New to Carnival-- Going on the Triumph: Any pointers?

[Jamrenjer]

Hello everyone,

We have traveled on several different cruiselines-- mainly NCL and RCCL--also been on Costa and Princess.... we are taking a kind of last minute vacay-- and have never been on Carnival before.

Those who have been cruiselines other than Carnival-- could you tell us the main differences (if any)?

Also any other pointers you think would help.

We would really appreciate any input. Thanks in advance!:)

[carnivalvip]

dress warm we did the june 25th run to canada tons of fog along the cape coast!! but nice ship for kids

[steveaaaaa]

Hello everyone,

We have traveled on several different cruiselines-- mainly NCL and RCCL--also been on Costa and Princess.... we are taking a kind of last minute vacay-- and have never been on Carnival before.

Those who have been cruiselines other than Carnival-- could you tell us the main differences (if any)?

Also any other pointers you think would help.

We would really appreciate any input. Thanks in advance!:)

 

 

Welcome to Walmart.:)

 

You have taken a step down.RCCL is our favorite,but we sail CCL mainly for pricing.People will give you the differences based on their own likes so not a true answer for you.

If you have sailed Voyager class,you will notice the ship difference right away.

Have a good time and see for yourself.

Steve

CCL=Welcome to the Walmart of the seas.:)

[FirstTimer6]

Hello everyone,

 

Also any other pointers?

 

There used to be a few on the funnel deck a few years back:D

[Gayle V]

Hi Jamrenjer,

 

We've sailed on the Triumph, and I have to say it was my least favorite ship. None-the-less we had a great cruise anyway. I much prefer RCCL and Princess, but the differences are not huge, while the prices can be.

 

What's not as good as Princess and RCCL? Well the decor is the biggest difference at first. All four Carnival ships that we've been on were gaudy, while RCCL and Princess were always classy. But the Carnival ships were clean and like new, they were just decorated with a more "vivid" taste.

 

It's just that I hate orange , and ALL Carnival cabins are orange. And the cabins have a utilitarian feel, as opposed to comfy, but essentially all the usually parts at there. And the CCL cabins are bigger, so that's probably a trade off .

 

Some aspects of service aren't quite what you've come to expect, but you may not miss them at all.

 

As for the ship, it depends on which RCCL ship's you've been on. The Triumph is way smaller than the Mariner, but, comparable in size to the older RCCL ships. Unfortunately the design does not measure up, in that it's difficult to find your way around, inside, and is not as open on the outdoor areas. I absolutely hate the stadium styled pool decks on this class of ship. They make the massive bandstand the center of attention, and hide the pools and hot tubes behind it Meanwhile the stepped deck chair area, has high sloping sides that also seem to hide the ocean, of all things ! That's not the experience I prefer when at sea. ..Go to the aft pool area, I enjoyed it much more.

 

One big plus on Carnival ships (lately, not in the past) is the food. I actually enjoy Carnival food, both at dinner and in the Lido buffet area, better than either Princess or RCCL. It may not be as glamorously presented (at times) but tastes great.

 

What you need to remember on the Lido deck is that this area is divided into stations. It's mostly not just general buffet. You pretty much choose the kind of food you want to eat when you choose the line you wait in. You get in the deli line and you get sandwiches. You get in the line at the oriental food place, and that's what you get there. ETC. etc. It leaves only basics in the buffet area, so the buffet itself doesn't have the huge feel you might find on the RCCL ships. Still there's lots of variety; you just have to look for it.

 

Like I said, we had a great cruise, despite the orange cabins. So go with the attitude that you intend to enjoy yourself, and you will. Forget everything I've told you, and all the rest, and experience your cruise as it comes. It'll be what you make it.

[davy jones]

It sounds like you're doing the Canada cruise from NYC.

 

There are a few good detailed threads that will give you a lot of information. Most notably, threads by Valley Twin on the Canada cruise. Ebandive has a long thread about an island cruise but it tells a lot about the ship. Both have pictures.

 

The Triumph has a few quirks, but it is a very good ship. I found it to be very well run.

[nybumpkin]

My best tip for this class of ship is to remember that you cannot go from one end of the ship to the other on decks 3 and 4, because the galley is between the two dining rooms. You need to go to deck 5, the promenade deck (or down to deck 2, which is a passenger cabin deck). If you'd like a quiet outside deck, deck 3 outside the lobby is a nice place to sit and watch the sea go by.

[Shipshape7]

We were on the Triumph last week and I agree with the advice you got from Gayle and Davy (except I have nothing against orange, lol). It was our first Carnival cruise as well and we were pleasantly surprised with no major complaints. Read the reviews. There are two new ones (one of which is mine) and enjoy your cruise. I would also add that its a good idea to know what you want to do in Saint John and Halifax before you get there. That's the key to enjoying these ports as they are low-key and relaxing places.

