Carnival Freedom Review - February 2, 2015

Carnival Freedom in St. Lucia 2015

Carnival Freedom Review

February 2, 2015

12-day Repositioning
 

Just The Facts:

Ship:  Carnival Freedom

Captain: Agostino Fazio
Cruise Director: Jen Baxter
Ports: Ft. Lauderdale, St. Martin, St. Lucia, Curacao, Aruba, Cozumel, Galveston

This is my 3rd cruise on the Carnival Freedom, 52nd Carnival Cruise, and 102nd cruise overall.  I am cruising with the dear wife (DW) and thirty good friends (Snoozemates) that we have traveled with previously.  A very fun group of experienced cruisers to travel with on a cruise.

Travel Day One—Saturday—January 31—Travel--Houston
The purpose of travel today is to get vehicles to Galveston where the cruise we are taking will terminate following a repositioning cruise.  We left the ranch about 8:30 am for the easy drive to Valley Mills where we left a vehicle and joined up with friends joining us on the cruise.  We took two vehicles south and made our way to the LaQuinta near Hobby airport in Houston.  We dropped our bags and continued to Galveston to park one auto at EZ Cruise Parking and the other at the Port of Galveston parking lot.  Friends from Alvin picked the four of us up and we headed back to Houston stopping to enjoy a great meal at Pappasito’s Mexican Restaurant on the way.  We checked in at the LaQuinta and relaxed the rest of the evening.

Travel Day Two—Sunday—February 1—Travel—Fort Lauderdale
We were up early and took the 8:30 Hotel Shuttle to Hobby Airport.  We checked in and headed to the gate where we met up with three more couples taking the same flight and cruise.  We are gathering Snoozemates as we go, ten on the same flight.  The 10:45 am Southwest Airlines flight (flight 9) was fine and in two hours we were landing at Fort Lauderdale (FLL) airport.  We have lost an hour in time and by the time we took a taxi to our hotel, the Hyatt Place, it was check-in time.  We have several friends staying here as well as various other hotels in the near vicinity.  This is Super Bowl Sunday so after a cocktail with friends we walked to the local K-mart nearby and got supplies for our cruise,  On the way back we stopped at a Chipolte’s for dinner and made it back to the hotel in time for the Super Bowl kick off.  The rest of the evening was football and Super Bowl activities.  We were very fortunate to have a huge LG flatscreen HG television and comfortable lounging area…couldn’t have asked for more to enjoy the game. 

Day One—Monday—February 2—Fort Lauderdale Embarkation
We signed up for the hotel’s 10:00 am port shuttle so we were up and had the complementary breakfast before leaving.  The shuttle arrived at the port and parked next to a shuttle that contained ten of our group…small world.  All in the group are Diamond and Platinum guests so we went to the already full VIP lounge, but made our own area in general waiting area.  Soon we were moved to another area in the terminal that I recognized as the B2B waiting area…closer to the ship for sure.  About 11:40 we boarded the Carnival Freedom.  Most of us are located on deck 8 aft so we dropped our bags and headed to various food venues on Lido deck.  I went for the Mongolian Wok…it was good and a while since I had a bowl.  I returned to my cabin to change into cooler clothes and some luggage had arrived so it was time to set up the cabin.  The ‘Safety Drill’ was held about 4:15 pm. and seemed to go well.  I was unpacked, set up, and met my cabin steward, before sail away.  We watched us sail out of Port Everglades and then the group met at the Alchemy Bar for cocktails.  Our group wears matching red Hawaiian shirts to dinner on the first night and it made quite an impression and the group dominated the Alchemy Bar.  The Freedom Alchemist team: Bojana, Corinna, and Maria are great and it will be a great week.  For dinner I ordered two Shrimp Cocktails, the Linguini with Italian Sausage, Bell Peppers & Mushrooms (as a starter), Chicken a la Grecque, and the Creme Brûlée  for dessert.  All were good.  The Welcome Show was at 10:00 pm in the Victoriana Theater, but knowing I could watch it later on cabin TV, I retired to the cabin to rest.  Others in the group went to the casino, music venues, Red Frog Pub, and more. 


Day Two—Tuesday—February 3rd—Fun Day at Sea
Smooth seas overnight and I slept very well.  DW ordered room service breakfast as she does every morning on a cruise.  I went up one deck to Lido to get a bacon sandwich.  Our Snoozemate's group has our major function this morning, our now annual Pajama Party, from 9:30 - 11:00 am in the International Lounge.  Everyone wore the white Carnival stateroom robes and most were  in PJ’s to enjoy: Coffee, Tea, Juices, Pastries, Bloody Mary’s, Mimosa’s, Bellini’s, Screwdriver’s and more.  A great way to start a cruise is to have a great mixer at an unusual time straightaway.  We certainly did.  After our morning of cocktails we went to the Sea Day Brunch in the Posh dining room.  We do have just the right amount of sea days on this cruise to experience the brunches and regular MDR breakfasts.  After brunch it was rest and relaxation for the afternoon.  Some visited the Casino or participated in Trivia.  This is the Captain’s Elegant evening and the group met at the Alchemy Bar for cocktails all wearing our black Hawaiian shirts.  Very impressive look and we did ‘take-over’ the Alchemy.  Dinner was very good as usual.  The production shows this evening were Heart of Soul AND 80’s Pop To The Max in the Victoriana theater.  They do split up the shows on this ship, having two different ones and repeating nights as well.  A very busy and FUN day at sea.

Unfortunately at the end of this cruise as I was making a template for the cruise following I accidentally erased my review for this cruise.  I had only posted up through day two.  I will now only be able to mention the highlights of each day.  It may actually be a better review as it will be concise or at least something different.

Day Three—Wednesday—February 4th—Fun Day at SeaA usual sea day for the group.  They served the Sea Food Brunch again in the MDR.  Usual ship board activities including Triva, Texas Hold 'em Tournament, Seminars, Mixology Competition, and more.  Snoozemate's highlight was meeting in the Red Frog Pub for Latin Fusion Night.  Who knew we had Latin dancers in the group?  Great Fun.  The production shows repeated this evening:  Heart of Soul AND 80’s Pop To The Max in the Victoriana theater.

Day Four—Thursday—February 5th—St. Maarten, NA
Our first port day and almost all took a taxi to the small city of Marigot on the French side of the island.  The highlight here is Sarafina’s where they have excellent French pastries, eclairs, tarts, etc.  Also fresh bread and sandwiches, it was so good that I ate here twice.  We had our first sail away party, a Snoozemate's tradition, then cocktails at the Alchemy Bar before dinner.  Ships activities included: Bobby Borgia an illusionist, Superstar Karaoke, Motown Trivia, and more.

Day Five—Friday—February 6th—St. Lucia, West Indies

Drinking a Piton Beer in front of the Pitons

Our second port and several did private tours.  DW stayed on the ship and I did a full day tour of the island with several in the group.  We saw the banana platations, Marigo Bay, Soufriere, and more. The highlight being of course the World Heritage Picton mountains area of the island.  I really like the photo (left) taken here as the local beer matches the mountain view.  Second group sail away party and cocktails before dinner. Ships activities included: Punchliner Comedy, Adult Carnival Quest, Master Hypnotist ASAD, and more.

Day Six—Saturday—February 7th—Fun Day at Sea
A needed sea day as we head further south.  Sea Day Brunch and usual sea day ship activities.  Cocktails at the Alchemy have become an everyday thing before dinner.  Evening ship activities included: Punchliner Comedy, Production Shows: 88Keys and Getaway Island (my favorite), Red Frog's Caribbean Beach Party, and more.

Day Seven—Sunday—February 8th—Curacao
One of my favorite southern Caribbean ports with a very Dutch influence.  We walked into town from the new cruise terminal enjoying the architecture and unique colors of the city.  Unfortunately this being a Sunday most of the shops were closed although DW did find a jewelry store with local Pandora items.  We did have a nice lunch and some beer before returning to the ship.  Group cocktails before dinner.  Evening ship activities included: Superstar Live Karaoke, the Production Show: A Night To Remember, the Love & Marriage Show, and more.

