V is for VICTORY (and cruise #5) PHOTO HEAVY review.

[jenjay1210]

Great review...we were on the Glory in your pic and I can see our shadows on our balcony cabin, aft wrap on deck 8. I'm wondering if you would email that pic to me? I know I can right click and save but I'm wondering if I can zoom in and actually tell it's us? My email is jsj45011@yahoo.com.

 

Before the Glory we had sailed on the Liberty...the Glory was nice but I think the Liberty is more beautiful.

[Writerfl]

Saeannyice81 -

 

Thanks for your comments. I'll be interested to see your comparison. I found the decor on Conquest to be needlessly gaudy, and some rooms, like the Cigar Bar, were a designer's worst nightmare.

 

I'm actually quite apprehensive about the Glory cruise. Having had excellent luck with the "Pack and Go" fare where you let Carnival choose your room in the past, I booked the same fare on this cruise. They put me in 6406, a balcony immediately above the disco. The online reviews for this room are horrendous. I made three calls pleading with them to reassign me, but to no avail.

 

My plan at this point is to make one last request upon boarding. If they don't/can't/won't, I'll wait until that night to find out if the noise problem is as bad as reported. If it is, I'll be at Guest Services at 1:30 AM, claiming the Great Vacation Guarantee and off I go at Nassau. I really hope it doesn't come to that.

 

Carnival's attitude to this point has been quite surprising. This will be my Gold cruise and my fourth cruise in the last 90 days with them, but they haven't shown the least bit of flexibility and insist on adhering to the letter of the contract. That's fine, but exercising the guarantee is MY right as well.

[seannyice81]

Interestingly, that's what my non-solo cruise friends told me. And they were right. Without the safety net of the person/people you came with, you have no choice but to put yourself out there and meet new people, otherwise you risk having a lonely cruise (unless being alone is your choice). So you have more motivation to take action to ensure yourself a fun cruise. I couldn't help but chuckle at one couple I saw having an argument.

 

One of my main concern about cruising solo was clubs. On land, a guy coming to a club by himself is often looked down upon. Not so on cruises, in my experience. Since more women cruise solo than men, finding people to dance with was no problem, which made me glad I took salsa lessons before my cruise.

 

I had one odd situation: the customs agent practically tore me a new one when I told him I was cruising solo. I was taken into a separate room and had my bag searched. He found nothing he wanted, and begrudgingly sent me on my way. That was in Port Canaveral; agents in Miami were much better, although still quite surly. How your experience in customs?

 

That was pretty much my solo experience. I was open to meeting others and was hoping to connect with some cool people (which I did).

 

I had no issue with customs in Miami upon my return. I had it written on my form that I had roughly $150 in purchased goods. The guy asked me if I had any fruit/vegetation (no), then I went on my way. Sucks that they got "rough" with you at Canaveral.

 

 

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[seannyice81]

Great review...we were on the Glory in your pic and I can see our shadows on our balcony cabin, aft wrap on deck 8. I'm wondering if you would email that pic to me? I know I can right click and save but I'm wondering if I can zoom in and actually tell it's us? My email is jsj45011@yahoo.com.

 

Before the Glory we had sailed on the Liberty...the Glory was nice but I think the Liberty is more beautiful.

 

Thank you!

 

I will certainly forward you what I have for photos of the Glory's departure. I believe I have more photos at home.

 

Indeed. Liberty is a great ship!

 

 

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[seannyice81]

Saeannyice81 -

 

Thanks for your comments. I'll be interested to see your comparison. I found the decor on Conquest to be needlessly gaudy, and some rooms, like the Cigar Bar, were a designer's worst nightmare.

 

I'm actually quite apprehensive about the Glory cruise. Having had excellent luck with the "Pack and Go" fare where you let Carnival choose your room in the past, I booked the same fare on this cruise. They put me in 6406, a balcony immediately above the disco. The online reviews for this room are horrendous. I made three calls pleading with them to reassign me, but to no avail.

