First time Trip Report - VALOR - 5th - 12th

[Bontongrl]

Didn't get a chance to make a post this morning, but stay tuned,,,,,

will be back tonight with more,,:D

 

Isn't it amazing how work can get in the way of the fun you are having ? :mad::D

[CruisinloversfromTexas]

This was our late day port, so we didn't get back to the ship until 6 or so, and opted to NOT do the dining room tonight and instead we went to Rosie's to eat. I really enjoyed Rosie's. Unless you are a VERY picky eater, everyone should be able to find something there to enjoy.

 

We all ate various things but I opted to try the grilled rueben sandwich from the Sandwich station. The meat was a little fatty but I still enjoyed it !!

 

 

 

Shivam was the grill master, and he was so adorable that I had to get a picture of him. He made a great sandwich !!!

 

 

 

A word about the wait staff, cabin stewards, or, stewardess ? in our case, her name was Gnonlak, the security staff, the entertainers, the busboys, let's just say everyone we encountered were as professional and friendly as anyone could be. I was very impressed with them all. I don't think I ever saw an unfriendly face all week. They all have such hard jobs, and to think they do it over and over and over again every single week. Imagine having to deal with the public every day all day and always with a smile on your face. Its a hard job and I applaud them all !!

 

After Rosie's we went to the "Motown" show. In fact, we went to all the shows all week and enjoyed them all.

 

After the show, we checked out the thousands of pictures that had been put up on the walls in the photo area. I will tell you, that takes some time to find yourself among thousands, lol,,,,, Not once did I keep those little reminder cards they gave you to FIND yourself on the walls, so it was a hunt every day, and when it was all said and done, despite the desire, we bought very few. lol

 

Back strolling down the promenade deck and ran into Big Tex, so we had to get a picture with him. We Texans have to stick together !!! He was as friendly as can be.

 

 

 

 

We spent the later hours this night at the Casino. Now I, personally, have never been a gambler. I never win anything, so I'm happy to watch the others do it lol

 

DH and DF both played "Let it Ride" for hours that night, and actually won by the end of the night. I was happy just watching them, and the people and the band that was playing close by, and even joined in some of the line dancing that was going on.

 

Hey, I'm a Texan, and we love to line dance !!!

 

Then it was off to bed,,,

 

 

Here's a couple of the cute animal towels our sweet steward made for us each night.

They were adorable !!

 

 

 

 

 

Next day, Belize and Cave Tubing !!!

 

 

Hey Boton girl? You said you were from Texas? What part? I am too...Fort Worth to be exact and we are on the Valor in September.

[mikeinseattle]

For the tubing adventure, do you need to know how to swim? Did anyone fall off their tube during the excursion? And how long was the total time on the tube?

 

Thanks, really enjoying your report. I love the format.

[stunned]

Debbie,

I am really enjoying your review along with everyone else - and would love to know your secret for keeping your hair looking so nice ALL the time. :cool:

 

Judy:)

[cruisingbajan]

Didn't get a chance to make a post this morning, but stay tuned,,,,,

will be back tonight with more,,:D

 

Isn't it amazing how work can get in the way of the fun you are having ? :mad::D

 

So true...that darn work..always knows how to spoil a good time.;):p

 

Looking forward...to the rest of your review great review.

[katiel53]

I love your review. We are going on Dream and will be doing the same itinerary except for Roatan. I am too chicken to do the cave tubing, but I do look forward to Fins N Flippers when we do Legend in April. We have been to Grand Cayman many times but have never done the stingrays, so might have to do them too.

 

Are you going to post all your photos on a site such as Photo Bucket or something? I'd love to see all of them. Also, I love your Martini in your signature. Can I copy it? I don't want to get in trouble if you made it up or if the site from which you received it won't let me do that.

 

On our next cruise I am going to have Mango Martinis and I would love to have that pic in my signature. Thanks.

[kazcuties]

Debbie, thanks a million for the great review & pictures!! You've made some great suggestions that I've incorporated into our cruise at the last minute!!! I am signing off for tonight (on EST time) since we have a very early flight out tomorrow.

