1st time on the Triumph

[beach410]

1st time going Platinum, 1st time balcony and 1st time to Progresso! Yay!

 

Despite the negative reviews I have read in the past I a finally booked this cruise last night. Was originally thinking about the Inspiration again, as we really enjoy this cruise, however, for the price difference for the balcony and experiencing a new class of ship, I decided what the heck. I see the glass 1/2 full and will not let the negative reviews stop me from finding out for myself.

 

Chose anytime dinner, my husbands request, since he did give in and agree to drive the extra 4 hours to take this cruise for me after all.

 

Any tips, must not miss, helpful info you can provide would be appreciated.

[firefly333]

I always wonder why someone would let a negative review influence them?? All Carnival cruises are so standard. Unless there is something specific that you want the ship doesnt have .. .you dont know the reviewer, and Carnival produces a standard product.

 

Iv been on Triumph I think 4 times now. Its beautiful in a black marble way, with tiny white lights. It has a world/globe theme to me. Im sure Host Mach has a more official name for the theme.

 

I think perhaps some are dissapointed it doesnt have a pay restaurant and give bad reviews for some things like this ...but Inspiration and the even older ships wouldnt have it either, but people dont expect it so they arent dissapointed.

 

I would take negative reviews with a HUGE grain of salt.

[LBumb]

been awhile but we had great cruise on the Triumph

[habby]

Take the double decker bus tour in Progreso. It's a little cheesy, but a nice cheap excursion. Sit up top if you can. Progreso is not yet the typical cruise port, so don't expect Diamonds International and all that kind of stuff. I think it's a beautiful, friendly place and look forward to going back someday.

[beach410]

Thanks everyone. I dont need a fancy port, I am looking forward to seeing some local ruins while in Mexico, my son loves history so it will be a nice change from snorkeling. We will definately need that dip in the cenote after being in July in Mexico! Hope we have time to ride the double decker bus and have some downtime on the beach as well.

 

I remember reading the Triumph design is horrible and difficult to get around, I heard this about the Fantasy class too, which I dont agree with at all (but that may be because after 9 cruises I know my way around..lol), but is this true of the Triumph?

[firefly333]

I remember reading the Triumph design is horrible and difficult to get around, I heard this about the Fantasy class too, which I dont agree with at all (but that may be because after 9 cruises I know my way around..lol), but is this true of the Triumph?

 

Its the same as on Conquest, two decks do not go thru, because of the two story kitchen between the two dining rooms.

 

On Fantasy class its only one deck that does not go thru.

 

If you can remember decks 3 and 4 do not go thru, go on up to 5, or down to 2 you can walk from aft to front if you need to get from one to the other, you wouldnt have a problem.

 

Thats what I mean about ignoring what you perceive as a negative review .. some of the things they complain about #1 are trivial and #2 .. true on almost all carnival ships (I have not been on a spirit class ship, so I cant say for those).

 

Deck 5, the promenade deck to me is the fastest to walk thru, because of lots to look at. If I do it on deck 2, with monotonious cabin doors, one after the other, the deck seems so far to walk, so I prefer deck 5 if I want to go from one end to the other ... or any deck above Promenade.

[JRock59]

Take the free suttle into Progresso from the pier, right where they drop you off you can buy the same tour of Dzibilchaltun Mayan Ruins that the ship sells but at about half the price. Very nice riuns and the bus ride to them is only about 30 minutes. Also right where they drop you off is a fun flea/craft market. You can pick up some nice items for very little $$. Have Fun!:)

[beach410]

Thanks for the awesome tips everyone!

[Tralynn]

We enjoyed our Triumph cruise as well as all of the other Carnival cruises. They are definitely the same product. The ship layout, as stated, is a little different, but just use Deck 5 to get from front to back.

 

Enjoy your cruise, enjoy going Platinum, and if you get a chance, enjoy New Orleans too!

[ticka1]

Looking at booking a cruise for next spring break with dd16 on the triumph !!!

[Cruiser@Heart]

I just stepped off the Triumph last week. I am Platinum. We drove from IL..12 hours.

 

Chef's Table~If you are a foodie, sign up for the Chef's Table. It was a lovely experience and they kept the wine flowing. I can't drink alcohol (medical condition)so they kept my glass filled with Diet Coke...I think I went through 6-7 cans during the entire meal. :D I had done the Chef's Table on the Dream. This was a different dining experience. We dined in the Library.

