GAPearl's Second Valor Review- Solo Southern Caribbean Cruise! (2/24/13)

[gapearl]

Your review is awesome!!! Thank you so much for sharing with us. I'll be on the Valor in January and I am so excited:D Thanks again for your wonderful review!

 

You're welcome Diva! I know your cruise will be incredible!

 

OP, do you know Carolyn Starkey Smith? She works for Delta. My best friend in high school. Lives in Atlanta.

 

No, I don't know her. However, I've never confirmed that's who my employer is either. ;) Because this is a travel board, I will continue to keep my company's name quiet and have fun watching everyone guess. :)

 

I am anxiously waiting for the next installment of your review. I don't mean to rush you or anything, but it is great reading. We are sailing the Valor in 3 weeks and we can't wait!

 

It's coming soon!

 

I keep hitting the refresh button hoping something was posted!

 

Pictures uploading now!

[cruisinJenF]

Just had to chime in and let you know how much I LOVE your review!!!! I really admire you and your sense of adventure!!! Keep up the great work!!!!!

[gapearl]

6J AND 6K Cabins are only offered on the Valor, Conquest and Glory. You can reserve them now on the Glory, but not available until 2014. The Conquest already has the cabins, because a poster here has pictures of one.

 

Kim...I love your pretty dresses, and they look amazing on you. Waiting anxiously for your next installment. :D

 

Thanks for the info on those rooms! And thanks for the compliment! :)

 

Yeah, I just googled it, and found some at hole-in-the wall liquor stores near me, so I'll be purchasing 1 or 2 to try. Can't wait!

 

My Dad is on this cruise right now, and he loves it! Said he may go again in May, lol!!! I don't know if I could the same itinerary 2 months later....to each their own.

 

Looks like the gasolina will be getting a lot of business thanks to me! LOL!!! This is such a nice itinerary, I would if I could!

 

Just subscribed, I'm loving this review. We did this same itinerary on the Victory last April, plan on doing again this August on the Valor. The ports are amazing.

 

They sure are! I would love to book this cruise again.

 

Me too! We leave on this boat in 9 days!

 

Single digit dance!!!!! WOOT WOOT!!!!!!!! :D Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gapearl]

I was doing the same thing last night. But I assume she won't be on until later tonight.:(

 

I was hoping to get started much earlier' date=' but some unexpected airport delays caused my work day to end a couple hours late, and I needed a nice long nap after all that! LOL

 

He probably didn't get a chance to do everything he wanted to do. I just did this itinerary in October and now I'm going again in July. :D

 

It'll be nice to see and do different things next time around.

 

Me three!! I leave for this cruise April 21st!!!

 

I'm sure you're counting down the days! BTW nice bumping into you on that *other* site last week! LOL :p

 

Here I sit waiting to hear from gapearl! You have quite a following......maybe this could turn into something good for you!

 

We have to wait till June 27 before flying down to San Juan. All we can think about, talk about, live for.........is our next vacation!

 

I hope this could turn into something good!

 

Carnival, if you're reading, I could be the next John Heald's Blog!!!!!! :D

[gapearl]

Loving your review, I will be on the Valor at the end of April. Is Everest still the ACD?

 

Hi Party Animal! Love that name. :D The ACD you're referring to is Everson. No, he's not on the Valor any more. I asked and was told he's on the Magic, but I'm not sure how true that is. He was a lot of fun on my last Valor cruise, and mighty nice to admire from a distance as well! :p

 

Thanks! I'll be awfully happy also if that is the room.....like WOW! Let me know all about it when you get back, and have a blast!

 

I hope it does turn out to be your room!

 

Just had to chime in and let you know how much I LOVE your review!!!! I really admire you and your sense of adventure!!! Keep up the great work!!!!!

 

Thanks for the nice words Jen!

[PartyAnimal]

Yes I did admire looking at Everson. Was hoping to be able to "sight see" again. I also had a very good looking cabin steward Randy. I think I will walk floor to floor to see if he is still there too. I can't tell you how many times my DD (22) came to me room just so she could get a peek. I guess this Cougar can dream........

[gapearl]

Cruise- Day 2! St. Thomas!

 

 

 

Sorry I didn't get the whole page. I was scanning this around 1 am half sleep and forgot to flip that little half page there.

 

 

 

 

 

[Cruiser 2 too]

Enjoying your review! I will be doing this Oct 27th! Waiting for the rest, what a wonderful way to spend my afternoon.

