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Pre-Cruise--Stayed Friday night at the Hilton Riverside. Great hotel easily within walking distance to the French Quarter. Had dinner at Embers on the balcony overlooking Bourbon Street. Lots of fun for people watching.
Embarkation--With 11 Carnival cruises, we enjoy VIP boarding. We were on board by 11:30.
Ship condition--I never concern myself with a rust spot or a stain on the carpet. Sure, I noticed some flaws, but this ship isn't brand new. If a less-than-perfect ship bothers you, then you may want to consider a new vessel.
Food--This was the only area I thought didn't measure up to previous cruises. The Triumph offered a new menu, which I didn't care for. I normally enjoy shrimp cocktail each night with dinner, and it was only offered 1 out of 4 nights. I thought the new menu was limited in choices and the quality of the meat was below the standards we have become accustomed to. It is not a deal-breaker when deciding our next cruise, but for the first time in 10 years, we will look at other lines.
Entertainment--The production shows, comedy, and live entertainment easily met the standards we are used to on Carnival sailings. Tex, the Cruise Director, was above average.
Service--Although at times our dinner service was slow (and we were at a table with just the two of us), overall food service was good. Our Cabin Steward, Michael, was fantastic. Bar service was excellent. Oka (pronounced Okay) made sure we were never without a drink.
Overall--With hurricanes and tropical storms all around us, we felt truly blessed to have picture perfect weather. It puts not having shrimp cocktail in perspective. The Carnival Triumph was another great cruise.
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