Carnival Conquest Cruise Review

Having been on the Carnival Liberty, Triumph, Fascination and Conquest so far I can definitely say my favorite ship of these is the Conquest. Perhaps the amazing spa balcony room we had made for a better than normal fun cruise, or maybe the yummy Blue Iguana Cantina and Guy's Burgers made us extra happy on our week long voyage. All in all our cruise on the Carnival Conquest was both relaxing and exciting!

Our room, 1102, was at the very front of the ship on the highest deck, coined the Spa Deck. The hallways smelled of oranges and the entire floor was impeccably clean. We were a stones throw from the spa, steam room and sauna. The gym, steam room and sauna are complimentary-but the spa facilities are not. Our balcony was unique in that we had a shortened roof above us, allowing for lots of sunshine during the day and breezier conditions at night. If you are sensitive to the sun or prefer more shade on your balcony you may not enjoy this room. We really liked the location and opportunity to try a different balcony style. The room itself was a standard balcony room and the movement we felt was nothing major, especially being that we were right in front of the ship. 

Our Conquest voyage was the first time we got to indulge in Guy's burgers and they were fantastic! I think we ate them every day! :) I especially loved Blue Iguana Cantina. They were open for breakfast and lunch daily and guests could choose a variety of delicious fixings for their burritos. I became quite attached to my morning egg burrito! My only wish was that these two unique food options were open longer as lines got long when they were open limited hours. The 24 hr ice cream/froyo machines were great as always. We also had a “tea time” on one afternoon of the cruise. You have to really scan your daily for the day/time of the tea experience. It was a sit down tea-time with carts of traditional scones, cakes, etc. brought around for guests to choose from with their tea. The main dining room was tasty and we had no problem finding options for dinner courses. Our server was a sweet lady who took great care of us at our own table. My son enjoyed trying the "Didja" frog legs and other interesting cuisine. As always, the entertainment during dinner was well received by everyone. The servers on Carnival do a great job for sure! :)

The entertainment on the ship included two main shows, as well as an enjoyable Hasbro Game Show which families could participate in. The comedians at Punchline Comedy Club were wonderful and there were plenty of shows for families and couples to enjoy. My son had a blast at Club O2 with the other teens participating in a few dance parties, group games and a ship wide scavenger hunt. Mini golf, poolside relaxing and shuffleboard rounded out our  four port 7 day cruise. Noonan, our cruise director was fabulous and kept all the passengers happy! Although the Conquest is an older ship she is still a super one! 

Themed Cruising Tips

Themed cruises are quite popular across both the larger and smaller cruise lines. While some cruisers purposely book a themed cruise to partake in a specialty experience, other travelers sometimes find themselves on a themed cruise unknowingly! Many theme cruises are chartered and completely reserved for these special passengers. However, some cruises may be partially full with travelers partaking in a themed cruise as well as other passengers who are either aware or unaware of the cruise specifics. So how can you ensure your successful and expected themed cruise? The first step is to contact your personal cruise consultant or travel agent- he or she can tell you if the cruise you are looking to book or are booked on is a themed cruise. Problems may come about when themed cruises don't sell out and the cruise line decides to sell reduced fares to other guests to fill up the ship. Because the typical cruise schedule is altered for a themed cruise, such as different shows and dining times, passengers who are unaware they are booked on a specialty cruise may be disappointed. There are a few other places you can look to find information out about themed cruises though. The first website is Theme Cruise Finder http://themecruisefinder.com/index.html This site allows you not only to browse the various cruise choices but it also lets you search for your cruise to see if it is a themed one. I just put in the month and year of my upcoming cruises in the  advanced search box and it pulls up any cruises scheduled with a theme. 
Cruise Critic also has a themed cruise finder-although it is a bit more cumbersome to find your exact cruise if you are checking post booking. Cruise Critic also offers a forum for themed cruise enthusiasts to share information and connect online-http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=349 
In addition to themed cruises that future passengers may encounter as an unplanned addition to their vacation, certain times of the year see extremely large groups of folks traveling together. Examples of these times are college students and families on Spring Break, which is typically in March; Yeshiva Week, which is common for cruises from the Northeast- such as the Norwegian Gem-and usually occurs the third or fourth week of January; and large family reunion cruises that normally occur in July. Of course there is no predicting who your fellow cruisers will be, but by researching your cruise ahead of time you can hopefully avert any surprises and book the cruise of your dreams! 

