Attn LIBERTY & VALOR cruisers: Detailed Review of Valors Last Cruise from Puerto Rico

[deladane]

You mentioned the cake pops... I absolutely LOVED the little round strawberry things... and I think that may be what they were. Here's a picture...they didn't have a stick or anything...but I only saw them on the first day. I REALLY want the recipe! :)

 

 

 

Yup, that's definitely the strawberry cake pops! My theory is that they ran out of sticks on your cruise, so they just put out the balls with tongs to serve them... J's theory is that there was a mischievous kid who stole all the sticks from the pops ;) Either way, I'd also be curious to find a recipe for them because they were delicious!!

[JKirkN]

Yup, that's definitely the strawberry cake pops! My theory is that they ran out of sticks on your cruise, so they just put out the balls with tongs to serve them... J's theory is that there was a mischievous kid who stole all the sticks from the pops ;) Either way, I'd also be curious to find a recipe for them because they were delicious!!

 

I sure hope they still have them when we get on the Liberty in Sept.!!! I'll be loading them up to bring to the cabin for snacks later!!! :)

Edited April 25, 2015 by JKirkN
correction.

[flwrs4ever]

The cake pops are really simple and easy to make...there are recipes online ;)

 

It's basically baking a cake, crumbling the whole cake in a bowl, pick a tub of icing, mix into the crumbled cake. (The icing is how they stay so moist)

 

Put mix into fridge until cold, then roll into balls (will be a bit sticky)

 

Then rec hill the balls, and dip into chocolate.

 

Takes a little time, but soo worth it !

 

 

Thanks for the great review, we are sailing on Valor in September, my first cruise ! I am thankful for CC, I'd have been lost without all this great info !

Edited April 26, 2015 by flwrs4ever
Spelling error

[SoloSailorII]

Thank you for the great review. We are doing this itinerary aboard the M/V Victory in September and looking at your pictures and reading your review makes it closer, besides it provides ideas on what to do and if we don't do the same it allow us to see what we may have missed.

 

Fair winds and Following seas

[deladane]

Thank you for the great review. We are doing this itinerary aboard the M/V Victory in September and looking at your pictures and reading your review makes it closer, besides it provides ideas on what to do and if we don't do the same it allow us to see what we may have missed.

 

Fair winds and Following seas

 

I'm so happy you found the review helpful in your planning! Let me know if you think of any questions about what to do in each port, and have a great cruise!! :D

[glentally]

I check back every once in a while.

 

 

...I was wondering if anyone was still following since there haven't been many comments lately haha

 

Thanks for the review, the purple large font is quite annoying, just saying.

[valentinebaby1]

...I was wondering if anyone was still following since there haven't been many comments lately haha

 

Thanks for the review, the purple large font is quite annoying, just saying.

 

I think the larger noticeable font color is great...it helps for those reading along to find the posts of the OP. I did a larger blue font on my review...I think I got the idea from Gapearl...I think she was one who did pink text. I think it makes it easier for those who just want to read the review and not all the other questions and comments.

[Buffettfan 225]

I think the larger noticeable font color is great...it helps for those reading along to find the posts of the OP. I did a larger blue font on my review...I think I got the idea from Gapearl...I think she was one who did pink text. I think it makes it easier for those who just want to read the review and not all the other questions and comments.

First thing I noted was that I enjoyed larger purple don't, much easier to follow OP posts. Second binge read as sailing itinerary again this June 14.

Thanks for humorous,honest review and time to do it.

Believe me, having written cruise reviews, you will enjoy rereading and reliving the cruise having a record of it to read.

[deladane]

I think the larger noticeable font color is great...it helps for those reading along to find the posts of the OP. I did a larger blue font on my review...I think I got the idea from Gapearl...I think she was one who did pink text. I think it makes it easier for those who just want to read the review and not all the other questions and comments.

 

Thank you! I know that not everyone will like everything about my review, but I am glad that some people appreciate the font change. I too read both yours and GApearl's review (and a few others too) that changed the font color/size and found it much easier to follow and skip the comments. I tried to pick a dark color that would provide a good contrast to the white background (purposely did not use pink or red!), but I guess I can't win every battle ;)

[deladane]

First thing I noted was that I enjoyed larger purple don't, much easier to follow OP posts. Second binge read as sailing itinerary again this June 14.

Thanks for humorous,honest review and time to do it.

Believe me, having written cruise reviews, you will enjoy rereading and reliving the cruise having a record of it to read.

 

oooh, you are so close to your cruise! I hope you have a fantastic time! If you want to read even more about this itinerary, I went to the same ports on my Victory cruise in 2012. I don't think the photos work from the Cruise Critic thread, but I also posted a link to my blog where the entire review and all the photos are posted, so you might want to check that out too if you have time :) Let me know if you have any questions!

[pghsteelerfan]

I'm re-reading your Valor review again and will be going back to your Victory review next. :) Think I told you I was doing some arm twisting of DH to book the southern itinerary out of San Juan again. He originally said he'd rather do an all-inclusive but then changed his mind earlier this month and we're booked on Liberty for this September...we're doing it again! :) That's cutting it close but has been our habit lately. Not much time for planning but do have tours booked for Barbados and St. Lucia. We booked the Skyride to Paradise Point in St. Thomas through Carnival to save the $2.00 per person and will do that first thing in the morning and go to the beach (Sapphire or Coki) afterwards. We wanted to do that last time, but two weeks before our cruise, the skyride closed for several months (road widening) and Paradise Point was also closed for renovation. Hopefully nothing will come up this time and also hoping weather cooperates. LOL!!! St. Maarten and St. Kitts...nothing booked so going back through past reviews to get ideas so I can decide. So many choices....decisions, decisions.

[deladane]

I'm re-reading your Valor review again and will be going back to your Victory review next. :) Think I told you I was doing some arm twisting of DH to book the southern itinerary out of San Juan again. He originally said he'd rather do an all-inclusive but then changed his mind earlier this month and we're booked on Liberty for this September...we're doing it again! :) That's cutting it close but has been our habit lately. Not much time for planning but do have tours booked for Barbados and St. Lucia. We booked the Skyride to Paradise Point in St. Thomas through Carnival to save the $2.00 per person and will do that first thing in the morning and go to the beach (Sapphire or Coki) afterwards. We wanted to do that last time, but two weeks before our cruise, the skyride closed for several months (road widening) and Paradise Point was also closed for renovation. Hopefully nothing will come up this time and also hoping weather cooperates. LOL!!! St. Maarten and St. Kitts...nothing booked so going back through past reviews to get ideas so I can decide. So many choices....decisions, decisions.

 

Oh wow, that's awesome that you're getting to repeat this amazing itinerary!! Since you've done it before, you probably don't need too much time to do research, although you'll probably want to learn about the Liberty if you haven't sailed on her before! Did you book your hotels and flights for San Juan? I hope you'll come back and write a review after your cruise so I can live vicariously through you :D

 

My next cruise will be on Celebrity, but they don't have nearly as many detailed photo reviews as the Carnival board has :( It's making it really hard to do my research!!

[pghsteelerfan]

:):)

Oh wow, that's awesome that you're getting to repeat this amazing itinerary!! Since you've done it before, you probably don't need too much time to do research, although you'll probably want to learn about the Liberty if you haven't sailed on her before! Did you book your hotels and flights for San Juan? I hope you'll come back and write a review after your cruise so I can live vicariously through you :D

 

My next cruise will be on Celebrity, but they don't have nearly as many detailed photo reviews as the Carnival board has :( It's making it really hard to do my research!!

