Carnival Valor, 9/25/11: A "pink" review of the Eastern Caribbean.... PICTURES!!!

[ratherbecruzn]

Cannot wait to read more! Thanks for writing the review! We will be on the Valor in January!!:D

[mrsbuddha123]

You're going to have a fabulous time! Which itinerary are you taking, eastern or western?

 

Looking forward to fun and music in sun! I booked OS excited to say the least! I'm counting down. 13 more work days to go!

[MustSailNOW]

This is just in time! We leave this weekend on the Valor! I also LOVE to dress up and have nothing but heels and dresses in my suitcase for dinner, lol. I can't wait to get ideas from your outfits!

 

Also, don't tell my husband, but I saw pictures of Emerson in other reviews and I'm looking forward to meeting him! lol :p

[gapearl]

Cannot wait to read more! Thanks for writing the review! We will be on the Valor in January!!:D

 

No problem! I'm glad you're enjoying it. Stay tuned for more!

 

Looking forward to fun and music in sun! I booked OS excited to say the least! I'm counting down. 13 more work days to go!

 

There were some OS's down my hall and I got a good view of them when the stewards were in there cleaning. They're NIIIIIIICE! One of these days I'll book one for a special occasion.

 

This is just in time! We leave this weekend on the Valor! I also LOVE to dress up and have nothing but heels and dresses in my suitcase for dinner, lol. I can't wait to get ideas from your outfits!

 

Also, don't tell my husband, but I saw pictures of Emerson in other reviews and I'm looking forward to meeting him! lol :p

 

You're going to have such a great time! I have so many more pictures. I wanna get this done in the next few days, but it takes so long to sort through and upload the pics. Hopefully you'll share some of your cute outfits and heels too when you get back. I've got a couple of pics of Everson. You're gonna love him. His energy is awesome!

[gapearl]

We made it to the bbq area for some lunch at 11:25 and they had been already serving food for a while (it’s not scheduled to start until 11:30.) It was a lot of the same food that can be found on the ship. I heard a lot of people say “Where’s the BAR-BE-QUE?” I headed to the bar for a Miami Vice and enjoyed the mountain of food I knew I’d never finish. After we ate, my mom had enough of the heat and got back on the ship. I slathered on 2 coats of SPF 50 and soaked up some sunshine. Drink servers came around to take orders and the photographers took pictures of people in the water. The ocean was warm and felt so good. It was a perfect beach day.

 

The HMC beach bbq lunch menu.

 

 

The buffet.

 

 

Lots of picnic tables.

 

 

A Miami Vice with lunch.....

 

 

And a Miami Vice by the beach.

 

 

This pretty much sums it up.

 

[gapearl]

Later in the afternoon there was a limbo contest and a beach volleyball game. I intended to be a spectator at the volleyball game, but somehow I got suckered into playing. I’m a total gym rat and can Zumba and do bicep curls and squats for hours, but I’m not an athlete, especially not in volleyball. I haven’t played volleyball since my middle school gym class. There were 4 guys on my team, so I was basically there just to be cute and let them do all the work. :)

 

Limbo contest. I was out pretty early.

 

 

Volleyball game. I so didn't hit this. I was mostly running and ducking. LOL

 

 

I did manage to hit the ball ONCE. I had to serve a few times and each time I did, the ball went either wayyyy left or wayyyy right and usually ended up in the bushes. My last serve was a good one and I got lots of high fives from my team. We played 3 games, best 2 out of 3 won. My team ended up losing, but Everson named me MVP because of that one good serve I managed to get. Go me!

 

My MVP medal.

 

 

Me with Justin and Everson.

 

 

The last tender to the ship was at 4:15 and I went to get in line at 3. The line was already crazy long! It took about 25 minutes to get to the front of the line.

After getting back on the Valor, I grabbed us some pizza and sat on my private deck for an hour until we sailed. Then it was back to the room for a shower and nap before dinner.

[gapearl]

A few more pictures to leave you with from Half Moon Cay.

 

Carnival's private oasis, the one for $1,400.

 

 

 

 

 

[FOXYDEBBY]

Gapearl,

 

I am loving your pics and review! I am going on the Valor in November, but I will be doing the western route. What I need to know is if there are hair dryers in the room or do I need to bring my own? Love your outfits! I am more of a tshirt and shorts kinda girl, but I do love the opportunity to dress up once in a while (and its been a year since I have). I'm thinking a shopping trip is in my near future :p.

 

Can't wait to read more!!

 

Deb

[gapearl]

I forgot to mention I was in the Washington Dining Room, lower level, late seating. If you recall my dinner from night 1, it wasn’t very enjoyable. New friend Romy wanted to join us for dinner, so I asked the maitre’d to reseat us. He put us at table 402 with a mother/daughter pair from the Czech Republic. The mother spoke ZERO English and the daughter spoke little English. I was like great, I’m sitting with more people that don’t speak my language! It turned out to be fun though because they taught us some words in their language and were very nice. Our new dinner servers were the BEST I’ve ever had on a Carnival ship. I’m so glad we switched tables. Rex was our head waiter and his assistant was Dennis. I brought a bottle of wine from my room already uncorked, and Dennis brought me a red wine glass. He remembered to bring one for me every night. The waiters did a song and dance for us. Here comes food porn from my table.

 

Prosciutto with melon appetizer.

 

 

Chicken quesadilla appetizer. Black bean quesadilla is more like it. There were maybe 3 small bites of chicken in there.

 

 

 

 

Italian chicken something. It was pretty good.

 

[gapearl]

 

Jerk pork loin.

 

 

Meatloaf.

 

 

 

Dessert cheese plate.

 

[gapearl]

After dinner, my mom went to the casino. Romy and I went to the comedy shows of Allyn Ball and Lewis Nixon. I think I’ve seen them both on previous cruises. Whichever one makes the State Farm joke, I know I’ve seen him before. After the comedy shows, we headed to the disco for some dancing. I wasn’t planning on having another drink because I wanted to get up early in the morning for a workout, but when I realized it was 2 am and I wasn’t leaving any time soon, I said screw it and had another, ummm, what did I have? :D We shut the disco down around 3 am and everyone headed up to the lido for some pizza. I called it a night around 4:45 am. :eek:

Dinner entertainment from our servers.

 

 

My outfit of the night.

 

 

One Small Step Dance Club. It was busy all but one night.

 

Up next: Fun day at sea!

[mistory]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

girl you better WORK them shoes!!!! I love them!!! You look cutttte :D

[gapearl]

Gapearl,

 

I am loving your pics and review! I am going on the Valor in November, but I will be doing the western route. What I need to know is if there are hair dryers in the room or do I need to bring my own? Love your outfits! I am more of a tshirt and shorts kinda girl, but I do love the opportunity to dress up once in a while (and its been a year since I have). I'm thinking a shopping trip is in my near future :p.

 

Can't wait to read more!!

 

Deb

 

Hi Deb! I do remember seeing a hair dryer in my room. It was in a drawer at the desk and was attached to the drawer, so you couldn't remove it and take it to the bathroom with you. Thanks for the compliment. Take advantage of the elegant nights and dress up at least one of them. Have a great time on the Valor!

[gapearl]

girl you better WORK them shoes!!!! I love them!!! You look cutttte :D

 

Thanks! Here's a better view of them. They felt awful but beauty over pain, right?

 

[cuted126]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that dresses up every night! I need to take a break from writing mine to read your latest review! :)

 

Have you and your hubby decided on another cruise for your anniversary next year?

 

Nope, definitely not the only one!! Although some nights,I have to run back to the room to change the heels lol! We have not decided yet :( My mom wants to do a family cruise,so we are looking at the Destiny. If it's just me and DH,we will do a seven day definitely!

[Oakman58]

I'm really enjoying your review and can't wait for more. Thanks for sharing.

[gapearl]

Nope, definitely not the only one!! Although some nights,I have to run back to the room to change the heels lol! We have not decided yet :( My mom wants to do a family cruise,so we are looking at the Destiny. If it's just me and DH,we will do a seven day definitely!

