Valor review May 1 - May 8

[chelsea2005]

Hey Chris,

 

Thanks for the great review! I have a couple of questions for you. During the muster drill, did ya'll actually hide on the balcony?? This drill is a whip! We have a balcony room, so I'm thinking of doing the same thing....

 

Also, my husband and I are thinking of staying on the ship at Belize. Did you feel like ya'll missed out on anything by not getting off there? We're not excited with Belize at all.

 

Thanks again for your review!

 

Chelsea

[addicted to cruising]

2385, there was a room to the right of us and to the left was a crew area. My husband swears it was the ship laundry and that is why our room was warm(I dont think so) and the Galley was above us.

 

In all fairness to Carnival I didnt report it to possibly have it fixed. It was not unbearable just about 5 degrees warmer than what would have been more comfortable.

 

Addicted to Cruising:

 

What cabin where you in?

[addicted to cruising]

Tendering in Belize takes a while as the boat is about 7 miles off shore due to there large reef. We got tender ticket only to find it doesnt really matter. No one really pays attention to your number and if you are in the right place at the right time your off quickly.

 

We were 1hr late in GC with a private tour waiting, I will say Carnival did a great job getting us on the first tender. The tenders in GC are bigger and hold about 300.

 

Chair hogging- I read about this before I went and I had never noticed this on other ships so I paid special attention. There are less chairs around the pool as the design is alittle different. Those chairs stayed occupied and yes I saw chairs with no one in them. On a positive note there are plenty of chairs in the sun throughout the ship. Im a back of the boat girl up behind the whale fin, there are always plenty of seats there.

 

I'll be on the Valor May 29th. How did you find tendering in Belize and GC? I have heard some horror stories about people who chose to book thier own excursions (not through CC) and had trouble getting off the ship.

 

Did you notice any problems with Chair Hogging?

 

What sort of events did they have around the pool and ship (other than the set entertainment and shows)?

 

Thanks! Glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise.:D

[addicted to cruising]

Glad you agree, Im pretty laid back and dont usually pick at every little detail but he was so obviously horrible I couldn't help but notice. As the cruise went on I heard others comment making me feel much better that I was not the only one.

I agree completely with your cruise director comments. He was aweful and just about non-existant.

[chris623]

Hey Chris,

 

Thanks for the great review! I have a couple of questions for you. During the muster drill, did ya'll actually hide on the balcony?? This drill is a whip! We have a balcony room, so I'm thinking of doing the same thing....

 

Also, my husband and I are thinking of staying on the ship at Belize. Did you feel like ya'll missed out on anything by not getting off there? We're not excited with Belize at all.

 

Thanks again for your review!

 

Chelsea

 

No problem Chelsea! Yes we did hide on the balcony. There were the four of us and a bucket of beer. I know some people on these boards take the drill very seriously so I would never encourage this. But I can tell you that I personally would do the same again.

 

As for Belize, I'm 0-for-2. I did get off the boat last year either. If you snorkel or scuba, I hear it is great. I don't do either of those things. We were trying to book the Baboon Sanctuary (could you believe this filled up) and that was more my friends idea. Even missing it a second time, I still have no regrets about it. I don't recommend going just to say you were there. It is a long tender ride and you can't even see Belize from where the boat docks.

[chris623]

I'll be on the Valor May 29th. How did you find tendering in Belize and GC? I have heard some horror stories about people who chose to book thier own excursions (not through CC) and had trouble getting off the ship.

 

Did you notice any problems with Chair Hogging?

 

What sort of events did they have around the pool and ship (other than the set entertainment and shows)?

 

Thanks! Glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise.:D

 

Wolfsrun,

 

Sorry I did not respond to you. I totally missed your post. I did not tender in Belize and I waited for general boarding (which was around noon) for GC. I had no problems at all. We also had no problems returning to the ship, but we did that about 2 hours prior to the last tender.

 

As for chairhogging, I'm a firm believer of if you can't get a chair, you got up too late. And I have no idea what time is too late. There are always plenty of chairs on the sides of the ship and you can always take a stroll to see if you can catch any of the early birds leaving.

 

Around the pool, there was alternating live band and pre-recorded music. They had a hairy chest contest, some underwater retreival games, trivia, and things like that. Other areas on the ship had bingo, happy hours, first run movies (port days), typical cruise stuff.

[chris623]

addicted to cruising,

 

Being we were on the same ship....I did not goto a big midnight buffet food show, but I don't remember seeing it in the capers. Did they have this event?

