Carnaval Cruise

[tallyho8]

Eddie, I just got back from the same Conquest cruise yesterday. We had a fabulous time. If comedian Cowboy Bill Martin is on it be sure to see both of his shows. :laughing:

Don't miss eating at the Fish and Chips one night. They have great fried oysters and a few other treats and usually very short lines. :licking:

If you like to drink & gamble, buy the Classic drinks (Margarita, Long Island Ice Tea, *** on the beach, Mojito, etc). Then you take your receipt to the cashier in the casino and they give you a card good for a $5 match play at roulette or blackjack. We collected 20 of these and used them the last night just betting on red on roulette and won $100. This is the only way you can win at gambling, when the odds are stacked in your favor. :drink:

Parking at the dock is so easy that it is worth the money. Get there about 10AM for the least amount of traffic and easiest check-in. Waiting for a while until you board in the waiting room is fun and comfortable.

The trip down the Mississippi is one of the best parts. It is NOT slow, the ship goes about 18 knots and you have scenery on both sides of the river which sure beats sailing in open ocean with nothing to see but water for 8 hours.

After you have been sailing about 2 hours the river turns and you are heading straight towards the New Orleans skyline and you hear many first-timers saying "I wonder why the ship turned around and is going back?"

Buy most your souvenirs in Cozumel where they are the cheapest on the main downtown road along the coast. Just take a $7 taxi ride to Senor Frogs in downtown and then walk the main coast road and see all the bars, restaurants and shops.

If you want to save money on liquor you can phone Bon Voyage and get a 1 liter bottle of Appleton VX rum or Margaritaville Tequila(or others) for $40 and it will be in your cabin waiting for you as in photo 1.

Photo 2 shows the ship leaving New Orleans and photo 3 shows the free Governor's beach in Grand Cayman.

If you have any questions about New Orleans just ask.

Dudley

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks Dudley!!!!

My friend went down to the travel agent to book the cruise today and when I asked her what I owed her, she said she had it and that I could buy the drinks and excursions. We've been going back and forth on this, but since she won't tell me what she paid, I'm gonna have to make sure she gets everything she wants!! LOL

When I was stationed at the US Embass in Indonesia, we had a commissary inside the embassy. It wasn't allowed to make a profit and it was only available to diplimats. When I got there, I could buy a bottle of Rum for $2.02. When I left, the price had come down to $1.96 That is what it cost to buy the rum and ship it to Indonesia without any profit.

I didn't know that we went down the Mississippi. That's kind of exciting. I've never done that, so one more "new" thing for me to do!!!

We're planning on leaving her house in Longview TX Sunday morning and driving there in 6 hours. We want to be there between noon and 2pm.

Did you take more pics?

Eddie

 

[tallyho8]

I have a couple more pics. 1st is the water slide on the Conquest. Fun for all ages. 2nd is the main beach road in Cozumel opposite Senor Frogs. Just beach on one side and the other side is full of shops, bars etc.

You should try to get to New Orleans a little sooner if possible. Boarding is most crowded between 12 and 2 and it will take you over an hour to park and check in and you have to be on the ship by 3. Just a little traffic in Baton Rouge and it will take you 7 hours to get here. And you will miss the main lunch if you are late and the first lunch is usually the best one. :licking:

 

[EddieWalker]

I'll have to check into that. I was told that we had to be onboard by 4pm. Maybe we should leave Sat night and stay at a hotel along the way somewhere. Maybe Baton Rouge, and then we can have an easy day of getting there Sunday morning?

Thanks, I'm liking this idea!!!!

Eddie

 

[CurlyDave]

Eddie:

If there aren't lots of pix, it didn't happen...

 

[EddieWalker]

Dave,

If there is one that that I do a lot of is take pics!!!! I'll post most of them on facebook, but will be sure to share a few on here.

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

You should try to get to New Orleans a little sooner if possible. Boarding is most crowded between 12 and 2 and it will take you over an hour to park and check in and you have to be on the ship by 3. Just a little traffic in Baton Rouge and it will take you 7 hours to get here. And you will miss the main lunch if you are late and the first lunch is usually the best one. :licking:

Dudley,

We're going to leave Saturday night and drive to Baton Rouge. That will give us plenty of time to get there before noon and hopefully stop along the way so I can take pictures.

We have been going through the list of excursions and trying to decide what to do. She wants the beach, I want to take pics and see ruins. We're working on getting both!!!

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[tallyho8]

Eddie
Being a contractor, you will find it interesting in Jamaica how they build homes and buildings. Not having mortgages they build a small part to live in and then finish more of it in following years as they earn more money.

You will enjoy your trip a lot more resting up in Baton Rouge so that you aren't too tired the first day.

Bon Voyage!

 

[jonyyuma]

Eddie, we use the Hotels in Galveston, just like you described. Traffic can cause a lot of extra problems on cruise day..So we go the early route and stay in town or close to it..easier to relax. Hope you get to board, without too much effort or waiting?.We are looking to sail out of N.O., too in the future...

 

[brin]

Dudley,

Could you not take carry your own wine or alcoholic beverage with you in you baggage ?

" If you want to save money on liquor you can phone Bon Voyage and get a 1 liter bottle of Appleton VX rum or Margaritaville Tequila(or others) for $40 and it will be in your cabin waiting for you as in photo 1. "

 

[tallyho8]

Dudley,

Could you not take carry your own wine or alcoholic beverage with you in you baggage ?

Carnival allows each passenger to carry on one 750 ml. bottle of wine or champagne. No other alcoholic beverages are allowed to be carried on.

Many people smuggle some on in various ways but most get caught and unopened bottles are held until the last day and then returned. Unsealed containers are thrown away.

