My Belated Inaugural Valor Review 12/19th Pt1

[dromMOM]

My 35MM pics arent here yet but heres a token few digital.. sorry for the quality. But its only around 2. quality..

 

Here is a pic.. looking over..the Atrium area.. Notice the faces lit up.. I was almost expecting a Disney MOMENT.. I thought the eyes and mouths would start moving...

[dromMOM]

PINK ALL AROUND>>>> and then they put primary colors on the Dancers.. enough to give anyone an upset stomach..LOL :p

 

 

Well the Dining room colors grow on you.. thats Virgil dancing up a storm..

 

Another thought on the Washington Dining room.. Cause its aft.. it probably had the most motion I felt anywhere on the ship..But we took our Bonine religiously.. and it didn't matter.. a couple people at our table did have to excuse themselves a bit during dinner.. Especially cause we tended to be eating when we were leaving port.. and our ships tail...seemed to wag a bit..

I do wonder how the Lincoln Diners felt..

 

Not to worry no waiters fell off their Disco Perches.. :cool:

[dromMOM]

Oh no...its ANOTHER TOWEL ANIMAL!!!EEEK>>>

 

But mine has a BOA around its neck... how creative..

This is the BOA that was my link to locating other Cruise Critic friends.. but let me tell you it sure screwed up the tan on my neck.. from wearing it at the pool.. A BIT OF ADVICE>>KEEP YOUR BOA OUT OF THE POOL!!!!!

[dromMOM]

Okay.. I am sure if you give all the Valor Folk a few more days.. there will be DOZENS of this shot.. all over the Place... BUT HEY THE SIGN LOOKED SO NICE>>>I TOOK THIS SHOT WITH HALF MY FELLOW CRUISERS WHO WERE BOARDING>>

 

It was a wonderful few minutes.. as we were reboarding 2 ships were leaving.. and the sun was setting.. lots to watch...

[dromMOM]

One of the murals..Very SEDATE... With Murals like this and the Art Auction displaying Peter Max art every where...you STAYED ALERT>>>

[dromMOM]

A View down to the Atrium... STARS AND STRIPES...

[dromMOM]

Beautiful Slide the kids seemed to love it.. It just ends.. no drop off into a pool by the way..

 

Only open the last 2 at sea days.. we had strong winds.. that could knock you down on the unprotected decks during the first at sea day..

[dromMOM]

THE HALLS SEEMED ENDLESS... especially after a late night out..and a FEW FOO FOO DRINKS IN ME> I had to deliver a few things to friends one night.. Cold Medicine, Ear Plugs for scuba diving.. and their rooms were miles away.. and always on the opposite side of the ship... ah.. but would we want it any other way?? NAH...its an adventure!!!!!

[dromMOM]

Great BED..I think a queen.. really comfortable.. I wanted to stuff the DUVET covers in a suitcase.. I meant to look for the Manufacturer tag on the cover so... can somebody who is still going do this and let me know?

[dromMOM]

The Sofa Bed which was just alright.. My son did try to bribe me to switch places quite a few times.. I had to throw him out of my bed.. way too ofter..

No Duvet comforters here... just a plain blue blanket.. I requested that the sofa stay as a bed the whole time.. cause my teenager.. liked to sleep..LOL

What a surprise.. So we only saw the sofa the first few hours of the cruise.. :o

[dromMOM]

Elevator EAGLES.. and stars and stripes.. In the Stairwells were giant paintings of all sorts of famous people of Valor ..I guess.. SCARLETT OHARA?? seriously.. I'm pretty sure she was one of them..lol

[dromMOM]

This is actually one Mural.. Rosie the Riviter.. in tile.. that I really liked.. Rosies was very dinerish..looking in stainless, bright yellow and LIME green.. It really grew on me..

[dromMOM]

Here is a great picture in the Washington Dining Room of KEN our Maiter D singing a White Christmas Duet with our Tablemate LINDA.. If your from Alberta Canada... she is known as Klondike Kate... for the last few years..

She was the Carnival Valors IDOL winner... what a voice.. She sang in the Kareoke Bar.. too.. what a treat... they harmonized so sweetly..

[dromMOM]

A view from the LIDO..YAWN>>> not much to say here...

 

 

ANY QUESTIONS???

[celticd1]

More, more, more!!!!! :D

[jenny368]

Great pictures Elena. Thanks for sharing!

[mojo2rusty]

Thanks for a great review. We had been wondering how the new ship was.

[Tamster]

CELTIC..

As you can see I am a bit scattered..things keep coming to me.. I will get pictures posted.. I have a few on my tiny digital.. but I am waiting for those on my good 35mm.. will will have the pics on disc.. and will add them.. I just found all my capers.. so I will get you the names of the comics etc.. and then discuss them.. My husband went to the late night raunchy show.. so I will get his review on that..

Would you please email or fax me copies of your capers? I would be so very grateful.

