My husband and I wanted to see the ports of call the Valor has on their Southern Caribbean cruise. We splurged for an Ocean suite and I think paying extra for a suite was definitely worth it. The bathroom was very large, larger balcony, and ample storage throughout the cabin. Loved it! We did n't have any smokers on balconies near us, so never spelled smoke when out on our balcony. We cruised 5 years ago with Carnival and had a fabulous time, we enjoyed this cruise but not as much as the last one. Many of the passengers on this ship were Boomers or older from the Midwest or Georgia and southern states. Our last cruise was a younger crowd and although we are boomers- age 59 I like sailing with 35-49 yr old crowd they're more fun. The crew on the ship were fantastic! They work very hard.
FOOD: The food in the MDR was hit or miss. The first three days I actually lost weight because I didn't like the food,I don't eat red meat and I can eat chicken at home so fish was about my only option. The lobster was good and so was the shrimp. Some of the choices were kind of surprising Meatloaf- Really? Overall I thought the choices were limited. Some of the food stations were good. The deli was very good and healthy, off the grill also good, the fish and chips restaurant very good, made while you wait- fresh. The pizza was terrible, tasted like a cheap frozen pizza. The burrito bar was just so-so. I'm used to great mexican food in my hometown. Didn't eat at the buffet.
SHOWS: The best show was Portia Amore who flew in from London. The Carnival dancers weren't very good, we saw them twice and couldn't bear to watch them again. The Punchliner Comedy Club was just OK, not that funny.
This suite is forward on the ship and very quiet. Never booked a suite before but it was worth every extra penny. Loved it! Our cabin steward (Gregory) was excellent. The only con about this suite is that all the dining places are at the rear of the ship, so even to get a cup of coffee you had to hike to the back of the ship, but that is also where most of the noise is. It was a trade off that I'll take for a quiet suite any day.