Past Victory guests help please!!!

[CruiseLover1996]

We are driving form Ohio to Miami to board the Victory Saturday, we have never been on this ship, does anyone have any advice good or bad? Things we should know ect? Thanks

[maureencruiser]

Here is the Victory Forum

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/carnival/victory

[frugalKansan]

Grab some ear plugs. The doors all have vents so all rooms are noisy.

Take a blow dryer. Those poor sad blow dryers don't do much good.

Be ready to party. The Victory usually does shorter "booze cruises".

It's a nice small boat. The serenity deck is one of the best I've been on.

 

 

Carnival Destiny 2010

Carnival Liberty 2013

Carnival Victory 2013

Carnival Sensation B2B 2014

Carnival Splendor B2B 2014

Carnival Liberty 2015

[RWolver672]

Watch out for the sea horses. They are at the bottom of the stairs holding up the railings. If you turn too quick, you hit their noses and believe me from experience, it hurts. Many, many people on here have complained about them.

[cruzn buckeye]

I have been on the Victory twice. Oct 2013 and again in may 2014. She does need her upgrades... but.... I love this ship. I love the crew. It's a fun ship. I do like the Serenity deck. It is very nice. The lido deck does not have the upgrades ... but I have to say on all ships I have been on, it's great. They keep the volume perfect. Loud enough and yet you can actually hear the person you are with talking without them leaning to your ear an yelling. On the trips I was on, the DJ was great with the variety of music played. I also loved the hairy chest contest, sometimes you can take it or leave it. I like getting my omelets at the back grill by the back pool. It is not an adult pool. That is what I don't like about this ship. You will find a hard time enjoying the pool or hot tubs. They are usually filled with kids using them as swimming pools and the temps are pretty low. I enjoyed the casino. All crew on this ship made it a fun time.

[KatieCharlotte]

Be ready to party. The Victory usually does shorter "booze cruises".

It's a nice small boat. The serenity deck is one of the best I've been on.

 

 

 

Our 5-day Victory cruise during April was not what I'd consider a booze cruise. The majority of the cruisers were families enjoying their spring break.

 

As someone mentioned, the back pool is not adults only. That was a big plus for us because it was a nice, low-key place to hang out with the kids, with every food option they wanted. It also has a retractable roof for bad weather. The bad part was that every loud and annoying kid on the ship was in that pool on the last sea day when the weather was bad. When the wind wasn't gusting, there's a giant chess set up the stairs from the lido. And the Serenity is a very nice, quiet escape.

 

I agree that the lido hot tubs were not very hot, especially those right in front of the movie screen. Totally destroyed my plan to watch the Final Four from a hot tub on a cool evening, but they felt fine on a warm afternoon.

 

Be prepared for naked mermaids in the dining room. I was glad I warned my preteen son. You have to have fun with the tacky sea décor throughout the ship. We have the same approach to the tacky costuming in the song and dance shows.

 

Driving advice -- make sure you read about the Florida turnpike because it can be a bit confusing and expensive for those without a sun pass.

[serene56]

Remember that to get to the dining rooms the halls have dead ends.

the only way to get to the aft dining room is by the aft elevator.

 

If you have the mid ship dining room-- the forward elevator will take you to the front and midship elevator will take you through the back of the dining room

[PORT ROYAL]

We are driving form Ohio to Miami to board the Victory Saturday, we have never been on this ship, does anyone have any advice good or bad? Things we should know ect? Thanks

 

Cabins are in need of a makeover - orange and pink with battle scared wood just don't do it for us. The whole interior of the ship appears to be designed by 20 designers who never talked to each other. The only redeaming feature is the Deli for the sandwiches.

 

Hope the itinerary does it for you.

[Ronie_Ver]

Figure out the shortest way to the dining room. We spent oh so many precious minutes trying to find our way. Up and down, back and forth:rolleyes:

[buddyjo143]

Oh, I loved the seahorses. And yes, they bite.

[jacmo24]

Lucky you! To-date Victory is my favorite ship. We've had two great cruises on her. Seahorses definitely bite. Even under barstools. We just loved everything about her. Nothing special to know but ENJOY!!!

[momonthego17]

We drive down 95 the whole way to Miami and don't incur a toll. Watch out for Express lanes, don't take them or any lane that says SunPass only.

We have parked twice at Safe Cruise Parking and it was cheap and easy. The shuttle got us to the port quickly and we didn't wait more than 5 minutes to be shuttled back at the end of our cruise.

I loved our cruise on Victory so much so that I booked the same itinerary for next Thanksgiving!

 

Have a great cruise and a safe drive to Miami!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Moz]

My son and I were on the Victory in October. We had a wonderful time. The staff was very good and the dining room service exceptional. The ship looked fine to us and was very clean. No complaints at all and the debarkation was the quickest and well planned ever. Don't worry you will have a great time just relax and enjoy.

