I recently had the pleasure of being on the Valor for the exotic western Caribbean itinerary.

Embarkation: Pretty easy we did a two night pre-cruise stay at the Hyatt Regency downtown Miami. We got down to the pier around 11:30 - 11:45. Our fun pass was already completed, did not have to wait in line long, and we were on the ship approximately 12:30. However, we had friends that flew down that day that encountered some pretty long lines outside, even with their fun pass.

Decor: I liked the patriotic and courageous theme of this ship. Carnival has toned down its look in recent years and it really worked well. It's still a bit gaudy in places, but that doesn't bother me. Read more