K
Kevin & Regina Watkins
Guest
Carnival’s Conquest Inaugural Cruise - November 21-27, 2002
Embarkation
Our family of 5 (mom, dad, twin boys age 10, and our little girl age 7) arrived around 1pm and the place was already packed. The port parking lot was already full and we had to park in a hotel parking lot at an expected rate of $20/day. We waited about 30 minutes before we were signed and then passed to another desk down the hall where the keys/cards awaited us with virtually no waiting. The last step where you where corralled through four different areas (two waiting, one photo, and then security before we were able to board. Carnivals security system that takes your picture entering and leaving the ship (at ports) is pretty neat and quick.
Food Taste/Quality
We have sailed four times on RCCL and I guess we were spoiled. As I am writing this, we are at day 4 of our 7 day inaugural cruise and we have yet to have an “outstanding†meal from the dining room. (OKâ€â€the last night was a pretty decent meal.) The quality of food made us question whether we wanted to dress for dinner and go to the dining room or just go to the Lido deck for a good meal. The food in the outlying areas/lounges has been better than the offerings in the evening dining room. The Grill, Pizzeria and PC’s Wok, and Lido deck buffets were all very good. I haven’t personally tried Paul’s Deli as of yet but I have heard good things onboard from others that it is well. The Chocolate Extravaganza (2 complete buffet’s of Chocolate on the last sea day, also on the Lido deck) was a big hit (and a long long line!) I didn’t go to the Midnight Gala Buffet, and only heard one comment that it was “so-so†afterwards.
Dining room Service
Again here I assume that Carnival and RCCL are just in different classes when it comes to service. In the Renior dining room, we were NEVER offered anything other than water to drink. Although when I did ask for ice tea it was presented each evening. Our waiter complained that there was not enough work space for the staff and therefore they had a difficult time in serving us. I would say by day three they had worked out this problem and were serving in a timely manner. The Matre’d had a great voice… but we never saw him except standing at the desk when we entered the dining room. He never came around to the tables either while he was singing, or not. On RCCL, the Matre’D or Head Waiter usually shells anything that needs to be shelled (crab, shrimp, etc.) on the Conquest, I had trouble just getting my water refilled.
Other areas service
Like any other cruise we have been on the staff were polite, helpful and quick to clean up behind you. Drinks (water, tea, lemonade, orange and apple juice plus a hot chocolate machine that was a big hit) were self serve and spaced conveniently around the Lido deck (9).
Room service was extremely quick the few times we utilized it. Although on RCCL the entire menu is available, the condensed room service menu suited our needs and the food was better than expected in any hotel I have been in.
Rooms
One word here. SPACE. Carnival did well on the rooms. We had two adjoining rooms on deck 2 (2319/2323). Adjoining rooms are only available on decks 1 and 2. No verandahs with adjoining rooms available on this ship. More storage space than we ever could use (three full size closets, cabinets, drawers everywhere). Nice size vanity areas and bathrooms (big shower). Multiple washer/dryers on each floor were very convenient ($2 wash/$1.50 30m Dry). Adjoining doors in a good spot to be out of the way when open.
The few times we saw our cabin steward he was very friendly. Did a pretty good job everywhere. Probably left things alone that we wondered why the RCCL stewards were bothering our “stuff†by putting it away, rearranging it, etc. On Carnival, “Juicy†as I called him (couldn’t pronounced his French name any other way) kept the cabin clean, everything stocked, and played with towels rather than my wife’s nightgown which she cleverly hid.
Pools/Slide
Water slide was a big hit with the kids. There are four pools (that I saw) on board. And although they first appeared quite small, I never saw any of them really “fullâ€Â. On the last sea day for some reason they started trying to enforce height restrictions (46â€Â) on the slide which made my 45†7 y/o swimmer very unhappy. The aft pool has a retractable roof and heaters so even on overcast cool days (and nights!) it is comfortable to sit on the deck or swim.
The pool area is well designed and has a very nice amphitheater design stretching from the Lido deck (9) all the way up to deck 11.
