Lengthy Blog/Review/Pictures of the CARNIVAL SPLENDOR - February 2010

[The Salty Peanut]

Greetings! We just got back from aboard the Carnival Splendor. What a blast! Although I rarely post, I was/am a long time lurker. Hopefully this review will help someone else out there :)

 

Saturday, February 13, 2010

We arrived at LAX (Las Angeles International Airport) around 12:30 p.m. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. Coming from Wisconsin below zero temperatures and several inches of fresh snow, we embraced the mid seventies – early eighties with shorts and sundresses. Getting to our hotel was a painless task as the Holiday Inn had complimentary shuttle service. We grabbed our bags, hopped on the bus and checked ourselves in to our room with ease.

 

 

Our hotel had a concierge and he helped us with a plan of action for the night. Jon and I had previously decided to “wing it” and grab a cab down to Hollywood Boulevard for some sightseeing on our own. The concierge informed us that a cab ride to downtown would run about $45 each way. Rest assured he gave us some information about a handful of tours that were set up through the hotel. For $55 each, Jon and I were touted around Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood Boulevard and Venice Beach. We got to see the famous handprints in the cement, the Hollywood walk of fame, The Roosevelt Hotel, Madame Toussage’s Wax Museum, “Pretty Woman” landmarks, the original Hotel California and of course, the beach. The tour lasted almost 5 hours and Jon and I both were pleasantly satisfied.

 

 

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Our Valentine’s Day started out with a great breakfast at the restaurant conveniently connected to the hotel. We didn’t have to be back at the airport until 12:30 p.m. In order to save confusion, time and money, Jon and I decided to go with Carnival’s shuttle service which takes cruisers to the airport to Long Beach, where the ship is. The Carnival Shuttle picks up from the International Baggage Claim area.

 

PROBLEM – When looking online and at the pictures and documents that I received, I was under the impression that the Carnival Shuttle would be just that: a BIG Carnival Shuttle complete with the BIG Carnival logo on the side of a BIG bus. Basically I thought that the pictures online and in the brochures would reflect what would take place at LAX. Jon and I arrived at the airport through our hotel’s complimentary shuttle a little before noon. We must have walked up and down the International Baggage Claim area about 7 times looking for the Carnival Shuttle and/or area designated for Carnival Cruisers. Several other cruise lines had set up big signs and flags designating who was going where, etc. It was pretty cut and dry. Nowhere in site was Carnival. I had to find the nearest Information desk which was 4 terminals down to discover that I was not the only one inquiring about the Carnival Splendor’s shuttle service. I was informed to “look for the little blonde in a blue shirt.” Hmmm… ok? We finally located our little blonde and were taken to a large tour bus that had a little piece of paper stuck to the lower right hand corner of the front window that simply said “Carnival Splendor.”

 

ALAS we were on our way to Long Beach! The above noted ordeal was nowhere near catastrophic, just something to note.

 

Long Beach was an approximate 45 minute drive from the airport. The bus was air conditioned and comfortable. We were able to unload with ease as it looked as if we were the first bus. Our luggage was unloaded from the bottom of the bus and we walked our luggage to the front of the bus. A worker took our luggage and put it on a large trolley. Remembering the horror stories I had read on Cruise Critic, I grabbed a couple of dollars and gave it to the large muscular gentleman who took our luggage. His face immediately lit up and he informed me to make sure that all of our liquor was in our large suitcases and that he would “take care of it.” SCORE! He then informed us that they were “cracking” down on alcohol.

 

We moved through the next checkpoints like cattle. We moved as a herd through one area to the next. We got our picture taken and received the golden “sail and sign” card. I should note that this was the time when my husband snatched the BLUE “sail and sign” card and started to prance around the security check point while chanting “I’ve got a golden ticket!” ala Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Arm flailing may or may not have been involved.

 

The entire process took about an hour. We immediately went to our stateroom and dropped off our carryon luggage and other belongings. We were informed that lunch was waiting for us on the Lido deck, the 9th floor of the ship. This was great news as we were both very hungry! The Lido consisted of a giant buffet. Jon and I were lavished with a Mexican Burrito bar among other tasty treats. Our drink choices included iced tea, water, lemonade, hot chocolate, hot tea, coffee and milk. Before embarking on the Splendor, we were informed that the water tasted like chlorine and that the coffee was not to be desired. This was not the case, however, and the coffee and water tasted just fine.