 

My plan at this point is to make one last request upon boarding. If they don't/can't/won't, I'll wait until that night to find out if the noise problem is as bad as reported. If it is, I'll be at Guest Services at 1:30 AM, claiming the Great Vacation Guarantee and off I go at Nassau. I really hope it doesn't come to that.

 

Carnival's attitude to this point has been quite surprising. This will be my Gold cruise and my fourth cruise in the last 90 days with them, but they haven't shown the least bit of flexibility and insist on adhering to the letter of the contract. That's fine, but exercising the guarantee is MY right as well.

 

Heres my take on the whole cabin thing...

 

I booked my Victory cruise under a guarantee rate (similar to pack and go, where THEY pick your cabin). Occasionally people luck-out, but I knew they could stick me with a less desirable room. I took the chance. They did put me over the karaoke stage which was pretty annoying, but it didn't break my trip. I'll be choosing my cabin from here on out, though.

 

I hate to be pessimistic, but if it's not that loud on the first night, it will probably be louder or later on the formal night and/or 80's, white-hot night(s). The last night will be the most though with those trying to party before the trip is over. If It's ok that first night, you might be able to tolerate it. If you think it'll be too much, then it would probably be worse those nights. Who knows though, it could be a cruise with hardly anyone in the nightclub the whole time.

 

I would however, be optimistic that they MIGHT (ONLY MIGHT) offer to switch your cabin when you go to exercise that great vacation guarantee. That is IF they have any open that are the same or similar category. They're supposed to carry-out the guarantee no questions asked, but you never know.

 

I encourage you to give it a shot, but I have a gut feeling you will be disappointed.

[Writerfl]

Yeah, I won't be using the stateroom guarantee any more myself. I used it on the first Victory cruise and got a lovely Interior on Panorama deck, then on Conquest and got a nice Balcony on Empress. I picked my own on the second Victory cruise as I booked it *after* I booked Glory. I may be slow, but I ain't stupid.

 

I expect that if I do present myself at Guest Services to claim the guarantee that they'll try to talk me out of it, and honestly, I'll be open to any suggestions they have short of 'grin and bear it'. I WANT to go on the cruise, but I also want to enjoy myself, and sleep deprivation isn't my idea of a good time.

 

I looked online and can find no reports of people's experience either using or not using the vacation guarantee, so if it comes to that it'll be a unique experience.

[seannyice81]

CRUISE DAY 5 - SEA DAY.

 

Somebody had indulged the night before. Thanks to some drinking and the late-night Mexican buffet, it was one of those coffee and alka seltzer kind of mornings. I had a really good time the night before and was paying the price. I had intended to sleep-in but couldn't see myself laying in bed past 9:30. I got up, took some stuff, and then proceeded to walk the outside decks for a little bit.

 

The sea was actually fairly calm versus the days before. There wasn't too much wind. It was beautiful and sunny I noticed that overnight the Liberty had over-taken us. Perhaps for one reason or another, they needed to get to Miami more quickly than us.

 

About an hour later I was feeling a little better, so I went down to the Pacific Dining Room to indulge in the Sea day Brunch. I remember it being pretty good when I was on the Glory. I was seated with 6 others at a round table. I started talking to a nice couple about cruising, then we talked about kids, then dogs, our crappy winters, etc. We ordered all our food. I chose the steak and eggs as did many at our table. The steak was a small filet and the eggs were over-easy. Good thing the steak was a medium filet because they didn't provide steak knives (oops). It was great though. It felt good to have some food in my stomach and not just coffee/alka seltzer. I stuck around a little while after eating and discussed cruising some more with the others. Most were first timers.

