8/1 Carnival Conquest - A first timers review

[sksadams]

NEW ORLEANS: We flew in Friday and used a local shuttle service that picked us up at the airport delivered us to the Hilton riverside for $12.00 per person (including kids), then picked us up Sunday and delivered us to the cruise terminal for $5.00 per person and picked us back up the following Sunday and returned us to the airport for $12.00 per person. The was a wonderful shuttle service the man that owns and runs it is a retired captain for the police department in New Orleans. If you want their phone number just post your email address and I will email it to you as I don't know if I can post it here or not. The food in New Orleans is wonderfuld we ate at Coplands in the Garden District, Crescent Brewery and a place on the river it was all wonderful and expensive. We also ate at Anthony's in the mall and it was terrible and very expensive ($2.50 for a coke and no refills). The Hilton is connected to the mall so you can just walk right over there, here is a secret (I guess) they have a Cafe Dumond in the mall and there is no long lines for breakfast (like in the French Quarter) so you can go have your coffee and beignets Sunday morning and not have to wait and it's all air conditioned. The Hilton was nice and a bargain at $79 per night booked directly on their website. The street car runs right beside the hotel so you can hop on it and ride it right down to the French Quarter.

 

EMBARKMENT: since this was my first cruise I can't compare if it was smoorth or not. We arrived around 11:30 and on board by 12:30 I thought they did a really good job considering all the people they have to move in and out.

 

SEA DAYS: We just got to know the ship the first two sea days. My dh and dd had a ball on the slide and enjoyed the pools. The pools were a little to small for me but they had a good time. I enjoyed the art auction I know nothing about art but really enjoyed going and learning a little about what is considered collectible art. I lost a little money in the casino, and wandered around the stores but my favorite place was on deck 3 just outside the lobby they have deck chairs set up and this is a wonderful quite place to go relax and enjoy the ocean.

 

MONTEGO BAY: We went to Sunset Beach Resort and had a wonderful day. We left the ship about 9:30 am and boarded a bus with a couple of other families going to Sunset for $2.00 per person. The food is wonderful (you have to try the jerk chicken you will pay for this all day but it soo good) and the hamburgers I thought were better than the ones on board. The cost here is $20.00 per adult and $10.00 per child. This included all the food, soft drinks and alcohol you could consume. They had Red Stripe beer and great Pina Coladas. There are two simming pools with a swim up bar in between and lots of lounge chairs. The beach is a little small but still you could find a place to hang out. We didn't spend much time there as the tide had washed in a bunch of dead jelly fish and even though you knew they were dead it was kind of freaky to be out there with them all around you and brushing up against your leg. We left around 4:00 walked out of the lobby and taxies were waiting to take you back for $2.00 per person. Great deal we had so much fun here.

 

GRAND CAYMAN: We did the Stingray, Hell Turtle Farm tour booked with Carnival it was really nice. My dd loved the Turtle Farm and seeing the baby turles was really cool. But I felt they had way to many turtles in those tanks they were just all over each other I really felt it was kind of cruel. Hell was a tourist trap! Stingray city was really neat the ocean is beautiful and the stingrays were incredible. And you will enjoy this experience with about 1000 of your new best friends. it was crowded but really not all that bad I never felt crowded or stepped on but there were a lot of people out there. This tour didn't end unitl 1:00pm and that was our meeting time with my dh who dives so we had a bite to eat at The Hard Rock Care. It was good, normal for that type of food we had hamburgers, kids chicken strips, tea and an appetizer (no alchol) and the bill was $53.00!! By the time we finshed we had to catch the tender back to the boat I was very disappointed because I wanted to look around and do a little shopping but there just wasn't enough time. They really need to try and extend your time here!

 

COZUMEL: We went to Chankanaab Park. We took a taxi at the pier for $10.00 for all 3 of us, park admission was $12.00 per adult and $6.00 per child. We really had a good day here my dh dove and we snorkeled and just hung out at the beach. We had a very good lunch at the restaurant there we had drinks this day and our total bill was $35.00. Took a taxi back to the pier ($10.00) and did a little shopping and got back on the boat. We watched all the idiots who showed up late the last ones were at 6:00 pm this really kind of made me mad I thought we should have left them if they were not there by 5:30 because I busted my butt to be back on time!

 

CAMP CARNIVAL: My dd signed up and went to a few activities but didn't spend a lot of time there. She had a good time but there just wasn't much that interested her or it conflicted with plans we had.

