Good time

Item: Carnival Conquest
Rating: 4
Author: edwardst02

Carnival Conquest Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

edwardst02

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 40

Overall rating:

4 out of 5

Verified Review

8 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: May 14, 2016

Ship: Carnival Conquest

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 8427

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

The only thing bad about Carnival is they over charge for alcohol. They automatically add 15% to all drinks for gratuity. I feel it is my choice to tip a waiter or bartender with out being force to. And when you go into the main dining room and order a $30 bottle of wine they charge a $10 corking fee to open the wine. For $10 I can open my own wine. Also watch you bill. At the end of the cruise they will add $12 per day per person for gratuity. A total of $192 and if you are not watching it gets added and you have no say. Had to wait in a long slow line to get it removed. Most people don't check so they get charged. Other than that nice time.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Food was great. Had some problems with the service in the main dining room. Very Slow. Took about an hour and fifteen minutes to have dinner. Not enough waiters. They had so many tables they continually missed the little things you expect from a great restaurant.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Pools always crowded. Hard to find a lounge chair. People place items in chairs and leave.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Service and Staff

3 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Cabin Stewart was excellent.

Ports of call

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

5 out of 5

Basseterre, St. Kitts

5 out of 5

San Juan, Puerto Rico

3 out of 5

Grand Turk Island

5 out of 5

48 Comments

stephenr635 8 years ago

If you notice, a large percentage of the employees are international. I've talked to several of them during our cruises. And the biggest chunk of their paycheck goes back to the family members that they only see a couple of times a year. So by all of tipping, and tipping extra just helps their families back home, not just the ones on the ship.

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rchmedic 8 years ago

Oh ok

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merene3 8 years ago

The guy that started this post..

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rchmedic 8 years ago

Who gives what impression of what type, Merene

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rchmedic 8 years ago

A good friend of mine is a nurse on royal when she is not on a ship she works in a local ER

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debbmike 8 years ago

Yes absolutely, that too!! Also with friends in the cruise industry.

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rchmedic 8 years ago

Many interesting stories as a medic yes

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debbmike 8 years ago

@rcmedic, I bet you've heard some interesting stories. ☺ @merene, he certainly gives you an impression that he's that type. 😐

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rchmedic 8 years ago

I remember the envelope for the matre 'd

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rchmedic 8 years ago

I always prepay and also give extra cash to the bar servers cabin steward and the staff of the MDR

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merene3 8 years ago

@mikedebb. We do also.. just remember going in 99 and 03 and wasnt pre charged.. we just gave cash in envelopes. They dropped in room.. but you have to tip.. he is probably a guy that dont tip when he goes out to dinner too..

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rchmedic 8 years ago

Everyone needs to remember that the ships are not registered Flagged in the U S and therefore they the Pay scale does not follow the U S and most all cruise lines are not registered I the U S including Disney and RCCL there are many different pay scales depending on your position nobody works for just tips or for free the service crew has a low hourly rate plus tips and most things for the crew are free except what they buy and they have to pay for phone calls and internet usage at a discounted rate. All of there meals are free and there laundry is free I have several friends that work for the cruise industry .

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debbmike 8 years ago

@merene, Carnival pays all the workers but probably not what they are worth. I'm guessing that they started making the tips mandatory because of tightwads who never bothered to leave any tips. Yes, it would be nice if they would pay them more money but they don't. We just count the gratuities as part of our payment and give extra where we can.

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merene3 8 years ago

Why don't carnival pay the behind the scenes workers ? We tip but my question is why when we first started cruising they didn't add a tip on bill . But last 4or so they have we always tip extra the room Steward if good service..dining etc. but behind the scenes shouldn't be our responsibility.. We do pay for the cruise. Just wondering but you do need to tip and adding 15% for drinks is easier and fine with me.. And yes 10.00 charge is for your own bottle of wine.. Dumb A$$

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rchmedic 8 years ago

You won't see any more of his posts here

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dswilliams 8 years ago

There are ALWAYS going to be people who never tip. Thank goodness others make you feel appreciated.

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rchmedic 8 years ago

Have worked for tips and have made decent money and I have been screwed also .

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debbmike 8 years ago

Some people think that they are entitled to everything for nothing.

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dswilliams 8 years ago

I work for tips 4-5 nites a week now! Obviously he has NEVER had that life.

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dswilliams 8 years ago

He is DONE here.

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rogerellenborland 8 years ago

Notice he hasn't responded to these comments,guess he knows he was wrong.

