Just Back: Triumph 5-29-5 to 6-4-5 Charleston, SC to Freeport/Nassau

[atlmagic]

Just got back from the Carnival Triumph cruise from Charleston, SC through the Bahamas (Freeport and Nassau) 5-29-5 to 6-4-5. Aft corner cabin 7425.

 

Let me start out by saying I really like Carnival and have been on the Triumph before. Although we had a good time there were many things that really disappointed us. Most of them petty. Most of them small things. But this is not the same ship we sailed on 4 years ago. I’ll post a complete review soon and encourage anyone else on this cruise to share there thoughts too.

[tinna2000]

please let us know soon what the problems was, i am going on the triumph in 17 days

[teresag]

atlmagic,

 

As you know, we were on that cruise too. We had a great time, but I have to say that it wasn't my favorite either. Disembarkment was a total nightmare. We stayed in our cabin as long as we could then proceeded to wait another 2 hours in the hall before they called our color to disembark. I also thought the food could have been better. Now, the dining room food was good, but the buffet tended to be less than what I remembered. In particular the Gala buffet which we had looked forward to was a total dissappointment. Those are some of my thoughts right now. I too will post review when things slow down here.

 

Teresa

[BettyB2]

Although we had a good time there were many things that really disappointed us. Most of them petty. Most of them small things. But this is not the same ship we sailed on 4 years ago. I’ll post a complete review soon and encourage anyone else on this cruise to share there thoughts too.

 

Looking forward to your review and please note the differences from 4 years ago..you would have hoped that things would have only gotten better!!!! We are sailing on the Triumph in December and truly looking forward to hearing everything you have to say. thanks again

[GeecheGirl]

atlmagic,

 

As you know, we were on that cruise too. We had a great time, but I have to say that it wasn't my favorite either. Disembarkment was a total nightmare. We stayed in our cabin as long as we could then proceeded to wait another 2 hours in the hall before they called our color to disembark.

 

Teresa

 

Sorry to hear your disembark was so awful. I guess we got lucky. We stayed in our cabin until our color was called which happened about 10:00. DH called our daughter and told her to head on down to the pier. When we got to the gangway, there were only a few people in line ahead of us. It took a few minutes to find all our luggage because all of the bags weren't together for some reason. Then we cleared customs and were in our daughter's car & on the way home by 10:30.

We really enjoyed the cruise. Since it was our first, we had nothing to compare it to, so there were no disappointments.

[atlmagic]

I have to agree, I wasn't thrilled with the disembarkment. But I blame most of that on the lack of facilities in Charleston. We got spoiled sailing out of N.O. and Miami. I think Charleston should encourage cruises by upgrading the facilities.

 

Food - Pretty good in the dining room and the deli had Ruben sandwiches that can't be beat. A little horseradish wouldn't be so bad but all in all a pretty good deli.

 

**** All in all it was a very nice cruise. *******

 

There were some things that rubbed me the wrong way and I am writing Carnival about them. Not to bash them but to help them keep up the great service that I have enjoyed from them in the past.

 

Here is a thumbnail of my concerns in no particular order:

 

I called Carnival to ask what time to start boarding the ship. I was told we would be able to start at Noon. The ship wasn’t even in docked at noon. We finally started boarding at 4 PM and started to sail after 10 PM. Not a big problem. DW and I spent some time in the big market a block away and had a little lunch at a "Crab Shack" up the street. So the wait wasn't painful.

 

We purchased 6 bottles of alcohol on the ship. We were told that they would be delivered in boxes the last night of the cruise. When they showed up they were in plastic bags. I went down to the gift shop and asked about it. While in line the guy in front of me was there or the same thing. He was told that they ran out but how about this nice travel chair instead. When I asked I was told that boxes were only for people who bought on the FIRST day of the cruise. I asked about the free chair. I was told they were only for sale. I was then told to come back and they would use one of the regular liquor boxes as they were emptied to pack me up, just bring back the liqueur. Bring back ALL the bottles? Isn’t that a bit much? There were 6 bottles. When I came back after finding my own boxes (ones that other people tossed out in the hallway so they could pack it in their luggage) he said he was out of tape.