 

After our meal we were able to explore the ship in all of her glory. Having never been on a cruise before, Jon and I were amazed at the Splendor’s size and beauty. She truly was and is a gorgeous ship. Every nook and cranny of space seemed to be utilized with a bar or seating area. We spent the next couple of hours running amuck and snapping pictures of the plentiful lounges and the interesting décor.

 

Right on time, the Splendor set sail for the open sea and Puerto Vallarta. Jon and I caught a few lounge chairs and enjoyed the slightly chilled air. We bought a round of celebratory drinks ($7.50 per drink) which were fruity and fabulous. The rest of the night was spent mulling around the ship, relaxing and looking at the ocean.

 

Our luggage was delivered to our room sometime before our dinner seating (late 8:15 p.m.). We spent a good chunk of time unpacking, exploring our room and freshening up. Our room was larger than expected and we had a window. The sill was big enough to sit in, for me at least and it gave us a perfect amazing view of the deep, blue water that was soon to be our home for the next seven days. In our room we had a bathroom, three closets, a desk with multiple drawers, couch, coffee table, mini refrigerator, digital safe, a flat screen TV and a queen sized bed. To add to our new found luxury, there were two terrycloth bathrobes and two “Carnival” beach towels waiting to be needed. Jon again pranced around with his blue sail and sign card singing “this little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine…” Awkward hilarity ensued.

 

We had reservations for our late dinner time at 8:15 p.m. There are several places to eat on board, but there are only three main dinning halls. The black Pearl (upper and lower), the Gold Pearl (upper and lower), and the Pinnacle Steak house are the three formal dinning places. The Pinnacle Steak house is a must, but for our first night we went to our respected spot, the Gold Pearl. We were excited to meet our dinner guests and see if dinner was going to be an awkward flop or fantastic for the next several nights. As luck would have it we struck human gold and were graciously awarded with two young, fresh and fun individuals from San Diego.

 

Prior to meeting our awesome dinner dates, we had a bit of a run in with a man we will refer to from now until forever as “piss-ass.” There are thousands of people on the Splendor, as there are on any cruise, and even though we know it was our first time we were shocked at the behavior, or sense of entitlement, of some people. “Piss-ass” was one of those people. It was a little after 8:15 our first evening, just in time for dinner, when there was a problem with the dinning hall. The wait staff was still cleaning up from the early meal and weren’t ready to seat the late meal guests. “Piss-ass”, however, believed that he and his wife should be seated immediately. He stormed up to the front of the long line of people, threw open the main doors, grumbled and huffed at the wait staff and barked orders. The wait staff pleasantly informed “piss-ass” that they weren’t done cleaning and needed a little bit more time to get things ready. He huffed and he puffed, he glared angrily at the waiters, and he blew up.

 

“I don’t need this….My travel agent promised me a table for twenty-five! I can’t believe the terrible service we are already receiving. My agent is going to hear about this! We can’t possibly make do with a table for 10!” He stated to no-one in particular except for everyone waiting to get seated. He pouted a little as he stormed out of the dinning hall and positioned himself behind us. We giggled and laughed, snickered and rolled our eyes at “piss-ass” as he threw his little tantrum. The maitre d asked him if he and his wife would like a different table and “piss-ass” retorted with a snort and an “I’m not eating here!” We were seated at approximately 8:20 p.m.

 

Back to our fabulous dinner guests…We had heard horror stories from other people who got seated randomly with people like “piss-ass” and we feared our guests would be one of those or worse, him. Stepping lightly, we crossed the room and were instantly relieved when the two people sitting across from us greeted us with a smile. We hit it off wonderfully, and quickly became friends. The dinner itself was amazing and we were very happy.

 

Needless to say, Jon and I were exhausted. After dinner, we went to bed. We were delighted to return from dinner to our bed drawn back and a cute little towel animal waiting along with the next day’s itinerary. We reviewed the itinerary and slept like babies throughout the night.

 

[The Salty Peanut]

Monday, February 15, 2010

Our first fun day at sea! Whoever said that cruising is boring either lied or has never been on a cruise. There were activities planned throughout the day and it was our choice whether or not to attend them. Being on Wisconsin time, Jon and I woke up bright and early at 4:00 a.m. and had a very rough time attempting to fall back asleep. We lazed and finally headed up closer to 7:30 a.m. We caught a great breakfast at The Lido, which had a full buffet. Different juices were included and provided during the breakfast hours.

