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Conquest Review 6/27-7/4

FamilyDoc

By FamilyDoc,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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FamilyDoc

FamilyDoc

Posted
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I've enjoyed reading other reviews and so will try to return the favor. Hopefully, it won't be too long! I'll try to add some pics in the next installment.

 

This was our 15th-ish cruise on Carnival and our 3rd on Conquest. I’ll start by saying we had a great time and can’t wait to cruise again in September!

I will agree with what some others have said about the embarkation staff—not the best. We have been doing VIP embark for quite a while now and have never had this poor quality of service. We had 3 cabins on a linked reservation and 2 of them were Platinum. Always before when this has happened they have let the other cabin come in VIP with us and just sent for the other keys. Well the embark lady wouldn’t even let them come in the VIP lounge and wait with us. It was my elderly in-laws who have never cruised before and my (extremely laid-back) DH was upset. The VIP service was so slow that my in-laws actually got to the front of their line before we did and the desk wouldn’t let them check in as they were linked with ours. Anyway, we got through it and got on board and it got much better.

We went to the lunch buffet, which had a good variety and was plentiful. I am not a fan of the buffet but you don’t have much of a choice on that first meal. My in-laws loved it and had plenty to eat. The food staff was running around and as quick as we pushed a plate aside, they were there pre-bussing. When we got to the room, our room steward found us immediately and introduced himself. Have we always had an assistant steward? Well this time we did. He was awesome. After being introduced one time, he never failed to call us by name if he saw us anywhere on the ship. His name was I Wayan and this week is his last before going home. He has a 6-month-old baby boy he has never met and was very excited about his up-coming journey home. Our main steward was Ricky, he was great the entire week. We did have to specifically ask to have the refrigerator unlocked but it wasn’t a problem.

We got all of our luggage quickly and so my DH got us all unpacked and ready for the week. Gotta love the over the door shoe rack, kept us organized for the week. My MIL is obsessively early and didn’t want to be late to the muster drill and so we were one of the first there, bummer, which meant we were packed into the back. (Sometimes being short is NOT an advantage. J) The drill was quick though and painless.

We went back to the room for the first of my daily naps, mmm, I love Carnival beds.

Dinner was in the MDR. They had accommodated us by putting all 7 of us at one table so we were a little squished but it was all family and it worked great. My FIL is hard of hearing so being at a smaller, round table worked perfectly. Our waiters were Adrian and Hani and were 2 of the best that we have had in 15 cruises. Dinner the first night was St Louis ribs and was AWESOME. The meat was so tender it fell off of the bone. Service all week was exceptional. The food was hot and prompt. In fact, it was so quick that we had to dawdle over coffee in order to see the wait staff sing and dance on the entertainment nights. (On the Cozumel night, my in-laws got back late from the ruins that they couldn’t come to dinner and Hani offered to pack up a meal for them. Even when we refused, she got a melting cake to go for my MIL as she knew how much she loved it!) As I said, incredible service.

We went to the comedian after dinner and he was funny and as it was not the midnight show, he was pretty clean. Then to the casino. It was a little weird. Usually on first night the casino has lots of low-limit tables to draw you in for the week. This time the only $5 tables for black-jack were the odd ones like face-up and "fun" black jack. All regular black jack was $10 and up. Dealers were friendly, even if they did take my money!

Then off to bed!

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*Mach*

*Mach*

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Wow... sounds like it started off right... with the possible exception of the shore side agents in Galveston.

Since this seems to be becoming a trend I'll let a few folks I know about this and see if something good can come of it.

Keep the review coming!

:D

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jcvmst3k

jcvmst3k

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Then to the casino. It was a little weird. Usually on first night the casino has lots of low-limit tables to draw you in for the week. This time the only $5 tables for black-jack were the odd ones like face-up and "fun" black jack. All regular black jack was $10 and up. Dealers were friendly, even if they did take my money!

Then off to bed!

 

 

$10 for regular black jack. That's weird. I would have been pretty upset about that. Though, I've been to L'auberge several times and their minimum is $25.:eek:

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Tightlinerods

Tightlinerods

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Does the casino have roulette tables?:D

 

 

Yes, two of them..one smoking & one non if I remember correctly

 

My last cruise (May 2010, on Ecstasy) 1st night all tables were 10.00.. dropped to 5.00 afterwards...

 

 

John

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Cindy

Cindy

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Wow... sounds like it started off right... with the possible exception of the shore side agents in Galveston.

 

Since this seems to be becoming a trend I'll let a few folks I know about this and see if something good can come of it.

 

Keep the review coming!

 

:D

 

 

 

Mach, we didn't have any problems at all in March. I don't know if we were just lucky, or if we were so early:o that there weren't too many people checking in.

