texreno

Does anyone have any new updates on Caye Caulker?

The Triumph has the 2.0 upgrades which include on Lido deck the Red Frog Rum Bar, Blue Iguana Tequila Bar, Guy's Burger Joint & Blue Iguana Cantina. The Alchemy Bar & Taste Bar were added to deck 5 along with a few other things. I also like the EA Sports Bar that was added just off the casino on the Triumph. The Triumph doesn't have a separate steakhouse or Italian restaurant or as extensive of a water works, sports deck or ropes course.

It also doesn't have the indoor/outdoor Red Frog Pub, Ocean Plaza or Lanai and the wrap around deck. Other than that they the other venues are pretty much the same. Two main dining rooms, piano bar, aft show lounge, main show lounge, night club, casino, lido buffet, mid-ship and aft pools, spa, shops and so on.

Don't get me wrong, the Triumph is a great ship and I've sailed on her 3 times but one was a 7 day Eastern Caribbean when she was new. The main difference to me is the itinerary of Progresso & Cozumel doesn't compare to the itineraries offered on the 7 day cruises.

Thanks, just trying to pay in advance for as much as possible.

I just booked the Carnival Magic for Sept. and can't find the old Carnival wine package as a pre-cruise purchase option. Am I looking in the wrong place or do they not offer it anymore?

If they don't offer it anymore how many of you will miss it?

What time does the Triumph usually dock? It's now 7:55 AM and she's just now making her turn in front of pier 23.

This is the 5th M & M I've attended or organized on Embarkation day and it's always been well attended with never less than 50 while our 2012 Magic M & M was over 100. You've just got to have an active organized group with several functions planned. If it's not an active group then it doesn't matter when you schedule the M & M.

I have been on one Roll Call where we couldn't organize anything because the members didn't participate in the social banter. I don't know if that's because we were sailing out of LA or what. I just couldn't get it going.

We always choose to meet just after the Muster Drill and just before first seating and the evening activities.

We're wearing Mardi Gras beads on embarkation day and have a best beads contest with gag gifts. The first day at sea is our Slot Pull and Cabin Door Decorating contest with more gag gifts. A large portion of us also booked Mr. Sancho's for the day in Cozumel and we're meeting at Fat Tuesdays before boarding.

I have organized one M & M on the first day at sea but it was on a RCL ship where they pitch in. We also had a 2 hour open bar Roll Call party on the 1st day at sea on the Magic but that was after our embarkation day M & M.

You two just need to cruise with us.

I've got a question for all you seasoned cruisers. Our group has scheduled a Meet & Greet for 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Embarkation Day at the aft pool bar on the Triumph. So far we've got about 115 people committed to attend.

Since it's on Embarkation Day we haven't asked Carnival to do anything and we're just going to pay as we go for drinks. We did this same thing on our September, 2013 sailing and completely overwhelmed the one bar tender working that bar during Embarkation.

Now here's my question. Should I try to contact the Triumph Cruise Director to ask them to expect a larger crowd than normal? Again, all we want from Carnival is enough staff to handle our group so we don't wait so long for drinks. If so how would I contact them?

Unfortunately most of my Carnival cruises were either booked long ago through an independent travel agent or through a casino mail offer. I don't have a relationship with an individual Carnival PVP.

We had a great bartender on our September sailing of the Triumph and want to know if she'll still be on board for our May 10th cruise.

Her name is Lanie and she worked to deck 9 aft pool bar on our September sailing.

FTTF people are not the first passengers to board. Platinum and Diamond go before FTTF for embarkation and debarkation. Platinum and Diamond tender before FTTF. If you think it's worth $49.95 then go for it, personally I wouldn't pay for it. Really never waited in line or felt the need to be the first on board.

Says someone who already qualifies for most of the perks.

I don't qualify so I happen to enjoy being able to spend a little more and receive the perks.

I'd like to hear some stories of how many of you may have received a last minute upgrade from one class cabin to another. Example - Ocean View to Balcony.

I'm trying to get some idea of the best way for my DW and I to upgrade from our balcony cabin to an Ocean Suite for a lesser cost than what's currently on Carnival's site.

We're about a month away from our sailing date and Carnival's site shows 5 Ocean Suites still open. I don't mind paying a little more but just not the current $600 difference.

At what point will Carnival make a deal and what's the best way to get in line to be offered the deal?

The FTTF has been sold out for our May 10th Triumph cruise since January. Yesterday it opened up again but it's my guess they'll be gone within 48 hours. Between our roll call and other unmentioned social sites the word spreads quickly. I counted 15 sold just to one of my groups less than 10 hours after they opened up.

Thanks. Just making sure I didn't miss anything.

Does anyone have an update on the roll out of the new American Table and American Feast menus to other ships?

We were on a September sailing in 2013 and another in 2005. The slots did change from coin to ticket over that period of time. While the casino does change slots and games over time, a casino upgrade was not part of the repairs or 2.0 upgrades.