Day Eight—Monday—February 9th—Aruba

Hawaiian Mafia at Alchemy Bar

DW prefers to boycott this port because of what happened here to Natalie Holloway.  We did get off
the ship for just an hour + to have a beer and I did buy one of those expensive bamboo t-shirts (I'm probably a 'sucker' for getting one).  We returned to the ship in time for a Guy's burger.  They are open until 4:00 pm each day and ideal for getting some good food upon return to the ship.  Another balcony sail away party as we sailed at sunset.  We again had group cocktails before dinner at the Alchemy Bar.  Evening ship activities included: Comedy Ventriloquist Phil Hughes,

Day Nine—Tuesday—February 10th—Fun Day at Sea
We were required to go to 'far distant' islands in order to satisfy Jones Act requirements (U.S. port to U.S. port) so we are now heading north towards Texas.  Sea Day Brunch and usual sea day ship activities.  Cocktails at the Alchemy continue to be an everyday thing before dinner.  Evening ship activities included: Punchliner Comedy, Production Show: the Juggler Edge, and more.

Day Ten—Wednesday—February 11th—Fun Day at Sea
Still heading north.  Again Sea Day Brunch and the usual sea day ship activities.  I did help several at the Future Cruises desk.  Balcony Party then cocktails at the Alchemy before the second and final elegant night dinner.  Evening ship activities included: Punchliner Comedy, Production Shows: 88Keys and Getaway Island (again my favorite), Dive-in Movie Blockbuster Night, and more.

Day Eleven—Thursday—February 12th—Cozumel Mexico

Cozumel is always a favorite port.  About ten went on a great snorkel adventure and twenty of us met at Woody's Bar in San Miguel.  The owner, Nelly, started the live entertainment early for us and even supplied a great birthday cake.  Always a fun spot for us and my usual hangout when in Cozumel.  I did get a hair cut and did some drug shopping at the local drugstores.  The Z-paks purchased were to become a life saver on the following cruise.  We returned to the ship for some rest before our final sail away party.  An apéritif before dinner as usual at the Alchemy Bar.  Always fun at the Alchemy with the girls.  This evenings ship activities included: Punchliner Comedy, the Piano Bar, the feature Show was Hasbro: The Game Show, Blue Iguana's Mexican Fiesta,  FrogFest,  and more.

Day Twelve—Friday—February 13th—Fun Day at Sea
Our final sea day as we are entering the Gulf of Mexico and now well on our way to Galveston, Texas.  Final Sea Day Brunch and sea day activities including the Groove For St. Jude.  Many prepared their debark and customs forms and those on the B2B met in the theater for further instructions.  The group had a 'get rid of excess liquor' balcony party, but we still still made it to the Alchemy Bar for our last night with Corina, Boyana, and Maria.  They have been an absolute joy each and every night.  My new favorites at the Alchemy Bar. Fianl dinner was good with the usual farewell waiter song: "All Your Bags are Packed...".  Light on the shows this evening, but they had the Showcase of Stars guest talent show and all the usual Bar & Lobby entertainment.

Debarkation--Saturday--February 14th--Galveston, Texas
DW is debarking today, but I am staying on board with nine others in our group.  DW rode back with our friends from Bosque County and was home in good shape by early evening.  I met with our group and the other B2B guests in the theater as instructed were we received our new Sail & Sign cards for the one day special event today.  We were able to enjoy complementary cocktails and the concert during the day.  They served an Elegant Night dinner tonight as well.  A very nice event. Unfortunately I was not able to 'party' or take advantage of the special events in the late evening as I am feeling the effects of a bug I picked up on the cruise.

A Funtastic Cruise with great Friends 

Visit Zydecocruiser's great photo review of this cruise: 
 Click Here!

Carnival Triumph Cruise Review 1/17/2015

Carnival Triumph Cruise Review 1/17/2015

Just the Facts:
Ship: Carnival Triumph
Captain:  Allesandro Iemmi
Cruise Director:  Kirk Benning
Ports: Galveston-Cozumel-Progreso-Galveston

This is my 51st Carnival cruise, the 8th time on the Carnival Triumph, and 101st cruise overall.  I am cruising as a solo.

Saturday / Embarkation / January 17th, 2015 / Day 1

Guy's Burger Joint

I was awake early and left the ranch about ten minutes ahead of my regular scheduled time of a 5:30am departure.  You can make very good time in the early morning hours and I didn’t get into serious traffic until Houston.  I arrived at EZ Cruise Parking just about 10:00 am and was shuttled over to the ship soon afterward.  I again decided to carry my bag with me through check-in and not leave it with a porter.  I do have a special duffle bag that I use that will fit through the security scanners.  I was checked in at the VIFP priority check-in area about 10:30. Looks to be about 4-5 Diamond guests (I always look at the Diamond page when they check me off the list) and there were several others in the VIFP lounge. After the wedding party, we boarded  about 11:25 am.  It was a smooth process.  After dropping my bag and backpack in cabin 6267 I went straight to the Lido buffet for lunch before it got too busy.  There is no Mongolian Grill, my usual first day eating choice on most Carnival ships, so I went for freshly made (especially if your early) Asian food from Chopsticks. I saw Kris the Maitre’D and he told me he had a nice MDR table for me.   After lunch I went out to the Pool area and I have to say that I had never seen so many people in line to eat a Guy’s Burgers immediately on embark.  The word is out (the lines are both to the left and right out of view in above photo) about Guy's.  I went to the Lobby Bar and watched guests embark the ship for a while then I went back to the cabin and took a short nap.   I went up to Lido and got my Guy’s Burger about 3:45. Boat/Safety Drill was held just after 4:00 pm.  Safety drill went smooth and very soon the Triumph was sailing from the port of Galveston on her way into the Gulf. I watched sail away from the balcony and once we got moving over the water the weather became cooler.   I then used the internet until we were beyond range of my wifi hotspot.  The Welcome Show was scheduled for 7:30, but I have seen it many times so I went to the Alchemy for aperitifs.  Adri and Marko are the Alchemists, Tiana the bar server.  DW made some great homemade sweets and I brought some for Adri and Tiana. It was good to see Marko back as well.  Dinner is at 8:15 pm, there is a very large group of music fans, the Bobby Sox and Boots group, on board and they have 8-9 of the tables in the center of the Paris Dining Room (MDR), but I did have table 549, a nice table with nice people in a good location.  For dinner tonight I ordered: the Escargot, the Lasagne Bolognese (as starter), the Pork Steak entree, and the Black Forrest Gateau for dessert.  Dinner and service was good. Following dinner I wanted to go to the double headliner comedy show @ 11:15 pm with both John McDonnell and CeeJay Jones, but I was a bit tired and retired to the cabin. I will see them later this cruise.

Sunday / Fun day at Sea / January 18th / Day 2

Poker Pro Table

Fairly smooth seas and I had a very good overnight sleep. I was off to the Paris dining room (MDR) for breakfast about 9:30 am for the Sea Day Brunch and was expecting a long line, but there was really no line at all.  The large group was having its functions so that may have had an effect.  I had a great table location at the aft windows and I ordered the Fruit Plate, Steak & Eggs, and side of bacon. It was all very good.  I did go by and see the music group, they had an Elvis type entertainer and a country duo the two times I walked by…I’ll adjust my schedule accordingly, but many times it is a good thing to have a big group on board with their own schedule, it makes it less crowded at other ship venues.  Olena came by to make all was well with the cabin, I actually had not seen my cabin steward until this morning, but I asked him to keep the small cooler full and we would be fine.  I did bring diet coke so with ice all will be well.  Since I’m traveling solo I had considered purchasing a Cheers program today as I sometime do if sailing solo, but decided not to do so.  I’ll order my cocktails ala carte this cruise.  Guests were really happy and busy today, we had beautiful weather and the outdoor decks were packed as well as the casino. The NFC football game was shown several places and they had Karaoke, Trivia and the usual cruise activities.  I had a very good sea day: I enjoyed a great Guy’s burger, then went to the casino and played on the Poker Pro Hold ‘em table (+), then watched the 2nd half of the exciting NFC Championship football game.  Off to the Alchemy Bar for aperitifs until dinner and it was a very FUN happy hour+.  For tonight's Captain’s elegant night dinner I ordered: the Stuffed White Mushrooms, Farfalle Pasta with Turkey, the Lobster entree, and the Cherries Jubilee for dessert.  Other good options were:  Roasted Pumpkin Soup, Alligator Fritters, Prime Rib, or Pork Spare Ribs.  The Matre'D sent me a bottle of wine tonight, but the highlight was when three 'Cowboys' came over to the table and did an a cappella serenade for us...very special.  (I had met one earlier in the Alchemy and one of the gals at my table made the request when I pointed him out)  The production show Wonderful World was tonight following dinner for late setting guests.  It is my favorite of the productions shows on the Carnival Triumph and features the Triumph dancers and singers and highlights music from around the world. There were songs or dances from: France, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Africa, Spain and more. It is a fantastic show with full cast of singers and dancers and full LIVE orchestra. The Can-Can is my favorite dance and Con Te Parte my favorite song.  I did receive the VIFP Chocolates this evening and the Platinum/Diamond gift was delivered tonight: a nice Carnival Logo small travel bag.

