Very LONG, very detailed review of Carnival Valor - W. Carribean

[TeeBuccs]

Sorry for the length, but I thought I would provide a detail review for future cruisers...

My family and I just returned from our week long vacation upon the Valor. DH and I (mid 30's to early 40's) along with sister & brother-in-law, 4yo nephew and mother & father-in-law enjoyed our time together. For anyone interested, here is my review. Let me preface this by stating this review is simply my opinion on our Valor experience. I have not sailed with CCL since my honeymoon in 1998 (not the best experience in the world) but since this was a family outing and CCL offers military discounts, we opted to try the line again. DH and I have sailed three RCI cruises within the last five years so I will use those experiences as my basis for comparison. In retrospect I can honestly say that both lines have some unique pluses and minuses, so I will do my very best to be honest and fair in this review.

April 29 - Embarkation in Miami

The traffic around the port was crazy but since my family lives in FL, we hitched a ride with them straight to the ship. The parking garage was nuts but once we got in line to board the ship, the process moved very efficiently. DH and I had Cat. 11 cabin on the Empress Deck so we were treated to the VIP check-in process. We were on board within 5 minutes of entering the queue. From what I could tell, CCL has this process down pat.

Once on board (around 1:30) we explored, dropped off our carry-on luggage at the room, and went to Rosie's for the lunch buffet. Before we knew, it was time for the cruisers favorite exercise - the muster drill. This was completed in a timely manner and within 15 minutes the ship was sailing. Upon returning to the cabin briefly to store the life vests, we noticed on the cabin television you can check your Sail & Sign account. Surprisingly our automatic gratuity charges ($70 some dollars per person) were already posted to our account before the ship event was through the Miami channel. I thought this was a bit presumptuous, but hey...what are you going to do?

That evening in the dining room the atmosphere was a bit more casual than usual as passenger luggage is not guaranteed to arrive to cabins until 7pm. We were fortunate to receive our three bags in a timely manner and were able to unpack before dinner. There is ample storage space for empty luggage underneath the bed - a very nice feature of the cabin. We had cabin #7282 port side towards the bow – great centrally located cabin!

April 30 - Day at Sea

DH and I woke up early and opted to hit the gym for a workout and then grab breakfast at Rosie's. We were in and out by 9am and as we walked across the pool deck, noticed plenty of open chairs (even right next to the main pool.) As the day wore on the crowd picked up significantly and chair space did become a premium. The deck party began around noon and I moved up to the 12th deck to bask in the shade underneath some ship structures. From here I had a great view of the party below and could watch folks enjoy the water slide. The Valor has at least three water activity areas on board - the main pool on deck 9 outside of Rosie's, the waterslide that ends in a shallow waterway, and a pool on the very aft portion of deck 9 by the 24hr. pizza parlor. There are hot tubs next to both of the pools, in the spa, even two on the very bow of the ship. I never observed anyone using the two up front, but then again they are hardly private as everyone on the bridge has a front row seat.

Tonight at dinner was formal night in the dining room (in addition to being the much anticipated "lobster" night.) Everyone I observed was dressed appropriately and there were dozens of opportunities to have formal portraits taken. CCL appears to have cornered the market on photography with the sheer number and variety of backdrops and opportunities for portrait taking - then again it is a huge money maker for them! The casino was rocking and rolling all night but we turned in by 11pm in anticipation of our busy AM in port.

May 1 - Grand Cayman

DH and I have visited this port before so we were comfortable with the tender process to get to shore. Tender tickets were handed out beginning around 7:30am, but within an hour all guests were invited to go ashore. The tender line seemed to move quickly as the seas were smooth and the ship was relatively close to the pier. Upon arriving on shore surprisingly none of the shops were open yet so we just mingled around for an hour or so. DH & I had booked private excursion with Captain Marvin for snorkeling at Sting Ray City and the Coral Garden. We have used this tour company before and knew what to expect - it did not disappoint yet again! There were 5 ships in port on this day (slow season) so thankfully we got out to the sandbar before the cruise ship excursions. Ricky & Roy were great and helped our group of 14 interact with the rays - even convinced folks to "kiss" it for seven years of good luck!

On the return tender trip to the ship, be forewarned that if you maximize your time in port, you will stand in a long, hot line. Every time we have visited Cayman it seems to take at least 45 minutes to get back to the ship. Folks around us in line even commented

it would have been quicker to swim back to the ship as it was anchored so close to shore. I am not quite sure what the long delays are for in this port, but they seem to be consistent once you get within an hour or so of the last tender. On a side note, we were told at this port to take a photo id (driver’s license or passport) ashore with you. In order to even board a tender here you must show security both a photo id and your sail and sign card.

May 2 - Roatan (off the coast of Honduras)

This is a tender port and when we arrived at 11am ship time (9am local time) the public street just beyond the pier was extremely hectic. We had booked a private island tour with Victor Bodden tours for the day and had no problems finding them just across the street. We quickly learned that we were the only ship arriving that week (May-June is the slow season) so naturally many of the locals were out soliciting business. There appeared to be few tiny stores within close proximity to the pier, but if you don't have an excursion planned at this port, I don't imagine there is a lot to do. Our driver Willson was amazingly friendly and dependable, and he showed us the best of the island. We stopped a few times as we drove towards the east end of the island (there are two ship wrecks just off the coast that provide good photo opps.), we tried sugar cane juice, and finally made our first official stop - the iguana farm. I wasn't sure what to expect for the $5pp admission fee but it turned out to be worth it. Over 4,000 iguanas move around the property freely and camouflage everywhere. We got some great photos of iguanas up close and personal, even got to feed them. Pretty cool. If you visit the iguana farm be sure to walk down the hill to the pier where there are amazing views of the waterfront as well as an aquatic area full of tarpon, barracuda, sea turtles, lobsters, etc.