 

I'll try to post a review & pics when we return in August and pay it forward :)

 

kazcutes

 

PS ~ too late to order the waterproof cases for my camera:mad:, but know for the next time! waterproof disposable will have to do.... bummer.

[Bontongrl]

Hey Boton girl? You said you were from Texas? What part? I am too...Fort Worth to be exact and we are on the Valor in September.

 

 

Hiya Crusinlovers,

 

We hail from Houston,,,,,, Howdy neighbor to the north !!!

You wil have a great time !!

[Bontongrl]

:D

For the tubing adventure, do you need to know how to swim? Did anyone fall off their tube during the excursion? And how long was the total time on the tube?

 

Thanks, really enjoying your report. I love the format.

 

No Mike, I don't think you need to know how to swim. Major Tom was VERY safety conscious. You are in a tube, you have a life jacket strapped on, and you have a personal guide, 1 per every 8 people.

They kept a good eye on you and our 8 person group was never seperated and we were with our guide the entire time. No one ever fell offf their tubes. We all stay hooked together the entire time., and had anyone become detached, our guide would have been there in a heartbeat to grab us.

 

It had rained a good bit the previous few days, and our guide said the river was running swiftly compared to normal, so the tubing ride was shorter than normal. I'd say we were in the tubes,, hmmmmm, maybe 45 minutes total. It was very relaxing to tube the river.

 

The guides really had all the work. They moved us around when they wanted us in different directions. Hard to believe one guide could move about at least 1,000 lbs around so easily, but they did. They know what they are doing

 

The only downfall to this trip was,,,, tubing without the beer. We are Texans and used to tubing the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers with a tube dedicated totally just to beer. :D:D:D

[Bontongrl]

I love your review. We are going on Dream and will be doing the same itinerary except for Roatan. I am too chicken to do the cave tubing, but I do look forward to Fins N Flippers when we do Legend in April. We have been to Grand Cayman many times but have never done the stingrays, so might have to do them too.

 

Are you going to post all your photos on a site such as Photo Bucket or something? I'd love to see all of them. Also, I love your Martini in your signature. Can I copy it? I don't want to get in trouble if you made it up or if the site from which you received it won't let me do that.

 

On our next cruise I am going to have Mango Martinis and I would love to have that pic in my signature. Thanks.

 

 

Hi Katie,,,,

 

No need to be scared of tubing, its really easy. You just sit back and float along,,,,,, THEY do all the work, or at least OUR guides did. We just enjoyed it !!

 

Definately do the stingrays if you get a chance... It's a unique experience !!

 

I do have all of these pictures posted on photobucket, but not ALL the pictures we took. Between the 4 of us, we probably had almost 2,000 pics, and I"m trying to pick out the best and most interesting of them. I don't wanna bore people lol

 

As far as the martini sig, please, be my guest , STEAL away lol

 

I didn't make the sig,,, I just found it on google, or somewhere like that, can't remember exactly where lol You are more than welcome to it !! :D

[Bontongrl]

Debbie, thanks a million for the great review & pictures!! You've made some great suggestions that I've incorporated into our cruise at the last minute!!! I am signing off for tonight (on EST time) since we have a very early flight out tomorrow.

 

I'll try to post a review & pics when we return in August and pay it forward :)

 

kazcutes

 

PS ~ too late to order the waterproof cases for my camera:mad:, but know for the next time! waterproof disposable will have to do.... bummer.

 

Hiya kaz,,,,,,

 

I hope you have a great time, and I look foward to see YOUR report and pics when you get back !!!

[Bontongrl]

Debbie,

I am really enjoying your review along with everyone else - and would love to know your secret for keeping your hair looking so nice ALL the time. :cool:

 

Judy:)

 

Hiya Judy !!

 

Lmao,,,,,, your comment made me laugh so much :D

 

Glad you are enjoying it, and,,,, I have no secrets bout hair care !!

