Carnival Valor 2018 5-Day Caribbean Cruise Review
Day 3 July 2, 2018 Progreso (Yucatan), Mexico
Scheduled Arrival: 10:00am Scheduled Departure: 6:00pm
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Day 3 July 2, 2018 Progreso (Yucatan), Mexico
Scheduled Arrival: 10:00am Scheduled Departure: 6:00pm
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Morning Walk Around The Ship:
Once again, I got up early to walk around the Carnival Valor. My alarm rang at 5:45 and after getting dressed I went down to Deck 5 to begin my walk. The first area I went to was the Paris Hot Lounge.
Once again, I got up early to walk around the Carnival Valor. My alarm rang at 5:45 and after getting dressed I went down to Deck 5 to begin my walk. The first area I went to was the Paris Hot Lounge.
Paris Hot Lounge Stage & Side Chairs
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Paris Hot Bar Area
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Seating In Paris Hot Lounge
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After looking at the Paris Hot Lounge, I walked next door to the Eagles Lounge. The lounge was softly playing music and had a great atmosphere.
Eagles Lounge - Side View Of The Stage
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View Of The Stage From The Lounge's Middle Area
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Back Of The Lounge
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After walking around the back of the Promenade Deck, I began to walk towards the front. One of the things I noticed during my morning walk was the old Taste Bar counter. The Taste Bar used to be a Fun Ship 2.0 feature and was used to serve small samples of things cruisers can buy in the steakhouse or in a pay for venue on other Carnival ships. Throughout the Carnival fleet, the Taste Bar is no more. This old space on the Carnival Valor is now just a vacant counter.
Alchemy Bar
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Former Taste Bar - Now Just An Empty Counter
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Tracker - Getting Close To Progreso
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One of my last stops on Deck 5 was the Skybox Sports Bar. The bar was closed and nobody was in the lounge at this time of the morning.
Outside The Skybox Sports Bar
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Booth Seating In The Skybox Sports Bar
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Bar Counter
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Two Smaller Seats By A TV
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Elevator/Stairwell Area
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The time for breakfast was approaching fast, but I still wanted to make a quick visit to Deck 3. After going from Deck 5 to Deck 3, I walked around the bottom level of the atrium.
Atrium Bar & Stairwells On Deck 3
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Sitting Area At The Atrium's Bottom (Deck 3)
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View Of The Flag Hanging From Deck 5
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After being on Deck 3, I went up to Deck 9. Breakfast had not yet started so I walked to the ship's aft pool. The pool was still closed at this time of the day and the retractable roof was closed as well.
Deck Chairs Around The AFT Pool
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Seafood Shack (Costs Extra)
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AFT Pool
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Pizzeria
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AFT Pool's Bar Counter
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Hottubs & Seating Area Around The AFT Pool
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Instead of walking straight from the aft pool into the buffet, I decided to walk up to Deck 10 for a quick look at the buffet's second level. The second level of the buffet has additional seating and a drink station. At breakfast, no food service lines are open upstairs. However, at lunch the Ol' Fashioned BBQ is open on the Deck 10 level of Rosie's Lido Buffet.
Rosie's Lido Buffet (Deck 10 Level)
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Ol' Fashioned BBQ Counter - Closed
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Deck 10 Tables In The Buffet
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Looking Down At Deck 9 From Deck 10
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Deck 10 Buffet Drink Station
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Coffee Machines At Deck 10 Drink Station
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Breakfast At Rosie's:
Rosie's served continental breakfast from 6:30am - 10:00am and the general breakfast buffet lines were open from 7:00am through 10:30am. The Blue Iguana Cantina served breakfast tacos and burritos from 7:00am - 10:30am too. For cruisers that wanted to eat in the dining room, the Washington Dining Room was having open seating from 7:30am - 9:30am. The Washington Dining Room's open seating was a breakfast menu only. Since today was not a sea day, Sea Day Brunch was not being served. For late risers, Rosie's was serving a late risers breakfast buffet from 10:00am - 12:00pm. Here are some pictures of the continental breakfast buffet line as well as the main breakfast buffet line:
Rosie's served continental breakfast from 6:30am - 10:00am and the general breakfast buffet lines were open from 7:00am through 10:30am. The Blue Iguana Cantina served breakfast tacos and burritos from 7:00am - 10:30am too. For cruisers that wanted to eat in the dining room, the Washington Dining Room was having open seating from 7:30am - 9:30am. The Washington Dining Room's open seating was a breakfast menu only. Since today was not a sea day, Sea Day Brunch was not being served. For late risers, Rosie's was serving a late risers breakfast buffet from 10:00am - 12:00pm. Here are some pictures of the continental breakfast buffet line as well as the main breakfast buffet line:
Deck 9 - Buffet Counter
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Continental Breakfast - Pastries
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Continental Breakfast - Pastries
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Continental Breakfast - Pastries
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Continental Breakfast - Pastries
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Continental Breakfast - Pastries
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Continental Breakfast - Pastries
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Continental Breakfast - Pastries
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Continental Breakfast - Pastries