From here we traveled back to the west end of the island, stopping at Victor Bodden's house to meet his pet monkeys. Little "Taco" and her brother were so much fun to be around as they jumped from person to person and played. These monkeys have been socialized with people and interact nicely. We were told they roam the property freely when ships are not in port, but today they were tethered to prevent them from climbing the trees and not interacting with visitors. Victor is a true nature lover and has a bunch of other animals - all very adorable. From here we traveled to Half Moon Bay Resort for lunch. Beautiful property along the water with plentiful area for snorkeling, swimming and sunning. We sat on the deck of the restaurant in the shade soaking in the atmosphere. The food was excellent in my opinion along with the great local brew. DH had the fried shrimp and I had the coconut shrimp (they were huge) and quite tasty. We also had an order of conch fritters for an appetizer - these were the best fritters EVER! If you like conch, you have to try these - full of minced conch and very little filler. YUM!!! DH and I had two beers, two sodas, meals, 1 appetizer and paid for our driver's lunch - all for a total bill of around $48USD. Pretty good deal. On a side note, if you opt to eat here be prepared to be visited by some of the local feral kittens who are very sweet - nearly everyone fed them.

May 3 - Belize

This is another tender port, but this time the tenders are a substantial ride (at least 15 minutes). Turns out the water right around Belize City is only 6 feet deep so the ships have to anchor far off shore. This port was actually quite developed with a large shopping village located right at the tender area. One of the first sites you see upon entering the city is the obligatory Diamonds International (sadly) and every 100 feet or so it seemed there were more of these stores. The good news is there were also some local craft and tee-shirt stores, and a pharmacy run by an American. Once again we had pre-arranged with a local tour company by the name of Coral Breeze to shuttle us to Caye Caulker (an outlying island about 40 minutes away from the city) for snorkeling on the barrier reef (2nd largest in the world) and Shark Ray Alley. The snorkeling on the reef was the best snorkeling I have ever done - Ash & Henni pointed out a ton of sea critters including eel, conch, sting rays, tarpon, barracuda, etc.. We snorkeled about 40 minutes. Swimming back to the boat from the reef was a little treacherous even though I am a strong swimmer; I was glad I had opted to take the optional life vest with me on this snorkel as there was a strong undertow / current. The second snorkel stop was Shark Ray Alley and it proved to be a really neat stop. We were warned that as boats pull up the sandbar, nurse sharks swim over eagerly; however, when someone actually enters the water they generally take off. Turns out on this trip many of the sharks hung around the boat as well the rays.

Upon completion of the water adventure we took to land to have lunch at a local restaurant at the pier. We spent about 1 hour at the Caye and then hauled back to the city dock. There was still about an hour to enjoy before catching a tender back to the ship so we did a little bit of shopping and a lot of waiting in the very long tender line. The good news at this port is that there are several bars and restaurants that line the boardwalk. In the blaring hot sun it was nice to grab an ice cold beer or soda as you stood in line. Many folks continued to do some last minute shopping, leaving a family member in the tender line to hold their place. We noticed here that the tenders shuttling passengers appeared to be a hodge podge of boats - no two look the same. They got the job done but effectively, but some definitely looked more comfortable than others.

May 4 - Coasta Maya (2 ships in port)

Ok, when the cruise director joked about the mile walk to shore from this pier I assumed he was exaggerating. Not at all! It is a long haul, but one well worth the journey. Once you reach land you are funneled into a shopping mecca with a large swim up pool bar and sunbathing area. DH and I had booked a private fishing charter on the “Hannibal” at Mahahual, so we immediately headed to the far right of this maze to find the taxi stand. Here you pre-pay $3pp for transportation to the downtown (5 minute taxi ride) which drops you off at the start of the Mahahual pedestrian (sand) walkway. Since we arrived early, we opted to walk down the beach front road to check the area out. Most of the shops and bar/restaurants were already open and soliciting business. If you have ever been to Playa del Carmen - this little town will remind you of that quaint area years ago before it became so commercialized.

Along the street we spoke with Hugo at the famous Cat's Meow and also stopped at El Faro which has a nice beachfront area. They both seemed like great little places to settle down but we had a charter to catch, so we walked back to Tequila Beach. The private fishing charter was excellent, nice large cabin cruiser and we were quite successful at catching barracuda, dolphin fish, mahi-mahi, and grouper. We quickly learned there is a reef about 10 feet from the shore and once you cross it, you are immediately in the open, high seas. The large cabin cruiser rocked heavily side to side in large waves which we were told is standard for this port. We have never fished in such conditions and spent a good deal of our time trying to ensure we didn't fall overboard while reeling in fish. It was a memorable experience to say the least.

After rocking and rolling about for three hours we were understandably happy to be back on dry land. We opted to spend the rest of our time at Tequila Beach where they cooked up one of our fish for $5 a plate. YUM! Nice spread - it included the prepared Mahi along with fresh tortillas, rice, tomato, avocado, lime, etc. Great eating at a nice waterfront table with music, sand and surf. The resort had a dj providing entertainment and several folks participated in dancing contents and activities while others swam and snorkeled just off shore. This beach appeared to be quite pleasant and I fell in love with Rooco - a little feral kitten that the resort feeds and takes care of.

As we returned to the port shopping village to look around, we again noticed several obligatory Diamonds International, and a lot of little local vendors. This "port area" was literally packed with wall to wall people swimming, drinking and sunbathing. My in-laws opted to stay in the port area for the entire day and told us how much they loved it; but for me personally, I could have sunbathed, swam, and had drinks back on the ship - the same basic experience. When in a new city/country, I much prefer to get out and really see and experience it. To each their own...

May 5 - Day at Sea

Sadly the last day snuck up on us. By this time I had enough of the sun and heat (although the pool decks served as proof that my fellow passengers were not in agreement as they were packed with sun worshipers). DH and I opted to stay indoors and get a jump on the packing so we wouldn't have to rush around that evening. This gave us a chance to look at the ship’s stores, attend some of the shows and events the ship had to offer (such as the "Not so Newlywed Game"), and just relax after a very busy week. That evening was a free for all in the casino and we along with many other passengers virtually closed down the casino around 2am.

