Fun Ship to Fundy -- Victory Review

[DD]

We just got off the Victory 4-night to Canada. We had a great cruise! Here's my mini-review:

 

First, I have a few basic tenets & some background:

 

1. A bad day on a cruise beats a good day at work, period!! If you find yourself whining about minor things, ask yourself if you'd rather be at work! I love my job, but I'll take a cruise over working any day!

 

2. If you look for things about which to complain on ANY cruise, you will find things. Even the best of the best can never be perfect. Conversely, if you look for things to praise, you will find that as well.

 

3. Travel with those you love, be they friends, family, or some combination of the two. That will be the most important part of the experience.

 

Background -- we are a couple in our 40s. Over the last year and a half, we have cruised Holland America Line, Cunard, Royal Caribbean, NCL, Princess, and Carnival. So, we do have some perspective in comparing this cruise to other cruises.

 

Here's what we liked:

 

The cabins! I had forgotten how LARGE the cabins on Carnival are. They feel positively massive in comparison to some other lines. The bathrooms are larger. The space around the bed is larger. The closet space is greater. The storage space is better. Seriously, these are some nice large cabins! I also love the little mini-basket of toiletries in the cabin. No other major cruise line seems to do that.

 

We slept with the balcony door propped open at night (use the door stop that's in your room). It was so relaxing. The sounds of the sea soothed us to sleep.

 

The towels and nice and large! Gone are the days of those little over-sized hand towels. These were nice, big, thirsty towels. Even the pool towels have been upgraded. The quality shows.

 

The new bedding is wonderful. I'm normally not a fan of the new HEAVY comforters that most cruise lines have gone to as they're too hot; however, these comforters seemed just right. Granted, we were in the North Atlantic with the door open, but the weight of the comforter was just right. The pillows are very comfy as well.

 

The food! Now let me say that I have never found a cruise on which I couldn't gain weight; however, I really do think Carnival has superior cuisine, better than the competition. We had some fabulous meals. The tiger shrimp were amazing, the beef was excellent, the desserts were luscious, and the options/choices were "something for every taste". I see why Carnival has won awards. Try the Georges Blanc signature dishes -- they are fabulous. Don't miss the apple pastry with the caramel sauce.

 

The fun! Yes, these really are the fun ships. I like the silly songs & dances in the dining room. It's ok to laugh and to loosen up and to just enjoy life a bit. DH commented that he saw me laugh a whole lot more on this cruise than he has seen me laugh on previous cruises. Laughter is good medicine. We had fun!

 

The piano bar -- don't miss this! There's a Russian woman who plays classical music and show tunes during the Captain's party. She creates a lovely mellow atmosphere. On other nights, there's a guy who is just terrific. He can create a party atmosphere with just a few notes. He's versatile -- he had a variety of tunes that transcended multiple generations. He gets everyone involved. Don't miss this!

 

The production shows! The Vroom production show was one of the best that I've ever seen. Yes, my glory days were the 80s, so the show did speak to my generation. At the same time, my parents, in their mid-60s, also raved about the show. It's terrific entertainment.

 

The entertainer in the Black & Red bar! He has such a smooth voice. He reminds me a bit of Luther Vandross or Jeffrey Osborne. The bar is non-smoking (yay!!) and is seldom crowded. It's a nice mellow place to kick back with a drink in the company of the one you love. I like that Carnival has lots of different venues at night to suit a variety of tastes.

 

The excursions! Carnival does a great job. I'm usually a fan of independent excursions just because I like to do my own thing. At the same time, every time I take a Carnival excursion, I'm impressed with the quality and the value. We did a 9-hour excursion to the Hopewell Rocks & the Bay of Fundy. I have no complaints. It was an excellent value. The guides went above & beyond. They didn't make us feel like we were stuck to a pre-determined non-flexible schedule. They consulted with the group to make sure we were happy. They didn't pack the bus -- our bus was 1/2 full and a 2nd bus also had a lot of empty seats. They probably could have crammed us all onto one bus, but they didn't. This was a great use of the day.

