Just Booked Valor

[chrisedwards]

I have only been on one cruise several years ago on another cruise line. I just booked the Valor out of San Juan for June 30th. I got a great deal for 4 of us and the Itinerary looks outstanding. I was a little hesitant but after reading so many great reviews (especially from GAPearls) I just had to do it. I don't really have a question yet (but I am sure I will have tons) but I was so excited I had to tell someone. So there you have it anyone want to share tips or advice please do so. Did I mention I am so excited. :)

[Tropical PJ]

Our family went on the Valor last July and let me tell you it was fantastic.

Food was outstanding the best of my 5 cruises which were with Carnival, Princess and Celebrity.

 

Must do the Chefs Table $75pp truly an unforgettable evening:)

[BenjiRodney]

This is, in my. Opinion, the best itinerary that Carnival offers. We did it twice on the Victory and booked it again for Nov on the Valor. We always find something new to do.

 

If you want a fun Island Tour in St Thomas, use Air Force One tours, simply outstanding service and price compared to booking direct with the ship.

 

Barbados we have done the Coast to Coast Panorama and Harrison's Cave tours.

 

St Lucia loved the Catamaran to the Pitons.

 

St Kitts Brimstone Hill Fortress is amazing to see.

 

St Maarten we have done the tour that takes you around the island.

[ILCruzr]

How exciting! Booking a new cruise is always fun and that's an itinerary I wanna do too! We just booked the glory last night. Got a great deal on a Canadian cruise,something I've wanted to do....firsts are awesome!

[gapearl]

Awesome! Time to start the planning now. :D June will be here before you know it. Thanks for the mention! :)

[Sundown331]

We're booked for March 31st and the clock is finally starting to move fast.

 

I've been reading every review pertaining to this itinerary and the Valor since September.

 

Thank you to GaPearl and others who have written great reviews and posted fantastic pictures.

 

Leaving in 11 days and sailing in 12 :D

[fergusonvt]

Sailed on the Valor on 2/3 of this year. After 2 NCL cruises we loved the ship and thought the cruise was great. The ship was very clean and well maintained and we loved the movies outside on the pool deck at night. The selection wasn't fantasic but we managed to find something to watch several times. We loved the pizza and the Mongolian wok. I wish the Mongolian wok was open for dinner. We actually had the pizza for dinner on two nights. The steakhouse (extra pay) was fantastic and well worth the price in my opinion. The food on the MDR was very good and very comparable to NCL in my opinion. We liked the mini-golf late at night and often times had the place to ourselves. I think you picked a good ship.

[kansascruiser1]

I have only been on one cruise several years ago on another cruise line. I just booked the Valor out of San Juan for June 30th. I got a great deal for 4 of us and the Itinerary looks outstanding. I was a little hesitant but after reading so many great reviews (especially from GAPearls) I just had to do it. I don't really have a question yet (but I am sure I will have tons) but I was so excited I had to tell someone. So there you have it anyone want to share tips or advice please do so. Did I mention I am so excited. :)

 

Welcome Chrisedwards!

 

Go to the roll call and join us if you haven't already...........There is several of us who have met on the roll call for June 30th. You are correct, the itinerary is outstanding. This is our 3rd cruise out of San Juan on this itinerary. First time on Valor, previous 2 were on the Victory.

 

There is 19 of us doing the catamaran with mysticmantours.com in St. Lucia. It's Wendell's 52 ft. catamaran over to the Pitons. If you are interested.....let me know. Drinks, snorkeling, lunch provided. My email is boutimess1@aol.com I can email you more info if you want.

 

Welcome, so excited to see another June 30th cruiser! Where you all from? There is 3 families coming from Wichita, jlk806 on roll call is from Buffalo, NY. She has 6 ladies coming together. Bakerman is one of the other families from Wichita.

[chipq]

Welcome aboard! The Valor remains my favorite of my CCL cruises after my June cruise last year. I thought the MDR food was very good and loved the buritto bar and the Mongolian Wok. Great cruise staff also. Enjoy your cruise.

 

http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

[KitchenKitten]

We sailed the Valor Jan 2012. Very much loved it.

 

Scarlett's steakhouse is a MUST!

 

So is the Chef's Table. You learn a TON on what it takes to run the food operations on the ship. I have an AAS in Culinary Arts so this was of even more appeal to me than most to see the WHOLE main galley (in action at dinner!), not just the small tour they have during the day. Plus you can ask the Exec Chef questions directly.

[abisha]

Congrats! I am also booked on this cruise for the May 12th Mother's Day sailing and cannot wait!