Monday / Cozumel, Mexico / January 19th / Day 3

VIFP Party

Calm seas overnight and I had a great relaxing sleep. I have no early plans for the day so I slept late then went to the Paris MDR for a nice breakfast of Eggs Benedict and extras.  We are docked at the International Pier next to the Celebrity Reflection and the Carnival Glory and the Carnival Sunshine are docked at Puerto Maya, there are also two ships at Puerto Langosta so a lot of tourists in Cozumel today.  Once they finish the addition to the PM pier they will be able to dock more Carnival ships at the pier. About 9:00 am I went down to deck zero and was on my way to San Miguel ($8 taxi). I went to Woody’s Bar to set up for the day.  I was early, but they set my usual table with a great overhead fan and electrical plug to recharge the computer. The wifi is faster than I have at home on the ranch so I did some work online while enjoying some Diet Coke, bottled water, Bohemia beers, and some good guacamole & chips.  Very pleasant surprise when my tab was covered by the owner.  I am a lucky guy.  I did leave a bit early so only heard one set by Pako the entertainer who provides live entertainment in the afternoons at Woody’s.  A ferry had just arrived from the mainland so I needed to walk to the taxi stand on the other side of the square, but I was soon back at the International pier and ship.  I still believe we leave much too early (at 4:00 pm) a ridiculously early time since we are only going to Progreso tomorrow. The VIFP Party was held at 4:15 in the Rome Lounge.  The Carnival Triumph live band has a new feature singer and she is very very good.  CD Kirk did a good job keeping the event rolling and there were five Diamond guests recognized. It was off for aperitifs at the Alchemy as usual about 6:15 and it was busy and fun.  It was a smaller crowd in the Paris MDR for dinner as it usually is on Cozumel night.  I ordered the Chicken Breast Pasta entree in Alfredo Sauce (as a starter), the Fried Shrimp & Fries plate from the Comfort Food selection and Tiramisu for dessert.  Stephen, the Triumph's Scottish GSM sent a wee dram to the table…thanks.  After dinner it was the Showcase of Stars in the Rome theater, but I was sidetracked by new friends at the Alchemy Bar and ended up staying until close.  The highlight was the ‘up close’ magician who did some amazing tricks.  Actually some of the BEST Magic I have ever seen.  Truly Amazing.

Tuesday / Progreso, Mexico / January 20th / Day 4

Ice Creme & Yogurt Machines

We were docked long before I awoke. I had originally planned to go into Progreso and have lunch, but it was a late Monday night especially for me so I slept very late, until 10:30 am.  I made it to the Lido deck and the omelette station before it closed at 11:00 am and had a nice fresh breakfast omelette.  It was then back to the cabin for more rest.  I had a nice afternoon walk around the ship, going to Guest Services to apply a gift card, taking some photos on Promenade deck, having half a Guy’s Burger, and more.  I had another nice visit with one of the ‘Cowboy’ singers, Tim Nichols in the lobby bar, we need to get him booked at our local honkey-tonk the Horny Toad in Cranfills Gap.  About 5:00 I ordered a BLT from room service and it was excellent (as usual) and delivered right away.  I watched sail away from the balcony as we sailed at 6:00 pm.  The production show in the Rome Theater this evening is New Wave Magic featuring Anders.  I didn’t attend having an aperitif at the Alchemy Bar.  It’s again a very interesting crowd of regulars this cruise, but very different than the previous cruise. The Paris MDR was fairly full, the several groups on this cruise helps.  For dinner tonight I had the Lobster Bisque, Shrimp Cocktail, the Pasta entree as a starter (as usual), the Chateaubriand, with Grand Marnier Souffle and a Banana Split for dessert. A very nice meal. The Rio Lounge had the late adult cabaret show: A Kiss Good Night, a very popular show, but I retired after a brief walk about the ship.

Wednesday / Fun day at Sea / January 21st / Day 5

Welcome back Marko

Calm seas over night and the weather is again nice.  I was up about 8:30 am and went to the Paris MDR for the Sea Day brunch about 9:15.  I ordered custom eggs this morning as well as hash browns, bacon and ham sides, all very good.  I had a walkabout on the decks and checked my online account at the kiosk, always good to do on the last day to avoid any surprises.  No Guy’s burger today, but I had nice afternoon lunch from Chopsticks, especially good was the Kung Pao Chicken and Spring Rolls, Chopsticks is not as nice as a full Mongolian Grill station, but now that I have discovered what and how to order, the Chopsticks choice is a good option.  Afterwards cabin time and I worked on this review and filled out my Customs forms.  At 4:45 Captain Allesandro made a ship wide announcement that the Port of Galveston was currently closed due to dense fog and may well effect our arrival into Galveston.  That usually means that it will be.  The final Production Show: The Big Easy is this evening, but at 7:15 pm the Captain and senior officers hosted the Diamond guests in the Piano Bar for Cocktails.  They served very nice h’orderves and I was able to order premium Alchemy cocktails (Marko was the bartender). It’s always a very FUN gathering.  Final dinner was good, I ordered the French Onion Soup, Penne Marisco (as a starter), and the Meat Loaf entree.  For dessert our table had pre-ordered the Creme Brûlée the night before so we had that and the traditional Baked Alaska.  One final visit to Alchemy to say farewell to new friends and the Alchemy crew since the Captain told me we’d probably get to sleep in in the morning.

Thursday  /  Debarkation

Bye little Buddy

We had slightly rocky seas overnight going into Galveston.  I was fully expecting us to be outside the harbor due to fog and checked the balcony just too see if we were within internet wifi range of port.  Imagine my surprise when we were already docked…an hour before the regular scheduled time…obviously no fog.  A cold front was just coming in so I guess it dispersed the fog.  I immediately began packing as a suspected we may be cleared early and we were.  I was off the ship well before the meet times for VIP debarkation. In the past six weeks on three different cruises I have experienced a late port arrival, an on-time port arrival, and an early port arrival and I can state that the Carnival Triumph has the best organized debarkation of any ship I have sailed. I was through US. Customs by 7:45 and at EZ Cruise parking by 8:00.  I always walk the two blocks back to the car as by the time you walk to the shuttle pick up location you could be half the way to the lot itself.  Much faster to walk.  I was off the island about by 8:15 am. (Gasoline on the island was $1.79 gal.)  I made it almost through Houston before the wind and rain came and it slowed the trip home, but I was back at the ranch before 1:00 pm.

Cabin

Cabin 6267

I had cabin 6267 a balcony located on Upper Deck (deck 6) near the forward elevators on starboard side.  I prefer an aft location but I booked late and this was one of the few available at my rate.  It was easy to get to Promenade deck.  The cabin has a swipe type safe, twin/queen beds, no refrigerator (OK by me I bring a cooler), small couch, three-section closet, three drawer cabinet, two electrical outlets on counter/dresser, Bottle Opener, Telephone mounted on wall, Medicine Cabinet, Small Table, Small Stool at Dresser, Robes (2), and the older style TV, but it does have the interactive features.   Unlike newer Carnival ships the Triumph does not have magnetic walls so I use my magnetic hooks on the ceiling or door.  My cabin steward was very good, the cabin was always clean and my small flexible ice chest filled.

Dining / Food / Bars / Entertainment
Both Main Dining Rooms are very nice especially the Paris Dining room.  The Blue Iguana for burritos and Guy’s Burgers are excellent.  The buffet food is pretty standard fare, but selected desserts are good.  The MDR food is IMHO just adequate, but I had a very nice location, good fellow guests, and the waiters were good.  No Mongolian Grill, but they have Chopsticks, an Asian specialty spot.  Love the Alchemy Bar and the Lobby bar is very nice.  Thirsty Frog beer is available in the Red Frog Rum bar, EA Sports bar, and Lobby bars.  If guests want the full entertainment experience, then the Triumph may be the ship for you.  They have a large 8 member ship orchestra, 10+ production dancers, and two excellent feature singers.  Also very good cover bands and solo performers. 

