Spectacular Splendour Birthday Cruise Review with Pictures

This is our 5th European cruise, but the 1st time on a ship smaller than the Voyager Class. We were a little nervous (no promenade, no ice show etc.) but we decided to book anyway. We normally fly US Air Envoy, but booked business class on Air France / KLM, through choice air, since it was $2000 dollars cheaper and we got to ride on an Airbus A380 with a connection in Paris.

Day 0 – The Air France / KLM nightmare begins!!!!!!

We arrive at JFK at 5pm for a 7:10pm flight. As we attempt to check in, we are told coach is oversold so we can’t check you into business class. After 20 mins, I calmly but strongly ask for a supervisor. The agent disappears in the back for another 20 mins looking for the supervisor. Another agents asks are we being helped and jumps unto the computer typing 50 words a min. After another 20 mins the 2nd agent says I will put you on the Delta flight directly to Venice. Slightly disappointed about missing the A380, but knowing the main goal is making it to my DGF’s Venice Bday cruise, we agree. The agent then says since they were oversold they will give us 150 euros each. Suddenly things start to perk up. She sends us to another agent to process the 300 euros and to call the shuttle to take us from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4. As they are processing the euros, I ask, “Can you tell us what seats we have??????”

Insert Jeopardy music

The answer is, “We have one seat in business and one seat in coach.” I strongly and a lot less calmly say that isn’t going to work. They agree and finally put us back on the A380 in our existing seats. We get through security and to the gate at 7pm.

And away we go….

The A380 is very hot and has no air vents. Overall, I would rate the Air France service - Fair. (cold nuts, cold bread, OK food and an uncomfortable seat.)

Having read the CC France port of call group cover to cover, we were worried about the CDG connection. I have to say it was extremely easy. If you are making an EU connection, as you get off the International flight, you immediately go through (keep your shoes on) security. From there you go through passport control and then head to your gate. Total time from plane to connection gate – 13mins

We had a great meal on the connection (warm bread and Champagne) and we are in Venice!!!!!!

Day 1

We prepaid the water taxi online. (110 euros) We quickly received our luggage, got a 1 euro luggage cart and headed to the pier. It’s a quick 5 min walk. We then showed our receipt, hopped on the water taxi and away we went…

The water taxi was great. They take your luggage right there. It's a short walk to the terminal. No line on the DP line and we are on board. We have a Grand Suite, which was smaller than the Voyager or Freedom Class GS's

Note the new balcony rooms

A quick muster drill and it's sail away time

I have no idea what it is??????

Enjoying your review. Fantastic pictures! :)

Battling jet lag, we arrived at Split. We had originally planned to take the 37 bus to Trogir, but the rain altered of plans. We would stay in Split and be ready to split if the rain got worse. (sorry I couldn’t help it) The Silhouette was near by tendering. Luckily we were docked right outside the harbor, so it would only be a short tender ride into town.

We tendered to the ferry terminal, leading to a 10 min walk to downtown. Celebrity tendered right downtown.

Great start!!! thanks for sharing your review! :):)

Then we went to the Diocletian Palace which was great. (and dry)

From there we walked around, grabbed a quick lunch.

After lunch we noticed the black clouds heading our way and decided to head back to the ship.

Seem like alot of people had the same idea.

For some crazy reason, I sat outside. IT WAS FREEZING AND ROUGH!!!!!

Home sweet home

We enjoyed catching up on some sleep and enjoyed the scenery on the balcony.

Docked right next to us was the Louis Olympia. I kept saying to myself, "Boy that ship looks familiar?????"

Having been to Ephesus before, we decided to make it a beach day.

Right outside the port we caught the 1 euro bus number 5 to Ladies Beach.

6 euros for 2 sun beds and an umbrella. The water is cyrstal clear and refreshing (which really means freezing)

When we saw the Louis Olympia sail away and noticed the Viking Crown, I pulled out my blackberry and googled it.

Hello Song of America!!!!!!!

We had a nice lunch across from the beach with free wifi and took the bus back downtown to look around.

Back on the ship we went to the amazing Centrum aerial show

Then on to Love and Marriage. Cruise Director Anthony Edwards is Great!!!!!!

He reminds me of a young Ken Rush

We were notified that we would be docking in Mykonos instead of tendering. We thought that was a good thing, but it wasn't. You had to take a $8 shuttle bus and then a 10 min walk to downtown.

Mykonos Town is great. The narrow streets and white buildings add to the charm

We followed the main road, around the harbor and up the hill to the windmills

From there we continued up to the bus station, which is really just 3 bus parking spots. The bus to Paradise Beach runs hourly and costs 1.60 Euro.

The bus ride took about 25 mins. We arrived at Paradise Beach and headed to Guapaloca Beach Club

We paid 8 euro for 2 chairs and a Umbrella.

The water are pretty rough and pretty cold. The waitress said she had never seen it so rough. We spent a few hours there then took the bus back to Town for lunch and free wifi.

Back to the shuttle bus and back on the ship

The Staff Capt doing all of the work while the Capt looks on

I have no idea what it is??????

 

Hey, it's me with short hair!!!!! :D

I have no idea what it is??????

 

 

How funny! :D What an odd and sort of hideous statue. :D

Your photos are great! Thanks for sharing them. :)

Wonderful pictures! We are one day hoping to do an Eastern Med cruise from Southampton one day, hopefully on a RCI ship, if they do that itinerary! We have only been on Indy and would love to try one of the smaller ships.

I believe the sculpture is 'Alison Lapper Pregnant' by Marc Quinn. Not sure if the one in Venice is the original as there was a replica used in the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London :) Alison is a British artist, born without arms and with shortened legs ... her son is now about 14 or 15 I think. An amazing lady.

Wonderful pictures! We are one day hoping to do an Eastern Med cruise from Southampton one day, hopefully on a RCI ship, if they do that itinerary! We have only been on Indy and would love to try one of the smaller ships.

 

I believe the sculpture is 'Alison Lapper Pregnant' by Marc Quinn. Not sure if the one in Venice is the original as there was a replica used in the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London :) Alison is a British artist, born without arms and with shortened legs ... her son is now about 14 or 15 I think. An amazing lady.

My apologies. I am obviously lacking in culture. :o

 

I believe the sculpture is 'Alison Lapper Pregnant' by Marc Quinn. Not sure if the one in Venice is the original as there was a replica used in the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London :) Alison is a British artist, born without arms and with shortened legs ... her son is now about 14 or 15 I think. An amazing lady.

It's not the white marble original that was first displayed on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. The one in Venice (for the 2013 Biennale) is a larger, inflatable version, but I'm not clear if it is the same one used at the Paralympics ceremony last year.

Thank for showing the photos

Scottishwee35

Amazing pictures. Thank you for the work in putting this together. I'm looking forward to the rest

My wife and I are doing a b2b on this ship in Oct....probably no beach days and swimming for us either.....thanks for the tips on what you have done....

That evening we attended THE QUEST!!!!!! We do prefer The Quest in Studio B (Voyager class and above), but the Cruise Director and Staff did a great job in the smaller Top Hat Lounge venue.

Enzo - Call me.... (private joke)

Elvis was in the building!!!!!

We weren’t expecting too much from Agrostoli. There are only 2 ship sponsored excursions and there isn’t a lot of cruise critic info. We thought we would probably rent a car, but we wouldn’t pre book. We would play it by ear.

When we sailed in, we know right away Agrostoli had a lot to offer.

The tourist information center is located at the end of the pier.

They told us to walk down the harbor side road to find car rentals. After about a 10 min walk, we arrived at Budget, but the office was closed and completely empty. On the next block was a local car rental shop. (The name escapes me) 50 euro cash and a photocopy of my NY driver’s license and were in our Jeep on our way to Myrtos Beach.

We took a slow 40 min ride (thanks to my passenger side driver who kept saying slow down and watch the curves) to Myrtos Beach.

It is as beautiful as the picture, but the water is rough and the rocks are hot.

We decided it was worth the drive, but we would head to the south to the sandy calmer beaches. A quick ride back to town, then 10 mins south and we were at the Costa Costa Beach Club