Just off Valor. Great cruise! Anybody have a question?

[violetsmile]

Just got off the Valor 2/21/16. It was only so-so. Considering writing a complaint letter regarding the stench of surge/sewage on 10, and occasionally through the air ducts.

 

 

Where on 10 was the stench? We're pretty far forward, but as someone prone to motion sickness and nausea, sewage smells are extra awful!

[momonthego17]

They do not take you S/S card so you will need a credit card or cash. There is a liquor store as you walk off. We bought a bottle of rum and ordered virgin drinks $5 and just mixed are own was much cheaper that way a regular drink was between 8-10 for a small glass and over 20 for a yard. The price for a bucket of local beer was $20 for 6 beers.

 

Good to know, thanks!

[gothedistance]

We thought the piano bar player (William) was good. We sailed on the Valor 2/6-13, W. Caribbean

[vmt514]

Hi. We booked Valor for June 25 Southern. I have a few questions.

 

Does the Serenity area have a spa / hot tub? Or is it just chairs?

 

We are non smokers. Biggest problem on Breeze last summer was smoke. The shops were next to Cadino and the whole area could be very smelly. Is that the same.

 

Does anyone have recent !fun times ' posted.

 

Thanks for your help,,

[cruisedrew]

We sailed on FEB 20.

We LOVED our cruise and the ship!

(See my review at bottom of my signature!)

 

A. Serenity: 2 Hot Tubs! At the top of the ship! Perfect for Sail-Away!

 

B. Smoke: It was much better on our cruise! Even walking by the casino it wasn't that bad! I remember on previous cruises/other ships having to hold my breath! haha

 

C. No fun-times... but I can answer any questions... We had a great week!

 

Drew

Valor Review:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2324147

 

Hi. We booked Valor for June 25 Southern. I have a few questions.

 

Does the Serenity area have a spa / hot tub? Or is it just chairs?

 

We are non smokers. Biggest problem on Breeze last summer was smoke. The shops were next to Cadino and the whole area could be very smelly. Is that the same.

 

Does anyone have recent !fun times ' posted.

 

Thanks for your help,,

[2PinaColadas]

We sailed on FEB 20.

We LOVED our cruise and the ship!

(See my review at bottom of my signature!)

 

A. Serenity: 2 Hot Tubs! At the top of the ship! Perfect for Sail-Away!

 

B. Smoke: It was much better on our cruise! Even walking by the casino it wasn't that bad! I remember on previous cruises/other ships having to hold my breath! haha

 

C. No fun-times... but I can answer any questions... We had a great week!

 

Drew

Valor Review:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2324147

 

 

When were the elegant nights? Did you notice a sewage smell? Several complaints about that on posts.

[cruisedrew]

When were the elegant nights? Did you notice a sewage smell? Several complaints about that on posts.

 

Our Elegant nights were first Sea Day, and then the night of Costa Maya... before the final day at Sea!

We did notice a smell when we were up on Deck 12... port side... near ping pong tables and Chess board... but not every day and not all the time.

 

Have fun!!!!

[Hockeygal24]

I will be sailing on the Valor in 9 days and I was wondering if you could tell me how the band was onboard? I enjoy watching live music before/after dinner and I'm hoping they are good. How did you feel the service was overall and did they service your room twice a day without asking? Thank you for any information you can provide.

[kayjo]

We enjoyed the singer in the Atrium before dinner. There was a small band set up outside of the casino, but it was very smoky there. Other times it was just Karaoke.

Our steward was great and serviced the room twice a day without being asked.

Have a great cruise!

[AK Wife]

Have they changed/updated the Legends show?!

[angela12345]

I will be sailing on the Valor in 9 days and I was wondering if you could tell me how the band was onboard? I enjoy watching live music before/after dinner and I'm hoping they are good. How did you feel the service was overall and did they service your room twice a day without asking? Thank you for any information you can provide.

There were a couple of bands as well as other live music on board ... Without looking at my FunTimes, I remember a steel drum player on the Lido by the main pool, piano bar player, several different duos (or trios?) in the atrium many different times throughout the day, possibly others.

 

The two bands typically played right beside the casino bar in the wide walkway/seating area that runs past the casino. Although I do think they may have played other places as well. Of the two bands, the one that was pretty good was called Retrospect Band I think ? They were not bad at all.

 

The other band was called Common Ground and I really really really enjoyed them. Common Ground is the band that also plays with the live shows in the theater. Their singer Lana I thought was very good as well.

