Come Join The Valor Voyagers 6/12/05 Western Caribbean

[Snowball]

Here is a great review from last week's Valor cruise. [url="http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=3714598#post3714598"]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=3714598#post3714598[/url]

The font is very small and may be hard for you to read. What I did was copied the review and pasted it in Word so I can change the font.

[emarismom]

Hey where is everyone?


My travel agent called to tell me she has our doc's!!! I'm so excited. We haven't gotten an upgrade yet, booked on a guartantee:(, she is going to keep the documents for a little while to keep checking for cancellations. It seems most people who booked through cruise critic get upgrades, and your rate was a little better than mine, so I guess I know who I'll book with from now on.
I did try to rebook my cabin through the cruise group after I saw your rate was better, but at that time there were no inside cabins left and the balcony cabins were quite a bit more. At any rate, I'm not too concerned as any cruise is a good cruise!!

Only fourteen more days of work for me!! I hope everyone is having a good week, yet it seems from the lack of activity that everyones very busy.

[Snowball]

I've been [u]trying[/u] to be patient and not call our t/a to find out where our docs are. I figured I would try to wait so I could be surprised when they do arrive. But as each day goes by my resolve is wearing away - I hope I get them by early next week or I know I'll be calling him. :o

I want to do the doc dance, and I want to do it now!!!

And I just found out that I won't be able to book the cruise that I wanted for next year because Carnival is sending that ship back to Europe next summer. So it's back to square one for my June 2006 cruise search. :(

[lhall85917]

Hard to believe, 1 month from today we will be on our way to Miami! I guess we'll get docs soon, its always fun to see them!!
Debbie, I know you don't want to do Hawaii next year, but you could reconsider and come with us! :D We like getting a guarantee room and hoping for an upgrade, but NCL does groups strange so we ended up booking a room - we found a great room that is twice as big as the others in the same category and the same price so grabbed it while we could! Our room for this trip seems to be staying the same if the "book gift" method ends up coming true. We'll let the kids stay in the cabin on the lower deck and we'll take the upgrade - tee hee. :D
We are going up to Milwaukee to bring DD and her boyfriend home for the summer tomorrow after school. That is the last benchmark before the cruise except my last day of the school. Things are ticking away quickly.

[Marcys]

Debbie, how about a cruise to the southern caribbean?? We've done eastern twice and this will be our third western. We really wanted to do the southern route this year, but the price was high and we were able to get such a great price sailing on a CC group cruise with you guys!

Sharon, did you say you were using Larry's Limo?? I booked with them by phone but when I called back to confirm the ressie they gave me a much higher price than when I booked. When they checked the ressie, they said it was bc I upgraded to a full size limo!! I told them I just booked a town car and they asked "Well, how did the ressie get changed unless I called to change it?" :mad: So, we reconfirmed a town car and I asked for a confirmation by fax or e-mail and they told me they don't give confirmations. I know I've heard good things about them on these boards, but these antics have me a bit worried.

[lhall85917]

Marcy, we checked with Larry's Limo but the price they gave us was higher than what everyone else was getting. I ended up calling Springfield Suites where we are staying and asked if they have someone they recommend and they referred us to someone named Tony. He said he will take us for $25 per person round trip, it will be in a van for the 5 of us. I don't know anything about him, but he emailed our confirmation yesterday. I figure worst case scenario, he doesn't show up at 10 so we take the hotel shuttle back to the airport and get on Carnival's bus. That way I have a back up just in case.

[Marcys]

I got a price of $70 from Larry's, with tip $80 for the 4 of us from the pier to FLL. I thought that was a pretty good price.

With 4 weeks to go, we're not a very lively bunch!!!! :D I just think everyone is soooo busy right now with kids coming home from college, school ending, kids sports, planning weddings, etc!! I know I'm trying to wrap up some freelance writing projects due just before and just after the cruise so that I don't have that hanging over my head while we're away.

[Snowball]

Sharon - I would love to do the Hawaiian cruise with you next year, but I'm afraid it is a little more than I'm hoping to pay. It will probably take me two years to save for a Hawaiian cruise. :o I thought you were renting a car in FLL from Dollar? Or am I confused again???


