Review--Carnival Conquest--10.12.2008

Carnival Conquest Review 10.12.2008

Just The Facts:
Carnival Conquest
October 12-October 19, 2008
Captain: Massimo Marino
Cruise Director: Ralph Valente
Hotel Director: Marvin Barrantes
Ports: Houston – Montego Bay - Grand Cayman – Cozumel - Houston
Weather: Cloudy first few days, generally very nice the rest of the week.

This is my 13th Carnival cruise and 4th time as a Platinum status guest. This is also my 7th and DW’s 6th time on the Conquest. We are sailing from the new Houston Bayport Cruise Facility due to damage of the pier facilities in Galveston by hurricane Ike, our original scheduled departure port.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation
We left the ranch at 6:15 a.m.. We made a brief stop in Clifton and headed south on SH 6. The drive was very smooth and there was little traffic until we reached Houston. We went through central Houston as we were headed to the new Bayport Cruise facility. Traffic was busy but tolerable being a Sunday morning, but I would take the loop if were a weekday. We arrived earlier than anticipated at Bayport, but it turned out to be a good arrival time. We were behind the early arrivals and before most arrivals. We dropped our bags with the porters and I parked the car and walked the short distance to the terminal. There was a very nice VIP check in area and a VIP lounge. We saw some new friends we had seen on several previous cruises and visited with them until they called us to board the ship. We were very impressed with the new Bayport Cruise Facility and look forward to a cruise ship sailing form there in the future. ON BOARD: We were escorted from the VIP lounge to boarding just about 11:30 am and proceeded directly to the Cezanne Restaurant on Lido deck. Again as on the Conquest last month, I was the very first person through the buffet line and enjoyed viewing the presentation of the food before the mass of guests converged on the buffet. I had Roast Beef from the carving station and the Grilled Tilapia. The salads were very good. DW had a vegetarian sandwich from the deli and fruit and a salad. All were good. We went to our cabin at the designated time of 1:30 and our bags arrived very soon afterward. Muster drill began about 4:00. Following muster drill we met the Carnival Connections/Cruise Critic/CruiseMates roll-call groups on deck 9 aft and enjoyed a couple of “Funship Special” cocktails. It’s nice putting faces to screen names. The Conquest cast off at 4:30 pm. We relaxed on deck and visited with new friends while sailing through Galveston Bay. I was very curious how much time it would take to reach Galveston Island and into the Gulf of Mexico. I was told it took a couple of hours and was somewhat skeptical, but it does take about an hour and a half to reach Galveston and two hours to reach the Gulf. They had full bar service about 6:45 and the casino opened at 7:30pm. We were assigned the Monet dining room at 8:15 and have a great table location, a ten-top between the Captains table and the center of the room. It’s a very good location in the dining room. Six showed up the first night. I ordered: a shrimp cocktail, soup, and NY strip steak, all very good. DW had mixed veggies and a baked potato. She said they were bland, but she liked the small macaroni & cheese that came with my entrée. I had the Cream Brule for dessert and DW had the Chocolate Melting Cake which is now available every evening. The Welcome Show was again scheduled for 10:30 p.m. They used to try to do this show between early and late dinner, but with the new dining times it seems this is the new established time for the Welcome Aboard Show. It featured the Carnival Singers & Dancers and CD Ralph Valente. I was anxious to see ‘wee Jimmy’ since I heard good things about him. He was very good and a huge improvement from Jen on the Conquest last month. The feature comedian was Kim Harrison and she was fantastic. She is a big woman so there were a lot of buffet jokes, but she was very funny and a very good singer.

Day Two--Monday--Fun day at Sea
Awoke to sunshine and fair seas this morning. I enjoyed a good nights sleep. The ship rocked just enough to make it very nice; however, the vibration is very noticeable and we had to move some items to avoid rattling noises. I could see flying fish from the window this morning, which was nice to see. I had breakfast in the Monet dining room, my personal standard 1st morning carnival breakfast of Eggs Benedict, side of bacon, tomato juice, and grapefruit which were very good. DW slept in and had room service breakfast. It was French day in the ‘Tastes of Nations’ section, but I had a lunch at Sur Mer which was not busy at all. I had the bouillabaisse, ceviche, and fish & chips. The bouillabaisse was best by far. I went to the Promenade deck this afternoon and I bought three Carnival future cruise bookings. I applied the two I purchased last month for the John Heald Bloggers cruise in February and will use these for cruises booked in the fall of 2009. We watched a movie this afternoon and ordered room service: BLT’s, grilled cheese, & veggie plates. It has become cloudier the further southeast we sail and it finally did rain around 5:00 pm. And the seas have become choppy. The Captains cocktail reception was before dinner and this was one of two ‘elegant’ nights. Conforming to the new Carnival dress guidelines I left the suit at home wore slacks with a dress shirt and blue blazer. For dinner I had the pumpkin soup, stuffed mushrooms, the seafood entrée consisting of lobster and jumbo shrimp, and prime rib.. The lobster was very good and the shrimp were excellent. I had the Cherries Jubilee for desert. People were really taking advantage of the lobby area this evening to dance. The late live band is a great new option especially for people who don’t really care for the disco type music in Henri’s in the evening. Good addition. The feature show was scheduled to be Formidable, but due to rough seas they switched and featured Ron Joseph who is a Vegas club style act. He is a regular on the Conquest and we have seen him several times and passed this cruise and retired to the cabin.

Day Three—Tuesday--Fun day at Sea
It’s a cloudy day today and the seas are choppy. A very pleasant nights sleep although the ship was really rolling, but it rocked you to sleep. I had breakfast in the dining room: Tomato juice, Grapefruit, Eggs Benedict, Bacon, and Pancakes. Excellent. I showed some photos to assistant maître d' Slavica, of herself. She was amazed. We spent the morning on Lido deck aft and they had the roof 80% closed due to weather, but people were enjoying the pool and hot tubs. Our loungers were on the starboard side so when they opened the grill on that side at lunch time the aroma had me craving something from there. Since I had a big breakfast I came back about 1:30 and I had a hamburger while they prepared a minute steak for me. I normally wouldn’t order something that I can get at home, but they were both very good and the minute steak was unique. The weather clouded up more and the seas were rough most of the day. They closed the roof over the aft pool and passengers were doing the staggers & jags down the Promenade deck and passageways. They made several announcements about a revised show for this evening, but in the end they performed the production show Formidable. At least it was a modified version of it. They changed several parts of routines for safety and they ended the show before the actual finale. The ending was awkward, but people who had never seen the show may not have noticed the changes. It is my favorite of the Conquest productions so I was pleased they did the show. Dinner was one of the weaker menus. If one wanted to eat at The Point, this would be a good night. I had French onion soup, Salad, and Jerk flavored pork. Tonight they had a Mardi Gras deck party with food on Lido deck. Also at midnight was a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show that was originated, at sea at least, on the Conquest and is now on many Carnival ships.

Day Four--Wednesday—Montego Bay, Jamaica
There was partly cloudy skies and nice weather this morning. I had a very good nights sleep and again went to the dining room for breakfast. I had fried eggs with the usual. The dining room is just one deck above our stateroom and so very convenient. This was a good port to have our 'stay on the ship on a port day' tradition. We spent most of the day on Lido deck aft and with most people off the ship we basically had the pool and area to ourselves until noon. We spent a lot of time in the pool and I discovered later that I got a lot of sun. For lunch I had Chinese food from PC’s Wok. They change the menu daily and it was very good and another alternative from the buffet food. I spent the afternoon between the cabin and the lido deck. It was a very nice day as it didn’t get too hot and there was a nice breeze. It was beautiful watching us sail from Montego Bay at sundown. DW had ordered room service and I had a BLT waiting for me so that made for a great snack to hold me until dinner. The production show was Lady Helevi, Enchantress of the Elememts. It was a Carnival produced show featuring a Magician and the Conquest Dancers. The costumes were really unique and beautiful. This is a very visual show, the type of show with little dialogue that will be the future for cruises with a lot of international guests. Dinner was very good this evening, I had the Tomato soup, a Special salad, and the Grilled pork chop. DW’s favorite entrée of the week was tonight: a Vegetarian bean burrito. They had prepared special holloween desserts. I had a pumpkin cheesecake that was decorated with ghosts, pumpkins, bats, etc. The wonderful surprise after getting underway was that there was no vibration in the cabin. This will make the cabin and cruise much more enjoyable.

Day Five--Thursday--Georgetown, Grand Caymans
Another good night sleep. We arrived by 7:00 am. and anchored off shore as usual. The Mariner of the Seas and The Freedom of the Seas are on either side of us. I again had a very nice breakfast in the dining room. The debarkation went very well quite different than when we were here last. We are going to have another 'stay on the ship on a port day' today since were just here last month. We enjoyed the aft pool this morning and afternoon. I had a Reuben sandwich from the deli for lunch and it was great. It was much better than previous cruises and much like the famous Conquest Reubens of old. I relaxed in the cabin and watched a movie in the late afternoon. Tonight’s production show was Point & Click, but we decided to check out several of the lounges and visited Vincent’s (jazz) and Alfred’s (popular music) before dinner. Dinner was very good, I had the Escargot, Fruit plate, the Grouper, the Chateaubriand, and Baked Alaska for desert.

Day Six—Friday—Cozumel, Mexico
Another good nights sleep. The sky is cloudy but seas are smooth. I again went to the Monet dining room for breakfast. We arrived and docked at 10:00am at the Puerta Maya pier that just reopened yesterday, having been closed for two years due to hurricane damage. Many of the shops locate at the pier have reopened including a Los Cino Soles and a Pancho’s Backyard. Since we were at the Puerta Maya pier we had to take a taxi into San Migel ($6) and we were dropped off downtown. We went to see our friend Nelly who owns Mayan Pearl located just east of the square on Juarez Avenue and I stopped at Antonio's for a haircut. It’s always good to see Martin, my barber, who has been cutting my hair for almost four years. Nelly introduced us to her neighbor across the street that wanted to meet me. She has a shop called Atesanias Nallely and they have a baby monkey named Pancha that was found in the jungle. I played with Pancha for a while waiting for Nelly to make a necklace as a gift for DD. Very cute little monkey and she liked to have her belly rubbed. I believe they allow customers to photograph her. We then went down to the Forum Shops to get a mojito from Havana Blue. Unfortunately we discovered that Havana Blue has closed. We were told that Jorge, the bartender, was working at Kiss my Cactus. Since Havana Blue was closed we went to to very nice restaurant we had been going by since it opened about a year ago called la Candela. We were very glad we went there as it was very nice. The building and courtyard is very clean and smartly decorated. We had guacamole, pico de gallo, chips, etc. They did make a very nice margarita and mojito. It was a great place to stay and watch the rain that began pouring in the afternoon. (la Candela-two mojitos, one beer, two margaritas, guacamole, chips, pico, & queso - $30.) After drinks we went to the main square and found Kiss my Cactus, it was a premium tequila bar, but no Jorge. We went to Plaza Leza and had enjoyed some drinks and several mariachi’s who played for us. As mentioned in my previous Cozumel review, they have finished the reconstruction of the municipal building so all the temporary stalls have been removed. The square or Zocalo now looks beautiful, even more so than last month. The flowers are very nice and the trees have recovered from the hurricanes and look very full again. The ship was scheduled to leave Cozumel at 6:00 pm. We were back at the ship by 4:30 p.m and DW made a fruit and cheese plate from the Cezanne for us to eat in the cabin. It was Mexican day in the ‘Tastes of Nations’ section, good choice. The feature show was Manuel Zuniga a juggler and Marc Rubben a great comedian that we have enjoyed several times on previous Conquest cruises. I went to dinner solo as DW was resting from the big day in Cozumel. Dinner was excellent, best of the cruise. I had the Fried Shrimp appetizer, Salad, the Red Snapper, and the Filet Mignon. The filet was very tender and perhaps the best steak I have ever had on Carnival. I retired after dinner and was sorry to find that the vibration has returned, not as bad as first nights, but noticeable.