 

After breakfast, I headed over to formalities and made my St. Jude donation. I also bought some funship-funnel shaped candy in case I felt like trying to schmooze a flight attendant into getting me some free stuff the next day. I then headed up to the top decks to look for Matt and Kristen, but couldn't find them anywhere. I grabbed an aft lounger and laid around for a while. The sun felt great. On lido deck, I could hear them doing the Hairy Chest Contest and then Groove for St. Jude. I napped for a little while. Then I headed around the ship making sure to look at things I might have missed. I grabbed an Irish coffee from the coffee shop (really good). I made my way over to the pixels gallery and bought some photos. I got a free lanyard, luggage tag, and cup. Neat! I had kept a ship USB from a prior cruise and had them upload all my photos onto it. Some were pretty goofy, others were really good.

 

After buying some photos, I headed up top again to see if I could bump into Matt and Kristen. No dice this time too. I then grabbed a late lunch from the deli in the form of a ham and cheese. These are really good though sometimes they don't really melt the cheese. I also made my way over to a pool bar and bought a funnel cup. I always buy one when I cruise and write the ship and date underneath it. If they EVER discontinue these (or disco cups), I'll be pretty unhappy!

 

After hanging out and people watching on the decks and in the ship, I showered and made my way to the Pacific Dining Room for my last dinner with Brianna and Nicole. I forget what we had for apps and main, but we all had the WCMC with 2 scoops of ice cream. The servers danced one last time to "I gotta feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas. It was kind of sad leaving the dining room for the last time. I exchanged my contact information with Brianna and Nicole and we all went to go pack.

 

After packing, I made my way around the ship, taking some last photos before heading to bed. I wanted to be up and off the ship early because I had a flight out of Ft. Lauderdale at 12:30. Not only that, but with large ships in Port there, lines were sure to be long. While I was walking around, I noticed something that caused concern. On deck 10, above the aft bar and pizza pirate, there appeared to be tiny bits of rust and ash scattered all over the deck and loungers. I thought it could be 2 things, stuff dislodged from a rigorous deck cleaning, or possibly something blown-out one of the exhaust ports on the funnel. It was ONLY on the port side though. Odd. I figured if we didn't make Miami in the morning, I'd know why.

 

 

I hit the hay around 10. I didn't fall asleep though, as the party continued downstairs on deck 5. The karaoke was cranking and after that, were 2 comedy shows. I couldn't fall asleep to save my life until a little before midnight when the shows finished.

Edited April 13, 2014 by seannyice81

[seannyice81]

DEBARKATION DAY

 

GOING HOME

 

Booooooo.

 

I woke up at 6:30. I was groggy as heck from not falling asleep until midnight thanks to the karaoke/comedy shows that had been going the night before. I hopped in the shower and then got dressed in the clothes I had set out the night before. Room service knocked on the door bringing my cereal, coffee, and banana. Afterwards, I went over everything and made sure I didn't leave anything behind. I opted for self-assist. I got my belongings together and headed off to deck 10 to see where we were. When I got outside, I was surprised to see we were just pulling into Miami, passing the Norwegian Getaway (nice looking ship!). We passed Liberty and Celebrity Reflection before making a 180 degree turn in the basin and then pulling in behind Liberty.

 

 

Once they started securing the mooring lines, I made my way to the Caribbean Theater where self-assist passengers were instructed to wait. They had on the latest Iron Man movie to keep guests occupied, but hardly anyone cared because we all just wanted to get debarkation done with. Many people were being unreasonable, clogging the doorways and not sliding over on the benches. A staff member got a little short with one family who refused to slide over and make room for others to sit. After about 20 mins in the theater, they started allowing guests self assist guests off the ship. I got in line and was off in about 10 mins. I made my way to customs which had short lines at the time. The officer asked me a couple simple questions like whether I brought fruit (nope!). I then made my way to the loooooooong line at the taxi stand. It took 20 mins before I was able to get a cab.