Crew
The entire ship crew were very friendly, they themselves can make the cruise more enjoyable for the guest. Waiters and Cabin stewards especially very friendly.  The excellent training by Carnival is quite obvious.  Favorites this cruise were my MDR wait team, Alchemy Bar team; and overall Crew in general.  They always seemed to have a smile on their face and eager to please the guests. The Ship Officers were fantastic…they really seem to enjoy working as a team and are very friendly.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CRUISE
Private Magic Show
Diamond Guest Cocktails Party with Captain & Senior Officers
Alchemy Bar and bartenders.
Carnival Triumph Crew members
Cozumel Day

~Another Great Cruise on the Carnival Triumph~

Carnival Triumph Cruise Review 1/3/2015

Carnival Triumph  Cruise Review 1/3/2015

Just the Facts:
Ship: Carnival Triumph
Captain:  Allesandro Iemmi
Cruise Director:  Kirk Benning
Ports: Galveston-Cozumel-Progreso-Galveston

This is my 50th Carnival cruise, the 7th time on the Carnival Triumph, and 100th cruise overall.  I am cruising as a solo.

Saturday / Embarkation / January 3, 2015 / Day 1

Lido Deck - Carnival Triumph

I received the dreaded fog warning letter and text from Carnival about midday on Friday warning of potential fog for Galveston and NOT to proceed to the pier until notified. It was bad on Friday; however, a thunderstorm was to cross Texas during the night and it went through Bosque County about 1:00 am...we even lost power twice.  I suspected that this front would push the fog out of Galveston by 6:00 am on Saturday and it did just that. Rain yes…fog no. I decided to proceed on a regular schedule and was on the road about 5:30 am. I caught the back end the front at about the 610 loop in Houston so I had light rain on to Galveston.  I arrived at EZ Cruise Parking just about 10:15 am and was shuttled over to the ship straightaway.  I decided to carry my bag with me through check-in and not leave it with a porter.  I was checked in at the VIFP priority check-in area about 10:45. Looks to be about 4 Diamond guests and there are three large wedding parties that will board early. I was issued a regular Diamond card, they gave me a 50 Milestone card in December so we are off on my number of Carnival cruises. There was one free cruise several years ago that I won and they originally counted it, but when they started the Diamond program they took it out of my cruise history since it was a non revenue cruise. It may be counted again, or I have missed one somewhere.  After the wedding parties, we boarded  about 11:30 am.  It was a smooth process.  After dropping my bag and backpack in cabin 6410 I went straight to the Lido buffet for lunch before it got too busy.  There is no Mongolian Grill, my usual first day eating choice on most Carnival ships, so I went for some buffet basics: Roast Beef from the carving station, Chicken Tenders, and the Fried Fish.  They had a sweet mustard sauce for the chicken tenders, tartar sauce for the fish, and horseradish for the beef…good job Carnival.  I had a cocktail in the Lobby Bar and watched guests embark the ship for an hour then I went back to the cabin and took a nap in my nice dark interior cabin. Boat/Safety Drill was held about 4:00 pm.  Safety drill went smooth and very soon the Triumph was sailing from the port of Galveston on her way into the Gulf. I went down to the Piano Bar and watched sail away through the comfort of the nice large windows since the weather is a bit cool and damp.  I used the internet while there until we were beyond range of my wifi hotspot.  Elena one of the the Housekeeping managers came by the cabin to make sure all is well with the cabin, that is something they have been doing for Diamond guests on this ship  and I just saw her last month, a nice service.  The Welcome Show was scheduled for 7:30, but I have seen it many times so I went to the Alchemy for aperitifs.  Adri and Tiana are the Alchemists, Yulia the bar server.  I know Adri and met Tiana at the lobby bar so it was good to see familiar faces.  The Alchemy bar was not too busy the first night, but the show was on as well. Dinner is at 8:15 pm, I had forgot to email Kris the Matre’D and thought of it during the thunderstorm when I could not sleep so emailed him at 3:00 am this morning.  Amazingly he was able to get me a table in my favorite area and it was on my card when I checked in…wow…great service.  For dinner tonight I ordered: the Escargot, the Lasagne Bolognese (as starter), the Pork Steak entree, and the Black Forrest Gateau for dessert.  Dinner and service was good Following dinner I wanted to go to the double headliner comedy show @ 11:15 pm with both Lenny Schmidt and Mark Simmons, but I was a bit tired and retired to the cabin. I will see them later this cruise.

Sunday / Fun day at Sea / January 4 / Day 2

My Roomate

A bit of rocky seas and I had a very good long overnight sleep. Foggy or misty this morning so not many guests on deck.  I was off to the Paris dining room (MDR) for breakfast about 10:00 am for the Sea Day Brunch and the line was beyond the elevators so I got my Bloody Mary from the MDR bar station and went up to covered Lido World Bar located far aft for an hour.  I went back to the MDR and there was no real line and had a nice table strait away.  I ordered the Fruit Plate, Steak & Eggs, and side of bacon. It was all very good.  Since I’m traveling solo I had considered purchasing a Cheers program today as I sometime do if sailing solo, but decided not to do so.  I’ll order my cocktails ala carte this cruise.  For a late lunch I had a great Guy’s burger then went to the cabin to watch the Dallas Cowboys playoff football game, they did show it on the big screen on Lido deck too.  It was close, but the Cowboys won.  Only time for one aperitif at the Alchemy Bar before the Captain’s elegant night dinner. Tonight I ordered: the Stuffed White Mushrooms, Farfalle Pasta with Turkey, Prime Rib, and the Cherries Jubilee for dessert.  Other good options were:  Roasted Pumpkin Soup, Alligator Fritters, Lobster Tail, or Pork Spare Ribs. The production show Wonderful World was tonight, but I’ve seen it several times of late. It is my favorite of the productions shows on the Carnival Triumph and features the Triumph dancers and singers and highlights music from around the world. There were songs or dances from: France, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Africa, Spain and more. It is a fantastic show with full cast of singers and dancers and full LIVE orchestra. The Can-Can is my favorite dance and Con Te Parte my favorite song.  I didn’t get the Chocolates that are supposed to be delivered on this night, but the Platinum/Diamond gift was delivered tonight: a nice Carnival Logo small travel bag.

Monday / Cozumel, Mexico / January 5 / Day 3

Pako at Woody's in Cozumel

Calm seas overnight and I had a great relaxing sleep. I have no early plans for the day so I slept late then went to the Paris MDR for a nice breakfast of Eggs Benedict and extras.  We are docked at the International Pier and the Carnival Glory and Carnival Sunshine are docked at Puerto Maya.  Once they finish the addition to that pier we would also be able to dock at the Carnival pier. About 9:20 I went down to deck zero and was on my way to San Miguel ($8 taxi).  Martin, my barber, was actually open a little early so I had my haircut finished by 10:30, I then went to Woody’s to set up for the day.  They have remodeled and added a great interior area as well as daily live music and fast internet.  Paku (with a 'k') was a very enjoyable performer.  This is a perfect place to spend a part of or the whole day.  Since I’ve done pretty much everything there is to do in Cozumel over the years I will spend the rest of the day there enjoying some Guacamole & Chips and some Bohemia beer, unfortunately we leave at 4:00 pm a ridiculously early time since we are only going to Progreso tomorrow.  I did get a Guy’s burger upon return then a short bit of R&R.  It was off for aperitifs at the Alchemy as usual about 6:45 and it was very busy.  Usually a smaller crowd in the MDR for dinner on Cozumel night, but it was almost full this evening, I ordered the Pasta entree in Alfredo Sauce (as a starter), the fried Shrimp plate, the Turkey Dinner entree, and Tiramisu for dessert. I retired to the cabin after dinner.