Day Seven--Saturday--at Sea
Another good nights sleep. I had my final breakfast in the Monet dining room, I have enjoyed it all week. I walked around the ship and visited with friends this morning. I finally played some Texas hold‘em poker. The Poker Pro table has been very busy as there is a gambling group sponsored by a casino on the ship. We ate lunch in the Monet dining room. It was my best lunch of the cruise, but only time I had eaten in the dining room. I had the Neptune Chef Salad and the Pepper Steak. DW had the Hay & Straw, a pasta dish that she said was very good. The Oklahoma-Kansas football game was on TV and I had a great cabin afternoon watching the game. It’s also great to have snacks delivered by room service during the game. The past guest party was this evening at in the Toulouse-Lautrec Lounge, but the football game went for four hours so we passed. OU won, they are 2-0 in the two games I’ve watched while on board the Conquest this year. Dinner was again good, my choices were Crab Cake, Shrimp, Prime Rib, and the Grand Marnier Soufflé for desert. We did not attend the Carnival Legends Show after dinner as we returned to the cabin to pack.

Debarkation--Sunday
They had a priority meeting time for self-debarkation Platinum members. We met before 8:00 am and we left the ship about 8:15 am. We were the first through customs at 8:17 and at the truck by 8:25 am. It could not have gone smoother. We stopped at Ama's in Hearne, Texas for migas. Gasoline was $2.79 in Houston, but only $2.55 in Bosque county. We picked up the dogs in Waco and were home before 1:00 p.m.

Ship / Crew
The vibration is a concern to me especially as I have two aft cabins booked next year. It was very bad from Houston to Jamaica, then none between Jamaica and Grand Cayman, then bad again the rest of the way. Not sure if it has to do with speed, the use of the stabilizers, calibration of the propellers, or what exactly, but I hope it is addressed during the January dry dock. The Conquest might be showing her 6 years, but the crew is always repairing and updating. The ship was very clean and you would always see staff cleaning during the day and night. I have always thought that the Conquest is beautiful. The French impressionist and post-impressionist themes are wonderful. Try to see the video featuring Joe Farcus, the designer of the Conquest, on the ships TV while on board.

The crew was great. We didn’t participate in a lot of usual cruise activities, but Ralph and his team really seem to be on the ball. DW attended the Q&A with the entertainment staff and found that very informative. Slavica an assistant maître d' is excellent, she should be maître d', I bet she would enforce the dress code.

Food
The Cezanne Restaurant buffet food is good, but not great although the salads, fruit, and desserts are excellent. Paul’s Deli was good, the Reuben sandwich is my favorite and the vegetarian sandwich with arugula, mozzarella cheese, red peppers, and pesto is DW’s favorite of all food on the ship. PC’s Wok was very good. Sur Mer was good, my favorite item was the bouillabaisse. The Pizza Station was very good as was the Sky Grill both located on Lido deck aft. Room Service was very good and my favorites were the BLT’s and Veggie plate. The Monet Dining Room food is very good to excellent and much better than the buffet. I was very impressed with the entrees especially the meat dishes on this cruise. They were all excellent. We were assigned one of the large round tables in the center of the dining room and I was very pleased with the location. I enjoyed breakfast in the Monet every morning and they were all very good. I didn’t try the Sushi Bar this trip, but it has been very good in the past. There are ice cream and yogurt machines in several locations on Lido deck.

Cabin
We had cabin 2465 supposedly one of the ‘secret’ cabins. It is located aft and wraps around a crew staircase so it has an unusual floor plan. It was classified as a 1A interior, but is actually a large O/V with two windows. The cabin has extra storage with oversized closets and extra floor space. The bedding has been recently updated and is very comfortable. The downside is that there was a lot of vibration in this cabin especially on the first three days. We knew there would be more noise, but not as much vibration as there was. The final days were not near as bad. You certainly know that you are on a moving cruise ship. Now that Carnival has reclassified all the cabins on the Conquest this cabin is now classified as a 6B. It was a secret for a good while, but with the new classification certainly not as good as a value. We didn’t meet our cabin steward, Jose, until the 2nd day as he is new to the Conquest and just assigned our cabin. He was good and he kept our small cooler full of ice all week. We did get a towel animal each night.

Changes / Needs Improvement
One of the ‘cool’ things about Carnival was the Fruit Punch that was available in the Cezanne drink stations. It was something tropical to drink without having to order a cocktail. Very disappointed to see that it is gone. I only mention this as it has been discussed in online message boards, but the toilet paper does seem to have been upgraded since we were on board last month. The TV menus also seem to have been brought up to date. There was a big improvement in the Carnival Capers from last month.

Interesting / Unique
The online roll-call group was very interesting as it was a combination of Carnival Connections, Cruise Critic, and CruiseMates online groups. First one that the majority of people were from an online group other than Cruise Critic. One never knows how the online groups will go once on board and this went fine. It’s also nice to see the familiar faces from the meet up on board throughout the week. It was also great to see friends we have actually sailed with four previous times on this cruise.

Bayport Cruise Terminal
We were very impressed with the facility. As mentioned they have VIP facilities and the parking is adjacent to the terminal. We arrived about 11:00 a.m. but by noon it got very busy. Another ideal time to arrive would be 2:00-2:30 after the crowd. It was about a half an hour closer in travel time than driving to Galveston. Debarkation was a breeze. We are looking forward to a cruise line to begin sailing from Bayport. We will sail on whatever it may be. Maybe MSC?

Of course we are sailing from Bayport because of damage caused by hurricane Ike. Just a few miles from the cruise facility a hurricane staging area was set up along the highway. We could see probably a thousand appliances and hundreds of automobiles that were moved there from hurricane damaged homes around the area. One has to feel for the people that lost their posessions and perhap homes due to the high water. It does look like good progress has been made in recovery.

Final
Overall another good cruise; however, there were more concerns than usual on this cruise. We have three cruises on Conquest scheduled next year and we will be canceling one for sure and perhaps more as we are concerned with the aft cabins and several other issues. By coincidence the last person I saw at the gangway while leaving was Marvin Barrantes, the hotel manager. I told him that I had just left a letter for him at the Pursers desk expressing some of my concerns.

For the first time or beginning cruiser the Carnival Conquest is a fantastic ship to experience.

Photo by MachMan. To see his fantastic Conquest photos:
http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff313/mach_man/Conquest%203/Conquest%202/Conquest%201/

Review--Majesty of the Seas--9.15.2008

click on photo to enlarge

Majesty of the Seas Review 9.15.2008

Just The Facts:
Majesty of the Seas
September 15-September 19, 2008
September 19-September 22, 2008
Captain: Ole-Johan Gronhaug
Cruise Director: Jimmy Rhodes / Darren McColl
Ports: Miami-Nassau-CocoCay-Key West-Miami-CocoCay-Nassau-Miami
Weather: Good all week, hot during the day.

This is a 4-day and a 3-day B2B cruise that I will review as one cruise. I am doing these cruises as a solo and these are my 9th and 10th Royal Caribbean cruises. To be honest the primary reason for these cruises is to qualify as a Crown & Anchor Society Diamond member before our Voyager of the Seas cruise in January 2009. Of course I do plan on having some fun.

Day One--Monday--Embarkation
I could not get good air connections from Waco, so we left the ranch at 2:50 a.m. and drove to DFW airport arriving at 5:00 a.m. for a 6:00 a.m. flight. This will make for a very long day. I arrived in Miami about 9:45 a.m. and I was able to attach myself to a group of ladies who had arranged a shuttle to the port of Miami. Bottom line: I got a shuttle for $10, a very good deal. We arrived at the port early but they had just started taking the early arriving guests. They didn’t really have a VIP area, but give you a priority card that really does you no good whatsoever. Security and check-in went smooth. We were allowed to board about 11:35 a.m. ON BOARD: I went to the Windjammer and had roast beef and a nice salad from the buffet. The cabin was ready at 1:00 so I dropped off my backpack and explored the ship. My first Bahama Mama cocktail from the Schooner bar helped get into the sail away mood. I was at the pool bar at 3:00 to meet some of members of our online roll call group. I’ve never seen so many people in the pool on a debarkation day. No waste of vacation/cruise time on this ship. I tried to take a nap, but muster drill was held about 4:15 p.m. Sail away out of the port of Miami was great sailing between Miami and Miami Beach. I was debating purchasing a coke card since I did not bring any with me and finally decided to do so after we left Miami at least saving the sales tax on it. Diet Coke and less alcohol makes since since I have felt like I have may have picked up a ‘bug’. It started at the beginning of the day as upon take off from DFW airport I had a tooth ache due to the cabin pressure change. By afternoon I felt like I may be getting a sore throat. Oh no!, not again. The Welcome Aboard Show was at 7:45 pm for both dinner seatings. The CD is Jimmy Rhodes and the entertainment for the Welcome Show was comedian Rick Corso who was very funny and entertaining. I have late seating in the dining room as requested and a table with some Cruise Critic members. They have new menus in the dining room, I believe these came out September 1st and are fleet wide. The Vidalia onion tart and Tomatillo (spicy) soup were very good. I had the Prime Rib and Pork Tenderloin as entrees and Savrin for desert. By evening I know now that I do have a ‘bug’ or cold. This is always a fear for me as I know I have a low resistance to germs. Much too long of a day and very tired I retired right after dinner.

Day Two--Tuesday—Nassau, Bahamas
I slept very well and late this morning then went to the dining room for breakfast about 9:15 a.m. I had Eggs Benedict and they were very good. I am so used to a sea day on the first day that being in port so soon is a new experience. I only got off the ship and walked around in downtown Nassau to find a pharmacy in order to get some vitamins and sinus medicine. I hope that will take care of the toothache/headache. I was back on board the ship by noon and enjoyed a very nice swim in the pool. The two pools are large and separated into shallow and deep sections. There are quite a few people staying on board for a port day, but everyday is a port day. I had lunch in the dining room that is setup as the Brasserie 30 and all orders are cooked fresh to order. I ordered the steak sandwich and it was very good. They also had a salad bar and a pasta bar set up as a part of the Brasserie 30. The desserts at the Windjammer were excellent, so I had desert up there. I had some cabin time after lunch and I watched the movie Ironman. I had my first Room Service order in the afternoon of my favorite cheese & fruit plates. This was the formal attire night and The Captains Welcome party was this evening in the Theater. Also the Captains dinner which was one of the better meals. I ordered Escargot, Shrimp Cocktail, Beef, and the Grand Mariner soufflé for dessert. Best dinner of the cruise. The production show featuring the Singers and Dancer was Boogie Wonderland and it was a good show. I’m glad I rested during the day as the show was after dinner. Looks like I’m no longer a nightlife kind of guy, but the ‘bug’ doesn’t help.

