Carnival Triumph 2016 4-Day Caribbean Cruise Review
Day 2 June 17, 2016 Day At Sea
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Day 2 June 17, 2016 Day At Sea
Click Any Photo To Make It Larger!
Morning Walk Around The Ship:
Although I did not sleep well during the cruise's first night, I still woke up early because I wanted to look around the ship. My tour started in the ship's atrium on Deck 3. The Deck 3 (Lobby) level of the ship's atrium is home to the Shore Excursions desk, Guest Services desk, and atrium bar. The Shore Excursions desk was closed at this time in the morning, but later in the day would be open selling tours & excursions for Cozumel. The Guest Services desk is open 24 hours a day and had no line. This would have been the time to ask a question or take care of something because the lines became long once other cruisers are awake.
Although I did not sleep well during the cruise's first night, I still woke up early because I wanted to look around the ship. My tour started in the ship's atrium on Deck 3. The Deck 3 (Lobby) level of the ship's atrium is home to the Shore Excursions desk, Guest Services desk, and atrium bar. The Shore Excursions desk was closed at this time in the morning, but later in the day would be open selling tours & excursions for Cozumel. The Guest Services desk is open 24 hours a day and had no line. This would have been the time to ask a question or take care of something because the lines became long once other cruisers are awake.
Shore Excursions Desk - Located On Deck 3
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Sitting Area In The Ship's Atrium Lobby
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Atrium Bar & Elevators In Background
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After taking a few pictures of the ship's atrium, I went into the Deck 3 level of the Rome Lounge. The lounge was empty because no activities, games, or shows were taking place this early in the morning.
Atrium Elevators - View From Deck 3 Level
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Rome Lounge - Deck 3 Level
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Rome Lounge - Deck 3 Level
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The Deck 4 level of the atrium is primarily home to the Pixels Photo Gallery, but the ship's library is located here. Each time I walked by this library during the cruise, it had only a few people inside. This is a good area for cruisers that want peace and quiet.
Washington Library Entrance - Located On Deck 4
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Inside The Library
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Inside The Library
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While I was on Deck 4, I took a few more pictures of the ship's atrium. This would be the only time during the day that the atrium was completely empty. In the late morning, afternoon, and evening, the atrium would be home to trivia, games, and musical entertainment.
Ship's Atrium - View From Deck 4
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Looking Down At The Atrium's Bar
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Rome Lounge - View From Upper Seating Area
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When I sailed on the Carnival Triumph in 2013 after the ship's engine room fire, one of the new features was a lounge called the EA Sports Bar. However, after the ship's April 2016 dry-dock the EA Sports Bar has been converted to the Skybox Sports Bar. The Skybox Sports Bar is located on Deck 5 (Promenade). This area has one long bar and some chairs. During the evenings, it looked like the Skybox Sports Bar was crowded.
Skybox - Bar Counter
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Skybox Sports Bar
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Skybox Sports Bar
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Morning Walk On the Outside Decks:
After walking around the ship's insides I wanted to take a look outside. Based on weather forecasts I saw prior to the cruise, I was a little worried about the weather for our day at sea. Thankfully, we had great weather and a nice blue ocean! My walk around the outside decks started on Deck 12 by the mini golf course and then I proceeded up to Deck 14 to look at the waterslide entrance.
After walking around the ship's insides I wanted to take a look outside. Based on weather forecasts I saw prior to the cruise, I was a little worried about the weather for our day at sea. Thankfully, we had great weather and a nice blue ocean! My walk around the outside decks started on Deck 12 by the mini golf course and then I proceeded up to Deck 14 to look at the waterslide entrance.
Mini Golf Course - Located On Deck 12
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View Of The Ship's Pool & Waterslide - Looking Towards The Back Of The Ship
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Waterslide Entrance - Was Still Closed Early In The Morning
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Triumph's Waterslide
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Deck 14 - Basketball Court Located On Right Side Of Deck
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Waterslide Landing On Deck 11
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Pool Located Right Next To Waterslide's Landing
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Large Chess Board & Pieces
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Main Pool Area
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Main Pool On Deck 9
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Red Frog Rum Bar
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Lido Deck
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First Breakfast Onboard:
Today was my first breakfast on the Carnival Triumph. The Carnival Triumph offers cruisers multiple breakfast options to choose from. For cruisers that wanted to eat in the South Beach Club breakfast was scheduled to begin at 7:30am and end at 10:30am. Continental breakfast (pastries, juices, and fruits) opened at 6:30am. The breakfast buffet lines opened two or three minutes prior to 7:30am. Each cruise, I have an omelet everyday at breakfast because this is something I normally do not get to eat on land. The Carnival Triumph had an omelet station located in the Deli area and Chopsticks area. Both of these omelet stations had a few items from the main breakfast lines such as bacon, hash browns, and sausages. These items were served from behind the counter for both omelet stations.
