Carnival Magic vs "NEW" Carnival Conquest

[Haley87]

Couldn't find any new comparisons on here since the Conquest was remodeled so sorry if this is a repost.

 

We live in North Texas and NOLA and Galveston are about the same distance from us. We went on the Carnival Magic August 2012 to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel... We had a COMPLETE blast on the ship, loved the serenity deck, water-slides, rooms, etc etc. But now that the Conquest got revamped and has 2.0 FUN-SHIP features we want to try it out but are a little weary since we've never sailed that ship and since we had such a great time on Magic (don't want to feel disappointed and feel that we should've done the other). So to all the posters who have sailed the New Conquest and the Magic which one would be more fun or are they about the same now? We'll have me, my hub, mom and dad, and 2 of my cousins (Boys) 5 and 10... Thank you in advance. Oh and our itinerary on both would most likely be to Roatan, Belize and Cozumel or the Bahamas. (One thing that makes me rethink Conquest is that there is no Serenity deck :( we didn't spend that much time in it on Magic maybe 6-8hrs total but still it was an option we had)

[Rowan555]

We'll be on the Conquest in 3 days, and we can do a comparison upon our return! I love the Conquest, we sailed on her during her first year and then another time, and we had a wonderful vacation both times. I'm sure it will be ten times better with all the wonderful additions. We'll miss the Red Frog Pub, Ropes Course, and Sports Square on the Magic, but there's still PLENTY to keep us occupied!

[douglinc@msn.com]

We haven't been on the Conquest since she had the upgrades, but really enjoyed it the previous times.

 

Doug

[Haley87]

We'll be on the Conquest in 3 days, and we can do a comparison upon our return! I love the Conquest, we sailed on her during her first year and then another time, and we had a wonderful vacation both times. I'm sure it will be ten times better with all the wonderful additions. We'll miss the Red Frog Pub, Ropes Course, and Sports Square on the Magic, but there's still PLENTY to keep us occupied!

 

Thank you so much and enjoy your cruise! I'm super jealous so wish ours was sooner, but August isn't too far. It says online that they have a RedFrog RumBar on it.. We didn't even get to do Ropes course lol. Thanks again.

[Rowan555]

We haven't been on the Conquest since she had the upgrades, but really enjoyed it the previous times.

 

Doug

 

I see you sailed on the Enchanted Capri a few times - how was that? We almost booked one of those cruises to nowhere back during the brief time she ship was sailing out of NOLA, but we were a bit scared, lol!

[douglinc@msn.com]

I see you sailed on the Enchanted Capri a few times - how was that? We almost booked one of those cruises to nowhere back during the brief time she ship was sailing out of NOLA, but we were a bit scared, lol!

 

It was really a lot of fun, small older ship, but the crew was really great and the cruise director was a lot of fun. I really hated it when they went out of business.

 

Doug

[racerhank29]

We were on the Magic in March and will be on the Conquest in June. We to are from north Texas and we chose the Conquest this time because it is almost $900 cheaper for my family of 4 to sail out of New Orleans, something about Galveston being a premier port and newer boat or something.

[Haley87]

We were on the Magic in March and will be on the Conquest in June. We to are from north Texas and we chose the Conquest this time because it is almost $900 cheaper for my family of 4 to sail out of New Orleans, something about Galveston being a premier port and newer boat or something.

 

That's another reason we are leaning more toward Conquest too.... It leaves a week earlier and like $100 cheaper for our double cabin and about $250 cheaper for the 4 occupancy cabin. So even though it isn't much of a savings but we get to cruise earlier in August for cheaper than the Magic which is sailing near the end of peak season August.

[Mizzouaholic]

We really liked the Conquest!

[JRock59]

Couldn't find any new comparisons on here since the Conquest was remodeled so sorry if this is a repost.