 

We were charged 29.00 for WATER in the PARIS Dining room. We never ate in the Paris Dining Room. It took me 3 trips to the Pursers Desk and all they wanted to do was argue about the charge. Finally they said that they had the receipt with a signature. I told them to bring it to my cabin. They showed up without the receipt saying that charge was dropped.

 

I asked about the sodas and water in the cabin. When told there would be an enormous charge, I asked that they be removed from the cabin. I was told No. We made a point of not touching the stuff in the cabin but a “Beverage Charge” showed up on our bill.

 

The cabin steward took one of the robes from our cabin and we were told don’t worry about it, we wouldn’t be charged. OK. So we can only use one now ????

 

The carpet in the hallway 7th floor starboard side stayed soaked most of the cruise.

 

When dining in the London Dining Room on our first cruise, when requesting hot tea, a tea service was presented to pick out what type of tea you would like. This time, the waitress presented me with a standard generic Lipton Tea Bag. No choice, no presentation.

 

We constantly found the remains of last nights buffet on our balcony first thing in the morning. This of course was out of the control of Carnival.

 

If I hadn't been on this ship before and hadn't been spoiled rotten by everyone there, I would have not thought twice about this cruise. I encourage anyone to try Carnival and the Triumph. It's just that they raised the bar so much in the past I guess it's hard to keep it up.

[atlmagic]

The gym opens up at 6 AM. At the risk of offending some people, I ate like a horse and lost 4 pounds! Walking the stairs instead of taking the elevators and hitting the gym almost every morning kept everything in balance. The gym was never so crowed that I couldn't get on a treadmill. The steppers were a commodity. The free weights weren't too impressive but the were enough to keep up until I got home.

 

The deli is great. Don't try it until you've eaten every where else. You've been warned. If you go to the deli the first day you might not eat anywhere else.

 

I have a health problem that flares up every now and then and keeps me from eating. Ours waitress (Daniela from Romania) noticed we weren't at our table the night before and asked about it. I told her that when I can't eat, a little tea goes down well. Before we left the table for the evening, she made sure I had a stash of "good" tea in case I needed it at night. Very sweet lady.

 

Beware of the little bakery there. I forgot the name but they sell slices of cake big enough for two. Oh my God. To big to eat, to good to share.

 

Our cabin was the aft starboard corner. Very quiet. No noise problems.

 

I'm sure there were more good things and I'll post them as they come to mind.

[BettyB2]

Just got back from the Carnival Triumph cruise from Charleston, SC through the Bahamas (Freeport and Nassau) 5-29-5 to 6-4-5. Aft corner cabin 7425.

 

I booked the same cabin for December 3 of this year!I bet the views from your balcony were fabulous and love the fact that 2 flights up the stairs and you are on lido near pizza, etc....!!!! Do you have any pictures of it? Did you spend a lot of time on balcony? What about the Asian restaurant on Lido - did you try that? Thanks again for the information!!!

[AllenF]

I was on the beach at the Isle of Palms Sunday and watched the Triumph sail into the harbor around 12:30. It made us wish we were on it :)

[bsdmhutch]

Thank you so much for a balanced review. It was nice to read even though you had some things not be perfect it still sounds like you had a good time.

[atlmagic]

I booked the same cabin for December 3 of this year!I bet the views from your balcony were fabulous and love the fact that 2 flights up the stairs and you are on lido near pizza, etc....!!!! Do you have any pictures of it? Did you spend a lot of time on balcony? What about the Asian restaurant on Lido - did you try that? Thanks again for the information!!!