[davy jones]

My reference to "quirks" is the deck layout the deck 3 and 4 comment that nybumpikn tells about. On our cruise, the outside deck on deck 3 was never open. Now I understand that it was probably because of the fog. I just thought that it was always closed.

[Jamrenjer]

Thank you everyone for your comments and advice! It is much appreciated! Anyone else!? Thanks again!:)

[mizLORInj]

Carnival uses more colors (bright, bold) than RC or Princess. Food on Carnival very good--great pizza too. Service good on all lines. Different ship layouts which are fun to explore. I like to check out all decks, forward to aft, once aboard so I don't miss anything. Carnival theater layouts are better than the others; there's a cocktail table between rows. Less squishy. Good shows. Fun games.

 

My very first cruise was Victory to Canada from NY; Triumph's sister ship. We rented a car in Halifax and explored the area. Ate local shack's lobster roll YUM. That cruise/ship started my love of cruising. So it was all good!!

[Upandadam]

Having only been on Princess and Carnival, I can't comment on Royal.

 

After reading some of the preferences, I find it funny that some of the things people prefer in one line, I find just the opposite. I enjoy the Vegas type of decor on the Triumph and other Carnival ships and found the Grand Princess to be boring and worn out looking in comparison. I also really enjoy the stadium seating on the Triumph. You can take in all the action from just about anywhere near the pool.

 

It's all about personal preference and how you make the best of what each ship has to offrer.

[Gayle V]

About what Davy Jones said: That closed outdoor promenade (the outdoor deck area on deck three) was probably the biggest disappointment I had on that cruise. Oddly, there was no logical reason for it to be closed on our cruise. We were in the Caribbean, so there really wasn't any fog to speak of. We had a touch of rain, but not enough to halt any activity.

 

Still every time we wanted to walk out on deck three, it was locked. Such a shame, because hubby and I make it a habit to walk on the outdoor promenade every night when on-board ship. We really missed it on that cruise. It was bad enough that so many ships no longer have full wrap around outdoor promenades, but having what little there is locked away from use, was a real let down.

 

BTW, we have also sailed on the Triumph's twin sister, (twice actually) and that same outdoor deck was never closed: even in real rain, and fairly rough seas. So I wondered what the caution on the Triumph was all about.

[ManyMore]

I would never call Carnival the Walmart of the Seas, if any line I would call NCL that. I have Cruised 5 different lines and Carnival is still my favorite. We have decided we wouldn't cruise NCL again and RCCL if the price was so low we couldn't pass on it just because it's a CRUISE.

[BlueJacketsFan1]

We just talked to some friends in Canada the other day. They had done two Carnival cruises. Their last one was on RCCL, and they said never again would they do RCCL. They said Carnival was just so much more fun. There wasn't really much going on on RCCL. I think it may have a lot to do with who you sailed first. If you had a really good time on your first cruise like we did and our friend from Canada. Then you will always base and compare everything to that first cruise.

[steveaaaaa]

I would never call Carnival the Walmart of the Seas, if any line I would call NCL that. I have Cruised 5 different lines and Carnival is still my favorite. We have decided we wouldn't cruise NCL again and RCCL if the price was so low we couldn't pass on it just because it's a CRUISE.

 

Why not?

 

They both put out a decent product at a decent price.

They both have a good business model

They both are profitable,even in this economy

They both have a great repeat clientel.

 

What other business could you say CCL resembles the best?

 

I am not knocking either business.I love Walmart and I sail CCL the most.

Steve

[Jamrenjer]

Thank you again for the opinions and advice... we are pretty open-minded-- and have never had a "bad" cruise!

 

Can you get a table for 2 on Carnival? (I know I might get a little flaming here-- as most people love chatting and meeting new people on a cruise-- my wife and I just really enjoy our time by ourselves together-- as we deal with people 24/7 in our jobs...) ( I probably could do a search-- but thought I would throw this one out there! :D)

 

Thanks! :)

[davy jones]

You can request a table for 2 when you book, but it is not guaranteed. On embarkation day, there are a couple of hours scheduled when you can see the Matire'd about changing tables.

 

No flaming here.....we changed to a table for 2 last week. Just wanted a table for the two of us. We don't get away alone very often. We saw the Matire'd and got a table for two, but had to switch from early to late seating.

[cathalane]

Ask your TA to make the request for 2 person table in the note section of your booking. If you don't get it when you board, check with the maitre d. Often its easier to get a 2ppl table in the late seating since the early seating fills up fastest...