[Ineedavacation2]

Chris,

 

I was also on the May 1-8 Valor cruise. The "Festivale Gala Buffet" was listed in the capers for Thursday, May 5th (Grand Cayman day). It was quite a disappointment compared to the other "Grand Gala Buffet" we have seen in the past with Carnival. I don't know if they had to cutback or what. It was set up in Rosie's and they had time for pictures before they actually opened it up to eat that evening. It was listed from 11:30 PM-1:30 AM. under the "food and drink showcase" section of the caper.

[dromMOM]

Chris,

What cabin # were you in on the Verandah deck?

 

Also, was Ken Byrnes the MaitreD? (he sings every night)

 

 

Ken retired right after the Maiden Voyage.. at least that is what he told us.

Here is a pic of Ken singing with a tablemate of ours who won the Valor Idol contest. It was Christmas Eve..and they were singing White Christmas.. it was sweet...

[sunflwr19]

We have been back from the Valor for about two weeks; and I still can't resist reading the reviews. Although, I get really sad when I do. I miss it and am still fighting my "cruise-withdrawal" disorder. My parents are on the Valor right now. They called last night and are having a great time! It is disappointing to hear the cruise director wasn't that good. I thought ours, Josh Riffe, was great (really quick-witted). I don't know what happened to him, but I know there were members of his family on the cruise with us (they were behind us at dinner). So, maybe, he is taking some time off for a while. I thought the rest of the staff was extraordinary. Anyways, those of you who are waiting to sail on her, it is a great ship. Happy sailing!!

[tipfamily]

:D I will be going on the Eastern Carribean Valor cruise. Where can I find a place like Carlos and Charlies??? Thanks for anyone who has suggestions!

 

Angie

[nicu nurse]

My husband, sister and brother-in law will be on Valor Aug.28th. My last cruise was 15 years ago. Can't wait for this one. Anybody else going then?:)

[sunchaser025]

:D I will be going on the Eastern Carribean Valor cruise. Where can I find a place like Carlos and Charlies??? Thanks for anyone who has suggestions!

 

Angie

 

 

Hi! Im going on the Eastern Valor Cruise too, leaving next Sunday. I was looking for a Carlos & Charlies type place too and was excited to find out that there's a Senor Frogs right near the Bahamas Port!

[CaribbeanKim]

Beth,

I agree on Senor Frog's!! DH and I have been to Nassau (and SF's) twice, and are going back again in July. I know we will eventually wind up at Senor Frog's this time too...one of the nicest afternoons I can remember was after a day of shopping and sightseeing, sitting out on the deck overlooking the water, and drinking a frozen Pina Colada.

[BBiles]

Some of this new found energy and more attentive service could possibly be a whole new staff, most of the servers sign on for 6mos and this term would be up now, or shortly. our server had 2 more weeks before his break! we were on the valor end of feb. i think this was a BIG factor!!

 

Whole new staff??? Crew members come and go each and every sailing. It's not like they all sign on at the same time and leave at the same time. The new found energy and attentive service could also have to do with how they are being treated that particular cruise. You get what you give.

[CruiseAwayWithMe]

thanks for the review chris :) i hope i have a cruise director other then brett mitchell :rolleyes:

[lil nemo]

but it doesn't open until 11:00 and your ported at 7a and leave by 2:00.

doesn't give you much time for anything!

[lil nemo]

Whole new staff??? Crew members come and go each and every sailing. It's not like they all sign on at the same time and leave at the same time. The new found energy and attentive service could also have to do with how they are being treated that particular cruise. You get what you give.

 

yes, an almost complete change over could have occurred by now, because this was a new ship! and "most" of the workers. had put in there time with the actual set up of the ship, and then the transcontinental travel to arrive in the states for it's inagrual cruise. Like I said before our waiter was leaving the next week, he'd done his 6mos already and was going on leave.

[mnsawyer]

We sailed on the Glory 4/9 and Belize was one of our stops. We did the Goff's Caye snorkeling through Carnival. It was great and the island that you go to is gorgeous...very small but nice. There isn't much in the village area but glad we took the tender into town. There is also a tour that we almost took - Altun and River Wallace - apparently, it's a river ride as well as ruin tour. Would do that next time.

 

Also, would agree about the comment from the poster regarding chairs...you may not find a chair right at the pool area but there are lots of chairs available unless you sleep in late or are doing other things. We never had a problem on the Glory when we didn't get out on deck until 11 and then we had to hunt....then after lunch there were more available.