Valor Southern Caribbean review with pictures and Fun Times - better late than never

[pghsteelerfan]

Heading out of Marigot Bay to our next stop...

 

The "Lady Slipper" arch. This was in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, which we really need to watch now that we've been here.

 

 

 

 

Right after seeing the arch, we passed this home (against the hill on the right). Spencer told us that this was (one of) Howard Stern's homes.

[pghsteelerfan]

One of the Sandals All-Inclusive Resorts. I think there are three different Sandals in St. Lucia

 

There is Valor waiting for our return. The other boat ahead of us (on the left in the picture) was one of Spencer's other boats. We followed this on all through out our "Sea Tour" and another one followed behind us.

 

 

 

 

Another picture of Spencer

[pghsteelerfan]

After getting off Spencer's boat, he took a group picture of all of us, and this is Sharmine on Spencer's left.

 

From left to right: Shequana, Spencer, and Sharmine on Spencer's boat, "Me Sea Dye II"

 

We really enjoyed Spencer, Shequana, Sharmine, and the others in his group that we got to know through out the day. It really felt like we were at a beach BBQ party with new friends.

 

We had almost an hour to browse the Duty Free shops and the layout and landscaping fit in really well with the island. We got our Christmas ornaments, refrigerator magnet, and a shot glass. I also exchanged some US Dollars for St. Lucian currency, which was Eastern Caribbean money. I got a $5.00 bill and some coins. We spent about a half hour there then decided to get back on the ship before the lines got long.

 

The cruise center shopping area

 

 

 

[pghsteelerfan]

Once back on, we went to our cabin, dropped off our stuff then went up to the Lido Deck for a drink. Today’s souvenir cup was the Carnival “Whale Tail” funnel cup. Again, it came with a different drink than the DOD, but like the others, you can get what you want in it. DH got some kind of frozen Hurricane drink. Stiliyan made it and DH loved the different types of Hurricane drinks that he made. Since we both wanted video of Valor’s “Whale Tail” funnel when the ship’s horn sounded, we went right up to Panorama Deck 10, got loungers and got our videos. We stayed up on Panorama Deck 10 as we sailed out of St. Lucia and took a lot of pictures. We went up to Spa Deck 11 and Sun Deck 12 for different views, getting more pictures.

 

 

 

Cruise center shops from our balcony before we went up to the Lido Deck for sail away

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time for a drink. Today was the "Whale Tail" Funnel cup, which was called "Funnel Cup w/Cocktail" and wasn't the DOD. It was really good.

 

 

 

We went up to Panorama Deck 10 after getting our drinks and got loungers right below Valor's "Whale Tail" funnel and got video as the horn went off. I'm trying to attach a link to that, which I had to download to YouTube, so hopefully this works. It's a short video, only 27 seconds.

 

This is my video:

Edited September 24, 2013 by pghsteelerfan

[pghsteelerfan]

Right after getting the video of Valor's horn sounding, we made our way up to Spa Deck 11 and Sun Deck 12 for different views.

 

While up on Sun Deck 11, I couldn't resist getting a picture of this

 

 

Views from Valor as we sailed away from St. Lucia

 

 

 

 

[pghsteelerfan]

 

I took more pictures of the waterslide while I was up there

 

 

 

 

I guess this would be the view a landing plane would have

[pghsteelerfan]

 

I noticed a lighthouse on top of a hill right near Castries as we were leaving

 

 

 

 

[deetrayn]

Hi Dee, we're getting together with our friends this weekend. It IS the Jewel of the Seas that they'll be on. They like to have everything planned out ahead of time so we're excited to see what they have planned out for their cruise. They will also flying in a day early and I think they're either staying at the Caribe Hilton or the Marriott in the Condado area. We also flew in a day early and enjoyed that extra time in San Juan. Have you made plans for any of the islands you'll be going to yet?