Tuesday / Progreso, Mexico / January 6 / Day 4

Progreso in distance

A bit of rolling seas overnight and the weather is great.  I was up about 8:00 am and went the the MDR about 8:30 as we were docking at the long pier of Progreso.  I ordered Melon, Fried Eggs, Ham, Bacon, Potatoes, Toast and all was very good.  I had originally intended to go into town, but by the end of breakfast time had decided to stay on board for the day as many guests do on Progreso day. The photo at left is as close as I came to Progreso, but I have been many times.  I had a nice walk around the ship,  going to Guest Services to apply a gift card, taking some photos on Lido, having an ice creme, and more.  I then enjoyed reading some articles in my Texas Monthly magazines and had a lunch from Chopsticks Grill.  A casual afternoon as well and I did have to have a Guy’s Burger about 4:00…enjoy them while you can get them!  The past guest party was held at 5:15 pm or just about sail away time.  The ‘Live’ music by the show band was very good and I enjoyed several cocktails.  There were four Diamond guests on this cruise, only three attending.  The entertainment in the theater tonight was New Wave Magic, basically guests singing with the show band, I didn’t attend having a longer evening at the Alchemy Bar.  It’s a very interesting crowd of regulars this cruise. The Paris MDR was fairly full again, a younger crowd this cruise helps.  For dinner tonight I had Shrimp Cocktail, the Pasta entree as a starter (as usual), the Chateaubriand, and Grand Marnier Souffle for dessert.  The Rio Lounge had the late adult cabaret show: A Kiss Good Night, a very popular show.

Wednesday / Fun day at Sea / January 7 / Day 5 

Alchemy Bar

Calm seas over night and the weather is again nice.  I was up about 9:00 later and went to the Paris MDR for the Sea Day brunch.  It was just the opposite of the first sea day…a short line when I arrived at 10:00 am, but a very long line when I left at 11:00 am.  I ordered the Huevos Rancheros this morning as well bacon and ham sides, all very good.  I had a walkabout on the decks and checked my online account at the kiosk, always good to do on the last day to avoid any surprises.  I had nice afternoon lunch from Chopsticks especially good was the Kung Pao Chicken, Chopsticks is not as nice as a full Mongolian Grill station, but now that I have discovered what and how to order, the Chopsticks choice is a good option. No Guy’s burger today, but a nice ice creme cone from the machines on Lido deck.  Afterwards cabin time and I worked on this review and filled out my U.S. Customs forms.  At 7:15 pm the Captain and senior crew and Diamond and Milestone guests met in the Piano Bar for Cocktails.  It was great and I was able to order Alchemy cocktails as well. Thanks Captain.  The final Production Show: The Big Easy was cancelled this evening because of the now rocking seas. The Captain told me we may have 50 knot winds before we reach Galveston.  It’s part of the big Cold front moving south. Final dinner this evening was good, I ordered the French Onion Soup, Penne Marisco (as a starter), and the Meat Loaf entree.  For dessert I had the Baked Alaska and a fruit plate.  After dinner I went back to the cabin and yes we are now beginning to really rock, sleeping should be good tonight.

Thursday  /  Debarkation  /  January 8
We had a super rocky night going into those 50-knot head winds.  Very interesting, but I do enjoy it as long as I’m in bed.  I was up early and packed, then went up to Lido at 7:00 am for breakfast. I went down to the designated meet point for Diamond & Platinum guests in the London MDR about 7:50 as we were sailing up the Galveston channel.  The Triumph has the best organized debarkation of any ship I have sailed. They did allow the Platinum & Diamond self assist to debark first, and I was actually the very first off the ship. I was through US. Customs by 8:25 and at EZ Cruise parking by 8:45.  I always walk back to the car as by the time you walk to the shuttle pick up location you could be half the way to the lot itself.  Much faster to walk.  I was off the island about by 9:00 am.  I stopped at Love’s in Herne, Texas for gas ($1.99) and lunch.  Home at the ranch about 1:30 pm.

Cabin
I had cabin 6410 an interior located on Upper Deck (deck 6) near the aft elevators on port side.  I booked on a special 24-hour sale with guarantee category and was assigned this cabin, a fair location but you do hear music from the Promenade deck below in the early evenings.  The cabin has a swipe type safe, twin/queen beds, no refrigerator (OK by me rarely use them), Three-section closet, Three Drawer cabinet, two electrical outlets on Counter/Dresser, Bottle Opener, Telephone mounted on wall, Medicine Cabinet, Small Table, Small Stool at Dresser, and the older style TV, but it does have the interactive features.   My cabin steward was very good, the cabin was always clean and ice container filled.

DINING / FOOD / BARS / ENTERTAINMENT
Both Main Dining Rooms are very nice especially the Paris Dining room.  The Blue Iguana for burritos and Guy’s Burgers are excellent.  The buffet food is pretty standard, but the desserts are good.  The MDR food is IMHO just adequate, but I had a very nice location, good fellow guests, and the waiters were good.  No Mongolian Grill, but they have Chopsticks, an Asian specialty spot.  Love the Alchemy Bar and the Lobby bar is very nice.  Thirsty Frog beer is available in the Red Frog Rum bar, EA Sports bar, and Lobby bars.  If guests want the full entertainment experience, then the Triumph may be the ship for you.  They have a large 9 member ship orchestra, 10+ production dancers, and two excellent feature singers.  Also very good cover bands and solo performers. 

Crew
The entire ship crew were very friendly, they themselves can make the cruise more enjoyable for the guest. Waiters and Cabin stewards especially very friendly.  The excellent training by Carnival is quite obvious.  Favorites this cruise were my MDR wait team, Alchemy Bar team; and overall Crew in general.  They always seemed to have a smile on their face and eager to please the guests. The Ship Officers were fantastic…they really seem to enjoy working as a team and are very friendly.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CRUISE
Diamond Guest Cocktails Party with Captain & Senior Staff
Alchemy Bar and bartenders.
Carnival Triumph Crew members
Cozumel Day

Navigator of the Seas Review 12.14.2014

 

Navigator of the Seas Review 

December 14,  2014

Just The Facts
Ship:  Navigator of the Seas
Sailing:  December 14-December 20, 2014
Captain: Frank Martinsen
Cruise Director:John Perry
Ports: Galveston-Roatan-Belize-Cozumel-Galveston
Weather:  Mixed

I am cruising as a solo and this is my 18th Royal Caribbean cruise and second on the beautiful Navigator of the Seas although this is my 5th cruise with Captain Frank.  I had booked this cruise very early in order to get our favorite aft cabin on deck seven, but when DW decided not to sail I changed the booking to a solo with a category J interior cabin with the new virtual balcony display.

Day One--Sunday—Embarkation

Navigator's 2014 Christmas Tree

There were warnings online from cruisers already in Galveston for the cruise that road construction was very bad on I-45 so to allow for that I left the Ranch about 5:00 a.m. an hour earlier than my usual time.  I made very good time that early and Hwy 290 was diverted into I-10 so I went through downtown Houston which ended up being faster on a Sunday as it is a more direct route.  There was really no construction to speak of on I-45 on this Sunday so I ended up arriving at EZ Cruise parking a full hour before I would normally.  A shuttle was leaving for the Navigator so I went over strait away and was in the priority line outside The Port of Galveston's Terminal Two about 10:00 am.  I usually take my bag on with me, but since I was early I didn’t want to have to take it everywhere so I did check it with the porters. They opened priority boarding soon and I was checked in and boarding the ship at 10:42 am.  As it turned out I was the first of the new passengers and in fact passed half of the B2B cruisers who were taking casual boarding photos.  I was actually at the Windjammer buffet before the 11:00 am opening, but it was only a short wait until I was enjoying an early lunch.  I had fried chicken, potatoes (both mashed & wedges), and corn on the cob.  It was a nice lunch as was the bread pudding at the dessert station.  Cabins open at 1:00 pm so I sat on deck and watched NFL football on the big screen until time to check the cabin.  I’m on deck ten near the stairwell just below the Windjammer, a good location.  Obviously the first thing I see when entering the cabin is check out the virtual balcony (VB).  It’s amazing…I’m looking at the pier in Galveston.  It’s floor to ceiling about the size of a large window.  You even have a remote control so you can adjust the outside sound, I can’t wait to use the sound when we are at sea at night.  I can see where for some this could be better than an actual balcony, certainly better than a regular interior.  I was able to take a much needed wee nap.  My bag was delivered before the 4:00 pm safety drill and I met my cabin Steward Michael.  I was tempted to stay in the cabin and watch sail away on the virtual balcony since I have never done that, but I did go on deck and watch our sail away along with the Carnival Magic a little after 5:00 pm.  They pre-load your complementary Diamond guest cocktails on your sail and sign card so I had cocktails from the Sky Bar for sail away and it was fun, I enjoy watching newbie cruisers.  I went to cabin to prepare for dinner and noticed the Carnival Magic sailing ahead of us on the Virtual Balcony, a really amazing thing. I had time for one cocktail in the Diamond Lounge, then it was off to the Sapphire Dining room for dinner.  My table is located at the rear of level 4, nice guests, but I don’t care for the location.  Dinner was good, I ordered:  Shrimp Cocktail, Escargot, and the Prime Rib with Baked Potato entree.   The Welcome show was this evening, but I retired to the cabin.  When the steward does your evening  turn-down service they close the drapes on the virtual balcony just as they do for a regular balcony so the light won’t wake you in the morning…still amazing to me.