Day Three--Wednesday--CocoCay
The Weather is again very nice. Very calm seas and fair winds. I slept very late, almost to 11:00 a.m. They still had one line in the Windjammer with breakfast so I had a light breakfast. I took a tender over to CocoCay about noon just to see the island. This is Royal Caribbean’s private island and the beaches and water are beautiful. They have all kinds of water sports available and it is a great place for a beach activities day. I tried the BBQ lunch served on the island of ribs and chicken. Not impressed at all with the food. I tendered back to the ship as I need a rest day and that is what I did all afternoon, nap and cabin time. I did visit the Schooner bar and the Viking Crown Lounge, but limiting myself to the coke card because of the ‘bug’. I attended the Crown & Anchor reception and did have a wine. It was the first time I had been in the Spectrum lounge, the location of the late evening disco. Dinner was good, but I might have been more pleased with something from the alternative menu. I had the Scallops, Chicken Marsala, and Tiramisù for dessert. I retired after dinner as I want to be fresh for Key West. Table mates participated in Quest which was held tonight.

Day Four--Thursday—Key West
It’s a cloudy and humid day. I do feel a bit better today as well. We were scheduled to arrive at 10:00 but I suspect they use that time to allow for immigration which everyone on the ship must go through upon arrival. We were docked well before 10:00 but it was well after before everyone was processed. I had breakfast (very good) in the dining room and took my time to allow lines to immigration to slack. It was a warm and humid day in Key West and did rain twice. I spent an hour during the morning rain in an internet bar catching up on news and fantasy sports. It was a great day in Key West, I had a nice snack of conch fritters at the Conch Republic and visited Pat Croce’s Pirate Soul museum. Also visited Kelly’s Caribbean Bar, Sloppy Joes, Captain Tony’s, and had an excellent slice of Key Lime Pie at the Blonde Giraffe. Key West is by far my favorite port on this cruise. I returned to the ship about 4:00 p.m. I went up to deck seven (muster/lifeboat) to watch the late arrivals and the Majesty leaving Key West. The final production show was at 7:00 for second seating guests. It was Signed Sealed Delivered featuring the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers. Dinner this evening was very good. I had the Caesar Salad, Onion Soup, Shrimp Cocktail, and NY Strip Steak with Key Lime Pie for desert. The service was excellent. I retired to the cabin and watched two movies. I don’t have to pack tonight as most are doing.

Day Five/One--Friday—Miami
This is my first B2B (on the same ship) and I’ve actually been looking forward to experiencing the port transition day. Fortunately I do have the same cabin and that makes it very easy. Also since I cleared immigration at Key West I don’t have to do that again in Miami. If anyone does these cruises as a B2B, be sure to do the four-day first. The debarkation announcements wake you early. I went to the Windjammer for breakfast and it was packed with everyone getting that last included meal before they leave the ship. Oddly the omelet station was not busy. I had my first Windjammer omelet and it was very good. I ate out on the Pool deck with a very nice view of Miami. I waited for it to clear somewhat before going to get my new SeaPass card and then headed for the Lido deck pools. I was the only one in the pool although I did have to change from one pool to another as they cleaned them. I took the rest of the morning relaxing on Lido and I basically had the entire ship to myself for several hours, I saw only one other B2B guest. They make an announcement to the crew about the upcoming cruise, i.e. the cruise ID number, the total number of guests, the number of children, the number of Crown & Anchor members, and the time they will begin boarding the new passengers. I went to the Windjammer at 11:30 and they had already begun boarding new guests. I again had a nice salad. The roast beef was not as good as I have had in other Windjammers. After lunch another dip in the pool and watched the new guests arrive. A fruit basket/plate was delivered to the cabin which I assume is for B2B passengers. I attended the muster drill and luckily I was told to go indoors and not outside on the deck. Much cooler inside. The weekend guests seem to be younger, consist of more locals, and in a party mood. The staff didn’t really need to encourage these passengers too much at sail away. They were in a party mood. I limited myself to only one sail away drink, a mojito, from Boleros. I went to the Welcome Aboard Show again featuring Rick Corso who was again very funny and entertaining. His show was a little different than the previous cruise. I again have late dinner and I have a better table location, a larger oval 6-top table again in the Starlight Dining Room. I had the garlic soup, the Angus beef from the alternative menu, and Tiramisu for dessert. The steak was excellent, the soup was fair, dessert very good.

Day Six/Two--Saturday--CocoCay
I slept well, but the ‘bug’ is still with me. Although better I have been eating and drinking in moderation and I am staying on board ship today. I had fruit from the Windjammer for breakfast and I then had a meeting with Sam, the RCI Loyalty Ambassador and booked one open NextCruise booking. I used both open ones that I had booking this B2B and it’s always good to have one or more on hand in case of a late booking. I went up to the Windjammer to fill my drink mug and they had just opened for lunch. I took advantage and had some Virginia baked ham from the carving station. DW would love the salads today as they had three different salad stations set up. This is much better than the buffet being offered on the island today-IMHO. It seemed like a slack time in the tendering process so I went down to security and had my photo taken for my SeaPass card. I don’t want to cause a delay when I visit Nassau tomorrow. I returned to the cabin and someone had sent me a special cheese plate from room service. The room service cheese and fruit plates are two of my favorite things about cruising Royal Caribbean and the Brie is my favorite of the cheeses. This plate delivered was a large slice of Brie and assorted fruits. It was special as someone went to the effort to discover my favorites OR they put things on the plate that didn’t need to be refrigerated & I would have it upon returning from the island. Either way, Thank You, I had it at the appropriate time. I purchased some internet minutes today. I have a very strong signal in my cabin for WiFi so that is convenient. I attended the Captains Reception in the Theater since I missed the previous one. Dinner was very good. I had Escargot, Lobster Bisque, Sea Bass, Sliced Beef, and the Grand Mariner soufflé for dessert. Starting to feel the ‘bug’ I retired after dinner.

Day Seven/Three—Sunday—Nassau
BUG: Woke up early this morning and half of my face is swollen. I’ll go see the medical department when they open at 9:00 a.m. This is my first visit to the ‘Doc’ on a cruise ship. Those that know me know I rarely see a doctor at any time so I am tired of the ‘bug’ and also the pain. The attendant takes your information and explains the routine and the charges ($108.00 on your SetSail Pass). The doctor is from eastern Europe and seems very nice. I had seen him introduced the previous night at the Captains Reception. He reviewed my information and examined me. He says the immediate problem is tooth related and not sinus although it seems I have a chronic sinus condition as well. Actually makes since. I’ve been assuming it’s my lack of resistance that usually gets to me on a cruise and it is probably a chronic condition that reoccurs due to cruising activities. Looks like fewer sail away drinks in my future. The ‘Doc’ prescribed some antibiotics and a pain killer, so hopefully that will take care of the ‘bug’ until I get home and in to see the dentist. NASSAU:I had some fruit in the Windjammer for breakfast and it is a late crowd and it is very busy. As mentioned the weekend cruisers seems to party late and sleep late. I went into Nassau and walked to the Straw Market although many stalls were closed as it was Sunday. They may have opened later in the day. I went over to the British Colonial Hotel now a nice Hilton hotel. I wonder if they regret building the modern facility as the old majestic wooden structure would be so unique now. I’ll save a trip to Atlantis until I return with DW on the Conquest next year. I returned to the ship in time for a late Windjammer lunch. I have been very impressed all week with the desserts in the Windjammer. Room Service delivered some chocolate covered strawberries so I’m guessing the cheese plate yesterday was also a part of the B2B benefits. They also delivered a note that my Everglades Excursion for debarkation day was canceled. I have a late flight and this would have been ideal as the final drop off is the Miami airport following the excursion. I will have to make new plans. Dinner was good. We had New York Strip steaks, probably the same ones being sold at the premium price. I also had the onion soup, shrimp cocktail and a banana crème desert. My wonderful table mates report that the late activities on board are great, including the Lido deck pool party & buffet, the disco, and the casino.

Debarkation--Monday
No room service on debarkation morning. I had some milk and snacks I had saved. Debarkation was OK, no better or worse than other ships. I rolled my own bag and didn’t check it the night before. I was able to again get a private shuttle from the port to the airport for $10. My flight is schedule very late but I went on to MIA and was able to catch a 10:15 a.m. flight and arrived at DFW about 12:45 p.m. local time. A shuttle to MIL’s and then telephone calls to the DW who is driving up from Bosque County and then the dentist. I have an appointment tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.. Believe it or not I started feeling better before we left for home so the drive was pleasant. We arrived back at the ranch before 6:00 p.m.

Ship
I am very impressed with the layout of this ship. It feels very spacious in the Centrum areas of decks 3-4-5. My HQ for the cruise was the Schooner Bar as it is so convenient to the cabin and a good place for my coke refills. Peter, Leo, & the others are good and entertaining bartenders. The Schooner bar is also non smoking as are most of the public areas now. Cabins are smaller overall on this ship compared to other ship and lines. The passageways are very narrow in the interior cabin areas. Overall a great ship and I was very impressed with the condition and public rooms on The Majesty of the Seas. For specific information on the ship visit the ships info website: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/class/ship/home.do?br=R&shipClassCode=SS&shipCode=MJ

Crew
The staff and crew are very good. The Entertainment staff seemed very motivated. They did change CD’s between cruises. In addition to the production shows, there was entertainment in the Centrum, Schooner Bar, Boleros, and the Disco. My waiters Vazley from India and Arturo from the Philippines were very good. I saw Christopher, our head waiter from a previous Rhapsody cruise working as the Windjammer manager. I only called maintenance once as the safe did not work and they came and repaired it (batteries) straight away. Also the first time I had visited ‘Doc’ and that went fine. Overall the crew was very friendly and many called me by name throughout the week.

Cabin
I had cabin 5567 which is a small interior cabin. It is the smallest cabin I can recall ever having, perhaps something on the Norway 20 years ago was smaller. It is fine for me as a solo, but two people would be very crowded and storage a problem. The location however is excellent. It is just off the Deck Five Centrum, & the Schooner Bar and same deck as the theater. Also it’s just one deck above the Starlight dining room. My cabin Stewards name is Stewart. How convenient? This is the first cruise that I never received a mint or chocolate at turn-down. I guess this is another new policy as of September 1st. I did get towel animals most nights.