You'll love the cabin and the balcony. I don't think I'll get one this big next time but it sure was nice. As long as you have a balcony of any size, your cabin feels bigger. I tried to direct DW but she always knows best. So we walked to the front of the ship to get to the back of the ship for 3 days until she figured it out. LOL

 

I will find a link for you of some great pictures, but they really can't do it justice. It was very nice. I spent much of my time there. With room service, it was heaven. I ended up reading a 1000 page book on Egyptian Gods. Ah, what a life. I did find much of last night's buffet on our balcony every morning. But what ya gonna do? We never had to worry about noise or chair hogs, just get another drink and back to the cabin.

 

By the way. Contrary to what I read before going, the water on the ship is safe but taste like H*LL. And I drink a LOT of water. If you were on the cruise with us you would remember me as the guy carrying around a 64-oz mug from Quik Trip. Maybe I'm spoiled but I bought bottled water (off the ship) and brought some from home too.

 

As far as the Asian restaurant, I think it was called the Hong Kong Noodle Factory. I never tried it but DW (who speaks fondly of her Chinese Grandfather cooking for her) thought it was very nice.

 

AND... You get free entertainment! I sat through a "plate tossing" contest off the aft deck one day. I call the purser's desk and a few minutes later I could hear little mice like feet scrambling away.

 

Also, there is no "fridge" in this cabin. A collapsible cooler would have been perfect.

[teresag]

I too have to agree about the NY deli--it was delicious. Our cabin on 8th floor Verandah forward was a great location. It was very quiet and we only had to walk up one flight of stairs to get to the action on the Lido deck. the kids club was amazing -- my 9 year old had so much fun that everyday after we finished our activity for the day he would leave and go sign in. He especially enjoyed the sleep over that was on the last port day from 10:00 pm - 3:00 am. My 6 year old enjoyed his group too just with a little less enthusiasm. He tends to be a little shy. One of my favorite things was the spa. My friends and I went for a little girl time in the sauna while our hubbies watched the kids. We enjoyed a great facial on the last sea day. They ran a special that included the facial, an indian scalp massage and shoulder massage. It was to die for--just don't let them talk you into purchasing the products. Oh, and if you are looking for some liquor to purchase and bring home, try the Sheridans. It was delicious and we brought home 2 bottles!

[atlmagic]

It is not quite finnished. I'm still looking for the address to Carnival.

 

 

Carnival Cruise Lines

1234 Main Street

Anytown, US 12345

Attention: Customer Service

Subject: Past Triumph Sailing 5-29-5

 

Dear Carnival Cruise Lines:

 

I'd like to start out by saying I love Carnival. I have sailed with you on past occasions and my experience with you is the reason I keep coming back. But the last cruise, the Triumph out of Charleston, SC was a disappointment. I do understand that at times, things just happen. But I was not used the number and types of issues we saw on our last cruise. This letter is not to bash anyone but to help you identify trends and keep Carnival the cruise line that I first enjoyed.

 

The cruise started of badly. I called a days prior to sailing to make sure I didn’t miss the boat. I was told that I could start boarding at noon. The ship wasn't even at the doc by noon. I believe we actually started boarding at 4 PM. Not the end of the world but not how I wanted to start off my vacation.

After getting on the boat we noticed that everyone seamed rushed. There was an uncomfortable atmosphere that I assumed was just my imagination until other passengers started to mention it. We had requested late seating and a table for 2. This was only a request but our Carnival agent said it would be no problem. I don't know how you document request and I really don’t need to know. That’s' all back office stuff. All I know is that when we showed up we had late seating and were sharing a table with 6 children and 2 adults. While quite well mannered, they were children none the less. I asked the Maitre D' about it and she immediately started saying how it was not possible to do what we wanted. I suggested that either of the 2 early sittings would be fine and that I was sure she would do what she could. I wasn’t asking for the world. But the "no at all cost" attitude was not what I had gotten from Carnival in the past. I chalked this up to some minor glitch that delayed the ship's arrival and everyone was just a little stressed out trying to make up time. I did get a note later saying that all had been taken care of.