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Continental Breakfast - Pastries
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Continental Breakfast - Fruits
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Continental Breakfast - Fruits
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Buffet
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Omelet Station Toppings - Behind The Counter
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Omelet Cooking At The Omelet Station
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Main Breakfast Buffet Line
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Main Breakfast Buffet Line
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Main Breakfast Buffet Line
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Main Breakfast Buffet Line
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Main Breakfast Buffet Line
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Main Breakfast Buffet Line
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Main Breakfast Buffet Line
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Main Breakfast Buffet Line
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Main Breakfast Buffet Line
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My Omelet
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Fruits, Pastry, and Bacon
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Cart of Drinks - Crew Members Wheeled This Around
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Arrival In Progreso:
Although we experienced a medical emergency the day before and lost sailing time, we managed to arrive in Progreso on-time. Our scheduled time to dock was 10:00am and around 9:45am cruisers were able to get off the ship. Before we docked, the Carnival Valor turned around. This allowed my balcony to be on the side that faced the pier! Since I wanted to watch the ship's arrival in Progreso, I went up to Deck 10 after breakfast. My time watching the ship's arrival began at Deck 10's front, but before the ship docked I found myself at Deck 10's back because we turned around prior to docking.
Although we experienced a medical emergency the day before and lost sailing time, we managed to arrive in Progreso on-time. Our scheduled time to dock was 10:00am and around 9:45am cruisers were able to get off the ship. Before we docked, the Carnival Valor turned around. This allowed my balcony to be on the side that faced the pier! Since I wanted to watch the ship's arrival in Progreso, I went up to Deck 10 after breakfast. My time watching the ship's arrival began at Deck 10's front, but before the ship docked I found myself at Deck 10's back because we turned around prior to docking.
View At The Front Of The Ship - On Deck 10
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Pilot Boat Approaching
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Pilot Boat Alongside The Carnival Valor
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Getting Nearer - Progreso In The Distance
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Getting Close To An Industrial Area
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Tanker Ship Docked
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The area around the cruise ship pier is very industrial. There was a break bulk and tanker ship already docked as the Carnival Valor arrived in Progreso. Furthermore, there were two large cranes surrounding an area that was filled with shipping containers. In Progreso cruise ships dock about 4 miles out from the mainland. The pier cruise ships use is connected to a larger pier that extends over four miles long. The leg of this long pier where cruise ships dock is close to the end of the long highway pier. At the end of the long highway pier is a dock for cargo ships that contains cranes to unload shipping containers. The four mile highway pier is constantly being used by large trucks to bring containers to the mainland, but on days cruise ships are docked will have buses running to transport cruise passengers to the mainland.
Break Bulk Ship Docked
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Industrial Part of Progreso's Port
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Large Cranes In The Distance
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Cruise Ship Pier In The Distance
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Crane & Shipping Containers In Background
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Cruise Ship Pier - View As Carnival Valor Turned Around
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Another View Of A Crane & Shipping Containers
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Getting Close To The Pier
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Arriving in Progreso
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Shopping Area At Progreso's Cruise Terminal
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Looking Down The Approximately 4 Mile Long Pier To The Mainland
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Ship Being Tied Up
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Ship Being Tied Up In Multiple Places Along The Pier
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4 Tug Boats Docked
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People Beginning To Get Off The Ship
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Towel Animal Dog In Stateroom
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Stateroom Beds
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Deck 0
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Getting Off The Ship to Visit Progreso:
Around the time the Carnival Valor began letting passengers get off, an announcement was made to let everyone know where the gangways were located. The ship's main gangway was located on Deck 0 at the front, but a second gangway was located on Deck 0 mid-ship. Cruisers were told not to use elevators to go to Deck 0 unless they had trouble using stairs. The elevators' Deck 0 button was turned off to prevent people from ignoring the announcement. Instead, cruisers were told to go to Deck 1 and then someone would direct them to the gangway from the stairwell/elevator area.
When we were ready to get off we walked to the mid-ship area and went down to Deck 1. There was no crew member in this area directing people. After standing around for a few minutes, we walked to the front of the ship and went down to Deck 0 there. The line to get off was a little long, but thankfully it moved fast. Before we could get off our Sail & Sign cards were scanned and then we were directed down the gangway. The ship's photographers wanted to take pictures, but we declined.