 

Very happy to be repeating this itinerary. We were actually on Liberty in April 2014, so this will be our first time to repeat a ship. Liberty is very nice and we just love the décor and the "Guy Burgers". Plan to try Blue Iguana for breakfast and lunch this time too. We've got flights and hotel booked. We'll be flying down the day before again. Was hoping for a couple more days in San Juan, but since DH has only been in his current job for a year, he's limited with vacation time and we just can't do it this time. I'm sure there will be a next time. Really not having to do much research this time around, it's just deciding what we want to do since there is so much to see and do. I do plan on doing another review after this trip...a great way to relive a cruise. :)

 

We've never been on Celebrity, only Carnival (this will be #6) and once on Royal Caribbean for a Mexican Riviera cruise. You'll have to let us know what you think of Celebrity. I've heard good things. The itinerary you'll be doing sounds really nice. Will you be posting a review to the Celebrity boards? If so, you'll have to let us know so we can go over and read it. :)

Edited July 27, 2015 by pghsteelerfan

[deladane]

:):)

 

Very happy to be repeating this itinerary. We were actually on Liberty in April 2014, so this will be our first time to repeat a ship. Liberty is very nice and we just love the décor and the "Guy Burgers". Plan to try Blue Iguana for breakfast and lunch this time too. We've got flights and hotel booked. We'll be flying down the day before again. Was hoping for a couple more days in San Juan, but since DH has only been in his current job for a year, he's limited with vacation time and we just can't do it this time. I'm sure there will be a next time. Really not having to do much research this time around, it's just deciding what we want to do since there is so much to see and do. I do plan on doing another review after this trip...a great way to relive a cruise. :)

 

We've never been on Celebrity, only Carnival (this will be #6) and once on Royal Caribbean for a Mexican Riviera cruise. You'll have to let us know what you think of Celebrity. I've heard good things. The itinerary you'll be doing sounds really nice. Will you be posting a review to the Celebrity boards? If so, you'll have to let us know so we can go over and read it. :)

 

Well even with just flying in the day before the cruise, hopefully you'll get a chance to go out for a great dinner. Have you ever tried mofongo? I had it for the first time on this cruise in March and LOVED it!!! Definitely try it out if you haven't had it yet :)

 

And yes, I will definitely write my typical detailed photo review when I return from my Celebrity cruise, and I'll be sure to post a link on the Carnival board! All those ports will be new to me (including Ft. Lauderdale), plus we have an overnight in Colombia. We'll be the 3rd time Celebrity does this new itinerary with the overnight stay, so I hope my review can help out other people taking that itinerary.

[pghsteelerfan]

Well even with just flying in the day before the cruise, hopefully you'll get a chance to go out for a great dinner. Have you ever tried mofongo? I had it for the first time on this cruise in March and LOVED it!!! Definitely try it out if you haven't had it yet :)

 

And yes, I will definitely write my typical detailed photo review when I return from my Celebrity cruise, and I'll be sure to post a link on the Carnival board! All those ports will be new to me (including Ft. Lauderdale), plus we have an overnight in Colombia. We'll be the 3rd time Celebrity does this new itinerary with the overnight stay, so I hope my review can help out other people taking that itinerary.

 

I'm planning to try mofongo AND mallorcas this time, both look delish!!! :) The day of the cruise, we're planning to check in and get back off. We want to see both forts this time and stay longer at each. I'd love to skip breakfast at the hotel and go to Cafe Mallorca and try those. Since we're planning to stay in Old San Juan until about 8PM, we'll be having dinner as well and would love to try mofongo. I just went back to the first part of your review, would you recommend El Patio de Sam on Calle San Sebastian? Thanks to your "heads up", I know to be prepared for slow service & can plan accordingly. :) I'd love to try to get an evening picture of Liberty all lit up, we'll be skipping dinner on the ship, so this will be perfect. DH got his way last time, this time it's my turn & I just hope I don't get overruled. The night we get in will be an early night...our flight is around 5AM with a connection, so we'll be at the airport by 3AM that morning. :eek: That's what happens when we book cruises last minute. We'll enjoy the beach once at the hotel, grab a sandwich at the pool grille and we'll be calling it an early night, I'm sure.

 

I'm glad you'll be doing a review and I'll definitely be looking forward to to it. I'd love to see what the ports are like and I've heard great things about Columbia. I'll bet all ports will be beautiful. We haven't been to any of them either but I always enjoy "seeing" new places in reviews.