 

Holly, tell your friends I hope they have a great time on their cruise. They will be sailing with a few people who will also sail with us. There are some in our roll call doing a B2B on 11/23 and 11/30.

 

As for excursions, we have not finalized anything yet. We are thinking about day passes at resorts on a few stops, and some tours. I had knee surgery in July, so we won't be doing any excursions that require a lot of walking.

 

 

Dee

[pghsteelerfan]

This was the second cruise elegant night, which we were not going to, so we just hung out on the outer decks for a little over an hour. As we were leaving St. Lucia, we could see Martinique in the distance. We were in Martinique on our honeymoon cruise but would not be stopping there this cruise. We were hoping for sunset pictures and even though it was clear, there were clouds on the horizon so we never saw the sun drop below the horizon. No “green flash” tonight either.

 

Enjoying some time on Panorama Deck 10

 

Me with my Funnel cup drink

 

DH

 

This is the island of Martinique. Not much to see from this picture, but I wanted a picture since we were here on our honeymoon (our first cruise) 21 years ago

 

I used the camera's zoom to get a better picture of Martinique

 

We went back to our cabin and took turns getting ready for dinner and went up to the buffet in Rosie’s Restaurant. I forget what was served tonight, but it was the same thing that was served in the main dining room. After dinner we stopped by the cabin and found our towel animal, a turtle, and the “Fun Times”, chocolates and invitations complimentary drinks and appetizers for the Gold, Platinum & Diamond members of the VIPF Club in the Ivanhoe Theater the following afternoon.

 

 

After a quick stop in our cabin, we went to the Bronx Sports bar to check on the score of the Pittsburgh Penguin hockey game but the game was still going on.

 

 

 

They had another music trivia tonight, this time it was “Guess that 80’s song”, so we decided to try that one. There was a LOT more people participating in the 80’s trivia than 70’s trivia two nights before. The tables all along the casino stage area were filled but we were able to get one since we were there about 15 minutes before it was supposed to start. The bar right across from those tables was filled with people playing and there were people standing right around the stage playing. The “music” trivia started a little later than scheduled both nights. For the 70's, they were really trying hard to get more participants and for tonight's 80's, there was a line of participants. The rules were the same as they were for the "70's trivia". I forgot to mention during the part of my review where I talked about the "70's trivia", but DH and I could play as a team. Most teams were either singles or couples, I don't know if groups of more than two can play as a team or not. Again, they played a short clip of an 80’s song and you had to guess the correct name of the song, word for word. We didn’t need to know the year or the artist this time either. After two songs, they changed the rules, just as they did with the 70’s songs trivia. If anyone knew what the song was, they could yell “stop” and they’d stop playing it and move onto the next song. We knew the first six or seven songs then we got stumped on a song that I at least knew. DH and I both new the artist and I knew the year, but the name of the song wouldn’t come to either of us. Mental block, but we both also had a hockey playoff game in the back of our minds with hopes they were winning. Now back to the trivia...we knew a few more songs after that then they started playing several songs that I never remembered hearing and DH didn't know them either. I won’t tell which songs were played that I knew but will say that most of the music was dance club type music and not necessarily top hits. We were really hoping to hear songs from the good old “hair bands” of the 80’s or at least a variety, but it was mainly the dance music. It didn’t matter because I loved some of those songs that they played anyway. When they finished playing the 20 songs we didn’t wait around for the answers. We left five blank answers (including that song we knew but were stumped on the title) and one was a “maybe”, which we knew wasn’t enough. If I had 18, I would have stuck around and told DH I’d meet him afterward in the Bronx Sports bar, but a possible score of 14 or 15 would not be enough. When they give out the answers, it takes about a half hour because they'll actually play most of that song and some they'll play the whole song, it all depends on the crowd. We wanted to get back to the Bronx Sports bar for the hockey scores since the game should have been over by this time. We got to the bar and ordered Captain & cokes and waited for the hockey scores. Yes, the Penguins won tonight! Now if they can just win their next game, Saturday night. One of the guys who was also playing the 80’s trivia came into the bar when the trivia was over. We asked him if he’d won again (he and his wife were the sole winners of the 70’s trivia). He said not this time, they had 18 and there were six winners with 19 out of the 20 correct. Six....wow! I think he said there was a bottle of champagne, a plastic ship on a stick, and the rest medals that were handed out as prizes. We were thinking about going to the “80’s Hour” that was being held afterward at 10:00PM in the “One Small Step Dance Club”, but after the trivia contest we knew it would mainly be the 80’s dance music. Although we like some of those songs, dancing just isn’t our thing since we are both very uncomfortable on a dance floor. Since we didn’t have any other plans, we stayed at the Bronx Sports bar and visited with another couple who were in there for at least an hour. After that, we got another Captain & coke for our balcony and called it a night once those were finished.

