Great Cruise Experience

Item: Carnival Valor
Rating: 4.7
Author: FTWcruiselady

Carnival Valor Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western

FTWcruiselady

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 13

Overall rating:

4.7 out of 5

Verified Review

5 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip)

Sail date: February 24, 2018

Ship: Carnival Valor

Cabin type: Oceanview

Cabin number: 1312

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 6 years ago

Review summary

I would definitely recommend this cruise. The ship was good, despite needing a few upgrades. The cruise director Frankie was fantastic and kept everyone entertained. There's so much to do on the days at sea and I would recommend taking excursions at the ports you visit. I think you'll get the most out of your trip this way.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Entertainment

3 out of 5

If you're really into cardio machines, this gym is the place for you. There are so many! There is a small area for free weights, which nobody ever really used so I didn't have to share the small space with anyone. But if there had been 2 other people using free weights, it would have been too crowded.

Children's Programs

5 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

Cabin was a nice size for just me and one other person. I wish they would consider updating the decor in the rooms, as they feel very outdated.

Ports of call

Galveston, Texas

4 out of 5

Cozumel, Mexico

5 out of 5

We did the snorkeling and fajita lunch with tequila tasting for an excursion. There was plenty of time spent in the water (almost an hour) and we saw some beautiful and amazing sea life. Claudia was a fantastic guide and made sure to point out interesting creatures in the water. Afterwards we had chicken fajitas and a tequila tasting. Would definitely recommend it. There was also plenty of shopping not far from the ship, so you could explore a little bit and not worry about being too far from the port.

Thumbs Up 6

Progreso (Merida), Mexico

5 out of 5

We did the VIP all inclusive beach resort for the excursion. I highly recommend an excursion for Progreso because everything to see and do is very far from the port and it was nice being with a group of people with a guide. There is a small area of shops right when you get off the boat, but otherwise you will have to take some sort of transportation to reach any of the other areas in Merida. The VIP excursion was fantastic. It took about 30 min to get to the private beach, but we were on a charter bus so it was comfortable. The tour guide Gaby was very sweet and she was a great host! The day consisted of lounging on the beach, an all you can eat Mexican lunch buffet, and open bar. There were some group activities planned that were fun to participate in. And also you can pay a small price for a massage next to the beach (which I opted to do).

Thumbs Up 7