CC Valor Scuba Cruise 12/10/06

[Sailfish]

Per Laura Sterling, Cruise Critic Community Manager; I will will be the group leader on the 12/10/06 Valor Scuba Cruise. Although the focus of this group will be scuba diving, non divers are also welcome!

The following is detailed pricing information for the Carnival Valor 12/10/2006

Inside (Cat 4A): $ 599 pp

Oceanview (Cat 6A): $ 729 pp

Balcony (Cat 8A): $ 819 pp

Mini-Suite (Cat 11): $ 1299 pp

Penthouse Suite (Cat 12): $ 1839 pp

Rates are based on double occupancy and include the port charges and gov't fees.

 

Single (Cat 1A): $ 799 pp

3rd anda 4th passenger rates are subject to change and vary depending

on the category but the current rates are as follows:

 

Inside (Cat 4A): $ 369 pp

 

Oceanview (Cat 6A): $ 389 pp

 

Balcony and Suites (Cat 8A, Cat 11 and 12): $ 449 pp

 

Amenities:

 

$ 100 p/cabin on-board credit

 

Shared Cocktail Party

 

Champagne/chocolates per/cabin

 

Initial Deposit due by 5/6/05: $ 25 pp for double occupancy non-suite guarantees; $ 250 pp for all cabin assignments including single, triple, quads or suites due on or before 6/16/2006. The final payment for this group will be due by 8/25/2006.

Per group leader's request, the round trip airport transfers thru Carnival are as follows:

 

To and from MIA - $ 22 pp round-trip

 

To and from FLL - $ 32 pp round-trip

 

[Sailfish]

Our group arrangements will be handled by Kevin at Crucon, 800-493-

6609. I worked with Kevin on this past February's Cruise Critic Group

Cruise aboard the Mariner. He's a very nice guy and did an awesome job

taking care of our group. Crucon is one of Cruise Critic's "preferred"

cruise only agencies. I have made numerous individual bookings over

the years with Crucon, so I have a lot of confidence they will do a

good job managing our group booking.

 

It will run you $25pp to reserve a double occupancy stateroom. Please

call Crucon at the above number and ask to speak to Kevin. Although he

has no direct number, he's very good at returning phone calls if he's

busy or out of the office. A detailed invoice will come your way

either via email (my preference) or US Mail. Either way, please make

sure you check over your statement that ALL passengers names are

spelled correctly, that your mailing address and other information is

also accurate.

 

If you have any questions about the cruise or would like a brochure,

please do not hesitate to contact me via email at suzi95628@yahoo.com.

[Sailfish]

The Valor Scuba Cruise will be embarking on the Carnival Valor on

December 10, 2006. It will set sail from Miami on an exotic Western

Caribbean itinerary, calling on Belize, Roatan, Grand Cayman and

Cozumel. A few people have been asking about the ship; as as I too

have yet to sail on a Conquest class vessell, I thought I would post

some resources for you to check out before committing to the trip.

 

Carnival Valor is a Conquest-class (Carnival Conquest, Carnival

Glory, Carnival Liberty) ship. A larger version of the line's Destiny-

class vessels, Valor's 13 passenger decks house 22 bars and lounges,

a 15,000-square-foot health club, Internet cafe, four swimming pools

and three restaurants, including an upscale "steakhouse-style" supper

club serving U.S.D.A. prime beef and other gourmet cuisine and an

expanded food service area on the Lido deck. There are

numerous "family-friendly" amenities, including an expansive 3,300-

square-foot play area and family recreation area featuring a teen

club and video game room.

 

Carnival Valor is the first ship to have 100% bow-to-stern wireless

Internet access (Wi-Fi) enabling passengers to check e-mail, the web,

stock quotes and news from anywhere aboard the vessel, including

staterooms.

 

Our group has a variety of cabins to choose from, ranging in price

from $599 for an inside guarantee. Please let me know if you would

like me to send you a brochure, with more detailed information.

 

If you're plannig to bring kids, I would recommend you consider

booking two cabins next to one another; the $100 per cabin shipboard

credit will offset the cost. This only works well with kids 10 years

and older.

 

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email

me. In the mean time, please check out the following links.