[pghsteelerfan]

Holly, tell your friends I hope they have a great time on their cruise. They will be sailing with a few people who will also sail with us. There are some in our roll call doing a B2B on 11/23 and 11/30.

 

As for excursions, we have not finalized anything yet. We are thinking about day passes at resorts on a few stops, and some tours. I had knee surgery in July, so we won't be doing any excursions that require a lot of walking.

 

 

Dee

 

Dee, I will be sure to tell them for you. I don't know if they are on the roll call or not, but I'll be sure to ask them this weekend when we see them.

 

For this trip, we basically "winged it" with no prearranged plans except for St. Lucia (Spencer's Jalousie Beach Break) and St. Maarten/St. Martin when we went to Pinel Island. We knew we wanted to go to Sapphire and felt comfortable enough getting a cab (thanks to the reviews I read & CC port of call boards). We ended up doing that the rest of the trip and it worked out well for us.

 

I really hope you knee holds up and doesn't give you any trouble on your trip. I would think a nice and relaxing cruise will be the best thing. :)

 

I hope you have a wonderful time and great weather.

[Dirkgun]

This is an overdue review of our cruise on Carnival Valor’s May 5, 2013 sailing to the Southern Caribbean out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The reason I finally decided to do this review is because in 2010 I discovered Cruise Critic while doing a search of ideas of things to do at the islands we’d be visiting on our Carnival Glory Eastern Caribbean cruise. While searching for information, which was very helpful, I also noticed many reviews with pictures, started reading them and became addicted. It didn’t matter which ship or itinerary, I read and enjoyed them. In the fall of 2010 I especially started paying attention to the Victory Southern Caribbean reviews since that was an itinerary that we were considering for our next cruise. We didn’t know when at that time, just that it would be on Carnival, out of San Juan, and to the Southern Caribbean, and we were thinking it would be Carnival Victory. In 2012, before we booked, we found out that Carnival Victory was being moved and that Carnival Valor would be taking her place. We booked our cruise in mid-January, 2013, so there were several Valor reviews that started shortly after Valor’s first sailing out of San Juan to the Southern Caribbean itinerary that were VERY helpful to us in planning our cruise. I know from posting pictures and descriptions in the CC Ports of Call section that reviews can be time consuming. I took a lot of pictures and needed to sort through them all then get them loaded into Photobucket. I still don’t know what to expect with a whole review, but I’m going to give it a try. Part of the delay in this review was not only the time it will take, but also that I have read so many great reviews on this itinerary: GAPearl’s, MegnJoe’s, Cra-z-2cruise’s, Leo’s Rule’s, all Valor reviews; and Victory reviews by Dirkgun, deladane, Scraphappylady, and Jennat, just to mention a few. It’s definitely a little intimidating. I recommend checking these reviews out if you have an upcoming Valor cruise that will be sailing before I can finish mine. If you can’t find them, GAPearl’s & Leo’s Rule’s are both still frequently in the first few pages, but the others can be found through the “search” feature. Some of the older Victory reviews had no Sea Days and Dominica was included in the itinerary in addition to going to Antigua instead of St. Kitts.

