Review: Carnival Conquest 10/30/05

[big_duck]

The first night, the Maitre D' came over and asked us "what night we planned to eat at the supper club." We had already made our reservations, and just told him that we had made reservations for Wednesday night at 8:30 already, and he wrote it all down. He didn't ask us IF we were going to eat at the supper club.. .just asked us WHEN we WERE going to eat at the supper club. So I'm not sure about all that, you know?

 

Man oh man, I just - it felt like we were on someone's radar for all those days. It truly was this overwhelming, celebrity/VIP treatment for a normal couple from Oklahoma. I think I blushed more in the first three days than I have in the last five years!

 

LOL well think about it. UB sends a note to the ship - If Mr and Mrs T eat at the point I'm picking up the tab - if you were the staff how would you react? :D

[parkglensteph]

Sounds like the perfect honeymoon cruise Rose! I bet you are still grinning from ear to ear! Your day by day reviews are wonderful. I can't wait to see the pictures!

[Rowan555]

Okay, I'm officially jealous! I want some special treatment on the Conquest too!!! ;-)

[CrazieNCruisingGypsy2]

Pictures, where's the pictures?? Are you gonna post any of them?

[Sablerose]

I'm gonna post pictures. The Conquest 10/30/05 group is setting up a Webshots account and we are all going to put all of our pictures on it.

 

But we got a scanner today so I can do capers and stuff too plus our film pictures and/or some formals - perhaps the pic taken of us at the captain's table.

 

Pictures to come!

[I Luv Crusin]

Ha! I'm gonna try to not make it ALL this wordy!

 

Sablerose, wordy is good!!!!

[Tater1800]

I have been reading to see if the lifetime dream of visiting Chichen Itza was fulfilled but I guess "suspense" is the word-of-the-day.

[emmysmommy]

What an amazing time you had!!! :) You are so humble in your explanations. It sounds like you were more than deserving to get all the special treatment and attention. I love your review and can't wait to view the pix!

[Sablerose]

I have been reading to see if the lifetime dream of visiting Chichen Itza was fulfilled but I guess "suspense" is the word-of-the-day.

 

Chichen Itza was not on the itinerary. Playa Del Carmen was just too far to make the trip. However, I did buy an onyx statute of the Kukulkan pyramid in a market in Playa, which is now on my desk. I'll climb it with my fingertips over and over again until I can make it to Chichen! :D

[Tater1800]

Chichen Itza was not on the itinerary. Playa Del Carmen was just too far to make the trip. However, I did buy an onyx statute of the Kukulkan pyramid in a market in Playa, which is now on my desk. I'll climb it with my fingertips over and over again until I can make it to Chichen! :D

 

Sorry to hear that. It takes a long stop at Playa to make the trip. Better luck next time!

[jckvpa0]

I am so glad for you & your DH!!! It could not have happened to a nicer couple.

The Pointe, do they not give you way to much food!!!

The Conquest was our first cruise, bet your hooked!

Thanks for the reviews, loving every minute of it!

[Sablerose]

Day 5 -- Grand Cayman

 

We were awake when the ship pulled into Grand Cayman. We had a meeting time of 10:00 a.m. for our excursion so we ate our room service, got dressed, and headed down to the tenders. They were done needing tender tickets, it was just "come down and get on a boat" by the time we were ready to leave.

 

When we pulled into the bay at Cayman the weather was right behind us… kind of cloudy and gloomy. By the time we got off the ship it was breezy and rainy, at least a little sprinkle here and there. We met up with some CC'ers who were on the same tour as us (Capt. Bryan's stingray city tour) and did a little bit of shopping before heading up the road to Capt. Bryan's. Noticed that the Valor wasn't in Cayman that morning (was looking for them) so glanced longingly at Senor Frog's on our way past, knowing we wouldn't get the chance to meet them later that day. Oh well, there's always Cozumel next year!

