Review Triumph 10/06-13/07

[LibraByTheSea]

I thought I would get this out right away and not procrastinate this time.

Background: This was my 18th Carnival cruise and the 5th time on the Triumph. 30th cruise overall. Other lines were RCL, Princess, HAL and NCL. Needless to say, I am a cruisaholic!

I was traveling with a friend…her FIRST!

We are 2 women, single and 50+ but young at heart. We found many other singles in our age group on this ship….nice benefit. There was

an Eastern Kentucky Country radio station promotion cruise with more than 200 cabins booked. Broke a Carnival group booking record according to the station manager. Great group of folks!

Embarkation: We were in the new terminal. This was the first time I was ever turned away and told I was too early. It was about 10:45am. Took a little ride up A1A, missed the turn going back to the pier, took a little tour of downtown and dropped our luggage. Much more organized than in the past when it was TOTAL CHAOS! There is a “turn in-drop off” area; you veer to the right of a median so you can get out of the way of traffic and cabs…very organized and no stress. Then you have to take your car on another tour to find the assigned parking garage…REMEMBER WHICH GARAGE…you don’t come back to the same terminal…More info in the Disembarkation section.

The garage is not right there…there is a shuttle bus to take you to the terminal. Since I am Platinum, it was smooth sailing from there. I checked out the regular lines and they were not too bad and seemed to be moving quickly.

Cabins weren’t open until 2pm so we stopped in the Lobby Bar and enjoyed our first cocktail on board.

Alex was behind the bar and remembered me from a previous cruise. The excellent service began right there.

Cabin: Got a deal on an inside cabin rate and got an upgrade. Could have gone to Main Deck but learned from previous cruises, I don’t book under/over any public areas. I need quiet to sleep and look forward to my afternoon naps when I cruise…gives me the boost to keep going at night! Had outside on Riviera…1357. Well located around the corner from the mid ship elevators. Cabin provided two women with plenty of storage and space to move around. TV choices are very limited. We all wondered why the network feed was from Denver. Our Cabin Steward, Ida was awesome. I commented on the comment card for the week that she should be considered for “Employee of the Month” . Extremely nice with a great sense of humor…she joked with us every time we saw her. She addressed us by name from the first introduction. When I was “burned out” in St Thomas, she worked quickly around me and made sure she left the “newbie” my RM her towel creature.

Bathroom has plenty of storage. Tip for the ladies: Put the hand towel on the commode and place the shower mat right under; turn the shower head toward the wall and it really easy to shave your legs.

Ship: The Triumph is really a pretty ship complete with the whimsy of Carnivals Joe Farcus. The lobby is kind of a “black light” purple and gilded gold. Promenade is Worlds Way with a trip through different places. Hollywood Dance Club with an art deco theme and monitors everywhere. You have to watch the Capers for the schedule in here. There was a Latin Night, Motown Night, etc. After midnight they did dance music and sometimes got hung up in the European dance music, which is a little more Techno than I care for but they kept it moving through the genres. California Wine Bar (my favorite pre dinner stop) is also a Martini Bar…the BEST martinis. There is a special every day and quite a selection. The bartenders are great and shake them so there is the icy top that I like so much. Don’t miss the Martini Glasses decorating this spot. There is a story but I can’t remember…ask the bartender…they are quit unique and valuable. The Big Easy Piano Bar is decorated with oyster shells from the Acme Oyster House in New Orleans, never spent much time in there though. There are two more lounges just beyond. They held the Captains Party there. I vote for them going back to the days of having the Captains Party in the show lounge with the orchestra playing. This room is WAY TOO SMALL! That being said, the drinks and munchies are complementary. If you go to the bar in the back, you can order what you want rather than taking the whiskey sours, etc that they bring on trays. You can miss the munchies back there though. This is also where they hold the Karaoke, which are the try-outs for the last night show…which by the way is great, don’t miss it. One of the people we met was Frank Sinatra and closed the show, was a good time.

