Carnival Conquest Review
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My fiance and I had booked this cruise as our first getaway without her children, and for the most part, it didn't disappoint. The ship wasn't full, so we rarely had any issues finding chairs on the deck and hardly ever had to wait on an elevator, with the only exception being after dinner. The cabin was a typical Carnival balcony, but our steward Henry was by far the best stateroom steward we've had on a cruise. He even went as far as finding safety pins for us so my fiance could fix one of her dresses.
The dining was the only downside for me. Our wait staff was good, but one night they appeared to be down a man, and struggled with basic service that night, but they did make up for it. Overall, I was disappointed with the quality of the food in the Monet dining room. The jerk pork the last night was wonderful, and I always enjoy the chilled soup appetizers, but most of the entrees were just okay. The activities on the ship were great, despite the casino tables being very stingy, but our service was great.
We don't usually book excursions. We got off in Key West and took a trolly tour of the island and walked around most of the day. We did book the Allura catamaran to Stingray City in Grand Cayman, and it was the best excursion I've every done. There were only 14 guests on the boat, and the staff was great, taking time to talk to everyone. It was a gorgeous day, so on the way back in, they put up the sail and we took our time coming back. Well worth the $70.99 per person. In Cozumel, we never book an excursion. We get off and catch a taxi and head to Paradise Beach. $3 gets you beach chairs and an umbrella, however this time we opted to get lounge chairs in the shade under the palm trees. The drinks are a bit pricey, but the beach is always super clean and beautiful, there are plenty of activities for the kids that will cost an additional $18, but it's worth it with all that you can do, and the service is wonderful. I would recommend this trip to anyone!
Cabin Review
Balcony
A typical Carnival Balcony in a great location, provided you're a bit of a night owl. It's right by the Lobby elevators, and the nightly music will keep up someone trying to go to bed early. If you don't mind that, it's right by the forward elevators, which was super convenient for getting on and off the ship.
Port Reviews
Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)
Getting in to the port from the airport was a cheap taxi ride, but be prepared to present cruise documentation to port security as you enter.
Key West
I love Key West, and was super pleased. We didn't book, but bought a trolly tour when we got off the ship, and despite being priced higher, they honored the price that was charged on the ship, and you could get off and on the trolly all day. Make sure you eat at DJ's Clam Shack on Duval St. Best lobster roll on the planet. It's a little pricey, but well worth it.
Cozumel
Cozumel is always one of my favorite stops. We always catch a taxi to Paradise Beach, which is probably my favorite beach on the planet. It's shaded with plenty of palm trees, and admission to the beach is only $3. It costs an additional $18 to enjoy the other amenities, but it's well worth it, because you can play on the inflatables, paddle board, snorkel, or kayak for that price. The food and drinks are a little pricey, but the service and facilities are better than anywhere else on the island. We always eat at Poncho's Backyard. There is one in the port, but we always go to the one downtown. The food is amazing, and the chicken tamales are the best I've found anywhere else on the planet. It also has a really neat shop attached to it, and the taxi from the port is only $5 per person.