Just off Valor (11/1-8)....

[minncruisers]

Great review! I especially enjoyed your tips of the day. :)

[TonyaJune]

Thanks so much for the blog, very intersting and informative. We are looking forward to our upcoming cruise and it's great to read about the ship before we board.

[Sdallnct]

Excellent blog/review and sounds like you had a wonderful cruise.

 

Just a couple of 'amendments' to your tips for some inexperienced cruisers:

 

1) Cheapest place to get your rain poncho is the dollar store! I usually carry one in my 'beach bag' and have had to use it only once (and to heck with trying to refold it - just left it behind cuz it only cost a buck or two!)

 

2) I don't think you are ALLOWED to take anything but prepackaged sealed food off the ship as most countries have laws against this - of course this does not stop people from doing so - but in some ports they do check bags and make you discard any 'perishables' you are bringing off the ship. You are able to take things like 'prepackaged cheese & crackers', small cereal boxes (grab a few from the breakfast buffet), granola bars, chips, packaged nuts/trail mix, etc. There are many threads about this on cruise critic which you can locate by doing a 'search'.

 

3) No need to bring your own hangers - if you need more just ask the room steward (one of the 1st things I ask for when boarding) - he will bring you as many as you need! (even those left over by Scott! :D)

 

4) Pictures - I believe if there are any pictures you find during the week and that you are considering purchasing you can take them to the 'counter' and ask them to keep them 'separate' for you. This way they are not mixed in with all the other photos - and they are ready for you at the end of the cruise when you can pick and choose those you like!

 

Thanks for the excellent info on the shows - I usually attend all of them but it is good to know which 'comedians' are not worth staying up for (and I thought the talking couch was awfully cute! :D)

 

Good point about the poncho's!

 

I honestly did not know about bringing food off the ship. We did this ever time and no one ever asked to look in my back pack (I either carried my regular backpack or a cheap rope/gym bag). If we didn't finish what we took, we threw it away before getting back on the ship.

 

I knew they would provide more hangers, but I imagine everyone asks for more which is why we took some. Hopefully they do recycle them!

 

When we found pictures we liked early we did ask them to hold them for us and they refused. They told us we had to purchase or put them back. And if would put them back they would stay in the group till the end of the cruise.

[Sdallnct]

I have read the supper club requires jackets for men on elegant nights, but what about on the casual dining nights? Would slacks and a button down shirt be enough for in there, without a coat? DH wants to wear his tux for elegant nights so was not planning on any other dressy wear this trip.

 

Glad you had a good time. Less than a month until we board! :D

 

Cheers,

 

Michelle

 

I think I'm going to add a separate page for packing the clothing.

 

It seemed to me that the Super Club was on a different dress code then the MDR. Meaning they had elegant nights as well. The Capers told what was acceptable for the Super Club. I can't find the Capers right now to confirm that.

 

BTW, the Capers clearly stated no jeans for cruise casual in the MDR, yet many did wear jeans. Now I thought the vast majority were tatefull and that that did wear jeans, wore a "trendy" or nice top/shirt.

 

Briefly for dress clothing, I took my black pin strip suit, one pair of dark blue dockers and one pair of linen "casual" pants. I took a couple of ties including a black one. I took three dress shirts that could be worn with or without a tie and one long sleeve colorful striped shirt that I would probably never wear a tie with. Oh and with "Big Tex" as the cruise director I felt totally comfortable wearing my black western boots with my suit or whenever I dressed. I feel more comfortable in boots then stiff dress shoes.

 

I could have not brought the dark blue dockers and one less dress shirt.

 

Only night I wore a tie was the first elegant night. Otherwise I mixed and match my suit with other pants with different shirts with the suit jacket. But I did not wear a tie on either the 2nd cruise elegant night or the night we ate in the super club for our anniversary. However I typically wore a nicer shirt and had my suit jacket on.