Food
They have new menus in the main dining room, I believe these came out September 1st and are fleet wide. The new menu also features a $14.95 Chops quality steak each night. There is not a Chops premium restaurant on board so this may be a good option, but it’s possible that it ‘cheapens’ the rest of the entrees as being less than premium. Compass Deli is an area with soups, sandwiches, and salads, it is very nice and located on deck 12. There is also a Johnny Rockets onboard with hamburgers & malts on deck 12. My favorite room service items are the fruit plate and the cheese plate. They again did not disappoint. The cheese plate consists of five different cheeses and garnished with a few strawberries, walnuts, and dried apricots. It is served with water biscuits or saltines. The fruit plate has grapes, pineapple, kiwi, melon, strawberry, and orange slice. It is garnished with mint. Both are great. Lunch is only served in the dining room on Nassau days. All the bread selections are very good on board. The Windjammer buffet is also very good and better than many other lines. There are a few ice cream and yogurt machines.

New and Improved
This was the 1st RCI cruise that I have been on that offered fruit punch in the Windjammer. It had been limited to iced tea and lemonade on all others, I liked the new option. Also my favorite beer, Pilsner Urquell, was available in the Schooner Bar. Super, I hope this is fleet wide or at least on the Voyager of the Seas as that is my RCI 'home ship'. I've mentioned the dining room menus, they look good to me.

Needs Improvement
Really a very nice ship and very little improve. Disappointed that there was no college football coverage at all on Saturday. They showed soccer and repeats at that on ESPN international.

A SeaPass Story
Those of you who have cruised always know to have your SeaPass card ‘out’ and in your hand anytime upon entering or leaving the ship. Especially on initial embarkation you will show it three times or more including adding your security photo before you actually make it on the ship. This happened at embarkation on the first morning: There were a group of early arrivals who had been patiently waiting in line. In spite of numerous announcements about boarding and as the very first legitimate group of people approached the escalator when they called to board there were a few line jumpers who had just happened to walk up as the people who were waiting approached. Of course there was a security guard there to check and he asked to see your Sea Pass card. One particular line jumping clueless lady showed her cruise booklet, documents, everything but a SeaPass card. She and her husband were pulling large wheeled carry on bags and blocked entry for all of those who had arrived early and been patiently waiting while she searched. Security finally asked her to step aside to look for her card, which she did; however, she left her bags directly in front of the escalator entry, still blocking everyone. Finally, inside her purse, inside her wallet, inside her credit card holder, she found her card. Watching this process, I noticed that she returned her card to the same place. Finally the line was allowed to proceed and she lead the procession up the escalator. Of course at that point I had to make a comment, It was funny and it did make everyone smile. I find humor is usually the best way to handle that type situation, but I made a point to pass her before she again got to the next security point. Didn’t want to see the repeat.

Final
I really enjoyed the cruise and met some very nice people including many Cruise Critic and CruiseMates members and I had excellent dinner table groups for both cruises. The weather was fantastic all week although hot during the day. I was somewhat limited by the ‘bug’, but will prepare myself better in future. I apologize for not being able to cover more activities in this review, I would have preferred to do more. Still, another great cruise! Hello Diamond!

Review--Carnival Conquest--8.31.2008

Conquest Review 8.31.2008

Just The Facts:
Carnival Conquest
August 31-September 6, 2008
Captain: Massimo Marino
Cruise Director: Jen Baxter
Hotel Director: Carlos Santos DeMelo
Ports: Galveston-Progreso Yucatan- Cozumel-Grand Cayman-Galveston
Weather: Very Good all week.

This is my twelfth Carnival cruise and third time as a Platinum status guest. This is also my 6th and DW’s 5th time on the Conquest. There has been the threat of hurricane Gustav all this week and has made planning and preparing different and interesting. I’m attending a 'Seminar at Sea' presented by Carnival on this voyage.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation
We left the ranch at 5:30 a.m. that’s an hour earlier than normal due to possible problems from hurricane Gustav. We made a few brief stops including Waco, but the drive was very smooth and there was little traffic even in Houston. Approaching Galveston the traffic was heavy probably due to Labor Day weekend and beach traffic. The day was actually very nice. Since we arrived early we dropped our checked bags at the pier. We then parked at EZ Cruise Parking and walked over to the terminal. The new outdoor security check has been move indoors which is very nice for the early arrivals. There is a waiting room and then you are checked for ID before starting the check-in process. Once through security we used the VIP check-in and then to the waiting area. We were then informed of the itinerary change due to hurricane Gustav. We boarded about 11:45 and the entire process was very smooth. The VIP status certainly helps in this process.

ON BOARD: We proceed to the rear buffet area in the Cezanne on Lido deck and found a nice table. I was the first person through the buffet and enjoyed viewing the presentation of the food before the mass of guests converge on the buffet. I had roast beef from the carving station and grilled fish. The salads were very good. DW had a vegetarian sandwich from the deli, fruit and a salad. It was French day in the ‘Tastes of Nations’ section. It was all very good. We went to our cabin at the designated time of 1:30 and one bag arrived very soon afterward. We took a very nice hour long nap. Muster drill began about 3:30. Following muster drill we met the Cruise Critic roll-call group on deck 7 aft and enjoyed several “Funship Special” cocktails. It’s nice putting faces to screen names (more below). I attended a cocktail reception for my travel group before dinner and enjoyed some ‘melon balls’ a drink recommended by the cocktail server. They were interesting and tasty. We went to dinner at 8:15 and it was good. Our waiter is Lloyd from India. We have the same assistant waiter as our previous Conquest cruise. I had the shrimp cocktail and NY strip steak, it was good, but not great. I had the Black Forrest Gateau and the Cream Brule for dessert, both very good. DW had the Chocolate Melting Cake which is now available every evening. The assistant maître d' visited with us and made suggestions for vegetarian selections for DW. We told her we would be alternating between the dining room and the Cezanne this cruise. The Welcome Show was scheduled for later than I’ve ever experience at 10:30 p.m. They used to try to do this show between early and late dinner, but it was now following late sitting, at least on this cruise. It featured Marc Rubben who is one of our favorites and the Conquest C.D. with the Carnival Singers & Dancers. Since we have seen the show many times we passed and enjoyed the cabin and some sleep.

Day Two--at Sea
I enjoyed a very refreshing nights sleep. The ship rocked just enough to make it very nice; however, today the ship is rolling a lot, more than normal. It is probably best that they are taking the alternative route. As soon as we cleared Galveston we began sailing south-southwest towards Brownsville trying to get distance between the ship and hurricane Gustav. This morning we changed course and we are now sailing southeast towards the Yucatan. I had breakfast in the dining room, my personal standard 1st morning carnival breakfast of Eggs Benedict, which were very good. DW got fruit from the buffet and ate on the lido deck aft. We took a walk around the decks during the morning. They now sell future cruise booking on board the Conquest. I purchased two this morning. It is a good deal. We had lunch in the Cezzane Restaurant. It was French day in the ‘Tastes of Nations’ section. I did have a crêpe. From the regular buffet I had Virginia Baked ham from the carving station, light fried cod with tartar sauce, and a salad.

The Captains cocktail reception was before dinner and we met the captain then went directly to Henri’s Disco knowing it was the overflow for the Degas Lounge. We were the only ones in there for a while and enjoyed very personal service. Thank you Captain Massimo. This was one of two ‘elegant’ nights. Conforming to the new guidelines I left the suit at home and wore dress slacks with a dress shirt and blue blazer. We changed tables in dining room in order to consolidate tables within the travel group. We have a nice group at the table. Dinner was very good. DW had the stuffed mushrooms and an assorted fruit plate. I had the pumpkin soup, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp cocktail and the seafood entrée consisting of lobster and jumbo shrimp. The lobster was very good and the shrimp were excellent. I had the Cherries Jubilee for desert. People were really taking advantage of the lobby area this evening to dance. The late live band is a great new option especially for people who don’t really care for the disco type music in Henri’s in the evening. Good addition. The feature show was Ron Joseph who is a Vegas night-club style act. He is a regular on the Conquest and we have seen him several times and passed this cruise. I saw a friend I had cruised with on the Ecstasy on one of my solo cruises. It’s always nice seeing old cruise buddies. We passed on the midnight shows and retired to the cabin.

Day Three—Progreso, Yucatan, Mexico
Another very pleasant nights sleep. We arrived and docked early this morning. People were debarking before the 8:00 scheduled arrival time. I went up to the Cezanne for a custom ‘western’ omelet from the omelet station. Not crowded at 8:30 a.m. as it was after the early crowd and before the late people. We took advantage of the aft pool this morning and had it for ourselves for 30 minutes. People began arriving but we had an hour+ in the water to swim and later visit. It was Caribbean day in the ‘Tastes of Nations’ section featuring jerk chicken.

We took the free shuttle to town about noon. We stopped at the Mayan craft store run by Richard and purchased a few items for friends back home. It’s authentic crafts made by Mayans from Yucatan and Guatemala and a good place to get gifts. We went to Le Saint Bonnet and made that our HQ for the afternoon. We had a very nice table on the restaurant side and enjoyed a very nice breeze coming off of the Gulf of Mexico. We were joined by some new Cruise Critic roll-call friends so that made it very nice. We ordered a few drinks, lunch, and some great guacamole & pico de gallo. We also purchased items from various vendors who passed. The first mariachi to approach recognized us from previous trips so there was as many mariachi’s as we wanted for the afternoon. They had message tables set up on the bar side of the restaurant. The rate was $10 for 40 minutes. It was a very nice message and a great rate. Progreso is probably the pirated DVD capital of Latin America. Charges for a DVD run from $3.00-$4.00 on average per movie. We took the shuttle back to the ship and were onboard by 4:00 p.m. We watched sail away from the balcony and we left at the scheduled departure time of 5:00 p.m. Some very nice canapés were delivered to the cabin about 5:30 a part of the Platinum ‘Concierge Club’ guest program. We also received a stainless steel thermos as a gift.

As a break to the usual routine we had decided to eat in the Cezanne for dinner on the port days so this was our first night to do so. The salads are always good. They had Virginia ham again at the carving station, and a wide variety of desserts. There are a lot of people who eat in the Cezanne, as a confirmed dining room guy and a foodie it was many more than I expected. I really think that any-time dining is the future on Carnival, it just allows more flexibility for the guests. After dinner we strolled the promanade deck and listened to the group, Impromtwo, in Artists lobby. They were very good and there was a nice crowd. The production show this evening was Point & Click featuring the Carnival singers and Dancers. It is a good show and the theater was completely full. Having seen the show several times and no ‘good’ seats to be found we passed on attending and went to the cabin to watch one of the new movies we purchased in Progreso. We had a great day.

