Valor Questions

[stl82]

I agree with ginak1112 in most cases. We sailed the Valor 4/10. Scarlett's is great, we ate there twice. Embarkation took us 1 1/2 hours even with the Skipper's Club. Debarkation: Left cabin at 9:05 after the self assist and tours/early flight people, and were at the airport, checked in and headed for the gate at 10:15. I guess we just beat the rush. I did notice there were 2 lines leaving the ship. We also saved a few minutes because my wife had to use the elevators once we were on the pier and that seemed to have avoided at least one line going down the stairs and escalators.

 

stl82

[cruzin749]

had an absolute ball!!!! in regards to elcruiso's problem with the speed of sevice in scarletts', here's a newsflash....scarlett's isn't supposed have FAST service!!! it's an evening dining event, they even suggest you set aside 2.5 hours for the "dining experience" it's the best $25.00 meal you'll ever have. now on to other things on the ship...the adult comedian jim brick should not be missed, he is hilarious & it's so true!!!! now i can't believe i haven't seen anything about the best NEW ENTERTAINMENT IDEA carnival has come up with...i'm referring, of course, to THE PUB CRAWL. don't miss it...we had probably 200 people in the group and you go from bar to bar on a combination scavenger/shoooters hunt...just watching the faces of everyone was the best!!! shows were good,piano bar(ron) great, the deli, fish & chips bar, burger station and pizzeria were all top notch... sorry it's kinda all over the place but that's how i cruise, can't wait to get back out to sea 25 & a wakeup

[Yellowlily]

Lil Nemo - I would say yes, absolutely it was sold out. I'm sure the reason we got off the ship in 20 minutes was for these reasons:

 

 

We met the requirements (US Citizens, had Sail & Sign cards in hand, had customs form in hand AND filled out, had Passports opened to picture page)

 

We also got up at 6 a.m. and were ready by 7 a.m. We walked out of our cabin when the ship was cleared and after they called the window. Not sure how long it was, probably 1 hour. Of course, the hallways next to the elevators were crowded as soon as approached them, but it wasn't that bad.

 

I'm not sure about the other debarkation. This was easy and we had 3 bags. Anyway, great time on Valor!!! Try self-debarkation if you can!

[Yellowlily]

Cruizin 749 - AMEN!!! Thank you for comment on Scarlett's!! I cannot believe that anyone in their right mind would even come close to bashing the place. It was a wonderful experience. We ate there on Tuesday night and were suppose to Saturday night again but had to cancel because we were so naseous (as well as my DH and I aquired icky head colds at the end of the cruise, but we're on the verge of getting much better now). Anyway, Scarlett's was wonderful and I'm so glad that you loved it too!

 

 

The Valor is one heck of a great ship. A lot of class, a lot of elegance and so much FUN!!!

[lil nemo]

Lil Nemo - I would say yes, absolutely it was sold out. I'm sure the reason we got off the ship in 20 minutes was for these reasons:

 

 

We met the requirements (US Citizens, had Sail & Sign cards in hand, had customs form in hand AND filled out, had Passports opened to picture page)

 

We also got up at 6 a.m. and were ready by 7 a.m. We walked out of our cabin when the ship was cleared and after they called the window. Not sure how long it was, probably 1 hour. Of course, the hallways next to the elevators were crowded as soon as approached them, but it wasn't that bad.

 

I'm not sure about the other debarkation. This was easy and we had 3 bags. Anyway, great time on Valor!!! Try self-debarkation if you can!

I wish self-debark would have been like that for us.... but no dice.

instead we arrived down in the lobby/ivanhoe theater elevator area, where tons of people were squished together infront of the closed lobby doors, we went to sit, lineup in the Ivanhoe as they had instructed you to do since, you could neither block the elevators nor stand in the lobby...... which they considered the elevator area. but many stile were, after about 20 minutes past when they said debark would begin, swarms of people now wanted you to push back from the doors of the Ivanhoe so the crowd that was by the elevators could come inside the theater doors? because customs/immagration whatever wouldn't clear the ship until the lobby was completely empty. what ever... everyone was behind closed doors, so whats up with that????

anyhow, there is now a very long line inside the theater with all the luggage lined up waiting to have someone say go, and the peolpe from the elevator area assumed i'm sure that they were in line first and we should all move for them even though they were the reason we were being delayed, I say get to the back of the line, and so did ALOT more people. it was not any fun, and people were WAY! crabby!