 

We live in North Texas and NOLA and Galveston are about the same distance from us. We went on the Carnival Magic August 2012 to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel... We had a COMPLETE blast on the ship, loved the serenity deck, water-slides, rooms, etc etc. But now that the Conquest got revamped and has 2.0 FUN-SHIP features we want to try it out but are a little weary since we've never sailed that ship and since we had such a great time on Magic (don't want to feel disappointed and feel that we should've done the other). So to all the posters who have sailed the New Conquest and the Magic which one would be more fun or are they about the same now? We'll have me, my hub, mom and dad, and 2 of my cousins (Boys) 5 and 10... Thank you in advance. Oh and our itinerary on both would most likely be to Roatan, Belize and Cozumel or the Bahamas. (One thing that makes me rethink Conquest is that there is no Serenity deck :( we didn't spend that much time in it on Magic maybe 6-8hrs total but still it was an option we had)

 

 

We sailed on the "new" Conquest over Christmas. Loved all the improvements my favorite was the new Cantina as on one side you could order a burrito and on the other a taco and they were both great! Did also enjoy Guy's Burgers but you did have to get a burger fresh off the grill is it had set to long it was dry. We did enjoy the Alchemy Bar also it became our last stop each evening for a final drink. We're glad we sailed on her again and got to see the 2.0 "stuff" but the Magic was in every port with us and a number of times we wished we had sailed on her. After sailing on the Magic and with the new 2.0 Lido deck stuff on the Conquest it did feel crowded at times on Lido deck. And we love the way the Promenade deck on the Magic is laid out having the Ocean Plaza really keeps that deck from feeling crowded. There is no adult only area on the Conquest the back pool use to be adult only but no longer is. And there is only the 1 water slide on the Conquest and it was very busy on days it was warm enough to use. The only down side to going on the Magic with that route is Roatan is hit or miss if it's windy they may not be able to get into Mahogany Bay if a berth in Coxen Hole is available they will dock there (it's another cruise dock in Roatan) but you'll miss the M/B experience. But IMHO your kids would enjoy the Magic more as it seems to have better "kid" programs and activities. It's just my husband and myself but we would choose the Magic over the Conquest as we enjoyed the Magic more. :)

[Spaniel Lover]

The biggest thing you'd be giving up if you pick the Conquest is the Serenity retreat. There isn't one on the Conquest.

 

As someone who spends a LOT of time in the Serenity area... that would be a big problem for me.

 

I really liked the Magic... we sailed on her last summer. After having been on quite a few different Carnival ships over the years, the feeling I kept getting on the Magic was that I was seeing all the best ideas that Carnival had come up with over the years. There were lots of little things I noticed that were improved versus the other (older) ships I had been on. Each was no big deal, but when you started to add up all those little things, the overall effect was seeing that the Magic was a clearly superior ship over the others I had been on.

 

I elaborate on that quite a bit, with lots of pictures to show exactly what I'm talking about, in my review posted at http://www.zimfamilycockers.com/CarnivalMagic.html

[LRene]

JRock, you're not alone in your assessment. We would choose the Magic a hundred times over Conquest, even with the 2.0 upgrades. I found the upgrades just made it more congested and the lines were ridiculous. We like the venues on the Magic better. I'll take the Cucina over burgers and tacos any day. And the Red Frog pub over the rum bar etc.

 

Conquest is much closer to home and we really thought that would be our final Carnival cruise for QUITE a while but we cruise for the ports and decided to do the first leg of the repo cruise later this year on Conquest.

[Haley87]

Woww!! Thank y'all so much. The 2 children we are taking went with us and their parents on the Magic last August. Since then that is all they have been talking about, the 5 year old (was 4 then) wants to go on the big boat again! And the 10 (was 9) wants to do all the fun stuff. That is a reason it has been nagging at me, cause it'll just be us and them (their parents don't want to go again) and I don't want them to be let down because the next ship doesn't meet up to the previous (I'd feel so guilty if their faces weren't lit up like they were the last time, they are my cousins but boy is it fun watching them just look so surprised and happy 24/7 for 8 days!). If it was just us 4 adults going we wouldn't mind just booking the Conquest. Thank you again. Y'all are all great and this has really helped sealed the deal, I think. Calling TA tomorrow! :)

[douglinc@msn.com]

We were on the Magic in March and will be on the Conquest in June. We to are from north Texas and we chose the Conquest this time because it is almost $900 cheaper for my family of 4 to sail out of New Orleans, something about Galveston being a premier port and newer boat or something.

 

Galveston has always been more expensive, maybe it will get better now that there will be more ships there, a little competition is always a good thing.

 

Doug

[k2excursion]

Definitely the Magic. With the Conquest (although I haven't sailed it since the "upgrades"), the main extras you get is tacos, different burgers, & bars. With the Magic, you get an extra waterslide, better waterslides, better waterpark, ropes course, serenity area, pasta bar/Italian restaurant, better & longer shows in the main theater with a live band (Conquest has piped in music with short shows that people aren't liking at all), & cheaper parking in Gavleston. As a big kid myself, I would have much more fun on Magic.