 

After breakfast we went out to the front of the ship to catch some morning sun. I brought a book and Jon had plans of taking a morning swim. A shrill yelp from the pool indicated that Jon froze his little tail feather off. He opted to sit in the hot tub instead.

 

The rest of the day consisted of laying out in the sun, taking pictures, last minute unpacking, reading and just enjoying ourselves and the 80 degree weather. It was a beautiful day. Our second night at dinner was “piss-ass” free although we did run into him in the elevator earlier. We had another great meal and afterward went to our first show which was a general cabaret. The show was mediocre at best and I was over analytical due to my personal background in the arts and performance. With that being said, Jon and I both enjoyed the roughly hour long show.

 

After dinner our dinner guests Jon and I went to an “R” rated comedian. We had an awesome time as the comedian was hilarious and we got to socialize more with our new dinner friends. It was a great way to wrap up the first full day at sea!

 

 

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The second full day at sea was spent much like the first. The weather was slowly getting warmer and we were more than completely comfortable with the “lay of the land.” Jon and I had absolutely no issues with the slight ship movements. The first night we were both aware of some slight rocking, but it did not bother us. We saw plenty of people running around with small stickers behind their ears and were informed that the stickers work great for sea and motion sickness. The rest of the week we could not feel anything as far as rocking or movements.

 

Dinner this night was the first of two elegant nights. Jon and I got decked out and headed down for pre-dinner drinks and to meet the captain at the “Captain’s Briefing.” We were slightly early and were distracted by an elaborate display of several different martinis complete with a gigantic ice sculpture in the center. I had the “Bikini Martini” and Jon had a “Chocolatini.” Both were phenomenal. We sat in one of the many areas near the casino and made fast friends with a group of retired police officers and their wives from California. Before we knew it, two hours went by and it was time for supper! Although we had missed the “Captain’s Briefing” we were nowhere near disappointed as the company was more than amazing.

 

 

Dinner was wonderful and after we headed into the Spectacular Lounge for the Latin themed dance show. Jon and I both thoroughly enjoyed the hour long festivity. The cast made several over the top elaborate costume changes. The dancing combined with the traditional dress was absolutely stunning. It was another somewhat early night for us as our bodies were still adjusting to the time difference.

 

 

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

We rolled into Puerto Vallarta around 8:00 a.m. and were met with dark clouds and sad skies. Determined to make the most of it, we greeted the day with excitement as we had a shore excursion set up through Carnival. I called the shore excursion desk for a weather report and we were shortly on our way off the boat. Our group was to meet at 10:15 a.m. at the Pier. After meeting our group, we were shortly whisked away to an awaiting boat that would take us to Las Caletas day tour.

 

The weather was rainy but not terrible. Jon and I travel with the intention to make the most out of any situation that comes up. We realize that things do not always go to plan and this situation was no different. I took some amazing pictures of the shore terrain, the surf and the water paired with the angry skies. The pictures were amazing.

 

 

Once our boat docked we went up on shore a little ways and were set up with a spread fit for a king. We were treated to a Mexican buffet consisting of authentic foods. There was an open bar all day that was included in the price of the excursion. The margaritas were great as was the food and company.

 

Apparently there were monkeys that were supposed to come out and mingle with the guests for some photo opportunities but they (the monkeys) were afraid of the water so, no monkeys. L The nature walk that Jon and I really wanted to take was cancelled as well due to the rain. From what we heard, snorkeling was pretty disappointing as well as the water was murky. We watched as people on kayaks attempted to fight large waves and failed to get to shore. It was all around a sad day. You win some you lose some.

 

 

PROBLEM – Due to the weather that we could see from our window paired with the fact that we were without www.weather.com and the weather channel and local news, I called the shore excursion desk with a specific question: What was the weather forecast? I was informed that the skies were to be completely clear by noon. I clarified the forecast with the operator by making a second phone call with the shore excursion desk and received the same answer. I find it very difficult to believe that the weather forecast called for a cloudless sky in less than 3 hours. Had we been given an accurate forecast we would have packed a lot differently and wore different clothing. Please understand that I am not a psychotic traveler who blames the weather on an innocent customer service agent. I do not feel as if it was fair to me to have been told that the forecast called for a sunny cloudless sky in 3 hours not once, but twice. I cannot speculate as to why I would have been told this (ok, I’m sure Carnival didn’t want us to cancel our prepaid shore excursion). Meh.