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*Mach*

*Mach*

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Mach, we didn't have any problems at all in March. I don't know if we were just lucky, or if we were so early:o that there weren't too many people checking in.

 

 

It's the VIP folks, Cindy... Platinum... Milestones, etc that seem to think they're not getting the treatment they deserve.

I do know that they recently eliminated the VIP waiting area for boarding... don't know why but that's the case...

:(

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*Mach*

*Mach*

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$10 for regular black jack. That's weird. I would have been pretty upset about that. Though, I've been to L'auberge several times and their minimum is $25.:eek:

 

 

That is a little odd...

I asked about this a few weeks ago and this is what I got from Carnival:

Current guidance to Carnival casino managers is that they should always maintain one regular blackjack plus the blackjack variants, Fun 21 and Face Up, at $5. The remaining regular blackjack games will start the cruise at $10 and the limits may be adjusted down, or up, according to the level of demand.

So, it's quite odd that there was no regular Black Jack table with a $5 minimum...

:confused:

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Cindy

Cindy

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It's the VIP folks, Cindy... Platinum... Milestones, etc that seem to think they're not getting the treatment they deserve.

 

I do know that they recently eliminated the VIP waiting area for boarding... don't know why but that's the case...

 

:(

 

We had VIP check-in because we had a suite...we were #3 and 4 to get there. We went into an office on the side to check-in and get our S&S cards.

The VIP seating area at the time was off to the far side of the waiting area, right in front of where they take the boarding photos. They seated us in the second row, and used the first row for passengers needing assistance. Is that the area they no longer have, or are you talking about a separate room?

Just trying to scope things out for December...I only have about 5 months left to obsess!:o

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*Mach*

*Mach*

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We had VIP check-in because we had a suite...we were #3 and 4 to get there. We went into an office on the side to check-in and get our S&S cards.

 

The VIP seating area at the time was off to the far side of the waiting area, right in front of where they take the boarding photos. They seated us in the second row, and used the first row for passengers needing assistance. Is that the area they no longer have, or are you talking about a separate room?

 

Just trying to scope things out for December...I only have about 5 months left to obsess!:o

 

 

That area is no longer there. The VIPs are seated separately but there's not really a designated VIP area.

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FamilyDoc

FamilyDoc

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That is a little odd...

 

I asked about this a few weeks ago and this is what I got from Carnival:

 

Current guidance to Carnival casino managers is that they should always maintain one regular blackjack plus the blackjack variants, Fun 21 and Face Up, at $5. The remaining regular blackjack games will start the cruise at $10 and the limits may be adjusted down, or up, according to the level of demand.

 

So, it's quite odd that there was no regular Black Jack table with a $5 minimum...

 

:confused:

 

Yep, we thought it was weird too. We actually asked one of the hosts and he said it would drop the next day. He was right and from the next morning on we could always find a $5 table. The same host was very helpful the next night when we went to get our free cocktails for being return casino patrons. He thought it was funny that my 20yo DD got a letter too and made sure her Pina Colada was virgin. :)

 

Mach, is the shore side staffed by Carnival or is it port-authority? We have always had incredible service but this time it was a bummer. The lady in the regular line was very nice to my in-laws and offered to go to VIP and get us for check in. :) Thanks for looking into it though.

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FamilyDoc

FamilyDoc

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$10 for regular black jack. That's weird. I would have been pretty upset about that. Though, I've been to L'auberge several times and their minimum is $25.:eek:

 

OUCH! They get my money eventually but that'd be a little quick for me. :)

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*Mach*

*Mach*

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Yep, we thought it was weird too. We actually asked one of the hosts and he said it would drop the next day. He was right and from the next morning on we could always find a $5 table. The same host was very helpful the next night when we went to get our free cocktails for being return casino patrons. He thought it was funny that my 20yo DD got a letter too and made sure her Pina Colada was virgin. :)

 

Mach, is the shore side staffed by Carnival or is it port-authority? We have always had incredible service but this time it was a bummer. The lady in the regular line was very nice to my in-laws and offered to go to VIP and get us for check in. :) Thanks for looking into it though.

 

 

It's Carnival staff, not contract. I just contacted John Heald about this issue and he wanted me to let y'all know that he's on it.

I hope to hear from him or someone in the Platinum/Milestone program soon...

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*Mach*

*Mach*

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What are the different levels? How do you get to vip or platinum?

 

 

A new cruiser, new to Carnival anyway, has a blue Sail & Sign card. Past Guest, from two through nine cruises, get gold cards. You are Platinum on your tenth Carnival cruise, Milestone at 25.

You can get VIP embark and debark by booking a suite.

:)

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*Mach*

*Mach*

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Great review start, I look forward to reading more!

 

Mach- You are always so helpful, I know it's appreciated.

