Triumph Review - 9/22 Sailing - Sort of Long...

[neatokimmo]

I just wanted to post a review on my most recent cruise on the Triumph. This was my 4th cruise and my first Eastern Caribbean cruise.

 

We had the "secret" 1A cabin, 2444 with 2 windows. There was a bed on the floor and a bed in the ceiling. I requested the roll away bed that was right outside our door and they had no issues letting us use it. The roll away bed had a thinner sort of foam mattress compared to a regular bed, I thought it was pretty comfy.

 

Great things about this cabin:

1. Two windows - no fighting over a window to see the dolphins. We saw them the first and last day!

2. This room seemed much larger than my previous cabins even with two beds on the floor. There was also a sofa that did not fold out into a bed.

3. The location was good in regards to eating. Just down the hall about 10 cabins to the aft elevators and you were there.

4. No funny smells. The cabin two doors down from us (one of the cabins in the very back that has a second door leading to it) reported the dreaded sewer smell. I didn't smell it anywhere on the ship.

 

Not so great things about this cabin:

1. The steward and his staff. They didn't make up our room twice and didn't answer the pages. I just didn't think we should have to hunt down a caper or a clean towel.

2. The motion! I took the free sea sickness pills the whole trip. When the engines were going full steam you could really feel it.

3. The noise. Is there an anchor outside the cabin? Coming in or out of port it was really loud!

 

That all being said, I would book this cabin over an inside if the prices were the same. The windows were nice and did make up for all the motion and noise.

 

The ports were...

Half Moon Cay - loved it. We just hung out at the beach and I snorkeled. I saw three kinds of clear fish, small with yellow, medium and large that were outlined in black. As we were leaving a sting ray ventured into the beach area. You can rent foam mats and snorkel gear. Personally I'd just pick up your own snorkel stuff at Wal-Mart and take it with you so you don't have to wait in line. Mine was $30.

St. Thomas - loved it. Took a taxi to Sapphire Beach for $10 pp each way. There were maybe 20 people there. If you are a beginner snorkeler this is a good beach because there is a nice rock formation in about 6 feet of water not far from shore. I saw all kinds of fish! I also saw a sea turtle and a sting ray :)

San Juan - didn't hate it but could of done without it. Walked around the city twice and went into all the junky t-shirt shops.

Grand Turk - loved it. Went to Margaritaville and chose a spot by the pool the furtherest away from the band and craziness. Drank a $17.44 margarita (I was surprised too! lol) and it was really good. Normally we would of been on the beach but there was a lot of crud in the water that day.

 

Weather - it wasn't bad, a little cloudy on San Juan and Grand Turk days. It did start to rain at 2-ish on St Thomas day but we were leaving to shop anyway.

 

Shopping - If you are doing tourist shopping like tote bags be sure to buy those in St Thomas. They are almost double the price in San Juan and are the exact same bags with different words on them.

 

Shows - My mother and I both enjoyed the shows which I thought were a lot better than what I had seen on other ships. The magic show was 20X better than the Legend's.

 

Food - I was disappointed in the dining room food. I didn't feel like they plated it the right way and everything was a little off on flavor/texture/temperature. The Lido buffet was good and really a little better than the dining room food because it was hot and fresh.

 

Cleanliness - I didn't feel like the Lido dining area was as clean as it could be. A lot of times they were sticky and the staff wasn't really cleaning them well. I hated that everywhere, especially in the dining room, dirty dishes were piled up. I don't want to see the slop bucket they scrape dishes in while I'm trying to eat my meal. I didn't see any other issues on the ship and did not smell the sewer smell in the halls or in the public areas. They were constantly cleaning the common areas.

 

Staff - I got the feeling that most didn't want to be there. There are always the sour ones and the super happy ones but the happy ones were outnumbered and I am not sure why.

 

Weird Stuff - I thought it was a bad idea to hold the captain's party and past guest party in the lounge. It was too small and very crowded. They also has the midnight buffet with the ice sculptures in the Lido dining room and it didn't fit. People were all over the place, it was mayhem.

 

On the issues I thought they could/would improve, I did let someone know (like the dirty lido tables) otherwise how would they know? I also left a lot of comment cards on the Lido food when a certain dish was really good because I am sure they receive a lot of bad comments and not enough good ones.

 

I would repeat this cruise for the price we paid ($399 plus I had the $100 stock credit). But I would skip the dining room and go more casual. I'd also take only half of what I brought and do a load of laundry on San Juan day. I really felt you could enjoy yourself in the ports without having to pay for an excursion which makes the price even less.

 

So I guess that is it, feel free to ask questions. Oh and here are some pictures...

 

The creepy cloud in Florida that seemed to follow us hehe

 

 

Sapphire Beach

 

 

I like taking cloud pictures. Look how smooth the water is, it was like a mirror!

 

 

 

 

And to prove I'll take a picture of anything, I thought this CC swiper on the Coke machine was pretty cool. It was at a state rest stop, I think in FL.

 

[dprg644]

Thanks for the review and the photos were an added bonus.

[sparkscruiser]

How big was it? We stopped in at margaritaville in Grand Cayman and 4 beers were $22.00 which I thought was ridiculous. If it was good beer, that would have been different.

