Allison & David's Carnival Valor (3/2/14) Anniversary Adventure

[luv2cruise65]

I'm LOVING your review! We are booked on this cruise in June for our 30th Anniversary and reviews like yours are really helping me with planning what to do. We are booked at the Casablanca Hotel in Old San Juan and I'm really looking forward to touring the city! Thanks again for taking the time to post!

[ucfalli]

Day 3: All Aboard!

3/02/14

 

We woke up excited about boarding the Valor! After a little bit of packing we decided to try breakfast at Waffle-era.

Our first glimpse of the Valor

Hoping to beat the crowds (since reviews noted that it gets busy later on), we got there early and it was very quiet. We were seated right away. We asked the waitress which berries came on the waffle since the menu didn't specify. She told us strawberries and blueberries.

 

We both go the same waffle (me the smaller portion), yet they both came with different fruit. Mine came with strawberries and bananas and David's only with bananas. Oh well... Even with such a small restaurant and not that busy, we couldn't even say anything to the waitress even if we wanted to. She never checked in on us.

So after breakfast we headed back to the room to pack up. You can see the view from our hotel room. We booked directly with the Sheraton (best rate) for the cheapest room, so I was surprised we had any view. Couldn't see the Valor though.

 

We wanted to get rid of our luggage so we went the pier to check in. It was a little after 11am. The walk was probably 5 min or less to the pier. It's practically across the street. The porters weren't even taking luggage yet. We were instructed to leave our luggage inside with everyone else's.

 

You have to go through a couple of check points. Make sure you have your boarding paperwork and passport out. You take you boarding photo right before check in. There was no line to check in and it was very speedy. They took your sign and sail picture right there at check in (I'm use to it later before you board). This was also the first time we got a boarding zone number (never got there that early I guess).

 

 

They started boarding at around 12pm. After they started boarding, zone 8 was called about 10 min later. You go through security (which seems very lax with smuggling) and then there is one last check point in which you need your passports again. Seemed a bit redundant.

 

There is a liquor table right before you board in which you are suppose to check in any liquor you bought. Seemed very easy to just bypass. At 12:15pm we boarded the ship! The atrium was very quiet and we were one of the first ones on the ship. We immediately greeted with Latino music and ready to start the cruise!

 

So what did we do next? Lunch time! I guess we have never gotten to lunch this early. They were still bringing stuff onto the ship. They were out of rye bread, tomato, only had spinach, and were out of cones (the worse of all). Oh well....

 

[ucfalli]

Day 3: All Aboard Continued

3/02/14

 

Did I forget to mention that today was our first wedding anniversary?!?! We were so excited about boarding the Valor that I kept forgetting the whole day as well.

 

The view of the Sheraton from the lido buffet

Inside Rosie's Restaurant (the lido buffet). I liked the retro booths and decor, but hated the chairs (not comfy).

View of San Juan (Royal Caribbean ship in the distance):

 

The aft pool:

We walked around the boat for a little, but we couldn't do our normal full tour of this ship since a lot was still closed. We ended up heading of the boat soon after dropping our stuff the room.

Edited April 18, 2014 by ucfalli

[ucfalli]

can't wait to read more. this cruise is on my must do list!

 

 

Hopefully will get off your to do list :D

[ucfalli]

Loving the review, I'm taking the same cruise in June for my birthday & can't wait:D!!! I'm also staying at the Sheraton OSJ & want to have breakfast at Cafeteria Mallorca....Can you tell me how far it was from the hotel?

Thanks

 

I would say a 10min walk tops? We GPS it on our phone. Was easy to find and felt close.

[ucfalli]

Thank you for the review, subscribing ;)

 

 

Glad you are enjoying it :D

[ucfalli]

Thanks for the review. We are going in July 2014.

 

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Forums mobile app

 

You'll have a blast! :cool:

[ucfalli]

Enjoyed the review, thanks for doing it.

 

Your welcome! Glad you are enjoying it!

[ucfalli]

Thanks for the review, can't wait to see the ports.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

 

Coming up very soon! Stay tuned...

[ucfalli]

I'm LOVING your review! We are booked on this cruise in June for our 30th Anniversary and reviews like yours are really helping me with planning what to do. We are booked at the Casablanca Hotel in Old San Juan and I'm really looking forward to touring the city! Thanks again for taking the time to post!

 

 

Your welcome! I am glad people are getting useful information our of my review. I always read a ton of reviews before to help me plan.

[beberenn]

Enjoyed the review, thanks for doing it.

 

 

Derek u guys gonna go??? :)

 

 

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[fsupharm77]

Derek u guys gonna go??? :)

 

 

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Not sure yet. I have a surprise for the wife and kiddos planned for later in the year. If we do it I need to have my parents stay at house for about 10 days. I would want to go a couple days early to explore San Juan and 10 days is a long time to leave the kids.

 

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[beberenn]

Not sure yet. I have a surprise for the wife and kiddos planned for later in the year. If we do it I need to have my parents stay at house for about 10 days. I would want to go a couple days early to explore San Juan and 10 days is a long time to leave the kids.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

 

 

I agree ! We r bringing ours!

 

 

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[gracie65]

So excited there is a new Valor Review!!

