Carnival Valor Review

8-Night Cruise for my Honeymoon on Carnival Valor

Review for the Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Carnival Valor
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corybru3
2-5 Cruises • Age 20s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
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Entertainment
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Additional details

Sail Date: Sep 2016

My Fiance and I booked this cruise about 8 months in advance for our Honeymoon in September. We got a great deal at only about $650/person for an 2F Oceanview room. Embarkation out of Port Canaveral went smoothly although traffic was a bit of an issue because (3) ships were leaving at the same time. Parking at a private lot outside the terminal was way cheaper than parking by the ship and that process was very simple too.

The ship was pretty standard for the Carnival fleet (I've been on 3 other Carnival ships). None of the decor really wowed me but everything was well kept. The ship had the standard amenities including a theater, a few lounges, a nightclub, a waterslide on the top deck, and a theater screen over the pool at the middle of the ship. The (2) pools on the ship weren't very big, although they never really got super crowded. The ship also had the adult-only Serenity area at the front of the ship.

The food options were also standard fare. Burgers, Pizza, Tacos, and other buffet style items were all available on the Lido deck for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. The Main Dining Room had some pretty decent food, but unfortunately I think the quality of food here has declined over the years. While the chefs do their best to make all of the dishes look gourmet, they are tasting very processed nowadays and don't really impress. Wait times in the Dining Room were also an issue on a couple nights of the cruise, the worst of which resulted in us spending about 2 hours there from being sat until finishing our meal (we're quick eaters).

Cabin Review

Cabin 2F Oceanview

Standard oceanview cabin. There was some peeling trim on the nightstands, a curtain with a large hole in it, and bent panel in the bathroom. However, upon reporting these issues to Guest Services, they were very quick to fix the problems. Once these issues were resolved we experienced no further issues with the cabin or housekeeping staff and the room was always cleaned well and in a timely manner.

Port Reviews

Port Canaveral (Orlando)

Embarkation and Debarkation went smoothly, although traffic can become an issue if several ships are leaving on the same day.

St. Maarten

This port is always great with lots of things to do and see. I never do any excursions here as there is plenty of other activities to do. Orient Beach, Maho Beach, and Loterie Farm will take up your whole day. Shopping is always worthwhile here as well.

St. Kitts (Port Zante)

This port doesn't have quite as many activities as St. Maarten, but is arguably more picturesque. Brimstone Fortress is a great place to visit and Timothy's Point is a must see. The beaches weren't anything too special here, but still nice if that's your thing.

San Juan

San Juan isn't a great port in my opinion. There are (2) forts to visit close to the terminal that are cool, but the only other worthwhile activity here is to head to the beaches further inland.

Grand Turk

This is a good port for snorkeling or diving, but not much else. The island is very small and flat, and the beaches pale in comparison to St. Maarten or even St. Kitts.

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