 

Puerto Vallarta was amazing, despite the weather. We walked around the beach and were amazed as the surf crashed into beach goers and little children. The sea was angry but it provided us with excellent backdrops for beautiful pictures. We stayed on a secluded island for most of the day and towards the middle of the afternoon we were shuttled back to the ship. All in all the shore excursion was a success and we had a blast meeting new people and enjoying the day.

 

 

We got back to the ship and fell asleep immediately. We were exhausted and before we knew it we had taken a three hour nap. We caught a quick snack through room service as to save our appetites for the Pinnacle dinner we had booked. Our reservations were for 8:30 p.m. and the price was $30 per person. The meal was amazing. It was worth every penny of that $30! Jon got Prime Rib and I got fillet mignon. It was heaven.

 

Afterward we retired to our stateroom, unwinding and reminiscing about the awesome world outside our window. Jon went up to explore the ship at night time. He said that being on deck while the ship was “full speed ahead” and looking into the complete black darkness was amazing. There were thousands of stars dotting the midnight blue sky but because the swirling, churning sea was so vast no illumination could be seen except for the artificial light from the ship. Jon said nothing can compare to feeling so small and insignificant as standing on the top deck of a mega liner cruise ship while speeding through the ocean in the middle of the night. Exhilarating…

[The Salty Peanut]

Thursday February 18, 2010

We woke up around 6:30 in the morning and watched the sunrise from our little window in our stateroom. The colors collided and spread like a wildfire on the horizon. The orange, red and yellows bled through the cloudy sky and paraded a rainbow of magnificent hues that contrasted brilliantly with the gray clouds and deep Blue Ocean. It was something straight out of a postcard, or a cheesy traveler’s blog…

 

Later in the morning, we docked in Mazatlan, Mexico at the shipping yards. We disembarked with our dinner friends, who were from San Diego and both spoke fluent Spanish and grabbed a “taxi” which took us to the main area outside of the docks. Immediately we were bombarded with people trying to sell us trinkets and other little odds and ends that they either made or bought from someone else in order to sell to us. It got a little annoying as there was a constant barrage of peddlers and their wears. Our dinner friends quickly put their Spanish speaking skills to the test and found us a friendly old man who was willing to take us on a four and a half hour tour of the city for 25 dollars per person. Considering that a similar tour with the cruise line would have cost triple that per person, we agreed that “Luis” should be our driver. He took us to his van and loaded us up. Instantly we were driving around Mazatlan and taking a tour of our second port city.

 

“Luis” was very knowledgeable and he pointed out sites and other areas we might not have gotten with the cruise line. The architecture was beautiful. Mazatlan is a poorer city of the ports we visited. It is cramped, dumpy and didn’t give us the warm and fuzzy “safe” feeling that our Puerto Vallarta beach excursion had. But regardless, the coast and beaches were pristine. The deep blue sea water and the rock formations/cliffs definitely made up for the poverty. We aren’t naïve, we understand that most places outside of the U.S. will look and will probably be severally under-developed. I was and am a little confused as to the safety/economy because despite the appearance, there were stores such as “Channel” right in the middle of the frenzy! Needless to say, we expect that most people in Mazatlan make a living of off tourists like us, but Jon seemed a little different and edgy as we rode around with “Luis.” He said it was because Mazatlan reminded him a lot of Iraq and it set off a sub-conscious “security spark.” He was looking for exits and possible threats even if there weren’t any. There were quite a few places that he felt “safe” and those were usually by the beach. Jon eventually relaxed and we continued having a wonderful and spectacular tour with our remarkable tour guide “Luis.”

 

At one point, “Luis” pulled to the side of a busy highway and gave us Pacifico beers. The beers were complimentary from the tour company. It was wild, to say the least, but it was fun. The beers were great, as free things always are, and we noticed that at every upscale shop in downtown Mazatlan they handed out either free margaritas or bottles of beer. It was very different than anywhere else we had been and we decided that this practice was utilized because the drunker we got the more we were probably willing to spend. Sneaky, sneaky…

 

“Luis” took us all over the city and he dropped us off near the beach for lunch. We walked around the sidewalks and compared to the older part of the city, this part of Mazatlan was much cleaner than the previous parts had been. The four of us found a little restaurant called “Gringo Lingo.” We walked in and ordered a bucket of beers. Apparently happy hour is all day in Mazatlan as it was close to 10:30 when we sat down for lunch. The bucket of beers was cheap and right on the money. We ordered off of the “all you can eat seafood buffet” for 13 dollars a person. Jon and I played it safe for our first round of the buffet. We both ordered breaded shrimp and I ordered a grill cheese. Our food arrived and my grilled cheese was exactly that…it was grilled cheese in a bowl with salsa. No bread, no butter, no cheese placed in-between two slices of toasted golden goodness, just a bowl with grilled cheese and salsa. Welcome to Mexico. Jon laughed at me, but the Mexican grilled cheese was really good. For our second round of the all you can eat special, Jon ordered breaded shrimp. He still wanted to play it safe. I ordered a seafood cocktail, expecting it to be shrimp with cocktail sauce. Well I was in for the surprise of my life.

