We didn't have a specific excursion planned here - we just got off the ship & walked around the port area & shopped a bit. We checked out Eden Rock near the port and saw them feeding the fish at their snorkeling spot. If we go there again I'd definitely want to check out the snorkeling there as we could see several large & small colourful fish just from the shore. The waves were a little strong that day though. Liked the feel of this port for sure. 


Grand Cayman (Georgetown)

Booked the Jolly Roger Catamaran & Gumbalimba park excursion through Carnival. Travelled by bus to the park & got to see some of the living conditions in Honduras. Some poverty was evident, but we felt secure nonetheless. The catamaran trip was really fun. My husband and I are both beginners at snorkeling but they split the group up into beginner & advanced so we were comfortable. Wish that the actual snorkeling time had been longer...we both really enjoyed ourselves (other than at times it felt like something was 'stinging' my legs & arms but I couldn't see anything there) and there were quite a few interesting blue & yellow fish among the corals. I'd definitely snorkel again if I was in Honduras. The second part of the tour was a visit to the nature park. We were able to see iguanas, parrots and monkeys on this trip. The monkeys didn't seem too interested in visiting with the people though. We had a little Honduras history lesson too. During this excursion there are lockers to rent for $3 as you can't take bags into the nature park for safety reasons...the monkeys can get a little wonky if they think you have food for them. A couple of people lost the knobby on the top of their baseball caps too...the parrots will bite them off quite easily. 


Roatan

Booked the River Wallace/Altun Ha excursion through Carnival. We did the river portion of the trip first. We saw crocodiles, dolphins, monkeys, bats, birds, iguanas and manatees on the river portion of the trip...it was really fun to try to spot all the wildlife along the way. Stopped for lunch at the Black Orchid resort which looked like a nice place. They had burgers/hot dogs/fries available to purchase as well as more traditional meals of chicken, beans and rice. We didn't have any food as I was a little wary of the water...but everyone who ate seemed alright. They had some souvenirs available from a couple of vendors as well as some traditional local wines to test & buy as well. Then there was the bus trip to Altun Ha. We were able to see some of the living conditions in Belize too which was interesting. The guide did a good job telling us about some of the history of Belize. The ruins were impressive and we were also able to climb one of the temples for some impressive high-up photos. There were some aggressive locals trying to sell things at the gates to the site, but it wasn't difficult to avoid them. 


Belize City

We booked the Tulum Mayan excursion through Carnival. We got off the ship in Cozumel but then took a 45 minute ferry ride to the mainland of Playa del Carmen in Mexico to board the buses to Tulum. The ferry was fun, but if the ocean is wavy it's not at all for the queasy - quite a bumpy ride. The bus stopped for a "rest stop" at a 'Mayan' store...many local crafts and gifts available to purchase. Seemed kind of commercial but it would appeal to shoppers looking for local wears without the vendor high pressure sales. Then on to Tulum. The buses unloaded in their parking area which is filled with locals trying to push you to buy whatever they are selling...very high pressure/aggressive tactics there. You have to walk through a market type area and down a road to get to the actual Mayan site. There is a trolley that you can pay $2 for if you can't walk the distance to the site. The buildings are very impressive & beautiful...built right beside the sea. There is a beach there too but unfortunately it was closed the day we were there (assuming it was due to high waves). Got some really nice pictures there and the tour guide was obviously proud of his Mayan heritage and of the area. On the walk back to the bus I think a local was trying to steal something out of my husband's bag..he was walking up really close behind but dropped back when I noticed him and he saw that I was watching him closely. Kind of creepy and annoying. We didn't really have any time when the ferry got back to Cozumel to look around or shop as the excursion was a long one. It was an educational trip that was somewhat tainted by the tactics of the local sellers. 
Next time I'm in Coz it'll likely be a snorkeling trip instead.. 


Cozumel

Cabin 1037 is convenient to the Lido deck and waterslide/midship pools and hot tubs.  Location was basically quiet - didn't hear noise from the spa above and it is far enough away from the elevators that you couldn't hear them either.  TV wasn't a flat screen when we were onboard (Jan 2010) and the tv remote numbers were worn off and the on button didn't work.  Not really enough space to effectively use the armchair & table.  They ended up feeling like they were in the way.

I had signed on to the internet on the last day strictly to check in with Westjet, and it saved us a lineup in Miami so it was worth it.in the past I remember daily updates from the bridge over the PA letting us know what was going on with the ship.

Carnival Valor Review

Hopefully the start of a cruise filled marriage Jan 10 - 17

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