PS. If you do earn your free drink card please remember to directly tip your server because they'll no longer automatically receive the 15% add on.

If you don't they'll be hard to find.

On my Sept. Triumph cruise they advertised that if you earn 2000 slot points you'll get a free drink card. I hit that on day 2 and took my card to the casino cage where they gave me the drink card.

On the Magic the casino manager just stopped by the machine I was on and added the drink card to my sign & sail card on day 2 again. My Brother is a table player who spends just as much time in the casino as I and is usually an above average better. He didn't receive his drink card until the last day of the 7 day cruise. He did complain to the staff about me receiving a card while he hadn't. I think they punished him for complaining

On our cruise in May of this year the Carnival Player's Club sent him a free cabin offer but I only received a $200 cabin discount and $100 casino cash. The free cabin offer is random. They plug several factors into their computers and the different offers come out. This year I assume a couple of the factors that worked in my Brother's favor were as follows. This is only my guess from many years gambling in many casinos.

We're most likely rated about the same but I've booked a Carnival cruise every year for the past 3 years. My Brother didn't sail last year so one factor in his favor was to bring him back to Carnival's casino.

Another factor may have been that myself & DW plus my DD & DSIL were already booked for 2014 on a Player's Club offer while he was still thinking about it. Since our bookings have been linked to my Brother in the past Carnival's computers may have taken that into consideration.

I'm sure there are many other factors but we'd have to find an ex-Player's Club employee willing to spill the beans. The point is that there are so many factors it appears to be random.

Granted I've only been cruising since 2000 so I'm not sure how far back the good old days extend. From my point of view with the 4 cruise lines I've tried most of the optional charges seem to be from things that didn't exist on the older ships.

I do agree that the on the mass market lines the move has been toward a more casual atmosphere. That to some equates to less service at the same to higher cost.

That's what I had thought but just wasn't sure. Thanks for the help.

Even though we've sailed the Triumph twice before I don't know the answer to this question.

We've now got 14 in our group all booked under late dining. Will they be able to seat us all at one table or will they split us up? Besides linking all our bookings together is there anything else we can do to request one table?

Mr. Sancho's has a limited number of cabanas so I wanted to reserve two in advance. When I went to their site I couldn't find a way to reserve them be date. Won't they need to know went I'll need them????

My DW and I live in the Clear Lake area so we don't stay in the hotels and can't give you much help on that experience. One exception to this is The South Shore Harbor Resort in League City on the South side of the lake. It's got a pool, boating, a golf course plus it's a short drive to the Boardwalk and NASA. There's also the Hilton Clear Lake across the street from NASA and on the lake. One other option would be The Boardwalk Inn on the Kemah Boardwalk. These would be the top of the line in the area as far as cost, amenities and location but with the exception of The South Shore Harbor Resort we haven't slept in them.

If it's a better price you're looking for the area is full of most of the major hotel / motel brands and as long as you're in the Clear Lake area I can't think of a bad location or street.

With the kids, the two options you've already mentioned should be great and take up most of your two days. One day to tour Space Center Houston with all it's kid friendly interaction then one day at the Kemah Boardwalk with all the rides and carnival attractions should leave you with two tired kidos.

They won't upgrade you from an inside to ocean view or balcony. The upgrade will be in the form of a higher deck or from aft to midship or something like that.

I agree with Galveston Cruiser and in a Galveston vs. Hobby, Galveston wins hands down.

As for the location of your hotel remember that the Seawall is several miles long and you're on an end with very little in walking distance. At least my walking distance.

You'll need transportation from the hotel or a cab to most restaurants and attractions.

As for a rental car, I know that Enterprise has a location on Bayport Blvd. in Seabrook and I believe they'll give your DH a ride back to the terminal.

My DW and I live in the Clear Lake area so we don't stay in the hotels and can't give you much help on that experience. One exception to this is The South Shore Harbor Resort in League City on the South side of the lake. It's got a pool, boating, a golf course plus it's a short drive to the Boardwalk and NASA. There's also the Hilton Clear Lake across the street from NASA and on the lake. One other option would be The Boardwalk Inn on the Kemah Boardwalk. These would be the top of the line in the area as far as cost, amenities and location but with the exception of The South Shore Harbor Resort we haven't slept in them.

If it's a better price you're looking for the area is full of most of the major hotel / motel brands and as long as you're in the Clear Lake area I can't think of a bad location or street.

With the kids, the two options you've already mentioned should be great and take up most of your two days. One day to tour Space Center Houston with all it's kid friendly interaction then one day at the Kemah Boardwalk with all the rides and carnival attractions should leave you with two tired kidos.

The poster above is also correct that Galveston island only 30 minutes from the Clear Lake area so you'll also have access to all the island attractions. Just remember that in March it's still a little too cool in the Gulf or for outdoor non-heated pools. Unlike Florida, the Jetstream can still bring us a cold front in March.