Conquest - Just got back - not too thrilled

[auntienance]

I too, saw the dirty diaper :eek: on the floor in the buffet area that "shannonwood" mentioned in her posting. I have no idea what became of it, as I was standing at the iced tea machine for only a minute or two, but there were numerous people bussing tables and none of them seemed to notice it.

 

While sitting at the main pool area, we observed 3 different drink waiters kick and step over two corona bottles ~ spilling out beer all over the deck ~ and continuing on without bothering to pick them up.

 

While using the jogging track, I observed two ice cream cones that had been dropped ~ they were still there the next day!

 

While using the elevator, we noticed that there was lettuce and tomatoes laying on the floor ~ rather wilted looking, so obviously they had been there for some time.

 

The staff in the Lido buffet area were not friendly at all, never smiling ~ the girl who worked one day at the dessert counter was downright rude to anyone who asked her a question about a particular item.

 

We never saw our room steward ~ not once during the entire cruise! The last three days of the cruise, he never brought ice to our room. We used a can of tonic and a coke out of our mini fridge and the items were not restocked. My husband had to call for another can of tonic and it took an hour for it to be brought to our room.

 

Our shower curtain smelled of mildew. The glass shelves in the bathroom had not been cleaned from the previous guests ~ there was hair on them and smears of lotions and toothpaste. There were water spots and toothpaste running down the mirror. :eek: Thankfully I had brought my Clorox wipes along!!!

 

The food at the breakfast buffet was the same with no variation for all 7 days. The omelletes were very greasy and after I requested very little oil ~ as someone had recommended on this message board ~ I was told no!

 

The hallway carpets were horribly stained. There were food stains even on the carpet on the walls of the stairways!

 

There were plates of food left outside cabin doors that sat there for hours ~ we noticed this every day! We would leave our room on the 6th floor in the morning around 8:00, return around noon, and the same plates would still be there.

 

There were cigarette butts stuck in the window ledge all along the windows at the back of the ship near the back pool and jacuzzi ~ they were there for the entire 7 days of the cruise.

 

I realize that Carnival cannot control the weather. Nor can they control the people that CONSTANTLY slammed their balcony doors, threw lit cigarettes off their balconies or allowed their children to run down the hallways at all hours of the night and day ~ but they can certainly do something about the cleanliness of this ship and the attitude of some of the staff!!!

 

Wow -- this is amazing. On our cruise in May, we saw none of this kind of stuff. Hard to imagine we're talking about the same ship!:eek:

[huskerdude]

Seems like a fairly objective review to me. Sounds like, with the kids, they'd prefer Disney. Without, maybe they'd go carnival again sometime. Nothing wrong with that.

 

I will say that, regardless of cruise line, I will not tolerate poor or rude service. I am willing to give a pass on certain standards of the ship's condition, based on age (as long as it's clean), on certain standards of the food, based on price (as long as it's healthy), and certain standards on activities, based on the ship's target market (as long as it's not totally lame). However, rude or poor service cannot and should not be tolerated. Poor waiter? Eee the maitre 'd. Rude photogs? See the purser, etc., etc. I don't mean bitch and moan about every little thing, far from it, but if something really ain't right, you have a right and perhaps a duty to mention it to the proper authority. If they correct the situation, which I have found they are usually anxious to do, you are better off. If they don't, look elsewhere for that next cruise. Like fish, there are a lot of cruise ships in the sea! :)

 

I totally agree. Poor or rude service is not service at all. When ever I encounter this, if it warrants, I go as high as I can to clear up the situation. Usually you can tell when someone is having a bad day and is not totally into their job.

[iluvdoxies]

Pinna if my cabin was as dirty as you said- I would have been down at the pursor's office asap to see head of housekeeping!

[dan40]

My first post to this thread advised against making comparisons as every cruise is different. We have done B2Bs and each week was totally different. Have also done the same itinerary on the sqame ship just a few weeks apart, again totally different cruises. Mostly due to a change in the passengers group personality. Thats why we look at each cruise as a separate entity.