Marcy - I'm probably either going to do the eastern or southern itinerary next year. I would prefer the southern, but the airfare to San Juan is more expensive, plus the ship that Carnival is using for its southern route will be 10 years old next year, and I prefer newer ships. RCI's prices for next June are much higher than Carnival. We did the southern route in 2002, and I really would love to do it again, so it is a definite possibility, despite the older ship and higher airfare. I'll just have to price out the eastern and southern to see how much of a price difference it is, then decide.

[lhall85917]

Debbie, we do have a car rented from Dollar, but will cancel it. When we got this rate from Tony we figured it was better than renting and dealing with all involved with that. We needed a van for the 5 of us so it would have cost about $110 roundtrip compared to having Tony take us for $125.

[TaraLynne]

I'm also still waiting for my docs! We booked through a t/a here in VA (actually, I booked it when I still worked as a t/a, and then gave the res to one of my co-workers when I left, long story), so even after the docs come in there, I have to go pick them up and mail them to my parents...so I just hope they come in before the end of May!

[francor]

Hello everyone! I live in Miami so luckily for me I don't have to worry about transportation. I saw your concerns about the transportation issue and I wanted to mention that I know there is a company called Super Shuttle that offers that type of service. I don't know how much they charge but I know that they are very reliable. I'll try to find out how much they charge from Ft. Lauderdale's airport to the Port of Miami and I'll let you know.

I finally decided on the cave tubing tour in Belize. I'm thinking on doing the horseback riding tour in Roatan that ends at Foster's in West End. Can anyone tell me what is the best thing to do in Roatan? I have been to Grand Cayman (my favorite island) and Cozumel several times so I'm basically renting a van and going around the island.

I heard that we are the only ship scheduled to dock in Belize on Tuesday. Also, that there is a two hour difference. We arrive at 9am ship's time and it's 7am local time. Can anyone confirm this?

[Snowball]

Good morning and TGIF everyone!!! Only 4 more weeks to go before our cruise!!! Has anyone started packing yet? ;)

What is everyone doing this weekend? I am having a birthday party for my daughter tomorrow. We are taking her and a few friends to the mall for some shopping, then back home for pizza and cake, then watching movies and having a slumber party in the living room so they can stay up as late as they want.

Welcome to our roll call Emilio!!! :) We are not all together sure about the time difference in Belize. We know that there is a 2 hour difference, but on the last Valor cruise they change the ship's clocks by one hour the first night so that there was only a 1 hour time difference for Belize. We are going to keep checking reviews for the next few western cruises to see if they continue changing the ship's clocks or not.

I wonder who will get their docs first?!?!?! I don't care if I get them first, but I want to get them soon!!!

[cruiserkathi]

Hello Everyone: I've been out of town for the past week, but wanted to "check in." Regarding transportation from FLL to Miami -- we're staying at the Hyatt. I called them and asked about transportation from the airport in FLL. They said the Super Shuttle was $20/$25/person -- I don't remember which. But, they suggested a taxi -- $50 - $60 for a group of four plus tip. That's what we're planning to do. Also, I head from Brad (Roaton -- CSI/Orphanage). I know there were questions about taking things off the ship. He replied that security has tightened up. He said we need to fill out a form the first day we get on the ship letting them know we are taking things off the ship. He says it's a very simple process. I have the contact information for customs if anyone asks about the supplies we're bring in. Does anyone need these details? Remember -- my family will be more than happy to deliver items to the orphanage. We're still waiting for our documents, but have room numbers and we're happy with that. Still wondering if anyone else is taking the Wet N-Wild tour to the Mayan ruins (Altun Ha) in Roatan. My husband is signed up -- wondering if there's anyone else. (4 1/2 hrs. Departs 10:00 a.m. $45.00 -- without discount. I'm sure Marvin will give us a discount if we can get a group together.) Let me know. He said he'd take my husband "one way or another." We're counting the days. Looking forward to meeting you all.

[lhall85917]

Just got our docs - it's official!! Anyone else dancing yet? :D

[Snowball]

Oh you stinker!!! My mailman is here and gone already, and no docs yet for me. :( Well, I guess with all the hats you've agreed to wear, you deserve to get yours docs first. Enjoy your dancing!!! :D

[Marcys]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=6][color=red]Guess what I'm doing??[/color][/size][/font]
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[font=Comic Sans MS][size=6][color=blue]The DOC dance!!!!!!!:D [/color][/size][/font]
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[font=Comic Sans MS][size=6][color=#00ff00][size=5]Well, Sharon, you and I will have lots of fun! Hopefully, everyone else will get their docs soon, too!![/size] [/color][/size][/font]

[cruiserkathi]

Our docs arrived today too!! What about cabin credits? I didn't see anything in the documents. Maybe I missed an earlier post. Anything I need to do?

