Victory Eastern Caribbean Review - 10/3-9 Complete with photos!

[petesfamily]

Here is the review I submitted to Cruise Critic:

 

This was our first sailing on Carnival. We have sailed twice on Celebrity twice before. We never started cruising until our son, Jordan Peterson, became a solo pianist/vocalist on cruise ships. He had sailed previously on the Celebrity Summit and the Century. He started this contract in September of this year and he had only been on the ship for a couple of weeks before we invaded him! We had a large group of 10 family members and friends traveling with us.

 

We arrived Friday evening in Miami from our flight from Omaha. We had a late flight and arrived to the Comfort Suites Miami Airport North just before midnight. We chose this hotel because of the free shuttle to the cruise port, which worked out pretty slick. There were MANY cruisers staying in the hotel, so needless to say, it was busy at the complimentary breakfast. Rooms were basically good, we got a good rate of $99, and we were not really going to be there long, so it was adequate. We boarded the shuttle around 9:45 a.m. and were at the cruise terminal in no time.

 

Embarkation was very easy as somehow we ended up in Group 1! Not sure how that happened, but we actually boarded the ship before some priority guests. I liked the embarkation process much more on Carnival compared to Celebrity. It seemed much more organized and the whole process was a breeze.

 

We were impressed with the Victory upon arrival. Grand foyer was very colorful and full of action. Many people complain about ships, I just take them for what they are. Sure, there are things that are worn out, etc., but the ship was clean. There is MUCH more smoking on this ship than on Celebrity (which bans smoking on balconies.)

 

Upon arrival, we were greeted by Jordan in the lobby. We had a quick drink and headed to our stateroom. We got lucky and were able to get one of the aft cabins on deck 8. We immediately were made aware of the "smoking is ok on the balconies" policy. Got used to it, but it made some of our beautiful views not-so-beautiful. Our cabin was very comfortable with the king bed and the hide-a-way couch that our other son slept on. We were very comfortable with three adults in the room. The bathroom seemed larger compared to Celebrity and he had no issues with anything.

 

We discovered right away that this was going to be more of a "fun"group, compared to Celebrity, where the average age of the guests is usually above 60! We really enjoyed the layout of the ship compared to others we have been on. The first night we were actually able to watch the Huskers play football at the sports bar.

 

The Victory has the usual amenities that most ships have, but the pools on were plentiful. The adult only hot tubs on the Sky Deck in the Serenity Lounge, seemed like a great place to relax. The water slide was a nice addition for some extra pool fun! Our grandson enjoyed the kids wading pool, which we only discovered on the LAST day...

 

Buffet was CROWDED every day and was the average buffet food. Compared to Celebrity, we would have to say the food was better there and the wait time less. Main Dining Room food and service was great. Wait staff learned our names the first night and never forgot them. We had open dining each night and never had to wait for our large party of 10. Each night the staff put on quite a show and we were ready for the "It's Showtime" announcement. Some of the staff really knew how to put on a show!! The 24 hour pizza station by the aft pool was a great place to get a snack at anytime. The quattro formaggi pizza was my personal favorite!

 

Our favorite place on the ship was the "Irish Seas" piano bar where Jordan performs nightly. We found early that if we did not get there early, we would not find a seat! Each night, more and more people showed up to be entertained by Jordan and to sing along. Actually our favorite thing to do when we watch him perform is to see everyone's reactions to him. He really has a knack for entertaining. We spent every evening there but one, when he had a night off. He had many regulars come back each night to enjoy the great piano bar atmosphere. The wait staff was top-notch also with Wira being our favorite!

 

One problem I see on the ship is the comedy club, Punchliners. Each evening there is karaoke there and then the club is cleared out before the comedy starts. I am not sure that a line that stretches from one end of the ship to the other is what Carnival is looking for in customer satisfaction. We attempted to go to one of the "adult" shows, but the line was so long, we decided to forget it. We talked to some people the next day and they said, "the wait was not worth it..." I know they are trying to make this a "comedy club" type of atmosphere, but this just is not fun.

