Hurricane Dennis, Extra day of free cruising

I've read nybumpkin and tymyboy's reviews, so I will just give you my Conquest cruise major points. Sorry I didn't meet with you, I walked around the lido deck but never recognized anyone, I thought could possibly be you two.

We arrived 3 days early in New Orleans and had a beautiful room at the Hilton Riverside. There were 26 cruisers in our group. New Orleans was hosting the Essence Music Festival. Thousands of party goers were everywhere.

We arrived at the pier around 1:30 PM Sunday ( my birthday),We received our GOLD sign and sail card, sat in 1 set of yellow chairs. My sister went early, had to sit in 2 sets of yellow chairs and did not receive her luggage in her room until after the muster drill. When we arrived in our room, our bags were waiting for us. We were in Cabin 7355, which was perfect because it's my birth date.

I decorated my cabin door ( to cute) and my SO had our cabin decorated. I was so surprised when I opened our door. It was beautiful and tasteful and we left the decorations up until the end of the cruise.

Tip # 1 Bring a jacket, coat, sweater, gloves, hat for the dinning room. We sat in the Monet , the 8 PM seating, down stairs. It was freezing, okay I get cold very easily but the Men were complaining. After a few night the guys had on suit jackets and they were still cold ( warning~ you will freeze)!

IM not a smoker and it was bad~ enough said.

As far as a secret place for privacy, my sister and I snuck through the "crew only" door at the front of deck 7, we looked for a way outside, decided to go down the crew stairs to deck 6, went up to deck 8, did not see any outside exits and just as we thinking lets go, the crew elevator door opened up and a crew member in white ( some 1 with authority) told us how to leave the crew only area. whew, that was close, we played it off as if we were lost.

Dinner was okay, I never found any of the meals to my liking, well except the garden burgers and chix burgers at the grill, yummy. Did I mention , It's cold in the dinning room?

Formal night was wonderful, I didn't see anyone underdressed ( is that a word)?

We tried to go to Sunset beach in Jamaica, They only allow 200 cruise guest in, if their resort is full (It was) so we were turned away. If you intent to spend your day there, you need to get there early.

We hired an authorized tour van. Very interesting sights and shopping. Most sight were preparing for Hurricane Dennis, We visited the Ritz hotel on our tour ( it didn't make sense to me )but , I got out of the van and walked around the hotel, most guest were checking out because of the hurricane, I guess that should have been a clue for me of things to come.

I really enjoyed the comedians in the Toulouse Lautreec lounge. Phat Cat and Happy Cole ( perfect)

The temp. in the Toulouse is perfect, if you sit upstairs. Downstairs is freezing.

We missed Grand Cayman because of Hurricane Dennis,( That was a disappointment) We received a $25.00 credit per person.

( Question) Should full port charges be refunded if you miss a port, and bonus question... How much are port charges? ( extra credit if you know the port charge for Grand Cayman.

What I missed in Grand Cayman, I made up for in Cozumel. We docked over night. I've never had an overnight docking, so I completely lost my mind. ( well sorta) We found a night club about 3 blocks down from Crazy Carlos and Charley's and proceeded to make up for the lost of the Grand Cayman port. I sure had fun!

Went shopping in the Grand Cayman ( downtown)

While were eating a serious downpour started.

We tried to wait it out but needed to get back to the ship. By the time we arrived back on the ship, we were soaked!

I think because of Independence day there was a game started and we were put on teams, the red , white or blue team,( depending of where you were sitting in the dinning room, that determined which team you were on) different task were held during the week, you could get points for your team, by winning bingo or taking off your bra, etc.:) ( according to asst. cruise director Malcolm THE BLUE TEAM WON... Yahoo

Back to the hurricane, I was 1 of the cruisers that was very happy, about the extra free day of cruising, We purchased insurance, so I could relax and enjoy what ever happened. I didn't get motion sickness. I wondered around the ship on Sunday. It was practically deserted ( sorta) Most cruisers stayed in their cabins, in bed most of the day. We were really rocking on Saturday and half of Sunday.

Hopefully I will post a picture of Todd ( cruise director) and myself, as soon as my DF emails it to me.

( he is really cute).

Tips

I took a power strip( very handy)

Alarm clock~ Cell phone alarm did not work

Your large luggage, slides under the bed

Our cabin stewardess Myura ( wonderful~ so friendly) opened our refrigerator and we placed the items in the cupbord next to the fridge.

Thermos cup but only used it a few times

No need for duck tape but I had it.

Clothes pins for shower curtain ( they worked~ place on bottom, curtain stays in shower.

Bungee cord, we had a balcony ( you will need the cord)

I used Zots to hold my birthday poster on my cabin door, my sister tried her magnets ( small) but the were too heavy, we placed zots on her magnets. It held the magnets, until some 1 stole all but 1. If you know some 1 proudly showing Denver Colorado magnets, you know where they got them.

Last tip I can think of right now, When we disembarked, no one looked at our passports, and many customs officers were just standing in the crowd asking for our custom forms. All you had to do was give it to them or maybe not.

Biggest tip for now, if you are taking a taxi to the airport or hotels, walk out the port entry door, continue walking until you pass all the nice people standing in many small lines. When you get to the very end you will get the first taxi that pulls up. There has got be a better organized way to leave the port, but It worked for us.

Oh.... we left New Orleans on Tuesday, The Hotel ( Renaissance Arts hotel)

<in the warehouse district> (beautiful) and meals paid for by Travel ex insurance. Well, I haven't actually been reimbursed but I will let you know when the check arrives.

Thanks for your review and views Saymyname!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Saymyname - Sorry we missed you on Monday! We were between the pizza place and the aft bar on Lido. Thanks for posting which team won - We never heard.