For the general breakfast buffet lines, the crew members were very good about restocking food that was running low. The bacon was served from behind the buffet counter in order to prevent food waste. The server will give you as much bacon as you would like, but they start by giving you two pieces and you must then request more.
Today was my first breakfast on the Carnival Triumph. The Carnival Triumph offers cruisers multiple breakfast options to choose from. For cruisers that wanted to eat in the South Beach Club breakfast was scheduled to begin at 7:30am and end at 10:30am. Continental breakfast (pastries, juices, and fruits) opened at 6:30am. The breakfast buffet lines opened two or three minutes prior to 7:30am. Each cruise, I have an omelet everyday at breakfast because this is something I normally do not get to eat on land. The Carnival Triumph had an omelet station located in the Deli area and Chopsticks area. Both of these omelet stations had a few items from the main breakfast lines such as bacon, hash browns, and sausages. These items were served from behind the counter for both omelet stations.
For the general breakfast buffet lines, the crew members were very good about restocking food that was running low. The bacon was served from behind the buffet counter in order to prevent food waste. The server will give you as much bacon as you would like, but they start by giving you two pieces and you must then request more.
Omelet Station Toppings
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Self Serve Area At Omelet Station
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Omelet Cooking Behind The Counter
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Breakfast Plate With An Omelet, Bacon, Sausage, & Hash Browns
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Breakfast Plate With French Toast and Fruits
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Breakfast Plate With Burrito From Blue Iguana Cantina, Bacon, Eggs, and Hash Browns
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Breakfast Plate
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Pastries
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For cruisers not interested in eating breakfast at the South Beach Club, there were other options available too. The Blue Iguana Cantina was serving breakfast tacos and breakfast burritos from 7:30am - 10:30am. The Paris Dining Room was serving Sea Day Brunch from 8:30am - 1:00pm. For late risers, the South Beach Club was going to open an additional buffet line by the aft pool from 9am - 12pm.
Alchemy Bar - Located Near The Back Of Deck 5
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Big Easy Piano Bar Lounge
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Sitting Area
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Morning Activities For The First Sea Day:
There were a variety of activities taking place on the ship throughout the day. The Fun Ashore & Fun Aboard presentation was taking place in the Rome Lounge at 10:30am. This presentation gave information about Cozumel & the shore excursions offered for this port of call. I did not attend this presentation because we had already picked out our shore excursion for Cozumel. Also, the Caribbean Shopping Show was taking place at 11:45am in the Rome Lounge. This show was designed to present Cozumel shopping information to cruisers. I did not attend this show either.
My morning was filled with trivia. At 10:30am was "Morning Trivia" in the atrium lobby. This trivia covered a variety of topics and was fun. At 11:00am in the atrium lobby was "Food & Drinks Trivia". I did not do well on this trivia, but it was still fun. Each of these trivia games lasted about 25 minutes.
There were a variety of activities taking place on the ship throughout the day. The Fun Ashore & Fun Aboard presentation was taking place in the Rome Lounge at 10:30am. This presentation gave information about Cozumel & the shore excursions offered for this port of call. I did not attend this presentation because we had already picked out our shore excursion for Cozumel. Also, the Caribbean Shopping Show was taking place at 11:45am in the Rome Lounge. This show was designed to present Cozumel shopping information to cruisers. I did not attend this show either.
My morning was filled with trivia. At 10:30am was "Morning Trivia" in the atrium lobby. This trivia covered a variety of topics and was fun. At 11:00am in the atrium lobby was "Food & Drinks Trivia". I did not do well on this trivia, but it was still fun. Each of these trivia games lasted about 25 minutes.
Taste Bar & Casino Bar On Promenade Walkway
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Tables & Chairs Located In The Promenade
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Cherry On Top
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Looking Around The Outside Decks:
Before eating lunch I wanted to walk around the outside decks. My first stop was the ship's observation deck on Deck 9 (Lido). Since the weather was sunny, the water was a nice shade of blue.
Before eating lunch I wanted to walk around the outside decks. My first stop was the ship's observation deck on Deck 9 (Lido). Since the weather was sunny, the water was a nice shade of blue.
Front Of The Ship
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Deck 9 Front Area
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View From The Front of The Ship
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After looking at the view from the front of the ship, I decided to walk up a few decks. My walk took me on Decks 11, 12, and 14.
Blue Waters Of The Gulf of Mexico
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Empty Deck Chairs On Deck 11
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Waves At The Back of The Ship
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Jogging Track & Deck Chairs On Deck 12
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Looking At The Back of The Funnel
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Looking Down On The AFT Pool
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For cruisers that want to utilize a lesser known deck area, there is a spot on Deck 14 by the funnel. Deck 14 can be accessed by taking stairs located directly next to the jogging track on Deck 12 (keep in mind there is no Deck 13). Here are some pictures I took from this deck:
Main Pool Area
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Looking Down At The Jogging Track From Deck 14
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Carnival Triumph Funnel - View From Deck 14
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Emergency Generator System Located Behind Funnel
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View Of the Main Pool Area From Deck 14
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Blue Water
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Below you will find pictures of Deck 3's outside area. I stopped here quickly as I headed back to my stateroom.
Deck 3 Outside Deck Space
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Life Preserver Ring Located On Deck 3
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View Of The Water From Deck 3 Outside Area
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Lunch #2 In The South Beach Club Lido Buffet:
For my 2nd lunch onboard, I decided to eat 1 taco from the Blue Iguana Cantina and try the Triumph's pizzeria. The tacos were once again excellent and the red salsa was tasty. The pizza from the pizzeria was good, but it took the pizzeria a long time to make pizza. The Pizzeria's crew members were being reprimanded for some reason by a higher up chef. For dessert, I had a cookie and key lime pie. I always look forward to Carnival's key lime pie in the buffet. Here are some food pictures from the 2nd day's lunch:
For my 2nd lunch onboard, I decided to eat 1 taco from the Blue Iguana Cantina and try the Triumph's pizzeria. The tacos were once again excellent and the red salsa was tasty. The pizza from the pizzeria was good, but it took the pizzeria a long time to make pizza. The Pizzeria's crew members were being reprimanded for some reason by a higher up chef. For dessert, I had a cookie and key lime pie. I always look forward to Carnival's key lime pie in the buffet. Here are some food pictures from the 2nd day's lunch:
Two Tacos From The Blue Iguana Cantina
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Pizza - Cheese
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One Taco From The Blue Iguana Cantina
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Assorted Desserts
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Key Lime Pie & Sugar Cookie
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Key Lime Pie & Cookies
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Desserts
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Desserts
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Desserts
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Desserts
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Rome Lounge's Stage Set For Dr. Seuss Storytime
Afternoon Activities On The Ship:
The daily activity newsletter, Fun-Times, had a variety of activities listed for the afternoon. For families with younger kids was the Dr. Seuss Parade at 1pm and the Dr. Seuss Storytime at 1:30pm. I walked into the Rome Lounge before the Dr. Seuss Storytime and saw the stage being setup.
Trivia was being held throughout the afternoon. I attended the United States trivia and One Hit Wonder trivia that was held in the middle of the afternoon. Both were fun, but I did not win.
The daily activity newsletter, Fun-Times, had a variety of activities listed for the afternoon. For families with younger kids was the Dr. Seuss Parade at 1pm and the Dr. Seuss Storytime at 1:30pm. I walked into the Rome Lounge before the Dr. Seuss Storytime and saw the stage being setup.
Trivia was being held throughout the afternoon. I attended the United States trivia and One Hit Wonder trivia that was held in the middle of the afternoon. Both were fun, but I did not win.
Throughout the afternoon I tried to get some good pictures of the ship. However, it is hard to get photos of most places on the ship during sea days because lounges & decks are crowded with people. Here are some pictures I took throughout the afternoon:
Alchemy Bar
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Alchemy Bar
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Main Pool Area - View From Deck 12
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Ship's Funnel & Seaside Theatre
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Blue Water
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Front Of The Ship
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View Of The Ship's Side
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Blue Water - View From Deck 9
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Another View Deck 9's Area
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Looking At The Decks Below
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At one point in the afternoon I walked into the Deck 4 level of the London Dining Room. When I first sailed the Carnival Triumph in 2010 this was the dining room & floor that I had dinner. In the middle picture below, I took a picture of my old table. Personally, I like the Deck 3 level of the London Dining Room much more than the Deck 4 level.
London Dining Room - Deck 4 Attendant Desk
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My Table From 2010
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Looking Down At The Deck 3 Level of The London Dining Room
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On Deck 4, cruisers can find a tucked away bar & lounge called the Oxford Bar. When I walked by the area, it was closed for a private function, but the hallway leading up to the space was open. This area used to be the internet cafe's location, but all of the computers have been moved to Deck 5.
