Carnival Triumph - 1st Time Ever

[MANRW]

My husband and I are taking our first cruise ever Oct 5th on the Triumph to Cozmel and Progresso. Anniversary trip. :)

I have read soooo much I am overwhelmed. ANY advice at all on Embarkment, inside tips for packing as well as any cruising tips, do's and don'ts on a Carnival ship will be GREATLY appreciated.

I have our cabin booked (window Main Deck) and feel good about that. We have decided no to the Cheers and Soda plans but any experiences, pros and cons with either that we may need to know would be awesome.

We are soooo looking forward to this trip...just want to try to make the most of it.

Edited February 24, 2015 by MANRW

[paul929207]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

With over 7 months until your cruise, you have plenty of time to check everything out. Just take it a little at a time.

 

As to the beverage packages, their value all depends on your consumption. For some people they are a great deal for others a waste of money. If you are uncertain, you can probably find the prices for what you drink on the Carnival section. On the Princess section there is a spreadsheet to simplify the process of evaluating the packages. I don't know if there is something similar on the Carnival section.

[CruiserBruce]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Come over to the portion of Cruise Critic devoted to carnival, located here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215

 

for all the Carnival info you will ever need.

[Cuizer2]

My husband and I are taking our first cruise ever Oct 5th on the Triumph to Cozmel and Progresso. Anniversary trip.

I have read soooo much I am overwhelmed. ANY advice at all on Embarkment, inside tips for packing as well as any cruising tips, do's and don'ts on a Carnival ship will be GREATLY appreciated.

I have our cabin booked (window Main Deck) and feel good about that. We have decided no to the Cheers and Soda plans but any experiences, pros and cons with either that we may need to know would be awesome.

We are soooo looking forward to this trip...just want to try to make the most of it.

 

Regarding embarkation - I always like to board the ship ASAP. If you are like me, then you want to arrive around 11am. Most likely boarding will begin between 11:30 and noon. If you want to avoid the crowd, arrive 2 1/2 hours before departure. If the ship leaves at 4:30pm, then you want to arrive at 2pm. The lines will be shorter, but you'll miss out on a few hours of your first day.

 

Your other questions are too broad for me to respond. I'm sure others will offer their tips.

 

However, since you noted the ports you are going to visit, then I will offer my 2¢ worth.

 

Progresso is the closest port to Chichen Itza, which is the best of the Mayan ruins. If you have any plans to see Chichen Itza, and you are not planning a land trip to Mexico, then this is the place to take the tour.

 

My favorite place to visit in Cozumel is Chankanaab Park. You can swim with the dolphins, you can swim with the seals, you can swim with the manatees, you can swim in fresh water, you can swim in salt water, you can swim in the lagoon, you can swim in the ocean, you can bum some crackers or bread from the restaurant and feed the fish or you can just relax.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 24, 2015 by Cuizer2

[MANRW]

Thanks so much the information. Since I do have quite awhile I will continue to read and relax a bit.

[Cruiseme0613]

You may want to look into booking Faster to the Fun. If you go online to your booking and search excursions from the port you are leaving from, you will see it. It's $49 and some change. They do sell out quickly though. But closer to the cruise, Carnival may release more. And you only have to purchase one per cabin. Basically this gives you priority check in at embarkation, priority tender if you tender at the ports, priority debarkation and a special line just for Platinum, Diamond and Faster to the Fun people at the pursers (or whatever they call it now) desk. It's definitely worth the $50, and it will cut down on waiting in lines!

 

As for packing, don't over pack! I'm so guilty of this, but you really won't need all the clothes you think you need! But I'll add a few items I have learned to pack over the years. Pack some hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes. The hand sanitizer is great while you are in port or around the ship to keep those germs away. And while I've always experienced very very clean rooms, it doesn't hurt to wipe down the door handles, light switches, remote, etc with the Lysol wipes to try to avoid getting sick (especially with the Noro virus). We bring empty reusable water bottles to fill up with around the ship, especially before we go in port. We forgot to bring one on our last cruise, and we had to buy two travel mugs so we didn't have to keep buying bottled water in port! And lastly, if you plan on buying souvenirs, pack an extra empty bag to carry them off the ship in! Again, from experience, we have forgotten the empty bag and ended up purchasing one on the ship for all the extra items we purchased.

 

We are avid Carnival cruisers. You really can't go wrong! Happy Cruising!

[utlisa1050]

I bring a different type of bag to use on shore. For motion sickness I use Bonine love it can travel without it I don't wait for the motion sickness to hit I just always take Bonine.

Take a multi plug.

Don't forget to do your Pre Boarding forms.

[seanugget]

My husband and I are taking our first cruise ever Oct 5th on the Triumph to Cozmel and Progresso. Anniversary trip. :)

I have read soooo much I am overwhelmed. ANY advice at all on Embarkment, inside tips for packing as well as any cruising tips, do's and don'ts on a Carnival ship will be GREATLY appreciated.

I have our cabin booked (window Main Deck) and feel good about that. We have decided no to the Cheers and Soda plans but any experiences, pros and cons with either that we may need to know would be awesome.

We are soooo looking forward to this trip...just want to try to make the most of it.

 

Hi MANRW! Welcome to cruising. You'll be hooked after your first one! I way over pack. My best advice for that is to think about you really must need and have to have vs is it really necessary to bring every flip flop, high heel and dress I own etc, etc. We are all different in that area but I've found that with each cruise, I'm packing less and less using that philosophy. If you are a wine drinker, you are allowed 1 bottle per person in your carry on. Bring a corkscrew in your checked luggage should you go that route. It can sometimes take forever for them to bring one to you. Board the ship with an open mind and a positive attitude. Some new cruisers (some not so new) become overwhelmed and or they don't do their homework like you are doing (which is smart) and wind up not enjoying their cruise. They worry about every detail and it can ruin their vacation. I've seen it a lot. A favorite part about cruising for my husband and I is meeting new people. We love talking to all kinds of people from all over the world. We've made a lot of friends over the years while cruising. Many more seasoned cruisers have a lot of great insight and stories to share. People that are shy might be put off by this but it's really a great part of cruising in my opinion. If you're a social butterfly, you'll have a lot more fun...again just my opinion. :) Have a wonderful time!!! Relax, Enjoy the Company, Mingle and Have a great time!!