It is worth it to me to buy a bottle from Carnival at their inflated prices rather than worry about getting caught smuggling. Yesterday Carnival raised their prices about $20 per bottle but it is still way cheaper than buying drinks one at a time.

If passengers were allowed to bring on unlimited amounts of liquor I believe it would be like Bourbon Street on Mardi Gras day on the ship with many drunk unruly passengers especially during spring break.

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't drink very much any more, so I'm not too worried about that part of things. I read that you can buy a soda card, but I'm not a big fan of soda either except for sprite or 7up. I'm probably just going to drink sweet tea, juice and water.

I won't drive in Mexico. We're looking at the tours. The trip to Tolum to see the ruins from Cozumal is probabl what we'll do. It's a 7 hour trip, so that will pretty much be all we do there.

On a side note, when I was stationed at the US Embassy in Cameroun, a reletive of one of the Embassy people was arrested and we found out that they don't feed you in jail. The family is responsible for making sure that you get fed!!!

Eddie

 

[bdeboer]

I told her that I wasn't too excited about a cruise and that we should go to an all inclusive resort instead and hang out on the beach. Then she came up with New Orleans and the Conquest. Carnival Conquest - Carnival

Eddie

We took the Conquest out of New Orleans in February 2004. Weather was cool but better than Ohio. It was a good experience.

 

[Uncle Doug]

I don't drink very much any more, so I'm not too worried about that part of things. I read that you can buy a soda card, but I'm not a big fan of soda either except for sprite or 7up. I'm probably just going to drink sweet tea, juice and water.

I won't drive in Mexico. We're looking at the tours. The trip to Tolum to see the ruins from Cozumal is probabl what we'll do. It's a 7 hour trip, so that will pretty much be all we do there.

On a side note, when I was stationed at the US Embassy in Cameroun, a reletive of one of the Embassy people was arrested and we found out that they don't feed you in jail. The family is responsible for making sure that you get fed!!!

Eddie

If doing the Tolum tour book through the cruise line as the tour is on the mainland and is a long bus ride. If the ship tour is delayed for any reason the ship will wait on them. You may not have any time to shop in downtown because of the length of the tour but there are plenty of shops near the ports.

In Jamaica take a taxi over to Doctors Cave Beach, the Pork Pit and Margaritaville they are all close together. You will see things along the way that will make you LOL like goats or cows tied to the stop signs. I saw a 10 story bamboo scaffold the first time we went there.

If stopping in Grand Cayman the sting ray city is the big attraction there along with the beaches. We used an outfitter there called Captain Marvins (just goggle him) His shop is one block to the left from the cruise terminal area.

If a big soda drinker just pack a 12-pack in a suitcase. It is one of the allowed beverages.

 

[tallyho8]

If a big soda drinker just pack a 12-pack in a suitcase. It is one of the allowed beverages.

Each passenger is allowed to bring on 12 non-alcoholic drinks up to 20 ounces each but they must be in a carry-on.

If you put them in a suitcase they will be taken to the "naughty room" where you will be called to open your suitcase for inspection.

 

[vabiker23518]

We just got back from a 8 day cruise on Royal Caribbean out of Baltimore. I hand carried a 12 pack of cokes thru security with no questions asked. For the record, I am a tightwad!
I have been known to carry liquor in a "rum runners" plastic container; never had a problem yet....hope I haven't just jinxed myself for the next time!

 

[Ridgewalker]

We've been on the Conquest about 7 times if you count my kids senior trip, my Dad who cruises a couple of times a year and the two times the wife and I have done it.

It's a hoot, you will have a good time and it's fun waking up next to a new Island to explore. If you do the Jamaica stop make sure to take the Zip line tours.

 

[EddieWalker]

We booked our excursions. We did it online through the Carnival site because we heard that if there is a problem, the ship will wait for us if we do it this way.

First stop is Montego Bag and we're going to swim with the Dolphins and go to Dunns Falls.

Second stop is Grand Caymans ans we're going snorkling on a 58 foot yaht then hang out on a private beach.

Third stop is Cozumal, where we are going to see the ruins at Tulum.

I'm going to buy a waterproof camera. I've looked on Amazon and like the Canon Powershot, but hate the price. I don't want to do disposable and really like the idea of a backup camera and one that I can take out in any weather.

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SER460/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER[/ame]

Any other suggestions on a camera to buy?

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[lstinthot]

We booked our excursions. We did it online through the Carnival site because we heard that if there is a problem, the ship will wait for us if we do it this way.

First stop is Montego Bag and we're going to swim with the Dolphins and go to Dunns Falls.

Second stop is Grand Caymans ans we're going snorkling on a 58 foot yaht then hang out on a private beach.

Third stop is Cozumal, where we are going to see the ruins at Tulum.

I'm going to buy a waterproof camera. I've looked on Amazon and like the Canon Powershot, but hate the price. I don't want to do disposable and really like the idea of a backup camera and one that I can take out in any weather.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SER460/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Any other suggestions on a camera to buy?

Thanks,
Eddie

I would think that is about as good as your going to get for that kind of money. We have the Olympus and it does OK. It had a glitch after a few years and cost us almost as much to get it repaired compared to buying new. These cameras do not compare to a good 35 mm, but they are a fraction of the cost. Almost considered disposable. We really do not use ours anymore since we bought a good camera. It is more of a toy to take on the boat or in the pool.

I think what did ours in was one of the gaskets did not seal right one time and it got a little water in it. Really need to be careful about where you open it to change the card or batteries. Maker sure it is thoroughly cleaned and dry before opening the case.


If you have a good camera already, there are companies that make underwater cases for most cameras. They are a bit pricey for a reliable case, so no help in saving money.

Enjoy the trip.