This was a good way to see 4 different ports in 4 days. This will likely be our last Carnival cruise though - it's just not the overall experience we want to pay for on board ship.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We sailed out of the Port of Miami. Everything was seamless!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
The buffet is subpar food and the dinning room experience/food was also less than expected though acceptable. Our waitress each evening in the Monet dinning room, Ni Komang, saved the day every single night, however.
She is a huge asset to Carnival! Excellent service from her and such a kind and friendly person.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
My husband used the gym and thought it was fine.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The regular stage crew was acceptable except the lead female singer who really screeched a lot of her songs. They get a B+ for set designs and lighting. The other shows were OK too - I'd describe most of the shows as B to C rated performances. Too bad they had no magicians because they usually save the show. Some of the themed-nights were not great.
Children's Programs
1 out of 5
No comment as we didn't use these services.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Singling out only 3 individuals who out-shined them all; Ni Komang in the Monet dinning room, as previously mentioned, was by far the best service person we encountered on the ship! Our cabin steward, Rossan was also top-notch. Also, the gal at the Coffee Bar was exceptional. Everyone else was acceptable in their interactions with us.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
The Conquest needs to be refurbished - if they would remove some of the gaudier things (like those lights on Promenade deck) they could improve the experience for their customers. The Monet dinning room also is outdated and gaudy - too heavy feeling.
We want to make special mention of the efforts by the crew aimed at cleanliness - WOW, they were cleaning non-stop. They had crew stationed at the eating venues who were monitoring use of hand sanitizer and openly pointing people toward the Purell stations before they entered the restaurants. The focus on COVID-19 avoidance was exceptional!
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The suite was a lot of room for the 2 of us and everything was in good working order. My side of the bed was tricky to sleep on as it had a large depression toward the middle of the bed and I found myself 'falling into' it every night which was uncomfortable.
Ship tip
You should expect an acceptable level of 'middle of the road' quality of everything included in your experience. Carnival Conquest is outdated but functional and a good alternative for a less expensive getaway to places you couldn't easily see on one trip as easily as you can on a cruise ship.
We thought the port was laid out well. We enjoyed the views of bustling Miami from our veranda, but we otherwise did nothing in Miami as we live in south Florida so have been there by car several times before.
Our eexcursion on Grand Cayman was canceled by the tour operator which was a disappointment. We decided not to book something else in its place. We went ashore and spent the time in Margaritaville, having drinks and a typical bar-type lunch. It was fun, but our cancelled tour of the rum distillery and rum cake shop would have been more fun.
We did a Carnival sponsored bus tour of the island with Carol as our guide. It was exceptional! Spent time at an indigenous peoples village (the Garifuna) and museum in Punta Gorda which was educational and so interesting. Then onto French Harbour where we relaxed oceanfront at The Buccaneer. It had a tidal pool and places to eat and shop AND, the best Honduran coffee shop!
Took a riverboat cruise, up the Belize River and saw Howler Monkeys, manatees and crocodiles in and along the river's edge. Stopped at Iguana Depot for lunch which was a fun hour - several iguanas were there in the trees and came down at feeding time. Had local food of Bamboo chicken, rice and beans, and green salad - WITH an old fashioned Coke in a glass bottle!
On Cozumel, we spent our excursion at Discover Mexico Park, roughly 2 miles from the port. It was such an interesting day! I finally learned the difference between the Aztecs and The Mayans and a whole lot more about Mexico's history. Had margaritas and they served tacos at lunchtime - all for an extra fee. Saw the Papantla Flyers - a ritual dance where participants climb a 30-meter pole and launch themselves – tied only by their waists – toward the ground. I recommend this excursion if you are interested in Mexican history - not a great outing for small children though. Also, it's entirely a walking tour (and it's HOT there) so beware... there were wheelchairs available for the disabled walkers which I did use.
Very smooth process up to baggage claim where we found one of our two suitcases on the incorrect carousel so it made us stand around and wait until a porter found it in the wrong place. Grrr! Oh well, stuff happens.
We were on the Conquest last March and loved it. Out of 10 cruises, and the only Carnival ship, it was one of our favorites. The only negative things were we didn’t care for the shows we saw but that’s not why we cruise. The other was they need to do something different with the muster drill. We had to wait an extra 40 minutes because of the INCONSIDERATE people who didn’t bother showing up on time. The rest of the cruise was perfect. Dinners in the MDR were absolutely delicious and we had breakfasts there every morning also. Our cabin was so spacious for the two of us and was so pretty with lighting going all around the upper walls. Also perfect location near elevator and took us right down to MDR. My daughter and her family had a cabin next to us and the cabin steward was able to connect the balconies making one large balcony. That was great. Our ports were all fantastic. Everyone needs to visit Deck 5 which is the Sunflower Atrium. Whole deck beautiful and peek into Vincent’s Bar there. So pretty. Loved loved loved the ship and cruise.
Some cruises are for the ship experience,some are for relaxation and others for the destinations.We decide according to our own desires,and that can only be decided on experience! We go on from there!
Thanks for sharing your experience. Sounds like Celebrity will be your go to cruise line. Glad you were able to find what fits your needs. Sorry this cruise didn’t meet your expectations.🛳
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