Carnival Valor review 1/9-11/16

[tootuff4u2]

My sons bought the Bacardi on Wednesday thru room service and it went on their sail and sign.

[tootuff4u2]

After breakfast we showered and went on deck to catch some sun. It was about 78 with a breeze and sunny. Big mistake of the cruise---no sunscreen and it was great sitting out reading, people watching and having a couple of frozen drinks---I got very red--lobster red. Enjoyed a very relaxing day on deck although as I'm typing I am shedding skin like a snake. We did a little more investigating of the ship. The health club looked great although we never returned after checking it out.

 

It is cruise elegant night so we dressed up and went to dinner--the photographers really ask you to pose but a polite no thanks and they backed off. We took a lot of pictures but bought 1 posed photo of the family on the second elegant night about $21.

 

It was lobster night--we all had lobster except my vegetarian son---he doesn't eat anything with eyes!! It was delicious but like I said small with some tiger shrimp to round out the plate. Although I never walked away from dinner anything but full often gut busting full. With dessert we had either capachino, or coffee or coffee with kahlua, sambuka, amarreto from our buddy Elek. The coffee and capachino was free not the booze.

[tootuff4u2]

After dinner we went to the Ivanhoe theatre for the show---singing and dancing---really not my cup of tea---they had a talking couch setting up the next act!!! There was a power blip and we took that opportunity to leave and head to the punchliner comedy club. Percy Crews was the man, very funny---we listened to the comedy shows until we got tired and went to bed---we stayed in our good clothes the entire evening. As frugal as i thougt I would be I did not attend the Captain's celebration $1 off drinks or the past guest party---didn't see our invitation in the room until 2 days after---or the farewell celebration. It was a great 1st day relaxing---tomorrow Grand Caymen.

[cruiseluver323]

Enveno1-That's the one that we are on too...have you checked the roll call for this sailing?

[tootuff4u2]

Grand Caymen the weather is supposed to be sunny and 80!!! We had nothing planned---I was going to set up Nativeways-Rays, Reef and rum point but no one seemed game for it, the back up plan was to get a cab and head to 7 mile beach. As we got into the cruise they wanted to do the stingray city so we would see what we could find at the port. The tender process here was harmless, we made it in no time. As soon as we got off the pier there was some womwn hawking a rays and snorkle tour for $40. We booked and she said we would leave in about 10 minutes ar 9:30 AM and would be back around 12:30. It looked like about 30 of us signed up for this tour---we walked to the parking lot and took buses to the boat-- the Waymaker and the captain Vernon was our host---for a last minute decision we had a great time we went to StingRay City and interacted with a large female stingray---we all got pictures, our family and individual holding the stingray, kissing the stingray and getting a back massage from the stingray---we also feed the stingray a squid which unbelievable the suction on that animal. I would recommend sting ray city to anyone visiting grand caymen--not having a water camera we bought their pictures on a DVD for $35. We then went not to far away and did some snorkelling which was also fun--many different fish and a few stingRays we had the option of being dropped off at the beach or back at pier we went to the pier--my sons bought a couple of Cuban cigars to smoke in Winstons cigar bar--one also bought a coconut for milk for $3 but hardly any milk--he felt ripped off. Back to the tender--getting back on takes longer as you have to go thru security. Back on board and lunch time.

[tootuff4u2]

lunches were great--I tasted the regular buffet which was very good, the mongolian Wok was probably my families favorite, my favorite probably was the deli--I had a rueben and a tuna sanswich and there were many more selections that I would like to have tried. The burrito bar was also very good. I had a burger, hot dog, fries---all good. The only bad part for me on port days was we usually had a late lunch and then dinner came up fast. The pizza was O.K. I had it late at night just to soak up some alcohol.

 

Dinner was as usual great--I ordered the pork loin and I received more than I expected. We had a table for 4 there were many empty tables I think that a lot of people just chose to do the Lido for Dinner. We were in the dining room every night and some people were there 2 days. I like to dress up and get waited on. Normally a night out for me is a few beers and a burger at a sports bar.

 

Speaking of sports bars the Bronx Sports bar was on the ship and was not very bust except for the football playoffs and the national title game. They had Miller lite and Heinikin on tap---I believe they charged about $16 for a 60oz pitcher before 15%--NOT 100% SURE.

