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Great First Cruise experience by
A Traveler from Amarillo, TX Sailing date: Jun 2009Pros: The simplicity of making all arrangements using Orbitz Cons: Advertisement for $240 Sun & Sail dollars - read the fine print folks. It's not always applicable to your trip. The ship is modern, clean and pleasant. It's a large vessel and the deck guides are most helpful to learn your way around. Ship QualitySometimes the layout of the ship is confusing. I'd recommend signs on decks that indicate which direction is Aft or Front of the ship as that is key in orientation of where you are but it isn't always easy to keep the ends straight. Public restrooms are not abundant. Dining/FoodGood food. The main courses of fish were a bit bland. Either spice up the fish or the sauce. Really enjoyed the wait staff entertainment and the restaurant magician is very entertaining. Early dining is best. Desserts are wonderful. Stateroom QualityNice room. I'll never cruise again and not have a balcony. Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & ActivitiesThe nightly shows are high quality and very enjoyable.  
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Belize City, BelizeScuba diving excursion was wonderful. The staff of the JR Boys boat are fantastic. We were so pleased we plan to visit Belize and JR Boys again in the future. Special note: These guys provide the special service of slipping your fins on for you just prior to wide stride entry.
Key West, Florida
George Town, Grand CaymanWe are scuba divers so spent our time under water viewing the fish in the area. The Valor tendered at this port and the process of getting off the ship was a bit longer than desired but overall with than many people it went smoothly.
Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, HondurasWe took the Day at Tabyana Beach excursion. It was very HOT. The beach is wonderful, water beautiful and great day at the beach.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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  Great service. by
Ashley from USA Sailing date: Aug 2007Pros: Food. My husband and I could not have imagined just how relaxing a cruise could really be. Everyone was friendly and extremely helpful. I would recommend this cruise line to anyone. Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
Children's Programs
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Had a nice time. by
Laura from Cocoa, FL Sailing date: May 2007Pros: Lots and lots of room. We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on the cruise. The dinner staff made it a memorable evening. While other travellers have called the ship's decor "gaudy," keep in mind this isn't the QEII -- it's called a Fun Ship. So of course it's going to be a party place. If you're looking for activities (or even just peace and quiet), this boat will provide it. Entertainment & Activities
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Nassau, BahamasGo to Magen's Bay.
We spent about 2 hours lazing and swimming in Magen's Bay. The weather was clear and not too hot. The beach was lovely and not very crowded (perhaps because it was a weekday). The public restrooms leave much to be desired. We didn't eat, even though they have a snack shack.
Don't Miss: Magen's Bay Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.We took a bus tour.
Since this was our first time here, we opted for a bus tour to get an idea of what the place was like/had to offer. The poverty of the local populace is astounding. We didn't try any of the spots that cater strictly to tourists (like catamaran drinking excusions, snorkeling, kayaks, etc). I was looking forward to learning more history but didn't really get it on this trip.
Philipsburg, St. Maarten
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Vacation of a lifetime! by
Crystal S. from Wilmington, NC Sailing date: Dec 2012Pros: The destinations were great and the excursions were wonderful, but the crew made each day so pleasant--it was fantastic! Cons: Getting there from the airport on bus 5507--the driver was terrible! The ship was very clean and very well kept. I was not an overall fan of the color scheme but that is a personal choice. Ship QualityThe ship was very well organized and easy to navigate. One day onboard and you could pretty well find your way around. Dining/FoodThe food was excellent and the choices were from the every day burger and pizza to the best of the best! WONDERFUL! And the care and attention given by the dining and wait staff, particularly Yolanda in the Washington Dining Room--EXCELLENT! Stateroom QualityWe were blown away by the stateroom that we had. It was perfectly appointed and had a wonderful full window view. The only thing we had to work on was the bedding. It was a bit hard but one call and we were able to get an additional mattress pad. All was well after that. Ship Staff QualityBar none, they were delightful people! Caring and genuine, they sincerely wanted to ensure that all were having a great time. Entertainment & ActivitiesIf you were bored or unable to find something to do on this ship--it was your own fault! There were activities and seminars, shows and something going on at all times. 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Overall a very good time by
Chad C from United States Sailing date: Sep 2011Pros: The Serenity area. Cons: The ship felt very crowded. Overall we had a great time and enjoyed the ship. We especially enjoyed the variety of options available. For entertainment, there were shows, comedy, karaoke (Superstar Live is a fun addition). For food there were sushi, Mongolian, pizza, fish & chips, a burger grill, a deli, burritos and a themed buffet, all in addition to the dining room. Although the variety was great, the quality was not impressive. Most of the food was good but not great.
The adults only Serenity deck was amazing with hammocks and extra large circular chairs for couples. There were three pools, but all of them seemed small, especially on sea days when the pools were popular. I would have loved to have a pool in the Serenity area. There were hot tubs, but I can't see using a hot tub in 90+ degree weather - I want to cool off. The water slide was fun, but one trip was all I needed. I never got around to the miniature golf or ping pong, though I wish I had. I was bummed that the ping pong tournaments were both scheduled on port days.
I don't think the ship's layout is ideal, but it's not bad once you get used to it. While this was not the best cruise experience possible, it was still a great vacation. And I thought it was an excellent value. Ship QualityThe Valor is broken up so that on some levels you can't get all the way from front to back. At times it was tricky to get where you wanted to go. Dining/FoodThere was a great variety of food and the Your Time dining worked great for us. However I found myself not generally impressed by the quality of the food. Everything was adequate, but only a few things were truly great. Stateroom QualityOf course the staterooms on any ship are small, but I am impressed at the efficient way they utilize space. Our stateroom had everything we needed to be comfortable and was in good condition. Ship Staff QualityWe found a variety of levels of friendliness. Some were exceptional, the majority were good, and a few seemed not too happy to be there. Entertainment & ActivitiesThere were nice entertainment options. The shows were entertaining, although the skill level of the dancers was disappointing.
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Belize City, BelizeBelize was our favorite port. We did cave tubing, which included a driving tour through the city and countryside. The river and the caves were amazing.
Don't Miss: Cave tubing with VIV Cozumel, MexicoWe rented a car from Executive right at Puerto Maya and it went incredibly smooth. It was nice to have freedom to go when and where we wanted. We went into town shopped and then went to Money Bar to snorkel. Not sure if it is the best spot but it was very good.
Don't Miss: Snorkeling George Town, Grand CaymanThe island feels very safe and comfortable to walk around on our own. We swam with the stingrays and snorkeled and that was amazing.
Don't Miss: Swim with the stingrays Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands, HondurasIt is a beautiful island and I would have loved to see more of it. Our tour took us to the resort at Parrott Tree. Normally I think it would be very nice, but because of a recent storm (we were told), there was trash strewn everywhere.
Don't Miss: Not sure 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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A lifelong memory by
Jennifer B from Christchurch, New Zealand Sailing date: Jan 2010Pros: service, attitude, food, ports, activites, cruise director, shows, my husband and six kids were there, great activities for teens, Cons: the 2nd to comic shows, anyone can put people down, many of us in the audience were talking about them after the shows. the first guy percy Cruise II was good, recommend they screen their comics a little more closely. The ship was clean. Ship Quality
Stateroom QualityThe best expected for the price we paid. definately got our monies worth Ship Staff Qualityappreciated them going out of their way to say hi. Everyone said hi, whether in the hall or elevator or in line. They were extremely cordial. Entertainment & ActivitiesWe went to every show and most actitivies. They had a great variety. something for everyone. Just disappointed with Jim Brick and Allyn Ball as comics. Anyone can put people down. Percy Cruse II was the best of the three. Children's ProgramsMagnificent. We had 3 teens and Bryan was a wonderful leader, He identified with the teens, they related to him. Had great activities. Felt comfortable and that the kids were safe with him. 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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A Dream Vacation by
Janice M from Long Island, New York Sailing date: Nov 2009Pros: The endless entertainement The Carnival Valor is a beautiful, amazing ship. The cleanliness of the entire ship is to be admired. I enjoyed the salt water pools and of course the jacuzzi's. The big screen was great to watch my favorite baseball team, the Yankees, win. Ship QualityThe decor on the Valor was impressive. Beautiful paintings throughout the ship were to be admired. Dining/FoodThe food was first rate, there was something for everyones taste. The dining room experience was wonderful, first class dishes, presentation was great and everything we ordered was first rate. Stateroom QualityOur stateroom was was just a tad small for us, but we acclimated to it. It was always cleaned by our steward in a timely fashion and kept immaculate. The bed was very comfortable and the sheets were like sleeping on a cloud. Ship Staff QualityThe ship staff, each and every one of them were courteous at all times, always willing to answer a question and point us in the right direction. Entertainment & ActivitiesThe entertainment was some of the finest I have every seen. Being from New York I have been to many shows but on this ship the entertainers were some of the most talented I have ever seen. Every show was wonderful. All the activities that were offered were fun and something for everyone. 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Nice off season value with kid's program by
Ted from South Milwaukee, WI Sailing date: Sep 2006Pros: Kid's program, free room service, large cabins. Carnival has a nice kid's program so you can spend time with your spouse. Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Not quite what I was hoping for by
A Traveler from Salt Lake City, UT Sailing date: Dec 2010Pros: Service Staff was awesome Cons: Food, Entertainment Shows Not my favorite vacation, but certainly my most expensive. I spent about two and a half times what I thought I would spend, including extra fees/charges, tips, excursion costs, and things not related to the cruise company itself (souvenirs, taxi fare in the ports, etc.) It almost seemed like Carnival tries really hard to provide the cheapest crap at the highest prices they can get away with, but that seems to be all too common these days.
