My turn! Advice on a Carnival cruise after a 5 year hiatus

[Sparky2]

I also vote for Breeze although I have not sailed her. We were on Valor several years ago and loved her, but if she doesn't have 2.0, I wouldn't be interested in sailing her again.

[quickrate]

After being on her 3 times, and numerous other Carnival ships, Breeze wins hands down! she is a beautiful ship and has a nice layout. I also agree with the poster who said a 6 year old is not going to miss anything the last day of school. I know many people feel missing any school is not acceptable and I respect that opinion but, a more enjoyable vacation is important too!

Pat

[BenjiRodney]

Did the Valor when she was in San Juan and loved it. Doing the Breeze in October. Don't think you could go wrong with either.

[BigB0882]

I don't understand why you can "easily" drive to Port Canaveral but can't drive to Miami? To me, the easiest solution here is to just suck it up and drive to Miami. Then you save a large amount on airfare and may not even need the hotel if you can leave early enough in the morning. Huge savings for your clearly preferred cruise. What about itineraries? Do those differ?

[fuzzmane]

My vote is for the Breeze. Have been on the Splendor and the Dream with the spa and loved it. Booked on the Breeze repo next year. I would check into taking the child out of school a day early. I have take my children when they were younger out of school of up to a week at a time for a cruise. I just arranged it with the school ahead of time. Never came close to the maximum allowed days missed per year. Timed them around a holiday or the end of the school year to use less days. I am sure you will have great cruise regardless of which on you pick.

[KPfromCT]

I also voted for the Breeze!!!:D:D

We have been on her twice now and that ship has it ALL!!!

Your wife and kids will put you up on the TALLEST of pedestals.:D

Seriously, your wife will LOVE LOVE the spa.

The kids will LOVE Waterworks. Even if they are too young/small for the slides, they have the kiddie slides, dump bucket, water squirting from random holes ( and other kids shooting you:mad: )

 

I agree with an above poster.

Can you drive to PC and spend the night, and then wake up the morning of and drive down to Miami?

Probably not ideal, but will save you some cash.

 

Where are the pilot "perks"?:D

 

Either way, enjoy your cruise.

Let us know what you decide.

By the looks of the "POLL", the Breeze is winning by a landslide.

[Singer4Him]

So basically it boils down to: Should we splurge and spend an additional $1,750 for a Breeze, Cloud 9 balcony experience OR should we save the money and do a more traditional Carnival experience on the Valor?

 

While I would love to get to sail aboard the Breeze, I tend to look at numbers. Personally, I think I would save that $1,750 and use it to book another cruise for just you and your wife...possibly an anniversary cruise or something. That would definitely get you the Husband of the Month award in my book! :D

 

The cruise that we are currently booked on aboard the Dream is less than $1,500 for the cruise itself and that's a cove balcony. Plus, I love the Conquest class of ships so I think it would be neat to get to experience the Valor.

[Linda the Book Lover]

While I would love to get to sail aboard the Breeze, I tend to look at numbers. Personally, I think I would save that $1,750 and use it to book another cruise for just you and your wife...possibly an anniversary cruise or something. That would definitely get you the Husband of the Month award in my book! :D

 

The cruise that we are currently booked on aboard the Dream is less than $1,500 for the cruise itself and that's a cove balcony. Plus, I love the Conquest class of ships so I think it would be neat to get to experience the Valor.

 

Love your thinking for the husband of the month award! Yep book two cruises Tapi!

[Tapi]

Love your thinking for the husband of the month award! Yep book two cruises Tapi!

 

 

Look at my signature. Cruise #2 is only for the adults. [emoji3]

[ASchaff]

We always cruise out of Port Canaveral or Tampa because of the location. Miami is a long drive for us and even if the cruise is cheap we rarely see it as being worth it. I like port hole or interior rooms as well, so my vote goes to the Valor. We are booked on her for the end of this year.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Hello fellow Cruise Critic friends:

So basically it boils down to: Should we splurge and spend an additional $1,750 for a Breeze, Cloud 9 balcony experience OR should we save the money and do a more traditional Carnival experience on the Valor? Either way, I'm sure we'll have a blast. We'll be sailing on a ship we've never been on before to places we've never sailed to before.

 

Do the porthole rooms on the breeze and use that savings for airfare.

 

I have sailed the Breeze and the Liberty (conquest class same as Valor) and I liked the Breeze a bit more.

 

If you can drive 4 more hours then try it and save even more money.

Edited April 21, 2015 by Rottweiler Puppy

[Tapi]

Where are the pilot "perks"?:D

 

 

We can fly down to Miami for free, but on a standby basis. If I had some days to play with, I'd take a chance. But on a Friday night, at the beginning of the summer vacation, when all flights will most likely be packed, there's no way I'd play the game!

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Look at my signature. Cruise #2 is only for the adults. [emoji3]

 

Looks like you settled on the Valor as well. It will be fun.

[KPfromCT]

We can fly down to Miami for free, but on a standby basis. If I had some days to play with, I'd take a chance. But on a Friday night, at the beginning of the summer vacation, when all flights will most likely be packed, there's no way I'd play the game!

 

Ahhhhhhh. I don't blame you!!!:D

I know how you feel about cutting it close.

I would consider driving to PC, spend the night, and then make the rest of the drive the following morning.....

[rtap23]

I would also do the Breeze. We always do the 13 hour drive to Miami. We usually like to get there a few days ahead of our cruise to enjoy Miami but on several occasions have had to drive the all nighter 13 hour one shot arriving at Port in the morning. Definitely doable.

