Valor Review w/Pics 9/06-9/13 LOOONG!

[Robin7]

 

 

 

 

 

[Robin7]

 

 

Iguanas were EVERYWHERE, and I mean EVERYWHERE. If you’re at all phobic about them, beware. I imagine the Maya ate them. (Bet they taste like chicken….)

 

 

See the iguana on the step?

 

 

 

 

We would definitely take this excursion again, even though it took up nearly the entire day. We did have about 45 minutes to wander the shops by the ship, but I was glad we’d purchased our souvenirs at that stop. (Even though I suspect the cruiseline gets a kickback. The prices were very reasonable, they were wrapped well, and the bathrooms were pristinely clean.)

[Robin7]

And now for "Carnival Boulevard" in Cozumel!

 

 

 

 

 

[Robin7]

Last shots of shops/stuff near Cozumel:

 

 

 

 

Up next: Valor to the rescue!

[cmptrwiz]

Robin7, Great review!! We live not too far from you guys. We are in Southeast Idaho. We will be on the Valor Nov 1st. You have helped us with all of your information. Which ruins did you like the best Altun Ha or Tulum? I was wondering if you found any BOM significance? Please feel free to e-mail me wiz at cableone dot net.

 

Thanks,

 

wiz

[BaseballMomof4]

We will be doing this same itinerary in December - different ship but same itinerary - and I am so enjoying your port photos and comments! Thanks for a great review!!

[jerseygirl79]

This review just gets better. Beautiful pictures. I'm so happy to see there was a beach at Tulum. I think I'd have to spend 45 min in the water :)

[suzinva]

If you don't mind my asking, how much as the SNUBA at Tabyana? Was that a vendor on the beach doing those or was it something you arranged through the ship? We're doing the same itinerary next September and that's something I would like to try. Thanks!

 

:)

[Senoj84]

Love the review and pics. I feel like I was right there with you! :)

[sailingawaysoon]

Robin,

 

Reading your review and looking at the pics has been my afternoon fix at work. I can't wait until tomorrow and see/read more. It's a wonderful review!

[Robin7]

Those pics you took at altun ha look great especially the aerial shot. What was your vantage point when you took that? We also booked Altun Ha but with island marketing so any info/tips you can give will be greatly appreciated.

 

I took that shot from atop the largest temple, the one we were allowed to climb. I believe it's 'The Temple of the Sun God'. Our guide said that plaza and surrounding area was home to 10,000 people at the height of the Mayan civilization. Wow.

 

Hat, sunscreen, good shoes, water bottle, and BUG SPRAY are the most essential things. We also had bandanas we used for mopping our faces. Did I mention it was REALLY HOT? (Why I wanted to go to the Caribbean in the SUMMER, I don't know. :p)

 

It was amazing to me. We love ruins though. We live in Utah and have been to Mesa Verde and other Anasazi/Ancient Puebloan ruins (including ones only visited by 4X4) so maybe we're freaks. :D

 

Robin

[Robin7]

what kind of camera did you use to shoot the underwater pics?

 

Sorry, I missed this before:

 

It's a Canon D10. We love it.

 

 

Robin

[Robin7]

OMG. I so agree. We did the same tour. So friggin' hot! And oh look someone would see two eyes peeking out of the water and we would slooooowwwwllllyyy circle back around and sit there so everyone could snap away at nothing. DH and I also had on hats and tons of sunscreen. I would have loved to see some of the other participants later that evening - I'm sure with massive sunburn. And I wonder if we had the same chatty tour guide?

 

LOL! We did a canal boat tour in Costa Rica a couple of years ago that was very similar to this. (Another reason I may not have enjoyed it as much as I should have.) The guide slowed down for what he thought was a croc but it turned out to be a log. The lady behind me said, "By the time I get done Photoshopping it, it'll be a croc!" :D

 

Robin

[Rockportgirl]

What a great review! I have some of the almost exact pictures from Cozumel last year... the Conquest next to the Valor, the band, that blue blue water... ahhh. Come on, May! :p

[Robin7]

If you don't mind my asking, how much as the SNUBA at Tabyana? Was that a vendor on the beach doing those or was it something you arranged through the ship? We're doing the same itinerary next September and that's something I would like to try. Thanks!

 

It was $40 each for the SNUBA. The fellow was just sitting there on the beach under an umbrella. He was right by our chairs, but I'm sure if you walk along, you'll find them. I think they were the only ones there on the Carnival part of the beach. There was a sign too. It was fun!

 

Robin

[suzinva]

It was $40 each for the SNUBA. The fellow was just sitting there on the beach under an umbrella. He was right by our chairs, but I'm sure if you walk along, you'll find them. I think they were the only ones there on the Carnival part of the beach. There was a sign too. It was fun!

 

Robin

 

 

Thank you so much!!!!!

[AndrewD65]

Awesome review so far, I love your pictures.. can't wait to see even more..

[AryMay]

We bought a Canon D10. We just got it right before the trip, but since our 'big' camera is a Canon 40D and our other 'little' camera is a Canon Digital Elph, we were familiar with the way Canon does stuff. We've been really happy with it!

 

AryMay, that IS a Bichon in my avatar. His name is Chewie (short for Chewbacca), and he's three years old and completely spoiled rotten. We adore him!

 

Robin

 

We also bought the Canon D10 right before our cruise in July and got some great photos and video. Can you believe I actually forgot to take video while we were snorkeling?! I was so busy trying to see everything it completely slipped my mind.

 

Did you buy a floating strap for the camera? I was trying to see if that is what you had around your shoulder in one of the photos. I just used the regular wrist strap and hoped I didn't drop it in the water.

 

Our bichon is close to 12 years old. She has slowed down, but still has her daily "blitz"!!

