Back from Carnival Conquest - Quite Long

I won¹t bore you with all the details of our trip to New Orleans, but have
to share one small story. On Friday night we were driving to Memphis to stay
with my dad for the night. The sunset was spectacular, like nothing we¹ve
seen in a while. Emily loves sunsets, and always stops what she¹s doing to
take it all in. She asked me ³Grandma, how do you think God makes the sky
that color?² I told her I really didn¹t know. She thought a minute and asked
³Do you think those are God¹s clothes we¹re seeing? Is that what He¹s
wearing?²

We arrived in New Orleans on Saturday evening, and checked in to our room
at the Hilton Riverwalk. We were guests of Harrah¹s casino, and were able to
park in their garage for free for the duration of the cruise. Nice savings.

Since we were traveling with young children, we knew that we didn¹t belong
on Bourbon Street or in any of the Œhot spots¹ around town. We took them for
dinner to Mospero¹s * Emily was adventurous and had some of everything.
Andrea stuck to her burger and fries. The food was good, the atmosphere was
very family oriented. By the time we finished dinner it was after 9:00 p.m.,
and we had some cranky, tired girls on our hands. They had spent the day in
a car driving from Memphis to New Orleans and all they wanted to do was swim
in the hotel pool. We walked back to the Hilton and enjoyed the people and
scenery Š ³wow, grandma, those are REAL palm trees!² I stopped by Harrah¹s
to make a donation while they went back to the hotel.

I¹m usually the first to rise, so I snuck out of the room about 7:00 a.m.
There she was, in all her glory: The Carnival Conquest. Waiting for us.
Shimmering in the morning sunrise.

Back to the room, where Andrea was awake. She and I walked down to the
Riverwalk area and found Café du Monde open and serving beignets and café au
lait. Great way to start the morning. Andrea loved her beignets, and we
bought a few to take back to Emily and Grandpa.

Finally the lazy ones got up Š after much coaxing and a promise of beignets
in bed. A stroll the length of the Riverwalk showed just how close we were
to the pier. The girls were so excited they were doing cartwheels !!!! Spent
some time looking at the shops in the Riverwalk Mall Š the girls were much
too excited to do anything but ask every 5 minutes ³Can we get on the ship
yet?² They didn¹t want to leave Riverwalk because they could keep an eye on
³their² ship.

Now, on to the important stuff.
Since there were four of us, we had quite a bit of luggage. Taxi fares are
high in New Orleans * it would have been $10 a person to go from the Hilton
to the pier. So, we loaded the luggage and me in a taxi, and Jay and the
girls walked the few blocks, while I waited at the pier for them with the
luggage.

The usual porter talk of ³now here is where you tip me $1 a bag² and we were
into the line to enter the terminal. It seemed looooooooooong, but it moved
quickly. Every few feet someone handed us a piece of paper to read *
information about carry on baggage, what to do when you got on the ship,
etc. All the Carnival employees that morning were smiling and welcoming. A
quick double-check of paperwork to make sure I had everyone¹s identification
(always have to check at the last minute!). The lines inside filled the
roped off areas. There were two sections, and we moved down to the second
section. Passed the time in line talking to our fellow cruisers. Before we
knew it we were at the desk signing in. Computers were moving slowly, but
check-in only took a few minutes. Right from there to pick up our sign and
sail cards. Followed the crowd to the next room, where we showed ID once
again and were asked to sit in rows of chairs. Once all the rows were filled
we were up and moving into the next room, where we stood in another line.
(What is it with these people and lines??) Embarkation photos by the
Carnival staff in front of a fake New Orleans background. Then we were on to
the security checkpoint. My husband¹s belt set off their buzzers, so he had
to remove that Š once we got through the detectors he had to stop to put his
belt back on as security tried to herd us along Š ³keep moving, please,
keeping moving.² Jay laughed and said ³I have to put my belt on Š otherwise
my pants will fall down and NOBODY wants to see that.² The security guard
chuckled, and let us step aside so he could get his belt on.

Up the escalators, where we could see the ship. On one of the balconies was
a young couple locked in a passionate embrace. My granddaughters said
³ooooooo, grandma, look at that !!!! I bet they don¹t know we can see them.²
Everyone on the escalator laughed, and started cheering the couple on Š

Once on the ship we went directly to our cabin to drop off our heavy carry
on bags and found several of our suitcases already waiting for us outside
the door. This was less than an hour after we left them with our
$1-a-bag-porter. We decided to quickly unpack some things or our stateroom
would fill to the brim with suitcases. We were on the Main Deck Forward,
inside quad room 2295. Our cabin steward knocked on the door about 5 minutes
later to introduce himself * his name was Renaldo and we was very friendly
and always smiling. Our request to unlock and empty the refrigerator was met
with a big smile and ³certainly, right away. I will have it done while you
are at dinner this evening.² And he did. Presto.

Our quad room worked well for us. The girls enjoyed the upper bunks with
their own lights, climbing the ladders, and that they could see the
television from bed !!! One of the lower beds could not see television when
the upper berths were lowered. With the berths lowered, the room felt quite
crowded, but when raised the room opened up quite a bit. We had gone with
the over-the-bathroom door shoe holder, and it sure came in handy. All our
essentials fit quite nicely in there, with room to spare. Our closet
contained 4 bathrobes, so for those who want to know, YES, interior cabins
come with bathrobes on the Conquest. The hairdryer was in a dresser drawer,
and wasn¹t very powerful. If you have more than three strands of hair on
your head, I would suggest bringing your own hair dryer from home. The
shower had two dispensers: one for shampoo and one for body gel. I would
have preferred one for shampoo and one for conditioner (because we forgot
ours!). The usual butt-hugging shower curtain did little to keep the water
contained inside the shower, especially when the girls were taking their
showers.

We were on one of the Past Guest Reunion cruises, and our Cabin Steward
quickly delivered our bag of goodies. We were surprised to find four of
everything in the nice waterproof bag. (The girls were not past cruisers!).
The towels, tshirts and key chains were a big hit. The girls slept in their
tshirts every night. The bag was used for beach trips, and to carry home
some wonderful gifts they received.

We were quickly up on deck, cell phone in hand. The girls were STARVING.

The sail away was exciting. We called Andrea & Emily¹s mommy on the
cellphone, and she was watching the web cam at the Port of New Orleans¹
website Š The girls jumped up and down and waved * and mommy was SURE she
saw us Š :wink:
Lifeboat drill was uneventful. Then we were off to our 6:15 dinner.

