Victory Review 12/16/2012 w/lots of pics

[Dirkgun]

Thank you for the review, I really love your pictures. Thanks for sharing. :)

 

 

Thank you.

[Dirkgun]

Thurs Dec 27th: Back to reality…. Travel day, today we leave at 2:00 pm to come home. First though a few of us got up early and went in to Old San Juan to get some Real Mallorcas from Cafeteria Mallorca. We really wanted to try the real ham and cheese ones with powdered sugar on top that we have heard so much about and we were not going to be denied…..Lol. I dropped my wife off at the restaurant and she went in while I kind o f just drove around the city streets of old San Juan and just did circles or blocks as it were. Then she called me and said she was out and I headed back to pick her up. We went back to the hotel and had everyone meet us out on the back patio overlooking the ocean for a last meal before we went to the airport. Let me say the Mallorcas are worth the wait they are very good. We also picked up a few of the just powdered sugar rolls. We ate, then walked around a bit more and took some pics of the beach by the hotel in the Condado Lagoon. Then we had to go make sure we were all packed and ready to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just enjoying the grounds.....^

 

 

[Dirkgun]

One last group picture before we left the pool area of the Conrad.

 

 

 

 

 

I took the rental car next door and returned it, then walked back to the rooms. We checked out and caught a cab to the airport. It was not our first time there so we knew about the USDA screening…. Also our cab driver made sure we went there first. Got all screened and checked luggage in, then had to wait in a long security line. Made it through with a little time to spare. It however turned out to be plenty of time as our flight was delayed because they were trying to find a flight crew (they were on a flight coming in from a weather delayed place. They found a crew within 30 minutes and we were up In the air saying goodbye to my favorite vacation place in the world (so far).

 

 

 

And away we go..... we ended up having to circle over JFK for a while because of traffic. Then when we reboarded to come home we had to change ends of the runway because the wind changed direction. Other than that, just the culture shock of leaving the 85 degree high humidity then going to our car in Salt Lake City and having over a foot of snow on the car and 28 degree temps was hard to get used to for a while....:eek::D

 

 

 

Looking back at our trip…. It really went very smooth. I had worried about it with all the different expectations and personalities but, I think everyone got out of the vacation what they wanted. The stay both pre and post in San Juan was wonderful, as well as the things we did and saw there. The cruise was awesome. Even though my immediate family had done that cruise before we still had things we experienced together for the first time on that trip. These islands are the best of the Caribbean in my opinion so the rest of our group loved them and were wowed by the entire experience. The Carnival Victory was once again a Majestic Hostess. I know she is no longer there in San Juan (she is replaced by the Carnival Valor now) but she is still in the fleet and I hope to sail her again someday soon. We look forward to sailing on the Valor again, this time out of San Juan. Thank you for reading the review. If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear them and I will be more than happy to respond.

 

 

[sueandtimj]

Another awesome review! Thanks so much!!! I'm on the Valor in March and after reading your review, I can hardly wait!

 

Sue

[WaggesAZ]

We head south on the 8th of March & I am so excited! Your review only reminded me how much I loved this itinerary! :D Thank you for the time and energy it took to do this review! I wanted to show our boys the photos from St Lucia, as we are going to go with Spencer as well. For about a week your photos have not displayed. Do you know why? :confused:

[ktinnc]

Thx for the great review (and your previous Victory reviews). Hubby and I are cruising this route on the Valor in September and I am beyond excited!!!

 

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

[Dirkgun]

Another awesome review! Thanks so much!!! I'm on the Valor in March and after reading your review, I can hardly wait!

 

Sue

 

Thanks for the nice comment. Have a great time on the Valor and be sure to do a review. :D I want to hear how it changed.

[Dirkgun]

We head south on the 8th of March & I am so excited! Your review only reminded me how much I loved this itinerary! :D Thank you for the time and energy it took to do this review! I wanted to show our boys the photos from St Lucia, as we are going to go with Spencer as well. For about a week your photos have not displayed. Do you know why? :confused:

 

I did not realize my photos were not showing.....:confused: Are they now? If you want any specific area from Spencers tour let me know and I can post them. Have a great cruise.

[Dirkgun]

Thx for the great review (and your previous Victory reviews). Hubby and I are cruising this route on the Valor in September and I am beyond excited!!!