[sebastian01]

Debbie, don't worry, I didn't get mine either. We just get to be excited on Monday. (hopefully) I'm counting down the days, and it can't come fast enough. My husband came home from work last week, and said there is a (slim) possibility that we would have to cancel. His work is looking at opening up a new office in washington DC, and depending on the time frame, all vacations (not just ours) would have to be canceled. His work said they would reimburse us all our expenses. I told him that's okay, he could stay home and I would go by myself. My husband is trying to push the time frame back, so when we get back he would turn around and fly to DC then.

Did we ever come up with a location to meet on the ship? Kim

[Snowball]

Congratulations to those lucky people that received your docs today!!! :D

[quote name='cruiserkathi']What about cabin credits? I didn't see anything in the documents. Maybe I missed an earlier post. Anything I need to do?[/QUOTE]
The shipboard credit does not show on the cruise docs. It will automatically be put on your sail & sign account onboard the ship. I will be bringing on the cruise with me an e-mail from Kevin confirming our credit, in case there are any problems.

[quote name='sebastian01']Did we ever come up with a location to meet on the ship?[/QUOTE]
I hope you don't have to cancel!!! We are meeting at 2pm on embarkation day at the aft bar on the lido deck - right by the pizza parlor. I will post reminders about our onboard meet & greet a few times during the week before our cruise.

[Marcys]

Debbie, hate to be a spoil-sport, but should we have an alternate place to meet in case it rains??:mad: When we departed from Miami last August, we sailed out through really bad thunder and lightening! Of course, on this trip, blue skies only!!:)

If anyone is still looking for something to do in Grand Cayman, here's a link to parasailing that we'll be doing. Look at the great response from Blue Water Beach Parasailing toward the bottom. They sound great! [url="http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=3751185#post3751185post3751185"]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=3751185#post3751185post3751185[/url]

Does anyone have a link for SNUBA in Cozumel? Still looking for something to do there before settling in at Paradise Beach. Thought of the helmut dive in Chankanaab, but hate to pay the entrance fee and the dive fee and then leave to join everyone at Paradise Beach.

[Snowball]

[quote name='Marcys']Debbie, hate to be a spoil-sport, but should we have an alternate place to meet in case it rains??:mad: When we departed from Miami last August, we sailed out through really bad thunder and lightening! Of course, on this trip, blue skies only!!:) [/QUOTE]
Why don't we just stick with this plan for now, and I'll watch the weather forecast the week before we leave. If they are predicting rain on embarkation day (which they hopefully will not), then we'll figure out an alternate meeting spot.

[Corl4]

Hi everyone! Still here....our hard drive is fried so no boards since last week! We should get our computer back today so hopefully I'll be able to catch up with all of you! Writing this from school which is a no-no! Have a good one!

Beth

[gymbrat33]

Hi, everyone. I haven't posted for a while, but I've been reading the posts. I only have 13 days until school is out. The kids are wild and ready for a vacation.

I haven't booked any excursions yet. I always book them at the last minute through Carnival.



I JUST RECEIVED MY DOCS. I'M SO HAPPY!

[Snowball]

I wish you guys could see me now - because I'M DANCING!!!! :D

Beth - Sorry to hear about your 'puter problems. :( I hope they finish fixing it today so you can get back to posting! :)

Olga - good to hear from you!! :) Hopefully things will calm down for you once school is out. Do you know what excursions you are going to do? The only one I'm booking through Carnival is the Tabyana Beach excursion in Roatan.

Since you live in Florida, I hope you don't mind me asking. What is a good place to eat in Miami? I'm staying at the Four Ponts Sheraton in Miami Beach the night before and after the cruise, and we are looking for some good places in either Miami Beach or South Beach to eat at while we're there.

[sebastian01]

debbie, I'm dancing with you. This is too exciting. We were upgraded to the lido deck. The docs just make it all the more real. All shore excursions, hotels, air, and transfers are set. Clothes, sandles, suitcases, and suntan lotion are bought. I just need to get them in the suitcases. I tend to pack at the last minute. Will go and look up things recommended to take, just incase I am forgetting anything. Kim