Valor - convince me that I'll love it.

[boopuff]

Looking to cruise on the Valor out of NOLA.  I've only cruised Celebrity, so I'm hesitant to try Carnival.  We're looking at a 5 day cruise.  We're meeting family in NOLA and thought we'd extend the trip by cruising.  I know the Valor is an older ship, I've watched some videos, but I'd love to hear some real observations.  Is it one of those notorious "party/booze cruises?" or just a regular relaxing vibe.

[mz-s]

I don't know if things have gotten better but Carnival has been having some fairly serious behavioral issues on their cruises out of NOLA.

[ObstructedView2]

24 minutes ago, boopuff said:

 

I've only cruised Celebrity, so I'm hesitant to try Carnival.  We're looking at a 5 day cruise.  

 

 

Hi @boopuff🙂

 

My best advice for your very 1st Carnival cruise is to choose a voyage that is 7 to 8 nights or longer & stay away from 6 or less night sailings. The difference is night & day..

 

 

 

 

🍹

[wemjam]

55 minutes ago, ObstructedView2 said:

 

Hi @boopuff🙂

 

My best advice for your very 1st Carnival cruise is to choose a voyage that is 7 to 8 nights or longer & stay away from 6 or less night sailings. The difference is night & day..

 

 

 

 

🍹

If you are worried about the party vibe, then this!

 

Longer cruises tend to be more "mature" adults (and I don't mean age, I mean behavior).  Shorter cruise tend to be a little more of a ruckus kind of group.  NOLA being a party place to start with, many people will "combine" the two together.  Party in NOLA a day or two before or after a cruise so it will attract that demographic.

 

The Valor itself is a Conquest Class Ship.  We LOVE these ships, always have.  The Conquest herself is our favorite.  The bigger ships have a lot to offer, but we love the Conquest layout and also the ratio of people to space seems like things are more spread out and not as crowded as other ships can feel IMHO.

[boopuff]

Thanks, maybe I’ll look into a bit longer trip!

[Hoosierpop]

29 minutes ago, boopuff said:

Thanks, maybe I’ll look into a bit longer trip!

If you are worried about it being a booze cruise (and not sure what you would consider that), I agree with a 7 night or longer. I’ve only been on a few 4-5 days cruises and it definitely Had a different vibe to it. Not that it was bad. I had a blast.

[staceyglow]

2 hours ago, mz-s said:

I don't know if things have gotten better but Carnival has been having some fairly serious behavioral issues on their cruises out of NOLA.

I have been on several cruises out of NOLA since the pandemic and they were fine.

 

Define "some".  There are two or three cruises out of NOLA every week - so over 100 since the end of the pandemic.  How many "fairly serious behaviorial issues" have there been?

[MississippiMom]

I think a lot depends on what area and activities of the ship you prefer.  Also, your definition of "relaxing" versus "rowdy."

 

If you book a balcony cabin, you can always enjoy quiet time in your own space.  If you wake up early, on any cruise, wandering the ship is amazingly peaceful (it's one of my favorite things to do).  Wander around that same ship at midnight and it's not at all the same.  I have rowdy (in the evening) twenty-something year old children, but they love to relax and quietly read books in the sun mid-day.

 

If the 5-day cruise works with your NOLA schedule, it's the one that works.  Enjoy!

[MistyRo76]

We cruised on the Valor 5 days to Costa Maya and Cozumel back in October, 2022 and had an amazing time! It was our first time cruising out of NOLA and we actually found the crowd on the ship to be extremely friendly and courteous! We didn't see any behavior that I would say crossed the line outside of one group of young ladies were seated next to us at dinner. They were very crass, showed up to dinner late, were cussing, flashing their breasts, giving each other lap dances, etc. We talked to them one evening and one gal seemed a bit embarrassed by their behavior when they found out we were near them at dinner. She said they were all a bunch of mom's on a much needed girls trip. So they were really cutting loose! We requested to be moved to another location in the dining for the rest of the trip and had no other issues. I wouldn't have had an issue with their behavior if it was in the nightclub...but at dinner was a little much. Other than that - everyone was great! And we had a great time. 

 

The ship itself was fine. I didn't notice anything glaring as far as upkeep or maintenance. The ship temps were comfortable both in our cabin and around the ship in general. We enjoyed the food for the most part. Didn't do the buffet much, but the main dining room breakfasts and brunches were great. Service, overall, was very good to great! 

