Overall a very good time

Carnival Valor Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western

ChadC1

Contributor Level: Deck Hand

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Reviews: 0

Helpful Votes: 43

Overall rating:

3 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Exotic Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip)

Sail date: September 18, 2011

Ship: Carnival Valor

Cabin type: Inside

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 13 years ago

Review summary

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 experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

There 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.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

There were nice entertainment options. The shows were entertaining, although the skill level of the dancers was disappointing.

Service and Staff

3 out of 5

We found a variety of levels of friendliness. Some were exceptional, the majority were good, and a few seemed not too happy to be there.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

The 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.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Of 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.

Ports of call

Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

5 out of 5

It 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.

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: Not sure

George Town, Grand Cayman

5 out of 5

The island feels very safe and comfortable to walk around on our own. We swam with the stingrays and snorkeled and that was amazing.

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: Swim with the stingrays

Cozumel, Mexico

5 out of 5

We 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.

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: Snorkeling

Belize City, Belize

5 out of 5

Belize 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.

Thumbs Up 0

Don't Miss: Cave tubing with VIV

Pros: The Serenity area.

Cons: The ship felt very crowded.

Recommends Carnival Valor? Yes!

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