Valor Review, Spring Break with PICS

[newt98]

i'm not the best writer, but i'll do my best to give a decent review. For starters, the wife and i have been on three previous cruises, two Carnival and one Princess. We loved all three of our cruises, looked forward to our fourth, and have a southern booked for 2010 on Carnival also.

 

This is our first cruise with the kids, twin girls 20, three boys ages 12, 14, and 17. We would be flying out of Spokane, Washington to Fort Lauderdale, then cruising out of Miami.

 

For starters, this was a great cruise, and a great ship, with great staff and food. We loved the itinerary, though i wish it was broken up a bit, four ports in a row were difficult. there were things that weren't so great, but that didn't deter us from having a great time. We were originally supposed to sail with John Heald, but he had to leave the ship so we were left with Charlie Davidson. He was o.k., he came to our CC meet & greet and answered questions and told some stories, so i guess that was good. But during the cruise, i ran across him at least three times as he was standing talking to crew members or just walking through the ship, and i was kind of thrown off by the fact that he never said hi or smiled or anything. And it's not that i really care, but when the rest of the staff appears to be required to, and the entertainment staff is always smiling and greeting you, it would seem that the guy in charge should lead the way in this respect. He just seemed standoff-ish to me.

 

And speaking of entertainment staff, the assistant cd was Gary from england, and we had sailed with him last year on the triumph and did the british trivia with him, and we liked him alot. we didnt see him around as much this year as last though, it seems he might have more responsibilites as the assistant cd this year.

 

We didnt do many of the activities on the ship this year, the only show we went to was the legends sow at the end. we did go to the welcome aboard show, but after seeing eddie capone, we got up and went to bed. i don't know if it was because we had the kids with us this time, but we just did not stay out late this year on our cruise.

 

I'll go ahead and post some pics and go from there, i told you i wasnt a writer.

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting in the airport in spokane

 

 

Yea!! we took off!!

 

 

This is the view from our hotel in FLL at the Courtyard Marriott. i got it on Priceline for around 125 a night. it was right on the strip, so as soon as we walk out, we were right in the thick of things, it was a good place to tay for a few nights.

 

 

This was the wonderful FLL weather we had, it was windy and sometimes rainy for most of the pre-cruise stay.

 

 

Here are the kids directly behind the hotel.

[newt98]

oh, i don't think i mentioned our sail date, it was march 29, 2009. so we had a pretty large roll call group, at least until we got on the boat. the day before the cruise we met up with keri and her daughter brooklyn from the roll call, and just walked around the strip and had a drink. we had wanted to get more people together ahead of time, but it just didnt work out. it was nice meeting people that we had been talking with on the net for so long.

 

after spending one day in FLL we decided to drive to miami and visit south beach. the weather was so much better in miami. after driving around endlessly, we finally found parking. and i cannot believe how many guys carry a man purse, yes a murse. i guess i'm just not that cool. maybe if i was, i wouldnt have lost the $40 from my pocket when i went into the surf. luckily for me me credit cards and driver license stayed put.

 

 

me and dw in FLL enjoying the weather.

 

 

ds as we were watching the ships leave port in FLL.

 

 

big boys on a little bike.

 

 

our boys hangin out by a tree in miami south beach.

 

 

headed out to the beach at south beach, i would soon be $40 poorer.

 

 

headed to the beach.

[newt98]

so this our last day in FLL/Miami before we get on the boat. we had rented a car at the FLL airport, and we are returning it to the miami airport, then taking the free shuttle to the port from the miami airport. i had reservations at Avis, and i had used the employee discount for the rental like i did last year, but this year they asked for the employee i.d., so i had to move on to Thrifty, but i had reservations at three different rental companies in case that had happened.

 

 

on the strip on south beach.

 

 

finally made it to the beach.

 

 

the water looked great!

 

 

i think i can see my $40 slipping out of my pocket.

 

 

now i know how they smuggle cuban cigars into the country.

 

 

let the force be with you.

[hotpinkpanther]

I am loving your photos, wish I was at the beach right now. Keep em coming!

[newt98]

So we got up on sunday, the morning of our cruise, around 7:00. we left our hotel in FLL about 9:30. by the time we stopped for gas and food, and then found the rental dropoff at the miami airport, which was a pain in the rear, it was around 10:30 or so. we then got onto the shuttle and headed for the port. i think we got to the port just after 11:00. we walked right through security with no waiting, and no line.

