12/6 Triumph Review

[globe9]

The GF and I just returned from our 12/6 Triumph cruise. It was a 5 day and we had a great time. No pics, b/c we hardly took any. After awhile, all the cruise pictures start looking the same LOL

 

We arrived at terminal about 10:15am. We handed our luggage to the porter and went up the escalator. There was NO ONE in line! We walked right up to the counter and checked in! After that, we walked over to the seating and got a zone 6 boarding card. We were onboard by 11:30am and having burgers on the lido.

 

The GF and I enjoyed the ship itself. I'd ready many varying reviews of the Triumph. I found it very clean and the staff very attentive. I didn't mind the layout of the ship at all either. I knew my way around by the time we had muster drill.

 

Our cabin was on deck 8, Verandah. It was our first balcony. We enjoyed having the balcony, but were disappointed that we were on the wrong "side" of the ship at each port. We wanted to sit on our balcony before sail away and people watch....a nice way to say we were waiting for pier runners LOL We were on the wrong side in both Progresso and Cozumel.

Overall though, I liked our cabin...especially the location. It was so nice to just be able to run up a flight of stairs and be on the deck 9, the lido, which is where we spent much of our time.

 

Dining wise, we never ate in the dining room. A cruise is a truly relaxing vacation for me and the GF. We travel a lot, and as most should know, there is nothing relaxing about traveling :D so we chose a cruise vacation(usually once a year) for that true "vacation". We were on no one else's schedule. We ate when we were hungry.

 

We ordered continental breakfast everyday but debarkation day. I wasn't very happy with this. When you fill out the card, it asks for times to be delivered between. We always put between 8:30 and 9:00am. The first 2 mornings it came at 7:55am. Finally the next day, I wrote on the card to please deliver NO EARLIER than 8:30am. That morning I got a phone call from room service at 7:50am asking if it was ok if they delivered the breakfast now. "What the hell," I said, I was already friggin' awake now. The danishes were good, but the coffee was always cold. They'd forget to bring things we had checked off(like milk for the cheerios GF had ordered). I also tried writing in some items from the room service menu that weren't included on the Continental breakfast card(like the fajita wrap)...those went ignored. We tipped $3 on every delivery BTW.

Tried to order room service one evening(about 5:00pm) to get some snacks.....never did get through to a live person. Was on hold for about 15minutes by the time I gave up.

 

The food up on the Lido was great though IMO. Sometimes the main buffet didn't offer anything I was interested in, but I always had a great salad from the salad bar and would either get a sandwich from the deli or pizza. That was fine by me. Cruising is not about food for me and my GF. If it was, being from New Orleans, I doubt we'd be very happy LOL

 

We also can't really comment on the shows. We went to one show on the 1st sea day(I can't recall the name of it). It was dancing and singing from different countries. We weren't very impressed with this show. In fact, the guy next to the GF was sleeping and snoring VERY loudly. We were making fun of him when I turned to my left and noticed the guy next to me was sleeping too. We got up and left about midway and never went to another show.

 

We tried to watch several movies on the big screen at night. The first night they were showing How to Train Your Dragon at 9pm, but it was WAY TOO COLD to watch it. Later on, we did watch Alice in Wonderland. It was chilly, but not too bad. They didn't start the movie at the beginning however and that was weird. It looked like they began it about 10 minutes in.

 

On the last night we were up on Lido waiting for Leap Year to be shown at 8:30pm(as stated in the Capers), but by 8:50 they hadn't started it. I don't know if they ever did. It's not that big of a deal, but if they're going to publish times for stuff, they should adhere to it.

 

Progresso was Progresso. Not my favorite port. We've been to Merida on the last cruise and enjoyed the city, but we didn't feel like the hour bus ride, so we walked around Progresso. We stopped at Buddy's, based on reviews read here, but weren't that happy with the food there. It was ok, but by the time we left our bill was $45US for 2 people. All we had were 2 margaritas, beef nachos, chicken quesadillas, and a diet coke. Seemed kinda steep to us. There is a lot of construction going on in Progresso with the street that runs alongside the beach too. One day Progresso will be like Cozumel, a resident told me. I don't know about that. Maybe it will have all the t-shirt shops and stuff, but the water there isn't the same. It's like going to Biloxi Beach instead of Destin, Florida. I wish Carnival would go back to Costa Maya. Much prettier IMO.

 

Cozumel was nice, but VERY windy! I had to hold my hat on my head while walking down the pier. I've been here over 20 times by now(with many of those being week long land based vacations) so I've pretty much done it all. We took a taxi into town and walked around....I did have to pick up some t-shirts for the nephews and I was on the lookout for a zip hoodie as I knew it was going to be chilly on the ship for the ride home. Managed to get those things and we made our way back to the ship. We were also shopping for some fragrances. GF wanted Chanel #5 for her mother and I wanted a Dolce and Gabana fragrance. I found the prices in Cozumel to actually be more expensive than on the cruise ship. This was a first for me. Usually, I'd hold off buying things on the ship as you could get it for $10 or $15 dollars cheaper in Cozumel. No longer the case IMO.