Our dinner companions also were traveling with two children, about the same
age as ours. The two older girls hit it off from the first moment, and were
inseparable the entire cruise. The other two weren¹t compatible * ours was
an 8 year old girl, theirs was a 7 year old boy, need I say more? I think
there were cooties involved somehow. My only disappointment was that our
tablemates weren¹t into the dining room experience. First formal night the
woman wore a skirt, cotton top and flip flops. We were in formal wear and
had done our hair, had photos taken, and were using our best grown up
manners. They were more the shorts and t-shirts people. Didn¹t spoil the
cruise, but it did detract a bit from the festive feeling we had created Š
Even Andrea noticed. She had wanted to have a formal picture taken with her
new best friend, but whispered to grandpa ³I can¹t have a formal picture
taken with her, I¹m all dressed up and she¹s not and that wouldn¹t look very
good.²

Our servers were Martin and his assistant, Veronica. Martin was from
Honduras and Veronica was from Peru. Emily has been learning Spanish in
school, and the first evening she said ³Buenos dias² to Veronica * well that
started her daily Spanish lessons from Veronica, even if we saw her on the
Lido deck, she would speak simple phrases to Emily and encourage her to give
her answers in Spanish. Every evening she came and got the girls to dance
with the dancing waiters. They laughed and danced and paraded around the
dining room. The last night of the cruise, an elderly woman we had been
speaking to, who sat across the aisle from us at dinner, came over and
complimented us on the girls¹ behavior, and asked to take a picture of them.

The kids all ordered every evening from the adult menu Š Martin was quite
surprised that our girls liked their steaks medium rare. He would serve them
first, then carefully cut their steaks, always joking ³Now, do I get the
first bite??² The bar waitress was very attentive. The girls like Shirley
Temples, and every evening she made sure their Shirley Temples were waiting
for them at the table when they arrived. They were very impressed.

Our first adventure was to attend the Camp Carnival sign-up and family
party. We were dancing in Henri¹s Disco. Lots of interaction and silly
games. Funship Freddy came by to dance with us. That¹s got to be one hot
costume to be wearing in the Caribbean! Made new friends and had a great
time. I¹ve kept copies of all the Camp Carnival daily activity sheets and
hope to scan them some day soon. The counselors were great, the activities
were very age appropriate. The 10 year old was old enough to sign herself in
and out of Camp Carnival, but I had to sign the 8 year old in and out. She
was a little jealous of her sister¹s freedom, but I could see that the size
of the ship was a little overwhelming for her Š and 10 year old sisters
don¹t always take good care of their 8 year old sisters, so I was glad she
had to be signed in and out. One evening my husband and I had a ³date² and
we were able to sign a permission slip for our dinner companions to sign
Emily in and out for us. That meant we could go to dinner at the Point (more
to come on that) and not have to worry about timing.

The first two days were days at sea. Relaxed by the pool. Ate too much.
Made our donations at the casino. I¹m a 3 card poker player, and met some
fun folks playing cards. Those sea days become a blur, and it¹s hard to
remember what happened when.

We ate all our breakfast and lunch meals on the Lido deck. The kids could
have kids fare and were happy with that. Our only complaint was the
situation of the omlette station * it is at the end of the line, and holds
everything up. Even if you don¹t want an omlette, you are held up by the
people ahead of you who do, because where they have to stand blocks all the
other food. There are generally 4 or more food lines open at a time, so we
would look around for the shortest one. The food at Sur Mer was very good,
as was the Sushi.

On Tuesday evening we had to make a stop in Grand Cayman to drop off a man
who was ill Š rumor was that it was a heart attack. I had met his wife, and
she only told me that he was ³very ill.²

Wednesday morning, Jamaica
We were up early, up to the Lido Deck for breakfast. We had made
arrangements with another couple to meet up and make our own tour. Off the
ship we found a JUTA taxi driver and negotiated a five hour tour for $100.
His name was Garry, and I have his information if anyone wants a great tour
guide of Jamaica. We drove all over Montego Bay. One of our stops was the
Richmon Hotel for a great view. One of the couples I had met playing cards
in the casino were there * getting married. Their witnesses were there to
take video, but were instead walking the bride down the aisle, so I took up
their video camera and videotaped the wedding. The bride was gorgeous, her
flowers were provided by the hotel and were breathtaking. A german shepherd
wandered in and out of the gazebo, becoming part of the wedding party * but
I don¹t think bride and groom even noticed. We went to a place called
³Scotchie¹s² for jerk pork and chicken and the best sweet potatoes you¹ll
ever taste. The kids looked at the menu and said ³Grandma, we can¹t afford
to eat here, a chicken costs $600 !!!!² We had to explain that was $600
Jamaican dollars, and it was very cheap in American dollars and they could
eat anything they wanted. We recommend it highly, but suggest you have
Jamaican money before you get there * their exchange rate isn¹t very good.
It was our second time there, and we found out the first time!

Emily asked Garry (our guide) if he knew somewhere she could get her hair
braided. He picked up his cell phone and made a quick call. In 5 minutes we
were at a little shop where Emily¹s hair was quickly braided by two
delightful women who talked to her the whole time. They put extra braids in
and refused payment for them, they were a gift to Emily.

By having Garry with us we were never approached by people begging or
offering ³smoke.² He made sure everyone knew we were HIS people, and not to
be bothered. He explained things to the kids and pointed out sugar cane
growing, animals and plants.

Thursday morning, Grand Cayman
We had an early morning excursion booked with Nativeway Watersports, and had
to be off on one of the first tender boats. We immediately found the
Nativeway sign, and were told to meet in 30 minutes, so we walked across the
street and looked around at the shops.

Our excursion with Nativeway was a trip to Stingray City and a coral reef to
snorkel. The water was pretty rough that morning, and about half the
passengers on our boat got seasick, my husband included. I¹m not a very
strong swimmer, and was wearing a vest * still had trouble staying above
water. I¹d end up head down, feet up in the air. It was too much for the
girls. This was their first time to even SEE the ocean, so it was a lot to
take in. They really wanted to see the stingrays, but the water was too high
and the swells too big for them. Emily finally let our boat operator carry
her out, where she petted and held a Stingray. She was very happy. At the
coral reef, again we were faced with high swells. The girls sat on the rear
deck of the boat and let their feet dangle down. Emily even got in the
water, holding on to the ladder and paddling around, but wouldn¹t wear a
snorkel mask. I would highly recommend Nativeway. Our guides were kind and
patient, especially with the children. One of them would dive off the side
of the boat, pick up a stingray and bring it close enough for the kids to
pet. Their price was $25 a person, US.

Friday morning, Cozumel
This is one of my favorite places. We had breakfast, got off the ship and
took a taxi directly to Chankanaab. This time the girls weren¹t as afraid.
There is an area with very shallow water, where you can almost walk right
out into the ocean, with sandy beach and lounge chairs. The entrance to the
park was $10 US for adults, children 10 and under were free. We rented
snorkel gear from them for about $6 a person. My husband has leg problems,
and can¹t swim because of them, so I was the one taking the girls out.
Andrea went first, and wasn¹t timid. She wanted me to hold on to her life
vest, but she had her face in the water, looking down the entire time. She
had her underwater camera and took lots of pictures.

Emily took some coaxing, but once she got there she was excited. I had her
look back to see how far she had gone Š she took one look and then just
plopped her snorkel mask right back in the water.


