Carnival Valor?

[MarinerCruise06]

Sort of a newbie to cruising. I've only been on one and it was Royal Caribbean's Mariner, but am looking into cruising Carnival on the Valor because it's the best price for me. I was wondering if the Valor compares anything at all to Mariner? My family and I loved Mariner and I don't want to be disappointed by Valor. What I mean is, is Valor a littler outdated?

I have a few other questions:

 

How's the dining onboard?

 

I've read about Rosie's Lido Restaurant and was wondering, do they serve a buffet breakfast?

 

Are there many things for teenage girls to do?

 

Is there an ice-rink on board?

 

Any answers are really appreciated... as you see, i need all the help I can get!

[firefly333]

Id have to look it up, but I am pretty sure Valor is newer than Mariner of the Seas. So, I dont think you could call it outdated. It might not be as pretty, but it will be newer. It will have food that Mariner doesnt have, like Sur Mer, fish and chips for instance. Inside and OVs will be bigger on Valor, but balconies about the same sized.

 

I dont think you will find it that much different.

 

No ice rink ... but it will have a slide and a big screen at the pools.

[spencercoop]

Sort of a newbie to cruising. I've only been on one and it was Royal Caribbean's Mariner, but am looking into cruising Carnival on the Valor because it's the best price for me. I was wondering if the Valor compares anything at all to Mariner? My family and I loved Mariner and I don't want to be disappointed by Valor. What I mean is, is Valor a littler outdated?

I have a few other questions:

 

How's the dining onboard?

Never been on the Valor, but the other ships have been very good. There is the lido deck restaurant, 2 dining rooms, and a Steakhouse.

 

I've read about Rosie's Lido Restaurant and was wondering, do they serve a buffet breakfast?

Yes

 

Are there many things for teenage girls to do?

For 15-17 year olds there is Club 02

 

Is there an ice-rink on board?

No

Any answers are really appreciated... as you see, i need all the help I can get!

 

Answers will be in red.

 

The Valor has been in Service since Dec. 2004.

[spencercoop]

Id have to look it up, but I am pretty sure Valor is newer than Mariner of the Seas. So, I dont think you could call it outdated. It might not be as pretty, but it will be newer. It will have food that Mariner doesnt have, like Sur Mer, fish and chips for instance. Inside and OVs will be bigger on Valor, but balconies about the same sized.

 

I dont think you will find it that much different.

 

No ice rink ... but it will have a slide and a big screen at the pools.

 

The Mariner is a year older.

 

The Mariner entered service in Nov. 2003 and the Liberty entered service Dec. 2004.

[scm200]

How's the dining onboard?

it was excellent in 2008 when I sailed the Valor

I've read about Rosie's Lido Restaurant and was wondering, do they serve a buffet breakfast?

all the Lido resturants have breakfast

Are there many things for teenage girls to do?

the teen club, spa, pool, boy watching....

Is there an ice-rink on board?

not on Carnival, but as others have said, pools, spa, slide, mini golf...

Any answers are really appreciated... as you see, i need all the help I can get!

 

The Valor was in Dry Dock in late 2007 and is a very nice ship...

[MarinerCruise06]

Okay so no ice-rink which is perfectly fine. I read about the big screen TV's which seem to be a pretty neat thing whether or not people watch them. It sounds to me like the activities for the girls are basically the same on both ships. I was surprised to read Valor was a year younger, for some reason I felt it was older, but that was not a huge issue for me. I was also wondering

 

Do the Carnival ships have set dining time? I know RC has two times that you can come to dinner in the dining hall, but you cannot come at any other time.

 

And another one about dining, Are there nights where dress has to be formal?

[spencercoop]

Okay so no ice-rink which is perfectly fine. I read about the big screen TV's which seem to be a pretty neat thing whether or not people watch them. It sounds to me like the activities for the girls are basically the same on both ships. I was surprised to read Valor was a year younger, for some reason I felt it was older, but that was not a huge issue for me. I was also wondering

 

Do the Carnival ships have set dining time? I know RC has two times that you can come to dinner in the dining hall, but you cannot come at any other time.

 

And another one about dining, Are there nights where dress has to be formal?

 

Carnival has a early and late seating, plus they have an anytime dining option.

 

There will be two elegant nights.

[firefly333]

The Mariner is a year older.

 

The Mariner entered service in Nov. 2003 and the Liberty entered service Dec. 2004.

 

I figured it was close, but Mariner would be older. Iv done Voyager, which is sister to Mariner, and think they are similar aged, Voyager of course being older ... but thats how I was counting in my head. My computer is still not working well, or Id have just looked it up.

[Fourseventeen]

Looks like most of the questions have been answered. I was just on the Valor a couple of months ago. Ship was clean and nice. The big screen on the lido deck is really neat...they do seaside evening movies out there so you can lay out under the stars and watch movies....REAL NEAT!

[092306]

We were on the Valor this past sept. It was a GREAT ship. The Valor does heave the anytime dining option. I would recommend that to you. It was a fantastic experience.

[pokergirl34]

We were on the Valor in October...no there isn't currently Your Time Dining, but 2 set dining times - 6:00 or 8:15. Valor will be one of the last ships to have Your Time Dining implemented, but your cruise may be after the time they have implemented it. If you have set time dining and you miss your set dining time, you can visit the Lido deck for buffet or pizza.

 

It's a very nice ship and we had a great time.

[spencercoop]

We were on the Valor in October...no there isn't currently Your Time Dining, but 2 set dining times - 6:00 or 8:15. Valor will be one of the last ships to have Your Time Dining implemented, but your cruise may be after the time they have implemented it. If you have set time dining and you miss your set dining time, you can visit the Lido deck for buffet or pizza.

 

It's a very nice ship and we had a great time.

 

The Valor will begin offering My Time Dining on 5/02/10

[Vianky]

The Valor will begin offering My Time Dining on 5/02/10

 

Yup I have it for my 7/11/10 sailing on the valor

[Froufie]

Recently off the Valor - for the 2nd time and loved the ship! Nothing to complain about. Check out my review and pics in the link in my signature!

[hoop4321]

we did the Valor in September and had a wonderful time. We have previously sailed the Navigator of the seas...which is the newest voyager ship i believe...twice! We too worried about carnival...are the rumors true? Are the ships as ugly as they say? Will the crew meet the Royal standards? Are carnival cruisers rowdy walmart people?????? The rumors are not true....the Valor is beautiful, well taken care of, and i think is just as big as the Navigator...no ice rink, no rock climbing wall (we did not use either) but they do have a slide...which is more fun than it looks like:) We found the crew on the Valor to be better than the crew on the Navigator....a very slight step down from our crew on disney. Scarlett's supper club spanks chops and portofino...so worth the upgrade. The carnival clientele are the same as royal's...they market to the same people...families. The kids clubs especially for teens were far more superior, the food in the dining room and the buffet was so much better. We had such a fabulous time....we are thinking of a do over.

[bradorjo]

The Valor will begin offering My Time Dining on 5/02/10

 

We are on the Valor at the end of May. I tried to get "My Time Dining" but it was full. We're on the wait list. Hope we get in!:D

[azkcruizers]

The Valor will be in drydock Jan 31 to Feb 13, 2011!!! Not sure if that helps your decision.:)

[thesmiths]

Just got off the Valor yesterday:(

 

Love the Ship, we had a blast!

[shawnie]

The Valor is a great - My favorite so far and i've been on many of CCL's ships.