daisychain11

Purchased the Cheers program on my last Carnival cruise for me and my wife and saved $300 on a 6 day cruise. Since we're leaving on our next cruise in 21 days without the kids I asked my wife and she said definitely get it again. We both got 2 $9.95 glasses of wine at dinner each night, so that didn't leave much of a challenge to break even during the rest of the day.

I read it as if you were going on a 21-day cruise and getting the cheers package! LOL! Now THAT would be expensive!

You guys are all inspiring me. I want to be that Mom! (Actually, it's nearly a safe bet.) However, since we go to so many ports, we don't drink very much. I also found that when the ship rocked, I drank even less since it already felt like I had been drinking.

Last time I drank beer (it was cheaper) but this time I am determined to have some "fun" drinks!:D

Thanks! Just ordered mine!

We are thinking of doing our first non-paid excursion at not one, but two ports! However, I am feeling reticent about going out on our own, so I please need advice.

San Juan:

I like the idea of doing a walking tour around the forts. My husband wants to do the Barcardi tour. Both were rated that you could just do them on your own (and would possibly be better, especially the Barcardi tour).

I figure I can just walk to the fort from the ship - it's only a few blocks, correct?

As for Barcardi, do we need to take a water taxi over? Then a taxi?

Nassau:

Also, recommendations for a beach at Nassau would be great too. I heard about one near Atlantis where you pay $10 each and get a coconut? Can we walk to it? Originally, I was going to hit a close-by local beach, but heard some not-so-good stuff about it.

Thanks so much! We usually pay for excursions and this is a big deal for us to go out on our own!! (Is it sad that I'm hyperventilating just thinking about it?)

Hi All!

We are cruising in one week and realized we need to find out some answers.

We will be staying at a friend's empty place at Port Canaveral the night before we sail. What we are thinking is that my husband will drive and drop all of us off at the cruise ship port. Then he'll drive back to the condo and get a taxi to take him back to the cruise ship port. This way, we'll have free parking.

Wondering if he should use a taxi or uber if it's around? Any suggestions/ ideas?

As for the reasoning for him dropping us off, there are 4 of us and lots of luggage, hence, we thought a taxi might charge us more if we all ride together. Also, the condo is very close by the port.

Thanks!

I appreciate you sharing this information with us! I didn't realize about the section on the website. I just usually go with what is sent to me via email.

Of course, I'll be on Valor in 2 weeks, so nothing is coming up now. :-)

The good thing about no Guys is they have the most awesome chicken fingers:)

Really? That's good to know!!

I do know that now I can order cheesy fries - can't get those at Guy's either!

21 more days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the Glory last year, I wanted just some fries and they told me I had to have the burger too. Later I asked for an onion ring on my non-onion ring burger I ordered - no go! They were a bit jerky.

BUT... it's nice to know that it's different on all the ships; that it's not a ship-wide commandment. Now I know if I want just fries, I'll wait to the other employees show up.

You know... I wonder if that subliminally made me pick the Valor for my upcoming cruise since there is no Guy's but a normal burger joint.

Hahaha!! I was just going to post, asking this myself today! Then figured I'd call Carnival. (But I haven't yet.)

Last year we booked an ocean view on Glory for only $1600 for 3 people for a 7-day cruise (that's w/o gratuities). What a price!!

So this year, we're like "Let's book a second family cruise!!!"

So... taking Valor, which does not have some of the 2.0 funship upgrades that Glory had (side note: we don't mind since the all-important burrito bar was there) is a LOT more money! Over $1200 more! And that was the cheapest rate, too!

It seems to me that with all the bad stuff in 2014 (all the quarantined flu-related ships in the beginning of the year) and the 2012 Costa Concordia disaster, that the great deal I got last year was just that - a great deal for that time period only since people weren't booking as much as usual.

This year, cruising is in demand, hence, the more expensive rooms. Good for Carnival, bad for me.

Anyway, that's what I heard from a Carnival employee.

Waiting to go on the Valor but I thought on the Glory and Liberty it was fried oysters, not clams. Could be mistaken though.

Oh, yes, I have read that it was fried oysters, not clams. Big difference to me. Bummed, but hey - I can still have cheesey fries at the burger joint.

Thanks for the review! It's nice to hear it from first time cruisers because everything is exciting! And I'm excited because I'll be on the Valor in just a few weeks!

I really did want to know about the fish & chips, so thanks for that info. One additional question - did they have deep fried clams too?

The shoe holder is a good idea the next time I go with girlfriends, although I'm usually a flip flop person.

AUGH - you made me so excited for my cruise and I have stuff I need to do!!!

We got the call to upgrade to a balcony also - and we went for it! We were also told deck 11 is the best for it since it's so quiet because of the spa. However, I am afraid of heights and asked to be put lower. :p

However.... I was told the back of the ship is the least amount of movement; that the front has the most movement. (He said think of it as a motorboat - the front is what bounces up and down the most.)

I would still take a balcony, but move it towards the back. I now have a back balcony on deck 7 (deck 7 is favored because you have sleeping rooms above and below you, no decks where chairs are being rearranged or dance/discos under your feet).

Anyway, this is what I've been told from various people. I have limited experience with cruising, so I could be wrong.

I find this very interesting as the Valor was originally scheduled to be drydocked in March 2016 and now it's just listed as sometime in 2016. This is actually the third time they have listed the Valor for drydock for 2.0 updates - it never occurred the other 2 times. So it makes you wonder what's going on.

