Carnival Cruise — Local services in New Orleans

Terrible, Terrible, TERRIBLE!!! I sailed on the Valor 6/20- 6/24 I was in cabin 6232. This ship was definitely below the Carnival standard. If this had been my 1st cruise, I would NEVER cruise again! I have cruised on the Panorama and the Pride, both Carnival ships. I thought i could expect the same fabulousness on the Valor. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Let's talk about the food, the standards were up to par with Guy's Burger Joint and The Blue Iguana. The food in the dining room was basic and lack-luster. The food on the lido deck, well, I would say it was equivalent to bad buffet food, but that would be an insult to bad buffet food. Sadly, that was the only option as many stations were closed, which caused HUGE lines at the open stations. Which were only 2 and they both had the same food. The Sea Food Shack and Sushi Bar were open, and I did partake of those offerings, but paying the uncharge for lunch and dinner is very costly. Of course, there is always pizza, which I had a lot of, for lack of options. And the final choice, the Deli....just too bad for words.

Now let's talk about the service. I had 7 interactions with Guest Services and did not get 1, NOT 1 smile. (Like i'd been greeted on other cruises) I was not complaining at any visit, just run of the mill questions, and yet no one was happy to help me. No one asked if I was enjoying myself. In fact, I felt like I was an interruption of their day instead of the reason for it. It was just like, NEXT! Let get you out if this line so i can move on to the next person.

There were 4 shining stars whenbit came to service. 1st i want to mention Gee. Gee, ironically, was the last person I interacted with on the ship. On debarkation day. Gee went above and beyond in assisting me. My faith was restored. Gee, the last person to help me, and left a lasting impression. 2nd is Faith. I had the pleasure of being greeted by her for breakfast in the Washington dining room. She was pleasant, helpful and seemed to LOVE her job. She enhanced my dining experience with her cheerful attitude and sunny disposition. 3rd Wayne (spelled wrong) from the dining room. He made things easy and seamless for me in the dining room. I was traveling with children and it really helped to get them fed first. He remembered their favorite things to eat and called me by name every night. Rebecca and David were awesome as well.

Now, the brightest of the stars was Hendra! Hendra was our cabin steward or should I say "THE" cabin steward. Hendra could give cabin steward lessons. Not only was the cabin perfect every time, but asked about the days activities. What was I going to do? what had I done? did I enjoy myself? And he always asked if everything was OK, if we needed anything. And to put a cherry on it, I can not count the number of times Hendra addressed us by name!!!! Even, the kids!!!!!

Bottom line, when I was first introduced to the Carnival cruise line, I was very impressed. The service was above reproach the food was impeccable. Having had such fantastic experiences on the Panorama and the Pride, I felt that the Carnival brand was solid and anything, any ship with the Carnival label could be counted upon to provide the same level of standards.

Despite the 4 stars I mentioned, Gee, Faith, Wayne & Hendra, I will not book another cruise on the Valor and I am seriously rethinking the 2 cruises I have already booked with Carnival for 2025 & 2026. I just don't know what I am...

So, you’ve decided to take the plunge (literally) and book a Carnival Cruise. Well, buckle up, because you're in for an adventure where the only thing more abundant than the food is the regret you’ll have for eating one more slice of pizza at 2 a.m.

The Ship: Big, Bright, and Ready for Action

First off, let’s talk about the ship. It’s huge. It’s like a floating city, but with more questionable decisions and fewer places to escape them. There are so many decks, you’ll get lost and then find yourself in the casino at 3 a.m., wondering how you got there. Spoiler: it’s the all-you-can-drink package. Or the fact that you’ve been at sea for so long, you start to think the ship is actually your home, and the ocean is your new backyard. Don’t worry though, you’ll eventually see land, if you’re lucky.

Food: All You Can Eat, Until You Realize You’ve Eaten It All

Let's talk about food. You’re going to eat. A lot. At first, you’ll be like, “I’ll just have a salad. I’m on vacation!” By day two, you'll be weeping into your cheeseburger and fries, realizing you haven’t seen a vegetable since you boarded. Seriously, there’s a buffet open 24/7, which is both a blessing and a curse. You will gain weight just by looking at the dessert station. But hey, they say the cruise weight stays on the cruise, right?

Entertainment: Because You’re Definitely Not Here to Relax

The entertainment options? Oh, they're something else. Comedy shows that may or may not be actually funny, dance performances that leave you questioning your life choices (but in a good way), and then there’s the ship-wide karaoke competition that gives you the chance to really shine in front of an audience that’s drunker than you. There’s also a club, where you can shake it like nobody’s watching, even though, let’s be real, everyone’s watching.

Pools: The Only Place Where You Can’t Escape People

Now, about the pools. It’s like they really wanted to make sure everyone had a good time. So, they’ve crammed in as many people as possible into one pool, like a sardine can that floats. You’re definitely going to get some awkward shoulder rubs with strangers. But don’t worry—you’ll probably be too drunk to care. And if you’re lucky, you’ll get a lounge chair that you can claim as your own for a couple of hours before some sunburned vacationer fights you for it. Classic.

Shore Excursions: Live Your Best Tourist Life

You’re probably going to sign up for some shore excursions, right? Of course, you will! Whether it’s snorkeling with sea turtles, zip-lining through jungles, or sitting on a beach pretending you’re not thinking about the snacks you left behind, these activities will make you feel alive, or at least like you’re really doing something on vacation instead of just hiding in your cabin to avoid the questionable poolside entertainment.

Bottom Line:

Would I recommend a Carnival Cruise? Absolutely. It’s like the world’s most ridiculous all-you-can-eat buffet with a side of “I’ll never drink again” and a dollop of “Do I need a nap... or an IV drip?” But seriously, if you’re looking for a vacation that’s equal parts fun and absolute chaos, Carnival’s got you covered. Just pack your stretchy pants, leave your dignity at home, and prepare to question every decision you make once you’re three cocktails deep at...

Well….I love to go on cruises! I have only used Carnival for every one that I have gotten to go on. Now, it might be time to spread my wings and fly. lol It started out nice. We got faster to the fun and skipping lines and getting to put luggage in our room immediately was nice. Then decided to get some drinks. Well, they were out of several beers and garnishes for the beers and I thought, well they just haven’t gotten everything delivered to the bars and stocked back up. Shouldn’t be a problem after today, but I was wrong. It stayed a constant throughout the trip and in multiple bars. Up until this cruise I was always amazed at how everyone that dealt with us would know us by name, but that amazement has now faded because it is obviously a thing of the past as well. Also, I got the handle ripped off my luggage and my wife had one of the spinner wheels broken on hers, as for mine we got a nice little letter addressed to the wrong name saying we could get it fixed locally (our home town) and submit the receipt and they would (consider!) reimbursing us. Oh yeah, almost forgot our letter about them needing to get in touch with us about controlling our children. (We didn’t have any on the cruise.) I also got the WiFi package and rely on it for some work. So, after complaining on the third day about it not connecting, I went back again on the fourth and was told I had to turn my VPN off and it would work. Never been told this before and was then informed that it was my iPhone and I should know how it works. This cruise was also different in that it appeared to be angry and tired personnel as well as management. (Not all, but most that we personally dealt with.) Definitely not what we were accustomed to and we were really shocked. Our room steward (Putu) was amazing and very courteous and the chef at the steakhouse does a really wonderful job and all of the waiters/waitresses were amazing there as well. Roman, was the best as he went over and beyond.

I’m not giving this review out of anger, I’m telling it how it happened and hoping Carnival will work towards getting back to enjoyable trips again. Continually loosing customers is not the best for business and seeing many travel agents will not recommend Carnival for cruises, should be a sign that things need to change.

Walter in the dining room was...