I also wished the OP have their next cruise be as good as any one of ours.

No animosity from me about a negative review.

 

Now with more and others jumping in with many and very specific complaints that I begin to doubt this whole thread. Think there might be some tro11ing going on.

How could ANYONE observe some of the problems mentioned [i.e. diaper] and not contact an authority. If it happened at all, anyone that saw the problem and took no corrective action is as guilty as whoever did it in the first place. RE: the overall poor to nonexistent service. Again hard to believe, a dozen CCL cruises plus more than 30 cruises on other lines and ONCE we had 1 waiter [NOT Carnival] that did not get tipped. One person out of actually hundreds of service people. With all the other problems mentioned I'd have been talking to the Hotel Mgr. or the Capt.

Too much for me to believe.

 

Dan

[PinandGiz]

I read this message board for months and months before taking our cruise. I learned so many helpful hints from experienced cruisers which enabled me to be better prepared for our first time. Although while reading the various posts, I noticed that if a person responded in any negative way at all ~ lookout!!!

 

As I said, I am new to cruising and to posting on a message board so please explain to me what "trolling" is!

 

I am amazed that you do not believe what I have written. As I stated, they were only observations ~ not comparisons. This is not a conspiracy to attack Carnival.

 

There were many things about our cruise that were very nice. The dealers at the roulette table were extremely friendly. I'm terrible at remembering names, but one girl in particular was so sweet - she had long hair and wore it up in a clip. The stewards that brought our continental breakfast each morning were very, very nice and accepted our tips with great appreciation. Any time that we would pass room stewards working in the hallways, they were always friendly and polite. Our waiter in the Monet dining room and his assistant were exceptional. The cocktail waitress (long blond hair) at the back pool was the sweetest ever. The fish and chips were the best we have ever had. The pizza was an everyday must. The deli sandwiches were a hit with my husband. Ice cream whenever I wanted ~ and I could have chocolate and vanilla at the same time!!!:)

 

We are very generous tippers ~ whether we are dining out at home or when we travel. We tipped our steward each morning that brought our coffee, we tipped in the casino and we tipped for pool side service ~ even though we were already tipping 15% to our bill.

 

As I sated earlier ~ sailing down the Mississippi was the best. Waving to the people who had come down to the river to watch us sail past is a memory I will always cherish. The evening we returned, I sat on our balcony and felt the warm humid night air, smelled the fresh air and watched a distant thunderstorm with lightning that made the clouds look pink.

 

We had a wonderful time on our cruise. I would definitely sail out of New Orleans again. I am not saying that I would never sail on a Carnival ship again ~ I would like to try another Carnival ship though, so that I could have a comparison. I understand that the staff work long days and put in many, many hours with very little time off. Perhaps this is getting to the end of their long season and they are tired. It doesn't take a lot of energy to smile though and I didn't see very much of that ~ especially in the Lido buffet area ~ although who can blame them with a couple thousand people who think that they can make a mess and not worry about who is going to clean it up! It made me wonder ~ are these people pigs at home too? Not to mention all of the children running through the dining area ~ as the waiters are trying to dodge them while they are carrying big heavy trays of dishes!!! Where are the parents?!?! Teach your children how to behave!!!!!

 

I was disappointed that our visits to other ports were rained out, but I in no way blame that on Carnival. All I was simply doing in posting my comments was giving my opinions and relaying my observations. I find it hard to believe that now I am being accused of making it up ~ if that's what "trolling" means!

[shannonwood]

Dan40, why would any of us take the time to make up such a disgusting story? The number of postings on this thread is simply in addition to the op and simply meant to express our similar experiences. No one is "trolling" and your implication that the diaper situation and dirty areas are made up is ridiculous and uncalled for. Isn't the point of this board to write about our experiences....are only "positive" stories allowed on the board? And if one relays a negative experience, we're making it up?

