My husband and I sailed on the Carnival Triumph for our first cruise experience, but I had some hesitations at first because I had read so many bad reviews about the ship. DO NOT LISTEN TO PICKY VACATIONERS! The Triumph itself, as well as our overall cruise experience, far exceeded my expectations that had been built from negative reviews. Embarkation was not as bad as we thought, either; we had one of the earliest and therefore most crowded times, but we were still on the ship within 2 hours or less of arriving at the terminal. Much easier than getting on a plane at the airport. The ship itself is beautiful and very clean. I read reviews complaining about "outdated decor." Who cares? It looks like a cruise ship, not a Pinterest farmhouse, so I'm not sure if "out of style" really applies here. Parts of the ship have a fun Vegas-like feel to them, while others have a very classy and elegant look. We loved our ocean view stateroom (read my review on that below for more detail). The Lido buffet and restaurants had plenty of variety and the food here was very fresh and tasty. However, the main dining hall takes the cake! We ate there every night and felt like were being pampered with so many gourmet options. The chef was simply amazing; everything I ordered was cooked to perfection and presented as if it were art. Also, one of the men seated next to us at our table had dietary restrictions due to a specific health condition, and the chef himself personally introduced himself and talked to the man about his needs and preferences. Each night, the chef made special meals just for this man (who was very humble and appreciative), and each night he came to our table to make sure his meal was perfect as can be. While this did not involve me directly, I am impressed at the level of attention and service that was given for this couple's specific needs. Our servers were very friendly, professional, and simply lovable! Each evening all the servers performed fun and hilarious dances in the dining hall, and as soon as the music stopped they were back at your table serving your desserts. We also saw very dedicated service in our room steward, as well as basically crew and staff member on the boat. They all work so hard to make your vacation the best it can be, all with smiles on their faces! If you have conversations with them, you'll learn that most of them really do love their jobs, but they also make big sacrifices to be there and are away from home for a long time. The staff on the ship played a huge role in our cruise experience, and they are one of the main reasons the Triumph deserves 5 stars! While my husband and I (both in our mid-late 20s, no kids) wished there had been a little more variety in entertainment and programming on sea days, we thoroughly enjoyed listening to all of the musicians on the ship. My husband (a musician himself) appreciated their individual talents and skills, and each group/singer brought something unique to the table. Our shore excursions were amazing and completely worth the costs we paid for them (I have reviewed them separately on the Carnival page for Cozumel and Progreso!). Do your research to find what's best for you! Excursions were our favorite part of the cruise! On the final morning, we chose to carry our luggage off with us, and we are glad we made that decision as we got to be one of the first groups out. Disembarkation took much less time than expected, and we were off the ship and back at our hotel within an hour (once again, so much easier than an airport!). The only real complaint I can think of is that the alcohol was expensive and weak. We didn't get the Cheers package because for us it wouldn't have been worth it (unless you're going to drink more than 5 drinks a day every day, it's cheaper not to get it), and so we were paying $10/drink. This would be fine with me if the drinks had been stronger. I couldn't taste (or feel!) any alcohol in my drinks except for the one time I got a double. That being said, I assume this is the case on all the ships. Don't skimp us on liquor when we pay for it, Carnival!

Overall, we experienced a relaxing and adventurous vacation on the Triumph and would be happy to sail on this ship again!