 

We hit the arcade one night, which was fun and reasonable. It is pretty small, but enjoyable. We even hit the "Club Arctic" one night AFTER the piano bar closed and had a pretty good time there. Pretty cool atmosphere for the usual club activities.

 

We enjoyed the pool deck on sea days and never had a hard time finding a beach recliner. They were plentiful and everyone seemed to have somewhere to relax. The aft pool was a nice change from the busy large pool, so we went there a few times.

 

We did not sign up for any formal excursions in Jamaica, but decided just to explore on our own. Right in the heart of the shopping areas was "Margaritaville Ocho Rios" which had a beach connected right to it. We decided that this was as good as anywhere to get some swimming in, so we ate there and then had some beach time afterwards. One world of caution, be careful of the sea urchins out side of the roped-off area of the beach, I found this out personally, if you know what I mean. We did some shopping around the area after swimming and then headed back to the ship. Prices were pretty good for souvenirs and the vendors were willing to negotiate some.

 

We did sign up for the "Snuba Adventure" at the Cayman Islands. What a GREAT time!! My son and two others in our party did this and had a complete blast! They did an excellent job of instructing and guiding us on our 30 minute snuba adventure. We even were able to see a shipwreck and many species of fish, including a stingray. I can't recommend this enough. After the snuba excursion, we the the Green Parrot Bar and Grill and had some AWESOME beer battered fish (fresh grouper) and chips. Sampled the local Caybrew and relaxed while waiting for others in our party to arrive from Victory. We then did some shopping around the port in Cayman Islands, but that is about it.

 

We "tried" to attend the opening show, but honestly, it was not great. We did attend the Michael Jackson tribute show one night and it was pretty enjoyable, after starting pretty slow. Some people did walk out at the beginning of the show, but it was not too bad.

 

Disembarkation was clearly the best we have ever experienced. We were in group 12 and once we were called, we were through customs and off of the ship and on the airport shuttle bus within 10 minutes!! Wow.

 

In summary, we would definitely do this cruise and ship again. We were curious how Carnival would be different from Celebrity, and we found out right away. We honestly felt more at ease and relaxed on this ship-mainly because of the younger crowd-no offense, Celebrity!

 

As long as our son keeps working on cruise ships, I guess we will just have to follow him around!

 

Here is a link to images I captured from the Victory: https://www.flickr.com/photos/petesfamily/sets/72157648728210782/

[Herbaltees]

Thank you for the review. The pictures were a nice addition as well.

[GrummanTiger]

Thank you very much for the review! Some past reviews have only focused on the age of the ship. Nice to see you enjoyed what was available!

[kmac30]

Thanks so much for the review and pics!! I am sailing on Victory in 3 weeks, so excited!!

[ReRe71]

Thanks for the review. I rarely see anything about Victory on these boards. Looking forward to sailing her in January!

 

 

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[espo56]

Thanks for the review. Just off the Summit again Jordan's last week as. He told us you would be joining him on Carnival. We have never sailed Carnival and were interested to read your review. We have sailed with Jordan 3 times on the Summit and adore him. He is wonderful. We are happy he is having a good run on Carnival.

[petesfamily]

Thanks for the review. Just off the Summit again Jordan's last week as. He told us you would be joining him on Carnival. We have never sailed Carnival and were interested to read your review. We have sailed with Jordan 3 times on the Summit and adore him. He is wonderful. We are happy he is having a good run on Carnival.

 

Thanks SO much! He talks about you guys being such great fans of his! Carnival was a really different vibe, but it was fun. Thanks for being so supportive of him, it really means a lot to us all.

[espo56]

Don't know what I would do without his cd. 14 days was a long cruise. My friends and I were in serious withdrawal after listen to Jordan for 14 days. He was the best part of our trip. [emoji1]

 

 

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[kmac30]

One quick question, do you remember what the movies were on the big screen?? Thank so much!!