 

The service! We had terrific service. Our dining room team was extremely accommodating. The bar staff did a great job. The team by the pool and on the decks was fun and playful. Our dining room bar person did a great job, and she had a lot of tables to cover. She learned what we liked, asked if we'd like to have those drinks waiting for us, and she delivered. She really tried to be proactive in providing great service. Our cabin steward was excellent. Not only did he do what cabin stewards do normally, he did it all with a smile, a great attitude, and kindness. He'd always reply, "Whatever "DH's name" wants." He greeted us by name and treated us with courtesy and kindness. The Maitre d' was professional and friendly. Even though I realize that you benefit from his services whether or not you see him, it's nice to see him! Our Maitre d', Rafal, was visible and friendly. He enhanced the experience.

 

We loved the Victory. We had a great cruise and would cruise her again in a heartbeat. So that you don't think I'm just rah-rah-rah and not just head in the clouds, I will also tell you the areas that, IMO, could use a little improvement. YMMV:

 

The spa experience -- I didn't love it. It may have just been my therapist, but I really didn't love it. The soundproofing was poor which took away from the relaxation. You could clearly hear the conversation of everyone who walked by. They had some background music, but it was at such a low level that it did little to mask noise. Also, and this is NOT the fault of the spa people or the ship, the treatment rooms are right under the funnel (or near to it). We were in heavy fog. Every 2 to 3 minutes, the Captain had to blow the horn. It came through loud and clear throughout the treatment--it killed the relaxed state-of-mind, but it's better than the alternative of not using that horn and endangering the ship's safety. Also, there's no "relax, change into a robe, chill out a little" prior to your treatment like you experience in some Steinert spas. It's just kind of come in, here's your clipboard, bam, treatment, leave. I will say that at least they didn't try to sell me a zillion things throughout the treatment -- there was no high-pressure sales which is often a hallmark of Steinert.

 

The buffet -- I prefer the multi-station set-up that many ships have gone to. This eliminates the long lines. From a practical standpoint, this ship was built before that came into vogue, so you work with what you have. The buffet often felt crowded and always seemed to have lines. We found ourselves eating at the alternate areas on the Lido deck as they were seldom crowded. To be fair, the upstairs table area in the buffet was usually open and empty. I guess we were just too lazy (or too stupid to find the stairs) to utilize it.

 

At the same time, the buffet had some really nice choices. The food was very good and the options were expansive. They made a point of changing each's days theme, so you are bound to find something you like. The dessert station was innovative -- the ice cream swans were a nice touch. I also thought the carmelized orange peel and the candied almonds were innovative buffet dessert options. Carnival also provided more choices in free beverages than the competition. The waiters also were very prompt with refills of the free drinks.

 

Don't miss the pizza. It's yummy. Of course, how can you not love 24/7 availability of fresh pizza and ice cream?

 

Traffic flow on the promenade -- there seemed to be a number of bottleneck areas. This may not be the ship's fault. There was a group of 750-800 people onboard. They seemed to travel in a herd. There was a bit of a pack-mentality going on that clogged some of the public areas. You can't really fault Carnival or the group for this. Had I been part of the group, I probably would've loved it. They all seemed to know each other!

 

So there's my review. We had a terrific time. My parents had a terrific time. The 500+ kids being looked after by Camp Carnival appeared to be having a great time. If you can't have fun on this ship, if you can't find something that you enjoy about this ship, you're missing out. It was a great cruise, a great value, and a fun experience! We laughed a lot, enjoyed each other's company, indulged, and relaxed. If only tomorrow was not a work day....

[PINEVIEW01]

Thanks for a great review.

[vacruizer]

Thanks for the review. We just came back from our second Victory cruise a few weeks ago and had a great time. We actually didn't have a great cruise the year before (some cabin issues and unhappy crew all over) but things were much improved this year.

 

We have experienced those traffic flow issues by the buffet and promenade on both trips but didn't on have them on the Liberty. I think they fixed a lot of that on the Conquest class ships that are slightly larger and it wasn't necessarily due to your large group.

 

Thanks for taking the time to write!

[bean24]

Thanks for the fair review. I am going on the same cruise in 5 weeks my first time on Carnival so the info will be very helpful.

-Michelle

[dragonflymy2000]

thanks for the review...we were just on the victory and agree that she is one of the best out there....we also had "issues" with the buffet but refused to let it color our fantastic voyage...we would def sail her again

[susiefay]

Also just returned from the 4 day canada cruise on the victory. we had a great time! Also agree aboutthe buffet, we jsut stayed away from it for the most part. Everyone on board was very friendly and helpful. Would do it again in a heartbeat:D susan

[Carnival Game]

Did Malcolm do the silent film skit? We thought that was hilarious.