[spazilla1]

We were on this one last January and are sailing her again this coming Jan 2015. One thing to be wary of is there is only 1 deck which goes from front to back. Get a map of the layout of the ship and carry it with you. We had a really hard time with the layout because of this but everything else was great. We enjoyed the comedy club but remember to get there really early or you will be standing room only! The food was good, and the crew is very very nice.

[GB Chicago]

Ask for James from Jamaica if you are in the Any Time Dining Room. He is charming and amazing!

[v3cruiser]

We are driving form Ohio to Miami to board the Victory Saturday, we have never been on this ship, does anyone have any advice good or bad? Things we should know ect? Thanks

 

Sailed it a few years ago out of San Juan, had a great time on the ship. I was a little bothered by the galley being the middle of the ship and had a hard time navigating but got used to it. The prior ship I was on was the Legend and it has several floors front to back open so it take a little getting use to(for me). The rooms didnt bother me, had a balcony. It was a great cruise and lots of fun and the cruise director and staff did a great job. Still miss the calypso bands on deck though, the Victory was the last Carnival ship I was on that had them.

[opshannon]

We've sailed on the Imagination, Sensation, Fascination, Glory, and Victory (as well as cruises with other lines). The Victory is far and away the ugliest ship I've ever been on. Everything about it is garish and lacks taste. Add to that a desperate need for a refurb, and you've got a really unattractive and tired looking ship. We had fun, don't get me wrong, but I would not sail her again.

[choirgal23]

Had a great multigenerational trip on Victory in September. Four generations to be exact, from 72 to 2. All had a great time! Embarkation was easy, the muster drill is a little hectic, and a torrential downpour came about at the time of ours, so it was hot and humid! Bypass the outside buffet and head indoors for the good eats buffet, the food is better and there is plenty if seating if you head up the stairs behind the dessert bar after getting your plate! Beds were okay, staff was attentive, and room service was quick! If you don't feel like going to the MDR, or want a sneak peak, the good eats buffet seems to mirror the dining room selections. If it is still the same, the aft pacific dining room is for assigned time diners and the Atlantic is for anytime dining. We booked rooms midship so that those with walking difficulties would have an easier time getting to the MDR only to be assigned to the Pacific, a quick trip to the Maître D quickly remedied this for the rest of the trip. Enjoy your trip and have a Drink of the day for me! Focus on your family and fun, don't sweat the small stuff and have a great time!

 

 

 

Ships I've been on:

Carnival Mardi Gras

Carnival Fantasy

Disney Wonder

Royal Carr. Sovereign of the Seas

Carnival Fascination

Carnival Holiday

Carnival Victory

[latunxitom]

They are at the bottom of the stairs holding up the railings.

[serene56]

We were on this one last January and are sailing her again this coming Jan 2015. One thing to be wary of is there is only 1 deck which goes from front to back. Get a map of the layout of the ship and carry it with you. We had a really hard time with the layout because of this but everything else was great. We enjoyed the comedy club but remember to get there really early or you will be standing room only! The food was good, and the crew is very very nice.

 

 

there is more decks that go from front to back then only one deck

 

the galley is what causes the dead end.

 

Depending on what dining room is what elevator you gotta take.

 

If your dining room is the aft-- you can only get there using the aft elevators.

 

if your dining room is mid ship you gotta take the most forward elevator to get to the front of the dining room or the midship elevator which takes you through the back

 

you can get through from front to back on deck 5 (which is a public deck or any deck above that.

 

Riveria deck and Main deck go through too.

 

its deck 3 and 4 that have the dead ends

[2PinaColadas]

We have sailed on the Victory twice. Both times we had an L shaped cabin with the longer balcony-- love those cabins. We thought the crew was nice, the food was good, and the ship was clean. Yes, the decor is a bit outdated, but does it really matter?? Cruises are all about your attitude and what you make of them. Have fun.

[opshannon]

We have sailed on the Victory twice. Both times we had an L shaped cabin with the longer balcony-- love those cabins. We thought the crew was nice, the food was good, and the ship was clean. Yes, the decor is a bit outdated, but does it really matter?? Cruises are all about your attitude and what you make of them. Have fun.

 

I'm not sure how it doesn't matter. I've been on more than 20 cruises and the Victory is the worst ship I've been on in terms of decor and age. My attitude is informed by the entire experience. That doesn't mean I spent the whole cruise sulking, we had fun, but it ranks at the bottom because decor and upkeep of the ship do in fact matter. I find it very condescending and disingenuous when people claim that if you don't like something you have a bad attitude. One's attitude is influenced by outside factors. It doesn't operate in a vacuum. Would I sail the Victory again? No (unless it was a free cruise). Would I recommend others sail the Victory? No. Not in its current condition. I know it's going into dry dock. That will help.

[simplelife]

We are going in June and I understand the dry dock will occur on the spring. I hope so.