 

We found Capt. Bryan's after a short walk. Everyone was already on the bus ahead of us so we paid our money and got on board. The bus drove us through town and we saw a LOT of hurricane damage which we understand was left over from Ivan, still. It was sad to see somewhere that I had heard was so gorgeous, looking bedraggled. The cloudy weather and rain made it feel just that much more gloomy, despite the colorful paint on all the shops at the pier.

 

The "Buccaneer Catamaran" of Capt. Bryan's wasn't as nice as the Island Dreamer of Jamaica. It was significantly smaller, and older, and wasn't as well-kept. So since we had already been kind of spoiled by the previous day's boat, we were a little disappointed with that one. We put our bag downstairs, got swimsuit-clad and ready to go snorkeling. I was really surprised that they were going to take us out in the weather like it was. I just kept telling myself that it was okay because we were going to be getting wet anyway so it didn't much matter if we got rained on. Then, in our infinite wisdom and because we are big dorks, we positioned ourselves right in the front of the catamaran - which was traveling against the wind - and we were pelted with raindrops that felt like tiny little rocks embedding themselves into my squishy flesh! But, I just kept saying it would be okay because soon I'd be in that warm Caribbean water!

 

At this point in my description, I'd like to introduce you to who I will only call The Crazy Family. We were previously introduced to the Crazy Family when they were at EZCruise with us when we were waiting for our shuttle to come take us to the ship. The Crazies are made up of Dad Crazy, Mom Crazy (who is from another country and speaks two languages), Child Crazy, Aunt Crazy, and Grandma Crazy (who is from another country and only speaks ONE language, which is not English). We noticed them the first day because they hardly had any luggage. They had overnight bags, every one of them, with enough for probably two changes of clothes in them. To each their own, you know, we just figured they were going to hang out and be casual all week. But Child Crazy was getting on our nerves, as he had picked up a piece of metal and was whacking it on the metal pole that was holding up the canopy at the parking lot. CLANG. CLANG. CLANG. "When is the bus coming?" "I don't know, son." CLANG. CLANG. CLANG. "How much more do I have to wait?" "Until the bus comes, son." CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

 

I would have strangled the child, but I don't think they would have let me on the ship then.

 

Now. Child Crazy and his family were on this catamaran with us. And Child Crazy, from the minute we got on the boat, was grating on my very last, extra-raw nerve. "When are we going to get there?" "I don't know, son." "How can you not know? How long do they expect me to wait?" "Son, you'll wait as long as you have to." "But how long?!?!" The kid was running all around the boat. Up. Down. Whacking on things. Hanging on things. Whining.

 

Urgh.

 

The first spot we went to was the Barrier Reef. The waves were probably 3 foot waves. That's a lot for someone with no snorkeling experience, like me. Plus, I have kind of a fear of water, so just snorkeling in itself was a feat for me. Getting in the water in the rough ocean was going to be very interesting. I let a bunch of folks get in ahead of me. Stang was right behind me. We got in and about the first thing that happened to me was my mask leaked and my snorkel filled with water, because my snorkeling life vest wasn't doing a very good job of holding me up in a way that didn't keep my head from going under (I think I had it on too loosely, but no one checked it or anything before I got in). In comparison with Jamaica, they did not ask us our snorkeling skill level or anything. They just handed out the equipment and told us all to get in.

 

We swam around snorkeling for a little while but I started to get panicky and had to get out. The combination of a gut full of salt water, bobbing around on the ocean, and seeing the boat rocking up and down on the water was making this land lubber a little bit seasick. I swam back to the boat and tried to get back up the ladder, which was kind of a feat. I couldn't get my fins off my feet AND hold the rocking boat ladder AND keep my mask and snorkel clear AND get on the boat all together by myself -- some very kind and patient other swimmers including Stang helped me. He says my eyes were big like golf balls when I was trying to get back on the boat. I was a little freaked out.

 

Here's where the Crazies come back into it.