 

If you go to hear Common Ground, please please please do this for me ... Go up to Lana and only say "Eeeeeee!!" in a high pitched type of squeal like you just got frightened by a snake or a spider. If you throw your hands up in front of your chest at the same time, even better. She will know exactly what you mean and most likely bust out laughing. I'll let her explain to you what it means (nothing bad or dirty). :)

 

We found service to be great throughout the ship. We had a great room steward. They are still servicing twice a day on this ship, the new forms have not come out yet. I thought the CD did a great job. And really liked Patricia at customer service as well. Overall, we found the entire crew to be very friendly and helpful.

Edited March 11, 2016 by angela12345

[angela12345]

[Hockeygal24]

There were a couple of bands as well as other live music on board ... Without looking at my FunTimes, I remember a steel drum player on the Lido by the main pool, piano bar player, several different duos (or trios?) in the atrium many different times throughout the day, possibly others.

 

The two bands typically played right beside the casino bar in the wide walkway/seating area that runs past the casino. Although I do think they may have played other places as well. Of the two bands, the one that was pretty good was called Retrospect Band I think ? They were not bad at all.

 

The other band was called Common Ground and I really really really enjoyed them. Common Ground is the band that also plays with the live shows in the theater. Their singer Lana I thought was very good as well.

 

If you go to hear Common Ground, please please please do this for me ... Go up to Lana and only say "Eeeeeee!!" in a high pitched type of squeal like you just got frightened by a snake or a spider. If you throw your hands up in front of your chest at the same time, even better. She will know exactly what you mean and most likely bust out laughing. I'll let her explain to you what it means (nothing bad or dirty). :)

 

We found service to be great throughout the ship. We had a great room steward. They are still servicing twice a day on this ship, the new forms have not come out yet. I thought the CD did a great job. And really liked Patricia at customer service as well. Overall, we found the entire crew to be very friendly and helpful.

 

Thank you for your reply and for the great information. Great to hear they are still servicing the room 2x a day and that they have a steel drum player by the pool. I prefer that much more than a DJ!

 

I will do my best impression of "Eeeeeeee!!" for Lana and will take note of her reaction and report back to you. Too funny! :D

 

Can I ask if you happen to have had Anytime Dining? We chose this because my daughter is a Type 1 diabetic and we need to eat based on her blood sugar lows/highs and I'm a little concerned with the possibility of a long wait, especially when she is low and needs to eat asap. Buffet is not really an option because of a life threatening peanut/tree nut allergy. Even if you didn't have AT Dining, did you happen to see if there was long lines/waits or know of someone else onboard that might have commented on this?

[angela12345]

Yes, we had anytime dining. I don't know if we were just lucky at the times we chose to eat, but the only time there was a wait where they had to give us buzzers was the first formal night (lobster night). Some of the other nights there was a line, but it moved very quickly. The hostess Eva was really good at her job and very friendly. Once seated though, it sometimes took a little longer to actually get bread or food. Not so long that it bothered us, just a little long. Wouldn't be a bad idea to maybe have a few packs of crackers in your purse (or whatever is safe for her) from the salad bar on the buffet to tide you over if it gets to a crucial point.

 

I can hardly wait to hear Lana's reaction !

[Qchell]

Does the Valor have the American table menu?

 

The Valor does not have the American Table menu yet. It's currently on Carnival Breeze, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Glory, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Magic, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Pride, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Triumph and Carnival Vista.

[Qchell]

Sir--

 

We are planning our VERY FIRST Carnival cruise in December for a wedding.

 

The wife and I are thinking about the Cheers package.

 

I read the program includes up to $10 cocktails.

 

I usually drink mudslides...any idea how much those are?

 

Thank you!

 

-Michael

 

The Cheers program just went through a major overhaul. If you go to Carnival's FAQ section of their website and search Cheers, there is a very detailed explanation of the current program. Most people are very please with the changes, the only thing I don't care for is if you wait until you are onboard to purchase it and use any on board credit you have accrued, the price goes up about $5pp/day.

[SoulPhyre]

I was pleasantly surprised by seeing how wrong I felt a lot of the complaints were. Anyone need a question answered?

 

you wouldn't happen to have the fun times? I can't find any newer than 2013

 

Thanks,

Angela

[Qchell]

We discovered on the Sunshine last year that they served a light lunch at the Taste Bar, unfortunately we did not discover that until the last day.. :( Does anyone know if they serve lunch at the Taste Bar on Valor?

[vmt514]

you wouldn't happen to have the fun times? I can't find any newer than 2013

 

Thanks,

Angela

 

Here is Western Fun Times for Valor from November 2015.