[gapearl]

I was up and out the door around 8:45 am. I headed up to the breakfast buffet to grab a quick bite to eat, and the buffet lines were loooooooooooong. I got some breakfast potatoes from the lido grill outside as well as some jugo de china (were you paying attention in the San Juan chapters?) and then headed back down to my room to grab some water and granola bars for my beach bag.

 

All I had planned for today was a lazy day at Magen's Bay. There are plenty of taxis right outside the port. The taxis are really those open air tour jeeps that seat about 20 people. After a few minutes of filling up the jeeps, we first headed downtown to drop off a few people that only wanted to go shopping. It was $4 per person to get into town, and $8 per person to get to Magen's Bay. There is a $4 entry fee to get in.

 

On the way to the beach. The Celebrity Equinox was in port with us today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

Lounge chairs at Magen's Bay are $7, and you have to give an additional $5 deposit that will be returned to you as you leave. You pay for your chairs in the gift shop and then show your receipt to the guys that set up the chairs. The food at the restaurant was expensive, but the bar had rum punch for $6.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

More of the bar and restaurant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

I settled into my chair, big sunglasses on, drink in hand, and turned to Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin" on my playlist. Gosh, it really sucks to be me right now. :p

 

 

 

 

Stand up paddle boarding looks like a fun way to sneak in some vacation exercise. I'm going to try this one day.

 

 

[Cruiser 2 too]

More,more,more! This is so good! The drinks and food look delicious.

[gapearl]

This is one of my favorite shots of the cruise.

 

 

 

A few more shots of the beach before it was time to go.

 

 

 

[mzmartinez]

This review is addictive got me all on my 15 min breaks trying to sneak a read in, lol.. I leave for this cruise in 9 days.... This review has me so pumped up:)

[Cruiser 2 too]

Wonderful! You make it seem like I'm there with you. You're doing a wonderful job. Thank you for taking the time to share.

[gapearl]

I left Magen's Bay around 2:30 pm. Plenty of taxi drivers are there waiting to take you back to the ship. Again, it's $8 per person each way. We had to be back onboard at 4:30 pm, and I'm glad I left early. There's a lot of construction going on by the cruise port, resulting in some ridiculous traffic. It was only 15 minutes going, but coming back, closer to 30. We were in an air conditioned van this time, not an open air jeep.

 

I didn't manage to snap a good picture of the Valor on the drive, but I got a good one of the Equinox.

 

 

The funny taxi driver that said he's been married for 28 years and will NEVER do that *insert four letter s word here* again made for an enjoyable ride. The obnoxious guy in the back, not so enjoyable. He basically told the taxi driver you guys here vote in the US election. Dude, no they don't. Go read a book. :rolleyes:

 

There was a little bit of a line to get back on the ship, and only one gangway was open. A rather rude lady behind me kept complaining, complaining, complaining. Ever want to turn around and tell someone to just shut up? We were in line maybe 2 minutes and they opened the other gangway. She and the man I presume to be her husband tried to hurry to be first, but weren't and we all ended up being behind an elderly lady in a wheelchair and her daughters trying to get back on. They had a few shopping bags and were struggling to help their mom while folding the chair, so I did what any good person should have done and offered them assistance. That lady and her husband were still trying to cut in front of them. I told them NO, YOU NEED TO WAIT. When the lady stood up from her wheelchair to walk on, the couple basically pushed past her. I swear, they're lucky they walked fast, because I wanted to let them have it! I have a big mouth and have no problem telling you when you're wrong. I'm just waiting on the day when John Quinones comes around a corner saying me and my big mouth are on What Would You Do. People, PLEASE, have some basic courtesy for your fellow passengers. If that was your mother, wife, sister, or even you in that wheelchair, you wouldn't want someone to be rude like that to you, right?

 

By now, I was all riled up and needed a big lunch and a drink.

 

I took this from the lido deck. Everyone was in awe of this boat. I'm pretty sure Christian Grey's boat, The Grace, that he wooed Anastasia on looked something like this.

 

 

I asked the bartender for a kiss on the lips, and he :o. Not for real, the drink! Unless....just kidding! LOL

 

 

Jerk chicken, salad, fried plantains, fried dumplings, cake, pie, whew! It was time for a nap after all that!

 

Edited March 9, 2013 by gapearl

[dcfde01]

Wonderful review by the way you are gorgeous..... I could speak for everyone your reviews make everyone that has any worries about cruising feel real comfortable about cruising and and the fun we have doing so... keep up the good work.