 

The waiter came back with my seafood cocktail and my jaw dropped as he placed a greenish/grey water concoction filled with chopped up tentacles and barnacles. It wasn’t so much the gooey, floating, sea food mess in front of me that made me raise an eyebrow. It was the ice cream Sunday glass they served it in. After looking at the extravaganza that was my meal, I manned up and took a swallow. The slime that slid down my throat made my stomach churn like the ocean we sailed on. I held it down, however, and ate a good portion of it. Our dinner friends and Jon envied me a little as I refused to back down from the gross, disgusting Sunday filled glass which was anything but ice cream satisfying. I can never look at a Sunday glass the same way again. Bottoms up…

 

 

After lunch we wandered the little shops and stores that decorated the central part of the city. We eventually knew it was time to head back to the ship and found our tour guide patiently waiting for us near where he had dropped us off. He took us back to the docks and we said our goodbyes. We still wanted to see Stone Island, a beautiful piece of landscaping that was raved about on the cruise ship. We found a taxi ($3.00) that took us the five or so blocks to the pier where the boats were waiting to take us to the island. No sooner had we jumped out of the taxi when we noticed three kids and a couple of adults that had just gotten off a boat. One of our dinner friends was deathly afraid of small boats and rolling water. He informed us that even though he lived in San Diego, he never learned how to swim. He was tentative to step on a boat that was held together by piñata glue and bubble gum. Then he saw the kids. Their normally tan complexions were pale white. They were soaked to the bone, shivering, and scared out of their little minds. Apparently the ride to Stone Island had a lot more going on than just a nice, quiet boat trip. That was it for our friend. He back pedaled and tried to convince his girlfriend that this probably wasn’t a good idea. She still wanted to go regardless of the waves that crashed over the sides of the boat and soaked the deck. Bobbi and I weren’t willing to risk our vacation because of a crazy water jockey who assured us the water felt warm and the boat was safe. Eventually, we all decided to for-go our plans and head back to the docks where at least we knew the ship we were sailing on would hold up against the sea’s rage. I think we honestly and silently thanked the sacred kids for their bravery just so we wouldn’t have to go through that hellish ordeal. Had we of went on the water taxi, it would have been $2.50 per person.

 

That afternoon we again grabbed a nap. Taking in the sights and beautiful coastlines was taxing but well worth it. We woke up and strolled around the ship. The ship itself was a work of art. It never ceased to amaze me how artfully constructed and beautifully decorated the decks were. I couldn’t fathom that this 234 foot tall 14 deck ship which was 815 feet long and 120 feet wide could actually float. According to the ships informational television the Splendor weighed in at a whopping 1300 tons. What kept us from sinking, I’ll never know and I’m thankful for that. Even though I consider myself a fairly good swimmer, I don’t think I can swim from the middle of the ocean to shore without drowning. The ship was elegant and there were tons of things to do. Every night there was live entertainment, a fantastic show, food at every corner and of course bars upon bars upon bars. It was truly a masterpiece and we were glad to be apart of the floating nightclub. Life couldn’t get any better than that or so we believed.

[The Salty Peanut]

Friday February 19, 2010

There are few places in this world that actually look like a postcard. There are few places that consistently take your breath away. There are few places that leave lasting impressions on weary travelers and make us all believe we have seen heaven. Heaven comes in the form of sandy beaches and clear turquoise water. It was the last stop on a tremendous journey and we longed for it to be our first.