The Point
The first thing we had done as we boarded the ship was make reservations at
the Point for Friday night, which was our wedding anniversary. It was quite
an experienceŠ of course it starts out with my husband losing his sail and
sign card, and calling from the Point to have new ones issued. Seated at the
table next two us were a couple I had spent a good deal of time at the
casino with * and they were witnesses at the wedding in Jamaica. We ended up
sharing a table with them, and had a delightful evening.

Carnival has tried very hard to make the Point a five-star dining
experience. (And, yes, I have eaten at other five-star restaurants.) They
ALMOST have it right Š just a few things need to be tweaked. The first thing
is the chairs. They either need more padding, or they just need to get
different chairs. All four of us found them very uncomfortable to sit in,
and they cut the circulation off on the back of our legs. The windows are
covered with blinds, so there is no romantic ocean view while dining. We
peeked out the windows, and there wasn¹t even a view, just cleaning
equipment storage.

I had the surf & turf, which was broiled lobster & filet, both done to
perfection. The Lobster Bisque is probably the best I¹ve ever had. My
husband had the porterhouse, which was cooked exactly the way he ordered.

The servers were not quite as attentive as they could have been. Their
recitation of the menu was memorized and very rote, not much excitement.
They could not describe ingredients in dishes to us or explain preparation.

It was a pleasant evening, the food was well above that in the dining room,
but the Point just misses the mark, in our opinion.

The girls had Camp Carnival parties that evening * Emily¹s went until
midnight and Andrea¹s went to 3:30 a.m. They were very happy with their
experience, but slept until 11:00 the next day!



Saturday was our last sea day. We spent most of it by the pool. I believe
that was the Chocolate Buffett day Š which was MARVELOUS.



My thoughts, especially for those traveling with kids:



If you¹re traveling with kids, Camp Carnival is SUPERB. By the second day
the counselors knew each child by name, recognized the parents, knew who
were siblings. By the second day the kids knew their way around the ship
better than we did.

I¹ve thought I should have only packed each girl 5 swimsuits and 2 dresses.
I think they wore their swimsuits more than they wore anything.

Make sure any flip flops are broken in Š blisters on vacation aren¹t fun.

The only medication I needed was cold sore medication, and it was the only
thing I forgot to bring!!

Save a few ³underwater camera² photos for the kids to take pictures of their
friends around the pool. And buy your underwater cameras at Walmart before
you leave home, they¹re half the price you¹ll find on the ship or in the
islands.

The over-the-door holder saves a lot of precious space.

Bring your own blow dryer for hair Š the ones in the cabins aren¹t nearly
strong enough.
The music on the Lido deck is repetitious. The same series of songs played
over and over and over.

Security WILL talk to people acting inappropriately, especially quickly
during the 12-2 ³family swim time² without prompting from guests.

There are whirlpools on the Lido deck where children ARE allowed, if
accompanied by an adult. Only the AFT whirlpool is for adults-only. We made
sure the girls followed this rule.

The whirlpool just under the slide is COLD. Very COLD. The others were nice
& warm.

The slide is a big hit. If you¹re an adult, lying down will make you go down
much faster than sitting up.

We purchased drink cards for the kids, and they never had a problem at any
of the bars getting a soft drink. The servers were very polite to them and
waited on them promptly. I was looking down at the lobby bar one afternoon,
and there sat 8 year old Emily, sipping a Coke, and having a chat with the
bartender and a young couple. Everyone was laughing and having a good time.
The children were always welcomed by everyone we met. They had conversations
with people in elevators, who were always curious as to how they were
enjoying their cruise. Since the children had some freedom to roam without
us, they did make new friends -- some of whom were well into their 70s and
80s. They would stop the girls when we were with them to visit and tell us
how much they enjoyed the children.

The girls really enjoyed formal nights. We went to each and every photograph
station to have our pictures taken, and picked the very best of them to
purchase.

Thanks for the review Cathy

--
Christy
Phil 4:13

On Thu, 30 Oct 2003 09:49:09 -0600, Cathy Heidemann
wrote:

. On Friday night we were driving to Memphis to stay
with my dad for the night. The sunset was spectacular, like nothing we¹ve
seen in a while. Emily loves sunsets, and always stops what she¹s doing to
take it all in. She asked me ³Grandma, how do you think God makes the sky
that color?² I told her I really didn¹t know. She thought a minute and asked
³Do you think those are God¹s clothes we¹re seeing? Is that what He¹s
wearing?²

Cute but one problem.

When you got to Memphis, you found the home of Satan.

On Thu, 30 Oct 2003 16:25:32 GMT, "Christy Bennington"
wrote:

Christy
Phil 4:13

Phl 4:13 - " I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me."

Do you believe that this is an appropriate sig line for a cruise
newsgroup?

I'm glad you had a great time Cathy! we go soon!!!!

--
Sheree

"Cathy Heidemann" wrote in message
...
I won¹t bore you with all the details of our trip to New Orleans, but have
to share one small story. On Friday night we were driving to Memphis to
stay
with my dad for the night. The sunset was spectacular, like nothing we¹ve
seen in a while. Emily loves sunsets, and always stops what she¹s doing to
take it all in. She asked me ³Grandma, how do you think God makes the sky
that color?² I told her I really didn¹t know. She thought a minute and
asked
³Do you think those are God¹s clothes we¹re seeing? Is that what He¹s
wearing?²

We arrived in New Orleans on Saturday evening, and checked in to our room
at the Hilton Riverwalk. We were guests of Harrah¹s casino, and were able
to
park in their garage for free for the duration of the cruise. Nice
savings.

Since we were traveling with young children, we knew that we didn¹t
belong
on Bourbon Street or in any of the Ohot spots¹ around town. We took them
for
dinner to Mospero¹s * Emily was adventurous and had some of everything.
Andrea stuck to her burger and fries. The food was good, the atmosphere
was
very family oriented. By the time we finished dinner it was after 9:00
p.m.,
and we had some cranky, tired girls on our hands. They had spent the day
in
a car driving from Memphis to New Orleans and all they wanted to do was
swim
in the hotel pool. We walked back to the Hilton and enjoyed the people and
scenery S ³wow, grandma, those are REAL palm trees!² I stopped by Harrah¹s
to make a donation while they went back to the hotel.

I¹m usually the first to rise, so I snuck out of the room about 7:00 a.m.
There she was, in all her glory: The Carnival Conquest. Waiting for us.
Shimmering in the morning sunrise.

Back to the room, where Andrea was awake. She and I walked down to the
Riverwalk area and found Café du Monde open and serving beignets and café
au
lait. Great way to start the morning. Andrea loved her beignets, and we
bought a few to take back to Emily and Grandpa.

Finally the lazy ones got up S after much coaxing and a promise of
beignets
in bed. A stroll the length of the Riverwalk showed just how close we were
to the pier. The girls were so excited they were doing cartwheels !!!!
Spent
some time looking at the shops in the Riverwalk Mall S the girls were much
too excited to do anything but ask every 5 minutes ³Can we get on the ship
yet?² They didn¹t want to leave Riverwalk because they could keep an eye
on
³their² ship.