May 6 - Disembarkation

CCL offers self disembarkation first thing in the morning for those who wish to carry all of their belongings off the ship themselves. DH and I opted to leave our bags in the hall the night before and just waited for our luggage tag color to be called. Had breakfast at Rosie's and by 9am Empress Blue had been called. Once off the ship we were dumped into a warehouse looking facility where you need to look for signs indicating your tag color. The first thing you should do is grab a porter as they will speed you through any custom lines (don't misunderstand, you still have to go through customs but porters have a "special lane" that bypasses all others.)" Upon finding our bags we followed our porter out to the taxi stand - what a zoo! There seems to be no organized process for this you just mill around and flag down drivers. Several couples standing near us were snubbed by the drivers as they were only going to Miami Beach - the taxis appeared to only be interested in the longer hauls to either the MIA airport or Ft. Lauderdale. Just as we really began to get frustrated, an independent transportation company came by and offered to take us and 10 others via a white van with separate luggage trailer to the Miami airport for only $9pp. Taxi fare would have been $28 so this wasn't a bad deal.

OVERALL SUMMARY

THE SHIP (Grade: B+)

The Valor's theme is red, white & blue - Americana. In typical cruise ship fashion some areas can be visually busy, and this ship is no exception. I would however say that the Valor isn't overly gaudy - I especially liked the lobby area. Most of the decks are easy to navigate and not many "dead ends." The Ivanhoe Theatre is themed with knights, shields, and family crests; while the Show Gun Casino is full of samurai warrior figures. Interesting assortment, but somehow the ship pulls it all together. My only complaint (which will not be popular with many of you) is the smoke on board. I am not a smoker and it seemed every time I turned around in many of the public areas there was constantly a lot of smoke. Due to chronic sinusitis, smoke is difficult for me to continually inhale, so I consider myself pretty sensitive to it.

THE FOOD (Grade: C) (with exception to Scarlett's)

Let me preface these comments by stating that I realize how difficult it has to be to prepare meals for 3000+ people each day. Their hard work does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. I don’t go on a cruise exclusively for the food, rather for the overall adventure. So with that said, as a general rule, I was disappointed in the meals served in the formal dining room. I have however, sailed on other ships (via other lines) and have had better quality dishes. I felt the food on the Valor was simply average. I would however agree with many of the CC posters that the warm melting chocolate cake was pretty good - rich, but good! They offered it every night for desert.

The best food we ate on board this week was at Scarlett's - the $30pp super club that requires reservations. I highly recommend that everyone try it at least once. Great service, good entertainment, and excellent meals. DH had lobster that was dramatically different than that served in the dining room and my filet was mouth watering. Another great hidden gem is "Fish & Chips" on the second level of Rosie's. Wonderful breaded fish and cerviche (some of the best I've ever had).

As for Rosie's buffet - it was pretty good for buffet. Breakfast had all the usual expected items (including an omelet station) and lunch offered a decent variety. There are two sides to the buffet (the front and back side of the dining hall) and also two small side specialty areas - the deli (serving great rubens) and an Asian cookery. It wasn't hard to find something of interest - even if only a good salad. Note: If you opt to skip the formal dining room for dinner, your only option is to have a reservation at Scarlett's, eat pizza or go to Rosie's. We did this one night and were disappointed that Fish & Chips wasn't open.

The 24hr. pizza is good, but expect a short wait as it is a very popular place. Soft serve ice cream was excellent on a hot day but we noticed we usually had to go to the aft of the ship to find a machine working around the clock. The midnight buffet looked impressive, but I didn't partake. Also for lunch behind Rosie's on the aft of the ship is a grill that serves hot dogs and burgers with fries. Good alternative especially with kids.

THE SUSHI BAR (Grade: B+)

Although only open from 5:00-8:00pm, good little place to stop by for an appetizer. This is tucked away on the other side of the casino away from the shops. Interesting variety of combinations I have never tried before. Although this isn't your sushi joint at home, it isn't too bad and we enjoyed it almost nightly.

THE ROOM STEWARD (Grade: A)

We were very pleased with the service we received in our cabin daily. In fact as we walked the cabin corridors, all room steward attendants were very pleasant. No complaints here. And yes, they do create towel animals nightly when they turn down your bed.

THE DINING ROOM STAFF (Grade: C)

For any dire hard CCL cruisers you may have had a different experience, so please note this is JMO. This was the one area I felt was truly lacking. It might have just been our table/area. Although our waiter was professional and polite (and I acknowledge how hard the staff does in fact work) there was very little personal interaction. On previous cruises our wait staff after a few nights, would anticipate our likes (i.e. if we drank iced tea each night we wouldn't have to always ask for it or request refills), discuss our adventures of the day, and/or make recommendations for the evening. This cruise seemed more laid back and not have as much emphasis on service. Additionally the maitre'd (Mr. V) stopped by our table once during the entire week to introduce himself. On RCI ships I have sailed in the past, the maitre'd really interacted with passengers and took the time to talk with the entire table. It was hard to want to tip someone who hasn't even taken the time to bond with you at all.

THE ENTERTAINMENT (Grade: A-)

At the very beginning of our cruise I feared the cruise director Chris would begin to annoy me; however, I was pleasantly wrong. He was a nice guy, good personality, and very informative. By the end of the cruise I truly appreciated all the work and energy he put into his job. (In fact his was the only voice heard over the PA the entire week - with one exception while returning to Miami when the captain finally made an announcement.) From what I understand this was the captain's last cruise for two months as he was going on vacation himself, so perhaps he allowed Chris to take over. The other entertainment coordinators were average and worked hard to engage the crowds during the usual cruise ship antics. Be sure to find out what “color team” you are on (red, white, or blue) early on in the cruise as this is a popular phrase you will hear throughout the week.