Day Four--Cozumel, Mexico
Another good nights sleep. The sea was calm and very nice as we sailed around the Yucatan peninsula and into the Caribbean. I was up early and could see the lights of Cancun as we passed. I had breakfast in the dining room and DW had room service on the balcony. We arrived and docked on time in Cozumel at the International pier. The Enchantment of the Seas came in and docked next to us. We took a swim in the aft pool while most passengers were scrambling to disembark. Since we were at the International pier we had to take a taxi into town, so we went all the way to the Forum Shops the location of one of out favorite spots, Havana Blue. We got a table upstairs overlooking the beautiful blue waters of the Strait of Cozumel and enjoyed mojitos prepared by Jorge our favorite bartender in Cozumel. A few mojito refills and some guacamole made for an enjoyable afternoon. We walked back towards the town square and I stopped at Antonio's for a haircut. It’s always good to see Martin, my barber. DW visited with our friend Nelly at her shop near the square. They have finally finished the reconstruction of the municipal building so all the temporary stalls have been removed. The square or zocalo now looks beautiful. The reconstruction of several of the side streets is also complete and all of central San Migel looks wonderful. We did stop at Mosricoz for some diet coke, margaritas, and mariachi’s. I was spotted by two of my favorite mariachi groups. They know I will always request a tune or two.

The ship was scheduled tom leave early from Cozumel. Much too early. We were back at the ship by 3:30 p.m and ordered BLT’s and a cheese sandwiches from room service. It was Mexican day in the ‘Tastes of Nations’ section, good choice. We went back to the dining room for dinner so our experiment with Cezanne for dinner only lasted one night. Dinner was good. I chose the tomato soup and two entrees: the Newburg style seafood and the grilled pork chop. I had two very good deserts: Tiramisù and the Bitter & Blanc. The feature show was Deja, The Diva of Deception. We were very tired after a big day in Cozumel so we skipped the shows and turned in to catch the end of the Sarah Palin speech at the RNC.

Day Five--Georgetown, Grand Caymans
Another good night sleep. We are traveling very slowly on our way to Georgetown. I had a very nice breakfast in the dining room. We arrived about 11:00 am. and anchored off shore as usual. The Freedom of the Seas is anchored very near us. DW enjoyed the aft pool this morning. We had a late lunch in the Cezanne and it was American day in the ‘Tastes of Nations’ section. There were tendering problems here with many passengers not getting ashore until well after 2:00 p.m. This was a good port to have our 'stay on the ship on a port day' tradition. I did make a quick trip over and back to Georgetown just to order some liquor but was back on the ship by 3:30 am. Our balcony was on the shady side of the ship and facing Georgetown so we had a great afternoon enjoying the views from the balcony. We were attacked by the ‘Jolly Roger’ pirate ship, saw a turtle swim to the surface below our balcony, watched several people snorkel near the harbor, and the tenders going back and forth from the Conquest to Georgetown. It was a very enjoyable afternoon. Dinner this evening was very good. I had the escargot, fruit plate, the chateaubriand, and Baked Alaska for desert. After dinner we went to the feature show. It was CD Jen and her Three Bears story. I had heard of her signature routine and it was funny. The comedian was Mark Hopkins, the first time I had ever seen him and he was very good, I enjoyed his show which included a lot of audience participation.

Day Six--at Sea
Another great nights sleep and the sea is very smooth this morning. I went to the Cezanne and had a nice omelet from the omelet station. Not busy at 8:00 a.m. at all. I attended a seminar by Carnival this morning from 9:00 a.m. – noon. DW enjoyed swimming at the aft pool and salad from the Cezanne. I had lunch at Sur Mer and the bouillabaisse and fish & chips were excellent. It was also Indian day in the ‘Tastes of Nations’ section. This afternoon we met friends in Alfredo’s for tea. It was nice with light snacks, sweets, an assortment of tea, and they also had chamber music. After tea we watched another of our ‘Progreso’ movies, SuperAgente86 de Pelicula. They delivered petit fours to the cabin that I assume are a part of the Concierge service for Platinum guests. Tonight was the second ‘Cruise Elegant Evening’ and dinner was very nice. I had Mushroom soup and two entrees: the Red Snapper and the Filet Mignon. The Red Snapper was absolutely fantastic, the best entrée served by far. I was very pleased with it.

The production show was Formidable which was written with the Conquest in mind. It is a series of French/Paris themed dance numbers and songs. My favorite dance is the cancan of course. This is the 6th time to see the show and it better than ever, much more of a ‘show girl’ production in addition to the dance and vocals. It had has a new dance team and the ‘screams’ in the cancan are back! It’s a long show, about an hour, but the best show on the Conquest and not to be missed. The very LAST Gala Buffet was held tonight in the Cezanne. It has been reduced in size over the past few years as fewer people have attended. Also a late ‘R’ show with Mark Hopkins which I heard was very good, so a lot of things this evening for those who are up late.

Day Seven--at Sea
Another great nights sleep perhaps the best of the cruise, but we were also up later the previous night. I went to the Cezanne for breakfast and had perfectly fried eggs from the omelet station. Yes they will do that as well. I had another seminar to attend from 9:00 a.m. – noon. I ate in the Monet dining room for lunch with friends. It was my best lunch of the cruise, but only time I had eaten in the dining room. I had the Neptune Chef Salad and the Pepper Steak.

I had cabin time after lunch and fortunately was able to watch my alma mater play college football on TV. There were quite a few passengers wearing Oklahoma Sooners colors on board and in the sports bar. A Funship Special and your favorite football team on TV while watching the beautiful Gulf of Mexico pass by outside. It doesn’t get much better for a Saturday afternoon. The past guest party was this evening at 5:00-6:00 p.m. in the Toulouse-Lautrec Lounge. This is much later into the cruise than any other I have attended. Jen did a fun Carnival trivia game and they showed the same ‘history’ film just updated with the new Carnival CEO Gary Cahill. I sat upstairs and I did well with the tip your server strategy. We both attended the cocktail reception for my travel group held in Vincent’s Lounge from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Dinner was again good, my choices were Crab Cake, the Prime Rib, and the Grand Marnier Soufflé for desert. We did attend the Carnival Legends Show after dinner. It was very entertaining. We returned to the cabin to pack following the show.

Debarkation--Sunday
We knew they would have priority debarkation for Platinum, but you have to meet at 6:45 a.m.. It’s the smoothest and fastest way though as you are escorted off the ship first. Well we were almost first. We were in customs just after 7:00 a.m. and we walked to EZ Cruise and were in the car by 7:30. Gasoline was $3.34 at my favorite Galveston service station, not bad considering. We were home just after 12:30 p.m.

Ship / Crew
The Conquest might be showing her 6 years, but the crew is always repairing and updating. The ship was very clean and you would always see staff cleaning during the day and night. I have always thought that the Conquest is beautiful. The French impressionist theme is wonderful. Try to see the video featuring Joe Farcus, the designer of the Conquest, on the ships TV while onboard. The Conquest will be going into dry dock in January. The Crew is top notch. Always willing to help, we were always greeted by name many times.

Cabin
We had cabin 6441 which is a standard balcony on the starboard side. It is near to the aft stairs/elevators so easy to get around. It was our first time on Upper deck and is fine, just above the Promenade deck. Our cabin steward, Marco was good and he kept our small cooler full of ice all week.

Food
Paul’s Deli was great. DW’s favorite of all food on the ship was the vegetarian sandwich with arugula, mozzarella cheese, peppers, and pesto. The Reuben sandwich is also very good. The Cezanne buffet food is good, but not great although the salads and fruit are excellent. The dining room food is good to very good and much better than the buffet. There are ice cream and yogurt machines in three locations on Lido deck. I had very good luck with the omelet station and not a long wait for service (I did try to time it right). Sur Mer was very good. I do love the big round tables in the center of the dining room and try for an assignment there if possible.

Needs Improvement
The Carnival Capers were frequently wrong. It was more than the change in ports as it was consistently wrong. The TV menus still don’t match the actual menus in the dining room. Jen, bless her heart, is not among my favorite Cruise Directors, she seemed as though she would be more comfortable as the CD of the Black Pearl or as a serving wench in a nineteenth century port side Jamaican pub. Bless her heart.

Interesting / Unique
The Cruise Critic roll-call group was one of the most active groups I have been a part of before the cruise. It was very entertaining and I guess the challenge of the hurricane added to many more posts than usual. The meet up was well attended. Most wore beads, which made it easy to find the group. One never knows how the online groups will go once on board and this went well. It’s also nice to see the familiar faces from the meet up on board throughout the week. Great Group.

Final
A newbie cruiser may not notice, but to me this cruise seemed to be a ‘half bubble off plum’ all week. The production shows were done in reverse order, the repeat guests party was on the last day, the second elegant night was off a day, and several other things. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I do think it somewhat effected the performance of crew and staff. That could be the reason for so many errors in the Capers and tendering problems. We’re on the Conquest again next month. Hopefully things will be a bit smoother. Overall, another great cruise. I have additional comments on the CruiseMates forums.

Hurricane Watch- Gustave

Very interested in Gustave since I'm leaving Sunday. I wanted to note this site which I think is fantastic for weather watchers. It has a lot of interactive features.

http://www.stormpulse.com/

Not sure where we will end up sailing on the Conquest, but I'll have a review when I return.

Bon Voyage

Review--Voyager of the Seas--3.9.2008

Voyager of the Seas Review 3.9.2008

Just The Facts
Ship: Voyager of the Seas
March 9-March 16, 2008
Captain: Frank Martinsen
Entertainment Director: Eric Dowis
Ports: Galveston-Roatan-Cozumel-Progreso-Galveston
Weather: Good all week

This is my 8th Royal Caribbean cruise and 2nd on the Voyager having just sailed on her in January. We only just booked this cruise a few weeks ago on a ‘happy hour’ sale. We had an inside cabin, but the price and value was too good to pass so basically this is a bonus cruise for us. I will be commenting on changes on this cruise from the recent cruise we took in January.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation
Left the Ranch about 6:30 a.m. and dropped off the dog at DD’s apartment in Waco. We had a nice and easy drive to Galveston. Houston traffic was fine. We arrived early enough to drop our bags at Cruise Terminal #2 before automobile traffic became heavy. I drove over and parked at EZ Cruise parking and then walked over to the ship terminal. Walking is easier than riding the shuttle and the weather was great. They had a new priority line for security which we used and then proceeded to Priority check-in. There were lots of VIP’s in January, but very few this sailing so there was no line and we were processed strait away. We had just settled in with our complimentary glass of champagne when they announced they would begin boarding. Nice group in the priority area and no mad rush to the door and as we knew the routine we were actually the first to board the ship. I think a few handicap passengers and a wedding party boarded early, but we were basically the first of the regular passengers to board. The ship staff were extremely friendly. Everyone welcomed us on board ship and offered help or guidance. The staff is much more friendly than just a few weeks ago. It was quite obvious. The friendly state would be proud.