 

 

 

pghsteelerfan... what a great review. Loving your pictures you really have some great shots, and reliving our times there. Thanks for the nice mention in your opening. :D They (reviews) are fun to write. They are very time consuming but so worth it for everyone to share and to also relive your trip as you describe it ...especially since you usually write them when you are in the post vacation depressions. Lol. Keep up the good work I am now subscribed so I don't miss any posts.

[oncruisecontrol]

pghsteelerfan: I said it in my earlier post, and I'll say it again now, your photos are very beautiful. I don't think I have ever seen photos as vivid as yours on a review before. Your scenery shots are wonderful. I haven't been to St. Lucia since 2008, so your review brought back great memories for me. Thanks for posting.

[pghsteelerfan]

This is an overdue review of our cruise on Carnival Valor’s May 5, 2013 sailing to the Southern Caribbean out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The reason I finally decided to do this review is because in 2010 I discovered Cruise Critic while doing a search of ideas of things to do at the islands we’d be visiting on our Carnival Glory Eastern Caribbean cruise. While searching for information, which was very helpful, I also noticed many reviews with pictures, started reading them and became addicted. It didn’t matter which ship or itinerary, I read and enjoyed them. In the fall of 2010 I especially started paying attention to the Victory Southern Caribbean reviews since that was an itinerary that we were considering for our next cruise. We didn’t know when at that time, just that it would be on Carnival, out of San Juan, and to the Southern Caribbean, and we were thinking it would be Carnival Victory. In 2012, before we booked, we found out that Carnival Victory was being moved and that Carnival Valor would be taking her place. We booked our cruise in mid-January, 2013, so there were several Valor reviews that started shortly after Valor’s first sailing out of San Juan to the Southern Caribbean itinerary that were VERY helpful to us in planning our cruise. I know from posting pictures and descriptions in the CC Ports of Call section that reviews can be time consuming. I took a lot of pictures and needed to sort through them all then get them loaded into Photobucket. I still don’t know what to expect with a whole review, but I’m going to give it a try. Part of the delay in this review was not only the time it will take, but also that I have read so many great reviews on this itinerary: GAPearl’s, MegnJoe’s, Cra-z-2cruise’s, Leo’s Rule’s, all Valor reviews; and Victory reviews by Dirkgun, deladane, Scraphappylady, and Jennat, just to mention a few. It’s definitely a little intimidating. I recommend checking these reviews out if you have an upcoming Valor cruise that will be sailing before I can finish mine. If you can’t find them, GAPearl’s & Leo’s Rule’s are both still frequently in the first few pages, but the others can be found through the “search” feature. Some of the older Victory reviews had no Sea Days and Dominica was included in the itinerary in addition to going to Antigua instead of St. Kitts.

 

 

 

pghsteelerfan... what a great review. Loving your pictures you really have some great shots, and reliving our times there. Thanks for the nice mention in your opening. :D They (reviews) are fun to write. They are very time consuming but so worth it for everyone to share and to also relive your trip as you describe it ...especially since you usually write them when you are in the post vacation depressions. Lol. Keep up the good work I am now subscribed so I don't miss any posts.

 

Thank you Dirkgun! :) You are quite welcome for the mention and I'm glad you don't mind. I LOVED all of your reviews and all the beautiful pictures you have and they deserve being mentioned. It was actually one of your Victory reviews that really got me wanting to do this itinerary. We were on a very similar itinerary in 1992 on our honeymoon cruise on Carnival's Festivale, but went to Dominica and Martinique instead of St. Lucia and St. Kitts. It was so long ago and since I only had a film camera then, I didn't get many pictures and my memories of the places we were have faded over the years. After reading your review and seeing your pictures, my mind was made up...next cruise was to the Southern Caribbean out of San Juan. That's when I started reading every Victory review I could. AND I want to do it again!