The singers and dancers on the Valor were excellent. I particularly enjoyed their tribute to the 80's Friday evening. The singers were Adrian and Marvin. The female singer was decent (sometimes she sounded like she was shouting), but I thought Marvin had an excellent voice. Overall together, very nice. On some evenings there were comedians, even a ventriloquist – all of whom were outstanding. The late night adult comedy show was a nice touch for those staying up late. You should definitely plan to catch the R&B show featuring Yolanda; she does a great show and blew me away with her voice!

Around the ship there were various venues, bands, and entertainment to enjoy. I really enjoyed Tom (guitar player/singer) who played in the casino bar. He could perform anything from modern songs to Jimmy Buffet, etc. It was a nice touch when you just wanted to sit back, relax, and observe the action in the casino without losing money. Although it wasn’t mind kind of music, those who enjoy classical music will like the pianist playing in the lobby bar in the evenings.

OUR FAVORITE PORT - DH and I can't decide as they were all beautiful, unique and worth exploring...

- Favorite food: Roatan at Half Moon Bay

- Best snorkel: Belize Caye Caulker

- Best shopping: Belize

THE BARS (Grade: A)

Never had a problem with getting a soda or drink when needed - bar service was good. My favorite (and a hidden gem) was Jeanie's Wine Bar. They serve a daily martini special that with tax and gratuity came to around $4.50. Good drink, a good deal and Zuzzana the bartender is very nice. Didn't ever see anyone in the Bronx Bar and the Disco (One Small Step - with moon landing theme) usually always had at least a small crowd. Tried to go into piano bar once but it was packed wall to wall with people (must be fun).

Note on Soda cards - DH and I purchased one after we set sail and took full advantage of it. It costs approximately $43 for the week. The breakdown is based upon $5.50pp which breaks down to three sodas a day for breakeven. It was nice to grab a soft drink or juice in the evening before heading back to the cabin. All sodas are in cans and poured over ice so no issue with flat soda - they even had caffeine free diet coke so good assortment to chose from.

THE PHOTOGRAPHY (Grade: A)

This ship has plentiful opportunities for formal and informal photography - nearly every night. Vast amount of backdrops available, unparallel to any other ship I have been on before. I am not big into formal 8x10' shots but they did a nice job. Keep in mind though that this is a huge money maker for them so I would expect them to do it well.

THE CASINO (Grade: B)

Decent size with fair number of table games and slot machines. They also had an electronic Texas Hold 'em table which was pretty popular throughout the cruise. We saw a man win a progressive on an electronic poker slot machine that paid over $3300 - so some folks were getting lucky! Played a lot of Caribbean Poker, blackjack, and craps but noticed that the dealers were not extremely friendly. I suppose they really don't need to be, but a few would almost yell at patrons while others just didn't even crack a smile. The exception was Renzo (really cute dealer) and a personable dealer by the name of Guilty. Worst part of the casino was easily the amount of constant smoke. (Typical for a casino).

No matter what your preference in cruise lines, it would be hard not to enjoy a cruise on the Valor. Overall it was a nice experience. I still believe my preference is RCI, but I acknowledge RCI is a more expensive option, not always justifiable for everyone.

[TakeMeAway1001]

Great review! We were along side you on your cruise (Legend) and I think we were with you on the Cpt Marvins tour, did a glass panel shatter on your tour??? In Costa Maya we watched from our balcony as two Valor passengers came staggering back after the second horn had blown and I remember thinking how I could never be that daring. Glad to hear you had a nice time and thanks for the review, they are what keeps me going until the next cruise.

Take care~

[Donna - dsw]

Thanks for sharing. Loved your review.

[TennisLover]

Great review! We loved our Valor cruise two years ago (we were in Cozumel rather than Costa May). I'm ready to go back!

 

One comment about service in the dining room -- as you noted, it depends on your servers. We usually have great service, but on one cruise, it was noticeably lacking in the dining room (not on our Valor cruise).

 

Thanks for the cruise fax this morning!

[TeeBuccs]

Great review! We were along side you on your cruise (Legend) and I think we were with you on the Cpt Marvins tour, did a glass panel shatter on your tour??? In Costa Maya we watched from our balcony as two Valor passengers came staggering back after the second horn had blown and I remember thinking how I could never be that daring. Glad to hear you had a nice time and thanks for the review, they are what keeps me going until the next cruise.

Take care~

 

 

LOL TakeMeAway, it is funny everytime I turned around I saw the Legend at all the same port of call. It was comforting to know another large ship was constantly sailing close by in case either ship needed assistance

 

As for the Captain Marvin's tour - we did the 10am tour with Ricky & Roy. We were on a two-story cabin cruiser with a black canvas flybridge. I don't recall on glass panel shattering so this must have been another vessle of theirs. Golad to hear you enjoyed the trip. I can't believe it has already come and gone - would love to be back on those islands again!

[landyn]

Honduras was a tender port? I was on this cruise as well and don't remember tendering to port. If it was, I must have had way too many cocktails.

[DqALEX]

Sorry for the length, but I thought I would provide a detail review for future cruisers...

My family and I just returned from our week long vacation upon the Valor. DH and I (mid 30's to early 40's) along with sister & brother-in-law, 4yo nephew and mother & father-in-law enjoyed our time together. For anyone interested, here is my review. Let me preface this by stating this review is simply my opinion on our Valor experience. I have not sailed with CCL since my honeymoon in 1998 (not the best experience in the world) but since this was a family outing and CCL offers military discounts, we opted to try the line again. DH and I have sailed three RCI cruises within the last five years so I will use those experiences as my basis for comparison. In retrospect I can honestly say that both lines have some unique pluses and minuses, so I will do my very best to be honest and fair in this review.

