Carnival Conquest Review
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This was my first cruise with carnival and I choose the conquest because of the itinerary. Also my roommate first time on carnival and didn't like it, preferred the previous ship NCL. Met a bunch saying they preferred other carnival ship, but never saying conquest.
Embarkment and disembarkment went fine for me. I flew in day before. I made sure I didn't have to rush. Nice to have airport close to the port, I could see a docked cruise ship from the airport. Getting to the port was congested, (many uber\lyft drivers preferred Miami port over Fort Lauderdale), but I was in no rush couldn't get into your room until 1:30(1:15 actual). Munster process took longer than expected. Disembarking took an hour longer than scheduled, there was a hiccup with the gangway. Don't know how those people with 10am flights faird.
Spent most of my evenings in the punchliners comedy club and drive in movies on deck 9 lido deck. The Toulouse-Lautrec theater has a cool design, saw just 3 cheesey shows. Many clubs and organized activities for children under 18. Nice sports bar with many TV's next to the casino deck 5. Sky pool quite area, but muggy when the roof is closed. The hot tub by the waterslide seem to be the hottest. The wind made it difficult to play basketball, volleyball and mini golf number of times mostly in the beginning of the cruise.
Cabin Review
Interior
The cabin was fine for what I and cruise partner need. Cabin attendant did well, but also had it easy with us, we are clean and organized, reused towels. One night toilet did not stop adding water into the bowl and flooded the bathroom floor spilled over into the room rug a little just in time for the maintenance guy to shut off the water. The problem was fixed quickly. The rug(air dried next day) and bathroom floor clean up was quick. Noticed large water drops or leaks by the stairs 3rd/4th aft.
We were fortunate, bunch of rooms from mine unfortunately had water damage from pipes bursting, they had to move. I'm not sure what type of compensation they got, but we got a bottle of champagne.
Port Reviews
Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)
I flew in day before spent some time a the beach and shops. I made sure I didn't have to rush. Nice to have airport close to the port, I could see a docked cruise ship from the airport. Getting to the ship port was congested, (many uber\lyft drivers preferred Miami port over Fort Lauderdale), but I was in no rush couldn't get into your room until 1:30(1:15 actual).
Grand Turk
Grand Turk - spent $0. To the left side of the pier nice beach with beach (green free) chairs/umbrellas, *others in front (closer to water) have to pay. At Margaritaville hang out in the pool area for a little while, music and dancing by the pool bar. Jack shack down further did not spend time there. Spent most of the time in the water snorkelling testing out the new finds I got, wasn't much to see in the water. Took a walk down the rocky right side of the pier to Rocky Point, but water was choppy to snorkel.
La Romana (Casa de Campo)
La Romana, Dominican Republic - spent $15 round trip to Bayahibe beach in a taxi van. Once you get off the pier and passed the security gates, taxi are down the left side. They fill the vans up before departure and when arrived at the beach the group discuss time to go back to the ship, the driver stays at the beach until then. You pay when you get back. Bayahibe beach was nice, next to dreams resort. Water was warm and snorkeling wasn't the best here either. *The taxi vans can take you in town or other places if you want, might have to be with a group.
Aruba
Aruba - spent $5 round trip with bus. I took the bus up the coast to Boca Catalina/Cove same place where people spent probably around $50 to do snorkeling excursions. I snorkeled out to the excursion boats and snorkeled around with the people on the excursion. Visibility terrible water was cloudy that day. I was told Mangel halto/Puerto chiquito has the best snorkeling. After that walked about 10 minutes north to Arashi Beach, nice large beach not many people there if you like less crowded beaches. Walked back to where I was dropped of waved down to bus. *$10 if you wanted to take the bus all day, takes you to any beach/casino/ shops you want. The bus ticket booth/building is across the street from Diamonds International, straight walk from pier.
Bonaire
Bonaire - spent $20 round trip water taxi to Klein Bonaire island. Best snorkeling on the itinerary. Once off the pier to the left bunch of extrusion/water taxi booths lined up, somewhere around 20 minutes trip to the island. Nice island for drift snorkeling from the beach. First entry point walk down the left side, white rock on shore is the entire marker. Further down another entry, a rock slab blocking beach path. Some walked around and kept walking down to further entry and drift back.
Once back to the port nice area to walk around for food and shopping.