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slaterterri 8 years ago

Wow don't take the tips away I worked as a waitress for many years . That's what kept food on our table for our kids when they were little. Your taking away from their families not just the person working on the ship. We have been on ten cruises with Carnival. We always pay what they ask us to per person. Then if really enjoyed someone service we tip extra if we didn't feel like they did like they should which is super rare we just didn't tip extra . How would you feel if your boss took pay away from you every time you had a bad week. You still have family to feed and bills to pay. It's the samething when you decided to take tips away. If you have a problem with the service then let carnival know and let them take care of it. This is a sore subject with me I think everyone should have to work waiting on people f or tips at least once in their life just to see how hard it really is

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rchmedic 8 years ago

Melissashach the cruise companies don't take the tip money from the employee but you are by not paying the tips

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debbmike 8 years ago

How are you getting those cash tips to all the behinds the scenes workers that you never see? Those tips are divided between many more people than just the room stewards, bartenders and dining room servers. So therefore you and others like you are denying many hard workers their fair share.

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perrywalden3 8 years ago

So, how do you tip the people you never see? Or, the ones who cook your burger at Guy's? Make your pizza? Pick up after you on lido? Wash your sheets?

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melissashach 8 years ago

Many people such as myself remove the tip from my bill and give cash instead. Been doing this for years, since I heard that cruise line takes a portion. of their tips. Better for the staff to get cash.

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nb1644 8 years ago

Edwardst02 go pick another type of vacation. Cruising isn't for you.

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perrywalden3 8 years ago

Why would you remove your tips? 13 cruises and never once have I removed mine. I just look at it as part of the cost. I typically do extra for those that go above and beyond as well.

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lanehart3 8 years ago

Uh oh cmcdanielnbnc, that's what I called him earlier and my post was deleted. But, Edward definitely is what you say he is!

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lanehart3 8 years ago

Edward's long gone...chicken. I will also repost mine since they deleted my post too. If you can't/won't tip when staff have cleaned your room, cooked your meals, entertained and kept you happy all week, don't go on a cruise! Tight wad!

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gottcoke 8 years ago

I will repost because bleeding hearts at ship mate did not like my last post. I would bet that edwardst02 gladly accepted any excursion, dining or on board credits that the cruise line gave them. I would guess that the dining staff never brought him food and cabin steward never cleaned his room. Maybe he didn't like the towel animals! Hello Edward! Like to hear from you.

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dswilliams 8 years ago

^^^^^^ agree 100%!!!!!

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jazz2000 8 years ago

If you won't tip the 15%-which is A MINIMUN standard tip then you shouldn't be cruising. Stiffing the staff makes things worse on everyone else!

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tomtomusc 8 years ago

There is no fee to open a bottle of wine that you order off the menu. There is a fee if you bring it on board and want it for dinner.

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dswilliams 8 years ago

Do those travelers think that the staff works for FREE? Do you go to your job for free everyday??? Bills have to be paid for them too!!! 15% is a MINIMUM tip. I tip more than that, esp near the end of my cruises. If you cant tip, DONT GO ON A CRUISE! Period!!!!...... (Coming from a teacher who also works 5 nites a week as a server).

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debbmike 8 years ago

sarah, I seen huge lines too and would have bet money that the majority of them was there for just that.

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sarahjackson39 8 years ago

I was standing in line at guest services the day before the end of the cruise & I was absolutely amazed how many people were taking the gratuity off their bills. It actually made me sad to think that these people were that cheap! Our stewards and dining waiters were absolutely AMAZING! I mean the stewards are like ninjas... Just for that they always get extra tip from me!

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rchmedic 8 years ago

I always give extra to the bar server room service MDR staff and the cabin steward

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Sandy1042 8 years ago

We gave our cabin steward a extra tip , our waiter in the main dining room and the bartender in the cigar lounge . They were all nice and we thought they needed extra .

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wkelly1lov 8 years ago

I need a thumbs down button!!! Not would I never dream of asking them to remove the gratuities, we ALWAYS give our cabin steward an extra tip!!!

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Sandy1042 8 years ago

I pre paid to make it easier. I didn't think you could get it taken off your bill.

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rchmedic 8 years ago

Oh come on now I want everything for nothing

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momof4boys95980708 8 years ago

Amen jallaway and it raises the gratuities for everyone else like they just did....... :-/

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jallaway 8 years ago

Edwards you will win no friends on this site if you admit to having your gratuities removed. It's recognized as a cost of the cruise and all it does is stick it to the employees

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momof4boys95980708 8 years ago

What!? You didn't pay gratuity which you can always prepay and that's how the people making your cruise so great get paid!? Never in my life have I heard of someone not paying gratuity to good servers and maids......these people go above and beyond to make your vacation special when they work. Smh

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debbmike 8 years ago

Everything you mentioned is common knowledge. It amazes me when someone books a cruise and never reads any of the policy information then acts like the cruiseline is trying to rip you off. Other than that you enjoyed your cruise so I'm that you made it through the long slow line just to stiff all the workers who made it nice for you.

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terry115 8 years ago

Don't Drink it solves the problem

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rchmedic 8 years ago

Everybody gets the 12 .00 a day charge its the gratuity that pay the room steward and several people so you stiffed the waiters and the room steward the 15 % is standard charge on all ships and the drink prices are no more than a land based bar

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