Oxford Bar Hallway - Where Internet Cafe Used To Be
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Old Internet Cafe Table
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Stateroom Beds - Look Nice After Cleaning
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American Feast Table Setting - Was For A 2 Person Table
Formal Night - "American Feast" Dining Experience:
Tonight was our cruise's only formal night. The dresscode for the dining room was "Cruise Elegant". This means cruisers were expected to dress nice for dinner. The daily Fun-Times did not give specific information about the definition of "Cruise Elegant". It appeared cruisers were allowed in the dining room as long as they were not wearing shorts, flip-flops, or bathing suits. However, most people made an effort to dress formal or semi-formal.
We lined up for dinner around 5:20pm outside of the London Dining Room. Around 5:35pm, the dining room opened early. We requested the same waitstaff from the night before and were seated at the exact same table. Since this was formal night and the dining experience was "American Feast" our tables had tablecloths. This was the only night of the cruise our dining room tables had tablecloths. Once again, our food was tasty and the service was excellent. Our waiters remembered our names and drink preferences from the night before.
I took pictures of the menus and food from this night's dinner. You can view the menus below and can click on each picture to make it larger.
Tonight was our cruise's only formal night. The dresscode for the dining room was "Cruise Elegant". This means cruisers were expected to dress nice for dinner. The daily Fun-Times did not give specific information about the definition of "Cruise Elegant". It appeared cruisers were allowed in the dining room as long as they were not wearing shorts, flip-flops, or bathing suits. However, most people made an effort to dress formal or semi-formal.
We lined up for dinner around 5:20pm outside of the London Dining Room. Around 5:35pm, the dining room opened early. We requested the same waitstaff from the night before and were seated at the exact same table. Since this was formal night and the dining experience was "American Feast" our tables had tablecloths. This was the only night of the cruise our dining room tables had tablecloths. Once again, our food was tasty and the service was excellent. Our waiters remembered our names and drink preferences from the night before.
I took pictures of the menus and food from this night's dinner. You can view the menus below and can click on each picture to make it larger.
American Feast Dining Menu (Appetizers & Main Courses) - Click Photo To Make It Larger!
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American Feast Dessert Menu - Click Photo To Make It Larger!
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Here are my food photos from the night's dinner:
Bread Basket - Assorted Variety
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Appetizer: Shrimp Cocktail
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Appetizer: Salad
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Appetizer: Chilled Strawberry Bisque
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Appetizer: Caesar Salad
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Main Course: Prime Rib
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Main Course: Grilled Jumbo Shrimp
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Dessert: Butter Pecan Ice Cream
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Dessert: Fresh Tropical Fruit Plate
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Dessert: Creme Brulee
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Dessert: Malted Hazelnut Cake
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Dessert: Banana Split (From Kid's Menu)
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Stateroom Nightly Turndown: Between dinner and the show, I quickly went back to the stateroom. My stateroom steward came while we were eating dinner and he cleaned the room. While he was in our room he left a towel animal, copy of the next day's Fun-Time newsletter, and a VIFP Platinum/Diamond gift. The VIFP gift was some type of bag for clothing. Our stateroom steward did a great job today!
Nightly Production Show - "Wonderful World": Tonight's production show was called "Wonderful World". The show was held at 7pm and 9pm in the Rome Lounge. This show featured different countries and regions around the world. Our cruise director, Matey, told us that the Carnival Triumph's shows were currently ranked best in the fleet. I enjoyed the show and music. The singers and dancers did a great job putting on this show.
Nightly Production Show - "Wonderful World": Tonight's production show was called "Wonderful World". The show was held at 7pm and 9pm in the Rome Lounge. This show featured different countries and regions around the world. Our cruise director, Matey, told us that the Carnival Triumph's shows were currently ranked best in the fleet. I enjoyed the show and music. The singers and dancers did a great job putting on this show.
Towel Animal, Platinum/Diamond Gift, & Fun-Times
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Towel Animal
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VIFP Platinum / Diamond Gift
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I slept much better on this night of the cruise and woke up well rested for a day in Cozumel, Mexico. It was a great day at sea with so much to do, see, and eat!
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Continue To The Next Part: Day 3's (Cozumel) Review
The next part of this cruise review is now available! Day 3's review includes many photos of Cozumel, my shore excursion to San Gervasio, areas on the ship, and food photos! Click Here To Continue To Day 3 Part 1's Review Click Here To Return To The Review's Main Page |