ARRIVAL/EMBARKATION: My wife and traveled by shuttle van to NYC on July 18th to embark on the Carnival Triumph for our first excursion to Canada. We arrived at the pier at 11:30 and proceeded to VIP check in. Checking in was a breeze and we were on the ship by 11:35 having a quick lunch and a drink on the Lido Deck which just happened to be the deck or suite was on. We sat on the Lido Deck enjoying the sun until 1:00 pm at which time we were allowed into our suite. Let me tell you that we will never go back to a "regular stateroom. The size of the suite makes it worth the extra money. Once in our suite we unpacked and sat on our balcony until it was 4:30 and time for the Muster Drill. We proceeded to Deck 4 for the Muster Drill and I must say that this was the fastest Muster Drill I have ever gone through. No more than 20 minutes from the time we left our cabin to the time the drill was over. Bravo Carnival Triumph !ACCOMODATIONS: I can't say enough good things about our suite. It was roomy, comfy and we had three seperate climate controls in the ceiling. Emelia, our room steward was a joy, attending to whatever our request.FOOD: The breakfast meals were so-so. I must say that the day we got to Halifax we ate breakfast in the Paris Dining Room and it was disappointing. The food was lukewarm and I felt rushed. We buffeted for lunch during the entire cruise and I liked lunch. I had a salad every day for lunch and my bride sampled different things everyday. No complaints here. Dinner was spectacular. Our waiter Ka was outstanding. The food was incredible every night. Always served the way it should be. I also must throw a shout out to our tablemates, Joe & Michelle from New York and Russ & Avi from Texas. We could not have asked for more compatable dinner companions. We got along so well that we all retired to our suite after dinner on the final night of the cruise for a farewell drink.SAINT JOHN: A charming town full of Irish heritage. We took the Trolley Round Saint John Tour and had a great time seeing the highlights of Saint John with stops at Reversing Falls which is spectacular. and Fort Howe which isn;t really much of a fort but was nice to see anyway and to learn the history behind it. After being returned to the cruise terminal we decided to walk around the surrounding area and do some souvenier shopping for the folks back home. We then reboarded the Triumph and had a late lunch on the Lido Deck. Just a little before 4:00 pm a lone bagpiper appeared on the pier and played five songs on his pipes as we left Saint John. That was really cool and should not be missed if at all possible. Oh, one more thing about Saint John. As you leave the cruise terminal after disembarking you are greeted by what I imagine is the Chamber of Commerce and each woman is given a rose and each man is given a Saint John souvenier pin. Very nice and classy of Saint Johnto do this.HALIFAX: We arrived in Halifax on the day that their Tall Ships Festival began which was an added bonus. We docked at a commerial pier and were bussed to Pier 21 which is where the Triumph usually docks. From their we took a Taxi to the Maritme Museum of the Atlantic which is a MUST SEE if you go to Halifax. They have an outstanding Titanic exhibit which includes many artifacts from the Titanic including one of the few remaining deck chairs from the Titanic. the museum also houses an outstanding exhibit that tells the story of the Halifax Explosion on December 1917 which leveled the entire town when two ships collided in the harbor.DISEMBARKATION: Also a breeze. We got in line to leave at 10:40 am and we were on our shuttle home by 11:15. Once again Bravo Carnival and a big thumbs up to the US Customs Service for keeping things moving in the terminal and treating us so well upon our return to the USA.I highly recommend this cruise and must say that we are dedicated Carnival cruisers and this was our best cruise yet !