[Halftocruz]

There is a gorgeous beach there. It was voted one of the top five beaches in the world by the Travel Channel. But we didn’t go down to it. A lot of people did.

 

Hi,

 

Great review... We are going on the Liberty in December and we will be in Cozumel. I have a dumb question, can you just go over to Tulum and just go to that beach? Is there a separate excursion for that beach from Carnival. I don't think my kids would be interested in the ruins but we would be interested in the beach. So is this in Playa Del Carmen? Thanks for answering my dumb question...:D

 

Kellie

[mississauga]

Hat, sunscreen, good shoes, water bottle, and BUG SPRAY are the most essential things. We also had bandanas we used for mopping our faces.

 

I have a dumb question since I have never used both together before. Which do you put on first? Sunscreen or bug spray? Sounds logical if the sunscreen is a lotion and the bug spray is a spray, it would be sunscreen and then bug spray. BUT sometimes logic doesn't always follow. Also, if you use the OFF towelettes as some on the CC boards have recommended, then does the order change?

 

Does it make a difference in the effectiveness?

[fofita01]

Robin - Loving your review! It's fun to see what others from our roll call did. I love your pictures... I had seem them before when you posted the link on the roll, but nice to see them again in the review.

[fofita01]

I have a dumb question since I have never used both together before. Which do you put on first? Sunscreen or bug spray? Sounds logical if the sunscreen is a lotion and the bug spray is a spray, it would be sunscreen and then bug spray. BUT sometimes logic doesn't always follow. Also, if you use the OFF towelettes as some on the CC boards have recommended, then does the order change?

 

Does it make a difference in the effectiveness?

 

I put on sunscreen on first (the continuos spray kind) then after a minute I put on the bugspray (also the continuous spray). I used the OFF "Smooth & Dry" and it was awesome... not sticky and easy to apply. I personally think it'd be quicker than using the towelettes.

[AryMay]

There is a gorgeous beach there. It was voted one of the top five beaches in the world by the Travel Channel. But we didn’t go down to it. A lot of people did.

 

Hi,

 

Great review... We are going on the Liberty in December and we will be in Cozumel. I have a dumb question, can you just go over to Tulum and just go to that beach? Is there a separate excursion for that beach from Carnival. I don't think my kids would be interested in the ruins but we would be interested in the beach. So is this in Playa Del Carmen? Thanks for answering my dumb question...:D

 

Kellie

 

Getting to Tulum from Cozumel is not easy or quick. If you aren't really interested in seeing the ruins then I would suggest finding a beach in Cozumel. The travel time you save would give you lots more time on the beach or time to shop...and would save you quite a bit of money since you wouldn't need to book a tour.

 

There are lots of suggestions on the Ports of Call boards for beaches in Cozumel. We've done Paradise Beach, Chankanaab, and Dzul Ha (twice) and each one has pros and cons. There are also beaches that offer an "all-inclusive" package that includes food and drinks.

 

In my opinion (and this is just MY opinion)...the trip from Cozumel to Tulum is too long to try and do as a port excursion. For those who really want to see ruins...plan a land vacation to the Riviera Maya. We did this two years ago and had a fantastic time.

 

Here is the beach in Akumal, Mexico where we stayed (about 20 minutes from Tulum). This photo was taken from our balcony.

 

 

 

A cruise is a great way to "sample" destinations...but it takes a land vacation to have time to truly enjoy a place.

[Robin7]

can you just go over to Tulum and just go to that beach? Is there a separate excursion for that beach from Carnival. I don't think my kids would be interested in the ruins but we would be interested in the beach. So is this in Playa Del Carmen?

 

We took the ferry over to Playa Del Carmen and then bused to Tulum. If I recall correctly, it was an hour or so on the bus each way. I'm not certain if that's still considered as being IN Playa Del Carmen or not???? (My geography skillz are not good. :o)

 

I imagine you could go on the Tulum excursion and skip the guided tour and just head directly over to the stairs to the beach. If you look at the picture of the largest temple, the stairs are to the right. I don't know if there is an excursion just for the beach or not. Sorry.

 

Mary, we used only the wrist strap as well. We figured if we dropped it, we could always dive down and get it as we were never that deep. (Including during the SNUBA.) We took it to California and did some surfing with our kids the weekend prior to the cruise, and it was REALLY weird to return to the hotel room and soak the camera in the sink. REALLY weird!

 

Mississauga, we put on the sunscreen (rub on variety) and then sprayed with OFF. I read a while ago that you want the insect repellent on top of the sunscreen because it's the 'fumes' that deter the pests from biting. I don't know how accurate that is though. I still got bit (bugs LOVE me, DH did not get a single bite), and I ended up with cellulitis on my leg from one of the bites. It's finally going away, but it took a mega-antibiotic to get rid of it. So, good luck!

 

Lorena! I'm going to go look for the rest of your review. I've been enjoying it too!

 

Thanks, everyone, for the nice comments. I don't have access to my review or my photos tonight (our computer has a gremlin), but I'll post more tomorrow.

 

Robin

[mississauga]

Mississauga, we put on the sunscreen (rub on variety) and then sprayed with OFF. I read a while ago that you want the insect repellent on top of the sunscreen because it's the 'fumes' that deter the pests from biting. I don't know how accurate that is though. I still got bit (bugs LOVE me, DH did not get a single bite), and I ended up with cellulitis on my leg from one of the bites. It's finally going away, but it took a mega-antibiotic to get rid of it. So, good luck!

 

 

 

Bugs love me too! That's why I want to make sure to do it right. So if anyone is an authority on this, would love to hear from you. I would rather get sunburn than get bitten...that's how bad it is. LOL

 

Robin, thanks for your wonderful review and for sharing your pictures.