[Jamrenjer]

Thank you again! We appreciate the help!:)

[happycruiser1231]

I'm cruising on the Triumph to Canada on July 9th which is tomorrow and boy am I nervous and excited at the same time. I can't wait any longer

[CC Help Michell]

Hello everyone,

We have traveled on several different cruiselines-- mainly NCL and RCCL--also been on Costa and Princess.... we are taking a kind of last minute vacay-- and have never been on Carnival before.

Those who have been cruiselines other than Carnival-- could you tell us the main differences (if any)?

Also any other pointers you think would help.

We would really appreciate any input. Thanks in advance!:)

 

I, too, have traveled several cruiselines. I enjoyed myself on the Triumph last month. There's a link in my signature to my review, and while I was planning the trip I also found several good websites for more information -- http://www.beyondships.com/CarnivalTriumph-profile.html and https://www.bookccl.com/irman/ are especially good. If you do a search here on this board for "Triumph" in thread titles you'll find several reviews of the recent Canada cruises. In addition, there are more at Cruise Critic's Member Reviews page -- http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=148 -- has reviews of the Triumph.

 

A few tips I'd give would be: be prepared for bad weather on this itinerary, as the ship sails through (and to) some of the most fog-prone areas in North America; use decks 5 or 9 to go from one end of the ship to the other; take the galley tour if it's offered on your sailing; the "thermostat" in your cabin is a lever in the ceiling airvent to control the amount of air entering the cabin; and last, have a great time. :)

[Casino Player]

Hello everyone,

We have traveled on several different cruiselines-- mainly NCL and RCCL--also been on Costa and Princess.... we are taking a kind of last minute vacay-- and have never been on Carnival before.

Those who have been cruiselines other than Carnival-- could you tell us the main differences (if any)?

Also any other pointers you think would help.

We would really appreciate any input. Thanks in advance!:)

 

A Lloyd Lindsey Young greeting to you Jamrenjer: Welcome to Carnival Cruise Line. I have sailed on Carnival more than on any other cruise line. I have sailed on NCL and RCCL once each. You have my sympathies for your cruises with them. I still sail with Carnival, but, I don't sail with NCL and RCCL. How is that for an endorsement?

Staterooms- Carnival has the largest staterooms for each category in the industry. If you don't believe me ask your travel agent. Mine educated me about that. And they don't even like Carnival.

Food- Very important on a cruise. You would not want to starve. I have been on five cruise lines. Carnival has the best food. They give you the widest variety of food on a cruise.

Activities- Carnival has a lot of activities planned througout the day. You also have the option of doing what you want to do. I have had more fun on Carnival Cruises. Celebrity comes a close second.

Service- Carinval Cruise Line takes second in this category. Celebrity is first. The service on Carnival is well ahead of NCL and RCCL. Carnival has service with a smile.

Shows- Carnival has better shows. NCL had two very good entertainers on board. RCCL didn't have a good show or good entertainers. See The Village Idiots if they have them on your sailing. They are very funny.

Overall, Carnival Cruise Line will give you the biggest bang for your cruising buck. I have fun on Carnival. I also enjoy Celebrity. Maybe at some future time I will try Princess.

[steveaaaaa]

A Lloyd Lindsey Young greeting to you Jamrenjer: Welcome to Carnival Cruise Line. I have sailed on Carnival more than on any other cruise line. I have sailed on NCL and RCCL once each. You have my sympathies for your cruises with them. I still sail with Carnival, but, I don't sail with NCL and RCCL. How is that for an endorsement?

 

Staterooms- Carnival has the largest staterooms for each category in the industry. If you don't believe me ask your travel agent. Mine educated me about that. And they don't even like Carnival.

 

Food- Very important on a cruise. You would not want to starve. I have been on five cruise lines. Carnival has the best food. They give you the widest variety of food on a cruise.

 

Activities- Carnival has a lot of activities planned througout the day. You also have the option of doing what you want to do. I have had more fun on Carnival Cruises. Celebrity comes a close second.

 

Service- Carinval Cruise Line takes second in this category. Celebrity is first. The service on Carnival is well ahead of NCL and RCCL. Carnival has service with a smile.

 

Shows- Carnival has better shows. NCL had two very good entertainers on board. RCCL didn't have a good show or good entertainers. See The Village Idiots if they have them on your sailing. They are very funny.

 

Overall, Carnival Cruise Line will give you the biggest bang for your cruising buck. I have fun on Carnival. I also enjoy Celebrity. Maybe at some future time I will try Princess.

 

When did you sail on this ship that you saw the village idiots on it?

Steve

[Casino Player]

When did you sail on this ship that you saw the village idiots on it?

Steve

 

I never did say I saw The Village Idiots on this particular ship. However, I did see them on a Carnival Cruise Line ship. Entertainers often change ships. The have a contract for the cruise line not a particular ship.