Carnival Valor Live*/Solo/B2B 11/6-11/11/21 & 11/11-11/15/2021

[princess76021]

just got here,  enjoying already!!  you talk like i think so that's a go!!

 

starting on page 2 now

 

thanks for letting me tag along

hugs from north texas!!

 

[JRL81]

1 hour ago, TravelGirlinDallas said:

Looking forward to it! We've sailed on the Valor twice when she was based in Galveston. I'm interested to see what has been updated during the years since & the drydock. The one thing I remember most were the Pepto-pink MDRs with the enormous purple chandeliers. 😂

Welcome aboard!!! Galveston is is always fun to sail out of as I can drive there day of with an early start! I’m going to age myself as far as cruising here.. my last two cruises out of Galveston were on the Magic and the doodoo cruiser (not that trip but that ship 😂🤣😂) my last few have been out of NOLA and Miami. I will snap and post as many pictures as I can so you can see all her updates!!

[JRL81]

1 hour ago, Shaded Lady said:

Love NOLA... never been on Valor, might have to give her a try after this review., we'll see! Anyway thanks Jay for doing this, it's gonna be fun!!!

Your very welcome!! Great port and awesome town!!! And it’s my pleasure to let others see and read through my eyes as many have done for me since I last cruised and the restart!

 

~Jay~

[Hogladyrider]

@JRL81....my memories of NO are not fond.....walking the streets the morning after......the smell......NOT GOOD.....hopefully its improved.

 

Alcohol, urine, trash, food, do not make a nice aroma!

[JRL81]

55 minutes ago, princess76021 said:

just got here,  enjoying already!!  you talk like i think so that's a go!!

 

starting on page 2 now

 

thanks for letting me tag along

hugs from north texas!!

 

Settle in and have some fun with me!!! It’s always fun to meet fellow thinkers 😂🤣😂 and chime in when you have a question or just wanna give your thoughts!!

[JRL81]

Just now, Hogladyrider said:

@JRL81....my memories of NO are not fond.....walking the streets the morning after......the smell......NOT GOOD.....hopefully its improved.

 

Alcohol, urine, trash, food, do not make a nice aroma!

Welcome aboard!!! That can be a problem if you stay right in the heavily traveled party areas.. my days of that are done lol and in the mornings my breakfast places are in a no doodoo water/smell/“less” garbage strewn area… usually 😂🤣😂

[JRL81]

Thankfully that day is now  over… between a last minute rush, a meeting running over time limit, and a conference call that had me wanting to bang my head on the desk as I could not understand the other 2 parties.. I was able to sneak out and come home. My commute is roughly 20 minutes with prime driving conditions.. for the last 1-1.5 years the highway has been under construction. Making the trip closer to 30-45 minutes. 

 

Que trying to take one of the other two routes… they are BOTH under construction at the same time!!! ALL three routes from point A point B even the longer route tied up.. 🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️
 

So I suffer through it and use it as a time of reflection, meditation, and just go with it… SIGH who am I kidding that don’t work for me!!

😂🤣😂
 

~Jay~

Edited October 22, 2021 by JRL81

[JRL81]

Oh and to top it all off.. when I get home and fire up my Surface.. go to my email to open up the saved copy of my “review” I realize… with the $h!Tahoe at work and being ready to leave I FORGOT TO EMAIL THE UPDATE TO MYSELF!!

 

As I will not be stepping foot back into that office until Monday we are going to proceed with this on the fly for the weekend lol

 

~Jay~

[JRL81]

a trip down memory lane… 😂🤣😂

 

I grew up visiting and eating my way through NOLA… at a very young age the sights, sounds, smells wafting from the restaurants drew me like a moth to a flame… Many mornings I remember sitting with the adults (my great aunt who lived in NOLA for a time, grandparents and my parents) on the patios of some the more less known bakeries, cafes, and coffee shops and my love for NOLA was born! Listening to them talk about the price and crawfish, how the oil industry was starting to sway and swoon, and lord for bid if we spoke down on or bad about the AINTs…