 

When I got to Ft. Lauderdale airport, I had an "Oh crap!" moment when I realized the credit card machine on the cab didn't work right! CRAP! I didn't have any cash! The cab driver pulled aside and I literally ran into the airport in search of an ATM. They're doing some renovations and I couldn't find one after asking 5 people who sent me in different directions. FINALLY, I found one right next to Chilis. Out came the cash, paid the cabbie, got my stuff, and got checked-in. I proceeded to security which wasn't too bad. About halfway through the time I was in line, the line itself got really, really long. Those of you who book early flights, take note! Get off the ship early!

 

A note to fellow travelers. DON'T BE STUPID AND DRESS YOURSELF AT THE CONVEYOR BELT... Take your stuff and get yourself together at the tables/benches a little further down. That way you don't hold up the line and others trying to get to their stuff. Your socks or bare feet wont get THAT dirty walking 10 steps.

 

I made my way down the terminal and grabbed a seat. I grabbed my phone and started catching up with everyone back home. The terminal became really crowded around 11. Feeling a little cramped, I went to get a slice of pizza, use the bathroom and then check out a couple magazines. When I got back, it was almost time to board.

 

Noon came around and I got on the plane, sitting next to a nice lady. We departed the gate on time, and it didn't take long until we were in the air.

 

On the way out over the sea, I caught a glimpse of Carnival Freedom in Port Everglades.

 

 

Once in the air, I gave my candy to the flight attendant who returned the favor with free beer and a nice new and fresh pillow that I got to keep. It came in really nice as was able to get some sleep in while on the way home. I woke up as we were crossing into Virginia and it wasn't long before we were on the ground. I got off the plane, grabbed my stuff, and hopped on the Metro to get home.

 

My vacation was over...:(

Edited April 13, 2014 by seannyice81

[seannyice81]

I forgot to include the Past Guest Party in my Sea Day post.

 

In the mid-afternoon there as a Past Guest Party in the Adriatic Lounge. When I got there I was really surprised at the amount of gold, platinum, and diamond guests there. Almost everyone I had paid attention to on the cruise was either a first timer or red status. When we were seated, they were passing out apps (I grubbed quite a bit on these tiny turkey sandwhiches) and a mixed drink that tasted sort of like fruit juice with vodka. A band performed a few songs. They then had a slideshow of all the ships that were and are currently in Carnival's fleet asking us to cheer when they featured a ship we had cruised. Afterwards, it was a greet of the head staff on the ship including the captain. Once they made their rounds, they invited everyone up on stage for a special prize. I didn't go. Joke was on them because it was a dance they learned to Mambo #5. Haha! No thanks! I headed off after that.

[blueangel74]

Thank you for posting your review of Victory. Have been thinking about taking a cruise from Miami for a while. Will look into doing that after the Splendor cruise in November.

[dolphin2012]

Thanks for sharing the beautiful pics of your cruise! I enjoyed reading it and hopefully can do another cruise soon! It really made my day since i had a very stressful week because of some bad medical test results... When stressed i go to cruise critic and cruise ... thanks!

[Pellaz]

* Applause*

Great review! Maybe in October I'll finally make it down to Jack's Shack -- it'll be my third time in Grand Turk and although I've come within a hundred yards on the beach once, I still haven't made it.

Was the dog in your pic Jack's dog Topher? I swear, that's gotta be the most famous canine in the Caribbean! :)

 

Regarding Liberty vs. Victory....Liberty wins hands-down, with its FunShip 2.0 upgrades. The dining choices alone make it a no-brainer, since Victory has very limited dining options, and no steakhouse.

 

That being said, our Your Time Dining service on Victory was decent-to-good...and our 6 pm dining service on Liberty was abysmal. Soda refills nonexistent, incredibly slow service...the first night we didn't get our desserts until 7:55pm...with late-seating scheduled to start in just 20 minutes. The maitre'd came on the PA to chide the wait-staff for their tardiness. The remaining nights were a bit better, but not by much.

It just seemed like the Liberty's kitchen and wait-staff didn't have their "stuff" together...and it showed.