[Elaine515]

Thanks so much for the great review, especially of Jordan :) I have been messaging him on facebook as I will also have the pleasure of him being my "Piano Man" on 11/6..

 

From the messages, videos and some reviews I have seen and read about him, I just know we'll be in the Piano Bar every night... Thanks for the tip about getting there early...we like to sit around the piano if we can get seats there...

 

I have asked Jordan, but I'll also ask you guys (as you know him better than anyone else) but can you please tell me what you think he would like me to bring him that he can't get/find himself...

 

Now I'm how do the kids say it... "really pumped" and getting excited about my upcoming cruise... My last cruise the Piano Lady was such a disappointment and I have a really good feeling about Jordan...

 

Another question... what is Jordan's favorite drink ??? Thanks Jordan's Family :)

[petesfamily]

Thanks so much for the great review, especially of Jordan :) I have been messaging him on facebook as I will also have the pleasure of him being my "Piano Man" on 11/6..

 

From the messages, videos and some reviews I have seen and read about him, I just know we'll be in the Piano Bar every night... Thanks for the tip about getting there early...we like to sit around the piano if we can get seats there...

 

I have asked Jordan, but I'll also ask you guys (as you know him better than anyone else) but can you please tell me what you think he would like me to bring him that he can't get/find himself...

 

Now I'm how do the kids say it... "really pumped" and getting excited about my upcoming cruise... My last cruise the Piano Lady was such a disappointment and I have a really good feeling about Jordan...

 

Another question... what is Jordan's favorite drink ??? Thanks Jordan's Family :)

 

He said it was standing room only on this past cruise! Thanks for your offer to take something to him...I am not sure what he would want?? He loves Jimmy Johns!! He loves Nutella also! His favorite drink is Diet Coke or Coke Zero...and both of those mixed with some Jack or White Rum!! Enjoy your cruise, we wish we were going again!!

[teriwinkle]

Thank you so much for a great review. Our family of 7 (maybe more!) will be on Victory Jan 15. Hope Jordan is still performing. As a professional pianist myself I will enjoy hearing him play. We have also booked the aft balcony cabins on deck 8. I heard it was noisy back there but we wanted one of the wrap around balconies so decided to chance it. We have earplugs if necessary. Ha!

[petesfamily]

Thank you so much for a great review. Our family of 7 (maybe more!) will be on Victory Jan 15. Hope Jordan is still performing. As a professional pianist myself I will enjoy hearing him play. We have also booked the aft balcony cabins on deck 8. I heard it was noisy back there but we wanted one of the wrap around balconies so decided to chance it. We have earplugs if necessary. Ha!

 

Sorry, Jordan is leaving the Victory on 12/14. We loved the aft cabins. Not noisy at all. Still had smokers on the balcony but it was bearable.

[sqykkhickinb]

Thanks so much for the review and pics!

[kkabeach]

following enjoying your review:)

[endo1521]

We were on the victory the last week of September... Jordan was great! He was a true professional who learned new music each night to make the crowd happy. We enjoyed his performances very much!

 

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[TomAndJane]

He said it was standing room only on this past cruise! Thanks for your offer to take something to him...I am not sure what he would want?? He loves Jimmy Johns!! He loves Nutella also! His favorite drink is Diet Coke or Coke Zero...and both of those mixed with some Jack or White Rum!! Enjoy your cruise, we wish we were going again!!

 

We just left the Victory and my wife and I went to Jordan's shows every night and sat right at the Piano bar and it was standing room only. He did a great job and we all had a great time. I mentioned how good he was on John Heald's facebook page. Hopefully we will get to see him again some day. He is a fantastic entertainer. Next time you talk to him ask him about the 'Yoo-hoo' man that always sneaked up on him... lol

 

Tom

[TomAndJane]

Thanks so much for the great review, especially of Jordan :) I have been messaging him on facebook as I will also have the pleasure of him being my "Piano Man" on 11/6..