 

Progreso~We happened to be there the same day as Ecstacy, so the wait for the buses was a bit long, BUT that just gave me a chance to chat with others in line and answer lots of questions about cruising (my platinum card was noticed by those around us) and the port in general. If you are the only ship in port, the wait is not long at all. Take the double decker bus around town~$3.00. My friend did a lot of "bartering" here on purchases. Every time she would say no and walk away, the price would suddenly become what she offered or even a bit lower than what she originally offered. She ended up having to buy an extra bag to bring home all of her "purchases" from Progreso and Cozumel because she became so good at the bartering!

 

Deck Chairs~they kept about 60 loungers stacked up near the back of the ship in the "smoking area" on the Panorama Deck (just after where the Calypso band plays) When ever I couldn't find a free lounger, I would head back there, yank one off the stack and take it to where I would like to hang out.

 

We found that it was fastest to go the length of the ship from our cabin deck and then catch an elevator to the floor we needed when leaving our cabin due to the galley breaking up travel on the 3rd and 4th deck. Otherwise, the 5th floor worked, but got really crowded at times.

 

If you play in the Casino and have sailed Carnival in the last 24 months, call the Ocean Players club 888-672-2582 and see if you qualify for any of their "Bon Voyage" packages for the ship. I did and received Chocolate covered Strawberries one evening and a Free $15 Photo Coupon...and I only play 1 cent slots. :D

 

We had over a 1,000 kiddos sailing with us. You would have never known it. The elevators were never clogged or over run with kids. In fact, I never had to wait on an elevator....EVER. Stairwells, hallways, etc...clear. The "camp staff" did a great job of keeping the kids entertained.

[beach410]

great info thanks, question, we are on deck 8, how would we get to the anytime dining room for dinner? isnt that all they way down on 3 or 4 on one of the floors that you cant reach the other side by crossing, or would we walk towards the DR then take the elevator down? LOL, funny questions. I am getting excited.

[firefly333]

Its hard to answer as you only said deck 8, but not where on deck 8. The entrance to anytime dining is in front of the dining room in the middle, which can only be reached from the front elevators.

[Cruiser@Heart]

We were assigned Paris (lower) Dining Room and our cabin was at the other end of the ship. We just walked down the hallway to that end of the ship from our cabin and then took those bank of elevators to level 3. The doors of the elevator opened up right outside the dining room. Very easy.

[beach410]

oops, right, I am in the back of the ship, well, its called midship, 8300 range.

[Cruiser@Heart]

Grab the middle bank elevators and go down....The glass elevators/regular elevator area to the London dining room. The London is right off the Atrium Area.

[firefly333]

Grab the middle bank elevators and go down....The glass elevators/regular elevator area to the London dining room. The London is right off the Atrium Area.

 

The middle elevators drop you in back of the middle dining room where they had anytime dining... Id want to be at the front entrance and not have to walk thru the dining room to get to the person doing the seating.

 

We seem to be on different ships ... I have used the middle elevators when I did traditional in that dining room because I did not need to be seated.

 

There also is usually a line for anytime dining later on ... if you come in the back way and have to walk thru the entire dining room to get to the person doing the seating, that to me is like line cutting. I guess Im the type to just go to the main entrance and not need to cut thru the dining room to get there.

[firefly333]

Now Im wondering if I just missed the person who seats you in what I call the back of the dining room on another level.

 

I havent done anytime dining but Iv been seated in the same room with anytime.

 

OP Im sure you will figure it out.

[truchattycathy]

We really enjoyed being at the back of the Lido at sail away. It is unique because you sail down the Mississippi and briefly see a bit of New Orleans and the sights. After that, there were families and kids along the river banks waving and cheering at us. It was where we had our first meet and greet and a few of the local people told us all about what we were passing. Hope your going before she leaves NOLA! I loved the Triumph, but then the Conquest is my fav. ship. :D

[Cruiser@Heart]

As I said, you should walk from your cabin and grab the section of elevator with the glass elevators and regular elevators on your floor. Then take it down to the London Dining room. The front entrance to London dining room was right across the lobby area from these elevators.