 

Pictures of the Valor

http://www.cruisenewsdaily.com/s-cvalor.html

 

Valor Deck Plans

http://www.carnival.com/Deck_Plans.aspx?shipCode=VA

 

Ship Information

http://***************/carnival_valor_1.htm

 

Detailed Cruise Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=154832&highlight=valor

[Sailfish]

I'm glad you stopped by to get information about our group. The

cruise line deals differently with groups than it does with

individual reservations; they have rules that only apply to groups,

and some policies are very inflexible. But groups definitely have a

few advantages over individual bookings. I'm going to take this

opportunity go over our group's rules and compare your group booking

to an individual reservation. If in the end you still have

questions, feel free to send me an email at suzi95628@yahoo.com.

 

First of all, our cruise is being administered by CruCon, a cruise

only agency selected by Cruise Critic. This group booking was made

by our agent Kevin at the request of Laura Sterling, Cruise Critic

Community Manager and I was selected to lead and coordinate the

group. Our agent is the only person, besides Laura, who will have

acess to our booking and to the people at Carnival Cruise Lines. I

have been assigned to answer any group questions you might have

related to the cruise, but anything specific to your reservation, you

will need to speak to Kevin. As with any cruise booking made by a

travel agency, you and I will NOT have direct access to any agent who

has been assigned to our group at Carnival, therefore, calling

Carnival directly for information concerning your booking will be in

vain.

 

With that said, you will have easy access to Kevin, our TA at CruCon.

If you have any questions related to monies paid into your booking,

about insurance, any mistakes on your invoice, or any questions about

your cruise reservation, feel free to call Kevin at 800-493-6609. If

you would like information about the Valor, the make up of our group,

our group's schedule of activities, our dive arrangements, or any

concerns you might have about your participation, I'm the person to

contact. I can easily be reached via email at suzi95628@yahoo.com.

You are also welcome to leave comments at our message board at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/valor_scuba_divers/.

 

Our group booking was set up to lock in 2005 rates on a 2006

sailing. All perks Canival extends to groups are based on the number

of group points that are tied to the sail date. Some sailings

generate up to 8 points, while others none. Group points are

determined by a number of factors, but the most important is the sail

date. Popular sailings, like those over the summer or holiday

periods generate no points, while those in the fall and off season

have a larger number of points. We got 6 amenity points for our

sailing; A couple of sail dates in the fall have 7 or 8 (at the

height of hurricane season), but our sailing's 6 points is

excellent. These points allowed us to get $100 per cabin shipboard

credit, a shared cocktail party and some cheap champagne at

embarkation.

 

One perk extended to groups is a reduced deposit on double occupancy

cabins that is NOT available to individual bookings. When you hold a

room with this reduced deposit, you are NOT booking a guarantee, even

though most agents refer to the booking as a guarantee. What you are

essentially doing is paying a deposit to hold a room in a particular

category until your second deposit posts.

 

Once your reservation posts the full $250pp deposit, you can then opt

to get a cabin assignment or have your booking become a guarantee.

The purpose of the $25 deposit is really to buy you some time. Many

people, who desire a certain cabin or prefer to know they have a

cabin reserved usually make their second deposit well before its due

date.

 

Once your second deposit posts to your reservation (meaning you have

a total of $250pp on your booking), in the eyes of the cruise line,

your booking is treated very much like any other individual

reservation.

 

All triples, quads and singles require a full $250pp

deposit at the time you make your reservation, as do two adjoining

rooms (the kind with inside doors). The reason the cruise line

insists you plunk down the full deposit is because there are not many

of these cabins on the ship to begin with. It's simply a supply &

demand issue.

 

Your second deposit of $225 is due on June 16, 2006. Please

note that you are welcome to make your second deposit at any time; if

you would prefer a room assignment when you initially reserve this

cruise, simple tell our TA you wish to do so and pay the full deposit

of $250pp. You are welcome to make payments on your booking in ANY

amount any time. Once your reservation posts $500 ($250pp) you're

home free until the August 25, 2006 the final payment due date.

Most people, after posting $500 on their cabin (normally this occurs

in groups at the time your 2nd deposit is made), usually opt for a

cabin assignment. But there are a lot of people who prefer that their

reservation become a guarantee. If you are not familiar with

guarantees, I would recommend you read

this article I found on the web:

 

http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/before/guaranteed.cfm

 

I can't say which is best for you, as I have been

on cruises where I got upgraded thanks to my guarantee and on cruises

where I have NOT. If you have any questions concerning guarantees,

let me know.

