Conquest / Carnival Questions Please

[T-N-C]

I have a few questions for those of you who have traveled on the Conquest or with Carnival in general. My husband and I went on our first cruise (:D) last year on the Voyager of the seas and we loved it. We decided to try out the Conquest and take our children and my parents. So now I have a few questions please.

 

1. How do the fountain cards work on carnival ships? When we got on Voyager we signed up for a fountain card and we received an insulated cup with it and we basically used that for the entire trip. If we get the fountain card on this ship will they get mad if we pour it into our insulated cups to go sit by the pool or on deck?

 

2. We bought a small bottle of rum when we was in Jamaica on the Voyager and the morning we were leaving the ship to come back home I stood in a line that literally never moved for 45 min. waiting to get my bottle of rum. I decided the bottle was not worth it and left. I had heard that they delivered your alcohol purchases to your room the night before you depart but this specific sailing did not do that. How do they handle alcohol purchases on the Carnival Conquest?

 

3. What type of drinks can you get with room service? As far as the free non-alcoholic types go. Can you get tea and/or juice?

 

4. As far as formal night is concerned my husband is not the type and I just don't feel comfortable going without him :(. When we was on Voyager, I tried to stay clear of the dinning room on that night so that I could respect those who enjoy this event without my capris and flip-flops being to much of a distraction. We decided to eat at Johnny Rockets on those nights. My question is basically is there a place we can eat that night without disturbing the other guests who are dressing up? Is the buffet an option or do they dress up for this also?

 

Thanks in advance for any help you may provide. I love this website I have learned so much.

 

Tonya

[firefly333]

You can always eat in the buffet.

 

If you purchase booze onboard, they will deliver it to your cabin the last night, they put mine on my bed while I was gone.

 

The soda card works pretty much the same, except you might not get the insulated mug, not that I remember. They put a sticker on your S&S card.

 

On Carnival its not called formal night, its elegant night, you dont have to dress up that much. I had a friend who wore capris with a nice top and some jewelry. iv seen sun dresses, nothing that dressy is necessary.

[happy cruzer]

Regarding cruise elegant night...

 

If you want to try the lobster, you should definitely plan on attending. If you are doing the anytime option, you could request a table for two and dress as you like and not impact anyones experience. We normally dress nicely because my DH likes to dress up but plenty of people do not. So if you are worried and concerned (which I think is very nice of you) just do anytime dining and get a table for two, you will be very happy; it's your cruise too.

[wdnoble9999]

Regarding cruise elegant night...

 

If you want to try the lobster, you should definitely plan on attending. If you are doing the anytime option, you could request a table for two and dress as you like and not impact anyones experience. We normally dress nicely because my DH likes to dress up but plenty of people do not. So if you are worried and concerned (which I think is very nice of you) just do anytime dining and get a table for two, you will be very happy; it's your cruise too.

Just to add a little bit to happy cruzer's comment, you should still avoid 'overly casual' dress on elegant night, even if you have a table for two in Anytime Dining. I went 'business casual', meaning dockers and a long sleeve button-down shirt on elegant night, as did many other men. But I don't believe you'd have a good outcome if your husband came in wearing shorts, flips, and a short sleeved golf shirt. But the key thing is that there certainly is no need for suit/sportcoat and tie anymore.

 

As for your soda question, you can purchase an insulated cup if you like, but if you want to use your own, no worries. As a prior poster indicated, you will get a sticker attached to your sign & sail card which you will need to show when ordering a soda. In our case, the soda always came in a glass (plastic on the Lido) although I suppose this may differ from ship to ship. My wife uses her own insulated cup, and we either gave the cup to the person at the bar to fill up with soda, or transfered it ourselves. Either way works.

[mssevie]

Regarding cruise elegant night...

 

If you want to try the lobster, you should definitely plan on attending. If you are doing the anytime option, you could request a table for two and dress as you like and not impact anyones experience. We normally dress nicely because my DH likes to dress up but plenty of people do not. So if you are worried and concerned (which I think is very nice of you) just do anytime dining and get a table for two, you will be very happy; it's your cruise too.

 

I don't think that just because you sign up for anytime dining that this gives you permission to be lax on your attire for cruise elegant. We are doing anytime dining on our upcoming cruise because the times are more flexible, not because the guidelines for attire in the MDR are.