Dining: I have never been one to complain about Carnivals food but I think they have really improved over the years. Things are a bit more creative but they have alternative “mainstream” items every night. They fell short on one of my favorites, Tiramisu. Just seemed like a frozen Sarah Lee but it could have been me. Didn’t try the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake but everyone else had it several times. Things not to miss: Pumpkin Soup, Greek Salad, Caesar Salad, Salmon w Dill, Shrimp Cocktail, Lobster Tail (they now serve with shrimp, lobster pretty small may want to look at a couple of these if you are a lobster lover…our tablemate had 4…lol)

Dinner: We were in the London Dining Room Late. We requested a change from the 8pm seating and the Maitre D was great. He searched the room for a large table with some singles. The whole table was singles…3 retired fireman that had a reunion cruise, 2 girls from Holland that we hang out with in the dance club, they were beautiful and I am going to be one’s bridesmaid for at least 2 marriage proposals she received this week…lol and two girls from California. Great table!!!

Lunch: The Lido had great variety. You can’t beat the sandwiches from the Deli, the pizza is excellent and the buffet had fresh salads fixins, hot items like chicken, fish, pastas and a carving station with different selections each day. My RM tried the desserts each day and they got rave reviews. The 24 hr ice cream was nice to have for an afternoon cool down. OK here is a complaint. Every day several drink stations weren’t working so after you filled a plate of hot food, you had to go looking for an open drink station. There are wait staff that bring around a cart with refills but they weren’t there when I needed it and I ended up with only warm food…not earth shattering but irritating.

Breakfast: I prefer the dining room for several reasons. It is nice having your coffee served especially with the issue of drink stations on the Lido deck. The BIGGEST complaint I have with Carnival…the coffee is terrible, always has been. The other reason I like the dining room for breakfast is that it’s a great way to meet others with the open seating concept. The breakfast menu is the same each day. Recommendations: Eggs Benedict, Fried Eggs were cooked as ordered, Grits were perfect, Corned Beef Hash was excellent as were the omelets. Don’t pass on the basket of baked goods either, everything here is fresh baked and delicious.

Entertainment: The shows were great. Not Broadway or Las Vegas but great cruise ship entertainment. Don't miss the 2 production shows, the magic show or the final night of the karaoke finalists...great fun and some amazing talent!

Casino: Played in the Slot Tournament…always good for a laugh. I got the high score for our bank of players…no where near enough to win! Then threw another $20 in a machine. Don’t throw my $$ away on the casino…to much fun spending it on stuff for me!!

Ports:

Half Moon Cay: Just gorgeous!! Rented floats for $9, worth every bit. The sand was powder soft, the water clear turquoise, beautiful day. Band played and they served lunch. Typical BBQ…burgers, dogs, jerk chicken and small variety of salads and condiments. Just right. Bars didn’t serve full service…no margaritas..Boo hoo! Pina Coladas, Strawberry Daiquiris and beer. A little disappointed but lived with a cold Bud Light.

St Thomas: Great Stop! Took the Castaway Sail and Snorkel. Great excursion. They had biologist guided tours and introduce you to various sea life. Held a starfish and sea egg, in the urchin family. Saw my first seahorse. Great visibility. Saw a great variety and abundance of fish, a stingray and a few people saw a sand shark but I missed it. Nice sail back with unlimited rum punch, of which I should have limited. Between 5 hours of sun and too much rum punch, I ended up hanging in the cabin while I kooled down and sobered up. No dinner for me…lol

San Juan: Not one of my favorites but since I was with as newbie, I felt obligated…lol. Ended up a nice day. Started walking around old town. Neither of us was interested in the historical stuff. Ended up shopping…of course. Bought shoes, a couple great shirts and yard long margaritas at Senor Frogs.

Grand Turk: Weather ruined the planned Ultimate Snorkel planned for this day. Went to the beach, got perched in a couple chairs and between the crowd and the wind, we ran back to the ship for some quiet at the aft pool and the much loved afternoon nap.

Sea Days: Just hung out, got some sun, played in the casino one afternoon and enjoyed some relaxing downtime.

