Our very 1st Cruise and Vacation - Miami/Conquest/Orlando with pics

[Orpheo]

Really enjoying your review. I am trying to decide if the Conquest will be our next cruise in March, I do think you are helping me to decide!:p

 

Wow! Thanks so much! We loved the Conquest for a first ship!

[Orpheo]

Roatan's beach

 

 

 

We walked around a little bit and saw this little guy/girl

 

 

After we got on the ship we had a Guy's Burger

 

 

We then went to the Aft whirlpool and pool

And no, I wans't praying hahaa

 

 

 

Next : Cruise Elegant

[Orpheo]

Goodbye Mahogany Bay

 

 

We then came back to our room and took a little nap. Around 3-3.30 p.m. we woke up and I was busy straightening my hair while Tino did his shaving and all. We watched t.v. a bit and went to the Lido to eat something

 

Tonight was Cruise Elegant, so we wanted to dress up a little x-tra.

 

 

First we both had the ...dunno what this was again...

 

 

For main I had the Roasted Half spring Chicken with Gravy

 

 

Tino had the Grilled Jumbo shripms. Here's a blurry picture

 

 

No dessert. We just had some tea and coffee.

After that they danced on the 'Opan Gangnam Style" and our head waitress Kim just took me by the hand to dance along. It was so cool!

There's Kim beside me

 

 

Next: Grand Cayman

[Orpheo]

Before I begin with Grand Cayman, here is our friend from Mahogany Bay and Cruise Elegant picture we took in our room

 

 

 

We didn't really had planned anything for Grand Cayman. Conquest arrived around 10.00 a.m. and the last tender was supposed to come back at 5.00 p.m.

We had our breakfast, I had my 'no breakfast'. That's what Tino called what I had on my plate...

 

Omelet your way...mine :o

 

 

Tino's

 

 

Grand Cayman

 

 

Next : Grand Cayman : Continued

[Orpheo]

There were buses for $ 5,- per/p who drove you to 7-mile beach. Because we didn't really had planned anthing we took a bus.

 

On the way to 7-mile beach the lady driver told us a little bit about the island, not much, but it was informative. Grand Cayman is a very beautiful island. Actually the most beautiful of all 4 of the islands which we visited this cruise. It's very clean and the streets seem very well maintained.

 

 

 

 

 

7-mile beach

 

 

The water was very refreshing, but the sun did his part also

 

 

Next : Grand Cayman : Continued

[Orpheo]

We didn't stay for too long and headed back to the ship. And we again had to pay $ 5-,- per/p.

One thing has to be said. When we took the bus to 7-mile beach, the lady driver said that it doesn't matter how late you want to return, there will be enough buses at the beach to take you back to the tenders. She also had said that they would immediatly take you back.

We then stepped into one of their buses and we had to wait. The bus wasn't full yet (there were still a couple of seats open) and I guess that they were waiting for the bus to get fully occupied.

There was this and she took a picture of a ID or something that was in the front of the bus (inside). Oh God, a lady just came in, probably some chef or maybe even owner of those bus-lines and she just asked who took a picture of 'that thing over there'.

Oh my, the guy said that it was told that the minute you would step in one of their buses, they would take us back immediatly to the tenders. It wasn't told that we would have to wait for all the seats to be occupied.

Oh my my my. That was something! But we made it safe back to the ship! Pheww

 

 

 

Bye Grand Cayman

 

 

 

Dinner

For starter I had the old fashioned chicken noodle soup

 

 

Tino had the Oysters Rockefeller

 

 

Next : Dinner Continued and Sea Day 2

[Orpheo]

For main we both had the Seared Filet of redfish

 

 

Our friend

 

 

We walked around a little bit and went to sleep early that night. Tomorrow would be our last Sea Day and that would mean packing and sorting and....crying!

 

On Sea Day 2 we woke up, hung on the balcony a little bit and went for breakfast. We didn't really do much this day. We had received Zone 8 for the next day, so we packed our luggage and put everything what we would stiil be using the next day.

 

Some random pictures

 

 

 

 

 

Next : Disembarkation

[Orpheo]

Our friend of last sea day

 

 

We both had one luggage and one carry-one. We used the carry-one as a checked bag and put everthing we needed in our back-pack.

 

Debarkation was soooo smooth.

Around 5.30-6 we woke up. Got dressed, had breakfast and went to check out of the room. They were calling out zones and gold members and self-desembarkation ones and all.

I must say that on one of the channels the cruise director would explain everything about debarkation and all the procedures. it was very clear and easy to understand, for us actually.

 

Around 7.30 or so we were on the Lido deck and were waiting for our zone to be called. I think that it was around 8.30 or so that they called our zone to head to deck 3, i think it was deck 3...

 

Miami

 

 

 

Thoughts on Carnival Conquest and our First Cruise

The Conquest is a very beautiful ship in our opinion. We don't have any other experience of other ships, so we can't really compare. But for a first ship we liked it alot. The only thing that we didn't like was that not so nice smell between deck 4 and 5. Overall we learned a lot. I know that next time I would really concentrate a lot more on the Fun Times. Read it every day and highlite what looks great and that you would like to do. Explore more...I didn't really think that we explored the ship a lot. You could learn that from my pictures. We would absolutely use the whirlpool a lot more then just one time.