 

We were waiting until everyone finished up snorkeling (we hadn't seen many fish or much coral where we were, because we didn't want to swim over to the barrier reef - I was afraid I'd get pushed into the rocks that they had told us to stay away from) and I saw Grandma Crazy. Mom Crazy was out in the ocean hollering to Grandma Crazy in their native tongue. Loud, angry, abrupt yells. If I weren't sure she'd been speaking another language, I would swear that she called a bunch of us "****ing freaks." Then suddenly, Grandma Crazy starts trotting over to the ladder and decides she's going to go in the water. She takes 2 runs of the ladder and I look over the front of the boat - there is a small, panicking lady who has had just about enough of the rough water and is trying to do the same dance I did - fins, mask, ladder, ocean - and is trying to climb out. Grandma Crazy just keeps on down the ladder, oblivious, and actually BACKED the girl down the ladder and back into the water. Grandma Crazy jumped right in the water and started swimming around, leaving Panicked Lady to try to get back on the boat all by herself. The crew of the catamaran didn't do anything to try to stop Grandma Crazy.

 

Eventually we moved on to the next snorkeling stop after getting everyone, including the Crazies, back on board. Child Crazy was complaining to Dad Crazy that he didn't get to go in the water, and wanted to know why. Five hundred times. It was like an episode of The Simpsons. "Are we there yet?" "No." "Are we there yet?" "No." "Are we there yet?" "No." No answer was good enough for the child.

 

I sat out the snorkeling at the second stop, which was called The Aquarium. I was feeling seasick and didn't feel like getting back in the water. I was saving all my gumption up for when we got to the sandbar to swim with the stingrays where I could actually stand up.

 

Child Crazy kept being crazy.

 

Stang did a lot of snorkeling and really loved that portion of the trip. He said the water was clear and gorgeous and is STILL regaling me with tales of the spectacular ocean life he saw. Our underwater pictures didn't come out very well - not much sunlight to illuminate them - but I trust him when he says it was amazing.

 

I was too busy watching The Crazies.

 

Mom Crazy went swimming in the part of the channel they specifically told us not to go, because there is (1) no coral there, (2) no fish there, and (3) boats drive there. But she splashed around and swam up and down the boating channel with no fins, no life vest, no snorkel and no mask. Aunt Crazy was with her swimming, but sometime during the trip came up with a large LIVE conch that she put on the deck, announcing that it was for Child Crazy. Grandma Crazy waited, again, until all the Crazies (except Dad and Child) were in the ocean before deciding she was going to go swim - then she started yelling at all of us in her native tongue, the same words over and over again. None of us knew what she wanted. People were handing her masks, snorkels, life vests… finally someone handed her fins, which ended up being too small but she crammed her feet in them anyway and jumped off the back of the boat to go swimming, apparently in the boating channel with her daughter. Child Crazy just kept asking why he couldn't go in the water and making a total fuss about everything.

 

The crew of the boat realized they had brought the conch up and pointed out to Aunt Crazy that the conch was alive and they couldn't take it, and would have to throw it back in. Aunt Crazy agreed, and tried to explain it to Child Crazy, who seemed okay with it. That is, until Mom Crazy came out of the water and asked where the conch was. She insisted that she wanted to take pictures with the shell and that she wanted pictures of her son with the shell, and that they had to either find another shell or just go get that one long enough to take pictures with. Fortunately by then we were done with our stop and were on our way to Stingray City.

 

Stingray City was awesome. Amazing. We fed the stingrays and kissed one and held one. The smaller group led to a lot more interaction with them. They were so soft and gentle, like big underwater puppies.

 

Mom Crazy grabbed one by the tail while a guide was holding it.

 

Twice.

 

We avoided them for the rest of the stingray sandbar tour.

