New cruiser

[janf]

Hi all, sailing on Conquest April of next year! First cruise ever, beyond excited!! Need to plan early so I'm looking for and tips and advice you guys can give me!

 

Thx

 

 

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[biguy56]

Read the forums from your ship to ports of call. There is so much information to be had. Most of all enjoy the planning and don't get to stressed out. It is our first cruise also and the planning is really fun. Enjoy your trip and welcome to cruise critic.

[hapytobehr]

Conquest is a great ship...my favorite.

 

A couple of suggestions.....

 

Bring a power strip (cannot be with surge protector as they will confiscate), there is only one plug in the room.

 

Extra hangers if you can fit them in your suitcase.

 

Large tumbler i.e. tervis because the cups at the buffet are very small.

 

I'm sure you can find a thread on this site that tells give you "tips".

 

What is your itinerary?

 

Have a great trip!!

[janf]

Thanks!

 

Are the tervis cups cheaper on board or on Amazon?

 

Eastern Caribbean... Grand Turk, Amber Cove, Half Moon Cay

 

 

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[erinmarie424]

Thanks!

 

Are the tervis cups cheaper on board or on Amazon?

 

Eastern Caribbean... Grand Turk, Amber Cove, Half Moon Cay

 

 

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Nothing is cheaper on board :) I'd go with Amazon if you have your heart set on a Tervis or you can do what I do and get a tumbler with lid and straw at Dollar Tree and leave it behind.

[Kel040]

You've come to the right place to get cruise advice ! I've learned so much from just this site - we will be going on our 8th Carnival cruise in October..

 

The first two pieces of advice I can think (from the tons of stuff I've gotten here)

 

- unpack first day and store cases under the bed !! that's a must

AND

-if you go to Half Moon Cay - book a cabana ! :D

[glrounds]

Tons of information here, Janf, always enjoyable and prepare for another addiction . . . once in always in. :D

[lagienomai]

Make sure to take any medications you think you will need. They have some but are expensive. As everyone says take half the clothes you think you may need and take twice the amount of cash. I make sure to get extra 5s and 1s to use for extra tips. There are tons of threads on this subject. Be sure to look for a roll call for your sailing either on here or another social media website that shall not be named. Getting to know some people on your cruise before hand is fun and they will also be happy to answer any questions along the way. Have fun and enjoy your first cruise. I'm sure it will not be your last.

[Yazoo cruiser]

As the saying goes, plan on what you need to take and then take HALF the clothes you have planned and TWICE the amount of money. Just go throughthe fun times the night before and plan to do the things you enjoy. You can't do everything, so go with what you enjoy and then just spend your time relaxing by the pool,playing trivia or just meeting a lot of new friends. The main thing is DO NOT be late getting back to the ship in port, we have seen people get left in port. the ship will not wait for you unless you are a Carnival excursion that is running late.Seriously you will plenty of suggestion here, hope you have a great cruise. Only problem, once you go you will be hookedfor life.

[suzycruiser2]

My advice - take about half the clothes that you expect to need and twice the money...LOL

 

Seriously, I expect that you will get a lot of advise as what to take vs. not to take. Main thing is ID (along with passport or certified birth certificate) and credit card or cash.

 

I will just list some of the things that surprised me when we first cruised:

Cabins are really small (maybe about 1/4 the size of normal hotel room

Pools are small, so don't expect to really swim

Food is available from some source 24/7

Some elevators require a long wait, so use the stairs for closer trips

The crew is normally the friendlist bunch of people you will ever meet

Plan to participate in activities (it's your vacation - have fun)

Edited August 1, 2016 by suzycruiser2

[janf]

Thanks for the advice so far! I do have a few friends at work that cruise a few times a year giving me advice as well.

 

We are planning on purchasing bottomless bubbles. Can it be used in port?

