To begin with, we cruise on a budget. So value is our number one priority. Since we are able drive to Galveston, we cruise on Carnival. This was our first cruise on Valor and we loved it. We had sailed on Freedom (with cruise director Malcolm "Woo-hoo" Burn) last year at Thanksgiving and we found that the Valor was laid out exactly the same. 3696 other passengers shared our cruise, but I think we stood in a line for a total of 12 minutes the entire cruise. Boarding was a breeze, whisking through drop-off, luggage to the stevedores, security, boarding pass check and walking onto the ship with barely a stop for that Welcome Aboard photo (we took the towel animal photo this year). On board, we found the food, entertainment, activities and all-around fun to be plentiful with friendly staff in all areas. Our request for a dining change was handled quickly and politely. Our cabin steward was a ninja. Towel animals showed up like magic as well as our requested robes and extra hangers. One thing we missed last year that we were determined to do was the steakhouse chef's cooking demonstration. They hold it in the steakhouse at noon on the first sea day. We got there about 11:20 and loitered until they started seating folks at about 11:45. It was SO GREAT! The chef was friendly and funny and gave us recipes and scrumptious samples of cappuccino mushroom soup, spinach salad, roast chicken with potatoes and mac and cheese, and tiramisu. And did I mention that there is NO additional cost for this? Just show up on time! Other free wonders we found were the games to play in the Red Frog Pub and the Iliad library, performances by great musicians all over the ship (our favorite is Alan the Australian guitarist). The last night of the cruise, they did the America Rocks ('80s music) show in the Ivanhoe Theater, which was our favorite. We also very much enjoyed shows hosted by cruise director TJ (who was just named one of Carnival's best CDs), especially his Love & Marriage and Q & Awesome shows. The dining room menu was wonderful with incredible Indian food (different each night) for our vegetarian and Baked Alaska for everyone the last night of the cruise. Another food experience not to be missed is the Chocolate Extravaganza from 12-2:30 on the Lido deck the last sea day.

Our excursion at Cozumel was the Mayan Ball Game with lunch and Mexican folkloric dancing at the Kun Che Mayan Historical Park. It was really terrific for a group with diverse interests. The cooking demonstrations (tortillas, tamales and chocolate), the ball game itself, the Mayan blessing, the tequila tasting and the dancing were all fascinating and the buffet lunch was lovely.

At Progreso, we went to the Mayan ruins at Dzibilchaltun, where we swam in a cenote and saw the museum and the ruins of Mayan pyramids and a Spanish chapel. Then we had an incredible buffet lunch at Rancho Tierra Bonita with terrific singing and dancing, a Charro demonstration with expert horsemanship and roping and complimentary beverage service. Highly recommended. Read more