Carnival Valor

[kyro298]

We are booked on our very first cruise EVER on Dec. 17th. We have two kids (11 and almost 8). Any tips?? Especially for the kids. It seems that most of the excursions exclude our youngest. Pity because he is the daredevil among us. I'm also prone to motion sickness so I'm petrified. We are so excited though. I'd appreciate any pointers. Also, we are going to Boca Raton after to see family and I have a rental car booked at the Fort Lauderdale airport (we fly home from there so I thought it would be best to just book the round trip rental car). My only problem is getting from the Port to the Fort Lauderdale airport on the 24th. Help!

[divetrash]

Can you change your rental car pickup to the Miami Airport? If so, many of the car companies have a van that picks up at the port and takes you to the rental desk at Miami Airport. You should be able to return the car at the Fort Lauderdale airport without penalty.

 

At least that's what I did when I went on the Valor back in July. (FYI we used Dollar).

 

Laura

[kyro298]

I thought that initially, but since we are staying in Boca Raton from the 24th-27th and flying out of Fort Lauderdale on the 27th, we need the car for those days. Where we are staying isn't all that far from the airport so my thinking was that it might be a pain getting from the Miami port to the Ft. Lauderdale airport, but then on the tail end when we fly out, it will be much easier. I just don't know how to get to the FLL airport after we dock on the 24th. I checked the shuttle and online it says they aren't available at that time. Not sure why???

[divetrash]

Okay, maybe I'm a little confused here. What I am suggesting is picking up the car at the Miami Airport, taking it for however long you need it and then returning it at the Ft. Lauderdale airport when you fly out.

 

That eliminates the need to get from the port to FLL.

 

Back in July, I didn't fly home until the day after the cruise. When we got off the ship, the Dollar Van picked us up took us to the Miami Airport where we picked up the car. We spent the rest of Sunday and part of Monday touring around where ever we wanted to go and when it was time to fly home, we drove to FLL and dropped the car off there.

 

By the way, are you on Eastern or Western?

 

Laura

[caribbean dreams]

What shore excursions are you looking at that will exclude your 8 year old?

[MamaParrotHead]

My suggestions for excursions would be this:

 

If doing Eastern Caribbean...in Nassau, go via taxi to Atlantis to poke around and maybe hit the beach there. St. Thomas go with Godfrey, St. Martin head to Orient Beach via taxi.

 

If going Western, I'd check out Island Marketing excursions. We've booked a Jeep Caravan/tour for GC and private island tour for Coz (with PLENTY of time to hang at Paradise Beach in the afternoon). Their prices were super reasonable AND they come highly recommended on the Ports of Call boards here on CC.

 

Hope that helps!:)

[emdia43]

Don't worry about being prone to sea sickness- I can get nauseated just saying the word and I put off cruising for years because I just KNEW I would be hanging over the rails the whole time. But when you are walking around these mega ships you could just as well be walking around your local mall,you really don't feel any motion. I was told,and it seems to be true that the first evening is when you're going to feel it because you are heading out to sea,crossing channels etc...and that is the only time I have been aware of motion. Then it's only one of those "What was that"? moments. If you even feel the slightest bit queasy,eat something salty (chips,tomato juice) get out of confined space and go up on deck where you can get your bearings, and/or take Bonine and Bingo!! you feel better.

Since then I have had people say to me "It was rough sailing last night wasn't it?' and I haven't even been aware of it or I'm becoming a good sailor.LOL

You started well by choosing a huge ship- you're gonna have a wonderful time.

Have you looke d into the Dolphin encounter excursions? Not sure what your itinerary is but they have them in Cozumel and Nassau. Expensive but thrilling! :)

Taxi from FLL airport to the pier is about $15.

[Cuizer2]

We are booked on our very first cruise EVER on Dec. 17th. We have two kids (11 and almost 8). Any tips?? Especially for the kids. It seems that most of the excursions exclude our youngest. Pity because he is the daredevil among us. I'm also prone to motion sickness so I'm petrified. We are so excited though. I'd appreciate any pointers. Also, we are going to Boca Raton after to see family and I have a rental car booked at the Fort Lauderdale airport (we fly home from there so I thought it would be best to just book the round trip rental car). My only problem is getting from the Port to the Fort Lauderdale airport on the 24th. Help!

The Valor does two different cruises, an eastern Caribbean and a western Caribbean cruise. I looked it up, you are on the eastern itinerary.

 

As for the kids, make sure you go to the Camp Carnival get together on the first night, even if the kids never plan to attend. It will be a good chance to meet other kids and parents. Your 11 year old will be able to sign his/her self in and out. Your 8 year old will not be able to sign himself in or out of Camp Carnival.

 

I was on the same cruise you are on in May of this year, except I was on the Glory (older sister of the Valor). In Nassau do NOT go to Pearl Island. First of all, the programs they offer are not very good. Second once you are done with your program there is very little to do. Third, the only way off the island is via the boat that brought you there. Fourth, there is no fresh water on the island, so if you get thirsty, you have to buy your drinks (including water) and/or lunch. Fifth, if swimming with the Stingrays is of interest to you, go to Grand Cayman (western itinerary) where the quality of the experience is much better.

 

At St. Thomas go to the Skyride (or whatever they call the ride of the mountain). Go early. It is $18 per person on land and $17 per person on the ship. The view you get looks something like this ...

 

 

What excursions are you interested that an almost 8 year old cannot do? We may be able to suggest some alternatives.

 

As to sea sickness, I get sea sick easily, and I have never gotten sea sick on a cruise ship. Theses ships are big and don't move much. I also used ginger, which is the only thing that worked when Mythbusters tested sea sickness remedies.

 

Many rental companies will allow you to pick up a rental car in Miami and drop it off in Ft. Lauderdale. I did exactly that in August 2004 when I cruised out of Miami and flew out of Ft. Lauderdale. I rented from Hertz.

 

Below is a link to my review of my cruise on the Glory. Except for the names of the places on the ship (for example, the restaurants on the Glory are named after colors, while the restaurants on the Valor are named after presidents) everything else will be the same ...

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=18296

 

And here is a link to 143 photos from my cruise (though it is the Glory, the Valor will look very similar and is laid out the same) ...

 

Album one - http://www.cruise-addicts.com/photogallery/v/Carnival+Glory_001/

 

Album two - http://www.cruise-addicts.com/photogallery/v/Carnival+Glory_002/

[Cuizer2]

Darn double post! :(

[kyro298]

Wow! Thanks for all the fabulous responses..first, for the rental car...I couldn't seem to find one that wouldn't charge me extra to return it at a different destination so that is why I thought just taking a shuttle to FLL would be easiest. Looks like maybe I should investigate that a little more. Second, we are on the Eastern itinerary and my son is too young to do the water activities. (Parasailing, windsurfing, hang-gliding, underwater beach walk, etc...) We are booked for the Stingray adventure in Nassau but that's it so far. I was a little disappointed that Nassau was the only island that seemed to offer any kind of animal encounter (unless I missed it somewhere else). As for the motion sickness, I'll just suck it up and carry Dramamine. I'm so excited about the cruise, I'm hoping to "forget" I ever suffer from motion sickness. I haven't really heard anything negative so I'm more excited than ever. Thank you SO much!!!

[kyro298]

Wow! Thanks for all the fabulous responses..first, for the rental car...I couldn't seem to find one that wouldn't charge me extra to return it at a different destination so that is why I thought just taking a shuttle to FLL would be easiest. Looks like maybe I should investigate that a little more. Second, we are on the Eastern itinerary and my son is too young to do the water activities. (Parasailing, windsurfing, hang-gliding, underwater beach walk, etc...) We are booked for the Stingray adventure in Nassau but that's it so far. I was a little disappointed that Nassau was the only island that seemed to offer any kind of animal encounter (unless I missed it somewhere else). As for the motion sickness, I'll just suck it up and carry Dramamine. I'm so excited about the cruise, I'm hoping to "forget" I ever suffer from motion sickness. I haven't really heard anything negative so I'm more excited than ever. Thank you SO much!!!

[emdia43]

In Nassau the Atlantis is very popular,it has one of those mega aquariums that you can walk through with sharks overhead..... sounds to me like something an 8 yr old boy would like. The only drawback to Atlantis is that to me the attraction would be the pools and slides but they will not allow cruise passengers to use them. Arrgh.....

We took a horse carriage ride around town and then went window shopping. The problem is you don't get many hours there,but you can get a taxi to one of the beaches and relax .

Join your rollcall for your sailing and also read the Port of call page for the resorts you are going to and you'll pick up tons of info.:)

[canelaw99]

As for the seasickness issue, I am very prone to motion sickness (in cars and one other time on a cruise), so I was over-prepared this time...I took Bonine with me, I had the prescription patch, and I took ginger pills. I began the ginger Sun. morning about an hour and a half before we departed and took a couple more that evening, and I had no, repeat, NO problems the whole entire cruise with motion sickness. My hubby took one that morning, then no more the rest of the time until he felt bad, but once he would take one, he'd be fine....

 

Other than that, you guys should have a great time. I definitely recommend checking out the posts in the excursions section so you can get specifics on the places you're going to be.

[TennisLover]

Very easy to grab a cab at the Port of Miami and take to FLL. We've done that before -- and we even need a minivan cab for our family of 4 and all our luggage. There are tons there.

 

For our next cruise, when we are spending time in the Palm Beach area before and after the cruise, we are using Larry's Limo to/from the port. Price seemed reasonable, and we are starting further north than Boca and making a stop to pick up friends on the way to the port.

 

Your kids will have a great time. We've been cruising with our kids for 4 years (they are now 14 and 11) and they have loved every cruise.