Now, on to the important stuff.
Since there were four of us, we had quite a bit of luggage. Taxi fares are
high in New Orleans * it would have been $10 a person to go from the
Hilton
to the pier. So, we loaded the luggage and me in a taxi, and Jay and the
girls walked the few blocks, while I waited at the pier for them with the
luggage.

The usual porter talk of ³now here is where you tip me $1 a bag² and we
were
into the line to enter the terminal. It seemed looooooooooong, but it
moved
quickly. Every few feet someone handed us a piece of paper to read *
information about carry on baggage, what to do when you got on the ship,
etc. All the Carnival employees that morning were smiling and welcoming. A
quick double-check of paperwork to make sure I had everyone¹s
identification
(always have to check at the last minute!). The lines inside filled the
roped off areas. There were two sections, and we moved down to the second
section. Passed the time in line talking to our fellow cruisers. Before we
knew it we were at the desk signing in. Computers were moving slowly, but
check-in only took a few minutes. Right from there to pick up our sign and
sail cards. Followed the crowd to the next room, where we showed ID once
again and were asked to sit in rows of chairs. Once all the rows were
filled
we were up and moving into the next room, where we stood in another line.
(What is it with these people and lines??) Embarkation photos by the
Carnival staff in front of a fake New Orleans background. Then we were on
to
the security checkpoint. My husband¹s belt set off their buzzers, so he
had
to remove that S once we got through the detectors he had to stop to put
his
belt back on as security tried to herd us along S ³keep moving, please,
keeping moving.² Jay laughed and said ³I have to put my belt on S
otherwise
my pants will fall down and NOBODY wants to see that.² The security guard
chuckled, and let us step aside so he could get his belt on.

Up the escalators, where we could see the ship. On one of the balconies
was
a young couple locked in a passionate embrace. My granddaughters said
³ooooooo, grandma, look at that !!!! I bet they don¹t know we can see
them.²
Everyone on the escalator laughed, and started cheering the couple on S

Once on the ship we went directly to our cabin to drop off our heavy
carry
on bags and found several of our suitcases already waiting for us outside
the door. This was less than an hour after we left them with our
$1-a-bag-porter. We decided to quickly unpack some things or our stateroom
would fill to the brim with suitcases. We were on the Main Deck Forward,
inside quad room 2295. Our cabin steward knocked on the door about 5
minutes
later to introduce himself * his name was Renaldo and we was very friendly
and always smiling. Our request to unlock and empty the refrigerator was
met
with a big smile and ³certainly, right away. I will have it done while you
are at dinner this evening.² And he did. Presto.

Our quad room worked well for us. The girls enjoyed the upper bunks with
their own lights, climbing the ladders, and that they could see the
television from bed !!! One of the lower beds could not see television
when
the upper berths were lowered. With the berths lowered, the room felt
quite
crowded, but when raised the room opened up quite a bit. We had gone with
the over-the-bathroom door shoe holder, and it sure came in handy. All our
essentials fit quite nicely in there, with room to spare. Our closet
contained 4 bathrobes, so for those who want to know, YES, interior cabins
come with bathrobes on the Conquest. The hairdryer was in a dresser
drawer,
and wasn¹t very powerful. If you have more than three strands of hair on
your head, I would suggest bringing your own hair dryer from home. The
shower had two dispensers: one for shampoo and one for body gel. I would
have preferred one for shampoo and one for conditioner (because we forgot
ours!). The usual butt-hugging shower curtain did little to keep the water
contained inside the shower, especially when the girls were taking their
showers.

We were on one of the Past Guest Reunion cruises, and our Cabin Steward
quickly delivered our bag of goodies. We were surprised to find four of
everything in the nice waterproof bag. (The girls were not past
cruisers!).
The towels, tshirts and key chains were a big hit. The girls slept in
their
tshirts every night. The bag was used for beach trips, and to carry home
some wonderful gifts they received.

We were quickly up on deck, cell phone in hand. The girls were STARVING.

The sail away was exciting. We called Andrea & Emily¹s mommy on the
cellphone, and she was watching the web cam at the Port of New Orleans¹
website S The girls jumped up and down and waved * and mommy was SURE she
saw us S :wink:
Lifeboat drill was uneventful. Then we were off to our 6:15 dinner.

Our dinner companions also were traveling with two children, about the
same
age as ours. The two older girls hit it off from the first moment, and
were
inseparable the entire cruise. The other two weren¹t compatible * ours was
an 8 year old girl, theirs was a 7 year old boy, need I say more? I think
there were cooties involved somehow. My only disappointment was that our
tablemates weren¹t into the dining room experience. First formal night the
woman wore a skirt, cotton top and flip flops. We were in formal wear and
had done our hair, had photos taken, and were using our best grown up
manners. They were more the shorts and t-shirts people. Didn¹t spoil the
cruise, but it did detract a bit from the festive feeling we had created S
Even Andrea noticed. She had wanted to have a formal picture taken with
her
new best friend, but whispered to grandpa ³I can¹t have a formal picture
taken with her, I¹m all dressed up and she¹s not and that wouldn¹t look
very
good.²

Our servers were Martin and his assistant, Veronica. Martin was from
Honduras and Veronica was from Peru. Emily has been learning Spanish in
school, and the first evening she said ³Buenos dias² to Veronica * well
that
started her daily Spanish lessons from Veronica, even if we saw her on the
Lido deck, she would speak simple phrases to Emily and encourage her to
give
her answers in Spanish. Every evening she came and got the girls to dance
with the dancing waiters. They laughed and danced and paraded around the
dining room. The last night of the cruise, an elderly woman we had been
speaking to, who sat across the aisle from us at dinner, came over and
complimented us on the girls¹ behavior, and asked to take a picture of
them.

The kids all ordered every evening from the adult menu S Martin was quite
surprised that our girls liked their steaks medium rare. He would serve
them
first, then carefully cut their steaks, always joking ³Now, do I get the
first bite??² The bar waitress was very attentive. The girls like Shirley
Temples, and every evening she made sure their Shirley Temples were
waiting
for them at the table when they arrived. They were very impressed.

Our first adventure was to attend the Camp Carnival sign-up and family
party. We were dancing in Henri¹s Disco. Lots of interaction and silly
games. Funship Freddy came by to dance with us. That¹s got to be one hot
costume to be wearing in the Caribbean! Made new friends and had a great
time. I¹ve kept copies of all the Camp Carnival daily activity sheets and
hope to scan them some day soon. The counselors were great, the activities
were very age appropriate. The 10 year old was old enough to sign herself
in
and out of Camp Carnival, but I had to sign the 8 year old in and out. She
was a little jealous of her sister¹s freedom, but I could see that the
size
of the ship was a little overwhelming for her S and 10 year old sisters
don¹t always take good care of their 8 year old sisters, so I was glad she
had to be signed in and out. One evening my husband and I had a ³date² and
we were able to sign a permission slip for our dinner companions to sign
Emily in and out for us. That meant we could go to dinner at the Point
(more
to come on that) and not have to worry about timing.

The first two days were days at sea. Relaxed by the pool. Ate too much.
Made our donations at the casino. I¹m a 3 card poker player, and met some
fun folks playing cards. Those sea days become a blur, and it¹s hard to
remember what happened when.

