Just off the Conquest! Great time! review!

[linga]

Just got back from the 8-day, Grand Turk, La Romana, Curacao, Aruba cruise on the Conquest! We are in our 50s and have cruised many times, mostly with Carnival, but also with Royal, Princess and Norwegian.

 

We love cruising, are foodies, like to have fun.

 

 

EMBARKATION:

 

Was a breeze, we had Faster to the Fun, were on board about 11:45ish and in our balcony cabin. We ordered from Bon Voyage, so our beverages were waiting for us. Our cabin steward stopped what he was doing and quickly filled our ice bucket. Christano was our steward and he was fantastic the entire cruise. We always had fresh ice day and night.

 

We had our room serviced twice and day, it just happened automatically. Again, great service from Christano!

 

 

FOOD:

 

Everything we had was really good to excellent!

 

We went to the Steakhouse the first night. Service and food was outstanding! We opted for one bottle of very, very :) nice champagne for 1/2 off instead of the free bottle of wine. The escargot three ways, the beef carpaccio, and the steaks were some of the best we've ever had. The desserts could have each fed a family of 4!

 

Chef's Table was such a wonderful experience. We've done it before and will probably do it on every cruise. Talk about being treated like royalty! The chef explained every detail of each dish and they were Iron Chef worthy. The illusionist was fantastic too! While in the galley touring, the head chef really wanted everyone's feedback about the food on the ship in all locations. They really wanted feedback and take a lot of pride in what they do.

 

MDR: I've read about people not liking food in the MDR and that amazes me. There is so much variety on the menu, there are always about 14 main dishes to choose from (including Steakhouse Selections) and 10 or 12 appetizers. With food being so subjective, you'll never please everyone. I thought the food quality on this cruise was great!

 

Everything was hot and presentation was top notch. Stand outs would be the rabbit appetizer, beef carpaccio,, crab cake, cream of asparagus soup, Ahi, pumpkin soup, escargot, stuffed mushrooms, port of call scallops, and frog legs. Entrees that were great were the short ribs, prime rib, lobster, filet mignon, pork chop, the Port of Call chicken dish with plantains, salmon and seafood pasta. Everything was cooked as requested, medium rare for beef and seafood was not overcooked, tender and seasoned well.

 

Desserts: Chocolate melting cake! Bitter and Blanc! Banana White chocolate Bread Pudding! Low calorie Key Lime Mousse (really!).

 

We had 8:15 seating, we love it because we are never rushed to get to dinner and the atmosphere at that time is nice, relaxed, less crowded. I know families can't usually do that time because kids can't wait that long, but if you can do 8:15, it's really nice. We love having the same waitstaff all cruise. Our wait staff was so good, I'll be writing Carnival to commend them. Junior, Peter and Roada were very professional, friendly and so fun to dance with! They made sure that we were 100% happy and satisfied with every single thing we ordered, including all the extras we asked for :).

 

We were typically done with dinner in about 1 hour each night. There was always plenty of time to go see shows, if one wanted. We never eat dinner at the buffet, so can't speak to that. We wouldn't miss dinner in the MDR, we love to be pampered and always enjoy the food selections. The waitstaff knows how we like everything, what we drink, etc. after the first night they serve us. The personal service is great and one of the great things about cruising!

 

Breakfast we did on Lido (made to order over-easy eggs), etc. and also did the MDR. Something I had not seen before was at the Lido buffet for breakfast, they had servers with carts going around with coffee, water and pastries doing table service, nice touch!

 

MDR breakfast/brunch service was good. On our last cruise, breakfast service was really slow for some reason. Eggs benedict and the Huevos rancheros were delicious. Order a side of the macaroni and cheese, trust me!

 

Guys burgers, pizza and deli items were delicious. Oh my, the tacos on those homemade tortillas were Yummo!! Wait times were not bad at all. Didn't try the fish and chips, but did have the rare ahi and the octopus cocktail and they were very tasty!

 

I do love that Lido always has meats (salami, mortadella, ham), cheeses, olives, crisp raw veggies and fruit. I often make a platter to take back to the room and enjoy for lunch.

 

 

 

PORTS:

 

Grand Turk: Went to Jack's Shack and rented 2 chairs and an umbrella. Was nice!

 

La Romana: Stayed on ship except to go down to the port area. Had planned a tour, but got a little sunburned the day prior and decided to pass.

 

Curacao: did the City highlights and Mambo beach tour through Carnival. Great tour and really nice beach!

 

Aruba: Did a day pass at the Occidental resort for $75 each. Included breakfast, lunch, drinks and pool use. Was nice to hang at the pool, swim up bar, games, etc.

 

 

 

THE SHIP:

 

I had read some folks saying it was in bad shape. I did not find that at all! The only thing I noticed that needed repair was the main pool floor. Other than that it's a clean and attractive ship.

 

Loved the adult pool in the back of the ship and hung out there most of the time.