 

Back to the first night, at the conclusion of our first meal on the triumph, I requested coffee for my wife and hot tea for myself. Part of the pleasure in cruising is the presentation. I enjoy having the server present me with an open box of assorted teas for me to select from. A lot like having a sommelier present me with a wine list. This, after al, was a vacation. But this time a standard, generic Lipton tea bag was placed by my empty teacup. It took quite a while to ferret out the secret tea stash and acquire some Earl Grey. Once again, not a big deal but the polish was gone. I wasn’t on a cruise I was on a floating budget motel. Everything you need, but little of what you want.

 

I purchased liquor on the boat and was told that the ship would hold it and it would be delivered on the last night in boxes. The 6 bottles showed up but in plastic bags. I went down to the gift shop to see what could be done to make sure I got my purchases home in one piece. As a side note, I didn’t. One was broken in transport. As I waited in line, the gentleman before me was discussing the same issue. No boxes were available but as a consolation, he was offered a travel chair. When my turn came up, Craig from England told me that the boxes were only for people who bought liquor on the FIRST night of the cruise. After waiting four hours just to attempt to board the ship and having the muster drill at 10 PM, buying booze wasn't a priority the first night. But I understand that sometimes things aren't the way we might want. I asked about the free chair and was told that those were for sale only. But that if I came back down WITH the bottles, they would be packed for me in the empty standard liquor boxes that they were being emptied. Also they would make sure that the boxes were secured and safe to travel with. Remember this is the last night of the cruise. Shlepping 6 bottles of hooch back down to the gift shop was not quite what I had in mind for the evening. Luckily, some other passengers had decided not to use the boxes and left them out in the hall as trash. I secure enough boxes, packed them up and brought them down the gift shop. There, my new buddy Craig told me he had no tape. There was nothing he could do. So, "Oh well, sorry". I walked over to the purser's desk and THEY had PLENTY of packing tape. I packed up my boxes and headed back to my cabin. I question why someone who is in the position to sell doesn’t think it necessary to:

 

1. Have the proper supplies on hand

2. If said supplies run out make arrangement to get more

3. Standardize the rules so if one person gets a free gift as an apology, the

guy behind him gets the same treatment.

 

Our cabin steward, and I never got his name, didn’t have to work too hard on our behalf. Not being young and rowdy any more, we only had the occasional need for towns. The one time we did request the room be made up, he brought more towns but left the old ones on the floor. He also took one of the robes from the room. The purser's desk thought this not odd and assured us we would not be charged for the missing robe. That was very nice to hear but the point was we now had only one robe for 2 people. Another robe was never brought back to our cabin. So much for perks.

Ah, this list keeps growing. The room came stocked with sodas and water. I inquired about the beverages and was told that there was a charge for the items in question. When I asked how much, I was told in a rather condescending tone that that information was listed in the "Blue Book" in the cabin. That might well be so, I replied, but since we were delayed getting on the ship we hadn't had the time to glance through it just yet. By the way, there was no mention of price in the sacred "Blue Book". I asked that they be removed from the cabin so there would be no mix-ups about being charged. We would not be needing them and in fact did not want them in the room. My wife is diabetic and sugary drinks are something we stay away from. I was told "Tough, they stay in the room like the TV and the bed. If you don't want to drink them, don’t". How rude. Of course a beverage charge shows up on our S$S account which I had to have removed.

We were also charged 29.00 for WATER in the PARIS Dining room. We never ate in the Paris Dining Room. It took me 3 trips to the Pursers Desk and all they wanted to do was argue about the charge. Finally they said that they had the receipt with a signature. I told them to bring it to my cabin, and if in fact it was a legitimate charge then I would gladly pay it.. They showed up without the receipt saying that charge was dropped. Interesting. Perhaps it was a bluff and I called it. Although, we did have to wonder if we had missed out on an important part of our vacation by not trying the $29.00 water

 

The carpet in the hallway, 7th floor starboard aft stayed soaked most of the cruise. I understand about boats and water. But by the end of the cruise and the problem still hadn't been resolved, I started to become concerned. Was this a case if not caring and knowing it would be taken care of in dry dock?

 

And finally, we noticed a distinct issue with the people in the Jewelry shop. Jill, out side selling by-the-inch jewelry, constantly complained about being tired. Forgive me but this is my vacation not hers. I don’t need to hear about that from someone in the customer service industry. My wife was also taken aback by the apparent discrepancy between how she was treated and how others of a different racial background were. Anita, from England, constantly put off my wife when she approached the display table. She, rather then present my wife with her options and sales possibilities, was rude and acted quite disinterested. I would have put this off to one person having an off day but the practice was repeated every time we visited the shop. Customers before us were greeted in the normal hospitable Carnival manner. We on the other hand were not.

 

And on a final note, I noticed an increase in security on the ship. Perhaps it has always been there and is just now more visible. In these unsettled times it was a relief to see them on the job. But, (there's always a but isn't there?), more control should be applied to the Adults Only areas. Children in diapers in the Adults Only Hot Tub is outrageous and there was no one around policing this. I did rather enjoy watching kids throwing plates off the top deck above my balcony. And to their credit, moments after calling and reporting this, a staff member broke up the impromptu Frisbee party.

 

Now, after sharing with you some of the Non-Carnival like attitudes, let me congratulate Daniel, our head waitress from Romania and Ivanna, her assistant from Croatia. They are the reasons we keep coming back to Carnival. They are friendly, professional, efficient and seemed generally concerned that we received the vacation that Carnival has made a tradition of. Full of fun and good times.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

Conard P. Edwards

1932 Johnson Ferry Road, N.E., Apt D

Atlanta, GA 30319

 

cc: Carnival Cruise Lines CEO

Cruise Critic Message Board http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=187207

[BettyB2]

You'll love the cabin and the balcony. I don't think I'll get one this big next time but it sure was nice. As long as you have a balcony of any size, your cabin feels bigger. I tried to direct DW but she always knows best. So we walked to the front of the ship to get to the back of the ship for 3 days until she figured it out. LOL

 

I know I will love the cabin and I am just trying this size balcony just once to see how it is....and hopefully it wont be a "must have" for future cruises!

 

I will find a link for you of some great pictures, but they really can't do it justice. It was very nice. I spent much of my time there. With room service, it was heaven. I ended up reading a 1000 page book on Egyptian Gods. Ah, what a life. I did find much of last night's buffet on our balcony every morning. But what ya gonna do? We never had to worry about noise or chair hogs, just get another drink and back to the cabin.

I am looking forward to spending quite a bit of time on the balcony, morning coffee….there is nothing like it!!!! mmmmm....I will be prepared to check the balcony before I step out in the morning for debris…I am expecting something also, so not too worried about it.. Were there ever certain times you noticed water being washed over deck into your balcony? Just wondering as I have heard of this on this ship, but not sure if it was the Empress deck or not.

 

By the way. Contrary to what I read before going, the water on the ship is safe but taste like H*LL. And I drink a LOT of water. If you were on the cruise with us you would remember me as the guy carrying around a 64-oz mug from Quik Trip. Maybe I'm spoiled but I bought bottled water (off the ship) and brought some from home too.

That stinks, the water on the Conquest was pretty darn good. Thanks for the information on the Asian restaurant..I have heard some good things about it...were there a lot of lines for lunch? Hopefully there will be no flying plates coming my way...WOW..I know someone here on the CC site cut her foot on some glass that was on her balcony last week on one of the ships.....I plan to bring a collapsable cooler with us to keep drinks cold....Love my chocolate milk on balcony middle of the night!!!;)

 

thanks again for all the information and look forward to the pics!!!

Just read your last post...nice letter. Very informative. Let us know what happens.

[atlmagic]

I know I will love the cabin and I am just trying this size balcony just once to see how it is....and hopefully it wont be a "must have" for future cruises!

Yes it will! LOL It doesn't have to be big. Any size balcony is better than none at all. It really does make the cruise.

I am looking forward to spending quite a bit of time on the balcony, morning coffee….there is nothing like it!!!! mmmmm....