 

 

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[PAPERBKWRITER]

If you plan to use taxi's on shore or private excursions have enough small bills with you. Taxi's and small boat operators etc. never have change. I got burned a couple of times years ago...After boarding the ship, if you can drop your bags and head to lido for lunch. On our first cruise (2001) I waited in our room for someone to tell us when and where to eat.(lol)

[Floating Lanai]

That money and clothes joke was said three times already. Here are a few things that took me a couple tries to figure out:

 

When dining in the MDR (main dining room) you can order as much as you like, multiples of anything, I have heard of people getting up to 20 lobsters in the past.

 

On or around decks 5-7 you can walk all the way to the front of the ship/bow, right under the Bridge, you may see some officers and can wave at them. This area is really cool and less traveled, very windy too but a cool trip.

 

Get to comedy shows very very early if you prefer comfort instead of standing room

 

Tip the casino dealers/table dealers and the pit boss usually begins to take care of you after a bit/few days of generosity, for that matter tip everyone a couple bucks here and there that you have an enjoyable encounter with, it can make a difference.

 

If I think of more I will post again.

[Floating Lanai]

If you plan to use taxi's on shore or private excursions have enough small bills with you. Taxi's and small boat operators etc. never have change. I got burned a couple of times years ago...After boarding the ship, if you can drop your bags and head to lido for lunch. On our first cruise (2001) I waited in our room for someone to tell us when and where to eat.(lol)

 

I agree, going off the beaten path instead of using ship offered excursion can be much more rewarding and better value.

[coevan]

"I have heard of people getting up to 20 lobsters in the past"

 

Did you read that on the internet?

 

Oh please, Who? Joey Chestnut? Record holder for eating Nathan's hot dogs.

[brewrat]

Thanks!

 

Are the tervis cups cheaper on board or on Amazon?

 

Eastern Caribbean... Grand Turk, Amber Cove, Half Moon Cay

 

 

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I picked up a Blue Iguana branded 16oz Tervis cup with lid on the Carnival Sunshine for less than $15, which is very competitive with Amazon.

[Floating Lanai]

"I have heard of people getting up to 20 lobsters in the past"

 

Did you read that on the internet?

 

Oh please, Who? Joey Chestnut? Record holder for eating Nathan's hot dogs.

 

That number may be exaggerated by the messenger, who was the waiter. I can do around 4 lobster in one sitting, unless at the steakhouse. And I always ask the waiter whats their high number, and its always high teens.

[dacsmom]

My best advice is not to try to do everything, you will need a vacation to recover from your vacation. Have a great time and know that not everything will go perfectly, nothing ever does. Hopefully you will return as addicted to cruising as many of us. One, of many, good ideas I got from these boards is to bring a highlighter to mark what I wanted to do for the day. On Carnival, you get the Funtimes the night before so you know all activities for the following day. There are a few activities I do not want to miss. I still carry one on every cruise.

[originalgeek]

Just got off Conquest Saturday:

We bought Bubba Mugs and rarely ever got to use them because we went on way too many excursions - every port day was something. By the time we got done with excursions we were too wiped out to go exploring around the ship and carrying mugs.

 

We pre-ordered 2 12-packs of bottled water and came home with 4 or 5 of them but it was a good 8 bucks spent I think. Needed them after coming back from July central american sun beating the crap out of us. Didn't have the energy to go fill up Bubba mugs on the Lido deck. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the bubba mug. Keeps ice water cold for literally hours. We got pretty big ones but with narrow bottoms so they'd still fit in cup holders in our car. I only use the bubba mug at home now lol)

 

Ate at MDR every night, early dining. Except on our actual anniversary night we went to the Steakhouse. Would do both again

 

Ate breakfast at both Seaday brunches and would do it again. Loved it.

Never got to Guys burgers as we were mostly gone during their open times. Will get it next time.

 

Water shoes - I was under the impression they were meant to be worn sans socks. Well, sand gets in them and tromping around Mayan ruins with your feet wrapped in sand-paper is rather hellish. Wore those low-rise socks the next couple times and didn't care if they got wet. Beats sandpapered feet. Brought my flip-flops in our towel bag when we went cave-tubing so changed into those after the tubing. Worked perfectly.