 

As I grew older and my love affair with the city grew I began to visit more in my own and explore.  Then the teenage years hit, the college years were the most interesting as I was FULLY introduced to Mardi Gras… 😂🤣😂 I was addicted!! As a kid we went to the parades heck I even road on a float a few times!! Collected and tossed candy… for some reason I wouldn’t find out till my teenage years I wasn’t aloud to throw beads 🤔🤔

 

I can still remember my first Mardi Gras old enough to go and not old enough to drink… just have fun.. my head was on a swivel!! I would a kid in a candy store!!! Walking down bourbon I see this nice gentleman, read shady as beach umbrella, sitting on an ice chest selling $h!7facers (24oz cans of beer) for $3.00 a piece… I approached him as bravely, calmly, coolly as I could and told him I would give him $20.00 for the whole ice chest.. he says SOLD!!
 

Jumps up hands it to me as I give him the cash and walks off.. Now in my mind I made a good deal!! Looking back I realize it was probably stollen… BUT I had some booze 16 cans worth (icehouse  cringy I know!!!) let the party begin!!! I don’t remember much after that… I wonder why🤔🤔

[JRL81]

Just another quiet night home with a pot pie and a bottle of wine..

I think I did pretty good 😂🤣😂 just kidding… or am I…

[monykalyn]

Storming outside woke me early. Need some distraction and stumbled onto this review! I’m laughing along with you & Valor was my first cruise ever a couple/3 years ago. Hooked me! Panorama coming up in January

Also had a milestone birthday in March 2020 get “cancelled” (50th) along with international trip that May-so I feel your pain there. Did take advantage of insanely cheap travel earlier this year and the 50th 2.0 was spent drinking on a beach in Cancun. 
Haven’t been to NO in years so really looking forward to the sights and food porn to come!

[JRL81]

16 minutes ago, monykalyn said:

Storming outside woke me early. Need some distraction and stumbled onto this review! I’m laughing along with you & Valor was my first cruise ever a couple/3 years ago. Hooked me! Panorama coming up in January

Also had a milestone birthday in March 2020 get “cancelled” (50th) along with international trip that May-so I feel your pain there. Did take advantage of insanely cheap travel earlier this year and the 50th 2.0 was spent drinking on a beach in Cancun. 
Haven’t been to NO in years so really looking forward to the sights and food porn to come!

Welcome aboard!!! I’m glad to see that you were able to still celebrate that birthday!! I had thought about Cano or Isla Mujeres but I just couldn’t pull the trigger as I don’t stay in AI’s there.. I like the hole in the walls back in the city with the locals! But hoping to get back soon! 
 

~Jay~

[JRL81]

Wonderful Saturday morning everyone! Hoping to get some coffee in me then find some breakfast, have a few errands to run then plan to see what type of goodies I can tantalize y’all with today!!

 

~Jsy~

[desiree741]

Sorry not real familiar with how these forums work , is there a way I can follow op? Im really curious about valor as we will be on her thanksgiving. Thanks for all your effort! 

[blarko]

I’ve been trying to say that I’m following along and enjoying your precruise review, but CC is again being temperamental and I haven’t been able to post anything for a few days. Finally able to post, let’s see how long that lasts 😀

[blarko]

Just now, desiree741 said:

Sorry not real familiar with how these forums work , is there a way I can follow op? Im really curious about valor as we will be on her thanksgiving. Thanks for all your effort! 

On my iPad, the follow button is at the top right, just under the title of the review. On my iPhone, the follow button is at the bottom of the review thread. Hope that helps.

[JRL81]

12 minutes ago, blarko said:

I’ve been trying to say that I’m following along and enjoying your precruise review, but CC is again being temperamental and I haven’t been able to post anything for a few days. Finally able to post, let’s see how long that lasts 😀

I have had to play the log out log in game and clear my cookies slot in the last day or two!! Welcome to the party!!

