Leaving Sunday on the Conquest! First Cruise! Questions!

[David14259]

Hello Everyone,

 

I'm leaving Sunday (June 12, 2005) on my first cruise! We're going on Carnival Conquest leaving from New Orleans.

 

I have a couple of questions I hope you good folks can help me with.

 

First, how do you request which time you eat dinner? Can this be done before the cruise? Second, my party booked 2 rooms separate, how can we make sure we're eating dinner at the same table?

 

Is it true there are no clocks in the rooms?

 

I guess that's it, I'd love any more suggestions you have for a first time Cruiser though! Thanks for the help!

 

David

[sea_u_onboard]

Let your TA know what dining time you want and that you want your cabins linked so that you are eating together. With such a short time until you leave you may not have the opportunity to change it at this late in the game. Most likely the TA just gave Carnival any time. Once you get to the pier your Sail & Sign card will have you dining assignment. If you are not happy with it then check the Capers for a time to see the Maitred about changing them.

 

No clocks - bring a travel clock or use a watch.

 

PS - if you check out the links in my signature you might find some things to help you - especially the Conquest Any Date link - be sure to go to the last page as the most up to date information - including a roll call link is there so that you can meet others on your sailing.

 

Have a great time - you will LOVE the Conquest.

[David14259]

What if we booked online through expedia.com?

[blackwing]

Did you book through a travel agent or with Carnival directly? You should have been asked whether you preferred the early or late dinner seating. If you all booked together, you should have been given the option to sit together. If you did two completely separate bookings, then you should call Carnival, speak with an agent, and have them put that in your request that you want to sit with Mr. and Mrs. Smith.I don't think there is a clock in the room. We brought our own mini travel clock.

[KenMo]

Hi David!

 

Your dining room request should have been taken at the time you booked your cruise. On your Sail & Sign card will be the time, so that's when you'll find out for sure when you dine. If you're not happy with the time, you can see the Maitre' D (sp?) and see if you can change it. The time to see the Maitre' D will be specified in the Capers that should be in your cabin when you board. The two cabin reservations should have been linked so that the dining time and table would be the same.

 

Hope that helps and have a great cruise!!

[sea_u_onboard]

What if we booked online through expedia.com?

Not sure - try to give Carnival a call and see if they will spill the beans - sometimes they don't like to speak directly to the passenger when it was booked outside - but it's worth a shot. At least get your cabin link so your eating together - where ever and when ever that may be.

[David14259]

Thanks for the info, I'll call Carnival first thing in the morning and make sure we're eating together.

 

I'm a bit nervous about this Tropical Depression in the Carib...it better clear about by Sunday if it knows whats good for it!

[David14259]

Oh! the other question I had... the internet in the library, I've read you have to pay to use it, but there is also wireless internet in the library (or everywhere?) do you also have to pay to use the wireless?

 

Thanks!

[David14259]

Oh! and just to confirm, the drinking and gambling age on the ship is 18, correct?

[blackwing]

The drinking age is definitely 21. I think the gambling age is 21 too, but I'm not certain.

 

Yes, you have to pay to use wireless internet. You need to purchase a package or pay by the minute.

[David14259]

I've read the gambling age is 18...i thought that was for drinkin too, but not sure on that.

[David14259]

Yeah just found this on Carnival's site:

 

Drinking Alcoholic Beverages:

Guest must be 21 years of age or older to be served alcohol on board. Proper I.D. with birth date is required.

 

 

Casino:

Guest must be 18 years of age or older to play the tables and the slot machines. Guests under 18 years of age are not permitted in the casino.

[sa7776]

I don't remember if we had a clock or not but you can get wake up calls through the telephone.

 

Gambling is 18, drinking 21. The Sign and Sail card is supposed to show that the person is under 21 when the server uses it to charge the drink. It happened to a friend of DS on their Senior Cruise, server took the order and then came back with "Sorry, you are under age". Don't know how strictly they enforce the 18 for gambling. DS was able to play slots on the Celebration when he was 14 without being questioned but others he knew were. (He was 6' and 250 lbs ... they probably thought he was older).

