Which ship...Carnival Valor or Legend? Help me decide!!

[renee&felix]

Hi all!!

 

New to these boards, my husband and I have been on 1 cruise before, the Carnival Fantasy to the Bahamas in 2002. We are going on another cruise in September 2007 to the Western Carribean, getting a balcony cabin and need suggestions. We have never been to any of the ports listed below.

 

Here's my question for you cruise fanatics...Which cruise would you take and why?

 

We are deciding between the Carnival Valor, leaving 9/16/07 from Miami, with stops in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Roatan Islands, Honduras; Belize; and Costa Maya, Mexico; with 2 sea days. Balcony cabins on this ship start at $699. OR...

 

The Carnival Legend, leaving 9/16/07 from Tampa, with stops in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Belize; Cozumel, Mexio; and Costa Maya, Mexico; with 2 sea days. Balcony cabins on this ship start at $639.

 

We are flying in the day before the cruise, and airfare to either of these cities is about the same from upstate NY. Would also like recommendations on hotels to stay at for one night. How are both of these airports? Easy to navigate? THANK YOU for any suggestions on which cruise to take.

[Knights on the Beach]

From what I've read it seems most people prefer the Spirit class ships (Legend) over the Conquest class ships (Valor). I am just the opposite. I really prefer the Triumph class and Conquest class ships. I love the tiered decks by the pools, and I just prefer the layout of the bigger ships. On the other hand, I'd rather cruise out of Tampa instead of Miami, but I wouldn't let that be the deciding factor in choosing a cruise. The itineraries are similar, so maybe you could decide if you'd rather visit Cozumel or Honduras?

[KroozFoolz]

I'd rather cruise out of Tampa instead of Miami, but I wouldn't let that be the deciding factor in choosing a cruise.

I agree but Tampa did seem "easier" to me, and going under that bridge was "cool."

The itineraries are similar, so maybe you could decide if you'd rather visit Cozumel or Honduras?

Yes, that might be what helps you make the choice.

As far as the balconies and pricing, make sure you are not comparing a 7A (obstructed balcony) on Legend with an 8A on Valor, when looking at what prices balconies "start at."

[THERAPYCRUISE]

I was on the dec. 24th sailing of the Valor in a balcony cabin. This was an awesome cruise with fantastic things to do in the ports ( western Carib.). I was with a group of 15, most 1st time cruisers, and my husband who hates cruises and he loved this one. I don't know about the other ship but I would highly reccomend this cruise on the Valor.:D

[rajntra]

Hi all!!

 

New to these boards, my husband and I have been on 1 cruise before, the Carnival Fantasy to the Bahamas in 2002. We are going on another cruise in September 2007 to the Western Carribean, getting a balcony cabin and need suggestions. We have never been to any of the ports listed below.

 

Here's my question for you cruise fanatics...Which cruise would you take and why?

 

We are deciding between the Carnival Valor, leaving 9/16/07 from Miami, with stops in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Roatan Islands, Honduras; Belize; and Costa Maya, Mexico; with 2 sea days. Balcony cabins on this ship start at $699. OR...

 

The Carnival Legend, leaving 9/16/07 from Tampa, with stops in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Belize; Cozumel, Mexio; and Costa Maya, Mexico; with 2 sea days. Balcony cabins on this ship start at $639.

 

We are flying in the day before the cruise, and airfare to either of these cities is about the same from upstate NY. Would also like recommendations on hotels to stay at for one night. How are both of these airports? Easy to navigate? THANK YOU for any suggestions on which cruise to take.

 

Simple choice for us, we booked the Legend for 9/16, cabin 6182. I've read to many good things about the Spirit class to choose another.

[cuyahoga11]

When we booked those were our 2 choices. Chose the legend and it was awsome. Spirit class ship is my altime favorite.

[renee&felix]

Alright...Legend it is!! Thank you everyone for your responses! Your responses, coupled with my husbands input, has us going on the Carnival Legend on Sept. 16th...so, rajntra...we'll see you there!!!

 

Thanks again,

Renee

[cuyahoga11]

I guarentee you will not be sorry

[popcorngal]

We did that cruise on the Miracle last year and it was great. Our favorite port was Costa Maya where we just went into the little fishing village of Majahual and just hung out on the beach. It was wonderful!

 

We'll be on the Legend in a couple of weeks and we can't wait. It will be our third cruise on her, so there must be something good about it!:D Enjoy!

[rajntra]

Alright...Legend it is!! Thank you everyone for your responses! Your responses, coupled with my husbands input, has us going on the Carnival Legend on Sept. 16th...so, rajntra...we'll see you there!!!

 

Thanks again,

Renee

 

Look forward to it. Meet up with us in the roll call forum. I've got a thread started.

[larkwind]

Please look up the Mayan Ruins tour on the CC port board. We took our four kids (22, 19,17, 4) on it in Jan06 and they all were thrilled (well, maybe not the 4yo...but he enjoyed playing off to the side while we listened to the lecture). We went with Ivan's company...not a ship's tour but "wow" excellent--Ivan's family originally owned the land the ruins were found on. These guys are like college lecturers--the kind you want to listen to all day! It was fascinating.

walk straight off the ship and through the port village to the back, turn right and get in line for a van ticket to Majahual. The road ends at Majahual and Ivan's tour company (sorry, can't remember the name) meets just to the left ahead. They take you to the ruins and then will drop you either back at the port or back in Majahual depending on your time constraints.