 

I'm finding that it is actually fun to write a review and to relive our cruise. It's actually addicting. I only planned on spending an hour on it today but it's been several. I'm currently downloading more of our pictures from St. Kitts and am hoping to get started with that part of it later today or tomorrow.

[pghsteelerfan]

pghsteelerfan: I said it in my earlier post, and I'll say it again now, your photos are very beautiful. I don't think I have ever seen photos as vivid as yours on a review before. Your scenery shots are wonderful. I haven't been to St. Lucia since 2008, so your review brought back great memories for me. Thanks for posting.

 

Thank you again for your kind words about the pictures and I'm so happy you are enjoying them and having memories of St. Lucia brought back.

 

I just love taking pictures and I took quite a few this time...close to 2000. :) We were on a very similar itinerary 21 years ago, our first cruise, and digital cameras didn't exist then so I was using film point & shoot camera and was very limited and had to be very selective of picture taking. This time I made up for it. My memories of the beautiful places we visited then have faded over the years and I wanted a lot of pictures to remember. I know I've mentioned a few times already, but it was beautiful pictures of places in other reviews that I've read that really helped us decide on where to go and what to do while on this cruise and I hope my review and pictures can help someone else.

[Dirkgun]

 

Thank you Dirkgun! :) You are quite welcome for the mention and I'm glad you don't mind. I LOVED all of your reviews and all the beautiful pictures you have and they deserve being mentioned. It was actually one of your Victory reviews that really got me wanting to do this itinerary. We were on a very similar itinerary in 1992 on our honeymoon cruise on Carnival's Festivale, but went to Dominica and Martinique instead of St. Lucia and St. Kitts. It was so long ago and since I only had a film camera then, I didn't get many pictures and my memories of the places we were have faded over the years. After reading your review and seeing your pictures, my mind was made up...next cruise was to the Southern Caribbean out of San Juan. That's when I started reading every Victory review I could. AND I want to do it again!

 

I'm finding that it is actually fun to write a review and to relive our cruise. It's actually addicting. I only planned on spending an hour on it today but it's been several. I'm currently downloading more of our pictures from St. Kitts and am hoping to get started with that part of it later today or tomorrow.

 

 

That is very nice of you to say. We actually went on a Celebrity cruise (Horizon) in 1994 out of San Juan that went to Barbados, Antigua, Martinique, St lucia, St Thomas. Really liked Martinique but hardly anyone goes there now. Yes I know the whole film camera thing.... These days if I took the 2000 plus pics that I take currently and did that back then it would have been more than the cruise for film and developing. Lol ....:eek: It was very sad to learn of the Wall washing in San Juan from the poster. I hope it gets the patina back quickly. That was a very bad idea. Still loving the review.

[pghsteelerfan]

 

 

That is very nice of you to say. We actually went on a Celebrity cruise (Horizon) in 1994 out of San Juan that went to Barbados, Antigua, Martinique, St lucia, St Thomas. Really liked Martinique but hardly anyone goes there now. Yes I know the whole film camera thing.... These days if I took the 2000 plus pics that I take currently and did that back then it would have been more than the cruise for film and developing. Lol ....:eek: It was very sad to learn of the Wall washing in San Juan from the poster. I hope it gets the patina back quickly. That was a very bad idea. Still loving the review.

 

Ah yes, the film and developing costs...I LOVE digital! :) I agree about Martinique, I thought it was very pretty and don't understand why they aren't going there anymore either. Wall washing in San Juan, I could not believe they did that! I'm happy it still had the original look when we were there. Hopefully mother nature will help with the original look. Thanks again for following. I'll be working on more of the review sometime tomorrow - I didn't realize what time it was.

[pghsteelerfan]

I was going to try to squeeze in at least some of our day in St. Kitts, but more pictures are currently being uploaded and I had no idea what time it was...yikes! :)

 

I am hoping to get back sometime tomorrow, starting with St. Kitts.