[SunnyinMA]

Thanks for taking the time to write a review. My next cruise is on the Triumph so I am starting to scope out info :-)

[pacerzfan]

Thanks for the review and photos, neatokimmo. I want Triumph to be our next cruise, here's hoping financially I am able.

[JerseyHorseLover]

Shopping - If you are doing tourist shopping like tote bags be sure to buy those in St Thomas. They are almost double the price in San Juan and are the exact same bags with different words on them.

 

So true!! My sister and I got some great & reasonable tote bags in St. Thomas. Ours came with a matching sarong.

[teanbean16]

Thanks for the review:) :)

[neatokimmo]

It was the $13.95, 20 or 22 ounce one that came in a nice heavy beer glass (or I think you could of gotten a plastic tube for the same price) that you got to keep. Someone next to me asked why it came out to 17.44 and she just shrugged and said tax. Maybe I was charged extra for using a CC. I got a frozen peach one, very sweet and tart. I think you could of refilled it for $10-ish but one knocked me on my rear.

 

I paid $5 for a Sol beer at Senior Frogs in San Juan and I about croaked (haa haa haa). I guess I was reminiscing about the 6 for $10 Sol in Costa Maya.

 

The BEST beer on the ship is the free ones you can get when you go directly to the bar during the Captain's or Past Guest party :D

 

How big was it? We stopped in at margaritaville in Grand Cayman and 4 beers were $22.00 which I thought was ridiculous. If it was good beer, that would have been different.

[hockeyluver]

Thank you for your review, We have already done the Triumph once and we are looking forward to going on it again. We have been to st. thomas twice, the first time we did saphire beach and the second magans bay. I would and will do Saphire again it is so beautiful there, and no crowds :D Do you have any more pictures to share? can never get enough:D

[neatokimmo]

Oh, I forgot to mention the carpets on the ship. I remember reading that they were filthy and worn out. In my cabin (2444) the carpet was brand new and was still making those little fuzzies that short stranded cheap carpet makes when its new. They were also working their way down the halls replacing a little bit at a time. I often saw large rolling containers of carpet scraps in the red/orange cabin pattern and saw someone grouting new tile in a bathroom on an outside cabin. I think they are refurbing the rooms as they go, it seemed like they were doing a lot of work on the empty cabins on Deck 2 mid ship.

 

Really, our whole cabin looked new, nothing was scratched or chipped, they might of done the whole thing recently.

[Starfire_rules]

Great review. Two friends and I are sailing on the Triumph February 23rd. My second, their first. Can't wait. Got to print your review for them. Thanks

[rebeljohn]

Nice review and pics................Thanks for posting..........

[neatokimmo]

Sure! I didn't take many food pictures this time because I ate pretty much the same thing I did last time because it was good. Here are some more...

 

Daytona Beach on the drive down

 

Half Moon Cay

 

 

St Thomas from my cab window

 

Another cab window picture

 

 

Thank you for your review, We have already done the Triumph once and we are looking forward to going on it again. We have been to st. thomas twice, the first time we did saphire beach and the second magans bay. I would and will do Saphire again it is so beautiful there, and no crowds Do you have any more pictures to share? can never get enough

[neatokimmo]

Sapphire Beach

 

 

I was always a second off when his head rose above the water

 

 

 

My first froggie towel animal

 

 

My first stingray

 

BTW, this is the roll away bed.

[neatokimmo]

Going through the Bahamas on the way home

 

 

 

Miami

 

[Payd]

Awesome pictures! Especially the sunset photos.

 

Thanks for your review.

 

Payd:)

[LibraByTheSea]

I leave Saturday and your review makes me smile even bigger

Great photos:D

[racyguy14619]

I'm with Libra. The wait is getting excrutiating. Thanks for the review and photos !

[hockeyluver]

awesome pictures :D thank you so much!! sheeeeeesh still 158 more days :(

[jpg1747]

I have cabin 2445 booked for my November cruise. Can you tell me more about the cabin noise and motion please. Thanks.

[S and J]

Good review. Great photos - a lot of the photos look just like the ones we took.

 

I would disagree on the food though. I much prefered the dining room over the Lido deck buffet. Most of the dining room food was very good - maybe not gourmet great, but still very good. Just remember, when you are feeding 2500 people, it is more banquet food than gourmet food. And if you didn't care for a dish, just ask for something else. I think it feels much more special to have a wait staff at dinner time in a nice environment than just to go through another buffet line. I am a meat eater and I give high marks to the filet and the prime rib. If you like your meat medium rare, then order it rare because they do cook it longer. The only meat dish that I didn't care for was the short ribs. Also, unlike some other postings, I thought the desserts were all very good.

 

My wife and I loved the cruise.

[tn37]

Thanks for your review and pics! We will be sailing on the Triumph on Oct.20. I hope our cabin is in good shape, we will be on on the Riveria deck.

Tina

[master029]

Can you please tell me info on the new CD- Brad? How is he? Do you have a copy of the Capers? I will be sailing on 10/13. Thanks, Eric

[PINEVIEW01]

Thanks for the review. I will be in the same room on the other side. Thanks for verifing the second bed is in the ceiling and not on the floor as it is on other ships,

[Ljp5365]

Thanks for the pics......I never had a frog towel........