Day Two—Monday—at Sea

Navigator's resdient Dog

A very restful night and beautiful weather today.  I slept late, it was after 9:00 am when I opened up my virtual balcony window.  That amazing me.  I purchase an unlimited internet package this morning, the cost will be my excursion and entertainment cost for the cruise.  I considered a drink package, but with the drinks provided to Diamond guests there is really no need for one (for me anyway).  I didn’t leave the cabin until after 10:00 so I went up to the Diamond lounge and had some fruit for breakfast in their outdoor section.  It was a great private location so I got my laptop and spent a lot of the day there.  I did go to the MDR for lunch, the salads there are excellent.  In the afternoon I walked around the ship and had some cabin time.  At 4:30 I went back to the outdoor deck to use the internet and enjoyed some Heineken beers from the Diamond Lounge.  At 6:30 I went to the Metropolis Theater for the production show: Now and Forever featuring a selection of contemporary Broadway Show Tunes.  The Navigator Singers and Dancers were very good as well as the nine member live Orchestra.  After the show I had cocktails in the R7 Bar on deck 5 using the Diamond credits on my Sail card (what a brilliant program) until time for dinner.  Earlier today I had changed table assignments in the MDR as I preferred a better location so I am now on deck 3 closer to the center, nice people here too. The Captains Gala Dinner was a wonderful meal, I ordered: the wonderful Bay Scallop Gratin appetizer, the Artichoke-filled Crepe au Gratin, and the Carved Fillet of Beef Tenderloin  entree.  For dessert I had the BBB Creme Brulee.  All very good.  I did go to the Theater for the 10:30 Adult Comedy show featuring Jim McDonald.  I’ve seen him before and he is very funny.  They had a full house, as a frequent Carnival passenger it makes me wonder why Carnival doesn’t do their Punchliner shows in the main theater, it would be much more comfortable for all.  After a great long sea day I retired.

Day Three—Tuesday—at Sea

Ship Guide

I slept very well overnight and the weather was warmer and again beautiful.  I went to breakfast in the Sapphire dining room about 9:30 am and ordered mixed fruit, Eggs Benedict, and a side of Bacon.  It was excellent.  After breakfast I went up to the Diamond open area on deck 14 off the Diamond club, a great area with tables and chairs and shaded in the mornings.  The cookies from the Diamond Club are a bonus.  You also get better wifi speeds from up there too.  I had a nice late lunch in the Windjammer, they had roast pork at the carving station and the mashed potatoes are excellent.  I just a relaxed the rest of the afternoon. I went up to Diamond Lounge for a cocktail then to the R7 Bar for another while waiting for the 6:30 production show: The Edge Effect.  I had never seen this five person a capella group and they did a very good and entertaining show.  Time for a visit to the Diamond Lounge while waiting for dinner.  Tonight I ordered a Shrimp Cocktail, Eggplant Parmigiana, the Pork Tenderloin entree (not fond of it), and luckily the Chicken Marsala entree, with Tiramisu for dessert.  A very good meal.  It was 1970’s night with special music around the ship this evening, but I retired early.


Day Four—Wednesday—Roatan

Roatan Pier from Navigator

A good nights sleep overnight and I again slept well.  I opened my VB and saw that we are docked and that there was a light rain falling.  Certainly no reason to get about early so I relaxed and went upstairs about 10:00 am to the Windjammer for a made-to-order omelette with some nice ham from the carving station and bacon and extras from the buffet.  I will stay on board ship since it’s a questionable day, we would get a little sun and a little shower most of the day. I took a walk down to the Promenade deck and took photos while most pax where away, but most of the day I played on the internet taking a break for lunch in the Windjammer.  They have nice steaks that I enjoyed along with the mashed potatoes. We sailed away a bit after 4:30 and I missed it on the VB, but a plane flew by landing on the island that was certainly interesting to see.  I dressed for dinner an went up to the Diamond Club for some cocktails and nice Horderves/Appetizers (the chicken wings were great).  The Crown & Anchor past guest party was this evening @ 7:15, but it was really much better just staying in the Diamond Club.  It has been very convenient for me this cruise especially since I’m cruising as a solo.  I really like the Cosmopolitans they prepare on the Voyager, only a ‘touch’ of cranberry.  Dinner was very good this evening.  I ordered  Crab Cake, Shrimp Cocktail, an excellent Chicken Cordon Bleu, and a NY Strip Steak.  After dinner was the Love & Marriage Show in the Metropolis Theater, but I watched it later on cabin TV.

Day Five—Thursday--Belize

Cruise itinerary

A nice nights sleep as the ship was rolling a bit more…I like it.  I went up to the Windjammer for a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, corned beef hash, and toast.  I walked about the deck enjoying the wonderful weather today, it was near perfect.  I had a nice lunch in the Windjammer then some cabin time until sail away.  I watched two TV show of two different shows I really had not been a fan of previously, Bones and Castle, but enjoyed them. I even ordered room service as to not miss any.  The production show this evening was: Donovan & Rebecca with the late seating guests at 6:30 and main seating dinners at the later show as usual.  Dinner was very good this evening, I ordered the NY Strip Steak as my primary entree.  There was a variety of activities this evening including: Gambling with the Ships’s officers in the Casino, Battle of the Sexes in the Star Lounge, and Ice Skating Shows in Studio B.

Day Six--Friday—Cozumel

Navigator and Allure in Cozumel

A bit of a restless night, but I slept rather late this morning. My VB did not not wake me as it is overcast so somewhat dark outside.  We are docked next to the Allure of the Seas at the International pier.  I went up to the Windjammer for fresh fried eggs, ham from the carving station, bacon, & hash browns about 10:30 am this morning.  More people there than I expected since this is a popular port, but perhaps the overcast skies has some wary of going ashore.  Since I was just here earlier in the month I really didn’t need to do my usual Cozumel ‘chores/activities’ I only have to get some Tequila & other alcohol for Christmas gifts.  I just went to the International Pier shops and looked around and did my shopping.  I was back on the ship in just a few hours.  I enjoyed reading, relaxing, and internet time most of the day.  The Production Show this evening was James Stephens III in the Metropolis Theater. I visited and stayed in the Diamond Lounge for a while this evening enjoying a few cocktails.  This was the second scheduled formal night and dinner was again very good,  I had a Royal Seafood salad, the Royal Shrimp Cocktail, Snow Crab Salad, the Slow Roasted Prime Rib, and dessert was Baked Alaska.  After dinner the primary event was the adult Quest game in Studio B.  Other entertainment included the usual ship performers including the 'Salsa Band', the ‘Rock’ band, and the Piano Bar.

Day Seven--Saturday--at Sea

Sunny beginning that became a cloudy day today.  I slept very well almost to 11:00 am so I knew I was beyond breakfast time.  I actually ended up with an ice creme for breakfast.  I had an early lunch in the Windjammer when it opened at noon then got a Self Assist pass from Guest services for tomorrows debarkation.  I split my time between the open decks and the cabin today.  A nice relaxing sea day.  The production show this evening was Ballroom Fever in the Metropolis Theater.  I visited the Diamond Lounge for a a cocktail about 7:30 and I again went with the NY Strip Steak for dinner and this one (my third of the cruise) was the best of the week.  After dinner the late show was comedian Billy Prudhomme.  I did some preliminary packing before turning-in this evening.


Debarkation--Sunday

We were docked by 7:00 am and it was a beautiful day in Galveston.  I was up earlier and packed. No room service on debarkation morning, but a full breakfast menu is served in the dining room.  I actually went up to the Windjammer for a nice early breakfast. I have a 7:15 - 8:00 am meet time for our self-debark group B. You have to request self-debark on the Navigator and get a ticket at Guest Services the day prior.  Since we docked a bit early I suspected the debark would as well and it did with self assist guests going off about 7:30.  I was off about then and customs went smooth.  They did have a TABC booth set up to collect taxes on liquor and cigarettes as I left the terminal.  I was off  the island by 8:15.  I stopped at the new Buc*ees in Waller for gas ($1.91) and reached the ranch by 1:00 pm.  A nice debark and travel day.

