Good but have been on better cruises

Carnival Valor Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western

ACruisie

Contributor Level: Cruise Director

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 5

Helpful Votes: 158

Overall rating:

3 out of 5

7 Night Western Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)

Sail date: November 28, 2015

Ship: Carnival Valor

Cabin type: Oceanview

Cabin number: 2432

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

This was our 20th cruise and 4th on Carnival. This ship is dated & so cold in buffet & along promenade you need a sweater. This ship is easier to get around than on the Sunshine. Loved the Comedy Club but disappointed in 2 nights of no comedians. Lounge so much bigger than on the Sunshine & could always find a seat. Rosie's buffet had plenty of seating & the staff very accommodating. With the large tables this is the place to play cards. Majority of food in buffet was mediocre. The pot roast and all the soups were the greatest. Asked for anytime dining but once on board were given late dining so ate in buffet. The burrito bar, deli, pizza bar made for a nice change. Hamburgers thick & hot dogs big! Deck 2 cabin 2432 was close to elevator & made it easy to get to buffet & to comedy club & casino. Our cabin steward Ibarra was outstanding in his service, always with a smile and addressing us by name.

Adult pool so quiet & relaxing , pizza bar nearby open 24 hrs. We aren't big drinkers & enjoyed this area very much. Felt there was not enough stage shows. The juggler was so, so. Disappointed the cruise staff didn't organize bean bag toss, ping pong & shuffleboard games like on other cruise lines. We met a lot of people by participating in these games & feel Carnival is lacking.

Beware of fantastic looking 5 layer carrot cake at Java Bar. The frosting was absolutely tasteless with no sweetness or nuts. Could not compare to my mother's carrot cake which is so rich you only want a small slice. No more candy on bed at night - what's with that. Cheap, cheap.

Really enjoyed the band alongside the casino that played every night. Comfortable seating like on the Carnival Liberty if you didn't want to be in the casino. An enjoyable cruise but will try another ship next time.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Have some organized games indoors for those who can't take the sun. And not just trivia games!

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Could have had more stage shows. Last night show was passenger amateur show. Missed the great music & dancers.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Cabin steward Ibarra was one of the best stewards we have had in our 20 cruises on any cruise line.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Ship very well maintained but dated. Didn't care for the flag pattern on floors.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Very clean with a lot of storage & a refrigerator. Seemed so much bigger than Sunshine which didn't have fridge & was dusty & dirty carpet & sofa.

Ship tip

Covered adult pool by the pizza bar great for R & R. Play cards at large tables in Rosie's restaurant. Grab a comfortable chair outside casino & listen or dance to the band playing every night.

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