Carnival Conquest

The 2002-built Carnival Conquest cruise ship is the first Carnival's Conquest-class vessel, with sisterships Freedom, Glory, Valor, Liberty.

History - construction and ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a US shipping company, trademarked brand and subsidiary of Carnival Corporation (shipowner). CCL was founded in 1972 as an independent company by Ted Arison (1924-1999, co-founder of NCL Norwegian). Carnival Cruise Lines has Corporation's largest fleet as both a number of vessels and GT tonnage (ship sizes and capacities). CCL has over 1/5 of the cruise industry's worldwide market.

The 3000-passenger ship Carnival Conquest and her sisterships are among the biggest in the CCL fleet. They are basically larger versions of earlier Destiny-class ships, as well as and more feature-filled. More space reveals into additional decks, more bars and lounges, an upscale steak house, and well-proportioned public areas.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Conquest staterooms (1492 total, in 27 grades) include 54 Suites, 521 Balcony, 330 Oceanview and 587 Inside cabins, including 25 wheelchair-accessible (in all cabin categories). The ship has no "family cabins" but instead offers connecting rooms in various categories. Most cabins are sized 170-185 ft2 (16-17 m2). Cabin balconies are sized 35-75 ft2 (3-7 m2). The ship has 3 types of suites - Captain's, Grand, Ocean. The largest are Captain's Suites (500 ft2 / 46 m2 plus 150 ft2 / 14 m2 terrace).

The boat has 13 passenger decks, of which 8 are with cabins. Over 50% of all staterooms are outside, 60% of those are with balconies.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Two formal restaurants onboard Carnival Conquest serve open seating breakfast and lunch. Dinner is served in an open seating option or two assigned seatings. The casual Lido buffet offers a number of food stations with a variety of choices, including a salad bar, deli, dessert station, daily regional cuisines. The ship also boasts an upscale supper club which assesses a cover charge and requires reservations. You'll also find outdoor poolside grills, specialty coffee bar, complimentary sushi bar, pizzeria and 24-hour room service that provides a limited selection of items.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Conquest restaurants and food bars.

• Renoir Restaurant (744-seat forward Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings; in 2015 introduced themed breakfasts “Seuss At Sea” /$5 PP cover charge)
• Monet Restaurant (1122-seat aft Dining Room, also with two fixed dinner seatings and open seating for Breakfast and Lunch).
• Sushi Japonaise (sushi bar, complimentary)
• Sushi at Sea (Lido Deck) mini version of Bonsai Sushi, offers a la carte priced menu with rolls, sushi, sashimi, prices vary between USD 1,50-7,50.
• Guy’s Burger Joint (complimentary fast food bar by Guy Fieri)
• Blue Iguana Tequila Bar (Mexican beer, tequila, margaritas)
• RedFrog Rum Bar (Caribbean rums selection, ThirstyFrog Red draught beer, burgers, and fries)
• Bluelguana Cantina (complimentary fast food Mexican bar - burritos, tacos)
• Cezanne Lido Buffet Restaurant (1396-seat self-service, with various food stations
• The Point Steakhouse (108-seat specialty restaurant for steaks and seafood; with dance floor and live musical entertainment).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

In 2012 Conquest-class ships first received the newly branded Carnival bars and comedy club. Deck parties are a staple highlighted by new musical performances and poolside bars. The focal point on Conquest is a mural collage of works by Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Paul Gauguin, with backlit flowers of Murano glass. Carnival Conquest boasts 22 bars and lounges, giant disco with a jungle theme and stools shaped like lotus flowers, as well as a piano bar, sports bar, wood-paneled lounge with leather chairs and smoking section. The three-level theater is the special venue for Vegas-style productions accompanied by live orchestras.

There are four swimming pools onboard that include the main pool accompanied by a pair of large hot tubs, a stage for live music, and a giant movie screen. A 3-deck-high water slide takes the thrill-seekers on a ride with a length of 214 ft. The 4200-ft2 Children’s World playroom features a computer lab, video wall, PlayStation games, arts-and-crafts station, and lots of toys for the little ones. Tweens have their own space and so do teens - with a soda bar, dance floor, video game arcade, and air-hockey tables. The oceanview gym offers the latest exercise machines, while Cloud 9 Spa offers 17 treatment rooms on 21000 ft2, plus a thalassotherapy pool and elaborate thermal suite.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Conquest lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Toulouse-Lautrec Theatre (1400-seat main show lounge, also used for game shows, bingo, and movies)
• Conquest Atrium Artists Lobby (9-deck high midship open floor area; features Seven Seas Lobby Bar for live performances)
• Circle C (kids' club lounge, complimentary)
• Internet Cafe (24-hour Internet computers room)
• Blues Bar (100-seat piano bar); Vincent’s Bar (88-seat jazz bar); Taste Bar (offers complimentary appetizers); Alchemy Bar (cocktails made to order); 
• Henri’s Disco and Nightclub (211-seat)
• Degas Lounge and Bar (425-seat, with bar, stage and dance floor; hosts Punchliner Comedy Club/brunch, seminars, art auctions).
• Sun Pool area (with two Whirlpools, poolside bars, a stage for live performances); Sky Pool area (pool with two Whirlpools, served by Sky Bar, Pizzeria and Grille)
• Aqua Park (Stars Pool area, connected to Twister Waterslide, with one Whirlpool and splash pools)
• Carnival Seaside Theatre (LED screen outdoor cinema)
• Spa Carnival complex; Sports Deck (multi-sports court/basketball, volleyball; Tennis Tables, Shuffleboard); 9-hole Mini-Golf Course
• Serenity (adult-only sundeck with Serenity Bar, two Whirlpools, padded lounges)
• Camp Ocean (kids' club lounge hosting complementary programs with supervised activities, an outdoor playground). Camp Carnival's wading/paddling pool for kids is no longer available.

Itineraries

Carnival Conquest itinerary program is based on departures from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean. Feature port destinations include Cozumel Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Bahamas, Curacao, Nassau, Grand Cayman.

(Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was done in 2012. Extensively refurbished in 2012 (emerged from drydock in late October), the Conquest ship didn't receive the full "Fun Ship 2.0" upgrade package due to lack of enough deck space for all new facilities. The Carnival ship Conquest is of company's Conquest-class vessels, with sisterships Freedom, Glory, Liberty, Valor.

The first of the Carnival Cruise Line's Conquest-class liners started its Inaugural Cruise/Maiden Voyage on November 12, 2002. The ship has a French Impressionist-style interior decor complementing the city of New Orleans. 60% of all staterooms are OceanViews and 37% have balconies. This ship is truly a great choice for families with kids.

Carnival Conquest refurbishments 2009-2012 review

The ship's 2009 drydock refurbishment resulted in adding new cabin balconies, LED screen (Seaside Theater, overlooking the main pool area) and the "Circle C" kids club.

The "Fun Ship 2.0 "refurbishment (October 2012) added to the ship signature Carnival bars, burrito, sushi, burger joint, new comedy club (by George Lopez).