 

I feel you. After doing a 7 day, I don't want to do anything shorter! If you don't do the Destiny, consider the Valor. :)

 

I'm really enjoying your review and can't wait for more. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks for reading! I might try to get a little more done tonight.

[Oakman58]

I forgot to mention that I loved the photo of you holding the Valor between your fingers.

 

I'll bet the men on your volleyball team loved having you join them. Boys being boys, "hey, let's get the cute chick in the bikini to join us." Men love watching women in bikinis playing volleyball. That's all I'm going to say about that. Please don't take offense.

[snow52408]

After dinner, my mom went to the casino. Romy and I went to the comedy shows of Allyn Ball and Lewis Nixon. I think I’ve seen them both on previous cruises. Whichever one makes the State Farm joke, I know I’ve seen him before. After the comedy shows, we headed to the disco for some dancing. I wasn’t planning on having another drink because I wanted to get up early in the morning for a workout, but when I realized it was 2 am and I wasn’t leaving any time soon, I said screw it and had another, ummm, what did I have? :D We shut the disco down around 3 am and everyone headed up to the lido for some pizza. I called it a night around 4:45 am. :eek:

 

Dinner entertainment from our servers.

 

 

My outfit of the night.

 

 

One Small Step Dance Club. It was busy all but one night.

 

 

Up next: Fun day at sea!

 

 

LOVE the dress!!

[beachbum6264]

Thanks! Here's a better view of them. They felt awful but beauty over pain, right?

 

 

 

The WORST thing about knee replacement.... not being able to wear shoes like this anymore :( (at least for more than a few minutes :p)

Loving the shoes, and the review.

[stresssolutions]

Very enjoyable review! Our first cruise was on Valor, fun to remember. Loving the pics...sure hope there are more bikini pics coming. ;-) j/k, all pics are good. btw, what is your camera...you're good with it.

mick

[lovecruzing]

Hey Kim, loving your review girl. It always brings me to a happy place seeing pictures of HMC, it's such a pretty place and one of my all time favorite beach stop.

 

Joining all the ladies complimenting you on the dresses and shoes pictures and all the guys too on the bikini pictures, so, all I got to say is that you work hard for that body girl so enjoy it, AMEN.

 

I am enjoying your review as I did you 2 previous ones and looking forwarding to the rest.

[ginjer2911]

Great review. I'm really enjoying. You look like you are having so much fun!!

[gapearl]

I forgot to mention that I loved the photo of you holding the Valor between your fingers.

 

I'll bet the men on your volleyball team loved having you join them. Boys being boys, "hey, let's get the cute chick in the bikini to join us." Men love watching women in bikinis playing volleyball. That's all I'm going to say about that. Please don't take offense.

 

Ha ha that's funny. The volleyball court was in a separate area away from the beach. When I walked up, the first team already had 5 people and my team only had 4. I was headed to a bench to take a seat and watch, and Everson pointed to me and said YOU, you're playing. lol It didn't matter who the next person would have been that walked up, they were gonna have to play. But the boys were definitely boys. ;)

 

LOVE the dress!!

 

Thank you!

[gapearl]

The WORST thing about knee replacement.... not being able to wear shoes like this anymore :( (at least for more than a few minutes :p)

Loving the shoes, and the review.

 

Oprah calls shoes like those 10 minute shoes. You stand for no more than 10 minutes and then you sit down. Just do like Oprah. :) Glad you're enjoying it!

 

Very enjoyable review! Our first cruise was on Valor, fun to remember. Loving the pics...sure hope there are more bikini pics coming. ;-) j/k, all pics are good. btw, what is your camera...you're good with it.

mick

 

Thanks for reading and for the compliments! I have a Sony Cybershot. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend it. It's the second one I've had in 5 years. The first one had a malfunction after a year and a half and because it was still under warranty, I got a new one. This one has been dying a slow death for a year and I'm trying to hold on to it as long as I can. It takes good pictures, but it's a piece of crap.