April 29 - Embarkation in Miami

The traffic around the port was crazy but since my family lives in FL, we hitched a ride with them straight to the ship. The parking garage was nuts but once we got in line to board the ship, the process moved very efficiently. DH and I had Cat. 11 cabin on the Empress Deck so we were treated to the VIP check-in process. We were on board within 5 minutes of entering the queue. From what I could tell, CCL has this process down pat.

Once on board (around 1:30) we explored, dropped off our carry-on luggage at the room, and went to Rosie's for the lunch buffet. Before we knew, it was time for the cruisers favorite exercise - the muster drill. This was completed in a timely manner and within 15 minutes the ship was sailing. Upon returning to the cabin briefly to store the life vests, we noticed on the cabin television you can check your Sail & Sign account. Surprisingly our automatic gratuity charges ($70 some dollars per person) were already posted to our account before the ship event was through the Miami channel. I thought this was a bit presumptuous, but hey...what are you going to do?

That evening in the dining room the atmosphere was a bit more casual than usual as passenger luggage is not guaranteed to arrive to cabins until 7pm. We were fortunate to receive our three bags in a timely manner and were able to unpack before dinner. There is ample storage space for empty luggage underneath the bed - a very nice feature of the cabin. We had cabin #7282 port side towards the bow – great centrally located cabin!

April 30 - Day at Sea

DH and I woke up early and opted to hit the gym for a workout and then grab breakfast at Rosie's. We were in and out by 9am and as we walked across the pool deck, noticed plenty of open chairs (even right next to the main pool.) As the day wore on the crowd picked up significantly and chair space did become a premium. The deck party began around noon and I moved up to the 12th deck to bask in the shade underneath some ship structures. From here I had a great view of the party below and could watch folks enjoy the water slide. The Valor has at least three water activity areas on board - the main pool on deck 9 outside of Rosie's, the waterslide that ends in a shallow waterway, and a pool on the very aft portion of deck 9 by the 24hr. pizza parlor. There are hot tubs next to both of the pools, in the spa, even two on the very bow of the ship. I never observed anyone using the two up front, but then again they are hardly private as everyone on the bridge has a front row seat.

Tonight at dinner was formal night in the dining room (in addition to being the much anticipated "lobster" night.) Everyone I observed was dressed appropriately and there were dozens of opportunities to have formal portraits taken. CCL appears to have cornered the market on photography with the sheer number and variety of backdrops and opportunities for portrait taking - then again it is a huge money maker for them! The casino was rocking and rolling all night but we turned in by 11pm in anticipation of our busy AM in port.

May 1 - Grand Cayman

DH and I have visited this port before so we were comfortable with the tender process to get to shore. Tender tickets were handed out beginning around 7:30am, but within an hour all guests were invited to go ashore. The tender line seemed to move quickly as the seas were smooth and the ship was relatively close to the pier. Upon arriving on shore surprisingly none of the shops were open yet so we just mingled around for an hour or so. DH & I had booked private excursion with Captain Marvin for snorkeling at Sting Ray City and the Coral Garden. We have used this tour company before and knew what to expect - it did not disappoint yet again! There were 5 ships in port on this day (slow season) so thankfully we got out to the sandbar before the cruise ship excursions. Ricky & Roy were great and helped our group of 14 interact with the rays - even convinced folks to "kiss" it for seven years of good luck!

On the return tender trip to the ship, be forewarned that if you maximize your time in port, you will stand in a long, hot line. Every time we have visited Cayman it seems to take at least 45 minutes to get back to the ship. Folks around us in line even commented

it would have been quicker to swim back to the ship as it was anchored so close to shore. I am not quite sure what the long delays are for in this port, but they seem to be consistent once you get within an hour or so of the last tender. On a side note, we were told at this port to take a photo id (driver’s license or passport) ashore with you. In order to even board a tender here you must show security both a photo id and your sail and sign card.

May 2 - Roatan (off the coast of Honduras)

This is a tender port and when we arrived at 11am ship time (9am local time) the public street just beyond the pier was extremely hectic. We had booked a private island tour with Victor Bodden tours for the day and had no problems finding them just across the street. We quickly learned that we were the only ship arriving that week (May-June is the slow season) so naturally many of the locals were out soliciting business. There appeared to be few tiny stores within close proximity to the pier, but if you don't have an excursion planned at this port, I don't imagine there is a lot to do. Our driver Willson was amazingly friendly and dependable, and he showed us the best of the island. We stopped a few times as we drove towards the east end of the island (there are two ship wrecks just off the coast that provide good photo opps.), we tried sugar cane juice, and finally made our first official stop - the iguana farm. I wasn't sure what to expect for the $5pp admission fee but it turned out to be worth it. Over 4,000 iguanas move around the property freely and camouflage everywhere. We got some great photos of iguanas up close and personal, even got to feed them. Pretty cool. If you visit the iguana farm be sure to walk down the hill to the pier where there are amazing views of the waterfront as well as an aquatic area full of tarpon, barracuda, sea turtles, lobsters, etc.

From here we traveled back to the west end of the island, stopping at Victor Bodden's house to meet his pet monkeys. Little "Taco" and her brother were so much fun to be around as they jumped from person to person and played. These monkeys have been socialized with people and interact nicely. We were told they roam the property freely when ships are not in port, but today they were tethered to prevent them from climbing the trees and not interacting with visitors. Victor is a true nature lover and has a bunch of other animals - all very adorable. From here we traveled to Half Moon Bay Resort for lunch. Beautiful property along the water with plentiful area for snorkeling, swimming and sunning. We sat on the deck of the restaurant in the shade soaking in the atmosphere. The food was excellent in my opinion along with the great local brew. DH had the fried shrimp and I had the coconut shrimp (they were huge) and quite tasty. We also had an order of conch fritters for an appetizer - these were the best fritters EVER! If you like conch, you have to try these - full of minced conch and very little filler. YUM!!! DH and I had two beers, two sodas, meals, 1 appetizer and paid for our driver's lunch - all for a total bill of around $48USD. Pretty good deal. On a side note, if you opt to eat here be prepared to be visited by some of the local feral kittens who are very sweet - nearly everyone fed them.