I couldn't believe that our girls would pick a lecture/walk in the jungle as their absolute favorite cruise memory...it was that good.

Enjoy!

[cruisealot]

The Legend is great! I am also one of the people who prefer the Spirit class best. To me it's just the right size; not to big and not to small. I think you will have a great time on this cruise.

[cruisealot]

The Legend is great! I am also one of the people who prefer the Spirit class best. To me it's just the right size; not to big and not to small. I think you will have a great time on this cruise.

[tektron]

I'm typing this on the Legend on the 1/3 (eh, 1/4) sailing... and I will state this. Next time I book a Carnival cruise it will *NOT* be on a Spirit class ship. Maybe it was just the winds, maybe it was just the time of year, but criminy-gee-wiz, this ship has rocked like mad pretty much the entire journey. Even during the current light winds this morning (we're currently sailing northeastward, east of Nicaragua at the moment), it's still rocking. I've come across a bunch of people who are miserable from it -- ginger pills, two motion sickness bands and patches behind the ears and they're still sea-sick. So if you get sea-sick easy, something to keep in mind.

[PINEVIEW01]

Alright...Legend it is!! Thank you everyone for your responses! Your responses, coupled with my husbands input, has us going on the Carnival Legend on Sept. 16th...so, rajntra...we'll see you there!!!

 

Thanks again,

Renee

That would be my pick also as I loved the legend over the over the Conquest class ships (Valor). I had a balcony on both. I also rather go out of Tampa than Miami.

 

Your going to have a great cruise:)

[Is it just a Legend?]

I'm typing this on the Legend on the 1/3 (eh, 1/4) sailing... and I will state this. Next time I book a Carnival cruise it will *NOT* be on a Spirit class ship. Maybe it was just the winds, maybe it was just the time of year, but criminy-gee-wiz, this ship has rocked like mad pretty much the entire journey. Even during the current light winds this morning (we're currently sailing northeastward, east of Nicaragua at the moment), it's still rocking. I've come across a bunch of people who are miserable from it -- ginger pills, two motion sickness bands and patches behind the ears and they're still sea-sick. So if you get sea-sick easy, something to keep in mind.

 

Tektron,

I'm jealous! I was on the Dec 18th sailing of the Legend and didn't want to get off! If you see Safet from Bosnia in the Buffet area at breakfast or lunch or in the main dining room at dinner, tell him that Gina from the xmas cruise wants her email! ;)

Gina

[dutchiegirl6]

My family just returned from a Western Caribbean cruise on the Miracle out of Tampa which had the same itinerary as the Legend cruise (Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize, Costa Maya). We loved all the ports, and Tampa was such a breeze for embarkation/disembarkation. I really liked the layout of the Spirit Class ship.

 

As for hotel info... We stayed at the Springhill Suites Westshore in Tampa. They offer a free shuttle from the airport and to the Westshore shopping area (but it's an easy walk there as well.) We really liked the hotel and they arranged transportation to the port for us at $5 pp.

[Knights on the Beach]

I'm typing this on the Legend on the 1/3 (eh, 1/4) sailing... and I will state this. Next time I book a Carnival cruise it will *NOT* be on a Spirit class ship. Maybe it was just the winds, maybe it was just the time of year, but criminy-gee-wiz, this ship has rocked like mad pretty much the entire journey. Even during the current light winds this morning (we're currently sailing northeastward, east of Nicaragua at the moment), it's still rocking. I've come across a bunch of people who are miserable from it -- ginger pills, two motion sickness bands and patches behind the ears and they're still sea-sick. So if you get sea-sick easy, something to keep in mind.

Same experience we had on the 12/10 Legend cruise. We had two days of smooth sailing -- the last two sea days as we were headed north back towards Ft. Lauderdale. The first two days on the way south were very rocky. We were even moving while we were docked in St. Maarten (a first for us). Fortunately, we didn't get seasick, but one of our tablemates did.

[Knights on the Beach]

I'm typing this on the Legend on the 1/3 (eh, 1/4) sailing... and I will state this. Next time I book a Carnival cruise it will *NOT* be on a Spirit class ship. Maybe it was just the winds, maybe it was just the time of year, but criminy-gee-wiz, this ship has rocked like mad pretty much the entire journey. Even during the current light winds this morning (we're currently sailing northeastward, east of Nicaragua at the moment), it's still rocking. I've come across a bunch of people who are miserable from it -- ginger pills, two motion sickness bands and patches behind the ears and they're still sea-sick. So if you get sea-sick easy, something to keep in mind.

Same experience we had on the 12/10 Legend cruise. We had two days of smooth sailing -- the last two sea days as we were headed north back towards Ft. Lauderdale. The first two days on the way south were very rocky. We were even moving while we were docked in St. Maarten (a first for us). Fortunately, we didn't get seasick, but one of our tablemates did.