Watching movies at the sea side it awsome! These are some points...

Our first cruise was amazing! We didn't miss any islands and luckily nothing dramatic happened. Western caribbean is nice. In one cruise we saw so many other different cultures, and got to know so many other people from other countries. That was the most perfect part of this cruise.

 

So when will we take our next cruise? Hmmm, maybe it will be our 'Honeymoon' cruise....hahahaha

 

I would really really like to thank cruise critic members. Reading reviews, asking questions, so many of you were so helpful, so thanks once again.

 

My vacation isn't over yet! So stay tuned for our 'Orlando' trip!

I'll promise not to make that tooo long! ;)

 

Next : Orlando / Islands of Adventures - Universal Studios

[Kfoot]

Thanks for a great review. You did a wonderful job for your first review. Haven't beem on the on quest yet, but she seem to be a beautiful ship. I have to say I'm jealous. I've sail Carnival quite a few times, and have not gotten a monkey hanging from the ceiling towel animal.

You will love Orlando /Universal Studios. There's a lot to see and do. Welcome to my neighborhood

Edited January 15, 2014 by Kfoot

[Chelleum]

I enjoy reading your review and seeing your pics. You did a good job, I taken two cruise already and my third one in 5 days and I haven't written a review yet. You and Your boyfriend look really nice on Elegant night.

 

I heard of your country before, but I had to Google the information of your country when I first heard of it.

Edited January 15, 2014 by Chelleum

[cruisinsly]

Awesome review. You two are such a cute couple. I cant wait for the rest of your review when you go to Orlando!!

[Orpheo]

Thanks for a great review. You did a wonderful job for your first review. Haven't beem on the on quest yet, but she seem to be a beautiful ship. I have to say I'm jealous. I've sail Carnival quite a few times, and have not gotten a monkey hanging from the ceiling towel animal.

You will love Orlando /Universal Studios. There's a lot to see and do. Welcome to my neighborhood

 

Thank you, Kfoot. Yes, we loved the Conquest for a first ship. The monkey was so funny. The night when we came to our room, our room steward, Pasek, said to me: Marrie en mr. Martin (he always called Tino, mr. Martin, so funny:p) I've left something hanging for you...hahaa

 

I enjoy reading your review and seeing your pics. You did a good job, I taken two cruise already and my third one in 5 days and I haven't written a review yet. You and Your boyfriend look really nice on Elegant night.

 

I heard of your country before, but I had to Google the information of your country when I first heard of it.

 

Thank you! Wow, taking a cruise is spectacular and sharing those memories here on cruise cruise far more spectacular!

Thank you, once again! ;)

[Orpheo]

Awesome review. You two are such a cute couple. I cant wait for the rest of your review when you go to Orlando!!

 

Aww, so sweet! Thanks. Stay tuned, because Orlando was just amazing!

[Orpheo]

As I mentioned before, debarkation went very smooth. In no time we got our luggage and were outside where we would be taking a taxi to Bayside, Flag Plaza.

The taxi was $ 10,- for us both with luggage to Flag Plaza.

It was a 5-8,9 minute ride to Bayside.

 

We were booked with All Tour Transportation. After a lot of research and questions asked here on cruise critic, we decided to book with All Tour Transportation. I highly recomend their transportation. Because we didn't exactly knew how late we would get off the Conquest so we made a reservation for 2.00 p.m.

Around 9.30 or so we arrived at Bayside and that was where we began worrying. Would we have to wait till 2.00 p.m.?? Oh my!

At 10.00-10.15 we saw a All Tour bus stop right infront of us. The driver got off and 2 elderly men approached him and asked how late he would be departing. We heard the driver say, 11.00 p.m. Tino then asked me if we couldn't ask the driver if we could also drive along.

I said, you go and ask, I don't know. Tino asked him and the driver asked for our confirmation form and he called the office, I think. And yes!!! It was possible!

Man, were we relieved! He tagged our luggage and he said that we have about 30 minutes or so before he will depart, so we could go and stroll if we wanted to.

 

11.00 p.m. we were off! It's a 4 hour drive from Miami to Orlando and it was a very pleasent trip. The bus was very comfortable with AC and made 2 stops I think.

So, if anyone ever needs bus transportation from Miami to Orlando, and the 4 hour drive is good to you, All Tour Transportation is highly recommended by us. The fare was $ 30,- per/p per/ride. For us both we paid a total of $ 120,-

 

Here are some pictures of our ride to Orlando

 

(I'm at work now and it seems that I cannot access photobucket properly, so sorry I will add pictures later on :()

Edited January 15, 2014 by Orpheo

[Orpheo]

Here are a couple of pictures us from our way to Orlando

Edited January 15, 2014 by Orpheo

[shoppingfever]

The pics on photobucket are not showing up for me. Am I the only one that cannot see these?

[Kfoot]

Cant see them either.

Orpheus, you may need to update your photobucket account. Not sure

[firerunner]

I cant see the photos either..:(

[Kiwis Afloat]

I can see the photos. :) It's often the other way round for me.

Orpheus, I have loved your review. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

[bragstarr]

I just got off Conquest yesterday. We had a great time too! I took notes on my ipad so I'm going to try to post a short review, and reviews of our excursions......