Entertainment
One word: Fantastic!! Here we have not experienced much of the RCCL entertainment fare. We were very pleased with the comedy, magic, and unpredictable personality of our cruise director (Corey Schmidt). The two “broadway†type shows were great as was the passenger game and talent shows. The Midnight Lido Deck party was fantastic even for the kids
Ship Décor
The ship is beautiful in every way. Too bad some inconsiderate people have already scratched the walls and gouged the ceilings of the elevator. Four glass elevators give you a bird’s eye view of decks 3-10 (decks 1,2,11 are enclosed, and a separate elevator is required to access Camp Carnival from deck 11 to deck 12.
Ship
Rocking all day and all night in slight to moderate sea conditions. Unusual for us as on RCCL we only “felt†the ship rock once on any cruise, and that was in some pretty rough seas one evening.
The elevators malfunctioned several times. Never got “stuck†on one but did have to get off and grab another one three or four times.
They are still working out the bugs in the ship’s information system available on the TV. The ship’s heading was never displayed. The winds across the deck and pool temperatures were always the same. The maps and humidity sometimes displayed grossly inaccurate information. But I am sure that these minor things will be worked out soon.
Shore Excursions
This literary (6-day) only stopped at Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Being able to order your short excursion tickets from your room TV is definitely the way to go. That is one convenience that I wish all cruise lines would take to heart. Some red-headed female at the shore excursion desk really has an attitude that doesn’t belong on a cruise ship. Gave us misinformation causing us problems, and we even witnessed her refusing to help someone onshore.
Grand Cayman: We tried the Stingray City tour but we were unable to tender into Georgetown and had to go around to Spott’s Point instead. Shorter ride to Stingray City landing but when we got there the tour was cancelled for unsafe sea conditions. We ended up on an unimpressive island tour (turtle farm, Tortugas rum factory, Hell, photo-op at 7m beach) that I guess everyone has to do once. But we will skip it next time (Stingray tour however we will try again next time, last trip it was fantastic!)
Cozumel: The Dolphin Encounter at the Chankanaab National Park was great! The park was beautiful and you can spend your whole day there. The actual encounter takes about 45 minutes and the video is worth the $25 price tag. We interacted more with the dolphin here than in Lagoon Island at Nassau. Elsewhere in the park you can see the sea lions, ruins replicas, exotic birds, iguanas roaming around freely, snorkeling, helmet dives, snuba, or just laying around on the beach. We would do this again.
Camp Carnival
Good activities for all ages (2-15). Cramped and disorganized sign in/out procedures. I don’t like it that my ten year olds can sign themselves out regardless of our wishes (9-11 y/o sign themselves in and out and there is nothing provided to require parental sign in/out options). Good security on 8 and under as I watched someone try to get a child out that was not on the list and no matter how much he argued, they didn’t budge. Counselors were very energetic and seemed to interact very well with the kids.
If you are taking kids, and your kids like soft drinks, buy the drink cards. They are about $18 for the entire cruise and most likely worth your money. We didn’t this trip, but would on the next one.
Photo Shop
Pictures pictures everywhere. A lot of good backgrounds and poses including black and white and “costume dress up†as well. Prices were not outrageous starting at $8 (4x6) topping out at $20 for the 8x10s. The staff was very good at picking, in our opinion, which we would want smaller or larger photos of. One set was whitewashed out and they were able to reprint it overnight. Reprints, Christmas cards, etc. are available on board. A couple of shots were off center, but these guys know their stuff and are doing a great job!
Debarkation
We expected a long wait to get off the ship, especially since we were not flying. Our “color†was called right about 8:45 and we were in a disorganized mob (isn’t it always?) about 9:00 and were off and outside probably around 9:30. Customs never even collected the forms this trip. Had my car been closer than three states away, we would have been gone in a flash. Thank you Carnival for working out a discounted rate ($10/day) at the Hilton garage though. It is much appreciated!
In Summary
Beautiful ship, dining experience in the formal dining room was not as good as RCCL’s in our opinion but the variety and quality of food on the Lido deck was excellent. Wefelt that there were too many days at sea, we like the private island that RCCL has, and we like to see the ports. The New Orleans port saved us ~$2000 in airfare but I sure would like to see better parking facilities. There were young and old alike and all those in between and Carnival is not just a “Party Boat†like I assumed it was.
