We have nothing but great things to say about Carnival, the Conquest in particular, and all the staff engagements we had. We’ve cruise a few times, and this was definitely another GREAT experience and one that confirms we will be back with Carnival again.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was super fast and easy, especially if you are a returning cruiser with Carnival. Keep in mind, showing up at your scheduled time allows you to move through the line quickly, much more so than just showing up “early” because you’re in a hurry or anxious. When you show up at your scheduled embarkation time you move through the shortest lines into the check-in area. Make sure you have your boarding passes ready to go...that’s about the only thing that will slow you down. From when we arrived, to when we were on the ship, we spent less than 15 minutes boarding (out of Miami).
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
By Meal:
Breakfast was great. When we discovered that you could order eggs any style (omelette, scrambled, over easy etc...) from three different locations, we rarely waited for breakfast! Not only can you have your eggs prepared at the end of the buffet lines, but the Sushi bar that serves sushi at lunch, becomes an omelette bar for breakfast, AND the barbecue joint upstairs also whipped up breakfast goodies on several mornings (though not every morning...not sure what the schedule was). So breakfast was really good, with lots of buffet options that rotated slightly throughout the week. The fresh baked bakery goods were a fantastic touch.
Lunch was equally good and we enjoyed several options. Without a doubt, Guy’s Burger Joint is the an amazing lunch experience and we visited it three times over seven days. So. Stinkin. Good! The Blue Iguana taco bar was also fantastic, and we enjoyed tacos, taco bowls and burritos. All were freshly made and delicious. The surprise for me was the barbecue joint upstairs. It seemed that few guests made it up for food, but meats were delicious (pork, chicken, steak), and the sides were super pleasant. The Mac-N-Cheese was so creamy!
Dinner was enjoyed in the dining room (Your Time) each evening. We sat in the same section each night and came to really enjoy our servers. The menu changes significantly each night but there is always an option for seafood or steak or chicken...never a night where options were lacking. We loved the freshly prepared meals, the variety in dish options, and the super amazing dining room staff. We did not try any of the speciality restaurants for dinners.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Entertainment
5 out of 5
My wife and I absolutely loved the live shows offered 4 of the nights on the cruise. The main theater is a great place to watch these performers (only 8 of them!) dance, sing, and dazzle us with their hard work and creativity. Friends of ours didn’t make it to the first three shows, then after coming to fourth, were blown away by how solid the performances were and wished they had made it to the other three. With two times to catch each show, it’s worth it the make it a part of the schedule!
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We actually loved the layout of this ship over some of the other Carnival ships we’ve been on. The tiered pool deck area makes lounging out easy and comfortable, as well as making it enjoyable to watch a football game or movie on the big screen. The locations of restaurants and lounges, as well as the massive amount of seating around the boat, makes getting together with others simple, and offers plenty of places to sit and enjoy a drink, play a game of cards, or just read a good book.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Ship tip
If you are looking for a quiet place to enjoy a conversation, work on a project, read a book, or play a game with a cabin mate, the Blue Piano Bar is a great option. I was working on a writing project while on board, and I found the BPB one afternoon and realized that few people ever popped in there during the day (for two main reasons: 1, there is no actual bar in there, though the Alchemy bar is just outside the door. 2. The guy who does piano music is only scheduled for evenings, so during the day no one is hanging out in a bar the doesn’t serve drinks or have music =)
This was our first visit to Roatan, and we absolutely loved it! The little port village is a nice place to shop, as well as having access to a great beach that you can experience without any extra cost (most of the port don’t have free beaches attached to them). We also enjoyed an east-end Island tour the visited the small village of Punto Gorda. If you want to have a true local experience, this is an amazing tour! Our tour guide and bus driver were so much fun, and the tour was incredibly informative and beautiful. The roads on the island are a little sketchy, and if you’re looking for a posh luxury excursion, this IS NOT the one to take. But the bus was comfortable, the food at our last stop (had to be purchased) was decent, and the experience was UNFORGETTABLE.
There are three main ports in Cozumel. The Puerta Maya (where we landed both times with Carnival) is a really great port with lots of shops and opportunities to experience some culture. Definitely worth a visit. But for just $8 per couple, you can grab a taxi outside of the port and drive to the downtown port (about a 10 minute drive). Here you can find some great dining options and TONS more shops and places to buy souvenirs etc... If you aren’t planning any excursions or just want to do some shopping, I highly recommend the downtown port for great prices and a great, and safe, experience.
So we were in no hurry to get off the boat, and decided to send our luggage out the night before. In the morning, we enjoyed waking up a little later, working out in our room, then grabbing breakfast on the Lido before heading out. We didn’t have to rush at all, and by the time we were required to get off the ship (10am), our total wait time was less than 15 minutes before we had passed through customs.
I’m so glad to read you visited the East end 🥳🎉🥳 I live in Florida but was born in Punta Gorda. Warms my heart when I see posts about others enjoying the village. Thank you ❤️
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