Ship

Virtual Balcony

The Navigator of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s ‘Texas’ ship being the first to berth in Galveston year round since the Rhapsody of the Seas.  After Navigator it is to be the Freedom of the Seas and following that is supposed to be an Oasis class in Galveston.  With a large ship there are a lot of people and the pools can be very crowded during peak times and the elevators are always full, but the additional size also means that there is room for an ice skating arena, the photo gallery, casino, bars, etc. without any one of them dominating an entire deck.  The Grand Promenade is very impressive indeed and must be experienced.  The theme of the ship seems to be Hollywood Movies with movie posters decorating the passageways and stairwells. They have added a Flow Rider, the Sabor restaurant, Diamond Lounge, Digital photo displays on deck three, of course the virtual balconies on deck ten, and more during the dry dock retrofit at the beginning of the year.  I really like the new interactive touchscreen information centers located near all the elevators and other locations.  They have the daily Cruise Compass, guides, maps, and more.  They also have interactive menus at the Windjammer and on all entry floors of the Sapphire Dining room.

Cabin
I had cabin 1639 an interior port side near the aft elevators.  Of course the unique feature that I have mentioned several times is the Virtual Balcony, I really liked it.  The room is a standard size interior with: key pad safe, hair dryer, refrigerator, lounge chair & ottoman, full chair at vanity/desk, nice sliding shower door, and great lighting. The second great feature was the flat screen TV that could be adjusted to view from anywhere in the room.  Very well designed.  The air conditioning & water pressure worked well, but I’m glad I brought my personal cabin fan for circulation.

Crew
Overall very good and my individual crew contacts such as cabin steward and waiters were better than my cruise in March.  I enjoyed the Cruise Director and the Activity Director’s morning show. I was very pleased with my cabin steward and dining room team.

Food
My dining room (after 1st night) was the Sapphire Dining Room, deck three the lower level of the 3 level restaurant. The waiters were nice and service was good.  The bread and appetizers were very good, and you can order the Escargot, Cesar Salad, Shrimp Cocktail, or NY Strip Steak every night.  The Windjammer is also a very good to eat, the quality of food was excellent.  It’s the best food buffet at sea IMHO.  Room service was always good and prompt averaging 30 minutes for delivery.  Johnny Rockets was a good alternative for lunch or afternoon snack.  Lunch in the Sapphire Dining Room has the same menu each day with one special item that does change daily. There are several ice crème and yogurt machines.

Cruise Highlights
Diamond Club
Complementary cocktails loaded on Sail Card
Virtual Balcony

Carnival Triumph Cruise Review 12/1/2014

Carnival Triumph

Cruise Review 12/1/2014

Just the Facts:
Ship: Carnival Triumph
Captain:  Mario Nicolini / Allesandro Lemmi
Cruise Director:  Kevin Donohue
Ports: Galveston-Progreso-Cozumel-Galveston

This is my 49th Carnival cruise, the 6th time on the Carnival Triumph, and 98th cruise overall.  I am cruising as a solo.

Monday / Embarkation / Day 1
I awoke early and a cold front came through during the night dropping temperatures, I was on the road about 5:30 am and caught the cold front on the way south so had rain on the warmer side from Bryan on to Galveston.  Mondays have much more traffic through Houston and I finally arrived at EZ Cruise Parking just about 10:30 am and was shuttled over to the ship straightaway.  I decided to carry my bag with me through check-in and not leave it with a porter.  I was checked in at the VIFP priority check-in area about 11:00 and the room was almost full.  Looks to be 9-10 Diamond guests and I guess there are quite a few Platinums and FTTF’s. I was issued a 50 Milestone Diamond card  so we may be off on my number of Carnival cruises.  There was one free cruise several years ago that I won and they originally counted it, but when they started the Diamond program they took it out of my cruise history since it was a non revenue cruise. It may be counted again, or I have missed one somewhere.  After a short wait and with no wedding parties, the Diamonds were snuck up close to the boarding area (thanks Lawrence) and on the ship about 11:15 am.  It was a smooth process.  After dropping my bag and backpack in cabin 8397 I went straight to the Lido buffet for lunch before it got too busy.  There is no Mongolian Grill, my usual first day eating choice on most Carnival ships, so I went for some buffet basics: a mixed bowl of the specialty salads, Roast Beef from the carving station, Chicken Tenders, and the Fried Fish.  They had a sweet mustard sauce for the chicken tenders, tartar sauce for the fish, and horseradish for the beef…good job Carnival. I saw that a lot of guests went strait for the Guy’s burgers, I don’t blame them, but there will be plenty of time in five days for several Guy’s. I went back to the cabin and since I had carried on my bag I unpacked and tried to take a nap in my nice dark interior cabin.  Very glad I had my electric fan strait away as it was warm in the cabin.  Hopefully that will improve once we are underway.  While still in port I used the internet while it was available on my personal hotspot. Boat/Safety Drill was held about 4:00 pm.  Safety drill went smooth and very soon the Triumph was sailing from the port of Galveston on her way into the Gulf.    The cold front reached us as we were sailing away so not a big crowd on Lido deck for the sail away party, I got a Guy’s and ate it at the aft pool bar, as they had the roof closed over the New World pool area.  Not too long after sail away I received a call from Guest Services offering me an upgraded cabin, perhaps as a bonus for my 50th milestone cruise.  Within a half an hour I had moved around the corner to cabin 8384 a nice balcony on port side.  Sweet…thanks Carnival.  The Welcome Show was scheduled for 7:30, but I have seen it many times so I went to the Alchemy for aperitifs.  Adri and Iaocin are the Alchemists, I know both so it was good to see familiar faces.  The Alchemy bar was not too busy the first night, but the show was on as well. Dinner is at 8:15 pm, I had emailed Kris the Matre’D a few days ago and he did get me a nice round table in the center of the Paris dining room. I am actually sitting with a guest I sat with eight years ago on a similar cruise on the Ecstacy.  For dinner tonight I ordered: the Escargot, the Lasagne Bolognese (as starter), the comfort selection: a Beef Brisket in Gravy entree, and the Black Forrest Gateau for dessert.  Dinner and service was good and we had a visit from the up-close magician. Following dinner I wanted to go to the double headliner comedy show @ 11:15 pm with both Tony Esposito and John Floyd, but I was a bit tired and retired to the cabin. I will see them later this cruise.

Tuesday / Fun day at Sea / Day 2

Chopsticks plate

Smooth seas overnight and I had a nice overnight sleep. I was off to the Paris dining room for breakfast about 9:00 am for the Sea Day Brunch and ordered the Fruit Plate, and Steak & Eggs. It was very good. I walked the decks doing some people watching and watched a couple in the lobby completely lost looking for the breakfast MDR. They checked the London MDR, walked the outside decks on both sides trying to get aft, then finally stood in line at Guest Services.  I guess I am easy amused, but had a nice chuckle to myself.  Since I’m traveling solo I had considered purchasing a Cheers program today as I sometime do if sailing solo, but decided not to do so.  I’ll order my cocktails ala carte this cruise.   The assistant Housekeeping Manager came by the cabin to make sure all is well with the cabin, that is something they have been doing for Diamond guests on this ship (not sure if this is fleet wide).  For lunch I went to Chopsticks located on Lido deck and had a small sample plate, it was OK, but not as good as a full Mongolian Grill.  They had Key Lime Pie at the dessert station and they delivered to the cabin a small plate of chocolate goodies for Elegant night, it’s great when you get them early in the day. I had cocktails at the Alchemy Bar this evening, my favorite bar by far.  Elegant night dinner was good, I ordered: the Stuffed White Mushrooms, Farfalle Pasta with Turkey, Prime Rib, and the Cherries Jubilee for dessert.  Other good options were:  Roasted Pumpkin Soup, Alligator Fritters, Lobster Tail, or Pork Spare Ribs. The production show Wonderful World was tonight, my favorite of the productions shows on the Carnival Triumph.  It features the Triumph dancers and singers and highlights music from around the world. There were songs or dances from: France, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Africa, Spain and more. It is a fantastic show with full cast of singers and dancers and full LIVE orchestra. The Can-Can is my favorite dance and Con Te Parte my favorite song.  The Platinum/Diamond gift was delivered tonight: a Carnival Logo small travel bag.