Around the time the Carnival Valor began letting passengers get off, an announcement was made to let everyone know where the gangways were located. The ship's main gangway was located on Deck 0 at the front, but a second gangway was located on Deck 0 mid-ship. Cruisers were told not to use elevators to go to Deck 0 unless they had trouble using stairs. The elevators' Deck 0 button was turned off to prevent people from ignoring the announcement. Instead, cruisers were told to go to Deck 1 and then someone would direct them to the gangway from the stairwell/elevator area.
When we were ready to get off we walked to the mid-ship area and went down to Deck 1. There was no crew member in this area directing people. After standing around for a few minutes, we walked to the front of the ship and went down to Deck 0 there. The line to get off was a little long, but thankfully it moved fast. Before we could get off our Sail & Sign cards were scanned and then we were directed down the gangway. The ship's photographers wanted to take pictures, but we declined.
Crossing The Gangway To The Pier
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Looking Up At The Ship's Front
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Walking Along The Pier
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View Of The Carnival Valor's Side
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Mid-Ship Gangway
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Side Of The Ship Near The Back
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Carnival Valor
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Approaching The Shops
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Carnival Valor's Back
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Free Shuttle To The Mainland:
There is a free shuttle that departs every 20 minutes that will take cruisers to Downtown Progreso. When we got to the area of the shuttle's departure we found ourselves standing in a long line of people wanting to get on a shuttle. The line was so long we missed the first two shuttles, but a third one came quickly. Since the line was so long, the shuttle operators let the shuttle depart as soon as it was full. This was great because we didn't have to wait too long for a shuttle!
There is a free shuttle that departs every 20 minutes that will take cruisers to Downtown Progreso. When we got to the area of the shuttle's departure we found ourselves standing in a long line of people wanting to get on a shuttle. The line was so long we missed the first two shuttles, but a third one came quickly. Since the line was so long, the shuttle operators let the shuttle depart as soon as it was full. This was great because we didn't have to wait too long for a shuttle!
Naval Ship Docked In Progreso
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Sign Announcing Free Shuttle To The Mainland
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Tour Buses Parked For Excursions & Use As A Shuttle
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Progreso's Cruise Shopping Complex
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Large Parking Lot Space Outside The Cruise Terminal Area
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Turning Onto The Road To Go To The Mainland
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As our shuttle moved, I tried to get some pictures of the ship and water. However, there were large boulders that blocked the view for most of the trip on the 4 mile pier. Our shuttle did not have air conditioning, which meant all of the windows had to be open to allow a breeze to travel through the bus. This was the worst part of the ride. Last time I visited Progreso in 2015, the shuttle ride was used by a local agency to try and sell shore excursions. This time we did not have someone talk on the bus the entire trip down the pier. This made the ride much better than last time!
Carnival Valor Docked In Progreso
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On Way To The Mainland
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View Of The Water As We Rode The Shuttle
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Looking Back At The Carnival Valor
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View Of A Fishing Pier & Mainland in Distance
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Getting Closer To The Mainland
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After we got off the long pier and were on the mainland, our shuttle continued driving us through the streets of Progreso. Traffic was a little heavy in parts, but our driver weaved in and out of traffic to keep our ride moving.
View From The Shuttle - Beach Below The Road
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Cars Parked
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Progreso
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Looking At A Side Street We Passed By
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Progreso
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At An Intersection
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Cars Parked Along The Street
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Busy Street Area
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View Of Some Type of Store - From The Shuttle
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Cars Traveling Down A One Way Street
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Area Right Before The Drop Off Point - Beach In Distance
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Sign Written In Spanish
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Arrival At The Shuttle's Drop Off Point:
When our shuttle ride was over, we were dropped off at an area with a large tent that contained numerous tables of shops. This area was not too far from the beach, which was going to be our next stop after quickly walking through the shops. Before we were allowed off the shuttle, someone boarded to do a 2-3 minute talk on booking a shore excursion. These were not affiliated with the cruise line! Thankfully, the mini presentation did not last long and we were allowed to get off the hot bus.
When our shuttle ride was over, we were dropped off at an area with a large tent that contained numerous tables of shops. This area was not too far from the beach, which was going to be our next stop after quickly walking through the shops. Before we were allowed off the shuttle, someone boarded to do a 2-3 minute talk on booking a shore excursion. These were not affiliated with the cruise line! Thankfully, the mini presentation did not last long and we were allowed to get off the hot bus.
Old Hotel
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Shuttle Drop Off Point - Large Tent With Shops
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Large Tent With Shops
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NEXT PART IS READY: Day 3 Part 2 Is Posted!
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