 

I did a photo trip review after the cruise on here. If you search my name, you should be able to find it! 

[jsglow]

I like both New Orleans departures and Valor a lot. I have no idea if it'll be a good fit for a Celebrity cruiser or not.

[Loritd]

I sailed on the Valor this past November and again in March (spring break). Yes the New Orleans crowd likes to drink but I never saw anyone cause any problems. But I am not hanging out in the bars at midnight, I am in the casino. I would go again next week if I could. The only drawback is the itinerary gets a little boring. Cozumel and either Costa Maya or Progesso. But they can only go so far in five days. If you want to drink, get some sun, see a show and gamble its perfect.

[PrincessPatti]

Just off the Valor last Thursday.  We did not have any issues with what most would consider a booze cruise.  People were very well behaved, except for the one person smoking weed on their balcony and in the room.  Obviously, the dog didn’t sniff well enough.

 

I am no food snob, but found the food to be mediocre at best.  Twice in the MDR, the food wasn’t that great.  The BBQ joint was meh.  Lido was good for food and desserts.

 

‘I didn’t feel crowded on the ship.  I think this is the first time I have cruised and have had well-behaved children.  No kids running around, pressing elevator buttons, etc.

 

if you have any specific questions, I can try to answer.

[clackey]

We sailed her last February and had a great time.  Noone was out of line, service was good, food decent and entertainment was fine.  This was our third voyage on Valor and would not hesitate to book her again. BTW, we are in our 70's and this was cruise number 20.

[kwokpot]

The issue is going to be a Carnival cruise vs a Celebrity cruise. They are not REMOTELY the same. Celebrity is an relaxed, cruiseline with premium food and an upscale vibe. Even the oldest Celebrity ships are more sophisticated than the older Carnival ships. The cabins on Carnival are basic and the bathrooms are all plastic. The food is going to be a big difference. While Carnival beats Celebrity in the complementary food venues the overall quality is less than Celebrity. Carnival definitely has better burgers and the pizza is very good. If you decide to go realize it's going to be a more frantic experience and not the 'make your own kind of fun' relaxed cruise experience. BTW, I'm Diamond on Carnival with 26 cruises and Elite+ on Celebrity with 24, so I love both cruiselines, but for totally different reasons. 

Edited May 1, 2023 by kwokpot

[Lee Cruiser]

We've been on Valor several times, with the last being back in January.  We always do the five day cruises on it.  We love it and have it booked again in November and then next January.  We are definitely not party people.  We go on a cruise to relax.  We did one four day cruise out of N.O. on another ship and we wouldn't recommend four day cruises.  These tend to be weekend wrap around cruises and many treat them like a long weekend.  For some, it is one big party.  We've never experienced this with the five day cruises out of N.O.

[csm5986142]

We were on Valor in November and enjoyed it - I love the fact that the port is within walking distance from several hotels. 

I've learned to avoid the 3 or 4 day itineraries along with holiday weekends, but I think a 5-day would be fine.

[CruizinSusan70]

Have to fully agree with Kwokpot.  Celebrity vs the Valor is an apple vs orange comparison.  The Valor is a 19 year old ship that was refurbished 7 years ago.  She will be showing her age.  If you go into it with low expectations, you'll have a good time.  If you think it'll be close to what you experienced on Celebrity, you'll be disappointed.  There are only two things that Carnival does better than Celebrity.  Comedy and more included free lunch options.

If you're looking for an experience on Carnival that would come closest to X, you need to sail on one of the three Excel Class ships.  The Mardi Gras out of Port Canaveral, the Celebration out of Miami and the Jubilee out of Galveston.

Edited May 2, 2023 by CruizinSusan70

[EngIceDave]

Anything less than 7 days you'll hate

 

Sorry, not sorry. Just how it is. 

 

"You know, these kids today"

 

But they do bust out and party hard. Loud, boisterous and "active" until late night.

[samrothstein]

I’ve just booked the Valor for five nights in October, and I’ve only cruised twice - both five night sailings on Carnival. Both cruises were very enjoyable, which is why we’re looking at another. I’m curious if anyone can expand upon the “night and day” and “kids these days” comments. I know the travel situation has changed since covid, but this seems very specific. Is it just folks out drinking all day? At the dance club all night? Being rude and aggressive at the buffet? Starting fights at the pool? I’ve done a news search on the Valor and don’t come up with much. 

[wemjam]

32 minutes ago, samrothstein said:

I’ve just booked the Valor for five nights in October, and I’ve only cruised twice - both five night sailings on Carnival. Both cruises were very enjoyable, which is why we’re looking at another. I’m curious if anyone can expand upon the “night and day” and “kids these days” comments. I know the travel situation has changed since covid, but this seems very specific. Is it just folks out drinking all day? At the dance club all night? Being rude and aggressive at the buffet? Starting fights at the pool? I’ve done a news search on the Valor and don’t come up with much. 

So to sum it up, it is a sign of our times and the "me" attitude of society.   A lot of the info you will hear are from long time (older) cruisers who remember when times were different.   This does not just reflect in cruising though, but in society in general.

 

Cruises that are shorter, less expensive tend to draw a certain demographic.  Longer more expensive cruises draw another.  For the same reason that different cruise lines draw a different kind of demographic. 

 

In my experience this is how things have changed.  You get people that have no respect for others and only care about their own enjoyment and satisfaction.  You get people that have no problem voicing (quite loudly and rudely) their opinions on everything.  Physical confrontations were never heard of say 10 or more years ago, but are common place now.  People do not control their children and they are left to run at will (to the point that Carnival actually had to recently establish a policy on this).  Again, it is all a sign of the self absorbed nature of society today.

 

On most sailings, you are not going to have issues.  You may experience a sense of this behavior in small ways:  kids running wild, line jumpers, loud voiced opinions, seeing a verbal confrontation here or there, just rude behavior in general.  Or you may see it occasionally in bigger ways, like loud obnoxious behavior on the pool deck or in the clubs (especially from over intoxicated people) or inappropriate attire (I am sorry I do not need to see your completely naked backside walk past at eye level while I am eating - and I am sorry a string is completely naked) and bad behavior in the dinning room or other areas of the ship.  It is a mixed bag.  I have only seen really bad behavior maybe every 4th or 5th cruise I take, but the small bad behaviors are present on every one.  I personally can see how more prevalent it is based on when I cruise and how long I cruise.  For example, we avoid summer cruising like the plague lol!

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by wemjam

[KmomChicago]

Go ahead and flame me all you want but I have done 5 nights from NOLA and I have done short cruises and long cruises and Carnival Cruises and Celebrity Cruises (well Cruise, not cruises) and liked them all just fine, and never had any issue with rambunctious partiers, though frankly heavy drinkers are all over every ship.  They can often be found in and around bars.  When I am done for the night I go to my cabin and I don't see anyone drinking there at all.

 

If you like cruises and understand a cheaper cruise line will have ships that look a bit wild, slightly shabby, and dated (*i.e. Valor is a wild Farcas ship, look at the interior photos on the main CC pages) and will attract your typical low-end vacationer  = a/k/a the standard American you would find out on a typical day at the local supermarket or park or literally everywhere, and you don't mind that, then this cruise is fine. 

 

If you want something a little more refined and upscale, as @kwokpot explained above, don't come over to Carnival, because it is a lower end version of a similar experience.  And yet, as he also mentions, thousands (millions?) enjoy both brands, just for different reasons. 

 

Convince you you'll love it?  LOL cannot do that. If you are an optimist who thinks a bad day on vacation is better than a good day at work, you'll love it. If you are skeptical of the bargain basement of the industry, and find travel to be a chore unless you have the best of everything, nope. 

Edited May 2, 2023 by KmomChicago

[kwokpot]

21 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

Go ahead and flame me all you want but I have done 5 nights from NOLA and I have done short cruises and long cruises and Carnival Cruises and Celebrity Cruises (well Cruise, not cruises) and liked them all just fine, and never had any issue with rambunctious partiers, though frankly heavy drinkers are all over every ship.  They can often be found in and around bars.  When I am done for the night I go to my cabin and I don't see anyone drinking there at all.

 

If you like cruises and understand a cheaper cruise line will have ships that look a bit wild, slightly shabby, and dated (*i.e. Valor is a wild Farcas ship, look at the interior photos on the main CC pages) and will attract your typical low-end vacationer  = a/k/a the standard American you would find out on a typical day at the local supermarket or park or literally everywhere, and you don't mind that, then this cruise is fine. 

 

If you want something a little more refined and upscale, as @kwokpot explained above, don't come over to Carnival, because it is a lower end version of a similar experience.  And yet, as he also mentions, thousands (millions?) enjoy both brands, just for different reasons. 