[shannonwood]

Miliket,

 

I was so sorry to receive the flyers each day asking us to look out for your luggage. Where did the bags end up being found? I'm sorry to hear you didn't receive them until Thursday, but it sounds like you made the best of the situation. Happy Anniversary!

[CruiseAwayWithMe]

Wow -- this is amazing. On our cruise in May, we saw none of this kind of stuff. Hard to imagine we're talking about the same ship!:eek:

I was not on the Conquest but I was on the Valor. I saw a couple from the Conquest on Grand Cayman and they were going out of Louisiana and they had a 6 day vacation because of the hurricane.

 

I didn't really experience any of that stuff on my cruise either. Although, sometimes it might take them a few hours to pick up some of the food outside of the rooms from room service.

 

I was walking up to the buffet one day and I saw pizzia crust laying on one of the stairs (most of the pizzia was already eaten and there was no plate under the pizzia)...........maybe it's not that ship, people can just be sorta messy sometimes.

[sgriff17]

ANYONE that says anything bad about Carnival is OBVIOUSLY lying. Come on folks, you know the rules!!!! (tongue in cheek)

 

Just to further point out something someone said above....has anyone else noticed that the Casino staff always seems to be the friendliest, most talkative, and warmest staff on the ship? Just my observation.

[sgriff17]

I can say anything I want though, I almost have 1000 posts

[bevo]

OK- this is CRAZY! This is Cruise CRITIC!! Does that tell you ANYTHING? Not ALL POSITIVE CRUISE REVIEWS! CRUISE CRITIC! Just like a movie critic reviews a movie, you can't get all perterbed when he doesn't like a movie that you like! It is just his OPINION...if a critic disses EVERY movie, then you learn to not read his reviews. IF he disses SOME movies and LIKES some movies...you read and learn and make your own decision. It is just a way to familiarize yourself with something. Doesn't mean anybody is RIGHT or WRONG, for heavens sake!

Maybe there should be a new forum "ONLY 100% POSITIVE CARNIVAL REVIEWS" so all you people who think Carnival can do no wrong can relax there. The rest of us can learn new things over here...and be prepared that no cruise is 100% perfect!!!! What is petty to one person is not to another. *I* will decide whats important to ME ! Give the posters a break who call things like they see 'em! YOU might have to say something that is not so rosy one day and wouldn't you want us to respect YOUR opinion? I think most of us have the intelligence to know when to take a review with grain of salt and when not to....

OK. I am done. ......

Maybe. ;)

[shannonwood]

Thank you bevo for your excellent choice of words in your post! This is a great site to be able to read honest opinions and experiences of cruisers (some good and some bad) in order to gain insight and make your own decision on which line to cruise with. I appreciate your post and think you made an excellent point.

[bevo]

Why thank you, shannonwood! :) I appreciate your kind words.

[dan40]

Why do I doubt? 1.) Over 40 cruises [12 Carnival], have seen food spills, trays in passageways, carpet stains, and tired and/or unsmiling workers. All lines, not just CCL. But never a shipwide constant overwhelming amount. 2.) I am demanding and not easy to please so maybe thats why I cannot believe [or understand] someone allowing these situations to go unresolved and then complaining on this board to we who cannot fix the problems. YOU should have fixed them onboard. 3.) This kind of thread is always done by people with a very low post count. Maybe thats because they go away and never come back after being jumped on by all us,"Carnival employees." 4.) As I said in my first post, May anyone's next cruise be as great as any one of ours. Also siad I'd cruise on Disney and know I'd have a good cruise even tho I have no interest in Disney [no casino, limited itieraries]. But when complaint after complaint post starts piling up and all by people that never took any action to fix the problems. Well maybe I just get/got tired of complaints.

So now complain all you want, I was dumb to look at this thread in the first place as I'm not part of the misery loves company bunch.

BaBye

 

Dan

[VentureMan_2000]

Isn't Disney, like, double the price? Pay enough, you will get better service. I love Carnival, but it is a low-end line compared to some others. But that is why I cruise it. I can afford it. And I like the other folks that patronize it.