 

Casino: yes, lots of smoke. We hung out near the aisle in the non-smoking area and it wasn't too bad there. Cocktail servers got a little overwhelmed sometimes and it could take a while to get a drink when it was crowded in there. Didn't hit it big there... :(

 

Entertainment: didn't make it to the shows or the comedy, but did listen to the music all around the ship. Quite a variety from a strolling accordian player, to a string trio, to the dance band and a solo guitarist. They were all very talented. Gramm, the solo guitarist is really wonderful!

 

Alchemy bar! Those ladies are a hoot! You have to go there! Became quite the popular place before and after dinner!

 

Attire: Folks really kicked it up a notch on Elegant nights on this cruise! Lots of long gowns and sparkles for the ladies and suits for the guys! Also, cocktail dresses and guys in nice shirts. It was a fun atmosphere!

 

 

Ages: I would say the average passenger on this cruise was late 50s to early 60s, but all ages were represented. Not many children at all, probably because spring break just ended a few weeks ago.

 

DEBARKATION:

 

super fast and easy. Could have been off the ship by 7:30 with self assist. We were off by 9:15am.

 

All in all, this was one of our favorite cruises ever. The staff was friendly and service was very good everywhere we went. We had a lot of fun, met some great fellow passengers on board! :)

 

We would not hesitate to recommend the Conquest to others!

Edited April 25, 2016 by linga

[tropicaledrink]

Thanks for a great synopsis! We're on her in just under a month - do you recall the names of the Alchemy mixologists? We have Cheers! this time around and we are looking forward to spending a lot of time at the Alchemy Bar! :)

[mrpayroll]

Sounds like you had a fantastic time..

[Florings]

Thank you for the review! We loved the Conquest also - a great ship - and the prices are so good compared to some of the other ships, for some reason.

[Folsom]

Nice review. We were on the same voyage and I am also writing a review.

 

I have to agree with everything you wrote. She is a great ship and the food was always top notch. I think it is funny that we probably hung out, just fee from each other at the aft pool.

 

Cheers,

-F-

[Badger-Badger]

I am considering this same cruise for next April and am hesitant. What were the times you were in port? The odd port times have given me pause. And also the entertainment options. I was actually bored on my last Carnival cruise and planned to never try them again, but this itinerary is so good and fits our time requirement so well that I'm being tempted back! Glad to hear good things :)

[linga]

Thanks for a great synopsis! We're on her in just under a month - do you recall the names of the Alchemy mixologists? We have Cheers! this time around and we are looking forward to spending a lot of time at the Alchemy Bar! :)

 

Tianna (sp?) and Kat were there and they were great!

[linga]

I am considering this same cruise for next April and am hesitant. What were the times you were in port? The odd port times have given me pause. And also the entertainment options. I was actually bored on my last Carnival cruise and planned to never try them again, but this itinerary is so good and fits our time requirement so well that I'm being tempted back! Glad to hear good things :)

 

If I remember right it was 8-1 Grand Turk, 9-4 La Romana, 1-11 Curacao and 8-4 in Aruba. The port times were great!

 

We missed out on about 75% of the entertainment/stuff to do just because we couldn't fit it in! :) Carnival definitely has more going on than some of the other lines we've tried.

 

Entertainment options:

 

Sunbathing (in sun or shade),

cooking lessons/demonstrations,

art auctions,

trivia games (thought they would be boring, but they weren't)

casino,

bingo

dance lessons,

Martini making classes,

ping pong,

miniature golf,

Tea Time

hot tubs,

spa,

gym,

history lectures,

health lectures

behind the scene tours,

comedy club shows (4 a night sometimes), (PG and Adult)

at least 4 live entertainment venues, a music type for everyone

Piano Bar (feel free to sing along)

first run movies on the large screen on Lido desk at night (usually 2 a night),

night club with a different theme each night

Fun competitions on Lido deck during the day

Lido Deck parties late at night, some with food!

Lido Deck sail away parties leaving each port

Towel Animal class

Chef's Table

shopping lectures

lectures about ports

playing cards/games on deck during Sea days

and just relaxing!!! :)

[WhyIsTheRumGone23]

Thank you for the great review! Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

 

We are going on the same itinerary this Saturday and your review came just in time. I am now less concerned than ever with some of the negative comments I had seen. Sounds like this is a clean older ship with the same Carnival service and amenities that keep us coming back! :D

 

Alchemy is a top priority for us this time around. We will exercise our Cheers! package to the fullest extent we can! ;)

[Jenna1983]

How much was the taxi ride for the Occidental and did you book it ahead or when you got there? I read booking direct with Occidental is no refund but consolidator sites are a yes to cancel. I just worry bc I'll be there Labor Day week and who knows weather in between Florida and there.

[Badger-Badger]

It's the 8-1 in Grand Turk I especially don't like. That's practically another Sea Day. I don't know if I want to do basically 5 Sea Days on that ship (including boarding day). But the itinerary is just so good overall! I'll probably cave!