 

Also.... Our oceanview stateroom on Victory was nice and air-conditioned, but our OV on Liberty was hot and humid...so hot that my sister and I decided that we weren't going to deal with it on a 7-day cruise. (Carnival sent techs, who assured us that, at 73 humid degrees, the room met their specs. Sorry, that doesn't meet OURS.)

...and now we get to the part that might interest WriterFL, because after going back and forth with Guest Services 3 or 4 times about the room -- having FttF was CRUCIAL there -- we invoked Carnival's Vacation Guarantee.

After conferring with the Hotel Director, the hotel services officer led me to a different room and offered to have us moved there. From a Deck 2 oceanview to a Deck 6 balcony...and it WAS air-conditioned. AND my sister is a smoker. I hemmed and hawed and finally "grudgingly" accepted the new room. :)

We were lucky; the ship had sailed full and FELT like it. Apparently the balcony belonged to one of the few, if any, no-shows for that sailing.

 

So, room-wise Liberty loses vs. Victory, but ultimately their customer service triumphed.

 

Otherwise, I liked Liberty so much I'm sailing on Freedom post-2.0.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Pellaz

[seannyice81]

Thank you for posting your review of Victory. Have been thinking about taking a cruise from Miami for a while. Will look into doing that after the Splendor cruise in November.

 

Welcome.

 

The HMC, Nassau, GT itinerary is a great one. Not too expensive and enough time to consider it a vacation.

 

Thanks for sharing the beautiful pics of your cruise! I enjoyed reading it and hopefully can do another cruise soon! It really made my day since i had a very stressful week because of some bad medical test results... When stressed i go to cruise critic and cruise ... thanks!

 

Welcome!

 

I hope things get better for you soon and (if you can't now) will be able to do an actual cruise soon. :)

 

* Applause*

Great review! Maybe in October I'll finally make it down to Jack's Shack -- it'll be my third time in Grand Turk and although I've come within a hundred yards on the beach once, I still haven't made it.

Was the dog in your pic Jack's dog Topher? I swear, that's gotta be the most famous canine in the Caribbean! :)

 

Regarding Liberty vs. Victory....Liberty wins hands-down, with its FunShip 2.0 upgrades. The dining choices alone make it a no-brainer, since Victory has very limited dining options, and no steakhouse.

 

That being said, our Your Time Dining service on Victory was decent-to-good...and our 6 pm dining service on Liberty was abysmal. Soda refills nonexistent, incredibly slow service...the first night we didn't get our desserts until 7:55pm...with late-seating scheduled to start in just 20 minutes. The maitre'd came on the PA to chide the wait-staff for their tardiness. The remaining nights were a bit better, but not by much.

It just seemed like the Liberty's kitchen and wait-staff didn't have their "stuff" together...and it showed.

 

Also.... Our oceanview stateroom on Victory was nice and air-conditioned, but our OV on Liberty was hot and humid...so hot that my sister and I decided that we weren't going to deal with it on a 7-day cruise. (Carnival sent techs, who assured us that, at 73 humid degrees, the room met their specs. Sorry, that doesn't meet OURS.)

...and now we get to the part that might interest WriterFL, because after going back and forth with Guest Services 3 or 4 times about the room -- having FttF was CRUCIAL there -- we invoked Carnival's Vacation Guarantee.

After conferring with the Hotel Director, the hotel services officer led me to a different room and offered to have us moved there. From a Deck 2 oceanview to a Deck 6 balcony...and it WAS air-conditioned. AND my sister is a smoker. I hemmed and hawed and finally "grudgingly" accepted the new room. :)

We were lucky; the ship had sailed full and FELT like it. Apparently the balcony belonged to one of the few, if any, no-shows for that sailing.

 

So, room-wise Liberty loses vs. Victory, but ultimately their customer service triumphed.

 

Otherwise, I liked Liberty so much I'm sailing on Freedom post-2.0.

 

Thank you!