[shannonwood]

A person's number of postings should have nothing to do with the validity of their comments or experience. Many of us choose to just read the postings in order to get information from fellow cruisers. And when we return from a cruise we like to briefly tell how the overall trip went. And please explain why it should be my responsiblility to "fix" a problem when I have paid a considerable amount of money to enjoy a week of vacation? It is not my JOB or my responsibility to pick up dirty diapers or food left on the floor all over the ship. As a matter of fact, I did let a few workers know about some messes. I also observed a fellow cruiser ask an employee to put down a rubber mat at the foot of the stairs coming down from the slide because he saw at least 5 children slip and fall. No mat was ever brought out. Have you ever contacted the purser's office or any other form of "help" on the ship? It's almost impossible to get anything done. At 3:00 am one morning, I attempted to call someone to complain about the noisy neighbors next door slamming doors and partying much too loudly...There was no number or extension on the phone to get a live person other than room service. Why should I have to get up out of my room at that time to walk down for assistance. Again, Carnival has no control over guest's rudeness, but it's just one more expample of lack of help or assistance on the ship when one needs it. I'm not sure why you are being so demeaning towards people on this thread who are not slamming Carnival in any way...We are simply expressing a PERSONAL opinion that the service needs some fine tuning. Funny how many other people could relate to my experience on the same sailing...I guess we're all just overreacting.

[PinandGiz]

dan 40

 

Apparently you don't know the difference between an "observation" and "complaining"!

 

Your comment regarding people who do nothing and then complain is out of line. I was simply stating what I observed on our cruise!

 

My husband and I are extremely easy going and very easy to please people. I would have felt silly going to the purser to complain about the shelves and mirror in our bathroom. It took 2/3 minutes to clean. If it had been an issue regarding the cleanliness of the toilet ~ that would be different. My attitude was ~ it's not a big deal ~ I brought Clorox wipes for situations like that! I was thinking to myself ~ I can't imagine how hard it is for the stewards to clean all of these rooms in such a short period of time before the new passengers board.

 

It was also not a problem for us to go get our own ice on the last three days of the cruise. Again, how petty to complain over something that small. When I mentioned this in my previous post, I was merely stating what we experienced.

 

We were at the mercy of our room steward though when it came to replacing our can of tonic water. It was not available in any of the gift shops, so we had to get it from him ~ and I do think that waiting an hour for it to be delivered is a long time. So, yes ~ I am complaining over that situation.

 

You stated that you are demanding and not easy to please ~ I guess that's the difference between you and I. I am never demanding, extremely easy to please and overlook things to a fault. I had a wonderful time on our cruise. I just was surprised because all of the things that I had heard and read about ~ service beyond belief, fabulous food, anything you want anytime of the day ~ we just didn't see it!

 

In regard to your comment about doing something about the situation on the ship instead of coming back and complaining on the board ~

 

Should I have walked over to the parents of the misbehaving children and tell them to control their kids? Should I have told the people that left their tables with food on the chairs and all over the floor surrounding their table that they were slobs? We repeatedly asked what could be done to quiet the cabin door and balcony door slammers in our adjoining room who would come back to their room at 3:00 A.M. every night ~ our complaints fell on deaf ears! We resorted to knocking on their wall one morning when they came in at 4:00 A.M. ~ they knocked back!

 

As far as your comment about these types of complaining posts written by people with low numbers ~ yes my number is low! It was my first cruise! What was I supposed to post about before? And didn't you start out at # 1 just like the rest of us?

 

So Dan 40 ~ since you have 40 cruises under your belt and sound as if you are quite the expert on cruising ~ please tell me how you would have handled the above situations so that I can be better prepared for our next cruise.

 

I'm all ears!

[Girlsnightout]

Comparing the two lines doesn't even come close to making any sense.

 

That's right, silly woman, why would she want to go and compare two CRUISES for...the nerve.

 

You are right about there being no comparison, Disney is head and shoulders above Carnival in quality.

