GAPearl's Second Valor Review- Solo Southern Caribbean Cruise! (2/24/13)

[reeree313]

I absolutely LOVE your reviews....MORE MORE MORE! (please):D

[Mrs.C05]

 

It was here that I discovered the gasolina drink. Nope, this isn't a Capri Sun. It's alcohol. Even better is the fact that it's only $2. At that price, give me a case! There are 5 different flavors. There's a little straw on the inside and you can drink it straight from the pouch, but a classy lady like myself chose to take my $2 drink on ice. :p

 

 

Rum, tequila, passion fruit and other juices.

 

 

These look good!!!

 

My Saturday night shenanigans began here at Colmado Bar Moreno, right next to the Starbucks.

 

It's a restaurant by day, club by night on the weekend. I love reggaeton music (especially by my honey Daddy Yankee) and they were playing some good music as I was passing by, so I had to stop in. I was mad after I ordered a $7 mojito when I saw everyone else drinking the $2 gasolinas. I had one of those next. The place filled up fast with a lot of really young looking people. I'm as positive as a Maury Povich paternity test that I was the oldest one in there. I was brave and asked one guy his age. He was 19! OMG I'm going to jail!

 

Back to the Nuyorican Cafe for some more salsa dancing with Oscar.

 

 

 

Next installment: I finally get on the ship!

 

Bahahaha!!!! I love your humor! And Oscar is a hottie!

[Mrs.C05]

Can't wait for more of your review! Subscribed!!!!

[msmaj4700]

I love your reviews! I'm on pins & needles ........

[PrettyHazardous]

Gapearl thanks for the review I just finished reading your last Valor review so I'm excited to read this one as well. I'm so glad you posted from Blessed Cafe. When I was on the Carnival Freedom for my wedding cruise we spent the night prior to our wedding in San Juan. My DH, girlfriends and sorors spent quite a bit of time in Blessed Cafe but I never knew the name of the place, although I have hilarious pictures of us taking group shots there lol. Looking forward to the rest of the review!

Also Heather this is the review....she spent a few days before the cruise in San Juan so she's reviewing that first.

[dcfde01]

Hey i'll be on this cruise 3/31/13 can't wait after reading your review.

[mbmbird]

Why does it look like he's pointing the middle finger? LOL:eek::p:D [/color]

 

I was thinking the same thing!!:eek:

[vc562894]

Gapearl, where did you find the gasolina? I want to try it with my mom!

[travelplus]

Hey GAPearl its so nice "sailing with you" virtually again. I'm going on my 15 night cruise in one month from New Orleans to Rome(:.

 

Thanks for the detailed report. :D

Edited March 7, 2013 by travelplus

[MrFunInTheSun]

Great review and pictures Pearl! Solo cruises are the best! Thanks for taking us along on your trip with us.

[tiff123]

We are going on this cruise in a couple of weeks so I have been searching for a review on the Valor for this itinerary. I can't believe my luck... I finally found a review and how lucky I am that it is from you. I loved your last review. You are a delight! I can't wait to hear about cornbread part 2! Thank you for posting :D

[gapearl]

OMG you guys thanks for the comments and feedback! :D Y'all are great! I'm so happy you guys are staying entertained. I've been working on sorting, uploading and resizing my next group of pictures for the last 2 hours, while also trying to eat dinner and do laundry at the same time. I would respond to everyone's comments tonight, but that'll have to wait until tomorrow. It's either that or work on the next installment, and I figured you'd rather me get on to the next chapter. So here we go! :D

[Mrs.C05]

I'm waiting.....hahaha!

 

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2

[gapearl]

Cruise- Day 1!

 

I woke up singing I'M GOING ON A CRUISE TODAY!!!!! :D

 

I got up at 10 am, showered, called my mom to say goodbye before she left for church, called to check on my cousin that just had surgery, finished packing, and I was downstairs checking out of Da House by noon. This was an awesome place to stay. The ladies at the front desk were so nice and helpful. I'd recommend bringing ear plugs or some sort of sleeping aid, though. I figured I'd be ok because I thought I'd be out all night until the music stopped, but it went on until at least 3:30 am, and people from the salsa club were still out there hanging out after. Thankfully, I brought my melatonin and was knocked out within 15 minutes of hitting the pillow.