 

It's the first time DH and I will have a balcony..AND an ocean suite! I want to be out there early in the morning with my cup of tea watching the approach to each of these gorgeous islands.

 

We've booked mostly private tours for three of these. In particular, I cannot wait to go to St.Lucia to see the Pitons. We've booked Spencer Ambrose at suggestion of those on our roll call.

 

It will be fifth time visiting St. Thomas, and we will go to Coki Beach as I've been to Magens and like Coki better.

 

We are doing Maho Beach on St.Marten.

 

For Barbados, we booked a power boat/snorkeling excursion.

 

For St.Kitts we also booked a private tour..cannot remember the name right now.

 

I have no idea what to do in San Juan. I'm opened to suggestions. We just want to get off the ship and go to some shops near the pier, but I have no idea which direction to head.

 

Have a great cruise!

[fergusonvt]

I don't know how long you will be in San Juan but if you get a chance to take a rain forest tour do it. Beautiful!

 

Sent from my LePanII using Tapatalk 2

[jvitatoe26]

Hello! I will be on the Valor 5/26 for this itinerary, and this is my first cruise, first time to San Juan, PR and first time to any of these islands! I dont think Ive mentioned this before, but we are celebrating both of our birthdays on board. We also only booked based on this itinerary...I had never even considered a cruise until I saw this particular itinerary!

 

I have found a TON of info on this board, and would be completely lost without all the help at times!

 

We are arriving in San Juan two days a head of time, and after having my flight changed numerous times by United, I completely understand why everyone says to get there a day ahead of time. Also, we got a GREAT rate on a resort near El Yunque on priceline. There is a dedicated thread for help with getting the resort you want on here. We will also be visiting Luquillo Beach and hitting up the kiosks. We are also planning on Old San Juan, and of course Senor Frogs bc I have a soft spot for the partying there and really hope its similar to the Senor Frogs in Cancun :) You will find sooo much info on the Ports of Call forums, again I would have been lost without them!

 

This is the tentative "beach bum b-day" itinerary for now:

Arrival Friday pre-cruise late afternoon: pool and drinks at resort, maybe dinner in OSJ

Saturday pre-cruise: El Yunque Rainforest, Luquillo Beach & Kiosks, maybe dinner in OSJ

San Juan - check in to ship, get back off, and head to either Senor Frogs or OSJ for sightseeing (odds are Senor Frogs lol)

St. Thomas - Magens Bay, arriving in the morning, on our own

Barbados - Harbour Lights Beach Bar, arriving in the morning, on our own

St. Lucia - Catamaran to the Pitons, or Soufriere by Land/Sea - Spenser Ambrose

St. Kitts - absolutely no idea yet but want to see the spot where you can see both the carribean and the atlantic!

St. Maarten - Orange Fever or Bikini Beach Bar, Orient Beach to parasail AND Maho Beach to watch a few planes, hopefully on our own if this is possible (still have to ask around the St. Maarten board

San Juan - - debark, drop luggage at Barrachina and have a drink/app, and do a quick foodie tour of OSJ before heading to airport at 4:30pm

 

Hope this gives you some ideas!

[MegnJoe]

Hello! I will be on the Valor 5/26 for this itinerary, and this is my first cruise, first time to San Juan, PR and first time to any of these islands! I dont think Ive mentioned this before, but we are celebrating both of our birthdays on board. We also only booked based on this itinerary...I had never even considered a cruise until I saw this particular itinerary!

 

I have found a TON of info on this board, and would be completely lost without all the help at times!

 

We are arriving in San Juan two days a head of time, and after having my flight changed numerous times by United, I completely understand why everyone says to get there a day ahead of time. Also, we got a GREAT rate on a resort near El Yunque on priceline. There is a dedicated thread for help with getting the resort you want on here. We will also be visiting Luquillo Beach and hitting up the kiosks. We are also planning on Old San Juan, and of course Senor Frogs bc I have a soft spot for the partying there and really hope its similar to the Senor Frogs in Cancun :) You will find sooo much info on the Ports of Call forums, again I would have been lost without them!

 

This is the tentative "beach bum b-day" itinerary for now:

Arrival Friday pre-cruise late afternoon: pool and drinks at resort, maybe dinner in OSJ

Saturday pre-cruise: El Yunque Rainforest, Luquillo Beach & Kiosks, maybe dinner in OSJ

San Juan - check in to ship, get back off, and head to either Senor Frogs or OSJ for sightseeing (odds are Senor Frogs lol)

St. Thomas - Magens Bay, arriving in the morning, on our own

Barbados - Harbour Lights Beach Bar, arriving in the morning, on our own

St. Lucia - Catamaran to the Pitons, or Soufriere by Land/Sea - Spenser Ambrose

St. Kitts - absolutely no idea yet but want to see the spot where you can see both the carribean and the atlantic!