 

I didn't bring enough clothes. Changed at least twice daily and wore my kilt on first elegant night but I ran out of shorts and almost out of t-shirts. I don't know what these pack-half-the-clothes people are wearing. Maybe they're going on nude cruises. I sweat so much we had to dedicate one suitcase to dirty clothes and leave it closed except for very brief moments when we threw the next batch in there. We came with 2 suitcases and couple carry-ons and an empty collapsible duffel bag. Left with 2 suitcases and packed full duffel bag and some carry-ons.

AND we used the laundry service once.

 

LOVED every minute of our cruise even if it sounds like I was complaining about the heat. Well it was hot but we're from Florida so I guess we should have been prepared - we could handle the heat but there is a LOT of walking to be done and THAT we were not accustomed to. Hiked through jungle, across ruins, around towns and up and down that ship (Cabin forward, MDR aft) and I am perfectly at peace with our decisions _this_ time but I'll do some things different next time. Maybe 1 or 2 excursions but want to see the boat more next time.

 

We parked at Park and Fly near the port and let them drive us to embark and from debark. Will do again if we go out of Port Everglades. 90something bucks for the week. Will look for something similar when we go out of Port Canaveral (actually I think I can uber to the airport for 10 bucks or less and catch a shuttle to the port for 25 bucks or so and then reverse that on the way home. No driving and no parking fees. Bubba mug full of mai-tai. Yeah, that's the ticket!)

 

Faster to the Fun was well worth it for us. Guest services line and priority tenders. Will do that again. I could see it not being as useful if you book all your excursions through Carnival as they get their own tenders anyway but we went off book in both tender ports.

 

I'll add if I think of anything else.

[janf]

Thanks! I'm coming from Toronto Canada where the heat is pretty gross right now. So I'm used to that lol. We actually don't plan on many excursions. Beach days and the water parks in the ports. I want to relax on my vacay. not be on the run too. And have time to explore the ship

 

 

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[RecoveryDude]

1. If you work out in the gym and/or get sweaty ... you can use their laundry service and stuff as much into one of their laundry bags as you can for a flat $15 fee. TIP: Roll your dirty clothes before putting them in the laundry bag and you will get more in. I paid for ONE bag but when they returned my clothes it was three bags lol. Also, they wash in HOT water and dry on HIGH so I only send them my gym stuff and nothing that will shrink.

 

2. You can eat at the Cuchina Italian restaurant for FREE at lunch if you want to try it -- at dinner it's an extra charge.

 

3. ANYTIME someone asks for your Sail and Sign card they are charging you for something (except when you get on/off the ship).

 

4. The only cash you need on board is for the casino and (optional) tipping

 

5. I bring a can of air freshner unless I'm in a balcony cabin. Sometimes strange smells are in those cabins. Also a magnet with metal hook/clip so you can keep track of all the paper that gets delivered to your room, as the walls are metal.

 

6. Get a free deck of cards from Guest Services

 

7. The showers in the spa areas are REALLY NICE ...

 

8. Pack enough sun screen, it's REALLY expensive on board, and your itinerary wont have access to many non-carnival owned stores.

 

9. Wait for later in the cruise to buy t-shirts from cruise stores on board, they typically have a sale mid-cruise.

 

10. Bingo is a rip-off these days - very overpriced and you don't win much. And I love Bingo but avoid on cruises.

 

BONUS TIP: When you first get on the ship day 1 they will have waiters walking with trays of drinks.... these "drinks of the day" in special souvenir glasses ... which are REALLY expensive. You can skip buying the expensive souvenir glass (unless you really want it) and just get the drink in a regular glass from any of the bars.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Cheers!