Ten Tips to Consider When Budgeting for Your Cruise

Lately I have been reading a lot on the Cruise Critic forums and I noticed many cruisers, particularly new cruisers, don't realize the extra costs of cruising. It is fairly typical that once folks pay off their cruise they feel like they are done spending money-yet this is not true. There are quite a few things to budget for when you take your cruise, which will be additional fees on top of your total cruise fare. Here is a list to help you budget for your voyage on the seas:

1. Gratuities- These charges range from roughly $12-$17 per person, per day and are charged by every mainstream cruise ship. All passengers are charged-even children. This gratuity charge is dispersed by the cruise lines for your room steward, main dining room staff and many behind the scenes crew. While you technically can remove these gratuities and choose to tip those you personally valued on your cruise, it is highly discouraged by the cruise lines. Additionally, most cruise lines have you fill out a reimbursement form to receive a refund within several months time, so you will initially be charged the gratuities for the passengers in your cabin-which will be charged to your credit card. What this means is that for a 7 day cruise for a family of 4 you should expect to pay an additional estimated $400. This amount will vary a bit based on what your cruise line charges per person, per day, as well as the type of room you sail in. Suites on Norwegian, for example, are more costly for daily gratuities by a few more dollars.

2. Butler/Concierge Tips- Speaking of suites, if you are a suite passenger and have a butler and concierge you are expected to give each a tip at the end of the cruise. Your daily service charge/gratuities does not include these two specialty staff members. The common amount dispersed to the concierge seems to be between $25 and $50 for the week to the concierge, depending on how much he or she helped your family with planning and logistics. The typical tip for your butler, depending on how much he or she assisted your family and met your needs, is between $100 and $200 for a week long cruise. So if you have a suite booked plan to spend at least an additional $125 for your cruise, but prepare for twice that amount.

3. Parking/Transportation- Unless you are being dropped off and picked up at the cruise by a family member you will need to park your vehicle if you drive to the port. Most official parking lots, which are adjacent to the ports are about $20 per night, although a port in New York is quite a bit more per night. There are other independent parking lots in the vicinity of all major ports where you can park, with many of them being safe and reputable. Should you use these lots you will likely need to take a shuttle to and from the port, which most all external lots provide. These shuttles do usually run according to a certain schedule, or when they have enough passengers to make the trip worthwhile. If you are set on getting to the port at a specific time then parking right at the pier may be your best bet. In general parking costs can average anywhere from $50 to $200 for a week long trip. If you take a plane plan to get a cab, cruise sponsored van or an Uber to get to the cruise ship pier. These costs are highly variable based on your location and travel time to the pier. Research before you travel to have an idea of cab ride fares, etc.

4. Excursions- Unless you have chosen ship sponsored excursions and prepaid these, plan to have cash and a reliable credit card for port plans. A few hundred dollars in smaller denominations for cab rides, meals, activities and souvenirs is ideal. There are ATM machines on cruise ships, as well as at most ports, but there is usually a higher than normal fee to withdraw money. We use a credit card that does not have a big limit so if someone were to misuse the card they could only charge so much fraudulently before we could take care of the situation. Some port stops are very inexpensive and your family can enjoy a free beach or walking around the local area to take in the sights and culture. Do your research before your cruise to have an idea of what you plan to do and spend on your cruise port stops. 

5. On Board Expenses- These extra expenses range from drinks (if you don't have a beverage package or want bottled water, soda, etc.), souvenirs from the ship (tee shirts, bags, etc), merchandise (cruise ships sell lots of jewelry, clothing, cigars and liquor) and dining/shows not covered in your cruise fare. 

6. Cruise Insurance- Some passengers elect to buy cruise insurance in case of injury, illness, or an inability to take the intended trip. While the cruise lines do offer their own insurance plans, Insure My Trip is a reputable website that offers a variety of plans and insurance options to meet your needs. Check out https://www.insuremytrip.com/

7. Incidentals on the Cruise Ship- If you forget your toothbrush or need band aids you can buy them on the ship-but for a hefty fee! Check out these two posts on The Cheerful Cruiser for ideas on what not to forget when packing for your trip- http://thecheerfulcruiser.blogspot.com/2016/06/dont-forget-to-pack-these-five-items.html  and http://thecheerfulcruiser.blogspot.com/2016/05/five-things-to-bring-on-your-next-cruise.html 

8. Children's Program Activity Fees- Activities for your littlest sailors are abundant on most major cruise lines. That being said, some cruise ships have extra activities your kiddos can partake in for an additional fee. These might include a special craft or cupcake decorating. 

9. Arcades/Virtual Rides/Theaters and Games- The arcade is not free, and neither is the bowling or the 4-D theater experience many ships offer. Some cruise lines, like MSC offer a flat rate for the week for a family to enjoy the simulator ride and 4-D theater, while other ships charge your experiences to your sign and sail card as you go.