We ate all our breakfast and lunch meals on the Lido deck. The kids could
have kids fare and were happy with that. Our only complaint was the
situation of the omlette station * it is at the end of the line, and holds
everything up. Even if you don¹t want an omlette, you are held up by the
people ahead of you who do, because where they have to stand blocks all
the
other food. There are generally 4 or more food lines open at a time, so we
would look around for the shortest one. The food at Sur Mer was very good,
as was the Sushi.

On Tuesday evening we had to make a stop in Grand Cayman to drop off a
man
who was ill S rumor was that it was a heart attack. I had met his wife,
and
she only told me that he was ³very ill.²

Wednesday morning, Jamaica
We were up early, up to the Lido Deck for breakfast. We had made
arrangements with another couple to meet up and make our own tour. Off the
ship we found a JUTA taxi driver and negotiated a five hour tour for $100.
His name was Garry, and I have his information if anyone wants a great
tour
guide of Jamaica. We drove all over Montego Bay. One of our stops was the
Richmon Hotel for a great view. One of the couples I had met playing cards
in the casino were there * getting married. Their witnesses were there to
take video, but were instead walking the bride down the aisle, so I took
up
their video camera and videotaped the wedding. The bride was gorgeous, her
flowers were provided by the hotel and were breathtaking. A german
shepherd
wandered in and out of the gazebo, becoming part of the wedding party *
but
I don¹t think bride and groom even noticed. We went to a place called
³Scotchie¹s² for jerk pork and chicken and the best sweet potatoes you¹ll
ever taste. The kids looked at the menu and said ³Grandma, we can¹t afford
to eat here, a chicken costs $600 !!!!² We had to explain that was $600
Jamaican dollars, and it was very cheap in American dollars and they could
eat anything they wanted. We recommend it highly, but suggest you have
Jamaican money before you get there * their exchange rate isn¹t very good.
It was our second time there, and we found out the first time!

Emily asked Garry (our guide) if he knew somewhere she could get her hair
braided. He picked up his cell phone and made a quick call. In 5 minutes
we
were at a little shop where Emily¹s hair was quickly braided by two
delightful women who talked to her the whole time. They put extra braids
in
and refused payment for them, they were a gift to Emily.

By having Garry with us we were never approached by people begging or
offering ³smoke.² He made sure everyone knew we were HIS people, and not
to
be bothered. He explained things to the kids and pointed out sugar cane
growing, animals and plants.

Thursday morning, Grand Cayman
We had an early morning excursion booked with Nativeway Watersports, and
had
to be off on one of the first tender boats. We immediately found the
Nativeway sign, and were told to meet in 30 minutes, so we walked across
the
street and looked around at the shops.

Our excursion with Nativeway was a trip to Stingray City and a coral reef
to
snorkel. The water was pretty rough that morning, and about half the
passengers on our boat got seasick, my husband included. I¹m not a very
strong swimmer, and was wearing a vest * still had trouble staying above
water. I¹d end up head down, feet up in the air. It was too much for the
girls. This was their first time to even SEE the ocean, so it was a lot to
take in. They really wanted to see the stingrays, but the water was too
high
and the swells too big for them. Emily finally let our boat operator carry
her out, where she petted and held a Stingray. She was very happy. At the
coral reef, again we were faced with high swells. The girls sat on the
rear
deck of the boat and let their feet dangle down. Emily even got in the
water, holding on to the ladder and paddling around, but wouldn¹t wear a
snorkel mask. I would highly recommend Nativeway. Our guides were kind and
patient, especially with the children. One of them would dive off the side
of the boat, pick up a stingray and bring it close enough for the kids to
pet. Their price was $25 a person, US.

Friday morning, Cozumel
This is one of my favorite places. We had breakfast, got off the ship and
took a taxi directly to Chankanaab. This time the girls weren¹t as afraid.
There is an area with very shallow water, where you can almost walk right
out into the ocean, with sandy beach and lounge chairs. The entrance to
the
park was $10 US for adults, children 10 and under were free. We rented
snorkel gear from them for about $6 a person. My husband has leg problems,
and can¹t swim because of them, so I was the one taking the girls out.
Andrea went first, and wasn¹t timid. She wanted me to hold on to her life
vest, but she had her face in the water, looking down the entire time. She
had her underwater camera and took lots of pictures.

Emily took some coaxing, but once she got there she was excited. I had
her
look back to see how far she had gone S she took one look and then just
plopped her snorkel mask right back in the water.


The Point
The first thing we had done as we boarded the ship was make reservations
at
the Point for Friday night, which was our wedding anniversary. It was
quite
an experienceS of course it starts out with my husband losing his sail and
sign card, and calling from the Point to have new ones issued. Seated at
the
table next two us were a couple I had spent a good deal of time at the
casino with * and they were witnesses at the wedding in Jamaica. We ended
up
sharing a table with them, and had a delightful evening.

Carnival has tried very hard to make the Point a five-star dining
experience. (And, yes, I have eaten at other five-star restaurants.) They
ALMOST have it right S just a few things need to be tweaked. The first
thing
is the chairs. They either need more padding, or they just need to get
different chairs. All four of us found them very uncomfortable to sit in,
and they cut the circulation off on the back of our legs. The windows are
covered with blinds, so there is no romantic ocean view while dining. We
peeked out the windows, and there wasn¹t even a view, just cleaning
equipment storage.

I had the surf & turf, which was broiled lobster & filet, both done to
perfection. The Lobster Bisque is probably the best I¹ve ever had. My
husband had the porterhouse, which was cooked exactly the way he ordered.

The servers were not quite as attentive as they could have been. Their
recitation of the menu was memorized and very rote, not much excitement.
They could not describe ingredients in dishes to us or explain
preparation.

It was a pleasant evening, the food was well above that in the dining
room,
but the Point just misses the mark, in our opinion.

The girls had Camp Carnival parties that evening * Emily¹s went until
midnight and Andrea¹s went to 3:30 a.m. They were very happy with their
experience, but slept until 11:00 the next day!



Saturday was our last sea day. We spent most of it by the pool. I believe
that was the Chocolate Buffett day S which was MARVELOUS.



My thoughts, especially for those traveling with kids:



If you¹re traveling with kids, Camp Carnival is SUPERB. By the second day
the counselors knew each child by name, recognized the parents, knew who
were siblings. By the second day the kids knew their way around the ship
better than we did.

I¹ve thought I should have only packed each girl 5 swimsuits and 2
dresses.
I think they wore their swimsuits more than they wore anything.

Make sure any flip flops are broken in S blisters on vacation aren¹t fun.

The only medication I needed was cold sore medication, and it was the only
thing I forgot to bring!!

Save a few ³underwater camera² photos for the kids to take pictures of
their
friends around the pool. And buy your underwater cameras at Walmart before
you leave home, they¹re half the price you¹ll find on the ship or in the
islands.

The over-the-door holder saves a lot of precious space.

Bring your own blow dryer for hair S the ones in the cabins aren¹t nearly
strong enough.
The music on the Lido deck is repetitious. The same series of songs played
over and over and over.

Security WILL talk to people acting inappropriately, especially quickly
during the 12-2 ³family swim time² without prompting from guests.

There are whirlpools on the Lido deck where children ARE allowed, if
accompanied by an adult. Only the AFT whirlpool is for adults-only. We
made
sure the girls followed this rule.

The whirlpool just under the slide is COLD. Very COLD. The others were
nice
& warm.

The slide is a big hit. If you¹re an adult, lying down will make you go
down
much faster than sitting up.

We purchased drink cards for the kids, and they never had a problem at any
of the bars getting a soft drink. The servers were very polite to them and
waited on them promptly. I was looking down at the lobby bar one
afternoon,
and there sat 8 year old Emily, sipping a Coke, and having a chat with the
bartender and a young couple. Everyone was laughing and having a good
time.
The children were always welcomed by everyone we met. They had
conversations
with people in elevators, who were always curious as to how they were
enjoying their cruise. Since the children had some freedom to roam without
us, they did make new friends -- some of whom were well into their 70s and
80s. They would stop the girls when we were with them to visit and tell us
how much they enjoyed the children.

The girls really enjoyed formal nights. We went to each and every
photograph
station to have our pictures taken, and picked the very best of them to
purchase.

Thank you for your very thorough review. We will be sailing the
Conquest in October '04. Can't wait.

BTW, just as an aside, you mentioned that the only med you needed (but
forgot) was cold sore medication. Having suffered from them for
years, I found that exposure to sun triggers mine. If you use a high
SPF lipblock and apply it frequently, it might prevent the cold sores
from occurring. Of course, that isn't the only trigger, but a very
common one most people are not aware of.

Jo-Ann

athy Heidemann wrote in message ...
I won¹t bore you with all the details of our trip to New Orleans, but have
to share one small story. On Friday night we were driving to Memphis to stay
with my dad for the night. The sunset was spectacular, like nothing we¹ve
seen in a while. Emily loves sunsets, and always stops what she¹s doing to
take it all in. She asked me ³Grandma, how do you think God makes the sky
that color?² I told her I really didn¹t know. She thought a minute and asked
³Do you think those are God¹s clothes we¹re seeing? Is that what He¹s
wearing?²

We arrived in New Orleans on Saturday evening, and checked in to our room
at the Hilton Riverwalk. We were guests of Harrah¹s casino, and were able to
park in their garage for free for the duration of the cruise. Nice savings.

Since we were traveling with young children, we knew that we didn¹t belong
on Bourbon Street or in any of the ?hot spots¹ around town. We took them for
dinner to Mospero¹s * Emily was adventurous and had some of everything.
Andrea stuck to her burger and fries. The food was good, the atmosphere was
very family oriented. By the time we finished dinner it was after 9:00 p.m.,
and we had some cranky, tired girls on our hands. They had spent the day in
a car driving from Memphis to New Orleans and all they wanted to do was swim
in the hotel pool. We walked back to the Hilton and enjoyed the people and
scenery ? ³wow, grandma, those are REAL palm trees!² I stopped by Harrah¹s
to make a donation while they went back to the hotel.

I¹m usually the first to rise, so I snuck out of the room about 7:00 a.m.
There she was, in all her glory: The Carnival Conquest. Waiting for us.
Shimmering in the morning sunrise.

Back to the room, where Andrea was awake. She and I walked down to the
Riverwalk area and found Café du Monde open and serving beignets and café au
lait. Great way to start the morning. Andrea loved her beignets, and we
bought a few to take back to Emily and Grandpa.

Finally the lazy ones got up ? after much coaxing and a promise of beignets
in bed. A stroll the length of the Riverwalk showed just how close we were
to the pier. The girls were so excited they were doing cartwheels !!!! Spent
some time looking at the shops in the Riverwalk Mall ? the girls were much
too excited to do anything but ask every 5 minutes ³Can we get on the ship
yet?² They didn¹t want to leave Riverwalk because they could keep an eye on
³their² ship.

Now, on to the important stuff.
Since there were four of us, we had quite a bit of luggage. Taxi fares are
high in New Orleans * it would have been $10 a person to go from the Hilton
to the pier. So, we loaded the luggage and me in a taxi, and Jay and the
girls walked the few blocks, while I waited at the pier for them with the
luggage.

The usual porter talk of ³now here is where you tip me $1 a bag² and we were
into the line to enter the terminal. It seemed looooooooooong, but it moved
quickly. Every few feet someone handed us a piece of paper to read *
information about carry on baggage, what to do when you got on the ship,
etc. All the Carnival employees that morning were smiling and welcoming. A
quick double-check of paperwork to make sure I had everyone¹s identification
(always have to check at the last minute!). The lines inside filled the
roped off areas. There were two sections, and we moved down to the second
section. Passed the time in line talking to our fellow cruisers. Before we
knew it we were at the desk signing in. Computers were moving slowly, but
check-in only took a few minutes. Right from there to pick up our sign and
sail cards. Followed the crowd to the next room, where we showed ID once
again and were asked to sit in rows of chairs. Once all the rows were filled
we were up and moving into the next room, where we stood in another line.
(What is it with these people and lines??) Embarkation photos by the
Carnival staff in front of a fake New Orleans background. Then we were on to
the security checkpoint. My husband¹s belt set off their buzzers, so he had
to remove that ? once we got through the detectors he had to stop to put his
belt back on as security tried to herd us along ? ³keep moving, please,
keeping moving.² Jay laughed and said ³I have to put my belt on ? otherwise
my pants will fall down and NOBODY wants to see that.² The security guard
chuckled, and let us step aside so he could get his belt on.

Up the escalators, where we could see the ship. On one of the balconies was
a young couple locked in a passionate embrace. My granddaughters said
³ooooooo, grandma, look at that !!!! I bet they don¹t know we can see them.²
Everyone on the escalator laughed, and started cheering the couple on ?

Once on the ship we went directly to our cabin to drop off our heavy carry
on bags and found several of our suitcases already waiting for us outside
the door. This was less than an hour after we left them with our
$1-a-bag-porter. We decided to quickly unpack some things or our stateroom
would fill to the brim with suitcases. We were on the Main Deck Forward,
inside quad room 2295. Our cabin steward knocked on the door about 5 minutes
later to introduce himself * his name was Renaldo and we was very friendly
and always smiling. Our request to unlock and empty the refrigerator was met
with a big smile and ³certainly, right away. I will have it done while you
are at dinner this evening.² And he did. Presto.