 

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

 

You will love it. It is an awesome Itinerary. Make sure to check out San Juan if you can ... don't just let it be the city you sail from. Really enjoy the awesome culture there. Have a great cruise and be sure to do your own review for us to read. :D

[Dirkgun]

We head south on the 8th of March & I am so excited! Your review only reminded me how much I loved this itinerary! :D Thank you for the time and energy it took to do this review! I wanted to show our boys the photos from St Lucia, as we are going to go with Spencer as well. For about a week your photos have not displayed. Do you know why? :confused:

 

I went back and looked... I have no idea what is going on with the pics. I have contacted Photobucket to see what is happening. They did display for a time. I do know that they (photobucket) are updating to a new site and maybe that did something. I will try to remedy as much as I can. If anyone has had this problem and knows what to do please help. Thanks

[YankeeFan4Ever]

Thanks for taking the time to post your review! Great pics as well! :)

[ktinnc]

I cant figure out how to include a quote since I'm on tapatalk...but in response to your comment to me about seeing San Juan too we are flying in on fri for the sun to sun cruise and flying out mon so we should be able to see lots in San Juan. Also I definitely plan to do a review but I don't know how timely it'll be...I'm a professional photographer and the fall is my crazy busy time because of everyone getting their family pics done for Christmas :)

 

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

[WaggesAZ]

Some Shipwreck beach pictures.....

 

 

 

Caribbean reef squid.....^

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sea Cucumber....^

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Dirkgun! It appears that it may be a setting in photobucket...I just wanted to show a few of the pics along the way for the cruise ship to the Pitons. I have convinced my DH & our sons to switch from Jalousie Beach Break to Land & Sea. I am excited to meet Spencer, he is so kind in his communication. Did you meet him?

Edited February 13, 2013 by WaggesAZ

[Dirkgun]

Hi Dirkgun! It appears that it may be a setting in photobucket...I just wanted to show a few of the pics along the way for the cruise ship to the Pitons. I have convinced my DH & our sons to switch from Jalousie Beach Break to Land & Sea. I am excited to meet Spencer, he is so kind in his communication. Did you meet him?

 

Yes we did.... in fact he drove the boat back from Jalousie to the port. We also saw him in the morning before we left for the tour. I am still trying to figure out what happened with Photobucket. I will also post some photos of St Lucia for you

[Dirkgun]

Hi Dirkgun! It appears that it may be a setting in photobucket...I just wanted to show a few of the pics along the way for the cruise ship to the Pitons. I have convinced my DH & our sons to switch from Jalousie Beach Break to Land & Sea. I am excited to meet Spencer, he is so kind in his communication. Did you meet him?

 

 

Still trying to get photobucket to fix the other pics but I am going to try to repost some for you.

 

Overlooking the harbor at a lookout on Morne Fortune

 

 

Toraille water fall

 

 

Church in Castries, St Lucia

 

 

Banana plantation.... Small showing the parts of the plant.

 

 

Small showing us things at a lookout on Morne Fortune (I think good hill/mountain translated) for the strategic location up high.

 

 

Us trying the bananas plain and then with Banana ketchup and then Banana BBQ sauce (surprisingly good)

 

[WaggesAZ]

Thank You!!!!! :). I really appreciate it!!

Edited February 15, 2013 by WaggesAZ

[Dirkgun]

Thank You!!!!! :). I really appreciate it!!

 

 

You are welcome.... if you need any more let me know. I will try to get a hold of some of my sons go pro videos and see if there is some way to post links to them.

[Dirkgun]

As far as I can tell they fixed something in Photobucket so my pictures are showing again.... hopefully it is not just a short term fix. Crossing my fingers. :rolleyes::eek::D

[Herfnerd]

Great review and pix! We sailed her on our honeymoon last September and loved the ship/itinerary!

[Dirkgun]

In case anyone is seeing some holes in the pictures... We are getting them filled back in as we can. I am trying to make sure all the links are changed back to what they need to be. Sorry it has taken so long.

[cruiseclues]

An interesting review...thanks for the photo review...looks like you had a great time. :):):):)

[Dirkgun]

An interesting review...thanks for the photo review...looks like you had a great time. :):):):)

 

Thank you. Sorry just noticed that there are still pictures not showing again (or still..... now different ones :mad::confused:) I will try to fix them.

[tammy&gary]

I just want to say a BIG thank you for sharing your review and your family with us all.:)

 

In 3 sleeps I fly from Canada to San Juan to start the same journey. I can only hope and pray that our trip will be as wonderful as yours.

 

Hoping to do a review when we get back,, but might need some pointers to make it remotely as good as yours ;)

[Dirkgun]

I just want to say a BIG thank you for sharing your review and your family with us all.:)

 

In 3 sleeps I fly from Canada to San Juan to start the same journey. I can only hope and pray that our trip will be as wonderful as yours.

 

Hoping to do a review when we get back,, but might need some pointers to make it remotely as good as yours ;)

 

Thank you so much. You will have a great time. It is one of the best places in the world. San Juan offers so much in the way of beauty and history and then all the islands you go to are such great places also. Please do come back and do a review. They are so helpful to people and to you as well to get over your post vacation blues.;) I am so jealous of you. Wish we were going also...:D

[BedBugs]

I am trying to plan a review from a cruise... I like your pictures. What host service did you use?