 

Jeff aka Recovery Dude

[Floating Lanai]

1. If you work out in the gym and/or get sweaty ... you can use their laundry service and stuff as much into one of their laundry bags as you can for a flat $15 fee. TIP: Roll your dirty clothes before putting them in the laundry bag and you will get more in. I paid for ONE bag but when they returned my clothes it was three bags lol.

 

 

 

3. ANYTIME someone asks for your Sail and Sign card they are charging you for something (except when you get on/off the ship.

 

 

 

BONUS TIP: When you first get on the ship day 1 they will have waiters walking with trays of drinks.... these "drinks of the day" in special souvenir glasses ... which are REALLY expensive. You can skip buying the expensive souvenir glass (unless you really want it) and just get the drink in a regular glass from any of the bars.

 

 

All great tips!

 

 

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[originalgeek]

Thanks! I'm coming from Toronto Canada where the heat is pretty gross right now. So I'm used to that lol. We actually don't plan on many excursions. Beach days and the water parks in the ports. I want to relax on my vacay. not be on the run too. And have time to explore the ship

 

 

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Here's the best Dream pic I could find. Nice looking ship! We were tendering from Conquest to Georgetown in Grand Cayman.

[TX Catty Cruiser]

There are ton of tips on this thread "Need to know for new cruisers" it's in the Carnival section and was last updated 7/24. This thread was started in 2008 and has some outdated info, but has been updated starting on page 3.

 

 

Here are just a few of my favorites to share with others ...

 

 

First before you fly or turn your luggage over to the porters, take a picture of all the pieces - this way if they are lost and you have some help looking for them you can show them the pics - lot easier than saying it's a 22" inch black case with ribbon tied on the handle.

 

If you ask for an ice bucket to be kept filled and have your fridge emptied (you can do it or ask your steward) - keep the ice bucket in the fridge, the cubes stay solid longer.

 

If you bring a highlighter to highlight the FunTimes, bring more than one color . For example - yellow for the adults, blue for kids and use both (yellow and blue make green) for family events.

 

If you get back to the cabin and are hot and want a quick cool down, some of the hair dryers have a cool button - use the dryer with that button pushed and you have an instant fan!

 

Bring multiple sizes of zip top bags - you never know when a bottle will leak or you buy something and want to keep separate from your other things in your luggage.

 

The water that comes out of the sink faucet is the same as the water in the fountains found on the Lido deck - no need to leave the cabin to refill water.

 

Bring a few EMPTY water bottles (or save some) - fill them up and put in the fridge that way when you use one and want another, exchange it for a cool one - that way you will always have cold water (be sure to fill the empty). Or bring a LARGE bottle(s) and just refill the glass or bottle you take with you.

 

When you start touring the ship stop by the guest services desk and ask for a map of the ship decks - it will help if you get turned around or are looking for a specific place. They are usually small and can be kept in a pocket until you get familiar with the ship.

 

Room service is not usually available on the last morning, so if you are like me and can't function without coffee first (and going to get it is out of the question!) call room service the night before and request a pot of coffee. They usually bring it in a thermos type container. It won't be piping hot in the morning but it will be caffeine!!!!!

 

You will get over whelmed with paper - handouts, FunTimes, shopping maps, onboard promotions, etc. so bring along a 8x11 envelope or file folder to put the papers you want readily available or to save.

 

Save your receipts to double check against your Sign and Sail account. You will be amazed at how many times you look at the printout and wonder "did I get that?" your receipts will help explain some of those mystery charges. I suggest doing this two days before the cruise ends - this way if something is wacky you will be able to get it fixed at the guest services desk. The line the day before and the day of disembarkment will be VERY long.

 

 

Most cruisers are extremely friendly and are happy to help .... so if you have a question, ASK!

 

Bon Voyage!!!

[crusinpsychRN]

Take a manilla envelope and cardboard--handy if you buy pictures.

 

The spa raffle is jam packed, I stopped going.

 

I take my magic cup with a lid. In the morning its got coffee in it, lemonade at lunch then turns into bourbon. It hold over 2 mugs of coffee.