I personally would not attempt self debark in that fashion again, we were required to do so by our travel charter, we had and early flight and transport through the charter, which I also will never do again..cabs all the way for us next time.

 

I had such big hope for self debark to...:(

[Ineedavacation2]

Does the Valor have alarm clocks in the staterooms? If not alarm clocks, do they have light up clocks? We are booked in an inside cabin...just curious if I need to pack one.

[stl82]

No alarm clocks in our cabin on the Valor. You can arrange a wake-up call.

 

stl82

[edelfive]

I have booked a May 22 cruise on the Valor and have been reading the many commentaries and reviews from folks who have sailed on her recently. I am concerned on several issues that would impact any of us cruisers:

 

1. Comments that Carnival does not know how to run an efficient embarkation and disembarkation with their big ships like other cruise lines - I would think that with all the large ships that Carnival owns, comments about chaotic and disorganized disembarkation and embarkations would have disappeared.

 

Disembarkment is always crazy on any ship. We did the self disembarkment and it wasn't that bad. The worst part was getting from your room to the lobby area. Once in the lobby area, it was a breeze! You just have to take your own luggage (so if you have small children this is not the way to go) and your id (passport or driver's license/birth cert) in hand at all times. We were off the ship in less than 20 minutes and by 8:00 a.m.!

 

2. Comments that service on the Valor was not good - I always thought that all cruise lines put their best personnel on all new ships that enter service to impress the travel agents... I know that in the past, Carnival always had their top Captain (Gallo) on all of their new ships.

 

We had great service (room, dinner, etc...) Room service was slow but I guess they just changed computer systems. Our waiter wasn't the most peppy we've ever had but he did a great job.

 

3. Comments that the crew members never seemed happy, friendly or outgoing toward passengers - I am surprised at this since I found all employees on my last cruise on Royal Carribean Jewel to be happy and friendly- I wonder what gives here?

 

Please let me know what your thoughts are or if you have any info on the embarkation or disembarkation...I really don't want to spend 2 or 3 hours in line to get on or off a ship!

 

We sailed on the Western tour on 4/3. If you have more specific questions, please email me at edelfive@aol.com.

 

Pam

[tipfamily]

DO TELL MORE about the Pub Crawl! I am not much of a drinker but love scavenger hunts. One or two shots will put me on my butt. Husband on the other hand loves to drink!! :) We both like to have a good time and it sounds like fun. Please tell more!:D

[pepperfeet]

I have found the best rates with Carnival, group or otherwise, to be had at least a year or more out or within three months of the sail date. I know it's far away, but with $100 per cabin in shipboard credit and cruise prices under $800pp for a balcony ($799 for a single inside), I had to act! Besides, you only get the $25 deposit with a group booking.

 

Call it crazy, but I know I for one will appreicate having reserved our cruise so far in advance when I see others paying a few hunderd more for the same room later!!

There are deals out there .We went on the Valor 3-13 and booked three weeks before sailing for $499 and got an upgrade to an outside cabin. We had a great time. This was our 7th cruise and it ranked up there with one of the best.

[Jeffy294]

I was on the Valor on 4/3-4/10.......what a great ship. I would have paid $50 a person a Scarletts, it was GREAT. In reagards to Josh Riffe's staff being late. The 4/3-4/10 sailing was Josh's assistant CD Calvins last time on Valor, he is now on the Spirit. Mabey he was having some problems getting things reorganized. Calvin is a little different but he was Josh's right hand man it seemed like.

[tipfamily]

 

Originally Posted by Sailfish

I have found the best rates with Carnival, group or otherwise, to be had at least a year or more out or within three months of the sail date. I know it's far away, but with $100 per cabin in shipboard credit and cruise prices under $800pp for a balcony ($799 for a single inside), I had to act! Besides, you only get the $25 deposit with a group booking.

 

Call it crazy, but I know I for one will appreicate having reserved our cruise so far in advance when I see others paying a few hunderd more for the same room later!!

