Triumph solo review 3-24 to 3-28

[FreezingInMichigan]

 

 

 

The Mississippi River portion of the cruise added a lot to the experience. In Galveston you hit the open ocean about 30 minutes after pulling away from the dock, but from New Orleans it's 7 or 8 hours, and the river is beautiful. I almost wish they could depart in the morning so that the river portion of the trip could be in daylight.

 

I hadn't thought about the 7 - 8 hours of river cruising that the New Orleans port would bring to the experience. Thanks for the pictures!

[klmorg]

We were on this cruise too! It was WONDERFUL. And sailing down the Mississippi was awesome! Coming back thru the river was eery... lots of fog, late at night, horn blowing every minute or two; it was really cool hanging out at the "private" place at the front of the ship that last night.

[Naturzlvr]

I really enjoyed your post - we were not aware that the Mississippi River cruise portion would take so long. Really looking forward to it now. I appreciate the pictures you shared.

[patrice1]

Diane Ford? She's hilarious! DH & I have seen her many times and wondered where she had got to. Wish she was on the Destiny next week!:(

[maxbroadway]

I spent the first sea day doing very little in the form of organized activity which is exactly what I wanted from my trip. I had breakfast in the MDR. In fact, I had breakfast there all 4 mornings, and was pleased every time. Over the course of the cruise I had Eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, poached eggs with a bagel, link sausage, and 3 different kinds of yogurt. Everything I had was fresh, nicely presented, and tasty. One thing I really love about cruising is that you can find the style that fits your needs. The third morning at breakfast I was seated with several couples who were all doing the MDR breakfast for the first time. Every one of them commented how much better it was than the buffet in terms of both ambiance and food quality. Right after that I ended up in the elevator with a couple that was talking about how much better they liked the buffet because it's the same food and you get it much faster. Different strokes for different folks.

 

After breakfast I grabbed my book and iPod and headed up on deck. The Lido and Panorama decks were packed. There were extra deck chairs stacked up, so I suppose if I had been desperate to be in the sun I could have found a place to squeeze one in. Honestly, I mainly went up there because I knew I would be writing this review and wanted to report on it. My real destination all along was deck 3. Just off the Capitol Atrium on both sides of the ship is an outside area with lounge chairs in the shade of the life boats. If you want calm and quiet, this is the place for you. I don't believe waiters ever come out there, but the Capitol bar is just a few steps away for refreshments.

 

I spent part of every day lounging and reading in this spot. On the first sea day I left to play bingo a couple of times, to get lunch, and to do Progressive Trivia at 4:30. Speaking of lunch, I had now located the NY Deli and had a reuben. It seems like they had more on the deli menu than I remember from the Ecstasy, but I might not be remembering correctly. There was virtually no line at the deli but the main buffet line was fairly long. I wish Carnival would make it easier to find out what each line is serving. It is very inconvenient to roam around reading little signs. I understand some ships now let you check the menus on the TV, but as far as I could tell the Triumph doesn't offer this option. I also don't understand why they don't serve any kind of chips at the deli. They have chips made from flour tortillas at the grill that I really like, but it's a pain to go through a whole separate line just for chips.

 

Progressive Trivia was held in the World Bar which borders the casino. They really need a better location. The Promenade cuts right through this area, and it was very hard to feel like you were really part of the activity with people walking back and forth through the area. On the bright side, my team won the event with a 3 day total of 41 questions correct out of 60. Because it's a 3-day event, they give away not only a ship-on-a-stick but also a bottle of what I imagine was fairly cheap wine. I don't drink, so my teammates took the wine and I kept the trophy.

 

Tonight was Elegant Night, so I headed back to the room for a quick change. I'm not big on formality but I also like to respect the environment I'll be in so I went with slacks, a dress shirt, and a tie. I turned out to be on the dressier side of the crowd. I had the pumpkin soup, prime rib, and WCMC for a 2nd night. I definitely recommend the pumpkin soup. It turned out to taste a lot better than it sounded. On Elegant Night on the Ecstasy in August I had Bitter'n'Blanc on Elegant Night and was looking forward to it again. Unfortunately, it has been taken off the menu for 4-day cruises at least on the Triumph.

 

After dinner I headed to the 8:30 comedy show with Darren Sanders. The two comedians alternated with shows at 7:30, 8:30, 10, 11, and 12. The first two shows are all ages and the last 3 are adults only. On the third night they do the same thing but switch which comedian goes first. I found Darren to be excellent. A lot of his stuff was about vacationing in general or cruising in particular and somewhat predictable, but he had excellent delivery and threw in some less predictable bits.

