Carnival Triumph - Nov. 24 to Dec 1, 2007 Cruise Review

[safetydan]

We booked our cruise on the Carnival Triumph for the week after Thanksgiving (which is the week we always gone on) because of the itinerary and price. We booked it through our cruise representative at Carnival who has not steered us wrong yet. This was our eight cruise and fifth on Carnival (half way to Platinum). I am 54, employed as a Safety Manager and my DW is 52, employed as an accountant.

We flew from Columbus, Ohio to West Palm Beach via Cincinnati on Delta Thanksgiving morning without any problems. We picked up our rental car from Hertz (I’m a long standing Gold Member) at the West Palm Beach airport location without any problems. This may have been a first, it seams they have always find a way to messed up my reservation. We annually spend Thanksgiving with my DW twin sister in West Palm Beach. This is also another reason why we cruise the week after Thanksgiving is that we are already in Florida.

Embarkation

Saturday morning we drove to the Hertz Rental Care location in Downtown Miami, turned in the car and were shuttled over to the Carnival cruise dock. Hertz provides a free shuttle service from the downtown location. We arrived at the dock at around 11:50 AM. and were on the ship by 12:30 PM.

We place our carry-on items in our room (which was not made up yet – our steward was on shore). The room not being made up was yet not a problem for us. Went up to the Lido deck to get some lunch and ran into sparkscruiser and mdbowl 300 from our CC roll call group. We got to know each other and decided that we wanted to change our dinner reservations so we call set together. Went to the London dinning room and the arrangements were quickly made. We had our meet and greet just after the muster drill at the New World Pool. What a wonderful group of people (this was the first time we have be involved with a CC roll call). We are already on the CC roll call for next years cruise.

The Triumph has been in service since 1999 and while she does show a little rust and wear, she is still a very good ship. During our port stops we would see the crew doing maintenance and we never smelled any strange odors as had been report in past reviews.

The Cabin

We had cabin 8315 on the Verandah deck, which was a balcony cabin. This was our 3rd balcony and it is true what the say once you have a balcony you will not go back to any else. Our room steward was Wittaya from Thailand (we called him Witt) and he was excellent. DW had her towel animal every night except for the first and last nights. He kept the room very clean; along with keeping a minimum of 2 bottles of water in the room at all time (one on my major requirement).

Dining & Food

As I said earlier, we were seated with 2 other couples from our CC roll call group. We were seated in the London Dining Room for the late (8:30pm seating) at table number 175. Our dining room staff was excellent. Our main server was Kishore from India and his assistant was Inyoman from Indonesia.

 

Overall, the food on this cruise was very good. Most of the time we had the buffet for breakfast, except for 2 days when we had it in the Paris dining room. Most of our lunches were at the Pizzeria and the Grill. We never did have lunch at the buffet or dining room. All of our evening meals were in the dining room and were excellent!! The only desert I had that I did not care for was the diet pumpkin pie.

Entertainment

Shows were good. You should go and see Asad the hypnotist and his adult show on Thursday night.

 

 

The Stops

 

Half Moon Cay

 

This is one beautiful island. We did not get off right away, but waited about an hour. When we went down to the Rome Lounge we were given a number, we were the last few to get a number and only had to wait about 5 or 10 minutes to get on the tender. As far as some of the comments that I have read regarding the addition of more tenders, that’s not really feasible with the docking situation. You just need to be patient!! We did have lunch on the island and it was not bad considering what has to be done to prepare it. Spent a little time walking around island and explored the shops at the tender dock

 

St. Thomas

 

This was our 3rd visit to the island and still remains one of our favorite stops. We were told that we would not be leaving St. Thomas until 8:00 PM ships time, instead of the printed time of 6:00 PM. Still not sure why our stay was extended by 2 hours, but it was nice. We were about half an hour late arriving because of rough seas the night before. Clearing customs was not that bad. Carnival announce that they would clear those with shore excursions first. Here’s a little tip – when Carnival says shore excursions they mean the ones booked through them. So if you book a short excursion with some one else, just get in line. We book a tour this year with Sunny Liston and it is everything his website says and more. I requested Sunny for our tour guide when I setup the tour and we had Sunny as our guide. I highly recommend Sunny Liston Tours for seeing St. Thomas (www.sunnylistontours.com). Several of our CC roll call members also book with Sunny after I posted the information in our threads. They all said they had a great time also.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

 

We booked the Barcardi/San Juan City tour and it is not worth the time or money for the Barcardi part of the tour. It is not Carnival's fault, but rather Barcardi's. You go to an open air visitor center for your 2 free drink's (Gift Shop is there also – item’s are pricey, including the liquor and you will pay tax on it if you buy it at the gift shop). From there you take a tram which takes you about 600 feet to another visitor center where you listen to several people talk and see a video. Then it's back on the tram where they drive by the plant and bottling plant - NO PLANT TOUR - on the way back to the open air visitor center and gift shop. We have been to Appleton Estates in Jamaica and there you get a plant tour.