Our quad room worked well for us. The girls enjoyed the upper bunks with
their own lights, climbing the ladders, and that they could see the
television from bed !!! One of the lower beds could not see television when
the upper berths were lowered. With the berths lowered, the room felt quite
crowded, but when raised the room opened up quite a bit. We had gone with
the over-the-bathroom door shoe holder, and it sure came in handy. All our
essentials fit quite nicely in there, with room to spare. Our closet
contained 4 bathrobes, so for those who want to know, YES, interior cabins
come with bathrobes on the Conquest. The hairdryer was in a dresser drawer,
and wasn¹t very powerful. If you have more than three strands of hair on
your head, I would suggest bringing your own hair dryer from home. The
shower had two dispensers: one for shampoo and one for body gel. I would
have preferred one for shampoo and one for conditioner (because we forgot
ours!). The usual butt-hugging shower curtain did little to keep the water
contained inside the shower, especially when the girls were taking their
showers.

We were on one of the Past Guest Reunion cruises, and our Cabin Steward
quickly delivered our bag of goodies. We were surprised to find four of
everything in the nice waterproof bag. (The girls were not past cruisers!).
The towels, tshirts and key chains were a big hit. The girls slept in their
tshirts every night. The bag was used for beach trips, and to carry home
some wonderful gifts they received.

We were quickly up on deck, cell phone in hand. The girls were STARVING.

The sail away was exciting. We called Andrea & Emily¹s mommy on the
cellphone, and she was watching the web cam at the Port of New Orleans¹
website ? The girls jumped up and down and waved * and mommy was SURE she
saw us ? :wink:
Lifeboat drill was uneventful. Then we were off to our 6:15 dinner.

Our dinner companions also were traveling with two children, about the same
age as ours. The two older girls hit it off from the first moment, and were
inseparable the entire cruise. The other two weren¹t compatible * ours was
an 8 year old girl, theirs was a 7 year old boy, need I say more? I think
there were cooties involved somehow. My only disappointment was that our
tablemates weren¹t into the dining room experience. First formal night the
woman wore a skirt, cotton top and flip flops. We were in formal wear and
had done our hair, had photos taken, and were using our best grown up
manners. They were more the shorts and t-shirts people. Didn¹t spoil the
cruise, but it did detract a bit from the festive feeling we had created ?
Even Andrea noticed. She had wanted to have a formal picture taken with her
new best friend, but whispered to grandpa ³I can¹t have a formal picture
taken with her, I¹m all dressed up and she¹s not and that wouldn¹t look very
good.²

Our servers were Martin and his assistant, Veronica. Martin was from
Honduras and Veronica was from Peru. Emily has been learning Spanish in
school, and the first evening she said ³Buenos dias² to Veronica * well that
started her daily Spanish lessons from Veronica, even if we saw her on the
Lido deck, she would speak simple phrases to Emily and encourage her to give
her answers in Spanish. Every evening she came and got the girls to dance
with the dancing waiters. They laughed and danced and paraded around the
dining room. The last night of the cruise, an elderly woman we had been
speaking to, who sat across the aisle from us at dinner, came over and
complimented us on the girls¹ behavior, and asked to take a picture of them.

The kids all ordered every evening from the adult menu ? Martin was quite
surprised that our girls liked their steaks medium rare. He would serve them
first, then carefully cut their steaks, always joking ³Now, do I get the
first bite??² The bar waitress was very attentive. The girls like Shirley
Temples, and every evening she made sure their Shirley Temples were waiting
for them at the table when they arrived. They were very impressed.

Our first adventure was to attend the Camp Carnival sign-up and family
party. We were dancing in Henri¹s Disco. Lots of interaction and silly
games. Funship Freddy came by to dance with us. That¹s got to be one hot
costume to be wearing in the Caribbean! Made new friends and had a great
time. I¹ve kept copies of all the Camp Carnival daily activity sheets and
hope to scan them some day soon. The counselors were great, the activities
were very age appropriate. The 10 year old was old enough to sign herself in
and out of Camp Carnival, but I had to sign the 8 year old in and out. She
was a little jealous of her sister¹s freedom, but I could see that the size
of the ship was a little overwhelming for her ? and 10 year old sisters
don¹t always take good care of their 8 year old sisters, so I was glad she
had to be signed in and out. One evening my husband and I had a ³date² and
we were able to sign a permission slip for our dinner companions to sign
Emily in and out for us. That meant we could go to dinner at the Point (more
to come on that) and not have to worry about timing.

The first two days were days at sea. Relaxed by the pool. Ate too much.
Made our donations at the casino. I¹m a 3 card poker player, and met some
fun folks playing cards. Those sea days become a blur, and it¹s hard to
remember what happened when.

We ate all our breakfast and lunch meals on the Lido deck. The kids could
have kids fare and were happy with that. Our only complaint was the
situation of the omlette station * it is at the end of the line, and holds
everything up. Even if you don¹t want an omlette, you are held up by the
people ahead of you who do, because where they have to stand blocks all the
other food. There are generally 4 or more food lines open at a time, so we
would look around for the shortest one. The food at Sur Mer was very good,
as was the Sushi.

On Tuesday evening we had to make a stop in Grand Cayman to drop off a man
who was ill ? rumor was that it was a heart attack. I had met his wife, and
she only told me that he was ³very ill.²

Wednesday morning, Jamaica
We were up early, up to the Lido Deck for breakfast. We had made
arrangements with another couple to meet up and make our own tour. Off the
ship we found a JUTA taxi driver and negotiated a five hour tour for $100.
His name was Garry, and I have his information if anyone wants a great tour
guide of Jamaica. We drove all over Montego Bay. One of our stops was the
Richmon Hotel for a great view. One of the couples I had met playing cards
in the casino were there * getting married. Their witnesses were there to
take video, but were instead walking the bride down the aisle, so I took up
their video camera and videotaped the wedding. The bride was gorgeous, her
flowers were provided by the hotel and were breathtaking. A german shepherd
wandered in and out of the gazebo, becoming part of the wedding party * but
I don¹t think bride and groom even noticed. We went to a place called
³Scotchie¹s² for jerk pork and chicken and the best sweet potatoes you¹ll
ever taste. The kids looked at the menu and said ³Grandma, we can¹t afford
to eat here, a chicken costs $600 !!!!² We had to explain that was $600
Jamaican dollars, and it was very cheap in American dollars and they could
eat anything they wanted. We recommend it highly, but suggest you have
Jamaican money before you get there * their exchange rate isn¹t very good.
It was our second time there, and we found out the first time!

Emily asked Garry (our guide) if he knew somewhere she could get her hair
braided. He picked up his cell phone and made a quick call. In 5 minutes we
were at a little shop where Emily¹s hair was quickly braided by two
delightful women who talked to her the whole time. They put extra braids in
and refused payment for them, they were a gift to Emily.

By having Garry with us we were never approached by people begging or
offering ³smoke.² He made sure everyone knew we were HIS people, and not to
be bothered. He explained things to the kids and pointed out sugar cane
growing, animals and plants.

Thursday morning, Grand Cayman
We had an early morning excursion booked with Nativeway Watersports, and had
to be off on one of the first tender boats. We immediately found the
Nativeway sign, and were told to meet in 30 minutes, so we walked across the
street and looked around at the shops.

