ShonandSuzie's Victory 1/22 Review (w/ many pics)

[shonandsuzie]

Great trip report, great pictures! Thank you for sharing!

Thanks! :)

A couple things, 1. not sure I have ever seen such a happy couple, 2. you must share your smuggling techniques.

Vacations have a way of making us happy!!!

Smuggling in San Juan is child's play. ;)

[sunshine&shiningstar]

Loved your review i think that's my next stop next year:p can you tell me what camera you used those are some wonderful pics

[erinzma]

Great review! Great pictures! I love the last picture with your "before" and "after" shots in the coffee bar - you look so well tanned and relaxed in your after picture - you guys got some great sun! Anyway, really enjoyed your review, and I appreciate the suggestion about Orient Beach. We're taking our 10 year old daughter on this cruise and were going to do Maho for sure, but may consider doing Orient for the first part of the day and going to Maho later? We'll see. Thanks again.

[tkeppy1]

Thanks for all the info and pictures, makes me wish I was going tomorrow and not in October...

Have you ever used Bon Voyage service thru Carnival to purchase your alcohol before the cruise?

 

[DJ56]

Thank you so much for sharing your review and pictures. Will be on the Victory the end of May and try to read all reviews I can find. Yours was so much fun to read and you two look so fun and so happy in all of your pictures!! Again, THANKS FOR SHARING!! Makes me even more anxious now to get on that Victory ship!! ;)

[cruiserguy11]

Thanks for the review ... I especially love those with lots of pics like yours.

 

Can you tell me something? In the pic right above the one that says "Scooby Doo" there are two people standing with Shon. Do you know who they are? I swear they look like two people we cruised with and sat at the same table. We lost touch and I'd like to get in touch with them again.

 

Thanks again.

[sunshine&shiningstar]

Thanks for all the info and pictures, makes me wish I was going tomorrow and not in October...

Have you ever used Bon Voyage service thru Carnival to purchase your alcohol before the cruise?

 

 

I have and its a breeze all i had to have is the money to pay for it :rolleyes: i took my juice and cokes when boarding. it really saveed on my bar tab.:p

[KrystalWaters]

First i wanted to say happy belated birthday to you.:D One of my bucket list items is to go to barbados, but after reading what that man said to you:eek: the NERVE! I think i would have to say simething. I have been told that i am very oppinonated:rolleyes:

Would you recommend barbados?

 

Second, loved loved your review. I have read a previous review and found them quite fun and entertaining. Ya both remind me of my hubby and i. So fun and loving towards each other. I can see the love glow when the pictures have both if you in it. Bless ya

 

Third, how are you getting the business class upgrade from airtran? Do you have to book a certain ticket to be eligible? Do you have to arrive earlier/later to airport to qualify? Spill it, girlie!:p:D

[shonandsuzie]

Loved your review i think that's my next stop next year:p can you tell me what camera you used those are some wonderful pics

It's nothing special. We have the worse luck with cameras. On our last cruise, we set the camera on the shelf to take a picture of us and it fell off and broke. Thus making us only have our cell phone for pictures.But this camera, we bought at Christmas real cheap on Cyber Monday. It's an Olympus VG-140. I like it a lot...hopefully, we dont tear it up too fast. Lol

Great review! Great pictures! I love the last picture with your "before" and "after" shots in the coffee bar - you look so well tanned and relaxed in your after picture - you guys got some great sun! Anyway, really enjoyed your review, and I appreciate the suggestion about Orient Beach. We're taking our 10 year old daughter on this cruise and were going to do Maho for sure, but may consider doing Orient for the first part of the day and going to Maho later? We'll see. Thanks again.

 

 

Thanks for all the info and pictures, makes me wish I was going tomorrow and not in October...

Have you ever used Bon Voyage service thru Carnival to purchase your alcohol before the cruise?

We haven't but friends of ours have.

Well, we used them to buy gifts for cruising friends but not for our own alcohol.

We, ourselves, like the challenge of smuggling. It is kind of exciting.

[shonandsuzie]

Thanks for the review ... I especially love those with lots of pics like yours.

Can you tell me something? In the pic right above the one that says "Scooby Doo" there are two people standing with Shon. Do you know who they are? I swear they look like two people we cruised with and sat at the same table. We lost touch and I'd like to get in touch with them again.

Thanks again.

That's Rosemarie and Jim. We met them on our roll call and now we're bff too. :)

First i wanted to say happy belated birthday to you. One of my bucket list items is to go to barbados, but after reading what that man said to you:eek: the NERVE! I think i would have to say simething. I have been told that i am very oppinonated:rolleyes:

Would you recommend barbados?