 

The dog I took a photo of was actually not Topher. Topher has a lighter/curly coat. I can't remember the name of the dog breed. I can't remember the name of this one.

 

You lucked out with that balcony cabin!

 

Could you please post the stateroom # that had poor/no AC on Liberty? Perhaps the damper was jammed.

 

Those who don't know. The ships have a lever/knob that controls a damper plate/valve. This regulates the amount of pre-set ac being delivered into your cabin. The actual temperature is set in the engine control room.

Edited April 13, 2014 by seannyice81

[gapearl]

Great review Sean! Can't wait for November! :D

[seannyice81]

Great review Sean! Can't wait for November! :D

 

Thanks!

 

I can hardly wait, myself!

Edited April 13, 2014 by seannyice81

[seannyice81]

CARNIVAL VICTORY - CONDITION

 

The Carnival Victory entered service the year I graduated high school, 2000. It makes me feel old, haha. The ship appeared to be in overall good condition. There were some areas that needed attention.

 

-First off, the carpet. The carpeting on the staircases was starting to pull away from under the edges of most stairs. It was not terribly worn but looks due for replacement.

-Paint. While the funnel's faded paint was not as bad in person, it was still not very good. There was fresh paint that had been applied up to a railing close to the funnel's base. Above, it was all faded. There were notable areas where corrosion has started to come through, particularly around some windows and the lettering on the stern. on Embarkation day, there were crew doing touch-up on railing outside the aft dining room.

-Decor. In the atrium staircase (spans deck 3-5) the gold lattice under the stairs was mostly bent/dislodged/out of place. You won't notice it though unless you walk under the stairs. Also, the "green sea" vinyl that covers most of the atrium lighting was peeling in some places. There were the obvious lights that were out as well.

 

The biggest issue I ran into was the bits of rust and ash that had been scattered on deck 10 above the Sirens Bar and Pizza Pirate. Because I did not actually see what happened, its my belief that a baffle in one of the ship's mufflers may have let-go. It was probably then expelled through one of the exhaust ports in the funnel. Is this a safety concern, I doubt it. Maintenance, yes.

 

 

To be quite honest, they probably should not have pushed-back Victory's dry dock. It could really use it sooner than later. Will it affect your cruise? No, but you'll notice things are looking tired.

 

Most other areas were in excellent condition. Bars, dining rooms, etc. Cabin 6449 had some corrosion near the base of the bathroom's door frame and in the ceiling of the shower stall. Otherwise, it was great.

 

Fresh deck installed in this one spot.

 

 

Like I said though, good shape overall. These where the things that caught my attention and in no way did they affect my overall vacation experience.

Edited April 13, 2014 by seannyice81

[Writerfl]

Great review! Its one of the most comprehensive and well-written reviews I've seen of a ship that deserves the attention. The only thing I might add is that a number of the public rooms on the ship are under-utilized as Carnival seems to be cutting back on their on-board entertainment budget. Both the Black and Red cigar bar and the Ionian room are set up for music/entertaining, but I never (on either cruise) saw them used.

 

Also, your photographs are stunning. You've got some great talent there.

 

Pellaz, thanks for your input on the Vacation Guarantee situation. That's kind of how I think it might play out in my situation as well. Anyone who actually USES the vacation guarantee will cost Carnival a lot of money (110% of fare, $100 Future OBC, airfare back to Miami, change fees for onward air for some people, transfers, loss of on-board purchases) so it makes sense that they'll go to some lengths to avoid that.

[Hazelroo]

Awesome review Sean and your pictures are wonderful.

 

I look forward to your review for our Splendor cruise!:D

[seannyice81]

CARNIVAL VICTORY (TRIUMPH CLASS)

 

VS

 

CONQUEST CLASS: LIBERTY, GLORY, VALOR

I know some of you have been waiting for this, so here we go.