[DD]

Did Malcolm do the silent film skit? We thought that was hilarious.

 

I'm not sure who that is. The main entertainer didn't make it to the ship due to a lightening storm that delayed him in transit. That may have been Malcolm?

[Carnival Game]

Malcolm Burn is/was the cruise director of the Victory. If you don't know who he is, they must have a different one now.

[DD]

Malcolm Burn is/was the cruise director of the Victory. If you don't know who he is, they must have a different one now.

 

You know, that went through my mind...was he the cruise director? I don't think so. The cruise director did a great job, but a name like Malcolm would've stood out to me. I want to say the cruise director's name was Brad, but I'm not positive. We really chilled out on this cruise and didn't attend a ton of events.

[pe4all]

Thanks for this review. We are seriously thinking of "jumping on" the Aug. 28th 4 day at the last minute, if we can work it out. This review helps with our decision!

[MrPete]

Finally, some early positive reviews on the Victory for the Canada sailings. Most I read (or wrote) did not put this ship or run in a positive light last year, although you did find some.

 

Maybe, after her refurbishment, this ship got the kick it needed, with a new cruise director as well.

 

Thanks for the review!

[BBigfoot613]

Malcolm Burn is/was the cruise director of the Victory. If you don't know who he is, they must have a different one now.

 

Malcom mentioned that he was going on vacation after the CTN from norfolk. I don't know how long he'll be gone but hope he's the CD next year from norfolk as we are debating on doing the same cruise we just did to the bahamas.

[imlulu]

Thanks for the review! Glad you had a great time. Read some posts on other boards that were a bit disheartening as we are on this ship on Saturday. Yours makes me feel better.:)

 

My suggestion is to skip the buffet at all costs anyway. Im not a big buffet fan.

[corinnv]

:D Great review! Glad you had a great time! I must admit I was a bit worried by the reviews form last summer. I am looking forward to our cruise even more now!

[pungo3]

Thanks for the review. I'm looking forward to the Victory in a few weeks.

[DD]

Thanks for the review! Glad you had a great time. Read some posts on other boards that were a bit disheartening as we are on this ship on Saturday. Yours makes me feel better.:)

 

My suggestion is to skip the buffet at all costs anyway. Im not a big buffet fan.

 

No, it wasn't my intention to convey that thought. There's nothing wrong with the buffet. It's just like buffets on many ships. You wait in line. The line isn't excessive, but it's still a line. Once you get used to the "new" way of having multiple stations in the buffet area, when you go back to a ship that is set up in the "classic" way, it stands out. I had forgotten what it felt like to wait in a buffet line again. At the first lunch, without giving it any thought, I instinctively went go for just what I wanted (things that were 3/4 of the way through the buffet -- some fruit & some bread). I got a few not-so-happy glances from people and realized that this would not fly on this cruise -- back in line for me! I don't think that this buffet was any more crowded than a normal buffet. It's just that my preference with traffic flow is the station process rather than the standard 2-line buffet. If you skip the buffet entirely, you'll miss out on some great options.

[Clutterlady]

Did my first Carnival cruise last year in July on the Victory. Had a ball....

 

Great 5 day summer get away!! Beds were wonderful, food ranged from fair to good, buffet was a bummer! Service was good overall, entertainment ranged from good to very good. Loved St. John and Halifax.

 

Would love to do the same cruise on the Victory again:)

[spinkk]

DW and I cruised to Nassau & Freeport on the Victory from Charleston on 5/26 and loved it. This was our first cruise since my retirement and we had some trepidation about the line's "Funship" reputation - expecting lots of drunken revelers I guess. There truly was something for every taste, and I thought almost all of it exceeded our expectations. Our balcony cabin was large and immaculate, and I loved the crew's attention to detail. My pictures are on the net at http://americansabroad.blogspot.com

Click on the "Nassau Cruise" link. There are lots of links below the pictures to related sites, including virtual tours of the ship.

 

Our only beefs were about the disorganized lifeboat drill before sailing and the lengthy Chinese firedrill of disembarkation in Charleston.

 

Thanks for posting such a detailed review.