After the first packed days of our world tour in Iceland and Florida, our flight from Orlando to San Juan on Puerto Rico only went around noon today, so that we could sleep relaxed and start the day. From here we started our 7-Day Cruise through the Caribbean with Carnival Valor.
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Arrival in San Juan
Our flight with Spirit Airlines departed on time at 1 p.m. and 2.5 hours later we landed in San Juan. Puerto Rico is a free state, but it is one of the U.S. territories, so we didn’t have to re-enter. The whole thing is treated like a domestic flight within the USA.
From the airport in San Juan we took a taxi to the port. There is (almost) no other option, unless you have booked a (more expensive) transfer in advance via your cruise ship. We paid 23 dollars for the taxi ride. This price is the same for everyone and will be recorded in writing by an official airport employee before boarding.
The cruise ship Carnival Valor
After a 20 minute taxi ride we stood in front of our ship – the Carnival Valor. The ship Carnival Valor from Carnival Cruise Lines has nearly 3,000 passengers and more than 1,000 crew members. The ship from 2004 is 290 meters long, 35 meters wide and belongs to the so-called “Conquest class”.
Carnival Valor is a classic cruise ship offering a wide range of entertainment options. There is a huge theatre, a casino, numerous bars, a disco, a karaoke bar, sauna, whirlpool, steam bath, a fitness center with jogging track, two pools and several restaurants. The check-in and boarding went very fast, so that we could then also directly to our room. We had booked a standard indoor cabin (cheapest category) because we wanted to be out there all day and used the room almost only for sleeping.
Our itinerary of the Caribbean cruise
The following destinations in the Caribbean included our 7-day Caribbean cruise:
Day 1: Puerto Rico
Day 2: Saint Thomas (US Virgin Islands)
Day 3: Sea Day
Day 4: Barbados
Day 5: St. Lucia
Day 6: St. Kitts
Day 7: Sint Maarten
Day 8: Puerto Rico
The route of our Caribbean cruise
After the mandatory sea rescue exercise for all, we departed on time at 10 p.m. and set off for our first destination: Saint Thomas (US Virgin Islands).
All travelogues from our Southern Caribbean Cruise
The Carnival Valor of the shipping company Carnival Cruise Lines has a capacity of almost 3,000 passengers and over 1,000 crew members. The ship, built in 2004, is 290 metres long, 35 metres wide and belongs to the so-called "Conquest Class". The Carnival Valor is a classic cruise ship that offers a wide range of entertainment. There is a huge theatre, a casino, numerous bars, a disco, a karaoke bar, sauna, jacuzzi, steam bath, a fitness centre with jogging track, two pools and several restaurants. Our route led us for 7 days through the southern Caribbean with stops in Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas, Barbados, St. Lucia. St. Kitts and St. Martin.
Day 02 » Saint Thomas: By scooter across the island (US Virgin Islands)
Day 03 » Day at Sea
Day 04 » Barbados: Catamaran Tour & Swimming with turtles
Day 05 » Saint Lucia: A tour of the island to the sulphur springs
Day 06 » Saint Kitts: Diving on the west coast in Basseterre
Day 07 » Saint Martin: Island Tour & The Planes at Maho Beach
Day 08 » Puerto Rico: San Juan – Tourist Attractions, Things to Do & Photo spots
Day 08 » Puerto Rico: El Yunque National Forest – Hiking through the rainforest