Valor questions

[wcdive]

I am going on my first cruise in Aug on the Carnival Valor for 7 nights and I have a couple of questions that Carnival keeps telling me I can find out once I'm on the ship, but I want to know so I can plan now!

1. How much is the beverage card and what does it include?

2. I am confused about tipping - they say you can pay $10 per person per day, or tip on your own, but it seems as if the $10 per person is mandatory.... We do not drink alcohol much - what should I do?

3. Is there a fridge in the room?

4. When are the formal nights, and what's the deal with them? (you just dress nicer that night, that's it?)

5. Should I bring my own beach towels to take on shore excursions or are the ones they provide adequate? (ie: big enough!)

Thank you!!:confused:

[98Charlie]

I am going on my first cruise in Aug on the Carnival Valor for 7 nights and I have a couple of questions that Carnival keeps telling me I can find out once I'm on the ship, but I want to know so I can plan now!

1. How much is the beverage card and what does it include?

Sorry, we don't drink soda. I Believe that it's around $40 for a 7 night cruise.

2. I am confused about tipping - they say you can pay $10 per person per day, or tip on your own, but it seems as if the $10 per person is mandatory.... We do not drink alcohol much - what should I do?

The $10 per person, per day is charged to your shipboard account and includes the room steward and wait staff. When you order a drink it will come with an automatic 15% gratuity.

3. Is there a fridge in the room?

The ones we have been in on Valor have had them. They are stocked (beer, wine, liquor).

4. When are the formal nights, and what's the deal with them? (you just dress nicer that night, that's it?)

Formal nights are normally the first sea day and the next to the last night of the cruise. We dress formal, many do not but go with a tie and jacket for men and a dressy outfit for the ladies. If you want to skip it all together, the buffet will be available also.

5. Should I bring my own beach towels to take on shore excursions or are the ones they provide adequate? (ie: big enough!)

The ones on the ship are big enough. I wouldn't want to pack a towel and then deal with it all wet and sandy. When you have used it, the steward will replace it with a fresh one for the next day. Just make sure that you return the towel to your room. There is a charge for missing beach towels

 

 

Charlie

[Cotton]

I am going on my first cruise in Aug on the Carnival Valor ...

 

Although I haven't been on the Valor, all Carnival ships have the same basic policies.

 

1. How much is the beverage card and what does it include?

 

I believe it's $40 per adult, and sharing is frowned on.

 

2. I am confused about tipping -

 

Something I posted awhile back:

 

Your Sail & Sign account's first entry will be the automatic tips. The automatic tips of $10 per passenger per day is broken down as follows:

$5.50 per passenger per day to dining room waiter & asst.

$3.50 per passenger per day to cabin steward, and he pays his asst. out of that.

$1.00 per passenger per day to Lido Deck buffet personnel.

 

Very fair amount. However, this can be added to, reduced, or even removed at the purser's desk. Hopefully, no one actually removes their tips.:eek:

If you avail yourself of room service, tip the delivery person $1 or $2 each time he brings an order. All bar drinks have an added 15%, so no need to tip bartenders extra.

 

Any other extra tipping along the way is at your discretion.

We do not drink alcohol much - what should I do?

 

If you want to know what beverages are complimentary, here's something I posted earlier, in case you want to know what beverages and food are included in the cost of your cruise:

 

Beverages included in the cost of your cruise:

 

Lido buffet area - Iced tea, hot water & tea bags, coffee, decaf, hot chocolate, juice varieties, water, lemonade, fruitpunch. On buffet, milk, skim milk, chocolate milk.

 

Dining room - Iced tea, hot tea, coffee, water, decaf, milk, chocolate milk, juices, espresso and cappuccino.

 

Room service - MOST of the beverages that are available on Lido, but not lemonade or fruitpunch.

 

Food included in the cost of your cruise:

 

All meals in the dining room, Lido buffet, as well as the pizzeria, deli, salad bars, ice cream and frozen yogurt machines, room service.

 

Pizzeria and room service available 24 hrs. a day.

 

Sometimes they have a MakeYourOwn Sundae bar on Lido Deck.

 

'Tea Time' on sea day afternoons has hot tea, coffee, tea sandwiches, scones, petite fours, etc.

 

The Captain's Cocktail party has hors d'oeuvres, as well as cocktails.

 

No extra charge for any of the above.

 

4. When are the formal nights, and what's the deal with them? (you just dress nicer that night, that's it?)

 

"Formal Night" on a cruise is a big deal to most folks. It begins with the Captain's Cocktail Party in the main showlounge. Nice party with comp cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. You can meet the Captain and Cruise Director at the door to the party, and the Captain gets on stage and introduces his staff of officers.

 

Then, about half hour after the party's over, you go to the dining room for dinner...some items on the menu that night only are lobster tails and primerib, and much more.

 

Then, after dinner, you can go to the big production show. Great fun, and good entertainment. OK - that's formal night.

 

5. Should I bring my own beach towels to take on shore excursions or are the ones they provide adequate? (ie: big enough!)

 

They will have towels on deck to use on the ship. The big blue towels in your cabin are for taking on shore. If you lose one, $22 will be charged to your S&S account. I take my own thin cheapie WMart beach because they are SO big, one would fill up my entire tote bag.

 

Hope this helps. Sorry it's so long. You might want to come over to the Carnival board for more specific answers to Carnival questions.:)