As mentioned being already familiar with the ship we were the first in the Windjammer by 10-15 minutes. It was 11:50 a.m. and we are enjoying a wonderful private buffet. With no one there we could appreciate the beautiful ice carving and the fruit displays and the attention of the wonderful staff. Again, the dining staff was also very friendly. The roast beef was very good as was the salad and the desserts. We went to the High Notes lounge to wait until 1:00 pm when the cabins became available to guests. We went to our cabin shortly after 1:00 p.m. and DW had a nice nap and I a short one. DW’s luggage arrived at 2:00 p.m., but didn’t open it until after nap time. They had confiscated a bottle of wine and left a receipt in its place. I’m sure the increased security is because of spring break. My bag never arrived. Just before the 4:00 p.m. muster drill we met our Cabin Steward Selvon from Paraguay. We requested the beds set as twins, ice for our small cooler, robes, and for him to be on the look out for my bag. He is very personable and I think he will do a good job. Sail away was a little late and we had a cocktail in the High Notes lounge, but I was starting to become anxious about my missing bag. We decided to eat in the Windjammer about 6:30 p.m. and it is set up very nice for dinner. The waiters were all dressed in semi-formal attire and the tables were set with the silver. I had pork, mashed potatoes, and chicken cordon-bleu which were all very good. DW actually prefers the Windjammer as she has more vegetarian choices than the dining room. We stopped by the pursers desk on the way to the welcome show to make a query about my bag and was informed that it was in security. Well at least we know it made the ship. The welcome show for both dinner settings featured comedian Tom McTigue, Eric Dowis the Cruise Director, and the ships singers and dancers. It was a good show, better than in January. Saga of the missing bag: Following the show we went down to deck one security and they had a collection of passenger bags. We found mine and they asked me to open it. There was no contraband, the bottles of diet coke confused them. By the time I got my bag back to my room it was after 8:00 and no way I could clean and change in time for 8:00 p.m. dinner. Problem (rant): I was never notified that they had my bag in security and needed to be claimed. I agree with the additional security and scrutiny of bags especially during spring break; however, they must make the guest aware of what is happening. Due to no fault of mine I missed dinner in the dining room and those that read my blog and reviews know how important dinner is to me. Security claimed they notified guest relations, but no one notified me. If they had notified me I could have had my bag probably before sail away and saved myself the anxiety of the missing bag and had dinner as usual. (end rant) I think they will implement a procedure to correct this for future guests and I will not let a problem like this effect my overall cruise attitude nor should anyone else.

Bravo, bravo, bravo: They had a fire in the electrical controls for the propulsion system about 7:45 p.m. and sounded the alarm. We actually never heard the alarm as we were in the theater, but did hear the Captains explanation of what happened about half an hour later. They had a fire in the electrical panel and control box of the port side azipod so we will be sailing with less than full thrust for awhile.


Day Two--Monday--at Sea
Very breezy today, midday temperature only 75°. I had breakfast in the Windjammer. A very nice omelet made by Tamika (from Jamaica) who made the great omelet for me last cruise. Not crowded at all as passengers haven’t discovered the omelet station as yet. Breakfast was very good. We still had ice for our diet cokes this morning another vast improvement from January when our cabin steward was not very good at all and wouldn’t fill the cooler full enough for the ice to last overnight. We don’t drink coffee so the diet coke is important in the mornings. After breakfast I picked up tickets for the Ice Skating Show. We attended the Cruise Critic Meet & Mingle at 11:00 in the High Notes Lounge. There was a good crowd and it’s always great to put real names to screen names. They again had the great appetizers and chocolate covered strawberries. We actually won two of the little gifts this time. Eric, the cruise director, did attend and was his humorous self during the raffle. We had lunch in the dining room and it was just OK. DW said the pasta sauce had no flavor and this was her favorite lunch in January. The carrot cake was again very good. The Captain gave his midday report and announced a revised itinerary due to yesterdays fire. We have been sailing with only the one main propeller and they need calm waters to recalibrate the other so we will be sailing direct to Roatan so they can make the repairs there. A short nap before we went to the 3:00 ice show, Ice Odyssey. They had a few new skaters since we saw them in January. It was an excellent show and not to be missed. The Captains reception was held in Studio B although we passed on attending. Guest Relations sent us a bottle of wine with an apology about the missing bag. That was very nice and appreciated. We attended dinner tonight in the dining room. Escargot, shrimp cocktail, Beef filet, and Grand Mariner Soufflé were my selections. Greg Bonham was the feature entertainer this evening, but we skipped having seen him previously.

Day Three--Tuesday—Sea day
Weather is much better today. Midday temperature is 81°. I had breakfast in the Windjammer. A very good breakfast: fried eggs, bacon, hash, malt-o-meal, and fresh fruit. We had a nice walk around the decks this morning. We had lunch in the Windjammer, a very good salad as usual and pork tenderloin. Walked the ship again after lunch and then a nap. In the late afternoon we opened our complementary bottle of wine and had our own party with fruit & cheese plates from room service. We then went to the La Scala Theater for the feature production show, Broadway Rhythm & Rhyme. We saw some friends in the front row so joined them. A very unique perspective of the show to say the least. The show was fantastic with current and popular show tunes. All the singers and dancers were very good. After the show we enjoyed some wine in the Champagne Bar until dinner. Dinner was good. DW had the vegetarian entrée: an Asparagus & Brie Tart which is their best vegetarian entrée in her opinion. I had the Crabmeat& seafood salad, Tilapia and a Steak. BBB and a Mango parfait type dish for dessert. Keeping with the wine theme of the evening we did order a bottle of wine with dinner. After dinner we split a Mango Lava Flow on one of the outside promenade tables of the sports bar. Great place to people watch. About 11:00 pm. We went to the Country & Western night / Texas Party in Studio B. They had a western band and did line dancing directed by the cruise staff and two stepped the night away.

Day Four--Wednesday--Roatan
We arrived by 8:00 a.m. and the weather is great although you really can’t see the mainland today. Temperature very pleasant 84°. When we were here in January they had just finished the extended dirt work around the pier. Today they have full construction of three buildings underway. They have made great progress in just a few weeks. DW had room service breakfast. I again visited Tamika at the omelet station in the Windjammer and my omelet was excellent. Today is our stay on the ship on a port day which we try to do on each cruise in order to take advantage of ship amenities. Some pool, hot tub, and deck time most of the day in the Solarium. We brought lunch from the Windjammer back to the solarium since we had a table next to our loungers. Each of us had great salads. I had two small grilled steaks, a grilled tilapia, and baked potato. It was great, the steaks better than the steak from the dining room the previous dinner. We went to the ice show, Ice Odyssey again. Since today was originally scheduled as a sea day there were extra seats for the early ice show as a lot of people were still in port. It was great watching it again as we could anticipate some of the routine which was enjoyable. Some roles were different in this show as well and it was a fantastic show. Dinner was good, my selections were the Scallops, Shrimp Cocktail, Chicken Marsala, and Tiramisu for dessert. The Love and Marriage game show was this evening. The head waiter brought me a plate of sliced hearts of palm (one of my favorites) which were fantastic. We would never get them in Bosque county. Laraf the magic show was this evening, but having seen it we passed this evening.

Day Five--Thursday--Cozumel
The weather is very nice about 86° but a nice breeze. Really ideal weather for Cozumel. We docked about 8:30 am. at the Punta Langosta pier. There were four ships in Cozumel, two at the International pier and two at Punta Langosta. . We watched the Love & Marriage show on the cabin TV this morning and Eric Dowis is amazing. A great ad-libber and he makes the now standard cruise show very humorous. We both ate in the Windjammer, I had the usual Timika omelet which was great. Since we had no big excursions planned, just an afternoon in town, we were very pleased to be at the Puerto Langosta as we can walk into San Miguel. We left the ship about 10:30. I had a hair cut at Antonio’s barber shop. Martin has been cutting my hair for almost three years. We saw our friend Nelly at her shop, Mayan Pearl. Next stop was Havana Blue where we sat on the upstairs patio overlooking the Strait of Cozumel and enjoyed a a few rounds of mojitos. They are the best in the Caribbean IMHO. We also had some great guacamole & chips. We spent the rest of the afternoon on the square. I had a good beer drinking spot at Plaza Leza (thanks Paco & Edwin) and DW could shop. Several mariachis played our favorites. We arrived back at the ship a little before the suggested 4:30. After boarding we made our way to the Solarium for some swimming. I also hit the hot tub in the spa. Fruit & Cheese plates in the cabin for a nice snack. The entertainment this evening in the La Scala Theatre was comedian Chas Elstner. Dinner was very good. This would have been formal night, but they have delayed that. I had another special hearts-of palm salad, the lobster, prime rib, and the sampler assortment for desert. The Quest has returned and was tonight in Studio B.

Day Six--Friday--Progreso
Weather is very windy, up to 20+ knots according to Captain Frank. Midday temperature 86°. We docked a little late about 9:30 a.m. due to the high winds, but the winds calmed during the day. The beach and water looked really great today, a pretty aqua blue. It really looked like the Caribbean and not the Gulf of Mexico. DW found the shop with the handbags that she likes and we picked up some more for gifts. We then went to our favorite restaurant, Le Saint Bonnet and lingered there for the afternoon, basically enjoying Dos XX and guacamole while watching people and the beach, visiting with vendors, and listening to mariachis. We stayed until after 2:00 p.m. and took a taxi arriving back at the dock about 2:30 and on the ship for a nice swim in the Solarium pool. About 4:00 p.m. we ate at Johnny Rockets. It was very good, DW had a grilled cheese and I had a Nathan hot dog and a small hamburger. The fries and onion rings are really good. The sundaes are also excellent. I do recommend visiting Johnny Rockets. Departure from Progreso was at 5:30 p.m. and we watched the late arrivals from deck four which is always amusing. The second production show for our cruise was before dinner. Music in Motion featured the singers and dancers in a Broadway style review show featuring popular songs from movies. It was excellent, some of the best singers and dancers I have seen on board a cruise ship. Dinner was good. I again had my bonus hearts-of palm salad and my selections were the Shrimp cocktail, Mulligatawny soup, and the Chinese duck. The Karaoke Superstars was following dinner, but we retired early.

Day Seven--at Sea
We slept in this morning and DW brought some fruit and pastries from the Windjammer. It has been very nice having a cabin so close to the Windjammer as we can pick up snacks as needed. . A little breezy on deck and more cloudy the further north we sailed. A great surprise when we checked the on board account. Our fuel supplement was refunded. I believe RCI and the State of Florida reached an agreement earlier this week and those that booked before a certain date received the refund. Since we used a NextCruise booking from before the date we received the refund. Every little bit helps. We were invited to the luncheon for Platinum and Diamond guests at noon. It was in the Magic Flute and it was well attended. We were able to see our head waiter from January and the guests at our table were very nice. They served two starters, Duck Pate, and a Potato Soup with flaky biscuit. We had a choice of entrees. I had the Filet Mignon which was very good and they prepared some vegetables for DW. The dessert was a special Chocolate Melting Cake. In the afternoon we used the coupons from our Platinum book for wine and some casino specials. We watched some of the Karaoke Superstars on cabin TV, it was funny. I had an appointment with the Loyalty Ambassador this afternoon. For anyone wanting to book a future cruise I recommend making an appointment early in the week. BTW--Deadline for Next Cruise bookings is midnight of the 6th day. We skipped the Farewell entertainment show. Dinner was again vary good. I had the steak and green salad, again with hearts of palm. After dinner was the Island Frenzy Parade in the Royal Promenade. DW packed during the day and I packed this evening. An early evening as we have early departure.

