Carnival Victory Review with lots of Photo's--July 5-12, 2009

[SoonerOne]

Wow, we just booked the Victory and all these Victory reviews keep popping up, color me happy:D Thanks for the great review and pics!

[dz63]

What kind of shows do they have on the Victory?

 

I am working on a Carnival Victory YouTube video which will show glimpses of the entertainment and shows offered on the Carnival Victory (this will be posted soon)--but in the meantime, the shows offered in the Caribbean Lounge included dancing and singing performances (with live music played by the Carnival Victory showband), comedians, juggling acts and a magician. On the last night the main show is called "Carnival Legends". In this show fellow guests perform as Ricky Martin, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Madonna, Britney Spears, Garth Brooks and Gloria Estefan. The cruise director performs as Dolly Parton and there is also a Sonny and Cher act. Both of these two acts were hilarious!

[mooveebuff]

July 13

Today we are all looking forward to the Bioluminescent Bay Excursion in Viegues and drive to the Puerto Del Rey Marina in Fajardo, an easy 1 1/2 hour drive from San Juan. We booked with East Island Excursions, the only tour company offering the Vieques Bioluminescent Bay excursion from the main island of Puerto Rico. That evening, we get back to the hotel around 12:30pm. Overall, it was a unique, once in a lifetime, fun experience for the whole family. I would highly recommend this excursion.

 

Hello dz63 and thank you for writing this review. We are following in your footsteps because the moon is right for us on Easter Sunday (04.04.10) to depart the Victory and take this excursion the same evening. I found out today that East Island has 31 people booked for our tour and I was wondering how many people were on your tour. In your pictures I didn't see a lot of people, so I'm curious. When you are in the water swimming, did all of you get in at once? How was your experience in respect to the number of people on the trip? Thanks!

[dz63]

Hello dz63 and thank you for writing this review. We are following in your footsteps because the moon is right for us on Easter Sunday (04.04.10) to depart the Victory and take this excursion the same evening. I found out today that East Island has 31 people booked for our tour and I was wondering how many people were on your tour. In your pictures I didn't see a lot of people, so I'm curious. When you are in the water swimming, did all of you get in at once? How was your experience in respect to the number of people on the trip? Thanks!

 

Hi mooveebuff. There were around 28 people on our Bio Bay tour with East Island Excursions. Once we arrived in Vieques, there were 3-4 vans waiting to take us across the island to Mosquito Bay (this was approx. a 10-minute drive). At Island Adventures, there were enough tables set up outdoors to accomodate everyone on the tour. After dinner, we went inside for a brief orientation, then boarded the rickety old school bus and we were on our way!

 

When it was time to go into the Bay, everyone who wanted to go swimming with the dinoflagellates went into the water at the same time (yes, there were a few who did not go into the water and remained on the pontoon boat). Although our family stayed in the Bay for the entire 30 minutes, the majority went back onto the pontoon boat earlier.

 

We did not find the number of people who were on this tour to interfer with our experience in any way. Everything was very well organized and we had a fantastic time.

 

Have a great cruise and enjoy your Bio Bay excursion!

[mooveebuff]

"We did not find the number of people who were on this tour to interfer with our experience in any way. Everything was very well organized and we had a fantastic time."

 

OK. Thanks for putting my mind at ease. :o

 

I was a little worried...it will be the most expensive/time consuming excursion planned on our enitre vacation, so thanks for the reassurance. :)

 

Bless You for continuing to answer all of our question from this really great review :D

 

BTW, what have you got planned for this summer?

[PreciousCruiser]

dz63:

 

What an absolutely wonderful review! How refreshing! Most of all I love your positive attitude and how much you seem to enjoy life and your family.

 

Thank you so much for sharing your Cruise with us.

 

Can't wait to check out your You Tube videos.

 

I'll be cruising on The Victory April 25, 2010 and can't wait.

Anyone cruising that week? PLEASE JOIN OUR ROLL CALL!

[Interrogation Room]

Since the pools and waterslide were closed, this was an opportune time for us to explore this Grand ship.

 

The Pool Decks

 

Why were the Pools and Waterslide Closed? :confused:

[Brangwen]

I'll be cruising on The Victory April 25, 2010 and can't wait.

Anyone cruising that week? PLEASE JOIN OUR ROLL CALL!

 

Our group will be getting off the day you're getting on. :D :(

[dz63]

 

Why were the Pools and Waterslide Closed? :confused:

 

:confused: I have no idea why the pools and waterslide were closed on embarkation/debarkation day in San Juan--only the hot tubs were opened--perhaps it has something to do with the late departure time? Whatever the case, I did notice that at sail-away, the Sirens Pool (adults-only pool, located aft of the ship) had opened up--this is the only pool on the ship which is opened daily until midnight. All the other days, the waterslide was opened from noon to 5:00 pm and the pools were opened from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm--except for the last night, when the pools closed earlier and apparently remained closed until the ships arrival in St. Thomas.

[dz63]

For those of you wishing to see more photos and video clips of our Carnival Victory cruise. . .here is your chance! I have put together 14 vacation slideshow/videos depicting our pre-cruise, cruise ship, ports of call and post-cruise experiences. I will post one-two videos every day.

 

The first video depicts our pre-cruise stay in San Juan. It is just under 5-minutes in length.

 

Highlights of this video: Our pre-cruise destination was the Hampton Inn, located in Isla Verda. Not only did we enjoy the pool at the Hampton Inn, we also had time to relax on Isla Verda Beach. Before boarding the Carnival Victory, we visited El Morro and San Cristobal--two Spanish forts in Old San Juan.

 

 

Click on this link to view our Pre-cruise video which includes the Forts of Old San Juan.

 

 

 

 

 

More to Come

[Buffettfan 225]

Thank you. Just getting finished reading another posters review with photos and going into withdrawl. Now I have more to look forward to.

 

Oh, I tried putting photos in my posts like you did- mine came up really small- I tried posting from link Webshots or my own computer upload-can you tell me how you got photos in posts? I'd love to do a review myself with photos.

If you want email info to:

buffettfan225-cruise at yahoo dot com.

Note two t's and two f's I made a spelling error when created screen name..Jimmy Hates it when people they do that!

[dz63]

The Ship

Sailing out of San Juan, this video features highlights of the Carnival Victory Ship—including the waiter’s dance and farewell song. Length: 9:54

 

 

 

Carnival Victory—Entertainment

This video features some of the live entertainment offered by the Carnival Victory on our Southern Caribbean Cruise. Length: 6:47

 

 

 

 

Coming up Next. . .YouTube video of Our Day in St. Thomas

[dz63]

Carnival Victory—Our Day in St. Thomas with Airforce 1 Papa Bear

With Papa Bear as our tour guide, we saw many sites during our first port stop on our Southern Caribbean Cruise. We visited many overlooks including the Solberg Overlook, Lindbergh Bay and Dorothea Bay. We also went to St. Peter Great House and Botanical Gardens where we got a panoramic view of Magens Bay, 1,000 feet below. Our day ended with time to relax and swim at Sapphire Beach. Length 3:35

 

 

 

Coming up Next. . .YouTube Video of Our Day in Dominica

[Buffettfan 225]

Thanks Connie for the email and post regarding inserting photos. I'll be practicing soon. Always love info we share on CC!

[a3593]

The youtube videos are so cool! Thanks!

[dz63]

Carnival Victory—Our Day in Dominica with Antours

Our second port stop took us to the lush, tropical island of Dominica. In this video, you will see our Port Excursion booked through Antours. We enjoyed the secluded beauty of the Emerald Pool and then went on a water adventure through a tropical rainforest--river tubing down the Layou River! Length 4:13

 

 

 

Coming up Next. . .YouTube Video of Our Day in Barbados

[dz63]

Carnival Victory—Our Day in Barbados with Scenic Barbados Tours, July 8, 2009

Our third port stop took us to the beautiful Island of Barbados. With Scenic Barbados Tours as our guide, we visited such sites as Harrison's Cave, Bathsheba (located on the rugged east coast side of the island), St. John's Parish Church and Accra/Rockley Beach. Length 4:06

 

 

Coming up Next. . .YouTube Video of Our Day in St. Lucia

[grammy c]

Superb Pics. and Videos! Thank you sooo much. I am also a camera freak and have Lost and broken too many items to even recall!!! But recently had a cruise pvp with ccl tell me that ALL that stuff is covered under your cruise insurance as personel items no matter lost broken or stolen. You just have to have original receipt and invoice of cruise to prove you really had it on the trip. We actually had that for the last digital camera, battery and memory card and recooped around $400 so was feeling better about the lost and then the replacement. Actually bought the Fugi finepix and love it! Also bought and underwater sony video that takes pic. also and it is even better for about the same money on amazon. We will be doing the Victory 11/21-12/05/10 , a B2B and REALLY did appreciate ALL the pics. as we had been on the Triumph but not the Victory, and it seems there are lots of differences that will make it nice. Also have been to all the ports many times before, but not to some of the locations you guys went to. That gave me lots to think about for our trip. You family looked great in your pics. and I'm so glad for you that you did this trip before they all got toooo OLD to go with you LOL:D Happy crusing, Diane

[dz63]

Carnival Victory—Our Day in St. Lucia with Spencer Ambrose Tours, July 9, 2009

Our fourth port stop took us to the beautiful and lush island of St. Lucia. We booked the West Coast Island Delight Tour with Spencer Ambrose Tours. We saw the fishing villages of Anse La Raye and Canaries, visited a Banana Plantation, cooled off in the Toraille Waterfalls, walked through the Botanical Garden, smelled the pungent odor of sulfur at Sulphur Springs and went swimming at the breathtaking Jalousie Beach nestled between the majestic Pitons. Length: 5:53

 

 

 

 

Coming Up Next. . .Our YouTube Video of Our Day in Antigua

[dz63]

Carnival Victory—Our Day in Antigua with Gordon, July 10, 2009

With Gordon as our tour guide, we visited many sites during our port stop in Antigua. We saw the historic St. Barnabus Church in Liberta, Nelsons Dockyard, the Blockhouse, Shirley Heights (which offered us a panoramic view of English Harbour), beach time at Long Bay Beach and a final stop along the rugged east coast where Devils Bridge is located. Length: 4:35

 

 

 

Coming Up Next. . .Our YouTube Video of Our Day in St. Kitts

[shari08]

Great review! The videos make it more special. Thanks for taking the time to do this. We leave in 47 days!! :D

[dz63]

Carnival Victory—Ziplining in St. Kitts, July 11, 2009

This video/slideshow features our Port Excursion in St. Kitts--as we go ziplining with Ski Safaris over the tropical St. Kitts rainforest. Length: 4:43

 

 

 

Coming Up Next. . .Our YouTube Video of the Embassy Suites and our Vieques Bio Bay Excursion

[MrTexasAggie]

I remember the Victory with a lot of fond memories. My first cruise as an adult. Took her shortly after 9/11 and a family brought jars of bees on the ship. Yes, you read that right. Bees! They were caught during Muster, and I happen to sit with their next door neighbors (cabin wise, not on land) at dinner who had to stay in their room while the family was escorted off the ship. Pretty crazy stuff. :confused:

[dz63]

Embassy Suites, San Juan, Puerto Rico

The Embassy Suites, Isla Verda, San Juan was our Carnival Victory post-cruise destination from July 12-16, 2009. The tropical lobby atrium and the enormous tropical-landscaped free-form pool made our stay here something to remember. Of course the nightly manager’s reception party with free drinks and snacks and the hot buffet breakfasts made this place almost as good as being back on the cruise ship! Length: 3:14

 

 

 

Puerto Del Rey and our Vieques Bio Bay Experience with East Island Excursions, July 13, 2009

After exploring the Puerto Del Rey Marina, we climbed aboard East Island Excursions fast power catamaran for a 45-minute ride to the island of Vieques. Once in Vieques we were shuttled over to Island Adventures for a yummy dinner, before boarding a rickety old bus to Mosquito Bay. From here, we boarded a flat electric pontoon boat which took us out into the Bay, where we were able to float and swim and experience the bioluminescence of the glowing Bay. (Sorry, due to the darkness of the night, I do not have actual photos of us in the Bay). Length: 2:12

 

 

 

 

Coming Up Next. . .El Yunque and Luquillo Beach, Puerto Rico

[LOBOGORDO]

DZ63: What an amazing service and experience you have provided the rest of us anticipating the Carnival Victory southern Caribbean cruise. Ours, with 2 other couples (3 siblings and spouses), will depart San Juan on 7/11/10. I can't wait to start viewing your videos! You've occupied my entire snowed-in day today in Colorado just reliving with you the cruise and the pre- and post-cruise fun!

As a group of six, do you think it makes sense to rent a minivan and, armed with a good map and guidebook, tour any of the islands on our own? I was particularly thinking of St. Maartin, which replaces Antigua on our itenerary. My HW and I have been to St. Martin twice before on eastern Caribbean cruises and would like to explore some on our own.

And my question to others sharing this wonderful review: have any of you heard good things about Sunny Liston Tours on St. Thomas? This is another 3rd-time return for us, and we're looking for new sites to see.

Again, thanks to DZ63 for so skillfully sharing your family's experience!