 

Convince you you'll love it?  LOL cannot do that. If you are an optimist who thinks a bad day on vacation is better than a good day at work, you'll love it. If you are skeptical of the bargain basement of the industry, and find travel to be a chore unless you have the best of everything, nope. 

Well said!

[ldubs]

Interesting comments.   I would say when it comes to the general atmosphere, there will be more laughter, more music, and a more vibrant experience.  If those things bother you, you probably shouldn't go on the cruise.  

[wemjam]

Let me give you examples of what I have seen in the last year.  

 

Standing patiently at the customer service desk waiting my turn in line.  A man and woman going at each other right in the middle of the atrium.  I mean cussing, yelling, screaming at each other.  We are talking right in the middle of... oh, I don't know... like 50 people. Didn't give a crap who was listening or watching.

 

Again, another cruise, standing patiently at customer service.  Three young gentlemen (I use that term in jest - like 10-13 if I had to guess - no parents in sight) are jogging around the atrium hitting and running into each other.  Go running up to the Kiosk and start slamming buttons and literally hitting and kicking the kiosk.  One of them then turns around runs up to the customer service desk and demands the agent give him a band aid because he cut his hand.  The agent politely (man I give him tons of credit) tells the boy to please politely wait his turn in line and he would be happy to help him.  This child begins to scream and cuss this guy out... I mean F this and F that and you B...  It was all I could do to not grab this little punk around the neck and slap him silly. 

 

A group of kinds at 1am running down the halls banging on every single door and yelling and screaming as they do. 

 

Drunks and I mean to the point where security was called in.

 

Again, this is is just in the last 6 or 7 cruises.  These are what I would call the "bigger" things.

 

Smaller things.... No courtesy in buffet / food lines.  People feel they are too good to wait like everyone else.  Attitude if they don't get what they want. Rudeness to staff and other guests.  Letting it ALL hang out everywhere (again the pool deck is fine you want to be like that, but not in the indoor  public places and especially where I am eating please!).  

 

Again, on ships it just this behavior just seems more "compact" and in your face than what you might see day to day.  And again, IMHO my own personal experience the shorter/less expensive the cruise the worse it gets. 

 

Got to take the good with the bad. 

[kwokpot]

9 minutes ago, wemjam said:

Let me give you examples of what I have seen in the last year.  

 

Standing patiently at the customer service desk waiting my turn in line.  A man and woman going at each other right in the middle of the atrium.  I mean cussing, yelling, screaming at each other.  We are talking right in the middle of... oh, I don't know... like 50 people. Didn't give a crap who was listening or watching.

 

Again, another cruise, standing patiently at customer service.  Three young gentlemen (I use that term in jest - like 10-13 if I had to guess - no parents in sight) are jogging around the atrium hitting and running into each other.  Go running up to the Kiosk and start slamming buttons and literally hitting and kicking the kiosk.  One of them then turns around runs up to the customer service desk and demands the agent give him a band aid because he cut his hand.  The agent politely (man I give him tons of credit) tells the boy to please politely wait his turn in line and he would be happy to help him.  This child begins to scream and cuss this guy out... I mean F this and F that and you B...  It was all I could do to not grab this little punk around the neck and slap him silly. 

 

A group of kinds at 1am running down the halls banging on every single door and yelling and screaming as they do. 

 

Drunks and I mean to the point where security was called in.

 

Again, this is is just in the last 6 or 7 cruises.  These are what I would call the "bigger" things.

 

Smaller things.... No courtesy in buffet / food lines.  People feel they are too good to wait like everyone else.  Attitude if they don't get what they want. Rudeness to staff and other guests.  Letting it ALL hang out everywhere (again the pool deck is fine you want to be like that, but not in the indoor  public places and especially where I am eating please!).  

 

Again, on ships it just this behavior just seems more "compact" and in your face than what you might see day to day.  And again, IMHO my own personal experience the shorter/less expensive the cruise the worse it gets. 

 

Got to take the good with the bad. 

One point that you bring up that hasn't been emphasized is the difference in the amount of kids on a Carnival vs Celebrity. Since NONE of Celebrity's ships have the bells and whistles that kids and teens would enjoy there's naturally going to be less of them on ANY Celebrity cruise. That difference alone will account for a different cruise experience on a Carnival vs Celebrity cruise.