 

From the messages, videos and some reviews I have seen and read about him, I just know we'll be in the Piano Bar every night... Thanks for the tip about getting there early...we like to sit around the piano if we can get seats there...

 

I have asked Jordan, but I'll also ask you guys (as you know him better than anyone else) but can you please tell me what you think he would like me to bring him that he can't get/find himself...

 

Now I'm how do the kids say it... "really pumped" and getting excited about my upcoming cruise... My last cruise the Piano Lady was such a disappointment and I have a really good feeling about Jordan...

 

Another question... what is Jordan's favorite drink ??? Thanks Jordan's Family :)

 

Do what we did, put a really nice tip in his jar!!! :):):)

[TomAndJane]

We just left the Victory and my wife and I went to Jordan's shows every night and sat right at the Piano bar and it was standing room only. He did a great job and we all had a great time. I mentioned how good he was on John Heald's facebook page. Hopefully we will get to see him again some day. He is a fantastic entertainer. Next time you talk to him ask him about the 'Yoo-hoo' man that always sneaked up on him... lol

 

Tom

 

P.S. I was not the Yoo-hoo man. My wife would have killed me... :D

[Elaine515]

Do what we did, put a really nice tip in his jar!!! :):):)

 

 

 

That's a given and not even something you have to mention... stopped donating to the casino and instead have been giving to the Piano Man ... well except on our last cruise where the Piano Man was a Piano Woman and she was awful, horrible, didn't even spend 10 minutes in there with her...

 

Probably even more so why I'm super duper excited about having Jordan this cruise... He's gotten great reviews....

[petesfamily]

That's a given and not even something you have to mention... stopped donating to the casino and instead have been giving to the Piano Man ... well except on our last cruise where the Piano Man was a Piano Woman and she was awful, horrible, didn't even spend 10 minutes in there with her...

 

Probably even more so why I'm super duper excited about having Jordan this cruise... He's gotten great reviews....

 

So jealous that you are going to get to see him! We can't wait until he comes home in December! Hope you have a GREAT time! I am sure you will!

[jstblj6]

Bummer! I was so excited when I saw your post. I was all ready to support a fellow Nebraskan. My family (17 of us) are sailing on the Victory January 10th. We love the piano bar and it would have been even more fun knowing he was from home. Well hopefully his replacement will be good. Loved your review by the way.

[btfly745]

I was on this same cruise and thoroughly enjoyed it. Jordan is a great entertainer.

This was our 1st cruise ever and we had a blast. I've been reading on the boards for over a year preparing and was shocked at the number of lounge chairs I found available. There were dozens of them empty at anytime. The only thing I will do different is to go to the MDR for breakfast everyday. I was traveling with my 2 little ones and was always trying to juggle fixing things for them and myself except for the last 2 days when I went to the MDR.

Also, the Sea Day Brunch was awesome.

We plan to do a Disney cruise next year just because the girls are at an age where they love Disney; but after that I'm positive we'll be back to Carnival at least yearly. The prices can't be beat.

 

 

 

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[TomAndJane]

That's a given and not even something you have to mention... stopped donating to the casino and instead have been giving to the Piano Man ... well except on our last cruise where the Piano Man was a Piano Woman and she was awful, horrible, didn't even spend 10 minutes in there with her...

 

Probably even more so why I'm super duper excited about having Jordan this cruise... He's gotten great reviews....

 

Did the lady make choppy sounds when she sang? If she did we saw her as well!! Horrible!!!

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

Sorry, Jordan is leaving the Victory on 12/14. We loved the aft cabins. Not noisy at all. Still had smokers on the balcony but it was bearable.

 

I thought smoking was banned now. I leave in just over a week for my cruise on the Victory and thought the ban had started.