Triumph Review 3/1/08-3/08/08

[Sass4]

This was our 2nd and last cruise with Carnival.

 

The staff was slow, everywhere you went, bartenders, wait staff, store staff. Everyone seemed to be in slow motion. Were they Friendly? YES!

 

Our room steward Edlin (sp wrong) was the best. The bed mattress needs to be replaced, on my side it sank in the middle. The carpet was well worn and dirty black in spots.

 

We ate every night in the dining room early seating 6:15. The dining room was freezing cold. The food was so-so. The New York steak was good. Of course you had people showing up in shorts and flip flops. It was really tacky.

 

We had breakfast in the dining room the last 4 days and it was excellent, fresh and hot and the service was great!

 

The food on the Lido buffet was cold. The pizza was excellent, the burgers were good.

 

There were no chairs available on the deck at anytime during seadays. There were I would guess at least 50% vacant with a towel on them. A gentleman and his wife went to find a chair and couldn't, went to an Art Auction came back nothing available, went to lunch and came back with nothing available and finally removed 2 towels off of 2 chairs for he and his wife. GOOD for him.

 

Room Service was more than prompt. Coffee ordered for 7:45am always showed up at 7:30!

 

There was an overpowering smell of raw sewage on Friday. I have a strong stomach and it was really gross!

 

Brad the cruise director seemed to force himself to try and be funny during his skits.

 

We just think it's time to move on to a different cruise line...the Liberty was nice but the triumph is just a smaller verision of the ship. So it was a feeling that we had been on the ship before.

[Wennfred]

From what I read, sounds like you had a great fun cruise, I mean I don't sleep on the floor so I wouldn't don't care if the carpet had a few black spots, thats normal wear and tear.

 

Thanks for posting your review.

 

 

 

Fred

[KenMo]

Thanks for the review....I am sorry you didn't enjoy it so much.

 

What cabin were you in?

 

What did you do in the ports??

[ms.sunburn]

We were also on the Triumph Mar 1-8. It was my 3rd Carnival cruise. I've never found any cruise to be perfect yet, but they have all been pretty darn good, Triumph included. I found the service to be excellent. We asked for Continental Breakfast to be served between 8 and 9 am. I poked my head out of the cabin door at 8am and the breakfast was just being delivered. I was very impressed.

 

I didn't find the crew to be particularly slow. You always get the odd one here and there that isn't enjoying their job, but generally speaking I found them to be excellent. Our room stewards were meticulous and quick, as always.

 

Food in the dining room was hit and miss, but again, it's a matter of personal preference. Maitre d was a little creepy.

 

The only thing that really irked me during the cruise was the wi-fi internet connection. It was slow and expensive (I've used it every cruise but this was the worst). I needed to use it to keep in contact with home, but I don't recommend using it if you can help it.

[ParrotHead79]

Well, opinions are like A**HOLES, everyone's got one, and 9 out of 10 of them stink.

 

SOrry you didn't have a good time. We loved the Triumph.

 

Check out my review.

[Lovely Cruise]

Thank you, for the honest review.

 

We also encountered the "sewer smell" towards the end of our Triumph cruise in 2004.

 

I wonder what is happening?

 

But, I must say - we had too much FUN on the ship!

[newt98]

i got off the ship a few weeks ago. it seemed to me there were plenty of deck chairs. i personally didn't notice a smell. i thought brad was funny. pretty much everything was the opposite of your trip, except the buffet, it stinks. i've got my next two trips planned on carnival, but not on the triumph. it is an older ship, and would rather be on a newer one. thanks for your review and perspective.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

Thank you, for the honest review.

 

We also encountered the "sewer smell" towards the end of our Triumph cruise in 2004.

 

I wonder what is happening?

 

But, I must say - we had too much FUN on the ship!

 

We encountered the infamous sewer smells also on our Triumph cruise last year. Out of the Carnival cruises we have been on the Triumph was our least favorite for some of the same reasons the OP stated.

 

Thanks for the review and yes passengers can have the total opposite experience on the same cruise. One can be having the time of their life while another can be experiencing the toilet in the room is backing up, the rooms water pressure is low, etc. etc.

 

Overall we have enjoyed all of our cruises with Carnival but if they were ranked from favorite to least favorite the Triumph would be at the bottom.

[mainer208]

Sorry to hear you didn't have a great experience on the Triumph. The chair hogging issue is everywhere, not just Carnival. We sailed the Triumph in 2003 and found it freezing as well. We enjoyed the ship but thank goodness I had a pull over cotton sweater because I wore it a couple of nights with khaki's because I was so cold. I would have thought that comment cards, etc., relative to the temp would have been adjusted.

[marty30907]

Sorry you did not have a good cruise, but, we were on the same sailing date as you and found most of the bad things you say we did not encounter. We also had the same dining time as you.

 

The chair hogs were most of the spring breakers on the ship. We could not find any chairs so we went back to enjoy our baloney.

 

I thought Brad and Gary were great. But, to each their own.

[oceanbutterfly]

I sailed the Triumph too, the week befor you did. Our balcony room was great-no complaints, and our room steward was very very nice-Wigi? We called him Squeegie (in private).