St. Maarten - Orange Fever or Bikini Beach Bar, Orient Beach to parasail AND Maho Beach to watch a few planes, hopefully on our own if this is possible (still have to ask around the St. Maarten board

San Juan - - debark, drop luggage at Barrachina and have a drink/app, and do a quick foodie tour of OSJ before heading to airport at 4:30pm

 

Hope this gives you some ideas!

 

You sound like me. This is our first cruise and first time to any of these islands. And we have a lot of the same plans. We're planning on some beach time in all the ports. Some of our similar plans are- Senor Frogs, Magen's Bay, Spencer Ambrose, in St. Kitts we're gonna see Timothy Hill (where you can see the Caribbean and Atlantic) and Reggae Beach Bar and also Maho!

[jlk806]

Im on that sailing, come join our roll call! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1740452

 

So far we have a nice bunch of people going! Some of us have planned some excursions and stuff (I know there is a big boat/snorkeling excursion in St Lucia we have planned that more are welcome to join) so go check it out and introduce yourself! I am travelling with my 5 girlfriends. Should be a great trip!

[sueandtimj]

We're booked for March 31st and the clock is finally starting to move fast.

 

I've been reading every review pertaining to this itinerary and the Valor since September.

 

Thank you to GaPearl and others who have written great reviews and posted fantastic pictures.

 

Leaving in 11 days and sailing in 12 :D

 

We have a very active roll call ... come check us out. We have lots of activities planned -- 2 meet and greets, pub crawl, cabin crawl, some are going to the chef's table as a group, a few are going on tours together, some are meeting before and after the cruise in PR. Feel free to join in on whatever will make your vacation better!!

[jvitatoe26]

You sound like me. This is our first cruise and first time to any of these islands. And we have a lot of the same plans. We're planning on some beach time in all the ports. Some of our similar plans are- Senor Frogs, Magen's Bay, Spencer Ambrose, in St. Kitts we're gonna see Timothy Hill (where you can see the Caribbean and Atlantic) and Reggae Beach Bar and also Maho!

 

Are we on the same sailing??!! That would awesome! I also have Reggae Beach Bar as one of the options for St. Kitts, it just hasnt even made it to the tentative list yet, partially because I feel like a bum for not planning on "doing" anything haha.

[suzk2275a]

I have only been on one cruise several years ago on another cruise line. I just booked the Valor out of San Juan for June 30th. I got a great deal for 4 of us and the Itinerary looks outstanding. I was a little hesitant but after reading so many great reviews (especially from GAPearls) I just had to do it. I don't really have a question yet (but I am sure I will have tons) but I was so excited I had to tell someone. So there you have it anyone want to share tips or advice please do so. Did I mention I am so excited. :)

 

We were on this cruise in February. Loved it! The cruise director was great. Loved the ports. Our favorite was St. Marten. We rented a car and drove around the island. Fantastic time. We're talking about taking the same cruise in June. Have a great time!

[Chitownlou]

I have only been on one cruise several years ago on another cruise line. I just booked the Valor out of San Juan for June 30th. I got a great deal for 4 of us and the Itinerary looks outstanding. I was a little hesitant but after reading so many great reviews (especially from GAPearls) I just had to do it. I don't really have a question yet (but I am sure I will have tons) but I was so excited I had to tell someone. So there you have it anyone want to share tips or advice please do so. Did I mention I am so excited. :)

 

I'll be on the Valor the week after... keep it in good shape for us :p

[MegnJoe]

Are we on the same sailing??!! That would awesome! I also have Reggae Beach Bar as one of the options for St. Kitts, it just hasnt even made it to the tentative list yet, partially because I feel like a bum for not planning on "doing" anything haha.

 

 

No, our cruise is May 12th. I know what you mean. At first, we had all these different activities planned, but then we simplified a bit. Since this is our first cruise, we do want to spend time exploring the ship. And we want to relax a bit haha

[Sundown331]

We have a very active roll call ... come check us out. We have lots of activities planned -- 2 meet and greets, pub crawl, cabin crawl, some are going to the chef's table as a group, a few are going on tours together, some are meeting before and after the cruise in PR. Feel free to join in on whatever will make your vacation better!!

 

Hi Sue and Tim .... I've only posted in the roll call a few times but I read it daily.

