The last few months have been super busy for Whitney and I - filled with travels, holiday celebrations with friends and family + launching a BRAND NEW website! With all the hustle and bustle, I almost forgot to share about my cruise on the Carnival Valor in November. So, here we go!
Graham and I decided that we wanted to do something special for our first anniversary. Since neither of us had ever been on a cruise, we decided it was the perfect fit for us! We left early November 14 and headed for New Orleans. Since we didn't have to board the ship until noon, we decided to just drive in that morning.
Our cruise started with a fast check-in and free time in the main lobby while we waited for our room to be ready. It was a bit chilly, so we stayed in our warmer clothes while we explored a bit of the Valor. If you've never been on a cruise before, let me share a bit of advice. DO YOUR RESEARCH. While Graham and I did extensive research on excursions, dining options, onboard finances and entertainment, it was still pretty overwhelming when we first got onboard. Don't be afraid to ask questions of the Carnival staff (that's what they're there for!) and give yourself time to explore and get familiar with the ship.
The first full day on the ship was a sea day, which we took full advantage of! We started with brunch, entered a mixology contest (where I figured out that I had a secret talent - hah!) and explored the ship.
We ended the day with the Captain's dinner in our main dining room, which was amazing! We got all dressed up, took some photos + enjoyed the best dinner. We were blessed with the very best dining team the entire week. Adrian, Dino and Julian were so kind, made us feel so welcome + even share bits of their home countries' cultures and life stories with us!
After dinner, we headed back to our room to change (where our rad room steward Maynor had left another awesome towel animal!) and we went to a few of the fun onboard shows and events.
Our next day was the port day! We stopped at Puerta Maya in Cozumel, Mexico. Graham and I decided to book an excursion so we could make the most of our time there. We booked Adventure Jeep, Snorkel + Tequila at Punta Sur through Carnival so we wouldn't have to worry about finding an excursion once we got to the island.
Once we got to the main hub of port, we met our excursion guide and the rest of the group. He took us on a beautiful walk through port to see all of the beautiful colored buildings and palm trees before taking us to our jeeps for the drive across the island.
Our first stop was the Punta Sur Eco Beach Park. Here we got to see Ancient Mayan ruins of old weather buildings and an alligator sanctuary before heading to snorkel!
Snorkeling was just beautiful! The water was crystal clear and a radiant emerald blue! We even found a little coral before enjoying an authentic Mexican taco lunch and spending time on the beach.
Our next trip (+ probably my favorite part of the excursion) brought us to the lighthouse. Built by the same architect as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, the lighthouse gave off the most gorgeous views we could have ever imagined. After climbing down from the top, we got to enjoy a sample tasting of organic, local Mexican tequila, and I was super impressed! It actually tasted good (+ if you know me, you know that's saying something for me to like tequila!)
After returning from our excursion, we explored port for a bit before heading back to the ship. That evening, we enjoyed another delicious dinner and a show before heading to bed. That Mexican sun wore us out!
The next day was November 17 - our first anniversary! We decided to take the day easy and enjoy our time together. Graham and I eventually found our way to the adults-only hot tub on the back deck for most of the afternoon. We even made some new lifelong friends (that's you, Haley and Connor!) that we spent the rest of the day with!
We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and a few drinks with our new friends before heading to our anniversary dinner in the main dining room for our last night onboard.
At dinner, our amazing dining team even brought us a cake for our anniversary and sang to us. It was so sweet it made me cry! They truly were the best in every aspect of the word. They made our experience so special.
The next morning, the Valor arrived back in New Orleans, and we got off the ship grateful with new friends and great memories. Before heading home, we visited PJ's Coffee (my fave!) off of Jackson Square in the French Quarter and then on to Cafe du Monde for breakfast. After an amazing week, we learned one thing - we will definitely be cruising again soon!