I live In texas, which is comparable to an oven with high humidity !!

 

I gave up years ago trying to control it, and just cut in the layers and decided to let it go and do its own thing,,,,,,

 

In fact,,,, most of the time I wear a hat to control it, !!!

[Lovharvey]

Hiya Judy !!

 

Lmao,,,,,, your comment made me laugh so much :D

 

Glad you are enjoying it, and,,,, I have no secrets bout hair care !!

I live In texas, which is comparable to an oven with high humidity !!

 

I gave up years ago trying to control it, and just cut in the layers and decided to let it go and do its own thing,,,,,,

 

In fact,,,, most of the time I wear a hat to control it, !!!

 

 

We are in the Spring area and I know what you mean about trying to control your hair. That is the reason that I wear mine long and straight pulled back or in a ponytail.

I have really enjoyed your review and pictures.

[Bontongrl]

Ok, back to the review, or, should I said, a daily diary of what we did,,,<smiles>

 

but if I commented on everything we did,, it would be 50 pages long and probably bore people to death ,,,,, I'm just trying to put in the highlights !!

 

We went to the dining room for dinner again. We tried to do the dining room most nights,,,,,, It was just fun dressing up and having a nice meal, so we didn't want to miss it, if it was possible not to.

 

After dinner, once again, we went to the show in the Ivanhoe Theatre. And once again, it was a great show.

 

There was supposed to be a big deck party that night on the Lido Deck, but due to high winds, they moved the party to the Casino Band area.

 

Honestly, we had the best time in this area. There were always crowds of people, lots of noise and action, lots of good music, and dancing going on here, so we enjoyed hanging out here.

 

They did a, let's say, musical chairs / scavenger hunt game that night. But instead of chairs, the gals sat on the guys knees. It was fun just watching them running around trying to find the items the asst CD gave them to find.

 

 

 

 

and a lot of dancing going on. People on cruises DEFINATELY love to line dance,,lol

 

 

Ok,, see if you can figure out what dance is being done now,,,,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any guesses ? lol

 

and we even had our own "personal" magician do tricks for our small group while hangin out at the bar. He was fantastic, but, personally I HATE magic, because I can never figure out how they do their tricks even when you are eyeballing them big time.

It's SO frustrating.......

 

[MzOhioLady]

Man, this has been one Great Review. I got to re-live Valor Trip from last year. I love the Valor, thats why I've been on her twice so far.

[Texas-Ben]

I laughed out load when I read your reply about tubing without beer!:D

 

It was the one thing I noticed when I was reading your review and looking at the pictures of the river tube float, no beer!:eek:

 

I'm up in DFW and have done the Comal/Guad river tubing many times, but never without BEER!

 

One trip we even put a tube around a keg and floated it down the Comal with us. Almost everyone had a rope tied to the keg tube to keep it within reach!

 

I have enjoyed your cruise review, I'll be heading out in September, thanks for taking the time, we CC folks appeciate it.

 

You are one lovely lady to boot!;)

 

Thanks again!

[Bontongrl]

We are in the Spring area and I know what you mean about trying to control your hair. That is the reason that I wear mine long and straight pulled back or in a ponytail.

I have really enjoyed your review and pictures.

 

Hiya lovharvey,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Texas is murderous on trying to control hair,,, mine is usually a frizz ball, and if mine was longer than it is, it would resemble this,,, :D:D:D

 

 

 

Just give me a cowboy hat and I"m happy !!! lol

[Bontongrl]

Man, this has been one Great Review. I got to re-live Valor Trip from last year. I love the Valor, thats why I've been on her twice so far.

 

Thanks MzOhioLady,,,, I may have to try her again some day, but AFTER I've tried a few others :)

[Bontongrl]

I laughed out load when I read your reply about tubing without beer!:D

 

It was the one thing I noticed when I was reading your review and looking at the pictures of the river tube float, no beer!:eek:

 

I'm up in DFW and have done the Comal/Guad river tubing many times, but never without BEER!

