cruise! My November cruise next year includes my mom, and she’s never cruised before. I have anxiety about whether she’ll enjoy herself or wish she had stayed home!

Yes, I have so much anxiety about my family having fun on the cruise. But honestly, I can’t wait. Haven’t had a cruise booked since November, but have this one and a spring break 2020 on the Mariner with my hubby and kids. So excited!

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While I said the Dream earlier, I don't know that I would pay an extra $150 per person plus the additional cost of getting from the airport to the pier in Galveston versus what it would cost on the Valor in New Orleans. On a longer cruise I definitely would, but for a four night cruise I am starting to think the Valor may be a better idea for you.

I am definitely at the point where I’m overthinking the whole thing. I just feel responsible for ensuring my family is happy. I really want to sail on the Dream. Let’s be honest. What I really want is a 7night on the Horizon! But, given the parameters I’m working with, and the unexpected need to book a balcony, I think I will be happy with what I can get. And the whole point of this cruise is to spend time with my sisters, whom I never see because we live on opposite sides of the country. There. Just talked myself into the Valor! Thanks for your help! [emoji12]

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Ok, one last question, which I probably know the answer to, but I’m gonna ask anyway. Is the Dream worth an extra $150pp over the Valor? I was thinking we would do insides, but my mom and sisters want balconies. Cheapest balcony I can find in the Dream is $599. That seems like a lot for a 4 night cruise!

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I have read some reviews that said Valor is dirty, rusty, and in need of a refurb. From your pictures, that doesn’t appear to be the case. Would you say she’s pretty worn and shabby?

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I agree wholeheartedly with this comment. And it's not snobby at all. There is nothing wrong with different pricing for different quality. It's nice that the industry is accessible to almost any travel budget.

 

Of these 4 I have only been on Sensation and while we had a fabulous time and loved her, she was, let's face it, the least "sensational" ship I have been on since the old Premier (Big Red Boat) cruises I took back in the '80s (see signature).3

 

The Dream is the largest, newest, and fanciest of those you listed. There is also the issue of the other passengers. Carnival is the lowest end of the mass market cruises, and the passengers run the full spectrum of humanity, nothing exclusive about it. Particularly the Paradise and the Sensation which offer bargain basement pricing, will likely fall well short of your family's expectations based on prior experience.

Thanks for your great feedback! Yeah, I've kind of been thinking along those lines and have narrowed it down to Dream or Valor. Dream is my first choice, but I personally could not fly in the night before that one, and we all know how stressful that is. :o:o

If you family is accustomed to sailing Celebrity and Holland, only the Dream may be comparable. The other 3 might be considered serious downgrades, esp. the 2 oldest.

 

Now before someone accuses me of being a snob, I've sailed Paradise twice back in 2003, and Valor 7 times. I'm just being realistic with the parameters the OP has set.

I appreciate your feedback! I think I could be happy on any of them, since I'm likely to book an inside cabin and am going just to spend time with family. But it's my mom I worry about. She's not thrilled to be sailing Carnival in the first place, and will probably want an ocean view at minimum. Is the Valor significantly smaller than the Dream?

One more question for OP...

 

Did you check out the 5 day cruises on the Dream that month? For the extra night, the price is only a little more, and split between all of you, it is actually cheaper per night.

 

ETA: a balcony room looks to actually be cheaper on the 5-day:o

The tricky part is that we are looking for a cruise that runs over a weekend. I think the 5-day cruise runs during the week. We are actually looking at October 24th on the Dream, or October 31st on the Valor. I'll see what 5-days are available, but not sure we can all get away for that long (my sisters have younger kids).

Wow! Everyone recommends the Dream! This has me super excited. I’m reading lots of reviews and watching stuff on YouTube. She looks like a great ship!

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Excellent review! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I loved the pictures too!

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Just more options for family entertainment . Features of the ship over all. I have sailed on all of Carnivals ships except the latest two. While there are none I totally dislike the Dream class stands out over all.

Thanks!

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What did you like about Dream?

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Great review so far. Looking forward to the rest!

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I am planning a short 4-night Western Caribbean cruise for November 2019. I’ll be sailing with my 2 sisters and my mom. All of us girls are in our late 30’s/early 40’s, and my mom is late 60’s. My mom normally sails Celebrity and Holland America, and I’ve only sailed Oasis of the Seas. My sisters have never sailed before, unless you count the family cruise we went on in the early 90’s on Dolphin Cruise Line. [emoji3]

With all of that info, which ship would you choose? Our options are Dream, Paradise, Sensation, or Valor. I’d love any insight you can give!

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My husband and I were in Costa Maya in November and had plans to visit Tropicante. At the last minute, my husband decided he didn’t want to go and wanted to stay on the ship. I was initially quite upset because I didn’t want to go by myself, but I remembered reading on CC about how safe the port is.

So, I decided to brave it and go to Tropicante on my own. I am so very glad I did! It turned out to be my favorite day of the cruise. The service was incredible, the beach and water was gorgeous! And I was afraid it would be hard or unsafe to take a cab back to the ship by myself, but I needn’t have worried. The cab stand is right by Tropicante and they put me in a large van with lots of fellow passengers. I highly recommend you give it a try!

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Looking forward to reading your trip report! My hubby and I took our first cruise 2 months ago on the Oasis and I'm experiencing some serious withdrawal. Especially since we've got below zero temps up here in Michigan! Anyway, your Allure trip report was fun to read before we sailed because I knew that ship was so similar to the Oasis. Next time around we hope to take a family cruise, so I hope to glean lots of cheapo tips and tricks from your report!

Melissa

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We were at Paradise beach 2 weeks ago and there was plenty of shade. There were 6 ships in port and Paradise was busy, but not packed. I think if you get right off the ship you will find what you are looking for.

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Forgot to mention...be sure to email Steve and reserve your loungers or tables. They had them waiting for us! It definitely filled up quickly because there were three large ships in port. They were turning people away by early afternoon, and 2 of the ships didn't even arrive in port until 11 am.

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I was there last week and it was amazing! Excellent service, great food and drinks, and the water was crystal clear with very little sea grass. In fact, this was my favorite day of my entire cruise! Give it a shot. You will not be disappointed!

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We have been to both. It depends what you are looking for.

 

 

 

 

 

Sky Reef - large undercover restaurant for food and drinks. Some side activities - tequila tasting, massages, direct off-shore snorkeling from steps. Man-made beach areas with loungers.

 

 

 

Paradise much larger facility - pool and beach, with several water sport activities. Good food, drink and clean facilities. Direct snorkeling not so good, need a boat.

Thanks for your feedback! With snorkeling we could take it or leave it. I think we will end up at Paradise Beach!

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My husband and I are looking for an inexpensive morning at the beach in a few weeks. We've seen good reviews of SkyReef and plan to go there, but nown wondering if Paradise Beach might be better. Anyone been to both? Which one is better?

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