706-213-8102 or tworley1659@comcast.net

Tamster

[dromMOM]

Would you please email or fax me copies of your capers? I would be so very grateful.

706-213-8102 or tworley1659@comcast.net

Tamster

 

I will try to remember to send you the capers..

[busypk]

Thank you Elena and everyone else for your wonderful information and questions. My husband, 16 yr. old daughter and I are going on the Valor in April. It looks quite fancy. Except for the customs wait it sounds like there were no kinks. I have never been on a new ship before and am excited. We went on the Explorer and Golden Princess. We loved the entertainment on the Explorer but not the Princess. The shows sound wonderful on the Valor. How much space is in the cabin? We have a balcony room for the 3 of us. Did your son stay in the cabin with you Elena?

 

I definitely want to go on one of the American Cup boats. Someone said it was wonderful. Did you book it through the ship or privately?

 

Thanks again!

 

Pat in NH

[cruising mama]

For all of you who will be going on the Valor I want to give you alittle advice. I have been on 10 cruises so far and 4 of them have been Carnival. Do not go in line for customs check when they tell you to. Stay in your cabin and wait for the last announcement that you must report to customs. Go to the customs line at this time and you will not have a long wait at this time. We took the view that we were not going to ruin our vacation by waking up early or inconveniencing ourselves for there paperwork. We waited for the last announcement that all American citizens should report, we went to the place, showed our passports and were done with the whole thing in 20 minutes. Carnival is not the only line to do the customs check. All the cruise lines do it now. It is because of 9/11 and is for our own safety. If you have been to a foreign port and then our returning to St Thomas which is the USA they want to make sure no stowaways or illegal aliens are now among the passengers. In the pre 9/11 days your sail and sign card was your ID and they kept track of all the people and their comings and goings by this method but now the USA wants to be more careful. I still don't understand why the ships can't but St Thomas first so we don't have to put thru this inconvenience. Every time it has happened to us I have had to wake up my kids at 6am to wait in a long line. So now I just take them at the last announcement and they are much happier as it is usually around 8:30am or so this way.

[dromMOM]

Thank you Elena and everyone else for your wonderful information and questions. My husband, 16 yr. old daughter and I are going on the Valor in April. It looks quite fancy. Except for the customs wait it sounds like there were no kinks. I have never been on a new ship before and am excited. We went on the Explorer and Golden Princess. We loved the entertainment on the Explorer but not the Princess. The shows sound wonderful on the Valor. How much space is in the cabin? We have a balcony room for the 3 of us. Did your son stay in the cabin with you Elena?

 

I definitely want to go on one of the American Cup boats. Someone said it was wonderful. Did you book it through the ship or privately?

 

Thanks again!

 

Pat in NH

 

Pat if you scroll down a bit you will see pictures of our Cabin. My son slept on the sofa bed. We had asked the steward to keep it made up as a bed all day due to a LAZY Teenager.. But that is your choice. The room worked fine.. The only tight spot is for 3 people trying to get into the closets.. and the bathroom at the same time..

 

As I recall Covan booked it before the Cruise.. EVAN???

[dromMOM]

So... I'm rereading my review of this cruise as I dry off and catch my breath.

Over a foot of snow here.. and the plows have just blocked us in..

 

Anyone for a review on my shoveling experience today and yesterday?

 

My husband and I shoveled a circular path in our backyard so my dog who is tiny could get out and run.. and do his thing.. then we shoveled the ROOF!!

Betcha we are the only loonys who shovel our grass!! :eek:

 

We have had ice dams...before...

 

Then my son had to shovel a path so he could catch the bus.. which was postponed till 9:30 instead of 6:50.. Of course he got mad at me.. for waking him early.. Like I was supposed to know ahead of time..

 

VALOR WHERE ARE YOU WHEN I NEED YOU> Time to start planning the next......

 

PS> I was just informed that Ken our Maitre d in the Washington retired after the 12/26 cruise and is going back to Ireland to open a restaurant.. Boo Hoo.. he was fun..

[Marcys]

dromMOM, was he the singing Maitre D?

 

Also, the times listed on your itinerary for arriving and departing ports, was that ship or local time? We're having some major confusion trying to schedule shore excursions.

[dromMOM]

dromMOM, was he the singing Maitre D?

 

Also, the times listed on your itinerary for arriving and departing ports, was that ship or local time? We're having some major confusion trying to schedule shore excursions.

 

 

Yes it is the Singing Maitre D.. sorry...

 

On the ship you stay on Florida time or Eastern time.. but the Islands tended to be 1 hour later..... so if you are arriving in port at 10 Eastern time.. their time is 11. So if you email them.. most know the ship time.. and you can just ask if it is ship time or island time.. these tour folk have been doing this for a long time and do know.. Just be careful so that you are back on SHIP TIME.. or go to the thread in this fourm about all who have missed the ship!!! :rolleyes: