To Hell and Back: Escape from Snowmageddon (Or, The World’s Longest Valor Review, part 7)featured
We woke up around 7:30 am, quickly got dressed and went to Lido to grab chairs. With our room being located on the Lido deck, we had quicker access to the deck than we realized. We took turns getting breakfast because we found some really fantastic seats near the main pool area.
Some breakfast offerings up on Lido
We decided to forgo the cooking demo and wine tasting because we only had two days at sea and we really want to relax. And at this point, both activities are kind of “been there, done that.” So we just kind of skipped them and planned to lay out until we got our fill of sun.
I threw on my sundress and went to get our excursion tickets when the desk opened at 10:00 am and found a long line and an already open desk. Some people were upset because the desk opened early and some tours had sold out (cave tubing in Belize, for example). If you have your heart set on something, buy early. We were lucky- the tours we wanted (an island tour in Grand Cayman and a tour of Xunantunich in Belize) were available when I got to the desk. Next time we travel and need excursions in active ports, I’ll probably push the issue of getting Stephanie to agree on a tour earlier.
We weren’t really hungry for lunch, but we grabbed a couple snacks from Rosie’s and a pitcher of sangria from the poolside bar. I’m not sure if this is a thing most ships have or just the Valor had, but it was decent sangria. Not the best you’ll ever have, but it’s decent.
We were burning, so we headed in a bit earlier than planned (after Master Mixologist, which Stephanie wanted to do but didn’t realize that you had to sign up for the previous day…also which she has no training to do but still really, really wants to do every time we cruise).
We both showered, rested a bit and started to get ready for tea and formal night. Tea time was lovely and the offerings were plentiful and tasty. We were seated at a table with two people from New Hampshire and three random people from Chicago. Tea time was VERY busy, though. But really- kudos to Carnival. Busy tea times, empty tea times…service-wise, we can almost never tell the difference.
After tea, Stephanie called room service to set up our canapés (she’s picky when it comes to her seafood and, well, if it comes from the sea, it’s not for me, so we wanted to be sure we weren’t given a plate full of fishy delicacies for our platinum canapes) and I ordered a beef and brie sandwich and some crudités because we skipped lunch. The sandwich was very fatty and not nearly as tasty as I remembered. The veggies, though? Nomtastic. Pour that blue cheese dressing on anything and I’m likely to gobble it down. Maybe.
Medium Rare Roasted New York Strip Loin and Brie Cheese
Assorted Vegetable Sticks
We skipped the Captains reception (again, been there, done that, gimme something new, Carnival) and went outside to take pics, but quickly came back inside because our dresses were flying up. Wind is clearly not our friend. So we took pictures inside instead.
We went to dinner around 6:15 and there was no line. It seemed the key to getting a table with no hassle for anytime dining is to go within the first hour the dining room is open. When we did that, we never, ever had to wait. The food tonight was just okay. The spinach in the mushrooms was flavorless and textureless. If they could merge the tasty sauce/breadcrumbs on top of the mushrooms with the spinach inside them, they’d have a winning combination because the layering of it doesn’t work. Stephanie says her dinner wasn’t anything spectacular. I got four cherries in my Cherries Jubilee. Holy cutback. Can you even really call that a dessert? You’d get more cherries in a Shirley Temple.
Baked Stuffed White Mushrooms (spinach, romano, cheese and fine herbs)
Strawberry Bisque (chilled creamy strawberry soup with fresh mint)
Greek Farmer Salad (iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, black olives and feta cheese, tossed with vinaigrette)
Black Tiger Shrimp Cocktail
Duet of Broiled Maine Lobster Tail and Jumbo Black Tiger Shrimp (yukon gold potato mash, roasted broccoli florets)
Tender Roasted Prime Rib of American Beef Au Jus (cooked to perfection, baked potato with traditional toppings)
Assorted Steamed Vegetables
Caramelized Apples on Puff Pastry (served with vanilla cream and caramel sauce)
Cherries Jubilee (dark cherries in our own sauce, flamed with cherry brandy and served over ice cream)
We strolled along the promenade and took pictures, and went back to the room to change before we all headed upstairs with grandma when she wanted to go grab dinner before the show.
Tonight’s show (Nightclub Express) was…not so great. It’s outdated (we thought it was an 80s brainchild because of the graphics and credits until we heard a 1999 Cher song), the male and female singer never sang together except for the way end. The show had no logical flow and jumped between time periods (40s to 90s to 70s to 30s to 60s). The dancers had trouble keeping on rhythm with each other and some were more exciteable than others. We usually stay for both shows (we’d see Ticket to Ride five times in a row if they offered it), but even Mom and grandma didn’t want to stay for the second show.
Afterwards, we went up to the Lido deck for some tea (which they always have out…and not just plain old Liptons tea, but the nice teas in the tea chests that they bring out during tea time), and then we went back to the room to rest for a little while.
We went up to grill around midnight after watching Showbiz Tonight (another guilty pleasure when we’re onboard) and then walked around the ship (empty promenade area, casino not busy…not really all that typical from the cruises we’ve been on).
Oh! And our Platinum gifts came. Not sure how handy these will be, but they’re a nice gesture. Thanks, Carnival!
We went back to the room to get ready for the next day in port and get some sleep. We knew it’d be a long day and while we always intend on staying up and staying out late, we never really do. But you know what? Maybe that’s okay. We might not be those people, but as long as we get off the ship rested and content? Who cares? Anyways, while watching TV, they called something that sounded like “Sara B 1224.” No idea what that meant. The boat really started rocking around 1:00 am…made for an excellent night of sleep.
Today’s Lido lunch menu
Today’s Lido dinner menu