[deladane]

I'm planning to try mofongo AND mallorcas this time, both look delish!!! :) The day of the cruise, we're planning to check in and get back off. We want to see both forts this time and stay longer at each. I'd love to skip breakfast at the hotel and go to Cafe Mallorca and try those. Since we're planning to stay in Old San Juan until about 8PM, we'll be having dinner as well and would love to try mofongo. I just went back to the first part of your review, would you recommend El Patio de Sam on Calle San Sebastian? Thanks to your "heads up", I know to be prepared for slow service & can plan accordingly. :) I'd love to try to get an evening picture of Liberty all lit up, we'll be skipping dinner on the ship, so this will be perfect. DH got his way last time, this time it's my turn & I just hope I don't get overruled. The night we get in will be an early night...our flight is around 5AM with a connection, so we'll be at the airport by 3AM that morning. :eek: That's what happens when we book cruises last minute. We'll enjoy the beach once at the hotel, grab a sandwich at the pool grille and we'll be calling it an early night, I'm sure.

 

I'm glad you'll be doing a review and I'll definitely be looking forward to to it. I'd love to see what the ports are like and I've heard great things about Columbia. I'll bet all ports will be beautiful. We haven't been to any of them either but I always enjoy "seeing" new places in reviews.

 

Oooh, definitely go to Cafe Mallorca! Such a great neighborhood breakfast spot, and the mallorcas are delicious! As for Patio de Sam, it had a great atmosphere and the food was really good, so I'm happy with them being my first mofongo experience (if you do go there, I recommend that one of you gets the mofongo and the other gets trifongo- they are totally different because the trifongo is fried, but they're both delicious!) We went for lunch and it was a lot of food and heavy in the stomach for the rest of the day, so if you can go there for dinner, that would probably be better (plus the portions are huge and the prices are kind of high for a typical lunch).

 

What hotel are you staying at that you'll be close to a beach? Are you in Condado or Isle Verde? I wish I could have hopped off the ship to get a photo of it lit up at night, but we had dinner reservations at the steakhouse so the timing didn't work. I should be able to get a photo of the Equinox at night when we port overnight in Colombia. I have heard Cartagena is very similar to Old San Juan in that it's a historic walled city on the water with forts and colorful old buildings, so hopefully it makes for some great photos for my review ;)

[pghsteelerfan]

Oooh, definitely go to Cafe Mallorca! Such a great neighborhood breakfast spot, and the mallorcas are delicious! As for Patio de Sam, it had a great atmosphere and the food was really good, so I'm happy with them being my first mofongo experience (if you do go there, I recommend that one of you gets the mofongo and the other gets trifongo- they are totally different because the trifongo is fried, but they're both delicious!) We went for lunch and it was a lot of food and heavy in the stomach for the rest of the day, so if you can go there for dinner, that would probably be better (plus the portions are huge and the prices are kind of high for a typical lunch).

 

What hotel are you staying at that you'll be close to a beach? Are you in Condado or Isle Verde? I wish I could have hopped off the ship to get a photo of it lit up at night, but we had dinner reservations at the steakhouse so the timing didn't work. I should be able to get a photo of the Equinox at night when we port overnight in Colombia. I have heard Cartagena is very similar to Old San Juan in that it's a historic walled city on the water with forts and colorful old buildings, so hopefully it makes for some great photos for my review ;)

 

That's funny you recommended both the mofongo and trifongo. I wanted to ask yesterday if you recommended ordering one of each and sharing but when I thought of that, I could no longer edit my comment. They both look really good.

 

The hotel...we're staying at the Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde...again. It's basically right across the street from the airport. We stayed there one night pre-cruise when we did this same itinerary on Valor in May 2013. We enjoyed it so much we booked it again. It is right on the beach but they have a nice pool and from what I just read, there is now a swim up bar, something to enjoy after the beach. I don't remember that being there two years ago. Nice addition. :) Oh, there are even several hammocks in the palm trees on the top part of the beach.

 

I have heard the same things you have about Cartagena...I think I'd like it and hope to get there one of these days. I'm already getting excited for your review. :)

Edited July 29, 2015 by pghsteelerfan