April 22-29 Carnival Conquest Cruise Review by RC only Cruiser

[ruskatab]

I just returned from the Carnival Conquest on Sunday after only have cruised Royal Caribbean. All I had heard from the Royal Caribbean cheerleaders were how tacky and low class Carnival was. Well they are totally wrong. I was worried about how gawdy the ship was going to be but found the it wasnt that bad. Have you seen the casino on Mariner? Now thats gawdy folks! The food on Carnival was alot better and we never felt the need to visit the specialty place to eat. Last time on Mariner we ate at the specialty places twice because the dining room food had gone down hill. Also our waiter was unbelieveable on Carnival, had a great personality and was excellent at his job. He got extra at the end of the week. Our room steward was good cleaned our room 3 times a day but last time on RC our room steward didnt even clean our room 2 of the 7 days. The employees on Carnival seemed so much happier and went out of their way to help and the passengers seemed alot happier also.There were alot more activities on Carnival. There were alot more snack bars to eat with alot better food. The pizza and calzones were wonderful and the deli sandwiches were delicious. Security was strictly enforcing the no saving chairs and the no kids in the adult pool. I never saw security enforce the rules on RC. There are things I liked better on RC like the solarium, you got the cup with a soda card where on Carnival it was extra. Some things were more expensive on Carnival and some things were more expensive on RC. Our corner balcony on Mariner was bigger but our room on Carnival was set up alot better and bigger. I like the balcony single doors on Carnival instead of the sliding door on RC. The ice show on RC won hands down but the theatre on Carnival was more comfortable with tables and more leg room. The past passenger benefits are better on RC but we get an interline discount on Carnival which saved us over 1,000. The free burgers on Carnival were alot better for the 3.95 burgers at Johnny Rockets. RC has a better room service menu for breakfast, you couldnt get an omelet with room service on Carnival. Both lines have terrible coffee and you have to pay for the good stuff. I was on Mariner in October and no new bedding for us, we had the Carnival bedding and it was wonderful but RC is correcting this. There was more outdoor seating for eating on Carnival and the lunch buffets were about the same with Carnival being a little more tasty. The Captains party on Carnival was great, lots of free drinks and snacks, does RC even have a party like this? Carnival doesnt have a peek a boo bridge we thought that was really cool. They werent pushing the drink of the day on Carnival like they were on RC. Our cruise critic group on Conquest was outstanding, we had so much fun and got together through out cruise and went on excursions together. I never saw any M&M folks after the meeting the on board. I would definately cruise RC again, I want to try Freedom or Liberty but also wont hesitate to cruise Carnival again, weve got Valor booked and saved 1500.00 with out interline discount. The 2 are very compareable with Carnival having some things better and RC having other things we liked better. Dont let the RC Cheerleaders sway you from trying Carnival, both are good and its really up to you how much fun you make your cruise.

[cruzmax]

Thanks so much for sharing your review/comparison. We are early 50's (think we're 39 forever), have only cruised RCI (4times) and Celebrity (3 times), and are considering a Carnival Cruise. It helps to have info from other cruisers comparing the cruise lines. Our cruise last year was Mariner of the Seas, and we loved the Mariner. The main thing I miss from Celebrity is their sorbet at the ice cream stand (made with fresh fruit). Not an ice cream fan, but I had the sorbet/sherbet at least twice a day! RCI had delicious chocolate yogurt/ice cream.

Are the standard balconies on Carnival and RCI similar in size?

Thanks Again......You have helped us make a decision!

Pam in KY

[Host Kewlguy]

Many of the "cheerleaders" you are talking about are former Carnival cruisers who were dissatisfied with the product that cruise line was putting out. Myself included. I would never go back.

[ruskatab]

Cruzmax the standard size balconies are very close in size. I was comparing the corner aft balconies, sorry I didnt make that clear. I have been in a standard size on RC but not Carnival but we were on a friends standard and it was very close in size. The corner aft balconies on Mariner were alot deeper and had more privacy where on Conquest they were true wrap around that went on the side of the ship also but were very narrow. Hope this helps.

[kruzerci]

Many of the "cheerleaders" you are talking about are former Carnival cruisers who were dissatisfied with the product that cruise line was putting out. Myself included. I would never go back.

 

That's us, too.

[Cruising89143]

That's us, too.

 

 

Make that three!!!!!!!!;) Glad that the OP enjoyed her cruise. That's what is important.

[Lisichka]

I too love Carnival and would not hesitate to sail Carnival again. Great price, great product, great service! :D

[isujim]

While very subjective as any review is........I appreciate your thoughts. I have never sailed on Carnival but appreciate your review..........I will file it away for future reference if I ever get the bug to try Carnival.

[kruzerci]

We actually booked a cruise on Carnival Freedom for next year, but we cancelled and rebooked for Soveriegn instead to save our money for another Royal Caribbean cruise later on. When we thought about the overall cruise, I think I would really rather have a lower category cabin with Royal Caribbean than have a great cabin on Carnival for the same price. I just can't see how the two lines can be compared.

[curcurt]

Cruise on the Carnival Holiday twice several years ago, just got off the Mariner last week. Wow what a difference, the Mariner is a great ship.

 

Maybe because the Holiday was one of their older ships they didn't care about quality and it showed in the food, service, shows, and condition of the ship. Looking back at it now it was just down right terrible.

[time4u2go]

OP, I agree with pretty much everything you said! Both are great, both have their pluses and minuses, and I'd sail on either one again! Thanks for the report!