Embarkation
Our family of 5 (mom, dad, twin boys age 10, and our little girl age 7) arrived around 1pm and the place was already packed. The port parking lot was already full and we had to park in a hotel parking lot at an expected rate of $20/day. We waited about 30 minutes before we were signed and then passed to another desk down the hall where the keys/cards awaited us with virtually no waiting. The last step where you where corralled through four different areas (two waiting, one photo, and then security before we were able to board. Carnivals security system that takes your picture entering and leaving the ship (at ports) is pretty neat and quick.
Food Taste/Quality
We have sailed four times on RCCL and I guess we were spoiled. As I am writing this, we are at day 4 of our 7 day inaugural cruise and we have yet to have an “outstanding†meal from the dining room. (OKâ€â€the last night was a pretty decent meal.) The quality of food made us question whether we wanted to dress for dinner and go to the dining room or just go to the Lido deck for a good meal. The food in the outlying areas/lounges has been better than the offerings in the evening dining room. The Grill, Pizzeria and PC’s Wok, and Lido deck buffets were all very good. I haven’t personally tried Paul’s Deli as of yet but I have heard good things onboard from others that it is well. The Chocolate Extravaganza (2 complete buffet’s of Chocolate on the last sea day, also on the Lido deck) was a big hit (and a long long line!) I didn’t go to the Midnight Gala Buffet, and only heard one comment that it was “so-so†afterwards.
Dining room Service
Again here I assume that Carnival and RCCL are just in different classes when it comes to service. In the Renior dining room, we were NEVER offered anything other than water to drink. Although when I did ask for ice tea it was presented each evening. Our waiter complained that there was not enough work space for the staff and therefore they had a difficult time in serving us. I would say by day three they had worked out this problem and were serving in a timely manner. The Matre’d had a great voice… but we never saw him except standing at the desk when we entered the dining room. He never came around to the tables either while he was singing, or not. On RCCL, the Matre’D or Head Waiter usually shells anything that needs to be shelled (crab, shrimp, etc.) on the Conquest, I had trouble just getting my water refilled.
Other areas service
Like any other cruise we have been on the staff were polite, helpful and quick to clean up behind you. Drinks (water, tea, lemonade, orange and apple juice plus a hot chocolate machine that was a big hit) were self serve and spaced conveniently around the Lido deck (9).
Room service was extremely quick the few times we utilized it. Although on RCCL the entire menu is available, the condensed room service menu suited our needs and the food was better than expected in any hotel I have been in.
Rooms
One word here. SPACE. Carnival did well on the rooms. We had two adjoining rooms on deck 2 (2319/2323). Adjoining rooms are only available on decks 1 and 2. No verandahs with adjoining rooms available on this ship. More storage space than we ever could use (three full size closets, cabinets, drawers everywhere). Nice size vanity areas and bathrooms (big shower). Multiple washer/dryers on each floor were very convenient ($2 wash/$1.50 30m Dry). Adjoining doors in a good spot to be out of the way when open.
The few times we saw our cabin steward he was very friendly. Did a pretty good job everywhere. Probably left things alone that we wondered why the RCCL stewards were bothering our “stuff†by putting it away, rearranging it, etc. On Carnival, “Juicy†as I called him (couldn’t pronounced his French name any other way) kept the cabin clean, everything stocked, and played with towels rather than my wife’s nightgown which she cleverly hid.
Pools/Slide
Water slide was a big hit with the kids. There are four pools (that I saw) on board. And although they first appeared quite small, I never saw any of them really “fullâ€Â. On the last sea day for some reason they started trying to enforce height restrictions (46â€Â) on the slide which made my 45†7 y/o swimmer very unhappy. The aft pool has a retractable roof and heaters so even on overcast cool days (and nights!) it is comfortable to sit on the deck or swim.
The pool area is well designed and has a very nice amphitheater design stretching from the Lido deck (9) all the way up to deck 11.