 

All of these ships are based on the Carnival Destiny (now Sunshine) that entered service in 1996. At that time, it was the largest cruise ship in the world. Basically the Victory is similar to Destiny with an additional deck. The Conquest Class ships have the added decks and are stretched (not show how much longer).

 

Heres what I prefer for the ships

 

CONQUEST CLASS - Liberty, Glory, Valor (+ Conquest, Freedom -not yet cruised):

-Additional buffet lanes. 4 on these ships vs 2 on Victory. Only having the 2 sides on Victory led to longer lines. There was also more seating available inside.

-Steakhouses. No steakhouse on Victory.

-Basketball/tennis/dodgeball court.

-Lobby Bar. The Conquest Class have their lobby bars opposite the elevators instead of right in front of them. This is nicer because it opens up more of the floor, giving you the feeling of more space. The old setup is better for people watching though.

-Staircase from int. promenade to deck 4. (Near the coffee bar)

 

CARNIVAL VICTORY

-Serenity Deck. This was tough, but due to the location of the bar near the tubs, it goes to Victory. Note, this is unique to Victory as Triumph's mini golf is here instead. The Conquest Class has it wrap around the front of the ship, spreading it out a little. But the convenience on Victory is hard to beat.

-Less walking to do/slightly better layout. All the kids parts of the ship are forward. Camp Carnival, Circle C, Club 02. The Art Gallery was not hidden in the walkway between the lobby and mid dining room. The web room was actually the starboard hallway on deck 4 instead of the tiny room opposite side. The shorter length also meant staircases were closer to one another.

 

Now for other comparisons

 

DECOR: I don't cruise based on a ship's decor, but you probably want me to compare them. Here we go. Of all the CCL ships I've cruised this far, Liberty has had the best. The chandeliers and theme were the best and most well carried out. Glory was the worst with ugly interior public area sofas and a unique atrium (projected image) that never really worked. Valor's was cool except for the faces of past presidents and the ugly Gone with the Wind painting on the steakhouse wall. Victory was somewhere in between. The lighting and staircases matched, but little else did. There were some nice areas that stood out, but not as many as Liberty or Valor. There were the famous seahorses that you could see people had banged into. I never did. Victory's BEST area was the aft section of the lido deck. The detailed tile work with lanterns was really nice and photogenic.

 

Order, based on decor:

1- Liberty

2- Valor

3- Victory

(A distant) 4- Glory

 

SERVICE: I stated earlier that I had the best service on Liberty. That still stands. Victory was close behind though. There were a few hiccups like stewards trying to enter my cabin unannounced/without knocking. Bar staff didn't know what day the funnel cup was for sale (a few didn't know what it even was). Overall flow and efficiency was great. Victory had the FASTEST dining room service of all my cruises, including my RCI cruise. Everyone was personable and happy. When I cruise with Carnival I always look for that more human/down to earth friendliness of the staff (that I didn't notice on RCI). It was there and I had friendly interactions with many staff, in particular Anna, a Russian shore excursions specialist. She was awesome! Yes, the staff here were very efficient, but I don't think it boiled down to the ship's slightly smaller size. Likely just a different work environment. It can still not touch the top notch service I experienced on Liberty though. Every aspect was outstanding on that cruise.

 

Order, based on service:

-Liberty

-Victory

-Valor

-Glory

*NOTE* This could be subject to change, as staff cycle. Personal interaction my differ as well.

 

Lastly our Cruise Director, Kevin. I don't often run into cruise directors, but I happened to bump into Kevin a couple times. He was very friendly, very visable (all over the place), and didn't over-spam us with cabin announcements. Whenever he referred to the ship it was always "The BEAUTIFUL Carnival Victory." He did all the dancing and was at all the usual events. He was an very good cruise director. I can't compare him to Karl (retired) or Josh (working shoreside). Felipe on Valor was annoying on some occasions. Everson was ACD on my Glory cruise and would probably take top honors If I was to do another comparison after cruising with him more recently.

