June 2016 NOLA/Mexico Triumph Picture Review

[alrichards4003]

Who are we?

 

DH and I are both 44, have two beagles, two cats and have had our house for 2 1/2 years. I work a lot of overtime so my vacation time is very precious, like most people I imagine. We have had a lot of bad luck with dog/house sitters, but we hired a dog sitting business, in Feb. they send us journal entries with updates and pictures. This alleviated a lot of concern.

 

How did we get here?

 

I won a jackpot of $2K on the Carnival Breeze on our piano bar cruise in January. The last night of the cruise I received a letter from the casino, if I booked a "bounce back" cruise in 2 weeks, it was free for an inside stateroom. I eventually chose to upgrade to a balcony on the Lido deck for $200 per person. I had a week in June scheduled off, we had never been to Progresso, so we chose this cruise on the Triumph. We flew into New Orleans the day before.

 

Smaller Ship?

 

We have mostly been sailing on larger ships. We were on the Pride last year, but that still had Serenity and a steakhouse. My husband always said he did not care about the bells and whistles, but after this cruise he was ready to go back to a larger ship.

 

For a free-ish 5 day cruise it was a nice getaway not the best cruise we have been on, but not the worst. It was enjoyable.

[alrichards4003]

Pre-purchases

 

We have cruised in Suites on NCL and one of our favorite perks is boarding early, we heads 62 points so I decided to buy FTTF. I also purchased the Cheers package, an anniversary cake for our 8th anniversary, a cooler with Bud Light for my husband, the Alchemy set to take home for me, Angry Orchard and the coke and water package.

 

We booked Mi Casa Su Casa for Progresso and r.Sanchos for Cozumel.

 

We booked southwest, because they had non-stop flights from Tampa to New Orleans. I booked the Hyatt French Quarter for the one night before the cruise.

 

We arrived in New Orleans shortly after 8 in the morning on Sunday. We took the cab to the hotel. They said our room was ready so we were able to go to our room and leave our luggage. The Hyatt has a walk up counter for food, and a bar and pool. I knew this from the website. The manager who checked us in gave us our keys and left when I was in mid-sentence he left, so he did not tell us any of this, however, the next morning as I was checking out, someone was checking in and the clerk was giving them the information. We had a king suite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alrichards4003]

I made reservations for brunch at Palace Cafe.

 

 

Crabmeat Cheesecake

 

 

Eggs Benedict with Pork "debris" on a biscuit.

 

 

DH had steak and eggs with thick cut bacon.

 

 

Live Jazz.

 

 

After brunch we were going to the museums. DH was supposed to ask which direction streetcar we needed to take. Since he asked and they said the stop was not right in front of the museum, he took that to mean we should walk. Well we walked and it was hot. We eventually made it.

 

 

The first museum we were going to was the Contemporary Arts Center. I checked the website and they said they were open on Sunday's, but when we finally got there they were not open, just the cafe and bookstore.

[alrichards4003]

 

We were going to go to the WWII museum, the entrance was blocked by construction, Ogden museum was across the street so we went there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was interesting. When we left it was pouring rain, so instead of walking in the rain looking for the entrance to the WWII museum we took a cab back to the French Quarter.

 

[alrichards4003]

Even at 12:30 on a Sunday we still could not get a seat at the Carousel Bar. We got a table instead. DH had a whiskey sour and I had Death in the Afternoon (Champagne and Absinthe).

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alrichards4003]

We left and I was in search of beignets from Cafe du Monde, I skipped it the last time I was in NO, but was determined to have them this time. We walked a while in the wrong direction, but turned around and finally made it. We did quite a bit of walking in NO.

 

 

 

3 beignets, 2 waters, and a cafe au lait for $6.00 (plus tip, these people work HARD).

 

 

Next Jackson Street Brewery

 

 

[RedBeard78]

Looks like a good trip so far

[alrichards4003]

We were going to do the horse carriage ride, but after getting up at 4 it had been a long day, so we went back to the hotel for a little while. I was charging my iPad by the bed, and I got the email from Carnival about a medical emergency stating the ship would not arrive until 8:30 so everyone should arrive an hour later. We had picked 10:30 for boarding.

 

We went to Batch, the hotel bar, their specialty was the Bacon Bourbon Manhattan, so I had to have one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alrichards4003]

Looks like a good trip so far

 

Thanks!

[alrichards4003]

Next was the peach bourbon and coke.

 

 

We were going to have dinner at Deanie's and they don't take reservations, but were across the street. My husband walked over and at around 8, it would be an hour and a half wait. So we ordered gulf coast nachos at Batch while we waited.

 

 

After about an hour my husband checked in again and they said we would be up soon, so we left Batch.

 

Deanie's serves spicy potatoes as the "bread' they were spicy. They served cocktails with Everclear, so we had to have those as well.

 

 

We ordered the barbecue shrimp, which my husband would not eat, because they were too messy, I did not have that problem.

 

 

DH had the barbecue shrimp pasta, no work.

 

 

I had the crawfish quartet, I ate as much as I could, but probably only ate about half of it at most.

 

 

We were full and tired and glad the hotel was across the street.

 

The end of our day in New Orleans.

[alrichards4003]

I was wide awake at 6:30 and since my husband would not be awake for several hours I went downstairs for breakfast. Coffee, juice and crab and Boursin omelette, it was almost $24, good, but not that good.

 

 

 

 

 

I got my husband 2 donuts; $6.00.

[alrichards4003]

We waited and finally left. We had FTTF, they put the stock on the bags and for the most part we were expedited, but when we were getting our cards, we were not, neither were the people next to us. The women working the counter said that we should have been put in the expedited lane. We were getting on the ship so...We got on the ship, we had a cabin on the Lido deck so the plan was to drove off my husbands carry on and I wanted to put my wallet and the passports in the safe. We were stopped, the man guarding the door said we were not allowed in the room. We told him we had FTTF, he said he did not care, we still could not go to the room. I told him we had paid extra so we could go to the room, again he said it did not matter.

 

We went to the rum bar to get our first drink. DH smokes so we went up to the smoking deck on 10.

 

 

 

 

I then went to Guys, Chili Maximus for DH and Plain Jane for me.

 

 

[alrichards4003]

The funship special drink.

 

 

It was 1:30 so we went to the room. No luggage but I checked again a little after 3 so I unpacked and then we headed to the muster drill. They had it outside, it was quite hot and while we waited for all the stragglers the crew would ask if anyone felt weak or faint...

 

My rule is the last one at the drill have to buy all the rest of us drinks. Agree?

 

After the drill we went to the sports bar.

 

 

 

 

 

I had the margarita

 

[alrichards4003]

 

 

 

 

 

[alrichards4003]

 

 

 

The Taste Bar, it was by the casino. The first night was from Blue Iguana. Just toothpicks.

 

[alrichards4003]

Next I went to Alchemy for the martini tasting. This was the only time I saw it offered the entire cruise. I will say I have never seen so many people think the martini tasting was free. While I was sitting there at least 5 groups of people came for the tasting, the bartender would it explain it was $18.95 and they would say they thought tasting meant it was free...

 

 

 

 

[alrichards4003]

Our meeting place was the casino bar, so DH could smoke. Makers Mark and Coke (no Jim Beam).

 

 

American Table ATD

 

 

 

 

 

My husband ordered the chicken bites but they brought one for each of us. They were cooked very well done.

 

 

I had the beef brisket, with corn pudding and macaroni and cheese. I had this on the Breeze in January, I thought it was very good, but the brisket and corn were very well done.

 

 

[alrichards4003]

I had the Nutella tiramisu

 

 

We went to the piano bar, unlike the last cruise there was no problem getting a seat. The piano player, Tony Ward was pleasant and tried, but he had printed up a list of songs and was very limited. We still stayed for several hours.

 

 

Tiramisu martini

 

 

 

 

[alrichards4003]

We went back to the casino bar for a while. The band was great, but so loud, I would have enjoyed them a lot more if the volume had been turned down a little.

 

 

Room service. I had the philly cheese steak and DH had the Chicken quesadilla (no picture).

 

 

 

End of Day 1 of cruise.

[alrichards4003]

Today was our 8th anniversary. We started with the Sea day brunch.

 

Huevo rancheros with cheese grits.

 

DH Sausage, ham, eggs and potatoes

 

 

We went to Fun Aboard/Fun Ashore talk with CD Matey.

 

 

Then to trivia

 

 

Mocha Getaway and BBC

 

 

[alrichards4003]

 

Art auction. Long and they skipped over me with the champagne. I still bought a few pieces.

 

 

 

It was after 3 so I grabbed some pizza for lunch.

 

 

I never met our steward. He met my husband and asked him when we wanted the room serviced. DH told him it was up to me, he gave him his card. We left notes for ice, but when we returned to the room no ice, the bed had not been made and we did not know how to adjust the thermostat. We ordered room service and got ice through them.

 

After brunch I went to guest services, I told them about the FTTF experience with not being able to access the room, no ice and thermostat. He told me room service got ice not room steward and that there was a dome that controlled air flow. He refunded the FTTF money, I told him that was not necessary twice, but he told me that all of the staff were aware of the program and it was a problem if after I showed the FTTF sticker twice not to be allowed in the room.

 

Before the art auction DH tried to order ice through room service and they said it had to come from the steward. He tried to call the steward through the the number on the card and on the number on the phone but no answer. So after pizza I was surprised to go to the room, find a towel animal, the bed made and ice.

 

 

[alrichards4003]

 

 

 

 

Then to Alchemy

 

 

[alrichards4003]

Meatball and Bruschetta from Taste Bar (though no Italian restaurant on ship).

 

 

We had a 7:20 appointment in the art gallery, but it was near impossible to hear since the guitar player in the lobby was so loud. Again the music would have been enjoyable if not so old. The art gallery staff were great, but we had to talk to the guy at the Park West credit card place. He complained about the noise and said I was mistaken, that I did not have an account with them. Then he asked if I had my name right? I pulled my account up and then he found it. Needless to say we were there for a while.Then it was time for dinner. Formal night.

 

 

My stuffed mushrooms

 

 

 

DH shrimp cocktail

 

 

We both had the crab ravioli

 

[alrichards4003]

Dancing

 

 

Creme Brûlée

 

 

Chocolatini

 

 

We were both tired and decided to go back to the room. Another towel animal

 

 

And an anniversary message

 

[alrichards4003]

We were going to Mr. Sanchos, our favorite place in Cozumel. But first a breakfast burrito and arepa from the Blue Iguana.

 

 

 

 

We reserved the romance package which included the all inclusive package, a rose, two 30 minute massages and the cabana.