Disembarkation: Why anyone does the self-assist, I can’t figure. I get VIP but I was supposed to be there at 7:45. Closed the disco the night before so that just wasn’t happening…lol. Went to the Rome lounge and had to get in line with the self assist folds. No Big Deal. Took 10 minutes. New terminal does do all the winding the last on did so it was painless. Here is the Issue: You don’t come back to the same terminal SO REMEMBER where you parked. I saw several people wandering not sure which garage they were in. For those of us who drive….you either have to wait for the shuttle to fill to get you back or take about a mile hike back to the garage; if you have someone who can stay at the pick up area til you get back. Not the end of the world but be ready..I had a moment of panic. No more hunting through stacks of luggage…very civilized…luggage keeps rotating on conveyers like the airports…much more convenient…but remember I was VIP and off before the hoards…lol

Overall: The Triumph is a great ship and provides a wonderful experience. I heard some complaints but nothing that would have affected my cruise. This being time #5, I have decided not to book her again and try some of her newer sisters.

We made some great new friends and had a blast.

I wish you all Bon Voyage!

[SunnyinMA]

Thanks so much for the detailed review!

[letsgocruz1]

I, too, was on this sailing and had a wonderful time. The shows were great...especially loved the comedians. We met some wonderful friends and enjoyed hanging out with them.

 

I don't understand why so many have complained about the Triumph. Or maybe I'm just not picky!! So for those of you booked to sail on her, go and have a wonderful vacation!!! It's all good. :)

[Sensenigr]

Thanks for the Awesome Review. I am cruising on Triumph in about three weeks. I heard Paul Santley is no longer the Cruise Director. I heard the new cruise director is Brad Calabrese. Did you have any interaction with him? Is he a good cruise director?

[nothomeonacruise]

I've been on the Triumph and I learned some new things by reading your review! We love the ship. I can't wait to try some things. :)

[CarnivalChick1116]

Thank you for the time you put into this awesome review. We are sailing in a little over 3 weeks and CANNOT wait!

 

-Kim

[CarribbeanTina271]

I was on this same sailing and was a wonderful cruise, The Truimph is a beautiful ship. Would love to sail again on her. Met some Awesome people on this cruise :D !!! Laugh alot! Enjoy the shows, the crew was the hardest working ever!!

[racyguy14619]

I knew that Deb's review would be posted right away. I slept from midnight 'til 5:20pm yesterday, recovering from the cruise, and didn't have access to a computer online until today at work. I expect to stay a little while after work at 6pm, and will have my review posted this evening. Get ready for a positive review -- I only have a couple of REALLY tiny not-so-positive comments. It was a GREAT week.

[pacerzfan]

thanks for the great review.

[sandy toes]

Thanks for a great review. We will all be sailing on Nov 10. Am really looking forward to the Triumph.

[racyguy14619]

LibraByTheSea's review very well covered many of the major points. I have a number of things to comment on, and will try not to repeat too many of the things Deb touched on.

Day Before

I flew into Miami on Friday, and was in my room at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami around 4:00pm. I very quickly took the 3.5 block walk south to the Walgreens to pick up some suntan goop (couldn't find mine at home) and a couple of bottles of Gatorade. I spent the rest of the afternoon chilling out and watching TV. Around 7:45pm I wandered over to Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, and had a really good shrimp dish and a couple of Margaritas.

Embarkation

I got to the Port at 11:15am, handed off my suitcase to a porter, and was through Security in less than 10 minutes. I waited in line upstairs for about 10 minutes, and as I pulled out my ticket packet and passport at the Sail & Sign counter I realized that my cel phone was going to have it's own week long vacation in Miami -- I had left it on the bed at the Holiday Inn. It took just a couple of minutes to get my Sail & Sign card, a minute or so to get my security picture taken as I boarded, and I was at the Purser's Desk at 11:35am. The S & S system was updating, so they were not ready to take my $500 cash deposit for my card. I asked where there was a phone I could use, and was directed to my cabin, which I found open for last minute cleaning. I called the Holiday Inn to go look for my phone, and when I called them a second time 20 minutes later they had my phone at the front desk and would hold it for me to pick up the next Saturday.