Anyway, it doesn't matter to me about the Valor, because I am sailing on her in less than a month! Guy's Burgers were good, but I couldn't get cheese fries and now I can since it's just a normal burger joint!

I'm excited to be on the Valor - and I love Americana decor!

Green Boy - if they remember you that well - I wanna cruise with you!! Lol. Obviously, you are nice to the staff and are enjoyable to be around.

Can't wait to be on Valor in less than a month!!

I'm actually excited that there is no Guy's so I can get cheesy fries! :D

Working 2 Cruise Again - I agree with all you posted!

fyree39 - yay - now I know your review will be a good one for Valor!

My husband has 2 co-workers who said they will never cruise again. Apparently, both of them went in the middle of summer when there was storms so the ship rocked a lot.

I purposely picked a larger Carnival ship for our first family cruise (took a smaller one on Carnival for a girls weekend two months before that rocked a bit). We had a BLAST!!! All of us - even my 12-year-old son!

We signed up for the credit card on that cruise so we could start saving for the next one - which is coming up in less than a month. Woot!!!

I would imagine it's because of the tropical storm.

I'm going in a few weeks. We book for June to avoid hurricanes and tropical storms. Doesn't Mother Nature know to wait until July??! lol

I would try to "rebook" the room on Carnival.com to see how much that suite really is. For all you know, it could be $1500 more - and that would be an amazing savings! I did this when they called me two weeks ago to upgrade from ocean view to a balcony. Saved over $300, which is nice since I was considering upgrading anyway.

This way, you'll know how much of a deal you are getting.

Personally, for your Honeymoon, I would seriously consider it if you have the money. (Or you can spend that money on excursions and/or drinks).

Congratulations!

Valor has been scheduled TWO other times for Dry Dock for 2.0 upgrades. Obviously, neither have happened.

So I wouldn't worry. I'd book what I want.

A side note, I had to decide between Sunshine and Valor. I was leaning towards Sunshine since it had fun things for my son, but it was ranked last in Carnival ships by everyone here, yet Valor was ranked #2. Hence, I booked for Valor and go in June!

Another side note... I know others have booked far ahead and then the ships did change. (I recall somebody mentioning they booked Liberty but then boat changed to Valor??). My concern - if it changes to a ship you don't want, can you change your cruise? I mean, I would assume so, but as they say, never assume....

Hi Everyone!

We are going on a Carnival cruise with my Mother-in-law in June. I thought for Mother's Day, it would be fun to get her something cruise-related as a gift! She has been on a few cruises before (like to Alaska) but never on a Carnival ship.

She is not a drinker. She has never been to the Caribbean before.

This will be my family's second cruise ever (my 3rd) so we are only so experienced.

I thought since she has never snorkeled, to get her snorkeling gear. However, it's over our price range (like $60 before shipping) and she may end up not even liking snorkeling (although I think she would!).

My husband thought maybe a special bag/tote for the ship. I did look at the Carnival gifts (especially the totes) but not sure of the quality.

Any other thoughts/ideas? I really appreciate it!

My 7-day cruise is in June and it still says $49. However, there is no select button (actually, the entire row of excursions has no select button and there are no links).

And how have you guys known how many are left? I've been trying to buy one for a week now and I ended up having to call Carnival because whenever I clicked the link, it went to a broken page for days. Of course, at least there WAS a link then. Hmm.... what browser does everyone else use? I use Chrome but maybe that's why I've been having problems?

Oooo - how do you do the fare engine so I know for next time?

I already tried getting a lower cost 24 hours after booking, but the kind of package I bought doesn't allow it.

The Upgrade Fairy called me on tax day this week. We are now upgraded to a balcony for the first time ever!

It was over $300 more, but on the website they were still going for $550 extra, so a good deal!

I did ask him how they choose the people they call. It sounds like it's pretty much up to the individual. This person picks returning Carnival cruisers. I thought it was maybe because there were 3 adults in our room, but that wasn't it. He said getting calls for upgrades depends on how many unfilled upgraded rooms there are and how close the sailing date is. (Ours is in 50 days).

I told him I was thinking of next time getting a room I didn't want and wait for the upgrade call and he said never, ever do that. The chances of being called are extremely low. In fact, the room you really want might sell out months in advance and you'll be stuck somewhere you don't want to be. (Which is true, another ship I looked at was out of ocean view rooms.)

He told me a story of this one guy he upgraded who was stoked - major suite. The guy called him back 12 years later, asking why hasn't he called him again for an upgrade?!

Anyway, I guess it's true: it's an Upgrade Fairy - and you don't see or hear from Fairies often, if ever.

I thought I read on the Carnival site that there is some sushi served at the Fish and Chips station.

If not, I'm going to be bummed.

We went on Glory last year as our first family cruise. We loved it!! It went beyond what we were expecting!

This year, we are taking Valor because it's the same ship as Glory. We know it doesn't have the 2.0 upgrades, but it does have Serenity and the Burrito bar (hey - priorities!). It does have a sports bar but just isn't the EA Sports bar.

I'm sure it will be awesome. I like the americana look too. I'm not expecting it to be the same as Glory, but close enough. My son just needs 24-hour ice cream and pizza.

As for you, I'd go Glory just because I know what a great time we had on it last year!

Thanks! Going on Valor in 50 days and haven't seen any great photos yet - so you made my day!