Valor Southern Caribbean review with pictures and Fun Times - better late than never

[pghsteelerfan]

They washed it a month ago :( I'll patiently wait;):D

 

Oh, it was only a month ago? I'm curious now too to see what it looks like too. When we were there we certainly didn't think it needed power washed and we liked the way it looked. :(

[pghsteelerfan]

Thank you for posting your Valor review :) We're going on the same ship in April and since we booked way back in January this year I'm totally like a dry sponge trying to soak up anything Valor & Southern Caribbean ports!!

 

Believe me, it will be worth the wait. :) We love Valor and the itinerary. We actually booked our May 2013 cruise this past January too, so we probably booked around the same time.

[RoadTripFanatic]

Thank you so much for the amazing pictures. I'm going on this cruise in 3weeks! I'm so excited!

[pghsteelerfan]

Thank you so much for the amazing pictures. I'm going on this cruise in 3weeks! I'm so excited!

 

Thank you! I'm sure you'll have a great time on your cruise, not much of a wait left. :) You'll be doing that "single digit dance" for your cruise before you know it. I hope you have a great time and great weather.

[BettyGiggles]

Believe me, it will be worth the wait. :) We love Valor and the itinerary. We actually booked our May 2013 cruise this past January too, so we probably booked around the same time.

 

 

I think after Christmas it will go really quick and can't wait! Only have one cruise done, did Legend from Tampa last year and have always wanted to visit the "St's". We're flying in 2 days before to see some of San Juan. Excited doesn't even explain the feelings I have LOL :D

[Alexlee]

Oh, it was only a month ago? I'm curious now too to see what it looks like too. When we were there we certainly didn't think it needed power washed and we liked the way it looked. :(

 

http://www.noticel.com/uploads/image/murallas_despues_2.jpg

 

Here is a picture of the side of El paseo de la princesa.

[lyndilouwho]

We did the Western itinerary out of Miami, I loved all of it except for Belize, I didn't care for it as much as Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Mahogany Bay

[Limeia]

You are quite welcome. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. There is also a "live chat" on their website (Michael helped me and was wonderful).

 

I'm getting anxious...Will be on the Valor Dec. 8th. We have 8 couples going :D

 

I am curious if you know where the laundry facilities are on the Empress deck?

 

Looking forward to more of your reviews and pictures. I love your composition on some of the fort pictures! :cool:

[pghsteelerfan]

I think after Christmas it will go really quick and can't wait! Only have one cruise done, did Legend from Tampa last year and have always wanted to visit the "St's". We're flying in 2 days before to see some of San Juan. Excited doesn't even explain the feelings I have LOL :D

 

How did you like the Legend? Friends of ours were on a Legend cruise out of Tampa over Thanksgiving in 2010 and really liked it. In 2006 we were on Miracle out of Tampa and really enjoyed it. We went to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya, MX. Our friends went to Roatan instead of Costa Maya and really liked it. Our next cruise will either be the Southern again to, what I call "St. Somewhere" or the Western. I know the feeling of being excited because I was worse than a kid anticipating Christmas and drove DH nuts.

[pghsteelerfan]

http://www.noticel.com/uploads/image/murallas_despues_2.jpg

 

Here is a picture of the side of El paseo de la princesa.

 

Oh, that looks terrible, I can't believe they did that!!! Thank you for sharing the picture and I'm so glad we saw it before they did that. We saw them fly the Space Shuttle Discovery into our area in April 2012 and took it on a "tour" before actually landing at Dulles International. Many got great pictures of it, including me (flew over our neighborhood 4 times and saw it in the distance another, we're right under the landing pattern for planes coming into Dulles) and everyone commented on how dirty it looked. They left it as is with no cleaning because that is how it was after years of space travel. It's history and El Morro should have been left as is. Shame.

[NeuroQueen]

Thanks so much for this review. We are going to be on the Valor over Thanksgiving and this is such a treat. I also really appreciate the fun times. Keep up the great work!

