I would not sail on the Valor again because of the ports and the smoking in the casino, Although I did enjoy the cruise and the cruise staff was very friendly.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
This was a fairly easy process.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food in the main dining room was very good but not great. I would say breakfast was the best meal. Some of the cuts of beef in the main dining room; I.e., the prime rib, had an odd texture. The steakhouse on board was better but that had an upcharge. Desserts were average with the pies being very dense.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Pools were small so crowded, but we enjoyed standing in them while having a drink.
We played bingo and "Queen Bee" made it fun.
We played some of the trivia games which were fun.
We thoroughly enjoyed the line dancin at the big deck parties.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Music productions were very good with very talented young people.
Piano bar was fun with a very talented piano player.
The Red Frog Pub had a great trio and Sarah Gardner and the other two were the best on the ship.
Andy Mercer was a very personable young emcee at the comedy club, enjoyed that a couple of times.
Frankie, the cruise director, always had something going,
Sure she, the traveling magician, was amazing.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Our steward was nice but didn't go above expected.
Our wait staff in the Washington dining room was superb, always made us feel welcome and service impeccable.
Two of the young performers, Andy Mercer and Sarah Gardiner, always were very friendly and personable in addition to being very talented.
Ship Quality
1 out of 5
I give the ship a very low rating because the casino was on the 5th floor dead center and they allowed smoking. The 5th floor was the main non cabin floor that you could use to go from stem to stern and the smoke was absolutely awful. There were no doors on the casino so the smoke drifted out beyond its borders and also seeped into the elevator shaft so you could smell it on 3 and 6. Same can be said of the late night dance club, walked in and had to leave.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The bed was just okay, two twins pushed together but without a pad over the crack so it was uncomfortable to snuggle against your husband, might as well had left it as twins. Other than that the cabin was comfortable.
Ship tip
If you are a no smoker, stay away from the casino. Get to the late night comedy clubs early as they fill up.
We did a non-Carnival excursion in a van where the a/c was not working well and the Mayan ruins were infested with voracious mosquitos. We got the feeling The whole tour was about stopping g at prearranged places with preferred vendors. We heard from other cruisers that they enjoyed just going to the beach together.
Gambling, drinking, and smoking kind of go together it seems. It stinks in the casino for sure, but I think it’s like that on every ship. Except... Disney which doesn’t have a casino.
You picked the cruise line, you picked the ship, you picked the cruise date. Then you say you will not cruise on the Valor again due to the ports it visited on the cruise YOU selected. Okay!
That's too bad about your experience in Progresso. The second time we went we did the White and Gold city tour and had a great time. We don't normally do tours just head out on our own. This one we enjoyed.
I am not a big Carnival fan, but the Valor DOES cruise to ports other than the ones you visited on this cruise. AND more importantly, almost EVERY ship has a smoking casino. I do not like the smoke either, but it seems apparent the cruise lines are comfortable with smoking in that designated area. Hope your next cruise is a better experience.
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