 

I also noticed the sewer smells-worse towards the end of the cruise.

 

Chair hogs were worse than any cruise I have ever been on.

 

The bartenders were all excellent, thanked us by name, and were very prompt.

 

Our waiter in the dining room was more the quiet type. Good, but didn't seem all that friendly. His assistant made up for it-young guy who was always grinning ear to ear. I've always found the assistants to very endearing and eager to please.

 

Things were not perfect-we still had an awesome time. It was not comparable to the RC cruise we went on last year, but still very fun, just different atmosphere.

 

We are taking our girls on a cruise next year-probably the Carnival Destiny because of the 5 day itinerary. Otherwise, I personally preferred Royal Carribbean. Maybe the new Carnival ships are better. I will be reading posts to find out.

[Knights on the Beach]

Yep, everyone has different experiences -- fortunately, we had a better one (three times) on the Triumph.

[bonniemari]

Yep, everyone has different experiences -- fortunately, we had a better one (three times) on the Triumph.

 

CRUISEMOM2 I saw your UCF basketball players (looked like the whole team) wandering around the Wolfchase Mall here in Memphis today. Brave souls that they were venturing out in Tiger territory. They really seemed like a nice and polite group of young men.

 

To the OP sorry to hear you had a off cruise. I had a couple of those, one on Carnival and one on NCL-couldn't really say what was wrong with it just that it was off. I have cruised Carnival many times since my "off" cruise and once on NCL since my "off" NCL cruise. Sometimes I think for me personally I just needed a break from cruising. Yes I did say a break from cruising.

[Knights on the Beach]

CRUISEMOM2 I saw your UCF basketball players (looked like the whole team) wandering around the Wolfchase Mall here in Memphis today. Brave souls that they were venturing out in Tiger territory. They really seemed like a nice and polite group of young men.

 

That is so nice to hear! One of our best players broke his foot last week, so we're hoping for the best. We were in Memphis for the Liberty Bowl right after Christmas and had a GREAT time. I'd love to get back up there!

[Dave85]

Maybe the new Carnival ships are better. I will be reading posts to find out.

 

They absolutely are. The only Carnival ship I ever disliked was the Destiny...

 

I'd strongly suggest sticking to the newer ships if you're looking for a week long sailing on Carnival! We were on the Liberty a couple of months ago and it was great.

[georgiacruizer]

The chair hogs were most of the spring breakers on the ship. We could not find any chairs so we went back to enjoy our baloney.

 

Were you able to smuggle this onboard? What is the best wine to serve with baloney?

 

Sorry, couldn't help myself...:D .

[teanbean16]

I was on the same cruise and had a wonderful time. I didn't smell the infamous sewer odor. I had fantastic service everywhere I went. Tendering in Half Moon Cay could have been better but that's about my only complaint. And really, we were so happy to be on a cruise we just laughed it off. I would cruise the Triumph again in a second!!!!!! We were on the Empress deck aft cabin numbers 7424/26/28. Absolutely loved the aft. Rocked me to sleep every night. Trying to decide where to go next:) :)

[marty30907]

Were you able to smuggle this on board? What is the best wine to serve with baloney?

 

Sorry, couldn't help myself...:D .

 

Everyone is a critic!:D

 

Meant Balcony!:)

 

We still enjoyed every minute on the Triumph and we would sail on her again!

[enjoyinglife]

Sorry you did not have a good cruise, but, we were on the same sailing date as you and found most of the bad things you say we did not encounter. We also had the same dining time as you.

 

The chair hogs were most of the spring breakers on the ship. We could not find any chairs so we went back to enjoy our baloney.

 

I thought Brad and Gary were great. But, to each their own.

 

 

I think lots of people go back to the cabin and enjoy their baloney! ;)Thanks for the typo! LOL! :D

[man of many coats]

Hey sass, we feel the same way you do about CCL, we did have about a perfect 10 on the conquest. but im not one for a yearly repeat. our last outing on the Legend was less then a 6 out of ten. Time to check out the all inclusive on land. Good luck to you!!

[Sass4]

Thanks for all replies. We usually cruise everyother year...maybe it is time to try an all inclusive. Or one of those free styling cruises where you don't have to be at dinner at 6:15.

 

Thanks all, I love this board!

[Knights on the Beach]

Hey sass, we feel the same way you do about CCL, we did have about a perfect 10 on the conquest. but im not one for a yearly repeat. our last outing on the Legend was less then a 6 out of ten. Time to check out the all inclusive on land. Good luck to you!!

I wasn't crazy about the Legend either, and I'm usually in the minority with that opinion.

[sheri18]

I was on the same cruise and had a wonderful time. I didn't smell the infamous sewer odor. I had fantastic service everywhere I went. Tendering in Half Moon Cay could have been better but that's about my only complaint. And really, we were so happy to be on a cruise we just laughed it off. I would cruise the Triumph again in a second!!!!!! We were on the Empress deck aft cabin numbers 7424/26/28. Absolutely loved the aft. Rocked me to sleep every night. Trying to decide where to go next:) :)

 

 

we just booked the trimph for next feb. we booked the same cabins as you but on verandah deck...how are the cabins and size of balcony what are out there for chairs? any other info?