 

 

Cabo…there aren’t enough words in the English language that can describe something so awe-inspiring, so mind numbingly incredible, so perfect. Cabo San Lucas enchanted us from the moment we woke up and peeked out our window to the moment we boarded to start heading home. It was a breath of fresh air amidst a vast and ever changing world. The streets were clean, the beaches exquisite, and the people friendly. I could stay in Cabo till my last days on earth and never once feel the need to leave. Magical, mystical places exist for adults even after we grow up and lose the innocents of our youth. Cabo re-captured my love for adventure. It revitalized my need to see the world and experience all that this giant blue ball has to offer. Cabo was and will be my postcard. It took my breath away and left a deep yearning for more. I believe in Heaven because I have seen it with my own eyes. Heaven exists and has white sandy beaches and turquoise blue water. Weary travelers the world over, I urge you to find your own slice of heaven, but first visit Cabo.

 

 

We awoke with excitement in our hearts and joy in our heads. As we looked out our window toward the coastline of Cabo San Lucas everything we had heard about this magical port came true. We didn’t want to waste an ounce of time as we were only in Cabo for less than eight hours. Quickly we made our way to the staging area. The theater was packed with eager travelers just like us. Around 8:15 or so, we were given a briefing and a time frame that we had to be back on the ship. After that we caught a tender boat, Cabo doesn’t have an actual port to dock in so the ship had to anchor at sea and ferry us to the city. A quick 10 minute boat ride to the docks and we were in the most stunning city I have ever set foot in. Cabo relies solely on tourists. The city is ridiculously clean and everyone was more than willing to go above and beyond for us. We found a local tour company that charged $30 a person for a four hour bus ride with a knowledgeable guide. The bus, or van, would take us around the city and after we were also given a boat tour of the sea of Cortez, the Cabo arch, Pelican Island, lovers beach, divorcee beach, and the Pacific Ocean. All of that for 30 bucks…I know what you’re thinking and it sounds too good to be true.

 

 

If something usually sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Cabo was the exception to that rule. We boarded the van with our cruise friends, aka our dinner couple, and were immediately whisked away to experience the sea-side city as it should be experienced. Our tour guide was amazing. He explained how Cabo had no exports and needed tourism to survive. There wasn’t crime or poverty like Mazatlan because if anything happens to tourists while in Cabo then tourists were less likely to return. Movie stars, rock singers, and celebrities flock to Cabo because of its magnificence and with that big time money coming in, security is exceptional. Plots of land sold for 120,000 dollars and the multimillion dollar homes that rich Americans put on those plots of land demonstrated how secure the city really was. Our tour guide seemed to know everyone and as he took us to different areas, the waiters, bartenders, and glass blowers allowed him access to places that we probably wouldn’t have been able to see without him.

 

 

Yes, we went to a glass making factory. That’s something that isn’t in the ship’s brochure. It was a little piece of Cabo that most people probably didn’t get to experience and it was something we thoroughly enjoyed. Our tour guide even dropped us off at Chileno Bay. Chileno Bay is a secluded virgin beach that has a few resorts on it. The beach was ideal and the water was such an intense shade of aqua-marine blue that I couldn’t tell where the water stopped and the sky began. Warm breezes kissed our vacation tired bodies and the sun embraced us with affectionate hugs. Paradise flowed from the tip of the beach to the horizon and swept across the landscape as far as the eye could see. We walked the beach, thankful for the little bit of time we had and longing for more of the time that had escaped us. But as the sun hung lazily in the sky we knew it was time for us to leave paradise and continue with our tour.

 

 

After Chileno Bay, our guide took us around the city, showed us the amazing sites, dropped us off for a quick bite and then took us to the docks. We grabbed a boat and shot across the sea of Cortez toward Pelican Island. Our glass bottom boat gave us a fantastic view of the clear sea below. Schools of fish swam beneath us and bumped their little fishy faces into the Plexiglas. Another one of our knowledgeable guides showed us the islands and beaches that dot the water side of Cabo. We were in awe of the wildlife that seemed to carry on their business of being animals. The sea lions and sea birds lounged comfortably as we and other tourists snapped pictures and took in the sights of a world that is too far removed from our own hectic lifestyles. We saw the Cabo arch, the window to the pacific, lover’s beach and on the other side divorcee beach. Can’t have one without the other, even though one usually precedes the other, but both are aspects of life….even in absolute bliss. The guide even took us right up to the sea lions where they were laying in the sun on a nearby rock.

 

[The Salty Peanut]

We got off the boat for forty five minutes and frolicked on Lover’s beach. It was our honeymoon after all and the other side of the beach, although just as striking, didn’t seem to have the proper name tag attached. On lovers beach there was a cave which according to our guide was where two people went in and three came out. Baby making cave, we assumed, and although we are newly wed we decided to steer clear of that particular spot on lovers’ beach. Apparently, there is a similar cave on divorcee beach where two go in and one comes out…the symmetry was comical.