We too are booked with Natural Wonders for the same tour. Do you know about how late it was when you returned to your hotel that night? How early did they pick you up? Did you think it was worth the $150.00pp? We are staying 3 night pre-cruise. Original I was going to stay out closer to Fajardo until I came across Natural Wonders. Now we are staying at Embassy Suites in San Juan. Just seemed to come out better cost wise since Natural Wonders picks you up in San Juan.

 

Poko is a beauty!! I have 6 and that's the one thing I hate about vacation is leaving them.

Thanks for the review!!

Edited April 20, 2014 by gracie65

[fsupharm77]

I agree ! We r bringing ours!

 

 

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We left them for 11 days when we did Hawaii but don't want to do it now because they are interestedmore in traveling now. Timing is bad to take them, near the end of making period and they are both in accelerated programs. If we go it will probably be without them. I see us doing another one on pride for spring break depending on what week they have off.

 

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[snootz]

Boarding the Valor May 2014! Thank you for your posts I can't wait to see the ports.

[ucfalli]

Day 3: All Aboard Continued

3/02/14

Generic interior room:

 

 

On the Alaskan cruise we got a balcony for a price we couldn't refuse. Otherwise we always will save money by getting an interior room. Balcony's were almost twice the price.

We moved up to gold this cruise!

Lincoln Dining Room:

 

Atruim:

 

Overall Impression of the Valor:

 

Honestly the Valor is one of my least favorite ships. I did like some of the decor. But I just found the decor odd for the most part. Was mainly Americana but with random splashes of other countries (British, medieval, etc..).

 

The main negative for me was the horrible layout. You constantly can't get from one end of the boat to the other due the kitchen galley or the dinning rooms at the lower down decks. It is also to me very awkward to get to certain specific areas. Mainly the mini golf (you have to walk though the basketball court area and dodge people playing and the gym you have to enter from either the women's or men's locker rooms. I found it really odd that David and I always had to split up when we went to the gym.

 

The crew were great and the boat was clean and tidy. Just wasn't a fan of the layout at all.

[ucfalli]

So excited there is a new Valor Review!!

We too are booked with Natural Wonders for the same tour. Do you know about how late it was when you returned to your hotel that night? How early did they pick you up? Did you think it was worth the $150.00pp? We are staying 3 night pre-cruise. Original I was going to stay out closer to Fajardo until I came across Natural Wonders. Now we are staying at Embassy Suites in San Juan. Just seemed to come out better cost wise since Natural Wonders picks you up in San Juan.

 

Poko is a beauty!! I have 6 and that's the one thing I hate about vacation is leaving them.

Thanks for the review!!

 

Thanks!

 

You get picked up at 10am and we returned to our hotel at around 10pm. So it is all day. I do think it was worth the money. You really do a lot. I payed cash cause when I asked I was told that they would take off the tax (tax is additional).

[ucfalli]

Boarding the Valor May 2014! Thank you for your posts I can't wait to see the ports.

 

Thanks! Coming soon! :D

[gracie65]

Thanks!

 

You get picked up at 10am and we returned to our hotel at around 10pm. So it is all day. I do think it was worth the money. You really do a lot. I payed cash cause when I asked I was told that they would take off the tax (tax is additional).

 

 

Thx for the tax tip!! I think most of my group are cash people so they will be glad to know this. Hate the water had to be so murky for you. One of the reasons I booked was to slide down a waterfall!! LOL I am almost 50 and I think I have wanted to do that since watching Swiss Family Robinson as a child!!

[ucfalli]

Day 3: All Aboard Continued

3/02/14

We headed off the ship. We heard someone talking about a dog festival at El Morro. Earlier in the day we had also noticed an abnormal amount of dogs around (explains it). So we decided to head over and check it out. Wow! .... A LOT of dogs. There were a lot of dog lovers outthere and a lot of people flying kites.

Looking back away from the fort:

We headed into El Morro for a little bit as well since our passes were still valid (7 days I believe). We used the bathroom and checked out the sights a little bit again.

After checking out the fort and dog festival, we headed over to Casa Blanca on the way back to the ship. It was pretty easy to find. We just though at first it was closed. The sign we first saw said they were closed on Sunday (online I had seen that they were indeed open). We eventually did stumble upon the entrance after a little bit. The staff there was very friendly. It was also free! I highly recommend Casa Blanca for a quick stop. It was originally built to be Ponce De Leon's house, but he died before it was completed. It was used for other various purposes.

 

 

 

[ucfalli]

Day 3: All Aboard Continued

3/02/14

 

Inside Casa Blanca:

Cobblestone streets (they were originally the ballast on the ships).

I had to take a snap shot of this doggie. He had the biggest head I have every seen on a dog. He was getting a lot of attention! The picture doesn't do it justice.

[ucfalli]

Day 3: All Aboard Continued

3/02/14

 

We headed back to the ship and regretfully had to go through the same security line like when we first boarded the ship. There wasn't a separate line for returning guests.

 

Since it was now late afternoon and everywhere on the ship was open, we finished our tour......

 

There she is!

I really like the Ivanhoe theater's medieval theme:

 

The Iliad library (felt smaller then they normally are):

Winston's Bar:

[ucfalli]

Day 3: All Aboard Continued

3/02/14

Paris Hot Lounge (really smokey)

Eagle's Aft Lounge (comedy is in here):

Lindy Hop Piano Bar:

One Small Step Dance Club:

King's Boulevard Promenade

 

[MrBanana1240]

So excited! Looking into the Valor for this November! Thank you for the review and I can't wait for the other pictures!