Used a taxi driver for the day who does tours from $90 for 3 hours then $20 per hour extra, did tequila tasting,Mayan ruins,local bar,beach visit and a tour of the island with local interests he also gives the history of Cozumel. Highly recommended to book email creslopez@hotmail.com or Facebook crescencio Lopez Tun.

Cozumel

Booked with capt margins stingray tour and snorkelling. Found the tour office ok but was chaos with the amount of people there, they could not process my UK debit card so had few problems but they kindly let us on the tour so to not upset the children. 
Two weeks later still no money taken!
Great tour 3 stops altogether, CD of photos taken by the guides bit expensive so take our own water camera.

Grand Cayman (Georgetown)

Booked excursion with carnival to do countryside tour,interesting with the sugar cane but rushed when visiting a local house,you sign a disclaimer stating you will not give the locals money or food/candy etc. Had security follow us the whole day which felt a little worrying. But best to be safe!

La Romana (Casa de Campo)

My favourite port out of them all. Get the local trolley bus for free and hop on and off when you want. Went to both castle and fort for $5, walked through the town felt very safe, everyone welcoming, great tour of the castle and fort, walked back through the local shops visited the cathedral then a local bar with snacks, best excursion day and all done independently for $10 for two adults and two children.

San Juan

Took a local taxi to historic downtown $4 each. Make sure you say if you want the main/new downtown, not a lot at the old historic downtown approx 8 local shops but not pushed to buy anything shop at your leisure small bar and snack places. Then walked along the beach to Pilary beach away from governor beach And the crowds. Very quiet here with snorkelling and beach bar and restaurant but little expensive. Beautiful white sand and clear water.
Taxi back to the port was $8 each but was little too far to walk, once you start walking it's hard to stop a taxi as you will find they fill up at the beach before heading back to the pier.

Grand Turk

First snorkelling stop wasn't so good and the guides said that, second stop was better more to see with coral and fish and sea current not as strong better for kids.

Buy your own under water camera as they charge a fortune for there own cd,over crowded when we arrived.

Little boring and you can walk them yourself in approx 15 mins, again pesters by the staff there to get my daughters hair braided and to buy t-shirts.

Was ok, tough going for kids or older people, you need to be reasonably fit to walk them. Pestered at the end and followed by the tour guide to the bus to receive a tip.

No need to book excursion through cruise ship unless you want to visit the water park. Got a taxi ourselves and explored through the hotel and onto cabbage beach.

Grabbed a taxi for $5 each to cabbage beach much nicer and quieter away from paradise beach, easy walk to explore Atlantis and take pictures yourself,

Cabin 1240 in a very quiet location, nice size window, could do with more closet hangers, plenty of room with 2 adults and 2 kids in it. Tv needs updating. But overall not a bad cabin if wanting quiet time.

Getting to Washington dining room is a bit complicated as the ships galley is located in the centre of the ship so it's down to deck one or two walk to the aft then use them elevators to go up to deck three or four,you can't get there just walking along deck three,four or five.Dunns falls excursion with the carnival was only $20 different to a local company so easier and safer to book with the ship.

Carnival Valor Review

NYE on Carnival Valor

Rating by category

Additional details

Cabin Review

Ocean View

Find a Carnival Valor Cruise from $339