 

once you get through security, you get in lines depending on which floor you are on. so while we're in line, i start thinking about what i read here on the boards about a VIP express pass that is attached to the underside of some of the seats. so i look over towards the seat, and i can see a big sticker kind of hanging on the underside of a seat. so i talk my kid into running over there and grabbing it. and it was a vip express pass, so we would be one of the first on the ship, cool.

 

so we are sitting in line and around 11:30 they start checking people in. our line had one person doing the check-ins, while other lines had three people doing check-ins. so ours was moving pretty slowly, and when they announced to look under your seat, we were still getting our S&S card. it looks like there about four or five of these cards our there. but we just had to wait until we got our S&s cards, then we proceeded to go to the ship.

 

this time we actually stopped for the cheesy photo, and we bought it! this was the first pic we ever bought on carnival, but it was a good picture of the family, so we got suckered in to their little scheme.

 

we then proceeded to the ship where there was a line on deck three waiting to get in. we didnt have to wait long though, and before we knew it, we had made it on the ship. the kids were just amazed at what the inside of a cruise ship looks like, with the lights, the high atrium, and all the decorations.

 

so we headed up to lido so i could get my reuben. the line was short, and by 12:40 i was eating my first reuben on the ship, and very happy.

 

ok, i think i'm getting carried away with too many details. so i'll just put up some more pics.

 

here we are waiting on deck 3 to swipe our cards and get our pic taken.

 

 

me and dw on deck 3 in port of miami.

 

 

the kids and the football that would soon join Wilson from castaway.

 

 

miami from the deck of the ship.

 

 

miami fire rescue boat having fun in the water.

[Bran8778]

Awesome so far!!! I can't wait to read more :)

 

The cigar thing made me LOL!!!!

 

MORE PICS!!!

[newt98]

so we finish our food, and head to our room at 1:30. somw people got impatient and opened the doors to the corridor while room stewards were still cleaning. those over anxious peeps didnt really care and just went to their rooms. we waited until a carnival employee came on the floor, which was around 1:45. i didnt mind waiting, i would rather give the guys the time they need to make my room ready.

 

there was a meet and greet at 2:00, but we were getting our luggage, and my wife does not leave the room until she is unpacked, which is fine by me, i just layed on the bed and chilled. we had 3 balcony cabins, 6281, 83, and 85. we were port side about midship. we had two connecting cabins, so there was a door that connected our room with the boys room. this was a good set-up for us. in the boys room there was a pull down bed from the ceiling, along with the two twin beds. the rooms were great. the location wasn't.

 

the room were very close to the elevators and the atrium, so we could hear the ding of the elevators throughout the night, and we could hear the music and noise fron the atrium three floors down. i did have a hard time falling asleep at times, i am extremely sensitive to noise when trying to get to sleep. the dw didnt have that hard of a time, but the girls in the ither cabin did. they had to go to sleep with the tv on because of the noise. the noise wasnt extremely horrible, but it is something to consider with that location.

 

so we didnt go to the M&G, but we did get to the muster in plenty of time. we should have waited like so many other rude pax did. i wish everybody would take this advice, "just get your a$$ down there, and get it over with". they make us wait there until every last straggler comes strolling down. then the drill starts, and i dont know if this is charlies first muster or not, but OMG! get on with it. you don't need to waste our time there telling us about the camp carnival activities, he slick marble floors, holding the hand rail as walk down the stairs, etc......

 

i could not believe how long he went on and on and on about ship safety and the events that would be going on during the cruise. the boat started pulling away while we were still in muster stations. i generally like to be on the lido when the ship sets sail. when he was done with his "i have a dream" speech, the crowd erupted in cheer. finally, on our way.

 

 

gimme your best "we're sinking" face.

 

 

gimme your best, eh, or worst, face.

 

 

this must have been before charlie started speaking.

 

 

first miami vice of the day, charlie has definately stopped speaking at this point.

 

 

the girls have moved on to the blue hawaii, the dw is stuck in miami.

 

 

the dw thinks she is alone on the dance floor.

[DaDivaMom]

Loving your review and loving the pics of your family. They are cuties for sure. We are again sailing the Valor in Sept. with our 1 week away from being 20 daughter and our 16 year old son.