I did like the vacation overall, mostly due to the port stops. I arranged all but one port activity privately but I did book one via the cruise ship. It was about as much fun as the others but about 3 times as expensive. Ship QualityNothing too shabby but nothing overly special, either. Clocks were very, very sparse. This is a big minus to me since all activities and events started at specific times but unless you wore a watch you were lost. If you plan on going on a Carnival ship wear a watch! Dining/FoodThe regular food outside of the dining room was horrific. Greasy, cheap, and tasteless for the vast majority of it. Half-decent burrito bar.
The food in the dining room was usually pretty good, although it frequently took a long time to reach the table from when we sat down to eat. Stateroom QualityNothing great but nothing terrible except for the fact that there was no clock in our stateroom. I had to find my cell phone to figure out what time I had woken up. The cleaning service was great at keeping the room clean and seemed to do the housekeeping twice daily. Ship Staff QualityEvery single member of the crew was extremely cheerful, helpful, and interested in my having a great experience. Even the housekeepers asked specific questions about how my day was going and did so with great big smiles. I tipped the staff well above what was recommended. Entertainment & ActivitiesThe entertainment was mediocre at best. I didn't attend the official show, but I did attend many of the smaller shows, like the magic show (lasted like 10 minutes), the comedians (about the most unfunny comics I have ever seen), the game show (about as tacky as it gets), and a few other forgettable shows. The one very fun highlight activity-wise was the karaoke where people could sing with the live band.
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Belize City, BelizeWe bought this excursion (Snorkeling at Goff's Cay) through the cruise, and it was okay. Nice little island with a beautiful beach but mediocre snorkeling. The guide said that since the waves were so rough we couldn't see the best part, so that's understandable.
Cozumel, MexicoMy wife and I rented a scooter and drove around the island stopping wherever we felt like stopping. One of the most memorable experiences of my life, but for reasons that may or may not be popular to the typical tourist.
George Town, Grand CaymanPretty cool! I was disappointed because the weather didn't permit us to go to see the stingrays, so we jumped on a tour van with some other folks from the ship and had a great time.
Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, HondurasWe had a great time here, too. We grabbed a taxi for the day with another couple and just stopped where we wanted to. We found a cool little iguana farm that had monkeys, parrots, fish, and obviously iguanas. It was like $6 per person to get in and we got to interact and feed the animals. Pretty neat. Then we went to a beach (I forget which one) that was gorgeous.
Don't Miss: Iguana Farm 4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Great Experience! by
Dustin B from Harrisburg, PA Sailing date: Oct 2009Pros: Amazing food & plenty of activities. Cons: Time to embark and debark this massive ship. Overall great cruise vacation for the price! Food/food options & activities/entertainment were abundant and excellent. The staff are amazing, lots of fun and most helpful when needed. Ship QualityImpressive vessel with all of the comforts of home* or a 4-star hotel! *Except ironing boards in the room, which could be a pain around dinner time when an entire floor needed to use the 1 iron and tiny ironing board available in the shared laundry room. Dining/FoodFood was very good, and there were plenty of options. The "supper club" is amazing... you can enjoy a 5-star ($200 +) dinner for 2, for only $60, and it's worth every dime! Stateroom QualityRooms were very typical for a ship. Nice bedding and pillows were provided. Again, only common complaint was lack of ironing facilities in the rooms. Ship Staff QualityStaff were overall excellent! Wait-staff are 100% committed to our happiness, and that a fun time is had by all while dining. Entertainment staff are so bubbly that you must have fun, even if you are only observing (not actively participating in) a specific event. Housekeeping were always friendly and the rooms were cleaned twice every day and no details were unmissed at any time. Entertainment & ActivitiesLots to do and plenty of fun was had by all! 4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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