Departure

I spent the afternoon wandering around, getting the obligatory Lido Buffet lunch, and hanging out in my cabin for a bit. During my time at the midships Lido bar a couple of my CruiseCritic friends recognized me from my avatar and stopped to talk a bit. Muster Drill was as hot and long as it always is -- everyone around me was grumpy, so I made no friends there. Muster Drill is a very important necessary evil, and I survived it just fine. After returning my life jacket to my cabin, I headed up to the New World Bar all the way aft on Lido Deck. I met LetsGoCruz, LibraByTheSea and her companion Mary Lou, Caribbean Tina and her husband, AlwaysBusy, and Moonpie. A few of us had a drink and watched our departure through the glass of Lido Deck aft.

Cabin

I liked my cabin. It was #2208, the second outside cabin from the front of the ship on the port side of Main Deck. It was very spacious for one person and had a single bed that was very comfortable. No problems all week -- it was a very comfortable "home".

Half Moon Cay

I got up at 7:45am and had breakfast in the Paris Dining room. Eggs Benedict, of course. It was nice meeting a few people at open seating breakfast. I went and got a tendering sticker in the Rome Lounge at 9:20am and sat in the Lobby watching the world go by, since the ship was a bit late arriving at HMC. I got in line for the tender at 10am, and I think the tenders started running around 10:15am -- it was close to that that I boarded a tender. We had to wait for another group of passengers to fill up the lower deck, but we were offloading at HMC by 11am. I managed to find a chaise lounge in the shade for an hour, spent a half-hour out in the pristine water with my toes in the powdered white sand bottom, then I went to go find food. The one thing Carnival could do better at HMC is have an informational insert for the Capers with a good map and more information on how to find the food and other things. I eventually managed to find the hamburgers, and deciding I wasn't in the mood for that, I tendered back to the ship and had a 1:30pm lunch at the Lido Buffet.

Day at Sea

I slept in until 11am, and went up to have a wonderful made-to-order omelet from the Lido Buffet. Every seat on Lido Deck was taken, so I ended up finding a chaise lounge up near the Forward Pool and the waterslide. I spent a couple of hours up there in the sun, and then visited the bar in the shade and went to hang out for an hour or so in my cabin. I dressed up in my suit and tie and went to the Captain's Party for a couple of 1-shot martinis, then enjoyed Formal Night at dinner.

St. Thomas

I got up early for more Eggs Benedict in the dining room, and met more people. I don't remember exactly when I got in line for Customs, but from that point until I was through it was less than 10 minutes. I walked over to the Paradise Point tramway, only to find it closed, so I walked back to Havensight. I stopped into one of the jewelry/liquor stores and bought a liter of rum that you can't get in the States and two bottles of Stolichnya for a little over $30. I found a park bench and transferred my vodka to two 1-liter water bottles, and returned to the ship. My bag went through the x-ray and my rum was spotted, so I had to go surrender it. The two water bottles of vodka accompanied me to my room. As the result of a $15 purchase in St. Thomas, I only had five or six boat drinks for the remainder of the cruise and saved at least $100. At 1:00pm I went on the Captain Nautica Snorkeling excursion to Buck Island and a second reef. The trip is on a 30-foot rigid-hulled inflatable boat, which gets you out to the snorkeling REALLY fast. I can't say enough about this excursion -- I took it with Kathy two years ago, and it was just as good this time around. I even saw a nurse shark from about 15 feet away this time.

San Juan

I slept in until 11am, and went up to the Lido Buffet for another yummy omelet. I found a chaise lounge near the Center Pool, and spent a couple of hours baking and watching the world go by. After dinner I took my bag of quarters to the Casino and hopped onto a slot machine. I actually won 150 quarters, but played them and my remaining stash down to nothing -- it was fun.

