My Conquest Review 8/5/07 to 8/12/07

[excitedcruiser]

This was my second cruise on the Conquest. Cruising with us was myself(43) DH(43)DD(8), and 12 other people ranging in ages of 20 to 70. We are from Oklahoma and drove to Galveston. We left Saturday morning at around 5:00 am in 4 vehicles. Arrived at our hotel in La Marquee around 2:00 pm. This is the first time we did not stay on Galveston before a cruise. Prices for hotels seemed to take a major jump since our last cruise. After dropping luggage off we went to Galveston to hang out a little while.

 

Sunday: Went and parked down at Starbucks at the Strand around 9:00 am to watch everybody get off the Conquest. Finally went over to the Terminal around 10:00 am and dropped off everybody and luggage. Four of us took the cars over to EZ Cruise parking and walked back. They started the lines moving inside about 11:00 am and we were on board by 11:45 am. We booked 5 guarantee inside rooms on Riviera. 2 rooms were bumped up to the Main floor and my room with hubby and daughter were upgraded to ocean view. This is our 2nd ocean view room. We have stayed on the main, empress and verandah decks and found that the Riviera was just as nice. This particular room was extra large having a full king size bed and a sleeper sofa in it. Much more room that the other 2 groups who had 4 in a room. We could not get to our rooms until 2:00 pm. Area was closed off. Roamed the ship for a while and ate lunch. When we booked we had put me in one of the other rooms since one room had a 20 year old in it and no one older than 25. One of them was booked in my room. We went to the pursers desk and had it switched with no problem.

 

Monday and Tuesday: Days at sea. Don't particularly care to have two days of sea going and one back. I would like it the other way. We gambled a little bit, ate too much, saw a show and took DD to Camp Carnival.

 

Wednesday: Jamaica - This port concerned me after what I have been hearing about Jamaica. This was our first time to Jamaica due to the hurricane last year not letting us get there. We really liked Jamaica. We booked with A-Z Planners to have our own mini bus and driver and guide for the day. They took us to Doctors Cove Beach and to a couple shopping areas. We had no vendor problems. My DS(23) was offered drugs a couple times at the beach and after a while they left him alone. The shopping was good and found a store that let us make free calls home. The beach was nice and the food delicious. It was nice having our own bus to leave our stuff on and take us to where ever we wanted. The terminal to get back on to the ship was long and hot but not too bad. I would definetly go back to Jamaica.

 

Thursday: Grand Caymans - We took a taxi (4pp one way) to Royal Palms resort. Nice beach. Have to rent chairs and umbrellas for 5.00 each or just keep your stuff up by the bar. Free chairs and umbrellas. Took taxi back to town to shop. Prices are high and no bartering possible. This port is my favorite as there are no vendors bothering you and the town is very clean and friendly.

 

Friday: Cozumel - This is our 4th time to Cozumel. We took cab to Paradise Beach. (Van is 8 people max for 28.00 and taxi is 4 people max for 14.00). Been to Paradise Beach before and like it. Sisters went Parasailing for (55.00 1st person, 10.00 for second). I rode in boat free to film the event. Storm came while we were out and ended up almost in Playa Del Carmen to escape it. It was a long ride bad. I slipped getting out of boat onto ladder and landed in the water. Camcorder and all. It's now fried.

 

Saturday: Day at Sea - Slept in and packed up room.

 

Sunday: Galveston - Arrived in Galveston about 7:00 am and chose to self-disembark. No problem getting off. They do call floors but no one checks to see what floor your on when you get off.

 

 

Entertainment: Only saw one show. Ron Joseph. It was pretty good. The shows this year was the same as last year and chose to skip everything else.

 

Food: Food was excellent on the Lido deck. We don't eat in the dining rooms so can't comment on that.

 

Camp Carnival: DD loved it most of the time. Did not take her to Camp Carnival on Port days. They do have alot of activities for them.

 

 

If you have any question, feel free to ask.

[trarecar]

How crowded were the dance clubs (if you did them)?

[excitedcruiser]

My son and his group did them. They enjoyed them and never complained about the dance floor being crowded. The only actual crowding I saw was on on the lido deck at the center pool. Lots of people seem to hang around there.

 

On a couple side notes that I forgot to mention. Mark Price is the cruise director and he was ok. Not the best I've seen but not the worst. Also, we had about 1,000 kids on our boat. Camp Carnival said that they had registered about 250 kids just between the ages of 12-15.