 

I chose to wear long pants and polos in the MDR on "cruise casual" night. For me, personally, I thought some were under dressed but most were in docker type pants and either a nice t-shirt or polo type shirt. But some did show up in docker shorts, graphic t-shirts and/or Hawaiian shirts. Interestingly without a doubt the women out dressed the men on cruise casual nights (at least the one's I saw).

[Sdallnct]

Thanks so much for starting and FINISHING you cruise review.

It was very enjoyable to read.

We will be on the Valor 1/24/10.

 

Thank you and glad you enjoyed. It was actually easy to start and finish as I did it while on the ship. I used an offline blog tool. And while sitting out by the pool and relaxing I would take time to update. Wife always wanted to build in a little total relaxing time to read, so that is usually when I would "work" on it. Or I'd update while letting food settle before going to the gym and wife napped or got ready for dinner.

 

It also forced me to organize photos each day so I didn't have to do it when I I got home.

[Happy2trvl]

Thanks for your information I found it very helpful. We are going on Dec 13 and can't wait. How long is the breakfast available when you arrive on the morning of debarkation and do we need to prebook a shuttle to the airport? How long did it take you to get to the airport from the port.

 

Thanks again!

[Froufie]

Wow - did not know they now 'refuse' to hold your pictures - too bad for them - makes it harder for you to buy them and guess they want to put the pressure on?

 

Also forgot that I wanted to commend you on your excellent adherence to your workout schedule! I of course always 'plan' to work out - and yes I 'check out' the gym but alas my exercising is usually limited to walking around the jogging track when I can find time on a sea day (which I love to do)...and of course swimming, snorkelling and walking around on port days! Good for you (and I bet you barely gained a pound!).

[lisajm]

Great review! Thanks so much for taking the time. We will be on the Valor 1/31. My dh and I are planning on only doing 1 excursion and I was a little worried, but sounds like you had a blast.

[Sdallnct]

Thanks for your information I found it very helpful. We are going on Dec 13 and can't wait. How long is the breakfast available when you arrive on the morning of debarkation and do we need to prebook a shuttle to the airport? How long did it take you to get to the airport from the port.

 

Thanks again!

 

We arrived early back to Miami, so my times won't be correct. But if I recall our breakfast was available till about 9:00pm.

 

You do not need to prebook a shuttle. But do negotiate! Ours was $9.00 pp and think I could have done better. Especially after we waited about 15 minutes for him to get more passengers.

 

It is only minutes (maybe 15) from the port to the airport. The trouble we had was with the airport. Our gate was at E but they were very busy so we asked for the 1st class check in (thank you AA miles) and that check in was down at D. Worse airport EVER (and I have been in a bunch!).

[Sdallnct]

Wow - did not know they now 'refuse' to hold your pictures - too bad for them - makes it harder for you to buy them and guess they want to put the pressure on?

 

Also forgot that I wanted to commend you on your excellent adherence to your workout schedule! I of course always 'plan' to work out - and yes I 'check out' the gym but alas my exercising is usually limited to walking around the jogging track when I can find time on a sea day (which I love to do)...and of course swimming, snorkelling and walking around on port days! Good for you (and I bet you barely gained a pound!).

 

Yea, I met my goal and had 5 good workouts. And had a good one in South Beach on Saturday. Only disappointment is I wanted to run out on the track on deck. First day I was up there, there were to many walkers. And by Wednesday the weather was bad enough to not want to run out there.

 

Really was a nice gym. The treadmill did pick up my HR monitor. Not that I needed it to, but more to the point, the equipment was new, modern and clean.

 

I don't do classes, but they had a really nice looking spinning room (extra cost for the classes).

[Sdallnct]

Great review! Thanks so much for taking the time. We will be on the Valor 1/31. My dh and I are planning on only doing 1 excursion and I was a little worried, but sounds like you had a blast.

 

Oh we did. The shopping got old, but though not huge drinkers, enjoy having fun at the bars in Cozumel. I wish we had more time in GC. We are already looking for our next cruise and thing will include GC again.