 

FOOD: Ok this is were I was a little disappointed. These are the places we normally eat at home cheap food: Chilis, Cheddars & Tias, weekend dinner Pappadeauxs, The Keg & Outback, special occasions Del Friscos & Pappa Bros Steakhouse so I was expecting in the mid range like Pappadeaux & Outback. It fell somewhat short but I really think my expectations could have been a little high. The meat was always tender and cooked perfectly I just didn't think there was any flavor. But we didn't starve and the food beat most all inclusive's that we have stayed at in the past. The waiters were great and really sweet to my dd. I did not care for the singing and dancing I thought this was degrading to the waiters as I didn't think our waiter enjoyed it verymuch plus it took away from the elegant atomosphere they were trying to create. We did have a great table I am not sure how we snagged it but we were at the very back of the dining room right in the front of the windows so we always had a beautiful view leaving ports during dinner.

 

ROOM: It was mugh bigger than I was expecting we had a balcony room for 3 and it really was a good size. I loved having the balcony I think it was worth every extra dollar. We spent a lot of time out there (as did our neghbors at 3:30 every morning!!) we even stayed up Sunday night and watched as we left the Mississippi river such an awesome experience. I had the room decorated for Bon Voyage (nice decorations), a good bottle of wine and a draw string bag of stuffed animals. I thought his was all well worth what I paid and my family was so surprised when they opened the door and saw all their goodies waiting for them. This was our first cruise but I think our room was in the best location we were on deck 6 just above the casino (never heard a peep) 2 doors down from the ice machine and just around the corner from the stairs and elevators. Everything is on deck 5 casino, shops, lounges and access to the dining room so we just walked down one flight of stiars and we could go anywhere. The only time we had to wait on elevators was for deck 9 (Lido) and we stepped off the elevators and the pools were on one side and the food on the other. So I thought it was just great.

 

The most helpful tips I received from Cruise Critic:

Power Strip....I don't know what I would have done with out this

Bungee Cord...Used this many times

Alarm Clock...Invaluable

Bonine...Used this everyday

 

The only thing I wish I had was a small fan it would have been nice to have a little air moving at night.

 

Take your own hair dryer they have one but it is the pits. It blows out plenty air but you have to hold a button down while you are tying to hold the thing, blow your hair and style it all at the same time.

 

I packed to many clothes but not sure what I would leave out if I went again. Because we missed dinner a couple of nights in the dining rooms so I would have worn the dresses had we gone.

 

We really enjoyed our first cruise and plan on going back the only downside is the short time at ports. I love the ocean and beaches and I don't feel I got enough of that but for the last 8 years we have gone to all incluisve in Mexico so I am used to sitting on the beach fo 7 straight days. Which gets a little tiring thus the reason for going on the cruise.

 

If you have any questions just ask away. I realize this is long but I was trying to give lots of detail.

 

Thanks for all your help!!!

 

Kim

[Saymyname]

IM also cruising on the Conquest next year. ( July)

Thank you for all of the info.

[uwbadger]

Kim, thank you for the wonderful review. We leave this Sunday (also flying into NO on Friday to spend a little time there). I have a couple of questions regarding the kid's program.

 

1) Is there a family disco party the first night?

 

2) Do they have a kid's "Coketail" party during one of the formal nights?

 

 

Thanks again.

[willybegolfer]

"...but my favorite place was on deck 3 just outside the lobby they have deck chairs set up and this is a wonderful quite place to go relax and enjoy the ocean. "

This is where my wife and I went to relax. It was awesome. Cool and breezey. Loved it.

 

 

 

[sksadams]

uwbadger...I don't remember any family disco party. They have a camp carnival meeting the first night but basically you just fill out these forms and they introduce themselves and talk a little about the program. And I believe the "coketail party" is the first formal night I will check the schedule tonight but I am pretty sure that's right because I thought my dd would enjoy it but that was going to be our big picture night plus the first formal night so I wanted her to go with us to dinner. I have the activities list for 9-11 year olds if you want me to fax it to you. I can't even begin to figure out my scanner!

 

willybegolfer...Deck three is truly a great place there was never more than a handful of people out there and they were all doing the same as me trying to read but mostly just dozing off and listening to the ocean.

[cmez]

Thanks for your review! Looking foward to Conquest on Halloween!! I'm interested on hearing who you used for shuttle service! Email me at:

 

mclorrie_1@hotmail.com

 

Thanks!!

[uwbadger]

Kim, thanks for the offer to fax the carnival kids' capers. Unfortunately, my daughter will be 8 at the beginning of the cruise (turns nine during the cruise) so I'm assuming that she will probably be in the 6 to 8 group.

 

Both times we've been on the Spirit, she jumps at any chance she gets to go to one of the disco-type parties they have for kids.