[Brentonsmom]

We loved our Conquest cruise last year. Hoping we enjoy RC just as much!

 

Tina

[Host Kewlguy]

We actually booked a cruise on Carnival Freedom for next year, but we cancelled and rebooked for Soveriegn instead to save our money for another Royal Caribbean cruise later on. When we thought about the overall cruise, I think I would really rather have a lower category cabin with Royal Caribbean than have a great cabin on Carnival for the same price. I just can't see how the two lines can be compared.

 

Good decision. Keep racking up those cruise credits.

[Host Kewlguy]

I read today Carnival will have a new ship coming out in 2008 called Splendour. Gee, how original.

[vickiw0318]

We did a seven day on the Elation when she was sailing from Galveston. There was no comparison between her and the Rhapsody. The OP makes it sound like the Conquest is a much better ship.

 

Still, since you only get one chance to make a good first impression, I'll be sticking with RCI.

[silentbob007]

I read today Carnival will have a new ship coming out in 2008 called Splendour. Gee, how original.

 

I'm not sure either company is really pushing for originality in the name department ... Carnival has had a "Liberty" for a little bit now.

[perkyblue]

OP- thanks for your post! I took my first Carnival cruise last summer after 3 with RCCL, and I agree with you completely. I couldn't understand how some people are so sharply divided about this issue because like you, there were some things I liked better about Carnival, and others I liked better about RCCL, but overall I think they are very similar.

 

I think that most of the people who are so anti-Carnival are people who have either sailed on Carnival's older, smaller ships or people who have had an unfortunate and rare cruise experience with Carnival (which happens to people sometimes even on RCCL). Everyone has different experiences (even during the same cruise) and different tastes. I'm glad that I love both cruiselines because it gives me more options!

[ruskatab]

"I think that most of the people who are so anti-Carnival are people who have either sailed on Carnival's older, smaller ships or people who have had an unfortunate and rare cruise experience with Carnival (which happens to people sometimes even on RCCL). Everyone has different experiences (even during the same cruise) and different tastes. I'm glad that I love both cruiselines because it gives me more options!"

 

I totally agree with you Perkyblue. I thought the Sovereign of the Seas was a dump. It was filthy, it smelled like a sewage treatment plant and the crew was the rudest I ever encountered and I still went back and tried another RC ship and loved the Mariner. I will go on RC again as I will go on Carnival again and I want to try Princess.

[FitzLA]

The ice show on RC won hands down but the theatre on Carnival was more comfortable with tables and more leg room.

 

I am glad the ice show won hands down on RCI since Carnival doesn't have one. ;) Seriously though, I have 2 cruises under my belt with Carnival and would not hesitate to go back. While I seem to prefer RCI, there are things about Carnival that I liked better. And for the short cruises out of L.A. I would probably go on Paradise before I would go on Monarch again. Glad you had a good time.

 

I read today Carnival will have a new ship coming out in 2008 called Splendour. Gee, how original.

 

Yes, but the Carnival ship will be called Splendor...without the "u" like on the RCI ship.

[Host Kewlguy]

I am glad the ice show won hands down on RCI since Carnival doesn't have one. ;) Seriously though, I have 2 cruises under my belt with Carnival and would not hesitate to go back. While I seem to prefer RCI, there are things about Carnival that I liked better. And for the short cruises out of L.A. I would probably go on Paradise before I would go on Monarch again. Glad you had a good time.

 

 

 

Yes, but the Carnival ship will be called Splendor...without the "u" like on the RCI ship.

 

Fitz, you need a Voyager Class ship out in L.A. I still think it will happen eventually.

[kruzerci]

"I think that most of the people who are so anti-Carnival are people who have either sailed on Carnival's older, smaller ships or people who have had an unfortunate and rare cruise experience with Carnival (which happens to people sometimes even on RCCL)."

 

---The ship that I was on is considered a small old ship now, but it wasn't at my time of sailing. Imagination was only 7 years old when I sailed on her and I thought it was a disaster, Sovereign was 19 when we sailed on her last month and I thought it was a wonderful little getaway. Sovereign is not much if any larger than Imagination. You do the math.

 

I'm really not trying to keep going on about this, but wanted to make my point clear.

[Lisichka]

Fitz, you need a Voyager Class ship out in L.A. I still think it will happen eventually.

 

As answered by Diane Block (Itinarary Planner, RCI):

 

Any chance a West Coast port could become the permanent home of one of the Voyager-class ships? Pat Mahoney, Los Angeles, CA

 

It's not a matter of if, but when. With the addition of our new Freedom-class ships, and eagerly awaited Genesis-class ships, this could free up a Voyager-class ship for the West Coast market.

[kruzerci]

Good decision. Keep racking up those cruise credits.

 

That's the idea ;) . After these next cruises I have booked I'll just need one more for Diamond. That will give me an excuse to cruise the third one :D .

[buchie614]

Many of the "cheerleaders" you are talking about are former Carnival cruisers who were dissatisfied with the product that cruise line was putting out. Myself included. I would never go back.

 

Same here. It is RCCL for me and dh

[Host Kewlguy]

That's the idea ;) . After these next cruises I have booked I'll just need one more for Diamond. That will give me an excuse to cruise the third one :D .

 

Well then I'll be seeing you in the Concierge Lounge. Or maybe the Diamond Lounge on the Freedom Class ships. ;)