 

 

I'm glad to do what I can.

Of course, there's a bit of selfishness in there as I sail on the Conquest in September and I'm Platinum as well...

:)

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todzie

todzie

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We were on the Conquest in May, and for the first couple of days, there were no tables under $10 minimum. :( I think it was about the third day that Caribbean Stud and Let It Ride dropped to $5, as the tables remained empty...we never saw a Black Jack table with less than a $10 minimum the entire cruise.

 

 

We're sailing again next month with the family (sons 17, 21 and 23)...we paid for all three cabins, but DH and I are the only Platinum cruisers. I'm really hoping that our kids will be able to board with us (:confused: ...not sure how it will pan out, but fingers crossed that we can all board together...).

 

 

 

eta: FamilyDoc...looking forward to more of your review.

 

We'll be dining with 7 also...and will be attempting Anytime Dining. We were told in May that Anytime Dining was going to be expanded to the downstairs area of the Renoir by July (?) and would be able to accommodate larger parties. Does anyone know if ATD has been expanded accordingly?

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FamilyDoc

FamilyDoc

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It's Carnival staff, not contract. I just contacted John Heald about this issue and he wanted me to let y'all know that he's on it.

 

I hope to hear from him or someone in the Platinum/Milestone program soon...

 

 

That's great! I had hoped to get her name but she had her name badge on backwards. :)

 

I'm sure we'll be on Conquest again and it would be nice to know that someone is thinking about it.

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FamilyDoc

FamilyDoc

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We were on the Conquest in May, and for the first couple of days, there were no tables under $10 minimum. :( I think it was about the third day that Caribbean Stud and Let It Ride dropped to $5, as the tables remained empty...we never saw a Black Jack table with less than a $10 minimum the entire cruise.

 

 

We're sailing again next month with the family (sons 17, 21 and 23)...we paid for all three cabins, but DH and I are the only Platinum cruisers. I'm really hoping that our kids will be able to board with us (:confused: ...not sure how it will pan out, but fingers crossed that we can all board together...).

 

 

 

eta: FamilyDoc...looking forward to more of your review.

 

We'll be dining with 7 also...and will be attempting Anytime Dining. We were told in May that Anytime Dining was going to be expanded to the downstairs area of the Renoir by July (?) and would be able to accommodate larger parties. Does anyone know if ATD has been expanded accordingly?

 

 

We did the galley tour and the Assistant Maitre De did verify that they are going to the ATD in the entire Renoir in Mid July. As for the Platinum boarding, we have gotten our kids their own cabin and have never had to have them board separately before. (That's why DH was upset, his mom is such a worrier, he had assured her he'd be there to get her checked in. Oops) Surely it's just a glitch and Carnival will get it worked out! Remember that if you and your spouse book in separate cabins both of those will be VIP.

As soon as I can figure out how to add a Pic, I'll get on the rest of the review. We had a blast at lunch today coming up with notes that everyone wanted to be sure that I passed along! All the world's a (cruise) critic. :)

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big_schots

big_schots

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Since you seem to have the "gambling" spirit, hopefully you'll be able to answer my question. I assume they only have the Poker Pro tables on the Conquest, correct ? I was on the Conquest four years ago, and played Texas Holdem with a real dealer, which I greatly prefer. Also, do you know if they have a Texas Holdem tournament during the cruise. If so, do you know the buy-in and which sea day it would happen upon ? I personally have a problem with all the cruise-line run gambling events (Blackjack and Slots tourny, Bingo, Horseracing, etc.) due to the HUGE rake that the cruise line takes (30%+ which is probably on the low side). But, my son loves playing poker and thought I would stake him to the tourny if it is available.

 

Thanks,

 

Eric

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divingmedic

divingmedic

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Since you seem to have the "gambling" spirit, hopefully you'll be able to answer my question. I assume they only have the Poker Pro tables on the Conquest, correct ? I was on the Conquest four years ago, and played Texas Holdem with a real dealer, which I greatly prefer. Also, do you know if they have a Texas Holdem tournament during the cruise. If so, do you know the buy-in and which sea day it would happen upon ? I personally have a problem with all the cruise-line run gambling events (Blackjack and Slots tourny, Bingo, Horseracing, etc.) due to the HUGE rake that the cruise line takes (30%+ which is probably on the low side). But, my son loves playing poker and thought I would stake him to the tourny if it is available.

 

Thanks,

 

Eric

From what I heard, it is a computer that deals, not sure of the rake, I heard they are high. I believe the tourney is the first sea day and I think it is $100 buy in, not sure on rebuys. Being in Houston I drive to LA and gamble cheaper. In fact in 2004 I was in a tourney there, $35 buy in, got down the three of us, we were tired and chopped the pot three ways. We each left with about 3k

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