 

The Chef, during our walk through in the London Dining Room on our way to Chef's table portion in the Galley, made a point to discuss Anytime Dining and explained how it worked since everyone in our group had opted for Traditional dining.

[Sargent_Schultz]

1st time going Platinum, 1st time balcony and 1st time to Progresso! Yay!

 

Despite the negative reviews I have read in the past I a finally booked this cruise last night. Was originally thinking about the Inspiration again, as we really enjoy this cruise, however, for the price difference for the balcony and experiencing a new class of ship, I decided what the heck. I see the glass 1/2 full and will not let the negative reviews stop me from finding out for myself.

 

Chose anytime dinner, my husbands request, since he did give in and agree to drive the extra 4 hours to take this cruise for me after all.

 

Any tips, must not miss, helpful info you can provide would be appreciated.

 

Triumph is a great ship!

 

Lots of pictures from our Triumph cruise:

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/CarnivalTriumph/index.htm

 

The ship is easy to get around on. If you are on a deck with cabins you can get from stem to stern. Also deck 5.

 

Progreso is great! Much closer to authentic Mexico. Some pictures from there:

Progreso: Sept 2010, Chichen Itza: Page1 Page2 Page3 Page4

Progreso Feb 09 Uxmal

Progreso Dec 07

Caves and Caverns Tour Sept07

Uxmal/Progreso Sept 2004

 

 

 

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Cruiser@Heart]

Sargent Schultz~

I enjoyed looking at your pics of Progreso especially the earlier years.

 

Reminded me of the first time I went, there weren't any vendors along the beach area or along the sidewalk to the beach. I loved it for not being "touristy and commercialized". I was shocked when I returned a few years later to see all of the little vendors set up along the way. I thought..."Great, another Commercial Cozumel in the making".

 

But, then I realize that though it may "LOOK" touristy on the surface, the same things that drew me to Progreso in the first place were still there. I love going away from the beach area and shopping in the little shops the locals shop in farther away from the drop off point.

 

Progreso is one of my FAVORITE ports.

[djacobson]

Thanks everyone. I dont need a fancy port, I am looking forward to seeing some local ruins while in Mexico, my son loves history so it will be a nice change from snorkeling. We will definately need that dip in the cenote after being in July in Mexico! Hope we have time to ride the double decker bus and have some downtime on the beach as well.

 

I remember reading the Triumph design is horrible and difficult to get around, I heard this about the Fantasy class too, which I dont agree with at all (but that may be because after 9 cruises I know my way around..lol), but is this true of the Triumph?

 

You may want to check out www.autoprogreso.com for the Mayan ruin tours. They give you some time to swim in the cenote. They sell excursions at the pier and also in town at the market that the bus takes you from the pier. As previously mentioned the $3 bus ride is nice - although I didn't like having to duck so much when the bus was crossing the electric lines which cross the streets.

 

The Fantasy does have a different layout from the Triumph. Instead of boarding on the Empress deck like you do on the Fantasy, you board deck 3, the lobby deck. The layout on the lido deck is also different.

 

Have a great cruise - I am looking forward to being back on the Triumph in six weeks!

[Sargent_Schultz]

Sargent Schultz~

I enjoyed looking at your pics of Progreso especially the earlier years.

 

Reminded me of the first time I went, there weren't any vendors along the beach area or along the sidewalk to the beach. I loved it for not being "touristy and commercialized". I was shocked when I returned a few years later to see all of the little vendors set up along the way. I thought..."Great, another Commercial Cozumel in the making".

 

But, then I realize that though it may "LOOK" touristy on the surface, the same things that drew me to Progreso in the first place were still there. I love going away from the beach area and shopping in the little shops the locals shop in farther away from the drop off point.

 

Progreso is one of my FAVORITE ports.

 

Thank you.

 

Progreso is really touristry (sort of) and has been for some time - in a Mexican kind of way. It is the port city for Merida and much of the Yucatan and many of those folks have summer and weekend houses in Progreso. A number of vendors are there for them. But unfortunately, "progress" is coming even to Progreso.

 

At least (for now), it hasn't turned into condo city like Cozumel or for that matter Miami.

[beach410]

I really appreciate all the tips and Sargent Shultz, enjoyed the picture, thank you!