Carnival Valor Cruise Review

Are you dreaming of setting sail on a cruise? Our family of four recently visited the Bahamas aboard the Carnival Valor ship and had the most amazing time! Today, I’m sharing the highlights of our cruise in this Carnival Valor cruise review. Check out the staterooms, onboard activities, spa, dining and much more!

Carnival Valor Cruise Review

I was invited as media to provide my honest review of the ship. All opinions are my own.

The Stateroom

We all know you don’t book a cruise to spend time in the room. Therefore, most staterooms are typically small in size. When you cruise with kids, Carnival offers a larger room with bunk beds. This is definitely a highlight for any child. Our stateroom also had a balcony with 2 chairs and small table. We found the room to be fairly spacious with plenty of drawers and closet space to keep things tucked away.

First day highlights

There’s so much to see and do aboard cruise ships! So where do you begin? Since your luggage will take a few hours to arrive in your stateroom, head to the open dining area to sample the cruise cuisine. Next, I recommend stopping by the spa for a tour. They offer several giveaways and unbeatable deals if you book on the first day of your cruise. I personally recommend the Hydra-Therapie facial which includes microderm abrasion infused with O2, a mask and mini massage.

You’ll also get a tour of the large fitness facility and hear about onboard programs.

If you have kids, definitely pay a visit to Camp Ocean. This will be your child’s favorite spot to play during the cruise! I’ve dedicated an entire post to Camp Ocean and its wonderful benefits. You can sign your child up for these services online or once on board. I highly recommend completing this beforehand.

Next, get to know the ship! The Carnival Valor is quite big with 14 floors. Be sure you have your FunTimes schedule handy so you can visit different areas of interest. Some of our favorite family activities were putt-putt golf and the RedFrog Pub, which has board games and hands-on games for everyone to enjoy.

Muster Station

Before departing the port, your entire family will be required to visit your assigned muster station for a safety drill. This takes a total of 20 minutes, give or take.

Cruise Activities

There’s plenty of fun aboard Carnival Valor! Head to the pool for lounging or play. Carnival Valor has a large waterslide, several whirlpools and 2 main pools. They also have an adult-only Serenity area with 2 hot tubs and private loungers. Additionally, they have a private pool deck towards the back of the ship where you can snack on pizza and seafood.

Keep your eyes peeled for your daily FunTimes schedule. This is delivered in the evening for the following day, so you can plan accordingly. You may want to try a dance class, play bingo, listen to live bands in the lounge, visit an art sale, watch a dive-in movie, or elect from a variety of other activities. You can also book port excursions and go exploring!

Fun for Kids

Continuing with the Carnival Valor cruise review, Cat in the Hat and friends are aboard Carnival ships and offers loads of fun activities!

Kids can join the daily Dr. Seuss parade, interact in the Story Time show, snap photos with their favorite characters, and sign-up for the Green Eggs and Ham character breakfast. Both boys joined their favorite Dr. Seuss characters on stage during story time, and J became a star when he was selected to act as Thing 1 during the story time performance.

In the evenings, get your laugh on with different acts at the Punchliner Comedy Club! They offer a kid-friendly show, and later evening act for adults only.

Dining and Shopping

Carnival Valor has tons of food options! Visit the Lido deck almost any time of day for foodie finds, like Guy’s Burger Joint, pizza, the deli, the Mongolian Wok, a buffet, and 24-7 frozen yogurt. In the evenings, visit your assigned dining room for gourmet meals. Check out this dedicated foodie post to get an idea of the authentic foods you can enjoy aboard the ship.

As an upgrade, you can book a reservation at Scarlett’s for a fine dining experience. This special table service is incredibly delicious and affordable too. I highly recommend opting for a quiet evening to enjoy the Steakhouse. You won’t be disappointed! *Tip – plan your reservation for the evening dedicated to cruise elegant attire. Scarlett’s has a stricter dress code.

Be sure to stop by the Fun Shops on deck 5 for tax and duty-free savings and exclusive styles from renowned brands!

Towel Animals

Pack your camera for so many reasons! One being, these adorably creative towel animals. Your room attendant will surprise you each evening with a fun character made of towels. You may even find some hanging from the ceiling!

Our room attendant, Pratito was outstanding!! He took an interest in our family interests, reminded us about daily activities, and provided us with the best turndown service. We can’t say enough good things about Pratito. He greeted us each and every day with a huge smile.

Carnival Valor Cruise Review Takeaways

If you love to travel, consider booking a getaway aboard Carnival Valor cruise ship. The customer service is OUTstanding, you can visit dream destinations, dine at gourmet restaurants, and be entertained the entire time! We had a great time on our Bahamas vacation, and look forward to booking our next adventure!

Are you ready to set sail on a cruise vacation?

 

You Are Also Going to Love: