LidoLife

I think eliminating that great, centrally located bar is a big mistake.  Always happy, laughing people there and super convenient for grabbing a drink on your way to shows, late night, or on way back to cabin.  Never been a smoker, but smoke at that bar never bothered me.  If the move was meant to protect the health of their passengers, I think putting a daily limit on trips to the buffet would have a greater positive impact on overall passenger health. Hope Carnival rethinks the plan before eliminating more casino bars.  Looking forward to cruising again!

Don't waist your time going to the future cruise seminar onboard. No special deals. As previous poster said, you have two weeks once you get home to book another and get a special rate as a returning customer. Put in your VIFP number at the website to see special rate. It took a day or two for ours to show up. When the rate was available it wasn't even the lowest Carnival was currently offering so not sure there is any benefit anymore(n)

Good, fair, concise review. We were on the Splendor in July and had a great time. Good enough that we booked it again for later this fall if that tells you anything. Main dining room service can be hit or miss. We like to eat late which helps a lot. There is typically no waiting for courses since they are hustling to get you out so they can close down. We never feel rushed but the food and drinks flow at a good pace.

Most of the times in the past we stayed on the ship as well in Mazatlán but on this last cruise we got a day pass at El Cid Moro Beach and it was the best shore day of the trip! Water was warmer than Cabo and clearer than PV and our two young teenagers had a great time in the waves all day. We now look forward to our port days in Mazatlán.

The Splendor feels a little tired and worn out on the outdoor upper decks but staterooms and main public areas inside ship do not feel that way at all.

Too bad Carnival isn't more consistent on this.

 

Thanks though,

Yep, we were on Vista last year and aft pool was all good for kids while when on Splendor last month our kids, 12 and 14, got booted. I guess it is all based on specific ship. Not a big deal.

Great live review and the pictures work well! Happy Anniversary!

The "Should I or shouldn't I get the Cheers program" threads are always enjoyable! Love it! Look, we each know our drinking tendencies better than any one else does. So the only info you really need to see if it makes sense for you (and your cabin mate) is a list of typical drink prices, and the alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks that are included in the package. Those can be found on Carnival's website. If you struggle with resisting "free" and you normally don't drink much, then Cheers! could be a problem (but if you can't say no to "free" then the Grand Buffet could be an issue too). Planning for the next cruise is a big part of the fun! Even before you book your cruise, the fun actually begins. By asking a question here, I know you are dreaming of the day you walk across the gangway onto the ship. That is awesome!

Sailed Vista to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel in April. Only tool S&S cards off ahip. Never was asked for any other ID except whem we tried to buy a bottle opener at the mall at the pier at Cozumel. They would not sell one without picture ID. Amusing, but we will always at least bring one DL from now on.

Thanks SweetCruiser39 and others for great info. Looking forward to our Spring Break Vista cruise in 2017.

Don't know about the Breeze but just got off the 4-day to Mexico today and we had a good group of cowboys onboard and there was a good amount of C & W.. DJ's on Carnival love to accommodate the party group. So tear it up and request what you want.

Yes, your room key and "drink" key are the same. It is your sign n sail card which you get during check in before boarding. When you pull up at a bar to order your first drink, they will place a sticker on your card indicating you have paid for the Cheers program. I have never swapped rooms so not sure how that works with your sign n sail card.

Ship days in port can be relaxing. It really can feel like you have the ship to yourselves. We did this in Mazatlan during Spring Break this year. Really depends on what type of people are in your group though. Our family is never in a hurry to get off the ship but we have traveled with others that always want to be first off. Unlike almost all other ports of call, Ensenada has a very limited line up of fun options. We have never stayed on the ship though since downtown is so close. If nothing else, I would at least head out of the port and down Primera street towards Papas and Hussongs for a little exercise, take a look around and if you like what you see, stay and enjoy it. If not, turn around and head back to the ship. You will have only given up an hour of your day or so and you can then say you have actually been to Ensenda. We usually spend a couple hours downtown grabbing a beer or two and some lunch. On the way back to the ship you can support the locals by buying a bottle of tequila or a wooden dolphin or some other thing that will likely end up in buried in a drawer at home. A pretty good assortment on Primera. Pre-kids it was a whole day adventure at Papas barely making it back before the ship sailed. Whatever you decide to do, have fun!

We did the same cruise about 4 weeks ago. Miracle was fine but vibration was the worst we have ever experienced. It was so bad in our stateroom (6289) on deck 6, about a third forward from stern, that we actually shoved towels under the bed legs to try and absorb at least a little bit of it. We are not light sleepers but it made it tough. Felt like we were in one of those old hotel beds with the Magic Fingers vibra mode that would not turn off. Was always present when ship moving at 18 to 22 kts (which means pretty much always except at port). Our kids were in an adjoining room (further aft) and the vibration was about half what we felt in our stateroom. That being said, we had a great time on the cruise though and are thinking about doing it again in the next 6 months or so. But if we do, we will definitely book a room further forward.

Carnival Holiday in August of 1999. Four-day Catalina/Ensenada. Met my wife on that one so will always be a little biased towards CCL ;)