[Badger-Badger]

Forgot to add - thanks for responding :)

[linga]

How much was the taxi ride for the Occidental and did you book it ahead or when you got there? I read booking direct with Occidental is no refund but consolidator sites are a yes to cancel. I just worry bc I'll be there Labor Day week and who knows weather in between Florida and there.

 

$14 flat rate taxi ride from the ship to the Occidental (plus we tipped) and $14 back. We did not reserve the day pass ahead of time. I called them that morning and they said yes, come on over!

 

hope that helps...

[linga]

It's the 8-1 in Grand Turk I especially don't like. That's practically another Sea Day. I don't know if I want to do basically 5 Sea Days on that ship (including boarding day). But the itinerary is just so good overall! I'll probably cave!

 

We're a little different, we would prefer 4 sea days and 3 ports! :) We weren't sure what to expect with getting back on board about 1:00, but 4 or 5 hours on the beach at Jack's was perfect. I even had time to shop a little before going back on board. It really did feel just as it was, 3 sea days and 4 port days.

 

It is a wonderful itinerary! That's the reason we booked it too! :)

 

hope this helps...

[momonthego17]

Tianna (sp?) and Kat were there and they were great!

 

Kat was our favorite Alchemy mixologist on our last cruise over Thanksgiving! I hope she is still there when we are on Conquest end of May :D!

Thanks for the review!

[CruzinScotty]

Great review!

 

We were on the 8 night Eastern earlier this month. I agree with you about everything, except the ports, of course. ;)

 

We even had Christano as our room steward!

 

Do you find the dinners typically run about an hour at the Late Seating on other recent Carnival cruises?

 

I wonder if it's the same for First Seating? We've been doing YTD because we like the flexibility; but we usually still go early. It always take 1.5 hrs, and often close to 2 hours. It's starting to get just a little long.

 

Thanks again for the review.

Edited April 26, 2016 by CruzinScotty

[jamscckmc]

I was on your cruise. I spent a lot of time in the same area of the casino. There were very few nonsmoking machines. I do thing the smoke wasn't as bad as on the Pride so I think the new smoke eaters helped somewhat. Loved Gramm singing in the casino although it must be bad for his voice. Went to two of the shoes. Enjoyed the Epic Rock show. We had two fly in's. A comic juggler and a hypnotist. Josh (big sexy) is a great CD. He's everywhere and very approachable. If you are into history he does lectures.

 

The only real wear and tear I noticed was a lot of cracked tiles on the lido especially in the buffet areas. The ship was very pretty I thoght, not gaudy at all.

[luv2trvlnow]

It's the 8-1 in Grand Turk I especially don't like. That's practically another Sea Day. I don't know if I want to do basically 5 Sea Days on that ship (including boarding day). But the itinerary is just so good overall! I'll probably cave!

 

We are doing this itinerary next April. The time listed for Grand Turk is 7 to 2. That is an extra hour which is better than leaving at 1.

 

It is only 3 days at sea unless you are counting the day you get on.

 

Here is the itinerary:

 

Sat Ft Lauderdale (Pt Evrglds), FL 4:00 PM

 

Sun Fun Day At Sea

 

Mon Grand Turk 7:00 AM 2:00 PM

 

Tue La Romana, Dominican Republic 9:00 AM 4:00 PM

 

Wed Curacao 1:00 PM 11:00 PM

 

Thu Aruba 8:00 AM 4:00 PM

 

Fri Fun Day At Sea

 

Sat Fun Day At Sea

 

Sun Ft Lauderdale (Pt Evrglds), FL 8:00 AM

 

[cruiseonthebrain]

I am glad that you had a great time! It sounds like you have a great attitude about everything too.

[linga]

Great review!

 

We were on the 8 night Eastern earlier this month. I agree with you about everything, except the ports, of course. ;)

 

We even had Christano as our room steward!

 

Do you find the dinners typically run about an hour at the Late Seating on other recent Carnival cruises?

 

I wonder if it's the same for First Seating? We've been doing YTD because we like the flexibility; but we usually still go early. It always take 1.5 hrs, and often close to 2 hours. It's starting to get just a little long.

 

Thanks again for the review.

 

I do remember it taking a little longer on some past cruises at the 8:15 time. This time, it was less crowded than the YTD and the 6:00pm sitting, maybe that's why? We walked through the other YTD dining room during the chef's table and it was packed and had a wait line.

 

There was one night we were done in 45 minutes, and we always order appetizer, soup/salad, entree and dessert! :)

[linga]

I am glad that you had a great time! It sounds like you have a great attitude about everything too.

 

Thanks! Yes, we love cruising and vacationing!

[JaniceB]

Sounds like most things were perfect on this cruise. Great way to vacation.

[ChicoCA]

Thank you for your review.....sounds like a great time. I'll be on her for the Halloween cruise!