 

After killing time in the casino I tried to get in to the 10:00 comedy show, but it was too full. Instead, I headed across the hall to Venezia for a magic show. It was very disappointing. The magician had good technical skills, but the venue wasn't right. He was doing close up magic, but the crowd was at lead 20 feet away because the room had just been used for Karaoke. Plus, the sound system wasn't adjusted right for what he was doing, so you couldn't hear. I think he worked in the wine bar the next night, and I suspect that worked better.

 

Next up ... Cozumel

[maxbroadway]

it was really cool hanging out at the "private" place at the front of the ship that last night.

 

I could kick myself for not making sure I knew how to get to this place before leaving. I tried to figure out once on board but couldn't. I hated not being able to get a true front-facing view.

[klmorg]

I could kick myself for not making sure I knew how to get to this place before leaving. I tried to figure out once on board but couldn't. I hated not being able to get a true front-facing view.

 

You'll just have to go again.:) Just all the way to the front of the ship on decks 6 or 7 (and maybe deck 9), and through the doors.

 

Enjoying your review, BTW...

[maxbroadway]

For Cozumel I had nothing planned and ended up not even leaving the dock area. I overslept because my cellphone reset its time before I put it in airplane mode. I still had plenty of time to grab breakfast in the MDR, but I missed being up on deck as we pulled in. I disembarked about 9:30, and there was no line at all.

 

Here's a wide shot of the main pier for Carnival. The smaller pier on the left if where the Twister boat and catamaran excursions pick you up. The shops built right on the pier weren't open yet, but they workers were stocking the shelves, so they must be really close.

 

 

This is the area where you meet excursions right at the end of the pier.

 

I spent my time in this "beach" area just past the excursion pier. It's very rocky, so I don't know if you can really go in the water.

 

 

 

Right after I sat down I realized I forgot my water bottle and decided to head back to the ship after about 30 minutes. Here's a couple of shots heading back where you can compare the Triumph and Ecstasy.

 

 

[maxbroadway]

I spent the rest of the day either at the aft pool or outside on deck 3 just reading and listening to music. The relaxation was exactly what I needed. For lunch I just grabbed a quick burger at the grill. The buffet looked good and wasn't crowded, but to me it was more like what you would eat for dinner not lunch.

 

No chair hogs on port day:

 

 

This is the Panorama deck that was totally packed on the sea days:

 

 

This shot was taken about 4:15, and everyone was supposed to be back at 4:30. Notice there are two gangplanks being used and one has a much shorter line because most people just got in the long line and couldn't see the 2nd one. This picture is taken from deck 3 that I've mentioned already.

 

 

 

Here are a couple of shots from sail-away. Radiance of the Sea and the Celebrity Century were in town as well.

 

 

 

Dinner tonight was Caesar salad, short ribs, and cheesecake. I didn't care for the Caesar on Ecstasy but gave it another chance thinking maybe it was a fluke. This one was just as unappealing. I can see how some people might like it, but it just tasted bland to me. The short ribs were outstanding, tender and tasty. The cheesecake was average but a nice change from having chocolate the two previous nights.

 

There wasn't a ton of entertainment tonight. No comedians or musical revue. I went to bingo and won $375 which made it a highlight of the cruise. Right after bingo they did "60 Seconds or less" which is their version of the TV show "Minute to Win It". I hadn't planned to stay for it, but after winning bingo I was kind of in a good mood and gave it a try. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tex did a great job hosting which made it work. It was only about 30 minutes long and well worth it.

[capndinghy]

I am enjoying you review and look forward tovthe rest of it.

[maxbroadway]

My last day at sea was very much like the first. I spent a lot of time lounging, reading, and listening to music. In the morning I was lucky to snag the last open lounger by the aft pool. Even though it's not officially a "Serenity Area" like the one I enjoyed on the Ecstasy, it might as well have been while I was there. I found it very calm and quite relaxing. Plus, the bar service and grill are right there rather than some distance away.

 

I had to go to the last session of Progressive Trivia at 4:30, and I think I took in a game of bingo earlier that afternoon. I also ate lunch in the MDR on this day which I had never done before. I really enjoyed it for the same reasons I love eating breakfast there. They post the menus for lunch and dinner outside the MDR, so you can easily check them if you eat breakfast there.

 

For dinner I had the fried shrimp, filet/rib combo, and raspberry chocolate cake. All were fine but not spectacular.

 

For entertainment I went to the Big Easy variety show and Diane Ford's 10:00 adult comedy show. I truly enjoyed the Big Easy show. There were a few moments where I thought they would slip into a real cheesy style, but then it would quickly get back on track and capture the spirit of New Orleans. I highly recommend this show. Plus, it's only about 45 minutes so even if you don't like it, you haven't lost much time. Diane Ford's show was mediocre at best. She has very good material, and I think she could be outstanding in the right environment. Unfortunately, at this show there was just some sort of negative energy in the air that she couldn't overcome. I think part of it came from the guy who introduced her. It was his job to warm up the crowd, and he fell short. Plus, I don't think they had the sound up loud enough, and it was hard to hear in the back.