Grand Turk

I got off of the ship at 11:15am for the 11:30am Ultimate Snorkel excursion. I found Deb and Mary Lou with the crowd, but was informed immediately that they were going to cancel the trip. It was very windy in GT and the seas were pretty choppy -- not good for newbie Mary Lou, but I was experienced enough to go. Right after getting on the boat I ran into CaribbeanTina and her husband. They took us to two separate offshore reefs. At the first one I jumped into the water and immediately got to see a 5-foot barracuda under our boat, which made its' way to about 6 feet from me. I also saw a slightly smaller barracuda later, and followed a stingray for a dozen yards or so. On the second reef I saw lots of fish and enjoyed myself. I also highly recommend this snorkeling excursion. After we got back to GT I wandered over to Margaritaville, where I found a nice seat in the shade at the Tiki Bar overlooking the pool. Two hours, 3 Margaritas, and $40 later it was time to head back to the ship, relax for an hour, and get dressed up for the second Formal Night. I eventually went to the disco, which usually started getting cranked up about midnight, and danced and drank with Deb and Mary Lou until 2:30am.

.

Day at Sea

The plan for the day was pretty similar to Monday's activities. I slept in until 12:45pm, and went up to get a Reuben and a Ham & Cheese at the NY Deli. Every possible seat in the center of the ship was taken, so I wandered aft and found a chaise lounge open right next to the aft pool. I spent 3.5 to 4 hours back there in the sun, with a couple of trips to the hot tubs and the pool. I met some nice people in the hot tub. It was a nice relaxing final day of the cruise.

Crew/Staff

Everyone I had contact with was happy and VERY friendly. I immediately forgot my cabin steward's name, but he and his assistant did a great job on my cabin and always said HI when they saw me. Service at the port side center pool bar was a little spotty, but was very good in all other venues. I got really good service from the bartenders serving martinis at the California Wine Bar on the Promenade Deck. CD Brad was young and enthusiastic, and his assistants were good, too.

Dining

I was originally seated for 5:45pm dinner at a 4-top all the way aft in the lower Paris Dining Room with a recently retired black woman. She was good company for our first dinner, and we had a very pleasant time together. I wanted to meet more people, so immediately after dinner I went to the Maitre'd and got my table assignment changed to an 8-person table in the middle part of the dining room. First thing Sunday night I met Head Waiter Ireneo, who immediately learned my name and addressed me by it constantly for the entire week. I usually had 2 or 3 appetizers, maybe soup, small Caesar Salad, and two entrees for dinner -- after all of that and breakfast every day, I gained 8 pounds on the cruise. I thought the quality of food and service in the dining room was excellent. I had a couple of entrees that weren't entirely to my taste, but that does not mean that they were bad. Favorites during the week were Rack of Lamb, steak, lobster tail and shrimp. prime rib, grouper, Filet Mignon, Chateubriand, Pumpkin Soup, Mushroom Soup, Asparagus Soup, and Warm Chocolate Melting Cake, of course. I thought that the food in the Lido Buffet was very adequate, but didn't quite meet the standards of the dining room. There wasn't as much variety on the buffet as my last couple of cruises, but I managed to find things that I liked and the made-to-order omelets were a favorite -- Eggs Benedict in the dining room were good, but couldn't compete with the omelets. It's worth noting that many things on the ship are smaller than you expected, and you should know that the NY Deli and Hong Kong Noodles are both just a double window and the pizza and grill are counters. I never got around to trying pizza, noodles, or a hamburger, although I intended to -- the sandwiches at the NY Deli were good. I did not see the Mexican buffet up on Lido Deck, but did see the Grand Buffet up there, which was not very expansive. I agree with Deb that the drink machines in the Lido Buffet were a challenge sometimes, but it was a workable challenge with a tiny bit of patience.

