New Carnival Cruiser - Valor vs. Legend

[ColoradoMom!!]

Hi,

 

I am looking at a 7 night cruise in March 2010 - the Valor and Legend have the same ports that we are interested in. Valor out of Miami, Lengend from Tampa. What differences can you tell me about the two??

 

We are a fam of four - two boys who will be 11 and 15. All they require is a basketball court. We sailed the RCI Mariner, and that is where they spent most of their time.

 

Also, we loved having ajoining rooms - are they hard to get as I don't see many on the deck plans??

 

All advice and insight is greatly appreciated! Thanks :)

[JOANN226]

Hi,

 

I am looking at a 7 night cruise in March 2010 - the Valor and Legend have the same ports that we are interested in. Valor out of Miami, Lengend from Tampa. What differences can you tell me about the two??

 

We are a fam of four - two boys who will be 11 and 15. All they require is a basketball court. We sailed the RCI Mariner, and that is where they spent most of their time.

 

Also, we loved having ajoining rooms - are they hard to get as I don't see many on the deck plans??

 

All advice and insight is greatly appreciated! Thanks :)

 

I am booked on the Legend for this July out of Tampa, I cruised on the Legend a couple of years ago out of NYC. I loved the ship, I don't know anything about the valor, but when I was looking for a western caribbean cruise I decided on tampa because you can fly right into tampa, I don't know about your air flight, but the airport we fly out of on Long Island does not go directly to miami, so for us it is easier to do Tampa. Besides we are flying in the day before the cruise and have a great hotel with all the transportation we need. Hope you find some of this helpful. Joann

[cusyl]

Tampa is so much easier to sail out of than Miami. I'll be on the Legend a week from Sunday, can hardly wait. :D

[d1cso4]

hello cusyl,

i am going in november ..still aways to go..and tampa..is a 20 minute crosstown ride away from our place..let us know how you like it..

[A&Jfamily]

We did the Valor in 07 and the Legend in 08 - same week. Very heavy college spring break crowd on the Valor...less so on the Legend with more walkers/O2 tanks.

 

The Valor has a stadium style Lido deck surrounding a main pool (with another pool higher up at the back where the slide comes down) while the Legend has a more intimate feel with two pools. The Legend is also easier to get around on as the Galley does not block moving from one end of the ship to another as it does on the Valor.

 

Tampa is much easier to get in and out of. FLL was PACKED trying to get back with all those ships coming in port (we did FLL b/c it was cheaper than MIA)

 

Since you are switching from RCI, please be aware that CCL does not do rock climbing, flo riders or ice skating. That said, I think the service, the 24 hr pizza and ice cream and the food in general is better on CCL.

 

All in all, I would take either cruise again...but actually prefer the Legend.

[batoutofhell]

I prefer the Legend much more over the Valor. I'm going on the Legend for the second time this summer. In my opinion, the Spirit class (which includes the Legend) is the best laid-out. There's no galley or dining room in the middle of the ship that forces you to walk up and back down to get across on those decks.

 

I'm pretty sure both have basketball courts though, so you have a choice there. :) If it were me though, I'd go with the Legend over the Valor.

[ColoradoMom!!]

Thanks - this is great info! I think we'll be ok without the rock wall as neither of the boys had interest in it on the Mariner. Sounds like the Legend is a leading favorite. The only thing I saw that the boys might like is the movie screen on the Valor - it's an outdoor big screen, right?

 

I am so excited about the possibility of going! Any booking tips? I want control over my ressie, so I probably won't use a TA. Any disadvantages to the early saver rate?

[Hector's Mom]

We went on the Freedom in January, so we don't mind the layout of the Conquest ships (is that right?). And my DH and I are actually booked on the Valor for March 2010 (spring break, dh is a teacher) already. So I would have to go with the Valor. :)

[cusyl]

hello cusyl,

i am going in november ..still aways to go..and tampa..is a 20 minute crosstown ride away from our place..let us know how you like it..

Will do...I never saw a ship I didn't like. This will be my 40th cruise :)

[A&Jfamily]

Thanks - this is great info! I think we'll be ok without the rock wall as neither of the boys had interest in it on the Mariner. Sounds like the Legend is a leading favorite. The only thing I saw that the boys might like is the movie screen on the Valor - it's an outdoor big screen, right?

 

I am so excited about the possibility of going! Any booking tips? I want control over my ressie, so I probably won't use a TA. Any disadvantages to the early saver rate?

 

 

Check out the web cam #2 and you can see how big the big screen really is: www.carnival.com/cms/fun/ships/carnival_valor/default.aspx?shipCode=VA. One of these threaads had a posting of movies that were showing...pretty G rated stuff, if I recall. I am not sure I would like the TV b/c many posters have said it is noisy...and the Lido deck is already too noisy (but that is JMHO). I think I would like Movies Under the Stars.

 

Read the fine print on ES - If you have a committed week, that you know you will not change, and you aren't changing travel companions, it's a good deal. I saved over $100/pp after initial booking with switch to ES and the rate reductions...now price is over $100/pp more than my initial booking!

 

Make sure whichever ship you take, try the supper club ($30/pp) and WELL WORTH IT.

[ColoradoMom!!]

Thanks! It is so much harder to find good deals now that I can't take the kids out of school for a week! :rolleyes:

[NeedaVac]

Hi!

 

Just got off the Valor this past weekend. The layout does get blocked on levels 3 and 4 due to the galley. Most things you will go to are above those decks so it's usually not a problem unless you have a cabin without a balcony (they are the low ones). The Valor does have the big screen on the Lido. The movies are only on after 5pm. Early morning CNN is on. Once things get going on the Lido deck there is just movies (no sound) of beaches or people surfing. If there are pool games going on, they are broadcast on the screen so it is fun to see them. The Valor also has laser tag for $5/game that my kids thought was really fun. There is also mini golf, basketball and volleyball courts as well as an arcade. Hope this helps you! I think the Valor is a little cheaper as well!:)

[hotpinkpanther]

Hi!

 

Just got off the Valor this past weekend. The layout does get blocked on levels 3 and 4 due to the galley. Most things you will go to are above those decks so it's usually not a problem unless you have a cabin without a balcony (they are the low ones). The Valor does have the big screen on the Lido. The movies are only on after 5pm. Early morning CNN is on. Once things get going on the Lido deck there is just movies (no sound) of beaches or people surfing. If there are pool games going on, they are broadcast on the screen so it is fun to see them. The Valor also has laser tag for $5/game that my kids thought was really fun. There is also mini golf, basketball and volleyball courts as well as an arcade. Hope this helps you! I think the Valor is a little cheaper as well!:)

 

I guess it depends on how early you book, but we also found the Valor to be cheaper. I am sure it has something to do with it being in Miami and there being more competition. I think there is a greater chance of a price drop as well.

 

Either ship is going to give you a great cruise; you can't go wrong.

[nybumpkin]

I agree with cusyl - never sailed on a ship I didn't like - but of the two I prefer Valor over Legend. I'm not bothered by the interrupted deck flow on decks 3 and 4 on Valor, but I didn't care for the arrangement of lounges on Legend - we felt as if we were constantly going from one end of the ship to the other (even though we could do so without changing decks). On Valor (and the others of her class) it just seemed easier to find things. I thought there was a lot of vibration in Legend's dining room since the lower level is on deck 2. Never experienced that level of vibration in the aft dining room on any of the Triumph/Conquest-class ships we've sailed, and they also have the midships dining room which has the least vibration. We liked the movie screen on Valor (last year watched Harry Potter), which won't be available on Legend. Legend's best feature to me is the aft pool area - it's adult-only and open to the sea, instead of being enclosed as on Valor. Really nice experience.

 

Either ship, I don't think you can go wrong. I'd sail either again in a heartbeat (and we're sailing Miracle, Legend's sister, in July). I just prefer the Conquest-class ships like Valor.

[momofzeke]

Comparison of Conquest class (Valor) and Spirit class (Legend) ships:

 

I have been on 1 Conquest class ship, Valor, and 2 Spirit class ships, Pride and Miracle. Had an excellent cruise on all 3 ships, and loved each ship. Spirit class is my favorite, though.

 

Conquest class is larger, more passengers. It felt more crowded to me than Spirit class ships.

 

Spirit class has only 1 dining room. You can walk from front to back of the ship on any deck, all the way through. On Conquest class, there are 2 dining rooms. In order to get around one of the dining rooms, you have to go up and around on a higher deck......can't walk all the way through because the dining room blocks your way. Not a big deal, but just takes some getting used to.

 

I prefer the layout of the Lido pool areas on Spirit class. It is one flat deck, whereas Conquest class has a tiered deck. The Aft pool area on Spirit class is also just one flat deck, where you can walk right to the railing of the ship and look out at the water. On Conquest class, the pool area has an open roof but there are windows on the sides. To get to the open deck and railing, you have to go up one deck from the pool/bar. Not as much room up there either.

 

Conquest class has the big outdoor movie screen on Lido deck by the main pool. It also has a fish and chips station. Spirit class does not have either of those things. I didn't really like the movie screen that much, I thought it was loud and I'm not much of a movie buff. I don't like fish. But if either of those things are important to you, Spirit class does not have them.

 

Some people feel that the night life is better on a Conquest class ship because all the bars/clubs are on one level, where the Spirit class has them more spread out on 2 different levels. Personally, I didn't really notice any difference but we spend quite a bit of time in the casino and Piano Bar, and don't really do the dance club or karaoke.

 

Either of these two ships will be great for your family. Enjoy! :)

[Name Of The Game]

Strangely enough the disco on the Legend is on the bottom deck and appears to be next to/across from people's cabins. That seems like an odd place.....is it empty in there at night??

[notawordok]

I have never sailed the valor but i have been on the glory which is the same layout.

 

We sailed the Legend this past Jan. We loved the cruise and there is no bad ship the cruise is what you make of it. On the Legend there was an older crowd and by 1 o'clock in the morn it was like we were the only ones walking around on the ship. It had a much older crowd and there were alot of walkers and hoovarounds.

 

If i had to choose between the spirit class ship and the conquest class ship with the same itenery I would choose the conquest class ship.

 

The spirit class ship is smaller and my wife and I liked the theater style deck rather than the upper and lower decks at the main pools. We sailed on the victory and it is very similar to the conquest ships it just a little shorter and it had the bigscreen tv and we loved it.

 

Now for the port towns we hated Miami and we loved Tampa. The ports getting on and off the ship was not the issue. In miami we did not have any issues getting on or off the ship. There were some lines waiting to get on and off but it was not a bad experince. In Tampa we were one of the first on the ship so there was no waiting in line because we were so early. We had to wait to get on the ship.

We just did not like Miami. I would sail out of either port again as long as I was sailing.

 

As far as the galley blocking the decks where you can't walk stright thru the ship is not an issue for us we just learn how to avoid those decks. Its like driving in a town with alot of oneway streets after a couple days you figure it out.

[glrounds]

Another vote for the LEGEND. I also cruised the LEGEND out of NYC (see webshot pics below). THe Spirit-classed ships are my favorites. The main reasons are the double promenade gives you bow to stern movement on any deck, the bars and entertainment venues are spread throughout the ship, and, my favorite, the aft Lido deck is OPEN TO THE SEA (Conquest class ships have the Lido deck surrounded with steel and glass). There is an adult pool and jacuzzi there, a bar running completely across the beam of the ship and through the doors to the buffet for a snack. Did I mention this part of the Lido is OPEN TO THE SEA (yah know, that thing you're floating on :rolleyes:)I've cruised ALL the Spirit-classed ships, but the Miracle. I've found the perfect size for me.

 

Can't speak of the Tampa port as I've never cruised out of there, but MY GOD, anything would be better than Miami ! ! What a mess ! ! :eek: In there defense, just TOO MANY SHIPS AT THE SAME TIME. :D

 

Did I mention, the AFT LIDO DECK IS OPEN TO THE SEA ? :confused:

[ColoradoMom!!]

Wow - thanks everyone for such great insight! Keep it coming :D

 

Gary - I used to live in Santa Clarita! I always told everyone it was Santa Clarita so I didn't have to admit I actually lived in Canyon Country - LOL! Sure has grown since we were there in the early 90's.

 

The Lido deck open to water sounds heavenly! So does the adult area! What a tough choice!

 

I just can't help but wonder if the kids would enjoy the outside theater at night. Quality adult night life isn't a huge priority since we probably wouldn't know quality night life if it slapped us in the face!

 

Both have water slides - which would be a big hit with my 11 year old.

 

It sure is fun to be faced with such a decision!

[momofzeke]

Did I mention, the AFT LIDO DECK IS OPEN TO THE SEA ? :confused:

 

Gary, I'm with you on that one! I love that about Spirit class ships. I found the aft deck area on the Valor that is open to the sea to be small and crowded after sailing on 2 Spirit class ships our first 2 cruises.

 

Hey, you gotta try the Miracle! She is a great ship. My favorite cruise so far.

[batoutofhell]

Gary, I'm with you on that one! I love that about Spirit class ships. I found the aft deck area on the Valor that is open to the sea to be small and crowded after sailing on 2 Spirit class ships our first 2 cruises.

 

Hey, you gotta try the Miracle! She is a great ship. My favorite cruise so far.

Same here. Miracle has been my favorite so far. :D

[wonderwoman451]

We were also wondering about the differences between the Legend and Valor. Many of you answere dmy questions!! We also sailed the Legend out of NYC a few years ago and were excited to see it sailing out of Tampa. We jut LOVED the Legend. But then again, the only thing we had to compare it to was the NCL Dawn. Anything was great after that. Can anyone recommend a decent hotel within walking distance of the Pier?? Thanks!