Second, loved loved your review. I have read a previous review and found them quite fun and entertaining. Ya both remind me of my hubby and i. So fun and loving towards each other. I can see the love glow when the pictures have both if you in it. Bless ya

Third, how are you getting the business class upgrade from airtran? Do you have to book a certain ticket to be eligible? Do you have to arrive earlier/later to airport to qualify? Spill it, girlie!:p:D

I love Barbados! That was just one old crotchety man. He wasn't nothing to me, girl.

 

Airtran. Well, they offer their unused business class tickets once you reach the 24 hour time when you can check in online. They only have a few, and bunches of people will try to get them, so you have to be the first to check in online and grab it fast! We watch the clock and get on the site a minute early and then pounce as soon as the time clicks over!

What happened to us for our first leg was that Shon was on one computer and I was on another and somehow before I could put in my credit card info for the upgrade fee- it sold out. :(

[KrystalWaters]

Airtran. Well, they offer their unused business class tickets once you reach the 24 hour time when you can check in online. They only have a few, and bunches of people will try to get them, so you have to be the first to check in online and grab it fast! We watch the clock and get on the site a minute early and then pounce as soon as the time clicks over!

What happened to us for our first leg was that Shon was on one computer and I was on another and somehow before I could put in my credit card info for the upgrade fee- it sold out. :(

 

Now this is the best news yet! I was thinking about upgrading our flight because this will be me and hubby's first vacation ever. We were married in college and no $$:(. We went up North for our honeymoon. That didn't end well....let's just say i ended up in the hospital. :mad:

So as a treat i was thinking about upgrading our flight. So i definitely will have hubby on one computer and i on the other.

 

When you check in online when you get to the airport do you recheck in to tag your bags? Never did this before any info would be great.

[shonandsuzie]

Now this is the best news yet! I was thinking about upgrading our flight because this will be me and hubby's first vacation ever. We were married in college and no $$:(. We went up North for our honeymoon. That didn't end well....let's just say i ended up in the hospital. :mad:

So as a treat i was thinking about upgrading our flight. So i definitely will have hubby on one computer and i on the other.

 

When you check in online when you get to the airport do you recheck in to tag your bags? Never did this before any info would be great.

You do have to go to the counter at the airport and they will tag and take your bags. If you are successful in getting your upgrade, you get to check 2 bags each for free. Good luck!

Oh, we only had to do 2 computers because we bought our tickets seperate. If both tickets are purchased together you can upgrade both at one time. They offer it as an option on the first page and you just click on both names and then choose your seats. The trick is entering your credit card numbers fast as heck (and not messing up!) on that last page.

 

I am so glad you guys are taking a big trip. A lot of our friends and family do smaller trips instead of big trips and it may seem cheaper but I dont think it really is in the long run. For us, the planning and vacationing helps keep us happy and more loving all year long! :)

[av8tr21]

Maho Beach

 

 

There are 2 sides to this beach. One is a big beach bar and the side we were on was the quieter smaller side. At this point in our trip, we were too wore out to party it up so we were low key all day. I even finished reading one of my books. It was quite nice.

 

This is the other side of the beach:

 

 

Our side:

 

 

It actually rained hard for about 5 minutes while we were here at the beach. We were cracking up because it came and went. It got sunny, everything dried up and we were laying out again within a about 10 minutes. If it rains at home, we lose a whole doggone day. Lol.

 

 

We grabbed a taxi and went back to the downtown area to shop. Taxis were very plentiful at the beach so no worries about getting a ride back.

 

The shopping area has really changed since we last shopped there. The bars/restaurants lining the beach and the beach itself is built up very nicely. We have been getting off of the ship and heading straight to Orient beach so much that we missed the progression of change. Got to remember to open our eyes.

 

Once back on the ship we saw this again...not nearly as clear but really. What good luck!?

 

Excellent review so far! I'm taking a trip to St. Maarten in May specifically to hang out on Maho beach for a weekend (airplane geek and private pilot). I'm familiar with the other side where the Sunset Beach Bar is, and it looks like that place is pretty hoppin'! Did you rent those chairs for the day, or were they available first come first serve?

[shonandsuzie]

Excellent review so far! I'm taking a trip to St. Maarten in May specifically to hang out on Maho beach for a weekend (airplane geek and private pilot). I'm familiar with the other side where the Sunset Beach Bar is, and it looks like that place is pretty hoppin'! Did you rent those chairs for the day, or were they available first come first serve?