May 3 - Belize

This is another tender port, but this time the tenders are a substantial ride (at least 15 minutes). Turns out the water right around Belize City is only 6 feet deep so the ships have to anchor far off shore. This port was actually quite developed with a large shopping village located right at the tender area. One of the first sites you see upon entering the city is the obligatory Diamonds International (sadly) and every 100 feet or so it seemed there were more of these stores. The good news is there were also some local craft and tee-shirt stores, and a pharmacy run by an American. Once again we had pre-arranged with a local tour company by the name of Coral Breeze to shuttle us to Caye Caulker (an outlying island about 40 minutes away from the city) for snorkeling on the barrier reef (2nd largest in the world) and Shark Ray Alley. The snorkeling on the reef was the best snorkeling I have ever done - Ash & Henni pointed out a ton of sea critters including eel, conch, sting rays, tarpon, barracuda, etc.. We snorkeled about 40 minutes. Swimming back to the boat from the reef was a little treacherous even though I am a strong swimmer; I was glad I had opted to take the optional life vest with me on this snorkel as there was a strong undertow / current. The second snorkel stop was Shark Ray Alley and it proved to be a really neat stop. We were warned that as boats pull up the sandbar, nurse sharks swim over eagerly; however, when someone actually enters the water they generally take off. Turns out on this trip many of the sharks hung around the boat as well the rays.

Upon completion of the water adventure we took to land to have lunch at a local restaurant at the pier. We spent about 1 hour at the Caye and then hauled back to the city dock. There was still about an hour to enjoy before catching a tender back to the ship so we did a little bit of shopping and a lot of waiting in the very long tender line. The good news at this port is that there are several bars and restaurants that line the boardwalk. In the blaring hot sun it was nice to grab an ice cold beer or soda as you stood in line. Many folks continued to do some last minute shopping, leaving a family member in the tender line to hold their place. We noticed here that the tenders shuttling passengers appeared to be a hodge podge of boats - no two look the same. They got the job done but effectively, but some definitely looked more comfortable than others.

May 4 - Coasta Maya (2 ships in port)

Ok, when the cruise director joked about the mile walk to shore from this pier I assumed he was exaggerating. Not at all! It is a long haul, but one well worth the journey. Once you reach land you are funneled into a shopping mecca with a large swim up pool bar and sunbathing area. DH and I had booked a private fishing charter on the “Hannibal” at Mahahual, so we immediately headed to the far right of this maze to find the taxi stand. Here you pre-pay $3pp for transportation to the downtown (5 minute taxi ride) which drops you off at the start of the Mahahual pedestrian (sand) walkway. Since we arrived early, we opted to walk down the beach front road to check the area out. Most of the shops and bar/restaurants were already open and soliciting business. If you have ever been to Playa del Carmen - this little town will remind you of that quaint area years ago before it became so commercialized.

Along the street we spoke with Hugo at the famous Cat's Meow and also stopped at El Faro which has a nice beachfront area. They both seemed like great little places to settle down but we had a charter to catch, so we walked back to Tequila Beach. The private fishing charter was excellent, nice large cabin cruiser and we were quite successful at catching barracuda, dolphin fish, mahi-mahi, and grouper. We quickly learned there is a reef about 10 feet from the shore and once you cross it, you are immediately in the open, high seas. The large cabin cruiser rocked heavily side to side in large waves which we were told is standard for this port. We have never fished in such conditions and spent a good deal of our time trying to ensure we didn't fall overboard while reeling in fish. It was a memorable experience to say the least.

After rocking and rolling about for three hours we were understandably happy to be back on dry land. We opted to spend the rest of our time at Tequila Beach where they cooked up one of our fish for $5 a plate. YUM! Nice spread - it included the prepared Mahi along with fresh tortillas, rice, tomato, avocado, lime, etc. Great eating at a nice waterfront table with music, sand and surf. The resort had a dj providing entertainment and several folks participated in dancing contents and activities while others swam and snorkeled just off shore. This beach appeared to be quite pleasant and I fell in love with Rooco - a little feral kitten that the resort feeds and takes care of.

As we returned to the port shopping village to look around, we again noticed several obligatory Diamonds International, and a lot of little local vendors. This "port area" was literally packed with wall to wall people swimming, drinking and sunbathing. My in-laws opted to stay in the port area for the entire day and told us how much they loved it; but for me personally, I could have sunbathed, swam, and had drinks back on the ship - the same basic experience. When in a new city/country, I much prefer to get out and really see and experience it. To each their own...

May 5 - Day at Sea

Sadly the last day snuck up on us. By this time I had enough of the sun and heat (although the pool decks served as proof that my fellow passengers were not in agreement as they were packed with sun worshipers). DH and I opted to stay indoors and get a jump on the packing so we wouldn't have to rush around that evening. This gave us a chance to look at the ship’s stores, attend some of the shows and events the ship had to offer (such as the "Not so Newlywed Game"), and just relax after a very busy week. That evening was a free for all in the casino and we along with many other passengers virtually closed down the casino around 2am.

May 6 - Disembarkation

CCL offers self disembarkation first thing in the morning for those who wish to carry all of their belongings off the ship themselves. DH and I opted to leave our bags in the hall the night before and just waited for our luggage tag color to be called. Had breakfast at Rosie's and by 9am Empress Blue had been called. Once off the ship we were dumped into a warehouse looking facility where you need to look for signs indicating your tag color. The first thing you should do is grab a porter as they will speed you through any custom lines (don't misunderstand, you still have to go through customs but porters have a "special lane" that bypasses all others.)" Upon finding our bags we followed our porter out to the taxi stand - what a zoo! There seems to be no organized process for this you just mill around and flag down drivers. Several couples standing near us were snubbed by the drivers as they were only going to Miami Beach - the taxis appeared to only be interested in the longer hauls to either the MIA airport or Ft. Lauderdale. Just as we really began to get frustrated, an independent transportation company came by and offered to take us and 10 others via a white van with separate luggage trailer to the Miami airport for only $9pp. Taxi fare would have been $28 so this wasn't a bad deal.