Entertainment
One word: Fantastic!! Here we have not experienced much of the RCCL entertainment fare. We were very pleased with the comedy, magic, and unpredictable personality of our cruise director (Corey Schmidt). The two “broadway†type shows were great as was the passenger game and talent shows. The Midnight Lido Deck party was fantastic even for the kids
Ship Décor
The ship is beautiful in every way. Too bad some inconsiderate people have already scratched the walls and gouged the ceilings of the elevator. Four glass elevators give you a bird’s eye view of decks 3-10 (decks 1,2,11 are enclosed, and a separate elevator is required to access Camp Carnival from deck 11 to deck 12.
Ship
Rocking all day and all night in slight to moderate sea conditions. Unusual for us as on RCCL we only “felt†the ship rock once on any cruise, and that was in some pretty rough seas one evening.
The elevators malfunctioned several times. Never got “stuck†on one but did have to get off and grab another one three or four times.
They are still working out the bugs in the ship’s information system available on the TV. The ship’s heading was never displayed. The winds across the deck and pool temperatures were always the same. The maps and humidity sometimes displayed grossly inaccurate information. But I am sure that these minor things will be worked out soon.
Shore Excursions
This literary (6-day) only stopped at Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Being able to order your short excursion tickets from your room TV is definitely the way to go. That is one convenience that I wish all cruise lines would take to heart. Some red-headed female at the shore excursion desk really has an attitude that doesn’t belong on a cruise ship. Gave us misinformation causing us problems, and we even witnessed her refusing to help someone onshore.
Grand Cayman: We tried the Stingray City tour but we were unable to tender into Georgetown and had to go around to Spott’s Point instead. Shorter ride to Stingray City landing but when we got there the tour was cancelled for unsafe sea conditions. We ended up on an unimpressive island tour (turtle farm, Tortugas rum factory, Hell, photo-op at 7m beach) that I guess everyone has to do once. But we will skip it next time (Stingray tour however we will try again next time, last trip it was fantastic!)
Cozumel: The Dolphin Encounter at the Chankanaab National Park was great! The park was beautiful and you can spend your whole day there. The actual encounter takes about 45 minutes and the video is worth the $25 price tag. We interacted more with the dolphin here than in Lagoon Island at Nassau. Elsewhere in the park you can see the sea lions, ruins replicas, exotic birds, iguanas roaming around freely, snorkeling, helmet dives, snuba, or just laying around on the beach. We would do this again.
Camp Carnival
Good activities for all ages (2-15). Cramped and disorganized sign in/out procedures. I don’t like it that my ten year olds can sign themselves out regardless of our wishes (9-11 y/o sign themselves in and out and there is nothing provided to require parental sign in/out options). Good security on 8 and under as I watched someone try to get a child out that was not on the list and no matter how much he argued, they didn’t budge. Counselors were very energetic and seemed to interact very well with the kids.
If you are taking kids, and your kids like soft drinks, buy the drink cards. They are about $18 for the entire cruise and most likely worth your money. We didn’t this trip, but would on the next one.
Photo Shop
Pictures pictures everywhere. A lot of good backgrounds and poses including black and white and “costume dress up†as well. Prices were not outrageous starting at $8 (4x6) topping out at $20 for the 8x10s. The staff was very good at picking, in our opinion, which we would want smaller or larger photos of. One set was whitewashed out and they were able to reprint it overnight. Reprints, Christmas cards, etc. are available on board. A couple of shots were off center, but these guys know their stuff and are doing a great job!
Debarkation
We expected a long wait to get off the ship, especially since we were not flying. Our “color†was called right about 8:45 and we were in a disorganized mob (isn’t it always?) about 9:00 and were off and outside probably around 9:30. Customs never even collected the forms this trip. Had my car been closer than three states away, we would have been gone in a flash. Thank you Carnival for working out a discounted rate ($10/day) at the Hilton garage though. It is much appreciated!
In Summary
Beautiful ship, dining experience in the formal dining room was not as good as RCCL’s in our opinion but the variety and quality of food on the Lido deck was excellent. Wefelt that there were too many days at sea, we like the private island that RCCL has, and we like to see the ports. The New Orleans port saved us ~$2000 in airfare but I sure would like to see better parking facilities. There were young and old alike and all those in between and Carnival is not just a “Party Boat†like I assumed it was.