 

Again we blew off the marriage game at the Ivanhoe theatre we saw it again and again on the cabin T.V. We went to the comedy club again--not as funny this night as the 2 guys after last night were probably running low on material. Contributed to the Shogun casino and went to bed.

[Captain Carnival]

We will be on the Valor in July and I can't wait to hear more.

 

 

Me too - July 3rd cruise.

[VgsBby]

Southwest was about $300 round trips plus no bag charge--living in Northwest Indiana we try to stay away from Ohare. Also non stop.

Where in Northwest Indiana? I'm from Valparaiso.

[Kitt Grey]

Where in Northwest Indiana? I'm from Valparaiso.

 

 

I'm from Elkhart. Looks like a hoosier convention.

[Kitt Grey]

love the review I'm onboard Sunday.

 

Do you remember which movies were playing on desk? Love the movies under the stars.

[enveno1]

Enveno1-That's the one that we are on too...have you checked the roll call for this sailing?

 

Yes I have. Looking forward to more folks joining the roll call as time nears.

[tootuff4u2]

VgsBby---I'm from Munster

 

Kitt Grey---I will post the movies when I get home tonight---we did not attend any movies, walked by a few times.

[ourtimenow]

We are on the Valor 3/27/11 and can't wait!! Great job so far on the review!! Keep it coming.

[tootuff4u2]

Kitt Grey--here are some of the movies they showed. Astro Boy, When in Rome, Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes, Leap Year

[tootuff4u2]

Day three Cozumel we have Nachi Cocum booked today---we are allowed to get off at 10:00. We ate breakfast and got off the ship right around 10:00. We made a bee line for the taxis--heard a familiar rate of $15 for 4 people total and were on our way. We got to Nachi in about 10 or 15 minutes. We took the picture with the sombreros and went in to pay our balance. We were assigned Manuel as our waiter and he led us to an area with a hut like cover and 4 chairs. We were a little down the way if I did it again I would probably ask to be closer to the pool/jacuzzi and bathrooms but it was no big deal. We had a lot of Corona and frozen drinks--the guacamole was fantastic as were all our entrees, plenty of food. It was overcast the entire day and rained frequently--I was already sunburnt so no big deal for me---we ate in their large covered area by the swim up bar. They lost power but we adapted--it meant no blended drinks so we had other drinks. They stated that there was going to be 90 people but it never felt even close to crowded. My sons jet skied just before we left and were glad they did. I was anticpating having a massage but with my sunburn it was out of the question. We were basically the last to leave---we wanted to get our money's worth of free drinks and we feel we did---although the weather didn't cooperate I would definitely recommend Nachi

[tootuff4u2]

Diner was chataeubriand or however you spell it but it tasted amazing. I had soups every day and I loved everyone of them, they also had many chilled soups but I never tried any. It is remarkable how they serve all those meals in the dining room and our waiter always new who had what. We also had bread during our appetizers and it was also good. Toward the end of the cruise we found out that you can look on your T.V and look at the dinner menu for the day---although it was not always complete. Yoy are also able to keep track of your sail and sign card balance. Entertainment for the evening was a magician Rand Woodbury--good tricks a lot of audience interaction but for some reason our family did not find him likable.

First time playing bingo this cruise 1 card $10 3 cards $20 1 game for $750----this was it, it was 4 corners and my wife was one of a few people standing up---we needed number 4 to win and they call------------4 teen!!! Someone else calls bingo and it is all over. Devastated!!! Oh well. Walked around the ship and bed time early.

[Knights on the Beach]

Can't wait to hear the rest! I was a slacker and didn't write a review for our Thanksgiving Valor cruise. My favorite lunch spot was the burrito bar.

[tootuff4u2]

Been trying to download pictures--having no success. :confused:

[tasmith09]

Question: You said day 3 was Cozumel, was that always the itiniery or did they change it for some reason? I believe when we go in September, Cozumel is day 5..just curious..sorry if its a stupid question..

[crewsweeper]

Nice review. Thanks for sharing. For pics your have download them to a share service like Flickr or Picasa. Then in their share links use the Http: link copy and paste into the space tha tcomes up when you click on the little "postcard" icon in the tool bar for the thread.

[tootuff4u2]

tasmith09---yes we were switched up a month or so before we left had to scramble to make sure my excursions were still set.