OVERALL SUMMARY

THE SHIP (Grade: B+)

The Valor's theme is red, white & blue - Americana. In typical cruise ship fashion some areas can be visually busy, and this ship is no exception. I would however say that the Valor isn't overly gaudy - I especially liked the lobby area. Most of the decks are easy to navigate and not many "dead ends." The Ivanhoe Theatre is themed with knights, shields, and family crests; while the Show Gun Casino is full of samurai warrior figures. Interesting assortment, but somehow the ship pulls it all together. My only complaint (which will not be popular with many of you) is the smoke on board. I am not a smoker and it seemed every time I turned around in many of the public areas there was constantly a lot of smoke. Due to chronic sinusitis, smoke is difficult for me to continually inhale, so I consider myself pretty sensitive to it.

THE FOOD (Grade: C) (with exception to Scarlett's)

Let me preface these comments by stating that I realize how difficult it has to be to prepare meals for 3000+ people each day. Their hard work does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. I don’t go on a cruise exclusively for the food, rather for the overall adventure. So with that said, as a general rule, I was disappointed in the meals served in the formal dining room. I have however, sailed on other ships (via other lines) and have had better quality dishes. I felt the food on the Valor was simply average. I would however agree with many of the CC posters that the warm melting chocolate cake was pretty good - rich, but good! They offered it every night for desert.

The best food we ate on board this week was at Scarlett's - the $30pp super club that requires reservations. I highly recommend that everyone try it at least once. Great service, good entertainment, and excellent meals. DH had lobster that was dramatically different than that served in the dining room and my filet was mouth watering. Another great hidden gem is "Fish & Chips" on the second level of Rosie's. Wonderful breaded fish and cerviche (some of the best I've ever had).

As for Rosie's buffet - it was pretty good for buffet. Breakfast had all the usual expected items (including an omelet station) and lunch offered a decent variety. There are two sides to the buffet (the front and back side of the dining hall) and also two small side specialty areas - the deli (serving great rubens) and an Asian cookery. It wasn't hard to find something of interest - even if only a good salad. Note: If you opt to skip the formal dining room for dinner, your only option is to have a reservation at Scarlett's, eat pizza or go to Rosie's. We did this one night and were disappointed that Fish & Chips wasn't open.

The 24hr. pizza is good, but expect a short wait as it is a very popular place. Soft serve ice cream was excellent on a hot day but we noticed we usually had to go to the aft of the ship to find a machine working around the clock. The midnight buffet looked impressive, but I didn't partake. Also for lunch behind Rosie's on the aft of the ship is a grill that serves hot dogs and burgers with fries. Good alternative especially with kids.

THE SUSHI BAR (Grade: B+)

Although only open from 5:00-8:00pm, good little place to stop by for an appetizer. This is tucked away on the other side of the casino away from the shops. Interesting variety of combinations I have never tried before. Although this isn't your sushi joint at home, it isn't too bad and we enjoyed it almost nightly.

THE ROOM STEWARD (Grade: A)

We were very pleased with the service we received in our cabin daily. In fact as we walked the cabin corridors, all room steward attendants were very pleasant. No complaints here. And yes, they do create towel animals nightly when they turn down your bed.

THE DINING ROOM STAFF (Grade: C)

For any dire hard CCL cruisers you may have had a different experience, so please note this is JMO. This was the one area I felt was truly lacking. It might have just been our table/area. Although our waiter was professional and polite (and I acknowledge how hard the staff does in fact work) there was very little personal interaction. On previous cruises our wait staff after a few nights, would anticipate our likes (i.e. if we drank iced tea each night we wouldn't have to always ask for it or request refills), discuss our adventures of the day, and/or make recommendations for the evening. This cruise seemed more laid back and not have as much emphasis on service. Additionally the maitre'd (Mr. V) stopped by our table once during the entire week to introduce himself. On RCI ships I have sailed in the past, the maitre'd really interacted with passengers and took the time to talk with the entire table. It was hard to want to tip someone who hasn't even taken the time to bond with you at all.

THE ENTERTAINMENT (Grade: A-)

At the very beginning of our cruise I feared the cruise director Chris would begin to annoy me; however, I was pleasantly wrong. He was a nice guy, good personality, and very informative. By the end of the cruise I truly appreciated all the work and energy he put into his job. (In fact his was the only voice heard over the PA the entire week - with one exception while returning to Miami when the captain finally made an announcement.) From what I understand this was the captain's last cruise for two months as he was going on vacation himself, so perhaps he allowed Chris to take over. The other entertainment coordinators were average and worked hard to engage the crowds during the usual cruise ship antics. Be sure to find out what “color team” you are on (red, white, or blue) early on in the cruise as this is a popular phrase you will hear throughout the week.

The singers and dancers on the Valor were excellent. I particularly enjoyed their tribute to the 80's Friday evening. The singers were Adrian and Marvin. The female singer was decent (sometimes she sounded like she was shouting), but I thought Marvin had an excellent voice. Overall together, very nice. On some evenings there were comedians, even a ventriloquist – all of whom were outstanding. The late night adult comedy show was a nice touch for those staying up late. You should definitely plan to catch the R&B show featuring Yolanda; she does a great show and blew me away with her voice!

Around the ship there were various venues, bands, and entertainment to enjoy. I really enjoyed Tom (guitar player/singer) who played in the casino bar. He could perform anything from modern songs to Jimmy Buffet, etc. It was a nice touch when you just wanted to sit back, relax, and observe the action in the casino without losing money. Although it wasn’t mind kind of music, those who enjoy classical music will like the pianist playing in the lobby bar in the evenings.