Our excursion with Nativeway was a trip to Stingray City and a coral reef to
snorkel. The water was pretty rough that morning, and about half the
passengers on our boat got seasick, my husband included. I¹m not a very
strong swimmer, and was wearing a vest * still had trouble staying above
water. I¹d end up head down, feet up in the air. It was too much for the
girls. This was their first time to even SEE the ocean, so it was a lot to
take in. They really wanted to see the stingrays, but the water was too high
and the swells too big for them. Emily finally let our boat operator carry
her out, where she petted and held a Stingray. She was very happy. At the
coral reef, again we were faced with high swells. The girls sat on the rear
deck of the boat and let their feet dangle down. Emily even got in the
water, holding on to the ladder and paddling around, but wouldn¹t wear a
snorkel mask. I would highly recommend Nativeway. Our guides were kind and
patient, especially with the children. One of them would dive off the side
of the boat, pick up a stingray and bring it close enough for the kids to
pet. Their price was $25 a person, US.

Friday morning, Cozumel
This is one of my favorite places. We had breakfast, got off the ship and
took a taxi directly to Chankanaab. This time the girls weren¹t as afraid.
There is an area with very shallow water, where you can almost walk right
out into the ocean, with sandy beach and lounge chairs. The entrance to the
park was $10 US for adults, children 10 and under were free. We rented
snorkel gear from them for about $6 a person. My husband has leg problems,
and can¹t swim because of them, so I was the one taking the girls out.
Andrea went first, and wasn¹t timid. She wanted me to hold on to her life
vest, but she had her face in the water, looking down the entire time. She
had her underwater camera and took lots of pictures.

Emily took some coaxing, but once she got there she was excited. I had her
look back to see how far she had gone ? she took one look and then just
plopped her snorkel mask right back in the water.


The Point
The first thing we had done as we boarded the ship was make reservations at
the Point for Friday night, which was our wedding anniversary. It was quite
an experience? of course it starts out with my husband losing his sail and
sign card, and calling from the Point to have new ones issued. Seated at the
table next two us were a couple I had spent a good deal of time at the
casino with * and they were witnesses at the wedding in Jamaica. We ended up
sharing a table with them, and had a delightful evening.

Carnival has tried very hard to make the Point a five-star dining
experience. (And, yes, I have eaten at other five-star restaurants.) They
ALMOST have it right ? just a few things need to be tweaked. The first thing
is the chairs. They either need more padding, or they just need to get
different chairs. All four of us found them very uncomfortable to sit in,
and they cut the circulation off on the back of our legs. The windows are
covered with blinds, so there is no romantic ocean view while dining. We
peeked out the windows, and there wasn¹t even a view, just cleaning
equipment storage.

I had the surf & turf, which was broiled lobster & filet, both done to
perfection. The Lobster Bisque is probably the best I¹ve ever had. My
husband had the porterhouse, which was cooked exactly the way he ordered.

The servers were not quite as attentive as they could have been. Their
recitation of the menu was memorized and very rote, not much excitement.
They could not describe ingredients in dishes to us or explain preparation.

It was a pleasant evening, the food was well above that in the dining room,
but the Point just misses the mark, in our opinion.

The girls had Camp Carnival parties that evening * Emily¹s went until
midnight and Andrea¹s went to 3:30 a.m. They were very happy with their
experience, but slept until 11:00 the next day!



Saturday was our last sea day. We spent most of it by the pool. I believe
that was the Chocolate Buffett day ? which was MARVELOUS.



My thoughts, especially for those traveling with kids:



If you¹re traveling with kids, Camp Carnival is SUPERB. By the second day
the counselors knew each child by name, recognized the parents, knew who
were siblings. By the second day the kids knew their way around the ship
better than we did.

I¹ve thought I should have only packed each girl 5 swimsuits and 2 dresses.
I think they wore their swimsuits more than they wore anything.

Make sure any flip flops are broken in ? blisters on vacation aren¹t fun.

The only medication I needed was cold sore medication, and it was the only
thing I forgot to bring!!

Save a few ³underwater camera² photos for the kids to take pictures of their
friends around the pool. And buy your underwater cameras at Walmart before
you leave home, they¹re half the price you¹ll find on the ship or in the
islands.

The over-the-door holder saves a lot of precious space.

Bring your own blow dryer for hair ? the ones in the cabins aren¹t nearly
strong enough.
The music on the Lido deck is repetitious. The same series of songs played
over and over and over.

Security WILL talk to people acting inappropriately, especially quickly
during the 12-2 ³family swim time² without prompting from guests.

There are whirlpools on the Lido deck where children ARE allowed, if
accompanied by an adult. Only the AFT whirlpool is for adults-only. We made
sure the girls followed this rule.

The whirlpool just under the slide is COLD. Very COLD. The others were nice
& warm.

The slide is a big hit. If you¹re an adult, lying down will make you go down
much faster than sitting up.

We purchased drink cards for the kids, and they never had a problem at any
of the bars getting a soft drink. The servers were very polite to them and
waited on them promptly. I was looking down at the lobby bar one afternoon,
and there sat 8 year old Emily, sipping a Coke, and having a chat with the
bartender and a young couple. Everyone was laughing and having a good time.
The children were always welcomed by everyone we met. They had conversations
with people in elevators, who were always curious as to how they were
enjoying their cruise. Since the children had some freedom to roam without
us, they did make new friends -- some of whom were well into their 70s and
80s. They would stop the girls when we were with them to visit and tell us
how much they enjoyed the children.

The girls really enjoyed formal nights. We went to each and every photograph
station to have our pictures taken, and picked the very best of them to
purchase.

So do you want a Jonah and the fish verse?

NN

Phl 4:13 - " I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me."

Do you believe that this is an appropriate sig line for a cruise
newsgroup?

What a great post Kathy; and how wonderful, and unselfish, of you to
take your grandchildren on a cruise in celebration of your anniversary.
It sounds as if all of you had a fine time, and that imo is terrific. Of
course, I'm very envious of you in the following reasons.

You cruised from one of my favorite cities on earth.

You gambled at my favorite casino, bar none. Harrah's NO is an awesome
casino (love the planetarium ceiling under the dome), and offers some
really great deals to players. More than once, they have put Eileen and
I up at the W Hotel across the street. Incidentally, if you're ever
there alone with your husband, I highly recommend the W, especially if
Harrah's is footing the Bill. It's a very trendy, very cool, and rather
expensive if you're footing the bill yourself.

You cruised on a big, brand new Carnival ship. Here I am, without a tan,
cooking my own dinners, with no shows to go to after dinner, no casino
after the show, and no disco after the casino. I even have to get
dressed before going to the gym (can't just run out of my room, half
naked, to go workout).

Once again, thanks for the detailed post. The Conquest from NO will
definitely appear on my short list of cruises that I want to take.

I have only have one question. How would you characterize the crowd on
your cruise? When Eileen and I did the Inspiration from NO, we were
kind of disappointed in the number of suburban locals on the cruise.

Howard

So do you want a Jonah and the fish verse?

LOL
MC

I'm glad you had a great time Cathy! we go soon!!!!

--
Sheree

What I said to Karen applies to you too. Spare us the Titanic cut and paste
PUHLEAAZE!
MC