Carnival Conquest Review
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EMBARKATION
We booked through Carnival for the February 3, 2013 departure from New Orleans on the Conquest. Only until after I went on Cruise Critic did I realize that was also Superbowl Sunday and Mardi Gras was going on. Figuring the traffic would be terrible since the port is very close to the French Quarter and the Superbowl happening, we left very early for the port. I don't know what other people experienced, but we had zero delays. We arrived at our off-site parking garage, Machu Picchu around 9:00 AM, and within five minutes were loaded into their shuttle and on our way to the port. Five minutes later we were unloading at the door to the terminal and porters took our bags immediately. We went into the terminal and everyone we encountered with security and especially Carnival employees were efficient and friendly. We were through security and then up the escalator to wait in line for our sail and sign cards. That process was quick and by 9:30 we were sitting in the terminal waiting area in Group 4. Carnival did a fantastic job of getting the previous passengers off the ship and by 10:45 we were walking to the ship.
We went straight to the Lido deck and had our first of what would be several burgers (during the week) from Guy's burger joint. You don't want to miss this place.
Cabin Review
Balcony
We were in 7409. I had read about certain rooms being too noisy and I was worried when I saw this one. It was on a direct line from the elevators. Every person that got off the elevator and turned would walk directly toward our door and then make their turn to go left or right. And yes, we did near a little noise. We could hear the dinging of the elevators when they would arrive. We could hear voices of people as they turned the corner going to or leaving their rooms. Since this was a crossroads of sorts, the stewards would place some of their equipment, carts, vacuums in the area and gather there.
But you know, none of this bothered me. It didn't keep us up. Our TV drowned it out and when it didn't, it still was ok. I actually liked getting off the elevator and being in my room about 5 seconds later.
The room was a standard balcony room. The safe in the room uses a credit card to lock it instead of a keypad. (There is no cost, it's just using the mag stripe to set a code)
This is good and bad. It's good because it's quick. It can be bad if you only have one credit card on that account number because then only one of you can unlock the safe. We lucked out because both of our cards on the same account would lock/unlock.
This room was right by the aft elevators so we could be anywhere we wanted in just a few minutes. We used the stairs a lot anyway and they are real close too.