We paid $5 for the chairs.

Our friend Mike has been raving about that beach for years. Initially, I was too scared to go there but it actually wasnt scary at all in person. I thought the excitement of the planes would take away from the relaxation of the beach that we enjoy so much but really it was just entertaining enough.

[k2]

Thank you for the review we are headed down in just over 10 days !!!! How long did it take to get to mojo beach, and would you recommend orient beach instead??? Was it worth the experience of the planes or does youtube suffice?

[gelo7]

Another awesome review.

[shonandsuzie]

Thank you for the review we are headed down in just over 10 days !!!! How long did it take to get to mojo beach, and would you recommend orient beach instead??? Was it worth the experience of the planes or does youtube suffice?

I'm glad we went and experienced Maho but I wont go again. It's one of those things we just wanted to experience and now "been there, done that". I did see an article online today about the beach and planes and I thought "Ha, I've been there!" so it was definately worth it. Orient on the other hand is our favorite beach so we'll go there next trip.

The ride to Maho was about 20 minutes.

Another awesome review.

Thank you! :)

[shonandsuzie]

Another awesome review.

I love your signature where it says I'm not in a hurry I'm on vacation. Made me think of this boat we saw in St. Kitts:

 

[MzOhioLady]

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. Blah, Blah, Blah. Ok so I read your review. It was just AIIGHT!! Just like you and Shon are Just Aiight ~ Not all that! And why did you tell these CC People that you two are laid back and not the Wild Party Twosome. Oh I get it, you just want peole who don't know you to think that. Ok, I get that. Remember I know you both, Personally! :p J/K :D LMAOOO LOL.

 

Wonderful Review and I LOVE the Pics! Glad you guys had a good time.

[JaniceB]

Wonderful review, I always enjoy reading your reviews.

 

I have been thinking about this itinerary. My only concern was getting to San Juan. I will have to check into AirTran.

 

I do not like driving through St. Thomas, either. The first time we did it I said never again.

 

I love St. Maarten. Orient Beach has 2 restaurants that we like to go to. One has a Maryland flag flying and the other a Marine flag, both are close to the nude area. The names have escaped me today.

 

Any special trick to getting your room upgraded at the hotels? Is it a hotwire perk?

 

 

Happy Belated Birthday!

[jayman31]

Great review, Quick question , we are sailing the same cruise on Oct 7th , you mentioned that you were in 7272 and it was very loud ? My GF and myself are in 7269 but her parents ( first time cruisers for them ) are in 7274. Should we move them ? We too like to be near elevators and stairs and understand there will be some noise , but you mentioned you needed to use ear plugs. That kind of worries me for them ?

 

Thank you for your time and once again great review

 

I was on this sailing and in suite 7274, yes you will hear the chime of the elevator(s), although it didn't appear to be that frequent or constant chiming, and also directly across from this suite is the steward station, so you will most likely see them alot..if they are light sleepers it may be wise to switch......great stewards by the way :)

[sooner33]

I was on this sailing and in suite 7274, yes you will hear the chime of the elevator(s), although it didn't appear to be that frequent or constant chiming, and also directly across from this suite is the steward station, so you will most likely see them alot..if they are light sleepers it may be wise to switch......great stewards by the way :)

 

Great Thank you for the advice. We are really excited for October :)

[Donna1127]

Hi guys, looking good! Happy Birthday Suzie! We're doing the same Miracle cruise as last year for my 50th, and I have a 4 nighter in May on the Imagination in May out of Miami with my daughter.

 

Seriously considering the Victory for 2013 now, lol..

[Cruiser_SG77]

Loved the review and photos, thank you for taking the time to post them! Also, happy birthday Susan! :)

 

We had the pleasure of meeting you guys on our Miracle cruise in September 2011! (hint: my wife's name is also Susan! - I'm Steph) You guys were so much fun!!!

[shonandsuzie]

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. Blah, Blah, Blah. Ok so I read your review. It was just AIIGHT!! Just like you and Shon are Just Aiight ~ Not all that! And why did you tell these CC People that you two are laid back and not the Wild Party Twosome. Oh I get it, you just want peole who don't know you to think that. Ok, I get that. Remember I know you both, Personally! :p J/K :D LMAOOO LOL.

Wonderful Review and I LOVE the Pics! Glad you guys had a good time.

Lol! You nut! Why are all of my friends that post on here crazy as hell? May say something about us, huh?

 

Anyway, thanks Mickey and I sure hope you make it in September or at least make a trip back to Chicago so we can all get together again!