This is my second cruise on the Conquest. I was on it 10/04 also, and I have to say that boarding in Galveston was so much better than New Orleans despite the fact I had to drive a few extra hours from Illinois. I will also say that I probably won't go again during hurricane season. Last year a tropical storm had hit the night before I left and I was in New Orleans during it. I don't think I had ever seen anything like that rain! Everything was up in the air until the last minute this year due to not only Katrina hitting first but then Rita was supposed to hit Galveston and Houston. I don't like the whole issue of the plans being unknown like that so I guess I will go in winter next time. Who would have ever thought that the US would be hit by so many hurricanes and have so much devastation? Galveston appeared to have only hit and miss areas but I did come through other places that had been hit. May they all get back to normal as quickly as possible!

As far as the embarkation it was very easy to pull our car into the terminal and unload our group and luggage and have my husband park and take the shuttle back. The lines weren't bad and everything went smoothly. (I even met the future winner of the HAIRY chest contest while waiting for our first pictures to be taken.) : ) Carnival noticed my aunt walked with a cane and immediately cared for her in another line. Once on the ship she looked exactly as I remembered... beautiful!

Our rooms were ready so we began to go find them. It didn't take long at all to get our luggage either. Again much better than N.O. trip! We began to show the "newbies" in our group around the ship! Had some lunch and hung around the Lido deck. Read more