 

I booked the Valor cruise for June of next year just a couple of weeks ago. I booked a balcony gty of level 6 or higher. I just spoke to my PVP and she says that it has already gone up $300 for the booking. I couldn't believe it. I don't know if it went up $150 per person or $300 per person but either way I'm glad we booked when we did.:D

[tennisgal]

Mark,

 

We just got back from a week on the Valor, week of March 27. This was our 8th cruise and the best ever. The ship is fantastic, entertainment if out of this world and all your concerns are without merit. This is the largest ship we have ever been on. We were worried about all the people and how smooth it would run, but we had absolutely no complaints. Have a great time.:)

[cruisercathy]

I have a problem........I have a group going on the Valor 7/24........ We want to sit 9 at a table, 8 at a table and 7 at a table..............My TA is telling me that a request has to go to special services for a table of 9.........I can;t believe this. Two years ago we had 9 at a table on the Triumph with no problems. Does anyone know, did you see tables of 9???????

[cruzin749]

well, you start out in the piano bar & get a tally sheet then break up into groups of 4 ( i think you were supposed to , we may have just made that part up ourselves) you go from one lounge to the next marching in chanting "everywhere we go... people want to know...who we are...so we tell them...we are the pub crawl etc...and make your way to the bar where the bartenders have different shots ready for you ( i think they may have been a buck) when you get into each lounge/pub you're given a specific item to come up with, ie a capers for that day, show a tatto (a lot of temporary tattooing went on, then questions the next day!) a ladies bra (you wouldn't believe how EASY that one was) each time you get a shot the bartender signs off on your tally sheet, each time you get one of the items for that pub the a cd signs your sheet, and when you get to the final pub the person with the most points gets... funny I don't REMEMBER what we got, besides a great buzz and a couple of hours of laughing our arses off!!!!! it was a blast, my group consisted of the people i had met on our cruise's rollcall and we still have it going 3 months later...wheww sorry for the length...don't miss it

[gfkcruiser]

Immigration is much easier if all in your party have passports. We passed everyone else in line and there was only one party in front of us for the passports when we left the Valor. There were 3 lines. One for foreign, one long US citizen line and the other for US citizens with passports which you don't see because you are in the long US citizen line. There was a Carnival person there yelling out for Passport holders to get in the other line.

[cruzin749]

let us know how it turns out for you.the pub crawl, that is

[Cyt4SoreEyes]

Well I don't know what the rush is to get off..me I ratehr stay there as long as I can...because work, cooking, cleaning and all thats goes along with having kids and pets is waiting for me at home. I will suck out every last minute of my vacation..lmao!!

[Cyt4SoreEyes]

Omg just seen the post after replying about the PubCrawl...Oh definitely going to have to try that..how did oyu set that up or is it something the ship bar person already know about? Just need to know how to go about doing it...sounded like lots of fun..thanks in Advance, Cyt

[cruzin749]

a ship "sanctioned" function!!! we had 3 or 4 asst cruise directors leading us, it was they who signed you off for the "extra credit", the thing was announced in the capers, but i had a friend who sailed a few weeks prior and gave me the heads up to check it out. and i, of course, felt obliged to spread the word, after all, if noone partakes in a ship board function they're liable to discontinue it! in all seriousness, if you enjoy reveling with a bunch of your new found best friends, this is the activity for you . be warned though the people in my group, hell the WHOLE damned group got pretty buzzed during it. it was a couple of hours(?) of fun, fun, fun. time to let your hair down and just enjoy, not for the faint of heart!!!!!!!!!! have fun, i'm leaving on victory in about 3 weeks & i'm dying to see if they do it also. if not maybe i'll just set up my own PUB CRAWL, who's with me?!!!!!!!!!!

[kodiac]

Wow, this pub crawl sounds great! We are going to do it on our cruise with some of the CC members. Will let everyone know how this turns out.

[lmtrn2001]

Which night of the cruise was it done? Hopefully not on friday...That night is reserved for Carlos & Charlies!! :D

[MamaParrotHead]

I believe that person said it was late Tuesday night (10:15 is what I have written down). I don't know if it varies, but that person's "crawl" started in the Lindy Hop.:D

[lmtrn2001]

Thanks MamaParrotHead,

 

We don't want to miss the Pub Crawl or Carlos & Charlies!! :D

[SomewhereBeyondTheSea]

I have a problem........I have a group going on the Valor 7/24........ We want to sit 9 at a table, 8 at a table and 7 at a table..............My TA is telling me that a request has to go to special services for a table of 9.........I can;t believe this. Two years ago we had 9 at a table on the Triumph with no problems. Does anyone know, did you see tables of 9???????

 

That is not true. I have a group of 10 and they have all of us at the same table. My mother is a travel agent - I booked my trip through her. I would call carnival yourself and see what they can do for you.