 

 

Back on shore our minds traveled back to the beach and the gorgeous place we just left. The hour was getting late and we knew that it was only a matter of time before we had to leave. My heart broke a little inside as we slowly trudged back toward the tender boats and the ship. It was like losing a good friend who always made you feel welcome. But like all good things, our last stop on a wonderful vacation had also come to an end. Bobbi and I boarded and made the long walk toward our stateroom. We enthusiastically stared out the window at the pristine blue sea that separated us from Angelic ecstasy. I felt like a kid who looked greedily at the candy store window after mom and dad started driving home. It was an amazing adventure and the memories we have will last forever. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but there aren’t enough words to describe Cabo. If I could do the beautiful sea side city justice I would sum it up with three words. Elegant, romantic, and divine…but even those words fall short of what we experienced. Cabo San Lucas touched our hearts and left an impression in our souls. Postcards need not apply.

 

 

Saturday February 20, 2010

Our last day at sea…We lazily awoke as the ship rocked to and fro. The captain was going “full speed ahead” almost 21 knots and we could feel every little movement from the wake of the sea. It was difficult to walk as the ship pitched and rode out the waves. We tried our best to maintain our balance as we went to breakfast. Due to the accelerated speed of this ship, it was really rocky. It kind of felt like walking in a fast elevator!

 

Jon and I went to the thank you party which included free drinks for an hour. There was quite a crowd gathered outside of the bar as everyone waited for the doors to open. Right on time the doors flew open and everyone rushed to find seats. A cover band played great music and waiters and waitresses came through with trays and trays of cocktails. It was great. Carnival really knows what they are doing. I honestly expected long lines and arm nudging waiting to get a free drink. We truly had our fill, more than enough J Seriously everyone had a drink in their hand within 5 minutes of the start of the hour.

 

About halfway through Jon and I went into The Robusto Bar. Jon had been looking forward to getting a cigar and smoking it along with a glass of port. This was a 2.5 hour long affair and we enjoyed every bit of the wine and each other. It was such a great way to spend the last night on board. Soon after we headed up to eat and enjoyed our last supper with our dinner friends. Christian, our waiter was wonderful. Throughout the week the wait staff entertained us with singing, dancing, dirty jokes and not so dirty jokes J

 

After supper we headed into the Splendito which is the main stage area to try our hand at BINGO. For $20 we had the change to win $5,000. We did not win but had a blast nonetheless! There was a show after BINGO, but I actually got a little motion sickness. This was the worst the ship had felt all week and although I wasn’t in need of a trashcan or medication, I did have a slight headache. We retired early and caught a great night’s sleep.

 

Sunday, February 21, 2010

The day was devastating! Jon and I had so much fun on our first cruise. We didn’t want to leave! Since we had an early flight we opted for the self assist option and carried our luggage out. The task wasn’t as bad as it sounds as we only had one suitcase and two carryon pieces between the two of us. Once we got to the main deck it was organized chaos. The lines/mob was LONG. Jon and I looked at each other and gruffed as we expected to be waiting in line for hours. We were more than surprised to find that the lines were quite fast and we were completely off the ship, through customs and sitting on the Carnival Charter Bus in less than 45 minutes!

 

 

We arrived at the airport in record time and went through the motions. Our flight was about an hour late which suited us fine and we headed to a restaurant in the terminal and had a great meal.

 

 

 

 

Tips, tricks and random ruminations regarding our first cruise on the Carnival Splendor!

• Bring dollar bills. Jon and I brought mostly big bills and we were constantly asking each other, “do you have any ones?” When we were in the airport, before heading on the ship, in the ports, heading off the ship, etc. we needed a few to tip. I don’t know if this is going to come off wrong, but when we were getting off of the tour boat in Cabo to the beach, a local came over, helped us jump off the boat (into the water) and carried our bags off to shore. He was so quick to do it and I tried to say, “it’s ok, we got it” but he just grabbed our bags and carried them over to the shore so that our bags didn’t get the chance to get wet. A dollar was all he wanted / expected but we didn’t have any ones and our dinner friend helped us out J
  
• After the second/third day of the cruise we started getting little fliers regarding spa sales. REALLY BIG SALES. I didn’t book anything before or during the cruise, but I know a lot of other people were grumbling because they paid full price well in advance. I would wait to book it on the cruise if you want to get a spa appointment.
  