 

Your review is getting me in da mood:p

[newt98]

this is alot of posts for the first day on the ship, so i'll try moving a little faster. we got a new camera for this trip, a canon rebel. we've always just had a point and shoot, so the dslr is new territory for us, i tried a few different things, so i'll just some of the night shots or still shots that i took.

 

i think this pic was before the blue hawaii's, but i'm not certain.

 

 

this is the buffett station at rosies restaurant.

 

 

this is deck 5 below our room near the coffee and dessert bar.

 

 

aft pool.

[newt98]

ok, last post of the night. i'll try to get sea day, cayman, and roatan done tomorrow night, then belize, coz, sea day the next night.

 

i thought the funnel looked cool at night.

 

 

just another shot of the funnel at night.

 

 

at night on the valor.

 

 

 

 

last pic of the night.

[falkcor]

this is alot of posts for the first day on the ship, so i'll try moving a little faster. we got a new camera for this trip, a canon rebel.

 

great review thus far! don't worry about too many posts - they're great! btw, pics from the new camera look awesome.

[newt98]

Awesome so far!!! I can't wait to read more :)

 

The cigar thing made me LOL!!!!

 

MORE PICS!!!

 

 

lol:D

[newt98]

great review thus far! don't worry about too many posts - they're great! btw, pics from the new camera look awesome.

 

thanks!:)

[Smoofdaddy]

Really good pics!!! The Valor at night looks cool!

[lukegr]

fantastic review - makes me feel like i'm there! your youngest boy's pose on that tree is so funny, also the jedi picture - priceless.

[falkcor]

last pic of the night.

 

wow. i said pics looked awesome without this last round. even better! and i'll just say - i really appreciate your current pace / posting, better than 'faster'. :cool:

[newt98]

fantastic review - makes me feel like i'm there! your youngest boy's pose on that tree is so funny, also the jedi picture - priceless.

 

yea, got lucky on the jedi shot.

 

wow. i said pics looked awesome without this last round. even better! and i'll just say - i really appreciate your current pace / posting, better than 'faster'. :cool:

 

i wish i had gone out at night more with that camera. i only went out one night, oh well, always got next year.

[newt98]

wow. i said pics looked awesome without this last round. even better! and i'll just say - i really appreciate your current pace / posting, better than 'faster'. :cool:

 

looks like you posted a pretty nice review of your own on your destiny cruise.

[falkcor]

yea, got lucky on the jedi shot.

i wish i had gone out at night more with that camera. i only went out one night, oh well, always got next year.

 

jedi shot was awesome. and you've got time, but break that camera in and figure out what it can do! great results thus far. :D

[falkcor]

looks like you posted a pretty nice review of your own on your destiny cruise.

 

i sure tried! and i'm sure you noticed... it wasn't exactly, fast... quite frankly, i still consider it a work in progress and will (one day) complete it finally... lots been going on in the meanwhile, however. but i'm more a writer than i was a photographer at that point.

now, i regret i didn't take more pictures! so, play it out at your own speed. it's great to look back on it - for yourself, personally, to have a snapshot in time, as it were - and other that are just interested in reading your review!

[deeolasingh]

Thanks!!!!

awesome thread.... Im cruising Valor in aug and couldnt wait but now after reading and looking at your pic I really cant wait:D Im suuupppperrr excitednow.. keep the review and pics coming....

[twinsmom1994]

ok, last post of the night. i'll try to get sea day, cayman, and roatan done tomorrow night, then belize, coz, sea day the next night.

 

i thought the funnel looked cool at night.

 

 

just another shot of the funnel at night.

 

 

at night on the valor.

 

 

 

 

last pic of the night.

 

These pictures are great! Can I ask you what settings you used to take these night shots? I, too, just got a Canon Rebel and don't have a clue how to use it yet. But this is exactly what I got it for, to get shots like this on cruises! Thanks!

[jdbmga]

Great review! Can't wait to read the rest. We are thinking of the Valor for July 2010.

[PaulMedik]

............

 

 

at night on the valor.

 

 

 

 

last pic of the night.

 

 

newt98,

 

Great review and great pics!

[carm225]

This is the first review I've read in a long time that actually has me laughing out loud! I was nearly in tears reading about the murses, the big boys on little bikes, and the Cubans! :D

 

Keep up the great review and your family is adorable!

 

BTW, which rebel did you buy? I'm looking into getting one and I'm just not sure which model to buy!