 

http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/2015/11/04/carnival-valor-fun-times-western/

 

At least this is a little newer than you found.

:)

[vmt514]

I was pleasantly surprised by seeing how wrong I felt a lot of the complaints were. Anyone need a question answered?

 

Hi - thanks for answer questions.

 

I was looking at Fun Times from November. We aren't sailing until late in June. So I know things will be different, different CD and I'm sailing after the 2.0 upgrades.

 

But I noticed on nights when there was only one show it starts at 9:30, sometimes after the room was full of Bingo players (and there is nothing wrong with Bingo playing). When they did have 2 shows, the early show was 7:15.

 

My problem is we have chosen the late dinner. And we like shows. And I've been known to play Bingo now and then on a cruise ship.

 

So 7:15 show when dinner is 8:15 isn't too bad. But Bingo at 8 won't happen if I have late dinner and getting a decent seat for a 9:30 show when I'll be running there after dinner, seems like it's not really good timing.

 

Yes, I do have a questions after all this.

 

Do you remember if the shows and dinner schedule was so tight on your cruise? Did you have late dining, early dining or any time dining. If you had the early dining, did it conflict with activities?

 

I'm torn because I'm thinking I should change to any time dining, but I've read horror stories of lines for anytime dining. Plus I like to have the same wait staff and meet people that we get seated with for dinner.

 

I've never been on Valor, so I don't know if the restaurant is right next to the theater or the other side of the ship.

 

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

[TomAndJane]

I AGREE lots of folks with scooters are just too lazy to walk. Most of the folks I saw were just over weight and really needed the exercise. Before you FLAME ME let me tell you I have Heart failure, A FIB and COPD. I don't use a scooter because it's sometimes just LAZY.I do get out of breath when I walk and I do have to stop to catch my breath. Yes I use a cane and I do use the elevator when NOT being run over by a scooter. if YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE FOLKS THAT IS GOING TO flame ME JUST THINK ABOUT THE REALITY. Do you need the scooter ? or are you just LAZY and want it for convenience.

 

It always amazes me how F-ing brave people can be when they don't have to face the people they are criticizing or judging.

[Tigeroy]

We too had Anytime Dining. It started at 545pm in the Lincoln dining room. We went a few times at 530pm and were seated. We had the greatest waiter, Kimchoi from Thailand. Ask for table #128 it's in his section right next to the window!

Edited March 15, 2016 by Tigeroy
Valor 3/5/16 sailing

[ScottJames]

Hi - thanks for answer questions.

 

 

 

I was looking at Fun Times from November. We aren't sailing until late in June. So I know things will be different, different CD and I'm sailing after the 2.0 upgrades.

 

 

 

But I noticed on nights when there was only one show it starts at 9:30, sometimes after the room was full of Bingo players (and there is nothing wrong with Bingo playing). When they did have 2 shows, the early show was 7:15.

 

 

 

My problem is we have chosen the late dinner. And we like shows. And I've been known to play Bingo now and then on a cruise ship.

 

 

 

So 7:15 show when dinner is 8:15 isn't too bad. But Bingo at 8 won't happen if I have late dinner and getting a decent seat for a 9:30 show when I'll be running there after dinner, seems like it's not really good timing.

 

 

 

Yes, I do have a questions after all this.

 

 

 

Do you remember if the shows and dinner schedule was so tight on your cruise? Did you have late dining, early dining or any time dining. If you had the early dining, did it conflict with activities?

 

 

 

I'm torn because I'm thinking I should change to any time dining, but I've read horror stories of lines for anytime dining. Plus I like to have the same wait staff and meet people that we get seated with for dinner.

 

 

 

I've never been on Valor, so I don't know if the restaurant is right next to the theater or the other side of the ship.

 

 

 

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

We did have late dining. And having been lucky enough to share a table with a bunch of great people, we didn't get out of the dining room very fast. But as far as I remember, when we did try to eat and get out fast to catch the late show, it has already started and there were not a seat to be found.

I am with you that I like the same staff and not having to deal with the Anytime Dining. You also have to get to the theatre early to get a seat. So, you are kinda out of luck with the late dining.

There are 2 dining rooms. One is closer to the Theatre than the other.

[angela12345]

"Eeeeeeee!!"

[karisma99]

How many water slides are there? Does anyone have a picture? I have a 6 year old, who will do the super big twisters, but I also like the medium sized ones like they have on the Imagination. I was wondering if they had one like that on Valor. Any pics?