 

As your group leader, I will remain in touch with you throughout our

booking. I will publish and email you a monthly newsletter,

regularly update our two group related forums - both at the Yahoo

site and at Cruise Critic and update members on news relevant to our

group. Included in our monthly newsletter will be a "Who's Going"

list as well as a monthly pricing analysis.

 

If ever you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact

me. Hopefully, this posting answered a few of your questions.

Remember, our group was set up to accommodate divers, their non-

diving family and friends as well as snorkeling enthusiasts. If you

or someone you know would like a copy of our brochure, let me know.

 

Suzi

Valor Scuba Group Leader

 

 

[Sailfish]

I just made my booking and established our group dining time aboard

the Valor. In no way are you compelled to eat with our group, but if

you would like to join me, your group leader, at dinner, please make

sure you request the 8pm dining time when making your deposit.

 

There are four dining room reservation times available to the

passengers of the Valor. Kevin, our TA, will be asking you, when you

make your reservation, what time you will want to dine in the main

dining room.

 

You are free to eat anywhere anytime. The first formal night will be

our "group night" for the cruise. With that said, my husband and I

eat most dinners in the formal dining room and all of you are welcome

to join us, as long as your dining time is the same as ours.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Suzi

2006 Valor Scuba Cruise

Group Leader

 

[Sailfish]

A few people recently emailed me with questions concerning diving. Carnival offers scuba diving excursions at all four ports of call. With the exception of Belize, dive excursion can also booked through independent dive operators at all the other island locations. As diveable reefs are so far off shore in Belize, and with so few dive operations in Belize City, it's probably best to book our dive trips through the cruise line. I also found you save very little by booking your dives on your own in Belize. It's pricey any way you look at it. Thankfully, the cost to dive and Roatan and Cozumel are more reasonable. Grand Cayman is also costly.

 

I'll research our diving options and post the information later at our forum. But if you're curious as to what's available through the cruise line, you can log onto www.carnival.com and check out what they offer.

[Sailfish]

Here is dive pricing information for the group. Prices are what I expected, but if you haven't been to the Caribbean lately, you'll have to get over the sticker shock. Here is the list. Let me know if you have questions:

 

Belize $118pp 2 tanks - Ride along Snorkeler $97 (Ouch)

 

Grand Cayman $104pp 2 tanks - Ride along Snorkeler $35

 

Roatan $81pp 2 tanks includes equipment - Ride along Snorkeler $23

 

Cozumel $67pp 2 tanks DAY or 1 tank NIGHT $49pp

 

If you dive in all four ports of call, and do only DAY dives, your total package cost is $370pp. If you do two tank day dives in Belize, Roatan and Grand Cayman and the one tank night dive in Cozumel, your dive package cost is $352pp.

 

You are welcome to mix and match, and compare prices. I am open to suggestions. None of the dive ops are affiliated with the cruise line.

 

If you plan to travel with non divers, with the exception of Cozumel, they are welcome on the dive boat, although the cost to ride along in Belize is more than the cost to go diving in some ports!

 

Equipment rentals are pricey, so I recommend you bring your own. The dives in Roatan include your equipment - but I still say, if you have your own stuff, bring it!!

[robntawn]

My wife Tanya and I are in! Will call Kevin in AM to book. We prefer the 8:00 dining time. Sounds like fun!!!!!!

[Sailfish]

My wife Tanya and I are in! Will call Kevin in AM to book. We prefer the 8:00 dining time. Sounds like fun!!!!!!

 

Sounds great!

 

After you make your deposit, please send me an email and I will add you to my group list. I have a monthly newsletter and periodic group updates that I will email to you.

 

Thanks!

[Sailfish]

Well...we finally got our group's own message board up and running (check out my signature for the link).

 

Make sure you check in and say hi!

[ZydeDiverDC]

Hello Suzi and everyone!

We would also like the 8pm dining option. Do you know which dining room this will be in? When you mentiont the "main" dining room , I am sorry, I did not recognize which one that was?:confused:

[Sailfish]

Hello Suzi and everyone!

We would also like the 8pm dining option. Do you know which dining room this will be in? When you mentiont the "main" dining room , I am sorry, I did not recognize which one that was?:confused:

 

Hi DC:

 

There are several dining venues aboard the Valor - the two main dining rooms where every passenger has a standing reservation, a $25pp "reservation only" fine dining restaurant and casual buffets. Unlike NCL, Carnival and most other mass marketed cruise lines subscribe to the more traditional dinner seating schedule in their main dining rooms - early (also referred to as main) seating and late seating. On the Valor, passengers can choose from four seating times; two at late seating and two at early (main) dining. The 8pm is in one restatuant; the later one - at 8:15 or 8:30 is in the other.

 

Kevin, our TA did not indicate which dining room had the 8pm reservation, but from what I have read online about this class of ship, you don't have a choice. I have read that both restaurants are indentical in design. What have you heard?

 

Those passengers who want to dine with the group should request the 8pm reservation.

[zydecocruiser]

They stagger seatings between the dining rooms. When I was on the Valor, the aft dining room - whichever that is - was 8pm dinner.

[Sailfish]

They stagger seatings between the dining rooms. When I was on the Valor, the aft dining room - whichever that is - was 8pm dinner.

 

Was one dining room better than other? Not that this matters - just curious if they are the same.

[zydecocruiser]

They had the same menu. Food comes from the same kitchen. I imagine decor was equivalent, but perhpas a little different. Only possible difference that matters is one is in the middle of the ship and the other is at the back, so maybe a little difference in motion in rough seas, but nothing I noticed.

[ZydeDiverDC]

Hello Everyone, Hey ZydecoCruiser!

this is what I could find on Valor... so at 8 at either the Washington or the Lincoln Dining Rooms which span the two decks!

Carnival has set the table for a first-class dining experience in the

Washington

<

Atlantic Deck4/ Lobby 3- aft

> and

Lincoln

<

Atlantic deck 4/ Lobby 3- Midships

>

Dining Rooms

. The meals, including aged New York steaks, fresh seafood, low-fat Spa Carnival entrees and superb wines will be a celebration for your taste buds. The attentive service and delightful presentation complete these true culinary events.

For a more relaxed atmosphere with a spectacular view, sample the cuisine and the scenery at

Rosie's Restaurant <

Lido deck 9 - aft

>

. Dine, either indoors or outdoors, on favorites such as: salads, pasta, chicken, shrimp and savory steaks. The food is delicious and the view is amazing. Enjoy!

 

Every meal is a celebration at

Scarlett's

,<

Panoramic Deck 10

> our

reservations-only

$$Supper Club. For a nominal fee, you can spend a special evening in elegant style. Order top quality steaks and seafood favorites off of our fabulous menu reminiscent of an upscale steakhouse. Enjoy fine wine and live entertainment with your meal. Bon Appetit!

 

[ZydeDiverDC]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/valor_scuba_divers/messages

Hello Suzi, are you still maintaining this link? I looked to see if you had started a database table.. ..not tho.. I joined the group.. but was all alone! :eek: cept you! of course.

[Sailfish]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/valor_scuba_divers/messages

Hello Suzi, are you still maintaining this link? I looked to see if you had started a database table.. ..not tho.. I joined the group.. but was all alone! :eek: cept you! of course.

 

For more information about the Valor Scuba Cruise, people will need to go to our site here at Cruise Critic (see my signature). The yahoo board will remain, and be a duplicate "read only" site where people can still get information; it was set up to provide information until our CC board was up and running. No, I have not updated this site, as we have the forums at Cruise Critic. If you notice, I have taken this link off of my signature.

 

Hope this helps.

[Sailfish]

We have quite a bit of information now available regarding our group dive package at our ports of call. For more dive package information, go to:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=170540

 

If you'd like to know who is planning to come, visit our "Who's Going" thread at:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=169171

 

To see our dive boat sign-up (view only) list, go to:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=170796

 

Don't forget to subscribe to our forum!

__________________

[Sailfish]

Kevin, our TA at CruCon just emailed me that our promotional deposit deadline has been extended to Friday, May 27, 2005. This is great news, as it gives us a little more time to collect deposits. It's $25pp for all double occupancy cabins.

 

For booking instructions, pleas refer to this thread for more information:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=169155