[laumicmah]

Look at my signature. Cruise #2 is only for the adults. [emoji3]

So, you booked the Valor. As I mentioned above, we went with the Valor. We are driving there too. We wanted the DR, San Juan, Grand Turk and St Thomas itin the week of Aug 6...so Valor it is. I am excited. I hope it goes to dry dock and gets a Red Frog and Guy's Burgers added before Aug 2016. If not, it will still be a great cruise...I booked an aft extended balcony :D. Congrats on your Valor cruise and enjoy the QM2.

Edited April 21, 2015 by laumicmah

[bwaz]

My question would be about your son's last day of school. At the age of 6 it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for him to miss the last day of school, giving you extra time to drive to Miami or stopping somewhere along the way and continuing the next day to the ship. As I recall (and it's been a while) there isn't much going on during that time. Since I don't know what happens in your son's school district that's a decision you need to make. Personally I would do the Breeze. I've done both ships and the Breeze has more to offer hands down.

 

You know best as to your own family and school. I agree Carnival Cutie, tho. Our last day is often shorter than a regular day with not so much actual school work. If there is a concern for missed work, the teacher may give you an assignment that can be done easily on vacation like a story to read. I would not let that last day stop me from the optimum arrangements. Either way you and your family will have a blast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my LG-D801 using Forums mobile app

[Tapi]

Looks like you settled on the Valor as well. It will be fun.

 

 

Not yet. I had the Valor on my signature before I posted the question. It's going to be though decision. The poll results seem VERY close to call! Haha.

[tea4ular]

You may want to confirm that children are able to be booked in the Cloud 9 cabins.

 

I last cruised on the Splendor (Cloud 9 spa balcony cabin) and had heard from neighbors that friends had to book elsewhere due to having under-aged kids with them (they didn't want to have them using the spa, just be in the cabin). The Cloud 9 cabins were (as in past tense) set aside as a quiet, non-smoking (before all cabins/balconies were) area.

 

We love the Cloud 9 cabins, and the spa itself.

[shipty2]

I know I am in the minority here but I have sailed both ships and wouldn't go on the Breeze again but if the price was right I would sail on the Valor a second time.

 

Why is that you may ask?

1)The décor of the Breeze was not interesting to us in the least. I like a ship that is not decorated like my home ie I love over the top Carnival-ie farcus décor or really beautiful finishes ie Disney dream décor. There wasn't one room on the Breeze where any of my family said 'Oh wow look at that!" It is all very nice and pleasant though-very much like a new Holiday Inn so not ugly just not interesting in any way.

 

2) That floor in the lido buffet area is slippery as hell so passing through I ended up with one foot on the carpeted area and one foot on tile to make sure I didn't fall and break a leg-no I am not elderly or infirm in any way

 

3)Trying to find a seat in the buffet area at lunch was problematic ie we had to get a table first then each go for our food.

 

4)Getting back on the ship took much longer than pretty much any cruise I can recall out of 20 cruises.

 

5)Room service took so long by the time it came (close to an hour 3 times) we were falling asleep.

 

 

I had no complaints about the Valor in any away. :)

[legion3]

You may want to confirm that children are able to be booked in the Cloud 9 cabins.

 

I last cruised on the Splendor (Cloud 9 spa balcony cabin) and had heard from neighbors that friends had to book elsewhere due to having under-aged kids with them (they didn't want to have them using the spa, just be in the cabin). The Cloud 9 cabins were (as in past tense) set aside as a quiet, non-smoking (before all cabins/balconies were) area.

 

We love the Cloud 9 cabins, and the spa itself.

 

No we are booked in a quad cabin with our 8 and 5 year old. Have been for a year. Only the first two passengers booked get spa access. They have multiple quad cabins in spa 9 (unlike Vista - thanks carnival:mad:)

[Honolulu Blue]

I'm one of those oddballs that voted for the Valor. It was my first ship and I have sailed on her twice, so I think I know her well. I've never sailed on the Breeze.

 

I, too, think portholes are way cooler than balconies - though I've never stayed in a balcony.

 

If the money saved means NOTHING and the on-board ship experience means EVERYTHING, then by all means book the Breeze. I'm sure she's nicer, newer, prettier, and more exciting. I'm also sure she'll be around next year and/or the year after that and maybe you can find a better opportunity to cruise on her then.

[Tapi]

You may want to confirm that children are able to be booked in the Cloud 9 cabins.

 

 

My PVP confirmed that the kids will be allowed to be booked on a Cloud 9 stateroom but without spa privileges, which is perfect! [emoji41]

[Oppalopa]

Yes. The problem that we have is that my son literally finishes school the day before, so in order to drive and make it to Miami with time to spare, we'd need to drive through the night, making it to Miami very early in the morning, to then wait around to board the ship. Not a good way to start a vacation with a grouchy, sleep deprived family. That's why if we do the Breeze, we would fly. We'd catch a late afternoon flight on Friday and be at the hotel by 730pm, get a good night rest and then be rested and ready to go in the morning.

 

I know that an extra 3.5 hours doesn't sound like much, but with small children in tow and the mandatory food and bathroom breaks, it turns into an extra 5 hours for us. If we had extra days before the cruise, we would take the advice of driving a few days early and breaking up the drive. But with my son's school schedule, it won't happen this time. [emoji51]

Tapi Have you ever thought of taking the train Kids love it easier than flying. Kids will love it.

[Tapi]

I would question the need to have a hotel room - why not fly in the morning of the cruise? I do that all the time from NY.

 

 

Working for the airlines, and fully knowing ALL the things that could potentially go wrong , I would never fly on the morning of the cruise. I know that a lot of people do it with no problems, but with my luck [emoji256], it will be my flight the one that's canceled or delayed. The cost of a hotel room is worth my peace of mind and I always consider it a part of the equation.