Debarkation--Sunday
No room service on debarkation morning, but a full breakfast menu in the dining room. We arrived early and turned in the channel and docked starboard side to he terminal. They started allowing the self-debarkation people off about 7:50 a.m. It was really fairly smooth considering how many people are using it. We were even able to easily pick up the bottle of wine which was taken from DW’s bag the previous Sunday. They had hundreds of crew members in line for customs and fortunately they were going to different customs agents than the passengers. We rolled our bags to EZ Cruise parking and were on our way to fill up the car with fuel and head north. Gas was $3.12 in Galveston. We would have been off the island well before 9:00 a.m., but they had the causeway closed for bridge demolition and we had a 20+ minute wait. We finally crossed the bridge about 9:15 a.m. We made our stop in Hearne Texas for migas and arrived home in fine shape about 2:00 p.m..

Ship
This was my third time on a Voyager class ship. I am still very impressed. There are good and bad things about the size. There are a lot of people and the pools can be very crowded during peak times. The elevators can be busy or full and I recommend taking the stairs when possible. The additional size also means that there is room for the photo gallery, casino, bars, etc. without any one of them dominating an entire deck. The Aquarium Bar and Champagne Bar (no longer a non smoking bar) are very impressive as are the Studio B, the Theater, and other public spaces. The Grand Promenade is very impressive indeed and must be experienced. The ship was very clean and the public rooms were always spotless.

There are a lot of shipboard activities to choose from while on the cruise. This being our second in just a few weeks we still didn’t get to do everything we wanted to do during the week. We never really hit the sports deck and the spa only twice, but were very busy with other activities. Choose the activities you wish and leave time for just relaxing on board.

Crew
The staff and crew are very good. The staff are much more friendly than in January. I guess they have really adjusted to the new port and friendly crowd. We have a new Captain and he did keep us informed of the fire damage and altered itinerary. Our waiter and assistant waiter were excellent. The bar staff all very friendly. Even the maintenance crew on deck would greet you. Very impressed.

Cabin
We have cabin 1657 which is an interior on deck ten. It is a very good location. The cabin is basically the same as an O/V or balcony cabin. Same amenities. Our cabin steward is Selvon from Paraguay and he was excellent. He did keep my small cooler full of ice and we never ran out of ice. Selvon is a great improvement from the cabin attendant we had on the January cruise. The cabin was very clean when we boarded and cleaned very well during the week. The cabin could use some updating, primarily the couch & chair is worn and stained, but overall very nice. The safe has a button keypad. Air worked very well. The cabin refrigerator was well stocked, but we never used it.


Food
Our dining room is the Magic Flute, deck five (top level) of the 3 level restaurant. It was a six top table and the other four guests were co-eds from Texas A&M. Very nice girls average age 21. The table was in a very good location on the inside with a perfect view of the beautiful main chandelier. Our waiter, Vjeckoslav from Croatia is one of the best waiters we have ever had on a cruise. The assistant waiter, Anastasia from Belarus, is a delight and charming. She has a degree in linguistics and speaks five languages. The headwaiter Assif from India came by several times to check our table and arranged the hearts-of-palm.

Since we have no balcony this cruise and we are only one deck below the Windjammer we are not doing the fruit & cheese plates each day as we would usually do. We have ordered them, but it is very convenient to hit the Windjammer for a snack. Johnny Rockets was a good alternative for lunch or afternoon snack. Lunch in the dining room has the same menu each day with one special item that does change daily. All the bread selections are very good on board. There are several ice cream machines with strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate flavors. You can order room service on the RC-TV, but I recommend calling room service. We used the Windjammer much more this cruise and we were very impressed. The dinner we had the first night was very good. All the breakfasts were good and IMHO easier and as good as using the dining room. The lunches were always good and as we learned the location of specialty items it was even more enjoyable. If one wanted to eat in the Windjammer for dinner each evening you could get the same waiter if you wish by setting in the same area. The service was quite good. They also had several smaller themed buffets on the pool deck during the cruise, some in the late evening and some at noon. Overall the food is very good to excellent.

Room Service
We used it for light breakfast and few times in the afternoon for Fruit & cheese plates. Service was good when used.

Cruise Highlights
We ‘appreciate’ CD Eric Dowis and his good-ole-boy routine, the fantastic Ice shows, and the Broadway style Rhythm & Rhyme and Music In Motion production shows. Cozumel is always a favorite.

Needs Improvement
RCTV- They were showing the very same movies that they were in January. Surely they can add new movies in that period of time. Many times we enjoy cabin time and updated movies would help. I did enjoy the Nelson TV channel that was added.

Texanization
A tremendous improvement on the ice situation from the Voyagers first week or two of sailing from Texas. I believe having an excellent cabin attendant helped 100%, but I had no trouble getting ice from the bar, bar servers, and Windjammer when needed. The hotel director should be commended for recognizing the needs of his Texas guests. Again, the staff was very, very, very friendly.

Comments
They really do a very good job of scheduling the entertainment and production shows then coordinating them with the various receptions, and other events and activities on board ship. It was made more difficult this week due to the change in ports and sea days, but the staff did a great job. Another great cruise and we are bringing friends with us when we sail again on the Voyager of the Seas in January ’09 when she again returns to Texas.

Voyager of the Seas with Texas steer horns

Another photo of the Voyager of the Seas with the Welcome to Texas steer horns.

Very impressive.

Review--Voyager of the Seas--1.13.2008

Voyager of the Seas Review 1.13.2008

Just The Facts
Ship: Voyager of the Seas
January 13-January 20, 2008
Captain: Gerry Larsson-Fedde
Entertainment Director: Eric Dowis
Ports: Galveston-Cozumel-Roatan-Progreso-Galveston
Weather: Good all week, warm most days, high sea last day

This is my 7th Royal Caribbean cruise and 2nd on a Voyager class ship. We booked this cruise on May 10, 2006 just after it was announced that the Voyager would sail from Texas and had been looking forward to it for a long time.

Sunday was a big media day for the Voyager with a special Welcome to Texas ceremony. The ship had a huge set of steer horns on the front of the ship and it was decorated with Texas theme banners. A helicopter took video of the ship entering & leaving the harbor. There were invited press and travel agents boarding for inspection.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation
Left the Ranch about 7:00 a.m. and had a nice and easy drive to Galveston. Houston traffic was fine, Sundays are usually smooth. We knew that the Voyager would be an hour late this morning so we weren’t in a big hurry but we still arrived at EZ Cruise parking about 11:30. We chose to walk over to the terminal and IMHO is easier than waiting and loading on and off the shuttle. It’s only a few blocks and even with rolling our bags it was easy. We went through security with little problem and then to check-in. We went through the regular line as there were so many in the VIP line that it was really not any faster. We expected some delay in boarding due to the media day and it was so. They didn’t board until about 12:40. We lucked out on being able to be some of the first aboard though. We were among the very first in the Windjammer and had a very nice lunch. The welcome ice sculpture is beautiful. The food was good and the roast beef was very good as were the desserts. The cabins open at 1:00 so were able to go straight to the cabin after lunch. I noticed all the new No Smoking signs on all the cabin doors. The cabin was not as ‘ship shape’ as we would have preferred, but we’ll give the steward an opportunity to correct the problems. We went for a quick tour of the ship exploring the Grand Promenade, Viking Crown Lounge, and Dining Room. We returned to the cabin about 2:15 and our checked bags were already there. We were unpacked and DW took a nap while I went forward to get a photo of the steer horns on the top of the ship. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching the Dallas Cowboys playoff game. As promised to Cruise Critic friends I waved at the port camera as the Conquest moved away from the dock and the Voyager came into camera view. We ordered our usual (on every RCCL cruise) cheese plate and fruit plate from room service, but it was never delivered, even after a second phone call. The welcome show featured comedian Ralph Achilles and Eric Dowis the Cruise Director. Both who we have seen previously on the Rhapsody. We have late seating dinner in the Magic Flute at 8:30. We have a nice table and good location. I had the Vidalia Onion Tart, Tuscan Tomato Soup, Prime Rib with horseradish, and Savrin for dessert. After a busy day we retired to the cabin.

Day Two--Monday--at Sea
I had breakfast in the dining room. Eggs Benedict, bacon, & tomato juice. It was very good. After breakfast I picked up tickets for the Ice Skating Show. The Cruise Critic Meet & Mingle was at 11:00 a.m. in the High Notes lounge. We had a very very large group and the entire lounge was full. So many people you couldn’t really meet everyone. Eric Dowis the CD was there and they served finger sandwiches, chocolate covered strawberries and petite fours. Eric said that the Captain usually attends, but was unable to due to high winds and he stayed on the bridge. That was interesting to me as I’ve never seen a Captain at a Meet & Mingle. Eric was very funny and entertaining during the raffle. DW says he is much better than Ralph Achilles. Following the M&M we had cocktails at the Pig & Whistle and people watched on the Promenade. We had lunch in the dining room and they had a build your own pasta station. The carrot cake was very good. We went to the 3:00 ice show, Ice Odyssey. It was excellent and not to be missed. We returned to the cabin to rest and we again ordered the fruit plate and cheese plate for evening cabin/balcony snacks. The Room Service supervisor did call about the non delivery yesterday and we arranged for them to be delivered each day at 5:00 which is perfect for sunset balcony time. The Captains reception was held in Cleopatra's Needle and the Grand Promenade for both dinner seatings. Good idea and locations, but it does get crowded. Dinner was very good and this was the first formal night. Escargot, shrimp cocktail, Lobster Bisque, Beef filet, and Grand Mariner Soufflé were my selections. They had a Johnny Cash Tribute show following dinner in the La Scala Theater which was OK. Ralph Achilles followed with a midnight show.

Day Three--Tuesday--Cozumel
The weather is cloudy some showers but really ideal as it can be hot in Cozumel. We docked about 8:00 am. at the International pier. There were five ships in Cozumel, four docked and one tendered. I had an omelet in the dining room for breakfast and it was good, not on the menu, but they will fix one for you. We have been to Cozumel many many times over a 25 year (pre cruise ship) period so we had no big excursions planned, just an afternoon in town. We left the ship about 10:30 and took a taxi ($6) to town. We met our friend Nelly at her shop, Mayan Pearl, and DW had a piece repaired and bought a new piece of jewelry. I went to the internet shop and had a hair cut at Antonio’s barber shop. Martin has been cutting my hair for over two years. Next stop was Havana Blue for a few rounds of mojitos. They are the best in the Caribbean IMHO. We spent the rest of the afternoon on the square. I had a good beer drinking spot and DW could shop. Several mariachis played our favorites. Some rain moved us from the sidewalk into the restaurant, but it was a great afternoon. We arrived back at the ship a little before the suggested time of 4:30. As many know one of my favorite things to do in Cozumel is stand on the deck above the gangway and watch the drunks and late comers arrive. This time something different happened, the drunks were already on board (balloon hats & all) and they were yelling down at the people boarding. Different and very funny to me. We didn’t have any late passengers and we actually pushed away from the dock a little early. The past guest reception was this evening in Studio B and the entertainment in the La Scala Theatre was Los Pampas Gaucho. Dinner was good, but one of the weaker menus. I had the Tilapia, but also with a steak from the alternative choices and had the BBB for desert. DW said that the Asparagus & Brie Tart on the vegetarian selections was very good. Best vegetarian entrée so far. What did make the dinner special though was the head waiter surprised me with a plate of sliced hearts of palm (one of my favorites) which I ate with my Caesar salad. Very nice. Thank you so much, we would never get them in Bosque county.