San Juan is a beautiful city and the city part of the tour was worth the time and money. We did stop for an hour at the fort, after leaving the fort you will have approximately an hour to and hour half to shop. If you take the shopping option, you are on you own to get back to the ship, which is a couple of blocks away. If you're looking for good prices on liquor, go to the second level of the cruise terminal - they have very good prices.

 

Grand TurkIsland

 

Here we booked the island bus tour, which is not bad. Our driver had a lot of interesting information about the island. I also got to visit the lighthouse. I have a hobby of photographing lighthouses. Came back to the dock and looked around the shops.

Debarkation

Since we were driving back to West Palm Beach, we were assigned number 27. According to the schedule we received on Friday, we could expect to get off the ship around 10:15 AM. We made it off around 11AM (NO PROBLEM). We were allowed to stay in our cabin until 10:00 AM, at which time they asked those still on the ship to go to deck 5 or 9 to wait on your numbering being call to go to the Rome Lounge. Carnival uses the Rome Lounge on the Triumph to stage for disembarking. I have to say it appeared to be working very well, at least better than in the past where hordes of passengers would show up on deck 3 or whatever deck they were to disembark from. Finding our luggage was a very easy. They airport style carousal works fine. There are 3 of them and each has a sign above it with tag numbers posted on the sign. You go to the carousal that matches your luggage tag number and get you luggage as it comes by.

In closing I have to say that I have read several reviews about the Triumph and how bad it was, that includes on from our sailing date. I really have to question if that person and I were on the same cruise and ship. I have to say that this is not a BAD SHIP; it is a VERY GOOD SHIP. The crew is very friendly; it was some of our fellow cruiser’s who were RUDE. The buffet is just that, a buffet – do not expect 5 star food at breakfast and lunch, however, expect that what you have will be good – if not – try something else. I have never gone hunger on a cruise.

Know what you want out of your cruise prior to book it. If you want 5 star treatment, then sail on a cruise line that cost twice as much. If you want to relax and have fun then sail on Carnival – The Fun Ships!!

Cruising is what YOU make it and that includes choosing the right cruise line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Up Coming November 2008 - Carnival Miracle

November 2007 - Carnival Triumph

November 2006 - Carnival Victory

November 2005 – Carnival Fascination

November 2004 - Norwegian Spirit

November 2003 - Norwegian Sun

May 2003 – Carnival Fascination

November 2002 - Norway We Will Miss Her

November 2001 – Carnival Fantasy

[sysguy]

Thank-you for your review!!

We had such a wonderful time on this cruise and enjoyed ourselves tremendously. We loved meeting everyone from our roll-call and seeing you around the ship.

Was it a "perfect" cruise? No, but we have yet to have a "perfect" vacation. If you're flexible and able to go with the flow then you will have a wonderful experience no matter what!

Thanks again, Dan and Tari!

[*Mach*]

Great review, and thanks so much for your candor.

 

Some people have totally unrealistic expectations and end up complaining endlessly about minor things that they let detract from the entire experience.

 

Sadly, I have to agree with you about a smattering of the passengers being problematic. They were the worst part of my recent cruise, as well. I guess if there was a butt head filter Carnival would use it but no such technology exists at this moment.

 

Glad you had a super time. I love the itinerary and will probably do that sailing sometime in the near future.

[teanbean16]

Thanks for the review. :) :)

[daddybuff]

SafetyDan,

 

Was reading your review and your occupation got my attention. I would like to talkt o you more, so when you get a chance you can contact me at lbartlett1@cinci.rr.com

 

PS we sailed on the Triumph a few years back and loved her

[cruzegirl]

Hey Dan,

Good to read your review and glad you had a great time. I was on the Miracle the same you were on the Triumph.... In fact, you were off our port side on Friday sailing back to Florida... We all, on the Miracle, kept thinking the Captains should have put the ships together bow to bow and had a party instead of going home...lol.. Good idea anyways..... Loved my cruise as well.....