[VentureMan_2000]

You get what you pay for. :)

[VentureMan_2000]

You get what you pay for. :) And you pay A LOT more for disney.

[Disney Gang]

dan40 - I am the one that started this thread and it was simply to talk about the difference between Disney and Carnival. I am not putting down Carnival at all. We had a wonderful time, and will probably go back in the future. I was simply saying I was dissappointed with a few things that happened on the Conquest and thought the experience on the Disney ship was much better overall for us. The staff was 10 times nicer on Disney. We couldn't even get a smile out of our waitress at the Pointe.

 

As far as you thinking we got together and started this thread to bash Carnival is absolutely crazy. I am not one that will ever go up to someone and complain, therefore, when I experienced a few problems on the Conquest, I didn't mention it to anyone. Afterall, it is a vacation and it's what you make of it. I didn't let the little things bother me. But, when I got home, I wanted to hear what other people had to say, and obviously there were other people that were on the SAME cruise as we were and experienced the SAME problems. I have never heard of people getting together to create problems to post on a thread. I wish that someone that had been on a Disney ship would have posted a thread stating the differences, as I did, so I would have understood the differences between Carnival and Disney, and not been a little dissappointed.

 

Shannonwood, PinandGiz and Miliket, thank you very much for agreeing with what I said. Glad to know others were on at the same time and experienced some of the same problems. Therefore, I know it wasn't just me. When I got off the ship, I was mad at myself for being dissappointed with some of the things that happened on the Conquest (i.e. Jacuzzis, Waiters, Ports, etc.). But, now you have made me feel better knowing it wasn't just me!

[Girlsnightout]

You get what you pay for. :) And you pay A LOT more for disney.

 

Very true. Although Celebrity is just as good, and if you're lucky, you can cruise it for the same $$$ as Carnival...;)

[VentureMan_2000]

...Celebrity is just as good, and if you're lucky, you can cruise it for the same $$$ as Carnival...;)

 

Are the Celebrity ships a large and as new? I've only done Carnival.

[cathyoo]

I would like to thank all the cruisers who give honest feedback. If all I ever read was glowing reports I would have a hard time believing the feedback on these boards. I also commend the OP for her graciousness in the light of the responses to her post.

 

I have to say neither my husband or I are confortational type folks. We tend to suffer in silence. I know that is not the way to handle things but that is who we are. We are easy going and do not let little things get to us. However if things get to the point where I have to act out of character my vacation is going to be ruined.

 

I just wanted to thank everyone who provides true and objective feedback no matter how many posts they have here.

[PinandGiz]

Disney Gang ~

 

You're welcome and thank you so much for your original post. I admire you for taking the time to respond so graciously to some of the attacks that have been sent your way!

 

I am like you ~ I would never complain unless it was something really, really terrible. I hope that I didn't give the impression that I didn't enjoy our cruise ~ it was quite the opposite!

 

I felt like I was in a dream from the moment we stepped on the ship! I wouldn't come in from the balcony until well after midnight ~ had to keep looking at the moon and down at the water "just one more time"!

 

We even went to the dining room every evening ~ and my main reason for never wanting to go on a cruise was because I didn't want to feel like I had to "dress up"! I actually found myself looking forward to putting on jewelry, makeup and nice clothes!!! My husband and I are more of the camping and backpacking style vacationers ~ but I confess ~ it was fun "dressing up"!:rolleyes:

 

So now I am spoiled ~ now I see why my daughter and son-in-law rave about cruising. I am sooooo looking forward to our next one!

 

So ~ my "observations" were simply that! I listed the negative as well as the positive that we experienced. As I stated earlier, by reading this message board before our cruise, I learned SO much and felt that I was better prepared by the knowledge that I gained. I can't imagine how anyone could feel that only positive comments should be made on this board ~ how else do you make comparisons!

 

So, thank you again to Disney Gang and thank you as well to shannonwood and Miliket for taking the time to post your experiences. It's too bad we didn't meet on the ship ~ looks like we have some things in common!!!:)