Day Four--Wednesday--Roatan
We arrived by 9:00 a.m. and the weather is great, but perhaps warm for some. Looking south you could see the mountains of the mainland. You can not always see them and I suspect most cruise passengers miss them. The port and immediate area of Coxen Hole seems much cleaner than we were here last. They seemed to have finished the construction at the pier so that may account for part of it. DW had room service breakfast on the balcony. I tried the omelet station in the Windjammer and my omelet was excellent. There seems to be more people staying on board than I expected, but we still had a good stay on the ship on a port day which we try to do on each cruise in order to take advantage of ship amenities. A little pool time midday, oddly the port side pool was cold and the starboard side was warm. Have no idea why, but it was very noticeable to the guests. In the afternoon we ate at Johnny Rockets. It was very good, DW had a grilled cheese and I had a portion of two different kinds of small hamburgers. The french fries and onion rings are really the best. The malts are also very good. Although there is an additional charge for the cokes, they were refilled courteously and promptly. I do recommend visiting Johnny Rockets. We rested and walked around the ship this afternoon. Balcony time was very good as we watched the activities of the Costa ship that was anchored near by and watching her sail away which was very interesting. The fruit & cheese plates were also enjoyed on the balcony. We went to the ice show again. It was great watching it again as we could anticipate some of the routine which was enjoyable. Fantastic show. Dinner was good, my selections were the Scallops, Shrimp Cocktail, Chicken Marsala, and Tiramisu for dessert. The Love and Marriage game show was this evening.

Day Five--Thursday--at Sea
Weather clear and bright. Room service breakfast came right on time. We watched the Love & Marriage show on the cabin TV and Eric Dowis is amazing. A great ad-libber and he makes the now standard cruise show very humorous. Captain Gerry announced during his daily noon update that due to weather they would be moving the departure time in Progreso to 5:00 p.m. We have been enjoying the balcony today, and actually it has become hot, but sounds like we need to enjoy it while we can. We enjoyed lunch in the Windjammer. Roast Pork was on the carving station and it was very good as were the salads and desserts. DW caught the movie in the screening room. I enjoyed balcony time as it has cooled in the afternoon and was very pleasant. The headliner show was before dinner (for late seating) and featured LaRaf a magic and illusion show. It was interesting show for sure. This was the second formal night and did feature the standard menu with the lobster. I had the Soup, Salad, Seafood Plate (lobster), Prime Rib (excellent), and the Assorted desserts. As mentioned we have a great dining table and during a discussion of the Love & Marriage show some gave their personal answers to some of the featured L&M questions. I’ve never seen a table laughing so much. Great fun. The Karaoke Superstars followed dinner, but we retired early.

Day Six--Friday--Progreso
Weather is overcast. We docked about 8:00 a.m. We are backed into port so the aft balcony has a view of the local band and dancers at the dock area. DW had the room service breakfast and I again had an omelet from the omelet bar in the Windjammer. It was great. The weather has cleared somewhat. We watched a movie then went down to the dock and rode the shuttle into Progreso about 11:45 a.m. They have changed somewhat the shuttle area in Progreso for the better. You now unload and load in the municipal building. DW found the shop with the handbags that she was looking for and we picked up some gifts for those watching the dog and feeding the animals back home. We then went to our favorite restaurant, Le Saint Bonnet and just made it headquarters for the day. We sit on the bar side. Basically enjoyed Dos XX and margaritas while watching people and the beach, visiting with vendors & other guests, and listening to mariachis. The wind changed to out of the north which made it very pleasant. We stayed until 4:00 p.m. and started back to the shuttle area which went smooth as we were behind the crowd, arriving back at the dock about 4:30 and on the ship before the 5:00 p.m. request. They have moved up departure from 8:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. due to potential high winds. It was beautiful when we left but better safe than sorry. I think they will appreciate the early start when they hit weather on the way back. Dinner was good this evening. My selections were the Mulligatawny soup, Tomato Salad, and the Pork Medallions (very good). The first and only production show for our cruise was following dinner. Broadway Rhythm & Rhyme featured the singers and dancers in a Broadway style review show. It was excellent, some of the best singers and dancers I have seen on board a cruise ship.

Day Seven--at Sea
We began going through the strong part cold front about 7:00 a.m. Captain Gerry made an early announcement (8:00 am) about the up to 50 knot winds and most outside decks will be closed. Our balcony is protected so we can watch the weather. We each had room service breakfast this morning. First hot items we’ve asked to be delivered and they were delivered on time and in fine shape. We watched a movie and worked on debarkation paper work in the morning. We were invited to the luncheon for Platinum and Diamond guests at noon. It was in the Magic Flute and it was almost completely full so there are a lot on board. They served three starters, Duck Pate, a small Potato Soup, Shrimp in a tamari sauce and a choice of entrées. I had the Filet Mignon which was very good and they prepared some vegetables and cannelloni for DW. The dessert was a special Chocolate Melting Cake. All the indoor venues are busy as the pools are closed due to the weather. The sea is really rocking & rolling today. I had an appointment with the Loyalty Ambassador this afternoon. For anyone wanting to book a future cruise I recommend making an appointment early in the week. We went to the Farewell Showtime which featured the Orchestra, CD Eric, and Captain Gerry who sang God Bless Texas. Captain Gerry received a deserved standing ovation. The comedian was Karen Mills who was very funny. Dinner was again good. I had the Steak and green salad, again with hearts of palm. After dinner was the Island Frenzy parade in the Royal Promenade. It was great. DW packed during the day and I packed this evening.

Debarkation--Sunday
No room service on debarkation morning, but a full breakfast menu in the dining room. We arrived and turned in the channel for the first time since the VY has been in Galveston. She was starboard side to he terminal. They started allowing the self-debarkation people off just after 8:00 a.m. It was really fairly smooth considering how many people are using it and that we were a bit late. We rolled our bags to EZ Cruise parking and were on our way to fill up and head north. Gas was $2.81 in Galveston, and we crossed the bridge about 9:15 a.m.

Ship
The ship was very clean and well maintained. This was my second time on a Voyager class ship. I am still very impressed. There are good and bad things about the size. There are a lot of people and the pools can be very crowded during peak times. The elevators are always full, but it was much better than my cruise on the Adventure. A big positive is that the additional size also means that there is room for the photo gallery, casino, bars, etc. without any one of them dominating an entire deck. The Aquarium Bar and Champagne Bar (a non smoking bar) are very impressive as are the Studio B, the Theater, and other public spaces. The Grand Promenade is very impressive indeed and must be experienced.

Crew
The staff and crew are for the most part very good. The Captain is humorous and was good with his announcements. Listen for his Chinese friend. He also plays in one of the bands and is very good. Our waiters were excellent. The bar staff all very friendly. There were several crew from the Rhapsody, the most visible were 'Irky' from Turkey and of course CD Eric Dowis.

Cabin
We have cabin 7388 which is an aft wrap with the extended balcony. The balcony is fully covered which is very nice as we are not really sun people. The bathroom has a solid shower door which is a big improvement from RH and the lighting is much better. Our cabin steward is not very good. He really didn’t keep my small cooler full of ice as we ran out twice. Once saying he would take care it, but never did. Had to go to the bar for ice twice. The cabin wasn’t really very clean when we boarded. Stains on the linens may be overlooked, but not in combination with stains on the couch. Gross. He did improve by the end of the week. Never used the refrigerator. The safe has a button key pad. The cabin could use some updating as well. Balcony is great with 3 chairs, 2 loungers, and 2 tables.

Food
Again our dining room is the Magic Flute, deck five (top level) of the 3 level restaurant. It was an eight top table and all three of the other couples are great. All from Texas and all experienced cruisers. That must have been the common denominator for selection. We have been very fortunate on all of our Royal Caribbean cruises as far as dining companions. All have been excellent, they do a much better job than other lines. My two favorite room service items are the Seasonal fruit plate and the International cheese plate. The cheese plate consists of five different cheeses and garnished with a strawberry, walnuts, and dried apricots. It is served with water biscuits or saltines. The fruit plate usually has grapes, pineapple, kiwi, melon, strawberry, and orange slice. Both are great. Johnny Rockets was a good alternative for lunch or afternoon snack. Lunch in the dining room has the same menu each day with one special item that does change daily. All the bread selections are very good on board. The Windjammer buffet is also very good and better than many other lines. There are several ice creme and yogurt machines. You can order room service on the RCTV, but it did not work most of the time. Room Service: We made a standard daily order for both our evening fruit & cheese plates and breakfast. First day our evening order was never delivered. First morning the breakfast was late and missed half the order. Spoke with Armando the room service supervisor. Second evening late. Second morning 1.5+ hours late. Again spoke with Armando. Really did begin to improve on third/forth day and was great by end of cruise.

Cruise Highlights
CD Eric Dowis, the Ice Odyssey ice skating shows, the Broadway style Rhythm & Rhyme production show, and Thursday evenings dinner conversation.

Needs Improvement
Ice- hopefully the staff and crew will soon learn the importance of ice to Texans. Very little ice in drinks and stateroom ice buckets. Texans want ice in their iced tea, water, and soft drinks and they serve European style with little or NO ice at all. I’ve passed this recommendation to the hotel manager, room service manager, and anyone else who would listen. I overheard a conversation on the elevator and it seems some passengers took it upon themselves and commandeered the ice machine on one deck early in the cruise. I did notice that it already seemed to improve by the end of the cruise.
RCTV- the CBS Eye on Royal Caribbean repeats the same two shows, it is supposed to be a different show each day. Also the schedule in the Cruise Compass for movies in the screening room is different from what is listed at the screening room. The picture itself in the screening room is poor quality. And the room service ordering on the TV doesn’t show all the items available.

Texanization
The ice is already addressed. They do have salsa, but it’s NYC salsa (if you know what I mean). I was impressed that they do have Jalapeños for omelets, etc. They do have Ranch dressing on the buffet, but not in dining room as yet, I bet that changes soon as well. Some guests requested other condiments for the baked potatoes as only sour creme is offered. The staff was friendly enough and they will improve just by association with the Texas passengers. It will never be what the Rhapsody was to Texans, but they are making great attempts.

Comments
They really seem to do a very good job of scheduling the entertainment and production shows then coordinating them with the various receptions, and other events. The additional public rooms on a Voyager class ship certainly helps. The new dance/singing production team boarded with us so we only had one production show. That should improve in future sailings, but we attended the ice show twice which we enjoyed very much.

Overall a fantastic cruise!! We are already booked for next year!!