[SunnyinMA]

Thanks so much for your review - I can't wait for my turn :)

[sparkscruiser]

Safetydan,

Good job on the review, as you know we were on the same cruise, that's how I would of written it. The dining room food was excellent, we don't care for mass produced buffet food, but the deli, grill and pizza were great. I noticed you made a remark about how the diet pumpkin pie was not up to your standards but I recall you ate the whole thing!!!

 

JP

[sparkscruiser]

Dan,

Don't you think we should make JP get his own log-in? Loved your review as well.

 

Laurie

[pacerzfan]

Thanks for the review.

[pacerzfan]

dp sorry

[cathyoo]

thanks for sharing. Very nice that you got to dine with fellow CCers.

[sailorwife]

Thank You for the review, we sail on the Triumph in Feb. and also in 8315, as you and several others have said a cruise or a vacation is what you make it and we plan on making ours wonderful since we are celebrating our 40th Anniversary,Thanks Again

sailorwife:)

[mdbowl300]

Nice review Dan.

 

I have to say it was an added bonus to sit done to dinner and hang with sparks, you and sometime shutterbug.

[hogtyde88]

Thank you for the review. We are looking at the Triumph for our next cruise.

 

I noticed all but one of your cruises has been in November. We sailed in November and were very happy with our cruise but we are considering a spring sailing next time. What is it that keeps you booking November?

[wopper81]

hey neighbor, we were a couple doors down from you in 8308. Glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise as much as me and my girlfriend.

[dmhtc1]

Thanks for the review.:)

[safetydan]

Nice review Dan.

 

I have to say it was an added bonus to sit done to dinner and hang with sparks, you and sometime shutterbug.

 

Mike, it was great the way we all got along. I was so hard to see the cruise end because of all the fun the group was having.

 

Talk to youy later.

[safetydan]

Thank you for the review. We are looking at the Triumph for our next cruise.

 

I noticed all but one of your cruises has been in November. We sailed in November and were very happy with our cruise but we are considering a spring sailing next time. What is it that keeps you booking November?

 

We have thanksgiving every year at my DW sisters home and she lives in West Palm Beach. That leaves us a choice of 5 ports to sail from. The cruise that was not in November was a quick 3 day get away.

 

Thanks for asking.

[safetydan]

hey neighbor, we were a couple doors down from you in 8308. Glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise as much as me and my girlfriend.

 

We did not realize you were that close.

[safetydan]

Dan,

Don't you think we should make JP get his own log-in? Loved your review as well.

 

Laurie

 

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tari and I are trying to come up with several suggestions.

 

Dan

[safetydan]

Safetydan,

Good job on the review, as you know we were on the same cruise, that's how I would of written it. The dining room food was excellent, we don't care for mass produced buffet food, but the deli, grill and pizza were great. I noticed you made a remark about how the diet pumpkin pie was not up to your standards but I recall you ate the whole thing!!!

JP

 

I had to make sure it was as bad as I thought it was.

 

Dan

[safetydan]

Thank-you for your review!!

We had such a wonderful time on this cruise and enjoyed ourselves tremendously. We loved meeting everyone from our roll-call and seeing you around the ship.

Was it a "perfect" cruise? No, but we have yet to have a "perfect" vacation. If you're flexible and able to go with the flow then you will have a wonderful experience no matter what!

Thanks again, Dan and Tari!

 

We had a great time with all of you and the kids are wonderful. We saw some of there pictures in the photo gallery and they look great!!

 

Glad you all made it back home OK. We now have about 5 inches of white stuff now and it is not sand.

 

Dan & Tari

[safetydan]

SafetyDan,

 

Was reading your review and your occupation got my attention. I would like to talkt o you more, so when you get a chance you can contact me at lbartlett1@cinci.rr.com

 

PS we sailed on the Triumph a few years back and loved her

 

daddybuff

 

I will contact you via your e-mail address as soon as I get a chance.

 

safetydan

[smiles32617]

I went on the Triumph for my first cruise EVER! It was amazing. The people are awesome. I went back in April. Reading this makes me miss it so much! Can't wait going on another NEXT NOVEMBER with 20 people. It's my parents 20 year anniversity. So until than, I will continue to read other peoples reviews :) Thanks for the great reading.