[wdnoble9999]

Just to add a little bit to happy cruzer's comment, you should still avoid 'overly casual' dress on elegant night, even if you have a table for two in Anytime Dining. I went 'business casual', meaning dockers and a long sleeve button-down shirt on elegant night, as did many other men. But I don't believe you'd have a good outcome if your husband came in wearing shorts, flips, and a short sleeved golf shirt. But the key thing is that there certainly is no need for suit/sportcoat and tie anymore.

 

As for your soda question, you can purchase an insulated cup if you like, but if you want to use your own, no worries. As a prior poster indicated, you will get a sticker attached to your sign & sail card which you will need to show when ordering a soda. In our case, the soda always came in a glass (plastic on the Lido) although I suppose this may differ from ship to ship. My wife uses her own insulated cup, and we either gave the cup to the person at the bar to fill up with soda, or transfered it ourselves. Either way works.

...and just to add an additional thought, one of the really great treasures on the Conquest is the steakhouse. The food and experience is outstanding and something we believe should not be missed. BUT... you will need to dress up a bit for that as well. Again, dockers and a nice button down dress shirt will do. So, unless you are OK with giving up that opportunity plus lobster on one of the two elegant nights, I'd ask your DH to suck it up a bit and bring at least one nice business-casual outfit. You will not regret it.

[okgirl]

I have a few questions for those of you who have traveled on the Conquest or with Carnival in general. My husband and I went on our first cruise (:D) last year on the Voyager of the seas and we loved it. We decided to try out the Conquest and take our children and my parents. So now I have a few questions please.

 

1. How do the fountain cards work on carnival ships? When we got on Voyager we signed up for a fountain card and we received an insulated cup with it and we basically used that for the entire trip. If we get the fountain card on this ship will they get mad if we pour it into our insulated cups to go sit by the pool or on deck? The soda card is no longer a card but a sticker that is placed on your Sail & Sign card (which is also your room key). If you wait to purchase the soda stickers until after the ship has sailed and is out into international water you won't have to pay any tax. Separately they sell a Carnival insulated tumbler but you still need a soda sticker to get it filled for free. If you don't buy one of those they will give you your soda in a glass and not give you the entire can.

 

2. We bought a small bottle of rum when we was in Jamaica on the Voyager and the morning we were leaving the ship to come back home I stood in a line that literally never moved for 45 min. waiting to get my bottle of rum. I decided the bottle was not worth it and left. I had heard that they delivered your alcohol purchases to your room the night before you depart but this specific sailing did not do that. How do they handle alcohol purchases on the Carnival Conquest? It's my experience that Carnival has always delivered your shoreside or ship liqour purchases on the last night of the cruise. I don't know if you are flying home but if you are plan ahead for how you are going to cushion the bottles in your checked luggage because you can't get through airport security with them.

 

3. What type of drinks can you get with room service? As far as the free non-alcoholic types go. Can you get tea and/or juice? You can get tea, coffee and chocolate or white milk for free always, but I'm not sure about juices. I know that a couple of them are free in the Lido and several are available in the MDR in the morning, but if you were to go to a bar and ask for an OJ it would be a charge. Room service is free, but it's only danish, cereal and bagels and stuff for breakfast and sandwiches and salads at other times. It is customary to cash tip the delivery person.

 

4. As far as formal night is concerned my husband is not the type and I just don't feel comfortable going without him :(. When we was on Voyager, I tried to stay clear of the dinning room on that night so that I could respect those who enjoy this event without my capris and flip-flops being to much of a distraction. We decided to eat at Johnny Rockets on those nights. My question is basically is there a place we can eat that night without disturbing the other guests who are dressing up? Is the buffet an option or do they dress up for this also? There is a full buffet for dinner, plus the deli is open until 11pm, plus the pizza place is open 24 hours and you can also get regular or chicken ceasar salads. Also there is 24 hour ice cream and frozen yogurt all of this is on the Lido deck 9.

 

Thanks in advance for any help you may provide. I love this website I have learned so much.

 

Tonya

 

Have a great cruise. The Conquest is my favorite ship, I've sailed on her 5 times.

[happy cruzer]

Well, I never said to break the dress code.

 

I assumed that since the OP mentioned formal. That she was confused on what to do and nervous. Her "capris and flip flops" and probably whatever her husband wears would be allowed in the dining room per my experience ( we've had people with shorts seated at our table on elegant night, along with the rest in suits). If I were she, I would go to the dining room on elegant night and sit at a table for two and not worry a bit about what people on a website said I should do.

 

That's not what I do but if I were in her flip flops that is what I would do to enjoy my lobster and shrimp dinner.