 

One trip we even put a tube around a keg and floated it down the Comal with us. Almost everyone had a rope tied to the keg tube to keep it within reach!

 

I have enjoyed your cruise review, I'll be heading out in September, thanks for taking the time, we CC folks appeciate it.

 

You are one lovely lady to boot!;)

 

Thanks again!

 

Thank you Texas Ben,, its my pleasure,,,,, ;)

 

Those Guadalupe tube trips are GREAT, aren't they ? Just spending the entire day floating down a river drinking, and eating, and drinking some more.

 

There's no better way to spend a HOT Texas day :D

 

My son lives to tube the river there,,,, and even built a custom floatable stereo system for his trips lmao

[Bontongrl]

Now ladies,,,,,,,,

 

You know how it is when you go to an event,,, etc etc, and you walk in the room and lo and behold, there's another woman there with the same dress on as you ?

 

Well, it happens to the guys too,,,,,,

lmaooooooo

 

 

 

 

I laughed so hard,,,,,,,, They both had on coral colored shirts, and khaki pants,

they almost looked like twins,,,, except they look nothing alike,,,,,,<wink>

 

There was another passenger standing right next to us at the bar, and I wanted him in the picture too,,,, Now we have triplets,,,,,,,

 

It was hysterical !!!

 

 

 

 

Don't look too close at DF's hand. I had to do a little photoshopping or they wouldn't have allowed the picture on here,,, <wink>

 

We all wore tropical colors that night , and quite by accident,,, lol

 

 

 

We went to the midnight Adults Only Comedy show in the Eagles Lounge. I can't remember the name of the comedian, but he was GREAT !! We laughed so hard, and during one part of the show,,,,,, all of a sudden, we seemed to be looking down at the stage. I thought maybe I had had a few too many drinks, but then we ALL realized that the room seemed to be slanting down quite a bit. Even the comedian commented on it.

 

We were to find out the next day,,,,, that the ship was hit with a high wind,, 70 mph at the time, and the ship actually listed to the right for a while.. so it wasn't our imagination...... That made for an interesting few minutes to say the least..

Just a little unexpected excitement,,,, lol

 

After the show was over, we strolled around a bit more, then stopped by the Lido Deck for some ice cream....

 

Gotcha !!!!

 

 

 

 

I think someone has had enough, don't you ? lol

 

 

 

 

Back to the room, and ready for sleep, we were greeted by another adorable towel animal....

 

 

 

 

Next day, Cozumel !!!

[katiel53]

Hi Katie,,,,

 

No need to be scared of tubing, its really easy. You just sit back and float along,,,,,, THEY do all the work, or at least OUR guides did. We just enjoyed it !!

 

Definately do the stingrays if you get a chance... It's a unique experience !!

 

I do have all of these pictures posted on photobucket, but not ALL the pictures we took. Between the 4 of us, we probably had almost 2,000 pics, and I"m trying to pick out the best and most interesting of them. I don't wanna bore people lol

 

As far as the martini sig, please, be my guest , STEAL away lol

 

I didn't make the sig,,, I just found it on google, or somewhere like that, can't remember exactly where lol You are more than welcome to it !! :D

 

Thanks so much for letting me steal the martini, lol. If you post a link to photobucket, I'd love to look at the pics. Thanks again.

[realtrip]

very fun review!

[cbressler1976]

Thanks again for the great review!!

[mstacy1725]

DW -Bontongrl loves to put these reports together and she does a great job. She is always trying to keep things fun. I am a lucky Man :D

[tatay]

No kazcuties,,,, DH and DF both had underwater housings for their cameras. They worked great. We got some great pictures.

 

And, I'll admit, I did a little enhancing with the contrast in Photoshop, to show them clearer,,,, but shhhhh, don't tell anyone, ;)

It'll be our lil secret :D

 

 

Just a quick Q - what kind of underwater housing did your DF/DH use?

 

Instead of Bontongrl you should have chosen 1HOTMomma!!!;)