 

On our way back to the dock from Stingray City, everyone was pretty much cold and miserable. They tried to sell us a video which we didn't want to buy. The videographer, Jody, was rude to one of our fellow CC'ers on the trip (but I'm sure she's going to take that up with Capt. Bryan). And I overheard someone mentioning to the boat crew that it'd have been more fun if the weather was nice… the boat captain replied that the weather had been that way for weeks and weeks. I was frustrated that no one had let us know there was the possibility of rough waters and that it might not be the best thing for people who weren't strong swimmers. I know a bunch of fellow CC'ers on this tour with us didn't even go in the water because the seas were rough. It ended up being a waste of a day for them.

 

We got back to the ship, showered and changed clothes, went STRAIGHT to Sur Mer for boullebaise, fried oysters, and maui onion fritters. Comfort food at its finest, and we savored every little bite.

 

This was our last formal night. We set the bottle of Shiraz we received from the Hotel Director aside and chose to share it with our tablemates at dinner that night. We got gussied up, had a little wine on our own while we got ready, hubby got into his uniform for the third night in a row, and we went downstairs to take pictures before dinner.

 

Now, here's a hint for everyone.

 

I told you all that everyone insisted I am never, ever under any circumstances, to iron a piece of clothing again (on a cruise ship). So, Princesskiki & hubby were kind enough to loan me their bottle of Downy Wrinkle Releaser. I tried it on my pants. It mostly worked.

 

However, Downy Wrinkle Releaser glows with a delightful phosphorescence when illuminated by photographic flashbulbs.

 

That's right, all of our floor length formal pictures had big spritzes and splashes on them where I had sprayed the creases in my pants with Downy Wrinkle Releaser.

 

I'd recommend sending your goods out to be drycleaned and have them pressed before you get on the ship. I'm just saying.

 

So anyway, we got a bunch of formal pictures taken, lamented about how poorly most of the ones from the FIRST formal night came out (medals and insignia gleaming on hubby's uniform casting odd glares, me having wild hairs, him blinking) and only ended up buying one from that night. So we made the tour and hit absolutely EVERY picture station on every level of the ship that night with 3-4 pictures at every station, determined to get something good (this is before we knew about my Downy problems). Fortunately some of the backdrops involved standing behind pillars, staircases, columns or ship's steering wheels. We also ran into Jim and Bette and got a photo taken with them, which is going to be proudly displayed over here at Casa Stang.

 

We went off to dinner and were so excited to see Hooked_On_Cruisin (Anthony and Sherri), our tablemates, decked out to the nines in tux and gorgeous gown. We were so happy to be dining with them all dressed up - and it was their anniversary!! We were so excited that we had brought our nice bottle of wine to share with everyone at the table, to help celebrate their special day. We hadn't seen Davis and Jilene in a couple of days so they were very gracious in welcoming us back, and asked us how we had enjoyed the previous two nights' dining. We were excited to be able to see Davis dancing for the waiters' production number. He could boogie! Go, Davis!

 

Dinner was fabulous as always, and dessert was great. I think we had two different chocolate desserts between us and they were so rich we couldn't quite finish them both.

 

After dinner and a final sweep of pictures we went upstairs and changed clothes again. We ended up back in the piano bar for a little while, but at about 11:30 Stang realized that we needed to be on the Lido soon to take pictures of the Gala Buffet. We excused ourselves and told Damian we'd be back, but we didn't go back. I'm sorry, Damian! We got swept up in the bounty of the buffet!

 

The Gala Buffet on the lido deck at midnight was amazing to behold. A huge ice carving of a sea serpent-dragon sat above one of the buffet stations. Among the entrees were apple and prune stuffed pork tenderloin; very nicely rare poached salmon; vegetable turrines, rare roast beef with hearts of palm, thai curry dumplings, huge cheese platters, and a plethora of vegetable garnishes and chocolate and other types of desserts, including some gorgeous spun sugar artistry. We took pictures for about 20 minutes. Stang went out to the Sky Bar (lido deck aft) to get his own special treat -- a 15 year old Scotch to sip on, while I waited in line making us a small plate of tidbits to nosh. We took the bounty back to the room and nibbled until we were so tired we couldn't stand it, and hit the sack about 12:30.