[tiff123]

The obnoxious guy in the back, not so enjoyable. He basically told the taxi driver you guys here vote in the US election. Dude, no they don't. Go read a book. :rolleyes:

 

There was a little bit of a line to get back on the ship, and only one gangway was open. A rather rude lady behind me kept complaining, complaining, complaining. Ever want to turn around and tell someone to just shut up? We were in line maybe 2 minutes and they opened the other gangway. She and the man I presume to be her husband tried to hurry to be first, but weren't and we all ended up being behind an elderly lady in a wheelchair and her daughters trying to get back on. They had a few shopping bags and were struggling to help their mom while folding the chair, so I did what any good person should have done and offered them assistance. That lady and her husband were still trying to cut in front of them. I told them NO, YOU NEED TO WAIT. When the lady stood up from her wheelchair to walk on, the couple basically pushed past her. I swear, they're lucky they walked fast, because I wanted to let them have it! I have a big mouth and have no problem telling you when you're wrong. I'm just waiting on the day when John Quinones comes around a corner saying me and my big mouth are on What Would You Do. People, PLEASE, have some basic courtesy for your fellow passengers. If that was your mother, wife, sister, or even you in that wheelchair, you wouldn't want someone to be rude like that to you, right?

 

 

 

You GO girl! Hopefully the couple and the man from the taxi are reading this right now and feeling like fools.

[TakeMeAway1001]

Amazing review so far, I just found this tonight and spent the last 90 minutes reading the whole thing...looking forward to more :)

[azrayne]

"I enjoy cruising and traveling solo. You do what you want, when you want. I’m a very social person and have no problem meeting new people, so I’m never really by myself all the time. I would have no problem finding a friend to tag along if I wanted one. Actually a few friends usually try to invite themselves when I tell them of my plans. “Want some company?” NO. “Can I go too?” NO. I know the concept of solo travel is foreign to many. I often get the “Oh my God you’re here by YOURSELF??!!! You’re CRAZY!!!!!” If you happen to meet a solo cruiser, please don’t say something like this. Many solo cruisers will tell you it’s our favorite way to travel. On the flip side, some solo cruisers might be by themselves because maybe a spouse just died, and that reaction will only make them feel bad. A better response would be “You’re here by yourself? That’s AWESOME!”

 

 

Georgia Pearl, i travel solo and 100% agree with everthing you have said here!

[gapearl]

We were scheduled to leave port at 5 pm, but didn't leave until after 6. Either the captain or cruise director, can't remember which, came on the intercom and said everything was fine, but the delay was because we were being loaded with supplies.

 

Tonight I got to meet my dinner companions for the week. I was at a table with 6 others, all solo travelers. Our head waiter told us we were supposed to have one more, but he never showed up all week. There were 4 guys and 3 of us ladies, and we ranged in age from 29-69. One lady was on her second week on the Valor. He daughter worked on the ship she got to spend time with her in port. This was probably the most awesome group I've ever been seated with at dinner. You could hear from across the dining room how much fun we were having.

 

Gone With The Wind fabulous. Most of you won't get that joke, but to my fellow Real Housewives of Atlanta fans, hahahahahaha!

 

 

This is a better picture of the every day menu than the one I posted from day 1.

 

 

 

 

I had the potato soup and the farfalle with turkey and peas, as well as a warm chocolate melting cake with 2 ice creams.

 

 

[MegnJoe]

Gone with the Wind Fabulous haha...I love RHOA

[gapearl]

Our waiters danced for us tonight to that song "Heyyyyyyyyy, would you be my girl! WOO! WOO! WOO!" Of course, I joined in.

 

 

Tonight was the first night for the Punchliner Comedy Club. I went to the 11:15 pm show of Macio, and the midnight show of Happy Cole. Both of them were really funny. On my last Valor cruise, you would have to leave and reenter the Eagles Lounge after every show. They don't make you do this any more. It's kind of nice because you get to keep your seat, but it's not so nice when you come in 20 minutes early and can't find one. The Eagles Lounge was PACKED! I don't know why Carnival doesn't have these shows in the main theater.

 

The Punchliner Comedy Club drink menu.

 

 

After the last show, I headed to the One Small Step club for some late night dancing. I was happy to see we had a good crowd. Lots more people than the 12 of us the night before.

 

Red carpet ready.

 

 

I headed back to my room around dark thirty o'clock.

 

 

Grilled cheese sandwiches from room service are the best at 4 am. And by that, I mean going to bed at 4 am, not waking up at 4 am. LOL

 

 

Next installment: How I became famous on the ship! :o

 

Thanks for reading guys!!!!!!

[boaterette]

I just love your reviews.