 

Packing light? Eh, not really. :rolleyes:

 

 

Da House called a taxi to get me to the port. A hottie named Juan was my driver. Estoy enamorada! Good golly! He figured out I was by myself and asked if he could come along. Heck yeah! :D He gave me his number and wanted me to call him when I got back to San Juan in a week. Oh shoot, Oscar and I are supposed to meet up! How'd I end up with 2 dates in Puerto Rico in a week and haven't 1 date in Atlanta in months? Maybe I should move. :rolleyes:

 

Anyways.....Look! A whale tail!

 

 

I gave my 2 heavy suitcases and a $5 tip to a porter. Check in was fast and easy. I told the security screeners I had soda and wine in my backpack and they didn't even ask me to take it out. Thankfully, my room was ready when I arrived at 1 pm. From my room at Da House to my room at the ship was exactly 1 hour. Not bad at all.

[msmaj4700]

Yes, I've been anxiously waiting.

[gapearl]

I was in cabin #2212, a 1A with portholes all the way forward. I stayed in 2208 on the Freedom some years ago and said I would NEVER stay in a room that close to the front again. It sounds like the Armageddon in the morning when the anchor drops. I had to suck it up, though. I saved $100 in this room, a big deal since I was already paying 200% of the cruise fare, in addition to another $50 early saver change fee. It's not that bad though. The anchor in the morning is an additional wake up call, and it was a quick 2 decks down for getting on and off at the ports.

 

 

 

I had all 3 closets to myself! Score!

 

 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2013 by gapearl

[gapearl]

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

I received a couple of requests to get pictures of some cabins.

 

This is for INCHARGE. This is #9201, scenic ocean view. That room is so nice! I must book one of these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

This is for Stefanny28, cabin #7451. I'm not sure what kind of suite it is, but it's nice.

 

 

 

There was another chair to the left, so 3 chairs for your balcony.

 

 

 

[gapearl]

 

 

 

[gapearl]

Up to the lido deck for lunch. I was starving! Broiled chicken, rosemary potatoes, and chocolate mint cake.

 

 

After lunch, I left the ship and went across the street to CVS to grab another bottle of wine and a case of water. A few pics along the way.

 

 

Which of these 3 is your favorite?

 

 

 

 

The duty free at the port isn't as good as it was last time I was there. The best value was some cheap rum at $4.99, buy one get one free. The bottles were huge and I knew I wouldn't be able to drink that much in the next week or fit those big bottles in my bags to take home, so I passed. If I did buy something, it would have been sooooooo easy to get it onboard. Bring a backpack or tote bag with you. Buy your goods, and when you go through security, they'll put this orange tag on your bag. The table for dropping off alcohol is all the way down by the embarkation door. Just bypass it completely and keep walking. I even saw some people walk right on with the bags that came from the store itself with no problem.

 

My little minibar with snacks and drinks.

 

Edited March 7, 2013 by gapearl

[gapearl]

My bags arrived pretty much as soon as I got back from the store, about 3 pm. I unpacked everything and headed to the gym for a quick 45 minutes on the treadmill. After I got back and showered for dinner, my cabin steward came to introduce himself. I can't remember his name (Deniz? Denil?) but he took great care of my cabin for me.

 

I headed out to the secret deck on deck 7 to get a few pictures. It was a beautiful night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was after 7 pm when I finally had my first DOD. I couldn't have one earlier, otherwise I never would have made it to the gym. haha

 

[gapearl]

I headed to the Washington Dining Room around 7:30 for dinner. The hostess asked if I would like to dine alone or at a large table. Of course, I requested a large table. This itinerary always has open seating the first night. I was seated with a mother-daughter pair from Indiana, a married couple from Michigan, and a solo older gentleman from Miami.

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

Gazpacho.

 

 

Chicken a la grecque.

 

 

I say this all the time! The ONLY way to eat warm chocolate melting cake is with TWO ice creams! Maybe even three!!! :p

 

 

Everything was delicious.

 

We had a table by a window and saw the Something of the Seas leave port.

 

 

There she goes, off to some beautiful, exotic destination.