Valor Cabin Location

[wildcat1130]

I'm sure this question has been answered somewhere here before, but I'm trying to determine whether it is best to book my balcony cabin on the starboard or port side for better views and picture taking opportunities. I've read starboard is better but the Carnival woman I booked with indicated port side. I figured all of you would be the best help from personal experience. We are sailing the Southern Caribbean in May and can't wait!

[Rock_ON!!]

I have also had the same question. From what I've read, is that it's a crap shoot. Sometimes the ship backs into some of the ports and then the portside does not have the view of the port. I usually end up going out to the deck areas on the very front of the ship and run from one side to another to get the image I'm looking for. I'm leaving in August. Keep us updated with your experience.

 

 

 

 

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[dlanesman]

I'm sure this question has been answered somewhere here before, but I'm trying to determine whether it is best to book my balcony cabin on the starboard or port side for better views and picture taking opportunities. I've read starboard is better but the Carnival woman I booked with indicated port side. I figured all of you would be the best help from personal experience. We are sailing the Southern Caribbean in May and can't wait!

 

We did this cruise back in August and had a starboard side balcony room. From what I remember, we were satisfied with our views in all the ports. You might not be on the "city" side always, but the view in the Caribbean is great from all directions!

Edited March 30, 2014 by dlanesman

[pungo3]

You might as well flip a coin. The ship never seems to dock on the same side. Sometimes they dock head first, sometimes they back in. Just go and enjoy yourself. I'm sure you'll enjoy the view, regardless of which side you are on.

[pghsteelerfan]

We were on Valor last May for the Southern Caribbean sailing out of San Juan and I copied and pasted a reply to someone else sometime last year. How the ship docks at different ports may vary because sometimes they'll back in and sometimes they will pull in. I don't know what that depends on but hopefully this will be of some help.

 

San Juan: When leaving San Juan at sail away that first night, the fort (El Morro) was on the starboard side, so we'd have had great views from our balcony, but were up at the Mega Deck Party on Panorama Deck 10 - also great views. Best views - Starboard

 

St. Thomas: The morning we were coming in, we were heading due east into St. Thomas. I got up at 6AM, just after the sun rose and went to the balcony. Looking straight out from the balcony we couldn't see much (besides Sail Rock), but when I looked towards the front of the ship I could see St. Thomas in the distance and also the sun rise. I missed what I think would have been a great picture, but my camera lens fogged up due to taking it out into the humidity from an air conditioned cabin. We docked at 7AM. We pulled into the dock on our cruise, but I have seen where it's backed in. Best views coming in - either; if pulled into dock - port will have best views; if backed into dock - starboard will have best view. On our cruise we pulled in.

 

Sea Day: We were out in the middle of the ocean that day, so it didn't really matter. For sunrise, my guess would be port side since we were heading south. We didn't get up that morning until 7AM, past sunrise. Best views (for sunrise) - probably Port for possibility of passing other islands and they would be the left (port). While on our cruise, we didn't see any but we weren't thinking to look either. I recently saw on another review that someone posted that they were able to see the islands. That would also depend on visibility.

 

Barbados: We couldn't see from our balcony because the ship was heading straight into the island. Barbados does have higher points but is not as mountainous as the other islands. We were docked that morning at 8AM.

Best views: It didn't matter since we went straight in. When actually docked, Starboard had the view of the island (industrial area) and Port had view of the second dock and ocean.

 

St. Lucia: I got up at 5:30AM because I wanted to see if we could see anything that morning and we could. When coming up from Barbados, we were heading north along St. Lucia's western coast, with great views of the Pitons. The feeling that morning to wake up, go out on the balcony and having the Pitons being the first things we saw, was, hard to describe, but awe inspiring. Valor docked in port at 8AM. Best views - Starboard and while in docked, either side had nice views. If you are an early riser, I highly recommend this view. If you are on the port side, you can easily go up to Deck 10 for the views. After leaving St. Lucia, you will be able to see Martinique and maybe a few other islands at night on the starboard side.

 

St. Kitts: I got up at 6AM and went to the balcony and saw Nevis and St. Kitts from our balcony. The ship is heading north along St. Kitts/Nevis' western coast, so it's the starboard side that has the best views. This is also the side where you'd see the sunrise. Best views - Starboard for coming in and Valor also backed in here, so while docked, both sides had views of the island. After leaving St. Kitts, you will pass other islands (St. Eustatius and Saba) at night and they will both be on the starboard side.

 

St. Maarten: I got up at 6:30AM but since I couldn't see anything from our starboard balcony at first, I don't know which view would have been best for sunrise or to see the island as the ship was coming in. We were scheduled to be docked at 7AM, so I'd only been on our balcony a few minutes before the ship turned and started backing in to the dock. Best views if ship backs in - Starboard while docked because that side had the views across the bay and of Philipsburg. Best views if ship pulls in - Port, for same views across the bay and of Philipsburg. At night after leaving St. Maarten, you will notice other islands at night (we were passing St. Thomas at around midnight) on the starboard side.

 

San Juan: I got up at 5:30AM since we were scheduled to be in port at 7AM, but the ship gets in early. Best views for sunrise and to see Fort El Morro as the ship comes in - definitely port. If you are an early riser, you won't want to miss this. I did. If your cabin would be starboard, just go up to Deck 10 for the views. Ship will be passing the fort sometime between 5 and 5:30AM, unless there is a later arrival.

 

I hope this wasn't too confusing and of some help to you. In regards to passing the other islands, seeing them may depend on visibility. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask or want more details or even pictures as the ship was coming into certain island, please feel free to ask.

Edited March 30, 2014 by pghsteelerfan

[cra-z-2cruise]

Have done this itinerary twice in the last few years.

Victory -Port Side

Valor - Starboard Side

 

Both Lido balcony (Highly recommend)

 

Was equally happy with both! :)

 

Like others have said, can't really know ahead if ship will pull in or back in each port anyways.

 

Have a great trip whichever you decide...