10. Additional Tips- You may have a favorite bartender or sever on the ship, or a crew member that goes out of his or her way to make your family feel special. These are examples of when you may wish to tip additional monies to crew and staff. Some folks suggest keeping a stack of singles handy for occasions like these. 

Whatever you choose to spend your hard earned money on during your next cruise, take time to budget any definite, plausible and possible expenses before you go! :)

Noteworthy Nassau Island Tour

On our second trip to Nassau we decided to take a private tour of the island, as my mom was with us and this was her first time in the Bahamas! Once we walked off the ship, which was the Carnival Liberty, we walked to the area right outside the port and found several vendors with signs for tours. This area was before you get to the marketplace where folks sell crafts and wares. A nice gal named Linda approached us and offered a tour of about three hours around Nassau, with stops at Atlantis, shopping areas, the beach and local sites. We chose to partake in this $20 per person tour and were seated in an air conditioned van with plenty of space for the four of us. 
Being the holiday season we enjoyed not only the exquisite decor at Atlantis, but also their Christmas decorations! 

Linda took us to Atlantis and asked us how much time we wished to spend browsing around. We ended up being there for about thirty minutes, taking photos and seeing the massive water park and glamorous amenities. Once we met Linda outside we embarked on about an hour driving tour around Nassau where our friendly tour guide showed us the waterfront areas, the downtown landmarks, schools, typical homes and shopping centers. We asked a ton of questions as my mom and I are teachers and I homeschool my son! Linda answered every question we had- like the food Bahamians love (curried goat) and a favorite fast food of many islanders (KFC).

Pictured above is our trusty tour guide, who also took us to several marketplace/shopping areas around the city. We did not get a name of a tour company she was with, but you can locate her team of tour guides easily outside the port- they all wear similar clothing. This was truly a relaxing and educational tour of Nassau that we experienced, and I would definitely recommend checking out the local drivers for a tour the next time you stop in Nassau. Many cruisers have been to this popular port of call many times and have never really learned about the people and the area. I am sure glad I did! :) 

Top-Notch Trip to the Turtle Farm in Grand Cayman

Any trip to Grand Cayman warrants a visit to see the amazing turtles at the Cayman Turtle Farm! Our first visit in December was part of an island tour, so we did not get to spend as much time as we would have liked to. I am happy our next cruise to Grand Cayman is about 8 months away as we plan to visit the turtles for at least half a day! :) The experience at the Cayman Turtle Farm is perfect for all ages, and you can be as hands on or hands off as you wish. My family loved the experience of holding the sea turtles-they are very calm easy to handle, with care of course. :) The ticket price for admission is $18 for adults and $9 for children ages 4 and up. Kiddos younger than 4 are free. Located roughly 8 miles from Georgetown, Grand Cayman, this attraction is often times part of several stops on an island tour of various attractions. Our particular tour was $20 per person for a visit to Hell in Grand Cayman, an island tour with a stop for Rum Cake, shopping and a stop at the turtle farm. We paid $10 per person with a voucher from our tour guide to get into the turtle farm, although we only had about an hour to spend there. You can definitely get a cab to take you to/from the farm and pay admission on your own. An economical option for transportation from the cruise port area to the farm is via Grand Cayman's public bus system. According to the farm's website the bus terminal is located adjacent to the Public Library on Edward St. in downtown George Town and there are 38 mini-buses operated with daily service beginning 6:00 am from the depot to West Bay every 15 minutes.While the bus route schedule below is current as of August 2016, do check before your trip to be sure all is still as anticipated.

	Color Code	Time	Fare
Route 1 (Directly to Cayman Turtle Farm)	Yellow	6:00am - 11:00pm Sunday - Thursday	CI $2.00
Route 2	Lime Green	6:00am - Midnight Friday & Saturday	CI $2.00 Plus Extra CI $1.00 to Stop at the Turtle Farm

In addition to turtle touch tanks there is a turtle lagoon, aviary, a lagoon for swimming with waterfalls and water slides, a predator reef for viewing, a nature trail, animal feeding shows, a breeding pond and Schooners Bar and Grill. There is an expansive gift shop and clean restroom facilities as well. If you are planning to enjoy the swimming/aquatic activities do allow at least 3-4 hours to fit in all of the fun this farm has to offer. It will be hot, so bring plenty of sunscreen and water, as well as swimsuits and towels if you will be taking a dip to cool off. Educationally speaking, this is an excellent trip for children and adults as there is lots of information about the turtles, as well as other Caribbean creatures at the park. Check out their website and plan a trip to this top-notch tourist spot- https://www.turtle.ky/