OUR FAVORITE PORT - DH and I can't decide as they were all beautiful, unique and worth exploring...

- Favorite food: Roatan at Half Moon Bay

- Best snorkel: Belize Caye Caulker

- Best shopping: Belize

THE BARS (Grade: A)

Never had a problem with getting a soda or drink when needed - bar service was good. My favorite (and a hidden gem) was Jeanie's Wine Bar. They serve a daily martini special that with tax and gratuity came to around $4.50. Good drink, a good deal and Zuzzana the bartender is very nice. Didn't ever see anyone in the Bronx Bar and the Disco (One Small Step - with moon landing theme) usually always had at least a small crowd. Tried to go into piano bar once but it was packed wall to wall with people (must be fun).

Note on Soda cards - DH and I purchased one after we set sail and took full advantage of it. It costs approximately $43 for the week. The breakdown is based upon $5.50pp which breaks down to three sodas a day for breakeven. It was nice to grab a soft drink or juice in the evening before heading back to the cabin. All sodas are in cans and poured over ice so no issue with flat soda - they even had caffeine free diet coke so good assortment to chose from.

THE PHOTOGRAPHY (Grade: A)

This ship has plentiful opportunities for formal and informal photography - nearly every night. Vast amount of backdrops available, unparallel to any other ship I have been on before. I am not big into formal 8x10' shots but they did a nice job. Keep in mind though that this is a huge money maker for them so I would expect them to do it well.

THE CASINO (Grade: B)

Decent size with fair number of table games and slot machines. They also had an electronic Texas Hold 'em table which was pretty popular throughout the cruise. We saw a man win a progressive on an electronic poker slot machine that paid over $3300 - so some folks were getting lucky! Played a lot of Caribbean Poker, blackjack, and craps but noticed that the dealers were not extremely friendly. I suppose they really don't need to be, but a few would almost yell at patrons while others just didn't even crack a smile. The exception was Renzo (really cute dealer) and a personable dealer by the name of Guilty. Worst part of the casino was easily the amount of constant smoke. (Typical for a casino).

No matter what your preference in cruise lines, it would be hard not to enjoy a cruise on the Valor. Overall it was a nice experience. I still believe my preference is RCI, but I acknowledge RCI is a more expensive option, not always justifiable for everyone.

That was the best review I have read yet on this board. ThanK you. I really want to try the Valor. Very well written review

[TakeMeAway1001]

We took the early tour 8:15am, it was fun despite the window breaking. Glad you had a nice cruise, I am scanning my Currents Magazine right now and thinking about either the Miracle or Liberty for Oct 08 ;)

[florida cruiser girl]

Honduras was a tender port? I was on this cruise as well and don't remember tendering to port. If it was, I must have had way too many cocktails.

 

I was also on this cruise in April & we DID NOT tender on Roatan either!

I actually have a picture as we were pulling away of the dock!! Maybe a typo!!???

Brings back good memories though!!

[jckvpa0]

Nicely written review, thank-you !

[jervid]

thanks for such a great review.. we're saling on the Valor July8th and i'm impatiently counting the days down....lol

[Karysa]

Thanks for taking the time and writing such a thorough and objective review. We are cruising the Valor at New Years and CCL's prices at that time of the year and the way the itinery worked for us so that we can celebrate at sea and have N.Y.'s day a sea day are the two reasons why. Pricepoint is very important when you are vacationing with 5.

[777mjrseb]

I was on the Valor at the same time, Victor Bodden does offer a great tour for 30 a person we got a drive to take us all over the island it was great. I think it was a typo as well Roatan was not a tender port.

[judyzoo]

Nice review! I too was going to ask about tendering at Roatan; we definitely docked in March when we were there. I quite agree with the OP's assessment of the food in the main dining room, although our servers were, apparently, more attentive and personable that the OP's.

[TeeBuccs]

I was also on this cruise in April & we DID NOT tender on Roatan either!

I actually have a picture as we were pulling away of the dock!! Maybe a typo!!???

Brings back good memories though!!

 

 

Yep, you got me! This was a typo - trying to recall all the details, my mind played tricks on me. You are RIGHT this is a port where the ship docks. I should have remembered that since the local performers were right outside our suite singing and dancing and fun to watch. Thanks for pointing out that error...

 

:)

[rt63]

Thanks for the nice review. Yeah, Roatan... almost like a tender, the dock is about the size of a rowboat...

 

Sounds like Terence, the former Maitre'd in Lincoln, was part of the source of the dining room atmosphere. I remember his "It's Showtime!" vividly. It really is hit or miss on servers, hopefully your tablemates were good though. We were lucky to have great tablemates on Valor (8pm in Lincoln).

 

Here's a photo of Zuzana from Jeanne's wine bar...

 

Roger

[vlwalker]

Enjoyed your review. I'm looking forward to sailing on her soon.:)

[neatokimmo]

Do you have any pictures of the Legend? I have tons of the Valor!

 

[TeeBuccs]

I actually do have some photos of the Legend and Valor together in a few of the ports. Are you seeking a copy of one?

[stellarfish]

Thanks for the great, thorough review! :)

 

DH and I are planning to take the W. Caribbean cruise on the Valor this fall, and all your info was very helpful! Appreciate it!

[TeeBuccs]

If anyone has questions, please let me know and I will try to do my best to answer them. I know I love reading others reviews so will do my best to reciprocate!

[neatokimmo]

Yes please :) I have just two good pictures of the Legend, the best ones of the Valor were from our Lido deck as we were pulling into port. I am thinking there are probably a lot of Valor passengers that have lots of pictures of the Legend :)

 

 

I actually do have some photos of the Legend and Valor together in a few of the ports. Are you seeking a copy of one?

[rebeljohn]

Wow! VERY nice review. Thanks for posting!!!!

[Fishtales6]

Would love to see your pics of the Valor. We are under the thirty day mark for our cruise...

 

thanks in advance..

 

Carl

 

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