Carnival Conquest Will Call Miami “Home” in 2013

After receiving the extensive dining, bar, and entertainment enhancements that are part of Carnival Cruise Lines’ ongoing Fun Ship 2.0 Initiative, Carnival Conquest will also get a new homeport when she repositions from New Orleans to Miami in November 2013.

On its new Miami-based schedule, Carnival Conquest will operate year-round 7-day Caribbean departures from the busy South Florida port, departing every Sunday on two distinctly different Caribbean itineraries. Week-long eastern Caribbean cruises call at Nassau, St. Thomas, San Juan, and Grand Turk, while the western route features extended stops at Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize, and Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan).

Prior to the start up of its Miami-based program on Nov. 24, 2013, Carnival Conquest will operate two special departures—a 7-day exotic eastern Caribbean cruise from New Orleans to San Juan Nov. 9-16, calling at Grand Turk, La Romana (Dominican Republic); Tortola, and St. Thomas, as well as an 8-day southern Caribbean voyage from San Juan to Miami Nov. 16-24, visiting St. Kitts; Dominica, St. Maarten, Antigua, and Grand Turk.

Carnival Conquest’s dry dock is scheduled to take place Oct. 14-28, 2012 and incorporate a wide variety of exciting on-board features, including:

• RedFrog Rum Bar, a poolside version of the RedFrog Pub offering a variety of the Caribbean’s top rums and beers, which are enjoyed in a laid back island-infused atmosphere
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar, a friendly rival to the RedFrog Rum Bar, this lively and engaging watering hole specializes in frozen cocktails and Mexican beers, in a fun and festive environment
• Alchemy Bar, a cocktail pharmacy where highly trained mixologists create custom cocktails using interesting flavors and ingredients
• EA SPORTS Bar, an interactive sports bar where patrons can view live action, play popular EA SPORTS video games and keep up with the latest scores on the 24/7 sports ticker
• Guy’s Burger Joint, a complimentary poolside venue offering fresh-made burgers, hand-cut fries and innovative toppings and condiments created in partnership with Food Network personality and chef Guy Fieri
• BlueIguana Cantina, a free-of-charge Mexican cantina with authentic tacos and burritos that can be personalized by diners at an extensive salsa and toppings bar
• The Punchliner Comedy Club & The Punchliner Comedy Brunch presented by George Lopez, who is taking Carnival’s popular comedy offerings to the next level with hilarious, side-splitting comedians and a humorous twist on the traditional mid-morning culinary feast
• Hasbro, The Game Show, where guests are the stars of the show through larger-than-life adaptations of the company’s iconic and popular board games presented in the ship’s main show lounge
• Playlist Productions, takes Carnival’s legendary revues to another level incorporating high-tech special effects with live performances to create a memorable entertainment experience
• DJ IRIE, the celebrity spin-master and official DJ of Carnival Cruise Lines whose Spin’iversity is training the line’s shipboard DJs so they can place their own distinctive musical stamps on the line’s nightclubs and other venues

With the Carnival Conquest, Carnival will have five ships based year-round in Miami, as well as one operating from there on a seasonal basis. Collectively, these six vessels will carry more than a million guests from the Port of Miami—the most of any Carnival homeport.

In the meantime, Carnival Conquest will continue its schedule from New Orleans through Nov. 9, 2013. Then, as previously announced, Carnival Conquest will be replaced in New Orleans by the Carnival Sunshine (the ship that currently sails as the Carnival Destiny, but which will be renamed following an extensive 49-day refit that begins next winter).

Image Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines