On The Triumph/ Day By Day Review

[BallFour4]

After a nice dinner tonight and trip to the gym here's my review so far. Appreciate it's critical on some things, strong on opinions and we probably agree and disagree on some/all of this. Here goes:

 

In the summer of 1976 I took my first cruise aboard the Carnival Mardi Gras and was immediately hooked on being a cruise passenger. I have never grown tired of the blue water, meals, activities and excursions. My family and I have been on nine ships, spent over a hundred days at sea and have three more booked including a ten night trip aboard the Triumph. This cruise was so predictable I wasn’t surprised at what I saw and experienced. What I didn’t expect was the absence of any desire to change what summer cruising has apparently become.

 

Some logistics; my wife and I are both in our mid 50’s, have cruised on Carnival and RCCL, love a lido balcony cabin, eat early seating dining and attend shows every night. We like the convenience of cruising from Galveston, and have sailed on all but two lines that came here since 2002.

 

Galveston:

 

Embarkation was excellent. I dropped my wife off at the terminal with our carry-ons, checked luggage and was on the shuttle back in less than ten minutes. We stepped aboard exactly one hour after leaving our house. Not the first time for this expediency, but still impressive.

 

Cruise line crew and staff all help with embarkation, and the person that was guarding the door leading to our cabin had a memorized speech. “Cabins don’t open until 1:30pm, please enjoy your lunch.” She was standing by the sign that said diamond, platinum and Faster To The Fun guests can proceed to their cabins. I know cruise status means little, but I like this perk. I showed her the sign and my card and we were allowed down the hall.

 

Guys is the reason I’ve spent a little more time on the bike and treadmill, so a burger and fries were on my lunch radar. Both were excellent.

 

After a stop to see where our dining table was located we were off for the walking tour. One look in the windows and it’s my observation that less and less merchandise selections are available, with fewer choices for alcohol as well. Perhaps the asinine new tax my state has imposed has caused this. We haven’t opened the alcohol bought on the last three cruises, so not an issue for me, but for many this is a pain.

 

A quick muster drill and we were under way.

 

I’ve read on several blogs about Carnival reducing the noise from the DJ on the lido deck, but these guys didn’t get the memo. They routinely pegged the decibel app on my phone at 120. If you like that, then you'd be in paradise.

 

For dinner I had the pumpkin vegetarian potpie and it was superb. My wife had the tilapia and it needed pepper for flavor. The same could be said for the cheddar and broccoli soup. We passed on dessert and headed for the Welcome Aboard Show.

It’s nice this ship still has an orchestra, and Jen Baxter noted that in her monologue. Inflate the FUN letters and cue Anchor’s Aweigh, we’re Uptight and Outta Sight. The Rome Lounge was not half full. This was a party cruise, more on that later.

 

After a nice treadmill jog it was lights out. Life Fitness machines are plentiful, with about 10% of them being out of service.

 

With a rumored 1200 kids aboard the hallway relay races were in order, and they stopped around midnight.

 

Sea Day One

 

Sunrise woke me up, so lace on the Nikes; it’s outdoor track time. We had the track to ourselves for about an hour, with more people after 8:30am. I watched every single chair on the lower level reach either occupied or hog status by 9am. The porcine population was winning by 10 to 1. Carnival did zero to stop 3 cruisers drop towels on 13 chairs and walk off. One of many things they turned their backs on this trip.

 

Omelets were in store for breakfast with no bacon police in sight. I didn’t need a side of pork, but enjoyed some. My wife and I people watched from the stools at the Blue Iguana for a while before I adjourned for a shower and nap one of the day.

 

When I returned to the Lido Deck at noon it looked like Girls Gone Wild at Daytona Beach over spring break. The music was cranked to an uncomfortable level. A side note here; I own an entertainment company in Houston, we’ve done over 500 weddings and corporate events and there is no need to crank music that loud. It’s a recent pattern cruising on Carnival, especially the Triumph.

 

We sailed on the Ecstasy many times on this itinerary and this was not the case. I talked to the DJ’s about Itch (a mixing software) and they shared Carnivals perception is louder music sells alcohol.

 

The hot tubs and pool looked more crowded than Zone B at muster. Two kids were sharpening their cannonball skills in the pool. Zero effort by Carnival to stop this. Even the impromptu pole dancing and twerking couldn’t stop them.

 

OK, call me old, but playing hip-hop selections known to bring grinding made the bawdiness level increase. This was not a place to sit with your family and listen to the music. I decided the aft pool would be better. Wrong. Was this ever an Adults Only venue? It wasn’t this day, and after watching the dancing in the main pool who could stop a parent from taking their kids somewhere else?

 

Lunch was a stop to the deli, and the smoked salmon was great. I miss the days when this was on the breakfast buffet. We bought the soda stickers and ginger ale made the key lime pie wash down smooth. It became decision time for workout versus nap, and sleep won out. Nap two of the day was excellent. The cabin cooled down from the embarkation day warmth and I was gone for an hour.

 

Cruise Elegant surprised me. I did see quite a few suits and one tux, but I went khakis and madras shirt, a staple for many men aboard Carnival. While not an issue for me, I saw no enforcement of the shorts and hat policy for dinner. My food tasted the same, and the pumpkin soup was great. The lobster was good, predictable, but good all the same. Bitter and Blanc was on the menu, and I gave in.

 

Here’s a novel idea for a Texas cruise, show the Spurs and Heat game on the big screen. We loved that, and after a walk around the lido we headed to bed for an early excursion the next day.

 

Progreso

 

Early in our cruise history I didn’t want to get off the ship in this port. My experience was based on a bus ride to the market for the opportunity to spend ten bucks on a pair of fake Oakley sunglasses. Times change.

 

This trip we researched online about the Jaguar bike, paddle board and beach excursion and I’m glad we did. About twenty of us boarded a clean bus loaded with gear and headed about thirty miles from town where we donned helmets and rode bikes for a mile and a half. Then we went to a very nice beach area and learned about paddle boarding. Our group hit it off well, a mix of families and couples and I might have been the oldest guy aboard. It was great.

 

Our hosts gave us lessons and then retreated to the shade to cook a delicious chicken fajita lunch. These three worked hard to make sure each guest got their money’s worth. Our hosts led us in a sing-along on the ride back. Different, and fun.

 

Dinner tonight was good, with chicken breast and pasta to compliment navy bean soup. I like this and the pumpkin soup from last night. Pumpkin has been around since our sailings on the floating barge called the Celebration in 2001. I know, some of you loved that ship, but it had a bent prop shaft and my family bounced to Cozumel, Calica (remember that port?) and back.

 

The entertainment was fellow passengers, and my wife and I have seen them and they have seen us. We’re good. Back in the cabin now about 9:00pm and some Kindle time. Segway’s tomorrow in Cozumel. We received the Captains Cocktail Party invitation tonight as we work on the second 100 days at sea with the red funnel fleet.

 

 

 

Good night.

 

 

 

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Edited June 10, 2014 by BallFour4

[Purvis1231]

Thanks for the report. The Lido deck activities concern me. We have a 7 year old daughter and were planning to sail on this ship next year. Should we reconsider?

[tncap]

Thanks for the report. The Lido deck activities concern me. We have a 7 year old daughter and were planning to sail on this ship next year. Should we reconsider?

 

It is less indicative of the ship than perhaps that particular sailing. I have experienced similar on the Conquest whereas I did not witness what the OP describes when I was on the Triumph a couple of months ago.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the detailed report!

[IPlayWithString]

We'll be on the Triumph next week...can't wait.

 

How long was muster drill?

 

Last year when we were on the Triumph for the first time, muster took over an hour and it was refreakingdiculous. I asked hubby to ask about an "alternative" muster station (he called our PVP) and he was told there WAS no alternative muster station. Great..so day one of our cruise and I know I'm going to have a screaming, crying, incredibly upset 10 yr old on my hands because it's hot, there's zero breeze (both from standing on the deck with the lifeboats blocking the brreeze and from being squoshed into a small cube shape with 100 other sweaty people) and he's uncomfortable being that close to other people. Sounds like SO much fun, don't it?

[denrusk]

We'll be on the Triumph next week...can't wait.

 

 

 

How long was muster drill?

 

 

 

Last year when we were on the Triumph for the first time, muster took over an hour and it was refreakingdiculous. I asked hubby to ask about an "alternative" muster station (he called our PVP) and he was told there WAS no alternative muster station. Great..so day one of our cruise and I know I'm going to have a screaming, crying, incredibly upset 10 yr old on my hands because it's hot, there's zero breeze (both from standing on the deck with the lifeboats blocking the brreeze and from being squoshed into a small cube shape with 100 other sweaty people) and he's uncomfortable being that close to other people. Sounds like SO much fun, don't it?