 

Entertainment

I think I made it to every show in the Rome Lounge except Friday night -- it wasn't originally my intention, but I didn't want to spend hours in the bar each night. They were all very good, and the two singers, Courtney and Matt, were great together. The magic show was very enjoyable, as was their late night "randy" half-hour. Eddie Capone (The Godfather of Comedy) was very funny, too. The dancers were excellent in the two production shows and the magic show. I enjoyed myself. I never made it into the Big Easy Piano Bar after planning to spend some time there, but I did make into the Rio Lounge for a bit of karaoke and into the Venezia Lounge, where the group "Pure" was an excellent band. I also didn't make it to the Olympic or Oxford bars this time. There was a one-man band piano player and singer across from the World Bar and the Casino on the World's Way in the evening, and he was quite good, too.

Debarkation

I got up at 7am for some more Eggs Benedict and some breakfast company, then returned to my cabin to wait for my tag number (19) to be called. I think I went to the Rome Lounge around 9:20am, where I waited about 10 minutes, then it took just 5 minutes to exit the ship. It took me 10 minutes to find my suitcase on the carousel, and I was through Customs in another 10 minutes. I think I was in a taxi at 10am for the trip over to the Holiday Inn POM to collect my cel phone, and then it was off to the airport for my 2pm flight.

Observations

* Triumph was a little smaller than my last ship, but I found her to be very comfortable. I think I was only on Atlantic Deck once all week, and spent most of my time on Main, Lobby, Promenade, and Lido. I never got around to looking for the "secret door" and going out on the front of the ship.

* I don't think I've ever seen so many MORBIDLY OBESE people in one place in my life. There were many people in the 300-400 lb. range, and a couple that were so big that they needed a scooter or power chair to get around.

* I didn't meet as many people as I had hoped to as a solo cruiser, but I did meet a number of very nice people. I spent a lot of my time near the pool or on the World's Way on the Promenade Deck watch people and the world go by, which worked well for me. This vacation seemed long to me -- the days did not rush by like they have in the past. There were a number of mostly younger kids on the cruise, enough so that the pools were usually filled with kids, but there was still room for a fair number of adults.

* I totally do not understand the complaints I read in reviews in the last few weeks before taking this cruise. The ship is very slightly worn, and looks really good for being in service 'round-the-clock for 8 years. There was NO sewer smell anywhere. The elevators were all working all week, and having 3000 passengers to transport from deck to deck, they took a minimum of patience to endure. Two sets of whirlpools were operating all week, and the center pool was down only twice for a while on port days. Service was good to excellent throughout the ship, and everyone had a smile and a HELLO for me. Triumph is a great ship, and I will gladly sail on her again in the future.

I lucked out and had a couple of hours of free time today to get this review done at work, so it's posted a bit early. This was a positive review because I had no problems on Triumph and had a great time. The worst thing that happend to me all week was that my cabin steward forgot my Capers one night and I had to pick them up at the Pursers' Desk (darn near ruined my whole cruise :D ). I'm sure I may still come up with a couple more thoughts, and I'll be glad to answer any questions that I can for you.

Ain't it great to be home ? (not)

[racyguy14619]

One other thing about dining that has been mentioned before. Be sure to order all beef one level less done than you usually would. I ordered everything RARE and it all came out a perfect MEDIUM RARE to barely MEDIUM.

[teanbean16]

Thanks for the great reviews. I can't wait for my turn!!!!!!!:) :)

[racyguy14619]

A comment I forgot to include:

 

I was surprised at the number of cel phones in use throughout the cruise. I guess Triumph does have cellular@sea. The most ridiculous thing I saw during the week was some guy on Half Moon Cay with his Bluetooth headset glued to his ear. Doesn't anyone share with these people the fact that they are on vacation ?

[donut1130]

Thank you both for your fantastic reviews! We leave on Saturday to do the Eastern Caribbean on Triumph and every review gets me more and more excited! Glad to hear you had a great time.

[nothomeonacruise]

Thank you for your review Racyguy. I like the detail in both reviews!

[squo5]

Thanks so much for your reviews, LibraByTheSea and Ken. I love reading the reviews and am very excited about my first cruise in December on the Triumph. I've learned so much from these boards, now if I can remember 25% of what I learn, I'll be all set.

 

nancy :-)