 

 

Whew! End day five! And it included midnight food! Yay! :D

[mamiamjo]

Welcome back Rose!

 

It surely sounds like you guys had a totally wonderful time. I have really enjoyed reading your review. Thank you so much for sharing your trip with us here. I can't wait for our cruise in a few short days.

 

Mike

[jckvpa0]

You are to funny :D !!! What a great writer! Looking forward to the rest!

[Sablerose]

Here's a pic of us. It does not involve wild hairs, gleaming emblems (despite how it looks in the shrunken picture), uniform nametags, blinks, drool, anyone with a frightful look on their face, or sunburn. In short, it's one of the better ones we got.

[jckvpa0]

Great pic, thanks for sharing!

[Sablerose]

I'm done for the night, all! I have to actually work tomorrow! Of course, that means working AROUND finishing up the review.

 

Thanks for playing along today and I'll post more in the morning, I promise! Have a great night, everyone!

 

p.s.: I saved up all my Carnival mints and brought them all home. I am now going to go put one on my pillow. I miss Harold. My bathroom towels are merely hanging on hooks, and none of them greet me with happy faces. And I can't hear the ocean from my balcony. *sigh*

[Cruisin Oma]

Rose:

Thank you so much for such an entertaining day! I've really enjoyed reading your review! I look forward to more tomorrow. I hope my family have half as good a time as you and "Stang" when we cruise the Conquest on New Years Day!

 

Even the crazies make it a memorable trip. Something to laugh about later!

 

PS - Don't I remember you were from Scottsdale? Someday I'll have to find out how you ended up in OK. I am assuming ASAF transfer???

[Snoozeman]

Thanks for the wonderful review. I've enjoyed reading it and look forward to the rest. Sounds like a wonderful week.

 

 

TAFB--you'll have to go up & down Air Depot Blvd. to get the different foods you'll crave after cruise withdrawal. Do you live on base? Just curious.

[BettyB2]

Rose - really enjoyed my morning coffee today reading all you have added to your review....sounds like you had a "fabbo" time!!;) Sorry the weather for Captain Bryans wasnt that great for you, but there is nothing like the experience of the stingrays and National Geographic says swimming with stingrays in GC is one of the top 10 must do's in life...if you can do it!! I also swam back to the ladder in panic as my David stayed and snorkled, but once I was able to get in with those wonderful stingrays, I never wanted to leave!! And as for Damian, we just love him to pieces....38 of us sailed with him in February and we had a great time with him..just abour every night!!

 

Are you now hooked on cruising? We would love to cruise with you one day. Thanks for the picture also..nice to be able to put faces with names!!

Patiently awaiting your next post!!

[Astronomer]

Welcome back Sable...

 

Dont you shorten one word of your review...

 

Keep it wordy dear :D

 

Enjoying every line.

[Blndiebby25]

Welcome back Rose! I have been waiting to see your review. You are a great cruise review there is so much detail. Can't wait for the next installment. :)

[I Luv Crusin]

Sablerose, it's great to put a face behind or would it be in front of a name!

 

Will we be hearing from the DH?

 

When you were in the Point did they have music and dancing?

 

Thanks!

[TexasFyre]

I must say, your review of the Conquest, any ship for that matter, is one of the best! You two look fantastic in your picture, and i must say, next to a tux, a man in uniform always wins hands down! (Military brat here)

 

I'll be on the conquest in 17 sundays! I can't wait to go. Keep the words flying!

[Sablerose]

Good morning!

 

When we were in the Point they did have music. It was a duo, but they sounded like a trio, because they had a synthesizer that was playing some instruments. I think I might have seen someone dancing at the Point, but it was late when we were there (8:30) and I think we missed the "rush." I know they wouldn't have discouraged dancing, as there was a wide open space in front of the band area which is probably just for that!