 

 

They definitely do not have an "alternate" muster station for you. However there is an "alternate" to the muster drill itself, you may recall it from the movie Titanic!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[IPlayWithString]

Forgive me, I'm tired but I can't sleep...where's the other muster drill?

 

Also..I've only seen Titannic once...when DH forced me to sit through it with him. The only parts I remember are the red headed chick naked telling some guy to draw her like a French woman and a dark haired dude fuming because he put a stolen diamond necklace in a jacket which he then placed on the red head chick who was...in a lifeboat. Or something.

[Purvis1231]

Forgive me, I'm tired but I can't sleep...where's the other muster drill?

 

Also..I've only seen Titannic once...when DH forced me to sit through it with him. The only parts I remember are the red headed chick naked telling some guy to draw her like a French woman and a dark haired dude fuming because he put a stolen diamond necklace in a jacket which he then placed on the red head chick who was...in a lifeboat. Or something.

 

I think this was a little joke, the alternative is to go down with the ship.

[IPlayWithString]

Ah.

[BallFour4]

Cozumel:

 

Warm temps and clear skies greeted us at sunrise, and its Galveston mate the Magic at the pier greeted the Triumph. Two more mega ships in port meant a crowd, so a shore excursion booked in advance was the best choice. Segway’s were fun a couple of years ago, and my wife was ready to give them another go.

 

The excursion was about twenty people from both ships. A short walk, brief video and our group were aboard. The trip along side the auxiliary road to the beach was smooth, with speeds not exceeding 10mph. If you’ve never rode a Segway then consider Cozumel or San Antonio as first time places to ride. San Francisco was a little more challenging.

 

We spent about 90 minutes at a beach hotel, purchased really good shrimp quesadillas for lunch and made the trip back. The hosts were friendly, helpful and the Segway’s were in good shape.

 

Shopping was quick, we didn’t venture out of the port area and mixed some down time with people watching and Wi-Fi use from the coffee shop. A $5 purchase of water was enough for the barista to share the password.

 

Our Back Aboard time was 3:30pm and 3 peoples names were paged repeatedly. Not sure is they made it back aboard. The Magic had a 4:30pm Back Aboard time, and the pier foot traffic was congested. We walked on at 3:00pm and those that waited later shared it took them 30 minutes from line entry to security. In both ports I forgot my iPhone in a shorts pocket and breezed right by the metal detector.

 

At 5:00pm my wife and I attended the past guest reception hosted by Jen Baxter. She informed us this was her last cruise aboard the Triumph. After a brief vacation she’s going to the Freedom. One person attending claimed 29 cruises. When she came down for a photo with the captain a platinum card was in her had. Perhaps that’s a shortcoming for diamond, as 25 cruises should earn that status. Just my opinion, not wrong or right.

 

Dinner was an experiment for me; I had (and loved) the vegetarian enchiladas. My wife had the salmon and it needed salt and pepper. She’s a marathoner, sodium isn’t her concern. After 10 on the bike we found a couple of chairs to watch the Spurs on the big screen.

 

Notes here for traffic flow; the passage between the Blue Iguana Burrito bar and the buffet dining area is too small. To compound matters a drink station and ice cream dispenser is crammed in here as well. It’s crowded, and when the omelet line is long it’s double the crowd.

 

At this point you are wondering where the comments are about the shows. We are cruising with friends later in the summer on the same route and will attend them all, so we elected to work out and just relax this cruise. After 35 years teaching my wife wanted to enjoy her first few days of retirement relaxing.

 

Sea Day Two and Debarkation will be in a single post, so give me a day or two.

Edited June 11, 2014 by BallFour4

[BallFour4]

It is less indicative of the ship than perhaps that particular sailing. I have experienced similar on the Conquest whereas I did not witness what the OP describes when I was on the Triumph a couple of months ago.

 

My comparator would be our past cruises have been when school was out and were aboard the Conquest, Ecstasy, Celebration, Glory, Splendour of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Majesty, Rhapsody and Imagination. This was the most rowdy I've ever seen.

 

One observation a fellow cruiser shared is this is the first sailing since school was out, and summer has begun. He and his wife cruise this ship every month and they agreed it's different than in past trips. 1190 kids and over half first time cruisers according to what they shared last night.

 

Good point.

 

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Edited June 11, 2014 by BallFour4