Behind the scenes tour Valor

We will be on the Valor in March and we're wondering about the behind the scenes tour. How is it? And when do you book it? Pros and cons also😀

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We will be on the Valor in March and we're wondering about the behind the scenes tour. How is it? And when do you book it? Pros and cons also😀

 

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You book it when you board if its the same as in the past. Pros very interesting and enjoyable. Cons Those that have mobility issues will have a problem also It's become quite pricey .

You book it when you board if its the same as in the past. Pros very interesting and enjoyable. Cons Those that have mobility issues will have a problem also It's become quite pricey .

Found it interesting, however, overall I thought it was a con

It was a con in my opinion because it explains some of the magic that goes on behind the curtain.

I enjoy the finished product. I don’t want to see how the sausage is made, I just want to enjoy a fabulous meal.

Found it interesting, however, overall I thought it was a con

 

It was a con in my opinion because it explains some of the magic that goes on behind the curtain.

I enjoy the finished product. I don’t want to see how the sausage is made, I just want to enjoy a fabulous meal.

I do understand that logic. ;)

Does anyone know how much it normally is?

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If you are going to spend the money for behinds the scene tour, I probably wouldn't do it on the Valor. I say that only because the Valor is an older ship. I think you might find the newer ships, with newer technology and such, more interesting. But that's just my opinion.

We just did it on the Conquest--one of the sister ships to the Valor.

$95.00/PP--last sea day of an 8-day cruise.

Book it at Shore Excursions when you embark.

Was worth ever penny in our opinion--loved seeing behind the scenes.

There are relatively steep stairs to climb and come down.

We did the tour on the Valor many years ago (2012?). It was very enjoyable and informative. I believe it was about $100 per person. As has previously been mentioned, it isn't suitable for anyone with mobility issues. As I recall, we visited:

- Backstage

- Galley

- Crew decks/storage rooms

- Crew training room (break and Q&A)

- Engine control room

- Bridge

- Steakhouse (conclusion/survey)

Our guide was the crew training officer and she was very informative. However, I think the tour left us wanting a little bit. There are no personal photos, however we took photos as a group on the bridge, as well as individually with the captain that we got a copy of for free. We also got a backpack with some trinkets, however these we threw away almost immediately as they weren't any value to us.

It's very scheduled and choreographed, and some questions got non-answers. I think it's well worth it once, but don't necessarily expect a full look into the behind the scenes, you get to see what Carnival wants you to see.

It is 95 on the valor. I just checked on my thanksgiving cruise because my cousin and her husband wanted to do it. We did it on the breeze and thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't know if it would be worth it on such a short cruise to spend half a day on the tour. Even with the breeze, I felt like it was a long time away from other activities , still we thoroughly enjoyed it. Lot of walking and everyone must stay together. They will keep everyone together and will stop if needed. We got several gifts afterwards and I highly recommend it.

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We will be on the Valor in March and we're wondering about the behind the scenes tour. How is it? And when do you book it? Pros and cons also😀

I'll post Carnival's official website info about it below, with my edits in [bold].

How was it? I've done the tour six or seven times and have always learned something or seen something new; last tour it was the inside of the Captain's cabin (the door happened to be open ;) ) and also Engineering Control on the Vista, which was much more modern than on other ships and looked like a starship's bridge. :)

When to book? Book it soon after boarding as it will fill up quickly. Although they will sometimes add a second tour, there is no guarantee that they will.

The only "cons" might be the expense -- although it's cheaper than Royal's behind the scenes tour and might even include more stops. Also, the physical requirements, since it does require some walking and climbing stairs, and maybe the nature of the tour IF you don't care at all about how a floating, moving city works. Judging from CruiseCritic posts, most of us DO care; the tour is often highly recommended.

--------------- from Carnival's website:

Carnival’s ‘Behind the Fun' Ultimate Tour

Most Carnival guests are aware that behind the scenes of their cruise vacation there's a bustle of activity to deliver fun memorable vacation experiences, but few have gotten an up-close look at these inner workings. 'Behind the Fun' is an exclusive opportunity to experience an array of "back of house" areas that are vital to a ship's daily operations.

'Behind the Fun' will give guests the unique opportunity to explore beyond the public areas with visits to the ship's bridge, engine control room, main galley, staff dining areas, storeroom, laundry and other spaces for a rare insider's view of many areas typically seen only by the ship's crew.

The tour is extremely exclusive, it is only offered once during the cruise, on the last sea day and is limited to only 16 participants.

[The last sentence is not always correct. They can offer it twice and often do. ]

The group will be led by our onboard Training & Development Manager, accompanied by a member of our security team, due to the fact that some of the areas visited are sensitive and operate at elevated security levels. Tour participants will also be able to meet and interact with shipboard staff while visiting the different areas.

Tour participants will receive some mementos of tours including:

• Limited edition 'Behind the Fun' baseball cap, identifying guests as honorary team members
  
• Complimentary commemorative photos [three of them for your tour]
  
• [You will also get to keep the BtF lanyard, and on the Valor, you should get a Carnival stuff-sack/backpack as well, plus a carved-soap swan that is NOT made of white chocolate :) ]
  

General Information

• ‘Behind the Fun’ can only be purchased on board at the Shore Excursion Desk.
  
• Depending on the duration of the cruise, the cost is $55 USD to $95 USD per person and is approximately 2 hours to 3-1/2 hours long. [On Valor, it will be $95 since she has a steakhouse]
  
• For security reasons, no bags, no cameras, recording devices of any kind or cell phones are permitted on the tour.
  
• The tour will be visiting a few areas that are accessible only by stairs. Some of the stairs are rather steep.
  
• Guests must wear comfortable closed toe shoes or sneakers; no sandals or flip-flops. No bathing attire or skirts are permitted.
  
• Minimum age for the tour is 8 years. Any guest under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a participating adult.