I don't drink coffee but DW can't live without it. I make sure it's ready when she wakes up. I'd drink tea and we could sip and watch the sun come up. Actually, the sun came up on the other side of the ship so the light was never a problem early in the morning.

Were there ever certain times you noticed water being washed over deck into your balcony? Just wondering as I have heard of this on this ship, but not sure if it was the Empress deck or not.

Oh yeah, every morning we could tell they had washed down the deck above. But never from below. Just don't sleep out there all night. LOL

[kidcul]

I am sailing on Triumph soon and noticed that you "Altmagic" have just stayed in the exact room that we have booked. Could you send me a personal review? #7425

 

Thanks

[atlmagic]

I just got a letter in the mail in response to my "complaints" about the cruise. The ONLY thing they addressed was the lack of tea variety in the dining room. That was the least of the problems! Then the offered me a Bon Voyage gift on my NEXT cruise. Geeese!

 

I wasn't that upset with the cruise but I am about the response. I'm going to write again and express my displeasure with "customer No Service".

[Lady Wears Pink]

Help, was thinking of booking this cruise in May 2006. However, after reading the reviews, I'm not sure. I have cruised many times with Carnival and loved each and every ship. But this time I am going with a friend who has never cruised and I don't want her first cruise to be bad since I am the one talking her into going with Carnival. Any suggestions?

[tinna2000]

Help, was thinking of booking this cruise in May 2006. However, after reading the reviews, I'm not sure. I have cruised many times with Carnival and loved each and every ship. But this time I am going with a friend who has never cruised and I don't want her first cruise to be bad since I am the one talking her into going with Carnival. Any suggestions?

 

i went on the triumph in june to canada and had a wonderful time and did not have any problems with rudeness nor with service. sometimes it is just the luck of the draw. i am planning my next cruise so i know that i am taking a chance that i might be the one that might experience bad service.(i hope not).

[Canne12]

It's been a month of transition for this crew.

 

The ship moved from the Carribbean to New England with a full schedule of cruises along the way.

 

The crew continues to adjust. To see them out on deck freezing in the early morning fog and chilly weather (getting the pools open) was a eye opener for me! I want to send care packages of winter clothing for them all!!!

 

The crew member that helped my dad off the ship (wheelchair assist) was visably exhausted.

 

Despite this- everyone worked very hard- and was very friendly and helpful (My mom would ask crew members about their countries- Aside from being interesting and educational- she got the greatest service!!!)

 

In a transition time like this- Carnival should forego a cruise to nowhere to give the crew time to adjust!!!

[atlmagic]

I am sailing on Triumph soon and noticed that you "Altmagic" have just stayed in the exact room that we have booked. Could you send me a personal review? #7425

 

Thanks

I'm not sure what you are looking for. I've pretty much posted everything about the room and ship here. I was disapointed by garbage on the balcony in the morning. But other then that it was a very nice room.

 

Email me if you have some specific questions and I'll try to help.

[tinna2000]

Help, was thinking of booking this cruise in May 2006. However, after reading the reviews, I'm not sure. I have cruised many times with Carnival and loved each and every ship. But this time I am going with a friend who has never cruised and I don't want her first cruise to be bad since I am the one talking her into going with Carnival. Any suggestions?

 

i do know you have to go with a positive attitude and remember everything is not always going to go your way all the time, so you have to allow for somethings to go array, they are dealing with about 3500 people and out of the 3500 people there is a few that is nit picky, petty, think that they are the only one on the cruise and these people tend to consume the workers time and patence. so just as long you keep in mind that it is your vacation and to just have fun and not look for the neg. you will be just fine.:)

[KarenConley]

I was on the Triumph June 5-11 to the Bahamas and Freeport. This was my first cruise and we had a wonderful time. Food was great, wait staff and room steward were wonderful--check out my review under the review section--KarenConley. We had a balcony on the Panorama deck and it was a great location--no garbage--just some mornings water on balcony where they cleaned the decks--no problem-it dried.

 

Karen