Wednesday / Progreso, Mexico / Day 3

Past Guest Party

Calm seas overnight and I had a great relaxing deep sleep. I have no plans for the port so I slept late then went to the Paris MDR for a nice breakfast of Eggs Benedict and extras.  I had cabin and balcony time today and since i’ve been traveling a lot of late I brought several magazines that I have not had time to read. I made my way through four of them including two Scottish ones that I will leave for the GSM.  For lunch I had a small plate from Chopsticks, and the menu items do change there from day to day.  I then had a wonderful Guy’s Burger with grilled onions and Fries for late lunch and ate on the deck 9 aft area. My balcony is located over the pier and it was entertaining watching guests return to the ship, especially the ones who were staggering quite a bit.  Again I am easily amused. The past guest party was held at 5:00 pm or about an hour after we sailed from  Progreso. The ‘Live’ music by the show band was very good and I enjoyed several cocktails.  There were 13 Diamond guests on this cruise, a fairly high number for a 5-day cruise.  The entertainment in the theater tonight was Showcase of Stars, basically guests singing with the Triumph show band, I didn’t attend as I had aperitifs at the Alchemy as usual about 6:30.  It was now dinner time and this evening I ordered two Shrimp Cocktails, the Pasta in Alfredo Sauce (as a starter), the Jerk Pork Loin, and Tiramisu for dessert.  No comedy on schedule this evening so I had one nightcap at the Alchemy then retired to the cabin.

Thursday / Cozumel, Mexico / Day 4

Puerto Maya Pier

After being rocked to sleep overnight as we entered the Caribbean, we arrived at the Puerto Maya pier and were docked by the scheduled 9:00 am arrival. We are docked next to the Carnival Conquest at Carnival’s Puerto Maya pier.  The Freedom of the Seas and the Niew Amsterdam are docked next to us at the International pier, there are seven ship total in Cozumel today.  Weather wise…it was a very pleasant day with a breeze all day in Cozumel...very nice.  I skipped breakfast this morning as I slept a little late and left the ship about 9:30 and took a taxi into San Miguel ($8).  I went straight to Antonio’s Barber Shop as he opens at 10:00, but he was a little late so I went the one block to Spa Alexander (the word spa is very generous—it’s a small storefront) to get a pedicure ($20). She gave me one in July and she does a good job including a foot and leg massage.  It was now 11:00 so I got my haircut from my friend Martin ($7+), he really does a masterful job.  It has been over eight years that he has been cutting my hair.  I had one person in front of me, but the barber shop now has internet so waiting was not a problem at all.  Next stop is Woody’s Bar & Grill where I did order my guacamole, pico, and chips straightaway as I was hungry by now.  I spent the rest of the day there using their fast Wifi and enjoying a couple of Bohemia beers.  I saw Nelly who had been following my Europe experience very closely, she wants to do the same trip.  After a very pleasant afternoon and getting some medicine it was off to the ship as it sails at 4:00 pm. …much too early IMHO.  My first stop upon returning was to deck 9 for a Guy’s burger and diet coke then to the cabin to clean up.  They also had the buffet open late for returning guests…very nice.  Then it was R&R until time for an aperitif at the Alchemy. The MDR was only about half full.  Fewer in MDR is common on Cozumel night and added that the Dallas Cowboys were playing on the big screen on Lido it was really empty.  For dinner tonight I had Shrimp Cocktails, Bing Cherries, the Chateaubriand, and Grand Marnier Souffle for dessert.  After dinner I went to the Alchemy then to the Rio Lounge at 11:00 for the cabaret show: A Kiss Good Night, a fantastic show if you can get a good seat and I had a fair seat.  Following the show I went to the Piano Bar and it was my first time to see Piano Bar Bob.  I thought he was very entertaining.  A late day for me and it  was a FUN day.

Friday / Fun day at Sea / Day 5

Diamond Gathering

Calm seas over night.  Weather is nice and there were a lot of flying fish this morning very visible from the balcony.  The plan for the day is to do as little as possible.  I was up about 9:00 and met a friend for the Sea Day brunch.  I ordered the Huevos Rancheros this morning as well as a Bloody Mary.  I had a walkabout on the decks then some balcony time to finish some magazines.  I had nice afternoon lunch from Chopsticks especially good was the Kung Pao Chicken, Chopsticks is not as good as a full Mongolian Grill station, but now that I have discovered what and how to order, the Chopsticks choice is a good option. No Guy’s burger today, but a nice ice creme cone from the machine on Lido deck.  Afterwards cabin time and I worked on this review and filled out my Customs forms.  They actually made an ship wide announcement about the possibility of fog tomorrow, very rare they do this so I’m guessing it's probably going to happen.  The final Production Show: The Big Easy is this evening with two shows. It was a very good show with a lot of costume changes and featured many songs associated with New Orleans.  At 7:15 pm the Captain and senior crew and Diamond guests met in the Piano Bar for Cocktails.  It was great and I was able to order Alchemy cocktails as well.  Final dinner was good, I ordered the Crab Cake, French Onion Soup, Penne Marisco (as a starter), and the Veal Parmesan.  For dessert I had the Baked Alaska.

Saturday  /  Debarkation

FOG in Galveston

I slept until I heard the first fog announcement and that we will officially be delayed.  At least I took advantage of sleeping in for a while and I actually needed it.  I did get up about 9:00 am and began packing soon afterward.  I had plenty of time to go to Lido deck for a nice breakfast then returned to the cabin. They extended breakfast in the Paris MDR as well and made several informative announcements. We were expected to dock about 11:00 am so about 10:15 am I went down to the designated meet point for Diamond & Platinum guests in the London MDR.  It was really not as bad as I have seen in this situation in the past.  They did allow the Platinum & Diamond self assist guests to debark first. I was through US. Customs by 11:30 and at EZ Cruise parking about noon.  I always walk back to the car as by the time you walk to the shuttle pick up location you could be half the way to the lot itself.  Much faster to walk.  I skipped my usual gas fill up at Raceway ($2.49) and was off the island about 12:30 pm.  I stopped at the Love’s Store in Herne, Texas for gas ($2.45) and lunch.  Home at the ranch about 5:30 pm.  Not too bad for a fog delayed day.

CABIN
I had cabin 8384 a balcony located on Verandah Deck (deck 8) near the aft elevators on port side.  A nice bonus.  The cabin has a swipe type safe, twin/queen beds, no refrigerator (OK by me rarely use them), Three-section closet, Three Drawer cabinet, small sofa, Two Electrical Outlets on Counter/Dresser, Bottle Opener, Telephone mounted on wall, Medicine Cabinet, Small Table, Small Stool at Dresser, and the older style TV, but it does have the interactive features.   The interior cabin had a new flat screen.  My cabin steward was very good, the cabin was always clean and ice container filled.

DINING / FOOD / BARS / ENTERTAINMENT
Both Main Dining Rooms are very nice especially the Paris Dining room.  The Blue Iguana for burritos and Guy’s Burgers are excellent.  The buffet food is pretty standard, but the desserts are good.  The MDR food is IMHO just adequate, but I had a very nice location, good fellow guests, and the waiters were good.  No Mongolian Grill, but they have Chopsticks, an Asian specialty spot.  Love the Alchemy Bar and the Lobby bar is very nice.  Thirsty Frog beer is available in the Red Frog Rum bar, EA Sports bar, and Lobby bars.  If guests want the full entertainment experience, then the Triumph may be the ship for you.  They have a large 9 member ship orchestra, 10+ production dancers, and two excellent feature singers.  Also very good bands and solo performers. 

CREW
The entire ship crew were very friendly, they themselves can make the cruise more enjoyable for the guest. Waiters and Cabin stewards especially very friendly.  The excellent training by Carnival is quite obvious.  Favorites this cruise were my MDR wait team, Alchemy Bar team; and overall Crew in general.  They always seemed to have a smile on their face and eager to please the guests. The Ship Officers were fantastic…they really seem to enjoy working as a team and are very friendly.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CRUISE
Diamond Guest Cocktails Party with Captain & Senior Staff
Alchemy Bar and bartenders.
Carnival Triumph Crew members
Cozumel Day