[pghsteelerfan]

We did the Western itinerary out of Miami, I loved all of it except for Belize, I didn't care for it as much as Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Mahogany Bay

 

I really think you'll like all the islands on this itinerary, very pretty. I personally think it's one of the best there is. Barbados is the least scenic where Valor docks, but the rest of the island is beautiful especially the beaches. We've done the western on Miracle in 2006 and went to all the same except for Mahogany Bay. We were in Costa Maya. I liked them all, but to me there is no comparison, these islands have a lot of mountains and are just very scenic.

[pghsteelerfan]

I'm getting anxious...Will be on the Valor Dec. 8th. We have 8 couples going :D

 

I am curious if you know where the laundry facilities are on the Empress deck?

 

Looking forward to more of your reviews and pictures. I love your composition on some of the fort pictures! :cool:

 

You are all going to have a great time. We never used the laundry facilities so I wasn't sure so I just checked out the ship map we got when we boarded and they don't have the laundry facilities listed. Hopefully someone else reading this who has been on Valor (or any Conquest ship - Conquest, Glory, Freedom) can answer that for you.

 

I'm taking a quick break to answer questions now but will get to more of the review tomorrow where I'll be picking up on our day in St. Thomas.

 

Oh, thank you about the picture composition of my fort pictures. Beautiful fort, so much to see and great views. Enjoy your cruise! :)

[Alexlee]

Oh, that looks terrible, I can't believe they did that!!! Thank you for sharing the picture and I'm so glad we saw it before they did that. We saw them fly the Space Shuttle Discovery into our area in April 2012 and took it on a "tour" before actually landing at Dulles International. Many got great pictures of it, including me (flew over our neighborhood 4 times and saw it in the distance another, we're right under the landing pattern for planes coming into Dulles) and everyone commented on how dirty it looked. They left it as is with no cleaning because that is how it was after years of space travel. It's history and El Morro should have been left as is. Shame.

 

Yes, I totally agree with you!!

[pghsteelerfan]

Thanks so much for this review. We are going to be on the Valor over Thanksgiving and this is such a treat. I also really appreciate the fun times. Keep up the great work!

 

Thank you! I'll be including the Fun Times for each day since I kept them all. I'm pretty sure the ships are decorated for Christmas over Thanksgiving and would just love to go on a cruise that time of year sometime. I hope you have a wonderful time.

[Alexlee]

I'm getting anxious...Will be on the Valor Dec. 8th. We have 8 couples going :D

 

I am curious if you know where the laundry facilities are on the Empress deck?

 

Looking forward to more of your reviews and pictures. I love your composition on some of the fort pictures! :cool:

 

I believe its in front of 7341

[BettyGiggles]

How did you like the Legend? Friends of ours were on a Legend cruise out of Tampa over Thanksgiving in 2010 and really liked it. In 2006 we were on Miracle out of Tampa and really enjoyed it. We went to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya, MX. Our friends went to Roatan instead of Costa Maya and really liked it. Our next cruise will either be the Southern again to, what I call "St. Somewhere" or the Western. I know the feeling of being excited because I was worse than a kid anticipating Christmas and drove DH nuts.

 

I loved the Legend! We booked an aft cabin, 4232 and seeing the wake was incredible to us. I remember my husband just sat out on the balcony for 2 hours just relaxing, it was awesome. We were three families going, inlaws & brother in law had cabin on one side, sister in law with her family the other side and us on aft. We booked it that way so we'd all have a view no matter how the ship docked. I tell you I would book the 23 day re-positioning cruise next August if I could :) Loved all ports though Belize is last on the list, why I can't even explain, tendering for 20 minutes or so was a drag to me but still had to go ashore to check shops out. Cozumel we did the dolphin encounter and Roatan we did Victor Bodden tour with ziplining. Grand Cayman was cab to 7 mile beach and actually was my favorite port.

Edited September 21, 2013 by BettyGiggles

[Limeia]

I believe its in front of 7341

 

Thanks...Not that it's real important where the facilitys are, just helpfull so we wouldn't have to hunt for them. Appreciate it.

[Alexlee]

Thanks...Not that it's real important where the facilitys are, just helpfull so we wouldn't have to hunt for them. Appreciate it.