 

My mom (Bristol) posts often in there. It'll be my mom, me and my 2 daughters, and yes we'll be at the M&Gs ... look forward to meeting everyone.

[groundhog59]

Hello! I will be on the Valor 5/26 for this itinerary, and this is my first cruise, first time to San Juan, PR and first time to any of these islands! I dont think Ive mentioned this before, but we are celebrating both of our birthdays on board. We also only booked based on this itinerary...I had never even considered a cruise until I saw this particular itinerary!

 

I have found a TON of info on this board, and would be completely lost without all the help at times!

 

We are arriving in San Juan two days a head of time, and after having my flight changed numerous times by United, I completely understand why everyone says to get there a day ahead of time. Also, we got a GREAT rate on a resort near El Yunque on priceline. There is a dedicated thread for help with getting the resort you want on here. We will also be visiting Luquillo Beach and hitting up the kiosks. We are also planning on Old San Juan, and of course Senor Frogs bc I have a soft spot for the partying there and really hope its similar to the Senor Frogs in Cancun :) You will find sooo much info on the Ports of Call forums, again I would have been lost without them!

 

This is the tentative "beach bum b-day" itinerary for now:

Arrival Friday pre-cruise late afternoon: pool and drinks at resort, maybe dinner in OSJ

Saturday pre-cruise: El Yunque Rainforest, Luquillo Beach & Kiosks, maybe dinner in OSJ

San Juan - check in to ship, get back off, and head to either Senor Frogs or OSJ for sightseeing (odds are Senor Frogs lol)

St. Thomas - Magens Bay, arriving in the morning, on our own

Barbados - Harbour Lights Beach Bar, arriving in the morning, on our own

St. Lucia - Catamaran to the Pitons, or Soufriere by Land/Sea - Spenser Ambrose

St. Kitts - absolutely no idea yet but want to see the spot where you can see both the carribean and the atlantic!

St. Maarten - Orange Fever or Bikini Beach Bar, Orient Beach to parasail AND Maho Beach to watch a few planes, hopefully on our own if this is possible (still have to ask around the St. Maarten board

San Juan - - debark, drop luggage at Barrachina and have a drink/app, and do a quick foodie tour of OSJ before heading to airport at 4:30pm

 

Hope this gives you some ideas!

 

If you are arriving in San Juan on Friday and staying near El Yunque you will not want to drive back to San Juan. Traffic is horrible. Be sure to take the toll road to avoid the traffic. You may want to check into doing the bioluminescent bay tours on Friday or Saturday night. We were going to do it when we returned from our cruise but didn't want to drive back out there, that's how bad traffic is. If you leave your resort early Sunday morning traffic won't be too bad and you'll have the entire day to see Old San Juan (at least the highlights) and visit Senor Frogs. In St. Kitts, we used tangerine tours. Christian was very entertaining. We circled the entire island and saw the Atlantic and Pacific from atop a hill.

.

[jvitatoe26]

If you are arriving in San Juan on Friday and staying near El Yunque you will not want to drive back to San Juan. Traffic is horrible. Be sure to take the toll road to avoid the traffic. You may want to check into doing the bioluminescent bay tours on Friday or Saturday night. We were going to do it when we returned from our cruise but didn't want to drive back out there, that's how bad traffic is. If you leave your resort early Sunday morning traffic won't be too bad and you'll have the entire day to see Old San Juan (at least the highlights) and visit Senor Frogs. In St. Kitts, we used tangerine tours. Christian was very entertaining. We circled the entire island and saw the Atlantic and Pacific from atop a hill.

.

 

Thanks for the tip! I did look into bio bay, as Saturday is my bf's birthday and I wanted to give him that as his gift, but it will be a full moon :(

 

Thanks again for letting me know about Old San Juan, I will look into restaurant options near my resort, Gran Melia.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[abisha]

You sound like me. This is our first cruise and first time to any of these islands. And we have a lot of the same plans. We're planning on some beach time in all the ports. Some of our similar plans are- Senor Frogs, Magen's Bay, Spencer Ambrose, in St. Kitts we're gonna see Timothy Hill (where you can see the Caribbean and Atlantic) and Reggae Beach Bar and also Maho!

 

Where is Senor Frogs in relation to the cruiseport? Is it walking distance?

[jvitatoe26]

Where is Senor Frogs in relation to the cruiseport? Is it walking distance?

 

From what I have read, it is walking distance and right by pier but I don't have exact location, I just figured we couldn't miss the giant frog head peaking over top of the building Haha! If anyone knows exact location I would love if you could share!

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2