 

I also made sure to get back up on deck as we entered the Mississippi River. It was dark and foggy which made it a little hard to tell when we entered the river. While I was out on deck we passed the NCL Spirit which had departed New Orleans earlier that afternoon.

 

In between dinner and the shows I managed to slip back to my room and get my suitcase tagged and out in the hall. On my previous cruise I wasn't prepared enough to do this, and I wanted to try the relaxed debarkation this time since I had an afternoon flight.

 

I had zone 22 which was scheduled to be called about 8:45, and they asked us to be out of the rooms no later than 8:30. This gave me plenty of time for breakfast and to pack up the last few items into my carry-on. The zone calling was about 30 minutes behind so I headed to the Lido and found a seat. When they called the zone before mine, I headed down to deck 5 so I could make a restroom stop and only need two flights of stairs to get to the lobby on deck 3.

 

One of the machines broke down, but the line moved steadily. We finally entered the luggage claim area after about 15 minutes. It was very easy to find my luggage because it was already organized by zone number. I grabbed a porter, and we headed to the porter-only Customs line. I was through that line in about 5 minutes. I couldn't see the non-porter line, but I can only assume it was at least slightly longer. Right outside the exit the Carnival airport shuttle was ready and waiting. There were about 10 people on it, and I worried that we would have a long wait for it to fill up. Luckily, we only had to wait about 15 minutes because as soon as the 2nd shuttle arrived back from its first run to the airport out shuttle left. We arrived at the airport a little before 11:00.

 

Well, that's the blow-by-blow. I'll come back later with some more general impressions, and I'm happy to answer any questions folks may have.

[maxbroadway]

I got sidetracked with work, but I still wanted to add a few overall comments.

 

Fellow passengers - There is always lots of discussion on these boards about the class, or lack of class, of the typical Carnival cruiser. I've only been on 2 cruises, so I won't make any broad pronouncements as other posters do. I can say that I saw more of the behavior many people associate with Carnival (i.e. drunkenness, overly casual attire) on this cruise than I did on my previous Ecstasy 4-day. I attribute this mostly to the Spring Break timing. If seeing one or two drunks will ruin your vacation, this is not the cruise for you. I'm not a fan of drunks, but the 5 or 10 minutes of my 4 days that I had to be around them had no impact on my trip. I was more impacted by the number of times I stumbled upon someone smoking. I wish Carnival would more clearly label the smoking and non-smoking areas. Most of the time I honestly couldn't tell if I was in a non-smoking area or not.

 

Live music - I was generally pleased with the quality and quantity of live music on board. I only heard bits and pieces of each performer, but they were all at least decent. They did not have a real steel drum band which is disappointing. I have already mentioned the jazz group made up of members of the show band. I wish I had realized how good they were in advance so I could have made sure to seek them out.

 

Service - My room was serviced exactly as expected. I never met the steward. When I passed the crew in the hallway, they were certainly not rude, but they were not as overtly friendly as the Ecstasy crew. I don't really worry about this because I don't go on a cruise to become friends with the staff, but I know for some cruises getting to know the crew members is important. These cruisers might be disappointed on the Triumph. The dining room crew was more personable, but not quite as technically competent. Orders were often given to the wrong person, and one night our waitress dropped multiple plates. None of these things really impacted by enjoyment, but I would have preferred more polished service in the dining room.

 

Ship layout - I have read many negative comments about the layout of the Triumph, and I agree with most of them. It is not the most intuitive arrangement, and there are too many areas that can't be reached easily. Having said this, the impact on my enjoyment of the cruise was minimal. It took a day or so to find the areas I needed, and then I was fine. As I mentioned before, the main thing that helped me was knowing that the cabin numbers increase from front to back and making sure I headed in the right direction when leaving the cabin.

 

Going solo - Cruising solo probably isn't for everyone. If you're someone who wouldn't dream of eating alone in a restaurant or going to a movie by yourself, then it might be too uncomfortable. The nice thing about cruising solo versus other solo vacations is that you can be seated with others for meals if you eat in the MDR. At other activities, like trivia, some folks will be there alone because their traveling companions are doing a different activity at the same time. I wish Carnival would ease up on the 200% charge for solo travelers. I understand the logic of it, but I also know that many solos could fill cabins last minute because we are in a more flexible position.

 

I hope this review has been of some value. Happy cruising!

[luv cruising 007]

awesome photo review, good details & loved the pics of the ship they were excellent!

[Jamdug73]

Great review. I will be on the Triumph this August. First time out of NOLA. Can't wait. I certainly want to find the "private deck" at the front of the ship sometime during sail away and re entry to the Mississippi river. I think that would be great.