• Speaking of the Spa, there were a lot of free seminars that they offered. I dragged Jon to “cleansing for health and weight loss” seminar and we were both quite happy with the information provided J
  
• Bring a highlighter. It would have been helpful to highlight items on the daily newsletter as there were so many things to do around the ship throughout the day!
  
• I was really impressed with Carnival’s food in regard to the healthy options. At every meal there were healthy options listed and noted as such… even desserts! There was also always fresh fruit readily available. Everything was clearly labeled.
  
• One little gem that seemed to go unnoticed was the “Rotisserie” which was located on Deck 10, above the Lido. The “Rotisserie” had rotisserie chicken, salad and a baked potato bar. It was GREAT and we ate there quite a bit. Every time we went it seemed to be fairly vacant.
  
• Although we had a blast on our Carnival excursion in Puerto Vallarta, next time I would just wait to book all of our excursions off the ship. We did this at both Mazatlan and Cabo and were amazed at the professionalism and ease of the process. When you get off the ship and onto the pier, there are several private companies who have booths set up. We felt completely safe doing it this way and it was a great experience. The money we saved was phenomenal.
  
• Bring a beach bag!
  
• Bring a water bottle! Although we had to buy one from the fun shop we certainly got our $8.50 out of it. We filled it up and took it with us to all of the ports and randomly filled it during the day for just bumming around the ship.
  
• Don’t be a “piss-ass.”
  

[The Salty Peanut]

I do plan on scanning and attaching the nightly newsletters on my blog at www.thesaltypeanut.com if anyone is interested.

 

Thanks again for everyone's help while planning this awesome vacation!

[conchead]

Wow!!

Thank you for a very nice review.;)

 

 

 

Now..I want to go to Cabo!!:(

[CharlesKru]

Very good review, Thank you for taking the time to post it!

[As You Wish]

Thanks for the review. You really piqued my interest in Cabo now, and the pictures looked gorgeous. I'm glad to see that your first cruise was such a wonderful experience.

[Ippalee]

Awesome review, Congratulation on your marriage looks like you had a great honeymoon!!!

[framerman]

You have an elegance in your writing. Thanks for a great review. Hope you are hooked as I would love to read another review you had written.

[grammacassi]

Great Review!! Most wonderful to read about the warm weather and beaches as I sit here in MN with 30 mile an hour winds creating a windchill of 0:eek:!

[vbecky]

Great review!! I am so excited to be sailing on the splendor in July! Can I ask where was your excursion in Puerto Vallarta? It sounds like the buffet and drinks were unlimited? Thanks

[mr&mrscruiselover]

GREAT REVIEW!! DH and I have been on this cruise but after reading your review we can't wait to do it again:)

[tandrayray]

thats for the review...my daughter and I are going in March...we found your cruise reviews awsome!!!! We can't wait....:)

[Chipster2]

Wonderful review, thanks so much for taking the time to write and post it.

[remharri]

Thanks for the review and the beautiful photos, it will be my turn in May and you have gotten me even more excited!

[SweetpeaOne]

Thanks for sharing that awesome review.

[canner2u]

Awesome review, thanks for taking the time to write it. I love detailed reviews.

[Alliezona09]

Fabulous review~! I will be on the Splendor in less than 19 days~ I can almost picture it now~

[mistyinca]

What a lovely review. Though I've been on this cruise already (and had an awesome time as well) it is refreshing to see someone post a review where you are able to articulate your joy and wonder in a way that allows us all to share in it.

[5waldos]

Thanks for the interesting review- we'll be there late March. And that first black and white water picture is really stunning! Just beautiful.

[jstblj6]

I have been a "lurker" for a few weeks, I felt I needed to respond to your review. First off, thank you for posting this review, it was wonderful. You have a real flair for writing, your descriptions are brilliant and very detailed. I have to say, we are planning our first cruise and thought we were looking at the Caribbean, but after reading your review and seeing your pics I'm not so sure. Again, I thank you for taking the time to write this review, as this is exactly why I love this forum. I'm finding so many ideas and tips to planning our family vacation.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

First of all, congrats on your marraige! Thank you for your review and your beautiful photos. I can't wait until my turn on Splendor.

[vanislandcruisers]

Thanks for the Great Review..

 

We are going on the Splendor for the 2nd time this October...We hope to get to all the Ports that you got to go to that we didn't get to go to last time