 

Your welcome!! I'm also on the Empress deck for my cruise in Jan.... Had to look it up as well cause I remember "hunting" for it on the Victory LOL... I wanted to make it easier this time LOL:D

[boaterette]

What a wonderful review and such beautiful pictures.

[Missywantstotravel]

I am loving your review already. I will be on the Valor in a few months, getting closer everyday, and am super excited to read anything about her and her ports of call. I do have a question for you. The glasses that the DOD's are in, the red ones in your picture. Are those souvenir glasses, like can we keep them, or do they have to be let loose? I would really like to bring one of those home for the hubby, who isn't going with.

 

Thanks. :D

[pghsteelerfan]

I loved the Legend! We booked an aft cabin, 4232 and seeing the wake was incredible to us. I remember my husband just sat out on the balcony for 2 hours just relaxing, it was awesome. We were three families going, inlaws & brother in law had cabin on one side, sister in law with her family the other side and us on aft. We booked it that way so we'd all have a view no matter how the ship docked. I tell you I would book the 23 day re-positioning cruise next August if I could :) Loved all ports though Belize is last on the list, why I can't even explain, tendering for 20 minutes or so was a drag to me but still had to go ashore to check shops out. Cozumel we did the dolphin encounter and Roatan we did Victor Bodden tour with ziplining. Grand Cayman was cab to 7 mile beach and actually was my favorite port.

 

We really loved Miracle too - same type of ship as Legend. What I really liked about that class was that the windows on the Lido Deck opened. On Valor and the other Conquest style ships don't. On Miracle, we were also on the 4th deck, cabin 4167, our first balcony. We've had to have a balcony ever since. The Miracle cruise was also with 6 people, DH's family. When we were in Belize, we never made it to town where the shops were. We did the Carnival "Beach Break" excursion to an island off the coast. A ferry took us from the ship to the island (very nice) and from the island back to the ship, so we never actually made it into Belize. Grand Cayman we went to Stingray City and spent time in town. We were in Cozumel right after they started letting ships back after Hurricane Wilma, which hit the previous October. We had to tender because the pier was destroyed. We really liked Costa Maya but would love to see Roatan. I have two friends who have been there and they loved it. We did the zip-line in San Juan, through Carnival, on our Glory cruise to the Eastern Caribbean and loved it. After all the cruises I've been on, I can't say what my favorite port is. The islands in the Southern Caribbean are, hands down, the most scenic.

[pghsteelerfan]

What a wonderful review and such beautiful pictures.

 

Thank you. I've got plenty more pictures to come. On our first cruise in 1992, we were on Carnival's Festivale and did a very similar itinerary. Back then there were only film cameras so I was very limited on pictures. Now that I have a digital camera, I kind of went camera happy. I'm glad you're enjoying the review.

[pghsteelerfan]

I am loving your review already. I will be on the Valor in a few months, getting closer everyday, and am super excited to read anything about her and her ports of call. I do have a question for you. The glasses that the DOD's are in, the red ones in your picture. Are those souvenir glasses, like can we keep them, or do they have to be let loose? I would really like to bring one of those home for the hubby, who isn't going with.

 

Thanks. :D

 

Thank you! I'm sure you'll love Valor and this itinerary is one of the best.

 

Yes, you get to keep the glasses and those aren't the only ones they'll have. I'll get more into the different souvenir cups they offer and I'm going to post pictures of all of them at the end of the review. Carnival offers five different souvenir cups: The hurricane (the ones in that picture); coconut monkey cups; blowfish cups; disco ball cups; and the "Whale Tail" funnel cups. In addition to that, they have the cordial shot glasses, which are glass, that are served with dinner. Those are brought out between dinner and desert. There are four different ones: white (or clear), green, blue, and yellow. If you happen to miss a night in the dining room, they sell them all at the atrium bar after Wednesday and will also be bringing around all the colors in the dining room Thursday - Saturday.

[Rottenapple]

Wow Puerto Rico is one of my fav vacation spot......can wait to see the rest of the review.....

 

Pssss.....showed my DH the pics he loved them

Edited September 21, 2013 by Rottenapple