[JRL81]

Ok… so this morning turned into a pleasant surprise. I went for my morning walk to the little cafe up the street for breakfast (no picture as I was so hungry I had eaten half before I remembered 🤦🏼‍♂️) and my old college roommate walks in! So we “chew the fat” and catch up, and he invited me to go play a round of golf with him and his brother as their 4th canceled on them. So home I went and showered grabbed my sticks and to the club I went. Y’all I haven’t swung a club in 3 months, been to busy, was completely shocked when my game was just as bad as it was then!!! 😂🤣😂

 

but we had a great time, a few beers and a late lunch. I’m home now and ready for a nap! I do have some stuff I want to post after my nap and see about some opinions on a few topics. So I’ll be back in a bit! 

 

~Jay~

[pinklucky61]

I'll be jumping on Glory in Feb., so looking forward to your embarkation in N.O.  Hoping, but not expecting things to change much Covid protical wise.  Did you see if FTTF was available on your cruise or still too early for that to be available for Nov cruises?

[JRL81]

1 hour ago, pinklucky61 said:

Did you see if FTTF was available on your cruise or still too early for that to be available for Nov cruises?

When I first booked I was able to snag FTTF… but it was refined a few months later as they announced it would not be running through the end of the year. I was bummed out but it wasn’t really a deal baker so I just shrugged it off and moved on.

 

~Jay~

[JRL81]

That nap was wooooooonderful!!! Now I’m trying to loose the cob webs and decide on dinner… 

[JRL81]

 

we have all lived under the “mask up” rule of law in on daily lives and will continue for the foreseeable future.. but I have a question.. not debating masks… 

 

I’m a chubby bald bearded dude.. yes I wear my mask when requested or in places that request it. I have no problem with that. 

 

This is where my issue come in… the beard.. I don’t have a close trimmed, barley there beard. I mean when I go with out a hair cut I look like a cross between a wookie and Harry from Harry  and the Henderson. I’m talking FULL beard, lumberjack style!!

So when my mask goes on I feel like I look like a circa 1970’s panty ad!!! Hair stickin out everywhere!!! Does anyone else have this issue?!?! I mean when I wear a gator it’s a nonissue but most places say those aren’t acceptable!! 

 

I warned ya my mind wanders!!!! 😂🤣😂

 

~Jay~

[JRL81]

Small rant… I see everyone talking about changes in ports and upset by them. I love going to new ports and I always book for ports I’ve never been to when I can, but frankly, after almost 20 months of not cruising, I’m just so happy to be ON the ship, I don’t care where we go. Right now, ports of call are a bonus in my opinion. I’d be happy just being at sea on a cruise to no where!!!

 

why complain? Why nash your teeth and wail? Just why?!?! Most of us are blessed to be able to cruise in general and I personally am GREATFUL for any day at sea, yes it is a PIA to jump through hoops for these cruises but by Lordy I’m not going to stress, I’m not going to complain if they change my ports of call..

 

I’m going to clock out on the Wednesday before I leave so a happy dance and jog on my way out of that office and be THANKFUL I have the ability to cruise!!! I will be on cruise time from that moment and nothing will take that feeling from me!! 

 

Granted I’m the last I may have stress or complained about this or that.. but not this time.. I’m going be on island time, soak it all in, savor every moment, relish in the fact that it is finally here!!! 
 

It CAN NOT get fast enough for me!!!

 

~Jay~

Edited October 24, 2021 by JRL81

[JRL81]

Gooooood Sunday morning friends!!! I guess the wine and food last night warmed my belly more than I planned and I fell asleep early last night.. between laundry and meal prepping for the week today I have few things to share (since my notes are still on my computer at work) I hope everyone has a great day and I’ll get this rolling once the laundry is started and I get the hunger sated for the morning!

 

~Jay~

Edited October 24, 2021 by JRL81

[SenatorsFan]

Great job so far! Valor was my first Carnival cruise way back when and I can't wait to see the changes. I really do like the blue on the hull. 😀 Heather