 

ENTERTAINMENT: Yawn... Victory's entertainment (while still entertaining) was the most dated and uninteresting to me. Even compared to the Hasbro Game Show which I find dumb. The ONE redeeming thing was the largest deck party I've seen on any ship. Unfortunately, it couldn't make up for the rest.

 

Order, Based on entertainment.

1-Liberty

2-Valor

3-Glory

4-Victory

 

I'm now up for any questions you may have, or any comparisons you'd like me to make. I'll be more than happy to answer.

 

Thanks for reading!:cool:

Edited April 13, 2014 by seannyice81

[diamondcharl]

Wow! I really enjoyed your review. Your writing style and personality seem so down to earth. I agree with the person who said you have a real talent for photograpy. I especially enjoyed the comparisons of the ships as well as the various ratings. You have gotten me even more excited to sail on her in August.

Thanks:)

[seannyice81]

Great review! Its one of the most comprehensive and well-written reviews I've seen of a ship that deserves the attention. The only thing I might add is that a number of the public rooms on the ship are under-utilized as Carnival seems to be cutting back on their on-board entertainment budget. Both the Black and Red cigar bar and the Ionian room are set up for music/entertaining, but I never (on either cruise) saw them used.

 

Also, your photographs are stunning. You've got some great talent there.

 

Pellaz, thanks for your input on the Vacation Guarantee situation. That's kind of how I think it might play out in my situation as well. Anyone who actually USES the vacation guarantee will cost Carnival a lot of money (110% of fare, $100 Future OBC, airfare back to Miami, change fees for onward air for some people, transfers, loss of on-board purchases) so it makes sense that they'll go to some lengths to avoid that.

 

Thank you, again!

 

I do agree that might be the situation to some extent. I believe that will change though. Freedom's cigar bar is being turned into a Red Frog Pub and I'd expect the same for Victory when it's time finally arrives. Hopefully they'll find a better way of utilizing the Ionian Lounge without losing it.

 

I again wish you luck on your cabin. Please let us know how it works out for you.

 

Awesome review Sean and your pictures are wonderful.

 

I look forward to your review for our Splendor cruise!:D

 

Thanks!

 

Its going to be one heck of a review for that cruise!

Edited April 13, 2014 by seannyice81

[seannyice81]

Wow! I really enjoyed your review. Your writing style and personality seem so down to earth. I agree with the person who said you have a real talent for photography. I especially enjoyed the comparisons of the ships as well as the various ratings. You have gotten me even more excited to sail on her in August.

Thanks:)

 

Thank you! Have a great cruise on Victory! :cool:

[erinmarie424]

Your review was perfectly timed..... we will be sailing on Victory next week! Although our itinerary is different than yours it was still fun to read through the whole thing. We especially liked the pictures of the different areas on the ships. Really appreciate the time and effort that it took you to do this!

[MotoRacer598]

Nice job Sean! Look forward to meeting you and hanging out in November

[pghsteelerfan]

I just finished reading your review and enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed your Valor review. You really get some great pictures too. We actually just got back from a Carnival Liberty western Caribbean itinerary (roughest seas we've experienced on a cruise and missed Grand Cayman, but better than cold and snow). We booked kind of last minute since family had change of plans and we're not doing our beach vacation with them this year AND we needed to get away from winter. I think we were flying in and boarding as you were leaving (April 5???). We ended up flying into Miami this time (better price), but flew over Ft. Lauderdale and was able to get a picture of the port. Not as good as yours since we were still up in the air quite a ways. I know that was Carnival Freedom with Oasis of the Seas (and two others) since we were able to check-in for the cruise at the Carnival desk at Miami airport and there were two different shuttles to the ports. One for Freedom passengers going to Ft. Lauderdale and the other for Victory and Liberty passengers. Seeing Freedom with Oasis of the Seas blew my mind. What a difference in size!!! We were really able to tell from the air.

 

I really hope you do a review of your Splendor cruise and if so, I'll definitely be following.