[BettyGiggles]

Again, your review is awesome and your pictures are so gorgeous! We booked the same tour with Spencer about a month ago :) Thank you for brightening up my Tuesday afternoon with previews of what is to come! :)

[cruisingfool44]

I know I posted a couple pages back how I am enjoying your review, and that I am leaving Sunday on the Valor but I just have to say again that your review is the best ! Not to mention the pictures are fantastic! It's so nice that I am leaving on the same cruise, and I am reading this detailed review of the cruise I am going on !! Keep up the good work!

[girlscruise2011]

I am on the Valor in January 2014 and just loving your review. I am doing Herods Tour in St. Lucia that goes to the same beach you went to. The pictures are gorgeous and I can't wait to be there in person. Do you mind if I borrow one of your pics of the Valor? I'd love to post it on a group page for our sailing and it would make a great cover pic.

 

Thanks for the review. Your doing a great job :)

Edited September 25, 2013 by girlscruise2011

[Yankees2012]

I am enjoying your review so much!! Thank you for putting in the time to post such great information and beautiful pictures. Hope to take this cruise one day soon :)

[pghsteelerfan]

Again, your review is awesome and your pictures are so gorgeous! We booked the same tour with Spencer about a month ago :) Thank you for brightening up my Tuesday afternoon with previews of what is to come! :)

 

Thank you again. :) You will really enjoy Spencer and his whole group. We really had a wonderful time on the Jalousie Beach Break and the scenery was breathtaking. The pictures don't do the Pitons justice...when we got within good view by boat, they were huge. Which of Spencer's tours will you be doing? If we ever get back to St. Lucia, and I really hope to soon, we've already decided to do his "Land and Sea Tour" to see more of St. Lucia. Again, I really hope you have a wonderful time. :)

[pghsteelerfan]

I know I posted a couple pages back how I am enjoying your review, and that I am leaving Sunday on the Valor but I just have to say again that your review is the best ! Not to mention the pictures are fantastic! It's so nice that I am leaving on the same cruise, and I am reading this detailed review of the cruise I am going on !! Keep up the good work!

 

Thank you for sticking with the review and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I also hope it's helpful in some way. With the beautiful scenery all of these islands have, it's hard to get a bad picture. If you like the pictures, just wait until you see it in the real. :) I'm hoping to get as much of St. Kitts in today as I can. I hope you have a wonderful time on Valor and it won't be long for you now. :)

[fragilek]

more please! more please!- this is the best review ever!! -I am actually waiting to see what you got up to in St Kitts before I plan my day there!!!- we go in a few weeks.

 

 

I haven't booked the jailhouse break- I booked the land and see with the ship (its only our 2nd ever cruise and I was worried about going away for such a long day on an independent trip) but I am now wishing I had book spencers trip.

 

We can't wait to go and your review it getting us soooo exited - your photos are amazing. My DH who never usually bothers to look at what I am planning - he just goes with the flow -kept asking last night if you had written about St Kitts yet.

[pghsteelerfan]

I am on the Valor in January 2014 and just loving your review. I am doing Herods Tour in St. Lucia that goes to the same beach you went to. The pictures are gorgeous and I can't wait to be there in person. Do you mind if I borrow one of your pics of the Valor? I'd love to post it on a group page for our sailing and it would make a great cover pic.

 

Thanks for the review. Your doing a great job :)

 

We LOVED Jalousie Beach and the pictures that I have really don't do it justice. We were the first group at Jalousie Beach that day but there were a bunch of other tours coming and going that day, so I'm sure Herods was probably one of them. It is very nice there, just so scenic.

 

Yes, please feel free to use one of the pictures of Valor, I certainly don't mind. I was trying to think if I had a better picture coming up in the review and I don't. The best Valor pictures I got are the ones in San Juan and St. Lucia. While in San Juan before we sailed at 10PM, I was really hoping to get off the ship after dark to get pictures of Valor lit up at night, but it poured down rain on us. I hope you have a wonderful time on Valor and it won't be long now. :)