 

You pay for internet by the minute. If you think you will be using it much you would be saving money by purchasing a package of minutes. I believe it was $50 for 100 minutes and $100 for 250 minutes plus a one time set up fee. I think they offered some additional minutes "free" if you bought the package the first day.

[BettyB2]

we sailed in February and there were no clocks. I am soooo jelous...have a GREAT cruise...I know you will. She is a fantastic ship

[jckvpa0]

Hope you have a great cruise! If you were to give a little more info, some great people here could give you some very helpfull advice, considering this is your first cruise. What kind of room did you book, what are the ages of everyone in your group, what are your plans for when your in port.

 

We were on the Conquest in April, your going to love it! The employees are the best. There is so much to do on this ship & the week will go by so fast, if I could give any advice it would be to enjoy every minute of it, go with the flow,& don't let the small stuff get to you.

[David14259]

We have an ocean view room on the Spa Deck and a Balcony room on the Panorama Deck. We don't have any kids going.

 

The tropical depression is now tropical storm Arlene :(

 

In Jamaica we're scuba diving, in Cayman Islands we're doing the Stingray thing, no plans for Cozumel yet.

[David14259]

Oh and we called Expedia this morning and they 'linked' our rooms so we can eat together. Thanks again for the help!

[Haunted]

Hey David, we were first timers also and sailed Conquest on May 22 out of New Orleans.

 

Bring an extension cord, a night lite and a bungee cord to hold your balcony door open. Your shore excursions may be cancelled due to the weather. We had smooth sailing but we all sort of hoped for a little excitement.

 

Overall, it was a lot of fun, a nice ship and a relaxing experience. I barely made it to 9PM every nite before I hit the sheets and slept very well. Also, expect to have some low grade "cruise blues" for a while after the trip. Best advice for that is to start planning another trip, even if it's a week end getaway.

 

Be sure and post your review when you get back! Oh, my 17 year old was served anything he wanted to drink when we all had dinner together, no problems there.

[K.T.B.]

David, if you have any concerns or just want to make sure about dinner times, etc., give Carnival a call, tell them it's your first cruise, wanting to make sure that everything is as it should be. :) Just have your booking number handy is all.

 

 

Oh, and enjoy!

[christhree]

Watch the weather....TS Arlene headed your way...pack the Bonine...:cool:

[Gabsabunch42]

What if we booked online through expedia.com?

 

David, you are goin to have to call Expedia. I just had the same problem. We booked two rooms through expedia, and they listed two different seating times. I called carnival and they told me I had to call Expedia. I told them I wanted first seating for both rooms and she took care of it no problem!

[David14259]

Another last minute question, are there hangers in the rooms on Conquest?

[sea_u_onboard]

Yes - but never seems like enough. Take a few with you and you can ask for more.

[Wennfred]

Get with your Friends at the Cruise Terminal, when you get your Sail and Sign card, it will have the Dinner time and also your table number on it. if it doesnt match with what they have, as soon as you board the ship, ask someone to point you to the Dinning room, it will probably be on the same deck you board but just go to the back of the ship. You will see the Entrance to the Dinning room and people standing in line waiting to see the matre'd, you can ask him/her to change your seating to match your friends etc.

 

Dont look for a time in the Caper as to when to see the Maitre'D, he or she will be there at the front of the Dining room as soon as you board.

 

No Clocks in the room, go to Radio Shack today and by a Travel Size Alarm clock.

 

Good Luck.

[Wennfred]

David, Do me a favor because I like to know the answer to this question, After you board and drop off your items in your cabin etc. Check with the Purser if the line isnt too long and check to see if you can be upgraded to a Balcony or Suite what ever is open, tell them you dont need the upgrade, just asking about it for future cruising, if they can upgrade you, find out how much.