Glad you had a great cruise! Congratulations on your 8 day voyage!

We were docked next to you in Cozumel (Miracle).

Our semi-extra sea day was not like yours.. it was an extended "wait, we will get new information shortly" over and over again.. MANY people were in the public areas from noonish until beyond MIDNIGHT... just waiting with all their luggage, sleeping on the couches.. we got off the ship and were in our car at 2 am ... strange day indeed - most peculiar:D

They should have just had a "normal" debarkation that next morning... it would have been much less stressful!

Oh, BTW... the "colors" team/game is now on all ships, all sailings, from what I understand!

Tom

Thanks for the review. We haven't sailed on Carnival yet, but are considering Conquest for next summer. A couple questions... When did the red, white, & blue games take place, & do they really want ladies to take their bras off. :confused:

Yes they really wanted the bras off and yes I took mines off.

You know, I reached under my shirt and wala it was off, Our team received 30 points for my bra and my "SO" got 15 points for showing it to the teamleader.

The red white and blue game started right after Dinner, the first night in the dinning room. This is where we found out which colored team we were on.

Because of Hurricane Dennis the game lost steam.

I think Tueday night ( which was Madri gras night) we march thru the ship with very loud voices, shouting our team colors names behind our team leader, carring a flag. Teams earned points by shouting, slot tournaments, bingo, you name it they found a way to give your team points.

Glad you had a great cruise! Congratulations on your 8 day voyage!

 

We were docked next to you in Cozumel (Miracle).

 

Our semi-extra sea day was not like yours.. it was an extended "wait, we will get new information shortly" over and over again.. MANY people were in the public areas from noonish until beyond MIDNIGHT... just waiting with all their luggage, sleeping on the couches.. we got off the ship and were in our car at 2 am ... strange day indeed - most peculiar:D

 

They should have just had a "normal" debarkation that next morning... it would have been much less stressful!

 

Oh, BTW... the "colors" team/game is now on all ships, all sailings, from what I understand!

 

Tom

Hi Tom and Cheryl

We saw your ship in Cozumel and tried to figure out what was going on with the Miracle. We watched as the steward took away the balony furniture and placed it inside the cabins, we saw the crew take down the outside party light. We saw passengers getting on and off the Miricle just before the Conquest left Cozumel, my sister ( with a loud voice) shouted out to passengers on your ship, we were on the top deck of our ship and ask 1 of your cruisers what was going on with your ship. We thought we heard some one say, your ship came in from Tampa and either you were leaving at 12 or leaving on the 12th. ( Which would have been on Tuesday)

< It was Friday> So what really happened? I would love to tell my sister the correct news about the Miracle. Why would you get in your car in Cozulmel, or did the cruise embark in Cozumel?:confused:

Yes - we left from, and went back to Tampa. We left Cozumel Friday night (at midnight instead of the scheduled 10pm). The reason they brought in all the deck chairs was that they KNEW we would be getting into some rough weather. We headed directly, though somewhat slowly and slightly off a straight course, for Tampa... this put us very near Dennis on Saturday and Sunday.. It was a rough ride Saturday night - hard to sleep. The max winds (which I saw on the TV on the gps position/conditions channel) was 64 (not sure if that was knots or mph) and the average was between 35 and 55... either way you look at it, they put us in some rough conditions in an attempt to get back... Their stated goal was to get us back on Sunday at 2pm (rather than that morning, as was the schedule). When we got there, the Coast Guard would not let us into Tampa Bay until the channel had been fully "checked". So CCL told us it would be a little later in the afternoon... Well that time came, and same story - and that there were a few ships IN the Channel/port, and that they would need to leave before we got in. At any rate, we did not get back to the pier until 11pm, and not off the ship until almost 2am... very fatigued, from a day of waiting, and a poor night of sleep the night before.... Like I said, they should have planned it out earlier, and not been in such a rush to get us back...

Tom

Thanks for the review. We haven't sailed on Carnival yet, but are considering Conquest for next summer. A couple questions... When did the red, white, & blue games take place, & do they really want ladies to take their bras off. :confused:

I can ASSURE you that either it was a crazed, insane CD or some smart-mouthed passenger trying to get a peep show. On the Valor (and all other reviews I've read or people I've spoken to), the "team color" games earning points are related to participation in activities onboard (such as the "hairy chest contest", BINGO games, "Newlywed Game", etc.). Please don't let this bit of "here-say" give you the wrong impression.

I can ASSURE you that either it was a crazed, insane CD or some smart-mouthed passenger trying to get a peep show. On the Valor (and all other reviews I've read or people I've spoken to), the "team color" games earning points are related to participation in activities onboard (such as the "hairy chest contest", BINGO games, "Newlywed Game", etc.). Please don't let this bit of "here-say" give you the wrong impression.

It was most likely done as part of the SCAVENGER HUNT! I have donated my belt and shoes to the cause before.... :)

Tom

I can ASSURE you that either it was a crazed, insane CD or some smart-mouthed passenger trying to get a peep show. On the Valor (and all other reviews I've read or people I've spoken to), the "team color" games earning points are related to participation in activities onboard (such as the "hairy chest contest", BINGO games, "Newlywed Game", etc.). Please don't let this bit of "here-say" give you the wrong impression.

I can assure you this is not "hear say" I actually had the team leader write the 30 points down on my score along with their initials on my score card and I turned in my card along with everyone else.

IM not saying that was the only way to get your teams point but it was an easy way for me to do it. No one saw any of my personal assets. :p

Yes - we left from, and went back to Tampa. We left Cozumel Friday night (at midnight instead of the scheduled 10pm). The reason they brought in all the deck chairs was that they KNEW we would be getting into some rough weather.

Thanks, I just forwarded your post to my sister.

The mystery was solved!:)