 

As for the shops onboard the ship. The logo shop seemed to have less of a selection than usual when it came to t-shirts, hats, hoodies, etc. On the first night I saw a hoodie I liked, but didn't get it. On Wed. I went back and it was gone. I asked the saleslady about it and she said that was the only one they had. Didn't buy anything in the logo shop at all this cruise, and that's rare for me.

 

Random Thoughts and Observations: Overall, we had a great time. None of the negative things mentioned above impacted our experience. I just thought I'd mention them as maybe it would impact someone else's experience.

 

The crowd on this ship seemed very polite and friendly. I've been on cruises where I've been bum rushed on elevators, cut in front of while in line at the buffet, etc. Didn't experience any of this this time. Everyone was great. Didn't witness any obnoxiousness, over the top Saints fans, sloppy drunks, etc. etc. Even witnessed a young(20-ish) guy walking down the pier with his girlfriend help push a stranger in a wheelchair down the entire length of the pier to the stranger's ship(Ecstacy), which was docked next to us. All of the crew we encountered was very friendly.

 

Overall, I read 5 books and took a nap everyday....a successful vacation IMO:D

 

Debarkation went very smooth for us. We put our bags out the night before. We waited for our # to be called the next morning in the Olympic bar and went down the stairs to the lobby. Getting off the ship was a breeze. We did wait in line once in the terminal, but that moved quickly. They make you wind around and then do down an escalator. HINT: You don't have to take the escalator, you can take the stairs, which will be quicker.

 

Once down in the terminal, we found our luggage and immediately hailed a porter. Even if you don't really need a porter, get one! The porters have their own customs section and can get you out of there FAST! We only had 2 bags, but gave the porter $5 and was out of there within 3 minutes. I was back home in Metairie and doing laundry by 10:30am. If we had gone through the other, "regular" side, we'd have been in line for at least an hour, probably much longer.

 

We had a great time and can't wait to take our next cruise. Please feel free to comment or ask questions.

[BettyPC]

Sounds fun & relaxing -thanks for sharing your trip with us!

[nydney1]

Excellent Review. We are on the Triumph at the end of next month. One question? Did you need a sweatshirt each night?

[bluesjack]

I'm on the Triumph in January, which is the "wrong side" I'm in 8361...hope that's the right side :)

[k2excursion]

Great review!

 

I'm on the Triumph in January, which is the "wrong side" I'm in 8361...hope that's the right side :)

 

8361 is on the starboard side. We had the port side on Triumph, and we were always looking out onto the land or the Ecstasy when docked in all ports. The starboard side was looking out onto the water in all ports. I'm guessing that's what the OP had. It's not a bad thing; just the OP would've preferred to look out onto the land & the people racing to get back on the ship (if I was reading correctly). I'm usually on the port side, but I chose starboard for the Dream next year. Sometimes, the ship docks the opposite way. The Ecstasy, docked next to the Triumph in both ports, had the starboard side looking directly across to the Triumph's port side.

 

It was a little cool on our emarkation day, and that was over a month ago. I still swam & rode the slides, but it was barely over 70. The night cooled off some, but it warmed up as we moved further south.

[globe9]

Excellent Review. We are on the Triumph at the end of next month. One question? Did you need a sweatshirt each night?

 

On most nights, yes, a sweatshirt was worn, especially the day we departed, the high was like 55 during the day. It was in the low 70's in Cozumel, and chilly the night we left there.

 

You can never tell though. It's 35 degrees in NOLA right now, but it could be 80 degrees next week. I'd pack a sweatshirt or jacket though, just in case. It does get chilly inside the ship too in places.

[globe9]

I'm on the Triumph in January, which is the "wrong side" I'm in 8361...hope that's the right side :)

 

We were in 8253, which was the starboard side(right side when facing the front of the ship). This was the wrong side for us, but only b/c we would have liked to sit out on the balcony and watch the people getting back onboard.

 

In Progresso the view from the Starboard side was of a giant sand or rock pile on a another pier or platform...very industrial looking and not very scenic to look at.

 

In Cozumel, the water was much prettier and we saw some of the island, but still not much going on.

 

This may be the "right" side for you however. It's personal preference.

[americanmama]

hey great review. enjoyed it!

[momof5k]

Thanks for the review! We are sailing on Triumph in January (our first cruise!!) so it's great to read these sorts of reviews. Makes me that much more excited!!