 

I do have one question: Do they have the Newlywed Not So Newlywed game on the Triumph? I have only cruised the Conquest and I absolutely love that show. Thank you for a great review and even better pics.

[overeasy]

Thanks for the review. I hope to cruise on Triumph when she comes to Galveston. I also aspire to develop a more casual, don't-have-to-do-everything cruise style, which you appear to have mastered! I think I just need lots more practice (lots more cruises).:D

[Sundiego]

When I read reviews like this, it amazes me how generous Cruise Critic posters are with their time. The detail and pics in your review were awesome. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience :)

[tattoos]

Glad to hear you had a great time on your solo cruise. I've been contemplating a solo cruise next year because my friends and family do not like cruising as much as I do. Your review has put a positive spin on solo cruising and I might just try it. I'm cruising next month with my grandson and paid for his cruise so the single supplement would work out about the same. Were you lonely at all or feel funny at some of the venues?

[maxbroadway]

I do have one question: Do they have the Newlywed Not So Newlywed game on the Triumph? I have only cruised the Conquest and I absolutely love that show. Thank you for a great review and even better pics.

 

Yes, they had it. I believe it was in the afternoon of the last sea day right before the bingo game with the big jackpot. I think they called it "The Game of Love."

[maxbroadway]

Were you lonely at all or feel funny at some of the venues?

 

Not really, but I go to the theatre by myself a lot so I'm sort of used to it. The one exception was the comedy club. Most of the seats are sofa style and meant for a group. I didn't really want to just walk over and join a group with an empty spot. Luckily, they had some regular restaurant style tables and chairs including some tables for two, and I was able to sit at one of those.

 

I think I mentioned earlier that I really enjoyed eating in the MDR because they will seat you with other people. At breakfast in particular I often ended up with people who weren't cruising solo but were the only one from their group that came down to eat, so it was like having several solo cruisers at the table.

 

I do wonder if I would fell differently on a longer cruise. I think i might try a 5 or 6 day before bumping up to a whole week.

[pwc115]

you mentioned something about an $18 charge in the MDR for special menu items....I don't remember seeing these the last time I was on the Triumph. Do you remember what the food "updgrades" were?

Thanks!

[SCW4665]

The $18.00 was for a better quality of steak. The Flat Iron steak, in my opinion was not the best.

[klmorg]

you mentioned something about an $18 charge in the MDR for special menu items....I don't remember seeing these the last time I was on the Triumph. Do you remember what the food "updgrades" were?

Thanks!

 

There were four choices for the $18 upgrade thing on the Triumph. One was a surf & turf (lobster & petite filet), another was a 9 oz. filet mignon (my son said this was excellent), also a large grilled prime rib chop, and the other was broiled Maine lobster I believe. I only are the regular dining room fare, but I thought it was a nice option to offer.

[bumorgan]

Great review! I'm also going solo this week on a 8 day cruise. I also go to the theater by myself and feel very comfortable being by myself. The nice thing about cruising as you mentioned you can eat most meals in the dining room and also enjoy the company of your table mates. Being very social I don't find a problem chatting with total strangers on the lido deck or at the venues.

 

I also love the idea of sailing down the Mississippi river. It must have been awesome like the canals of Europe.

 

Dan

[platinum.wannabe]

Loving the review and pics.....I'll be on her in October and these are the bes pics I've seen so far.

 

Keep'em coming!!!:)

 

I cant wait to see more...I will be on her in October.

 

Me too!

 

Good review! :D Good to know about getting to the MDR. Love all your pics of the ship. Thanks for sharing. :)

[nonna5]

Not really, but I go to the theatre by myself a lot so I'm sort of used to it. The one exception was the comedy club. Most of the seats are sofa style and meant for a group. I didn't really want to just walk over and join a group with an empty spot. Luckily, they had some regular restaurant style tables and chairs including some tables for two, and I was able to sit at one of those.

 

I think I mentioned earlier that I really enjoyed eating in the MDR because they will seat you with other people. At breakfast in particular I often ended up with people who weren't cruising solo but were the only one from their group that came down to eat, so it was like having several solo cruisers at the table.

 

I do wonder if I would fell differently on a longer cruise. I think i might try a 5 or 6 day before bumping up to a whole week.

 

 

I have just started cruising solo in the last year. About 8 months after my husband passed away I decided to go ahead and give it a try since we both loved cruising so much. You are correct it is different but still I believe it is one of the best solo vacations you can take.

 

When I have been on any Carnival ship they have always sat me with other solo cruisers which has worked out great. On RCCL I have never been sat with solo cruisers. I do go to the Maitre D on the first day and check with whom I am sitting. I believe Carnival does a much better job of arranging table mates.

 

I agree with you also that the Ecstasy is a wonderful ship and we will miss her dearly when she leaves Galveston.