 

We were docked right next to Conquest in Cozumel, and all of us in the waterslide line were looking way down on Conquest. One guy was kept shouting things like "Our ship is better than yours", "Our slides are better than yours", "Our foghorn is better than yours!" They also had a monstrously long line to get back onto the ship, while the Magic had a very very short line. Buffet lines for the Magic were shockingly very short, especially considering our ship had about as many people as it can handle, with it being Spring Break.

[TerReuv]

Couldn't find any new comparisons on here since the Conquest was remodeled so sorry if this is a repost.

 

We live in North Texas and NOLA and Galveston are about the same distance from us. We went on the Carnival Magic August 2012 to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel... We had a COMPLETE blast on the ship, loved the serenity deck, water-slides, rooms, etc etc. But now that the Conquest got revamped and has 2.0 FUN-SHIP features we want to try it out but are a little weary since we've never sailed that ship and since we had such a great time on Magic (don't want to feel disappointed and feel that we should've done the other). So to all the posters who have sailed the New Conquest and the Magic which one would be more fun or are they about the same now? We'll have me, my hub, mom and dad, and 2 of my cousins (Boys) 5 and 10... Thank you in advance. Oh and our itinerary on both would most likely be to Roatan, Belize and Cozumel or the Bahamas. (One thing that makes me rethink Conquest is that there is no Serenity deck :( we didn't spend that much time in it on Magic maybe 6-8hrs total but still it was an option we had)

 

Have you seen the review with pictures from Sarge? Here is the link...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1760811

Sarge was just on the Conquest after the upgrades and the review and pictures are fantastic. They might help you decide.

[Haley87]

Yes I ran into the pictures yesterday and looked through them and they were awesome. I am so happy that all of you responded how y'all did and it really has helped me. Thanks again sooo very much all of you!!

[Haley87]

Another question about the Conquest's new additions.... Are there games at the RedFrog Rum Bar like there is at the Pub? Also, are there any games at the Blue Iguana or at the EA Sports Bar? I know someone posted that it seemed really congested on the Conquest but when we were on the Magic it was packed as well. Thank you again.

[monakayk]

Thanks to all who have been on both ships and posted the comparisons.

 

The DH and I are considering/between two cruises next fall...and can't decide which ship will be the best. I will be on the Magic in less than 2 weeks with my BFF for a 'Girls Only' cruise. ...so I will have 1st hand experience to share with him about that ship. Nice to hear what others think about the Conquest since we have never sailed on her before and considering a future cruise which will be on the Conquest.

[monakayk]

 

I elaborate on that quite a bit, with lots of pictures to show exactly what I'm talking about, in my review posted at http://www.zimfamilycockers.com/CarnivalMagic.html

 

Spaniel Lover,

 

I just read through your webpage on your Magic cruise. Thanks so much for all the great info and photos you have shared. I am soooooooo looking forward to my Magic cruise even more after reading your cruise-review webpage!:D:D:D

[Haley87]

The biggest thing you'd be giving up if you pick the Conquest is the Serenity retreat. There isn't one on the Conquest.

 

As someone who spends a LOT of time in the Serenity area... that would be a big problem for me.

 

I really liked the Magic... we sailed on her last summer. After having been on quite a few different Carnival ships over the years, the feeling I kept getting on the Magic was that I was seeing all the best ideas that Carnival had come up with over the years. There were lots of little things I noticed that were improved versus the other (older) ships I had been on. Each was no big deal, but when you started to add up all those little things, the overall effect was seeing that the Magic was a clearly superior ship over the others I had been on.

 

I elaborate on that quite a bit, with lots of pictures to show exactly what I'm talking about, in my review posted at http://www.zimfamilycockers.com/CarnivalMagic.html

 

 

Thank you for this! I think we were on the same cruise as y'all in August... The one that went to the Caymans. I love the Magic as well and I am afraid that we'll be "stepping down" if we choose the Conquest. Thanks again. Your pictures are awesome.

[cruse2loose]

I was on the Magic in March this year during spring break. I loved it. Was on for 7 days and still didn't eat at all the places they had.

I am booked on Conquest for Sept 1st, as I had never cruised out of New Orleans or on this ship. Since she is leaving NO, I wanted to cruise on her. The only thing I don't like from my reviews I have seen is that there is not outdoor covered area to smoke. I do smoke, but prefer to do it outside.