CC Splendor July Departure 1st time questions

[Mesmeralda]

This forum is full of useful information and I have been researching it for the last month or so. I still would like to have some personal opinions from people that have recently taken their cruise to the Mexican Riveria on the Carnival Splendor. We are going in July, have spent the extra $ for upgrade suite, even though we've been told you don't spend alot of time there. I've upgraded to the Panorama deck and am looking forward to the spa treatments. Again I've done the search on the forum but I am looking for recent personal experiences, opinions, and answers.

1.) Has anyone gotten a refund or onboard credit (OBC) if the price goes down before boarding? Has the price ever dropped after booking? My final payment isn't due till the end of April and I am wondering if I should be checking the price from time to time to be sure I'm getting the best price.

2.) We are staying at the Maya Hotel (Doubletree Hotel) and was wondering if they have underground or covered parking. Does anyone know if the CC special rate includes breakfast?

3.) How early can we check in at the ship? I'm an early kinda person and would like to try and avoid lines if possible. Once we check in do we have to stay on the ship or can we go to brunch on the Queen Mary.

4.) Does someone have the a review on the special tour for people that have booked on the Spa deck?

5.) We've been told that we get priority booking so can I let them know the time I wish at the beginning of the day that I've decided to do?

6.) Excursions. There is alot of topics on this but here is what we want to do and I need reviews and suggestions for vendors and.

Cabo 1st day: paragliding, jet ski's, and shopping around the Medano beaches. I've been giving some thought to The Mango Deck for doing the paragliding, jet ski's and general relaxtion.

Cabo 2nd day: Horseback riding on the beach and shopping in quaint markets/flea markets in the interior of Cabo San Lucas. Maybe a sightseeing tour.

Peurto Vallarta: Zip lining/ATV riding combo and shopping. Here we plan on using Los Veranos Canopy tours but I need to know what is the difference between booking direct, or with Peurto Vallarta Tours, or on the ship? Obvisouly price between the ship and PVT and LVC but do I get for paying extra on the ship? I understand (correct me if I'm long) that either way Los Veranos is the provider of these excursion.

7.) Din ing during the las 2 days will be at sea...nice:cool:. Now it's time to unwind and hit those spa amenities. I'm looking forward to the flotation therapy and Tai Chi. I was looking to book the acupuncture treatment also but I dont see it. Does anyone have information i.e. time, cost, and experience for these amenities?

 

I know this is a tall order but any and all replies are appreciated.

[Liffey]

We are going in July, have spent the extra $ for upgrade suite, even though we've been told you don't spend alot of time there.

 

Meh - some people (like us) are room fiends. We spend LOTS of time out on our balcony reading, napping, etc. I once briefly sat on a lounger on a public deck while waiting to disembark. :p It just depends on what you're into.

 

1.) Has anyone gotten a refund or onboard credit (OBC) if the price goes down before boarding? Has the price ever dropped after booking?

Definitely - Early Saver fares, which I assume you booked, are popular for this very reason. We saved several hundred on our last cruise, and we booked the day before ES ended. (Getting a refund without ES? I think people just cancel and rebook if they can?)

 

How early can we check in at the ship? I'm an early kinda person and would like to try and avoid lines if possible. Once we check in do we have to stay on the ship or can we go to brunch on the Queen Mary.

For Splendor, I've heard of people going as early as 10ish, but recent reviews (Jan/Feb) seem to indicate that debarkation/embarkation has become a lot more time consuming since we last sailed her (July 2009). Hopefully a more recent cruiser will weigh in. Anyway, the suite means you can avoid some of this. If memory serves, you don't have to stand in lines outdoors. Not fun, especially if you've ever sailed out of San Diego - so zippy!

 

Keep in mind that you can't do early check-in at the QM for Splendor cruises like you can for Paradise cruises. Some posts don't make that clear.

 

People do sometimes go over to the QM to kill some time before Splendor/their zone is ready. (Big fan of the QM here, although we haven't tried brunch yet. I'll include it in my review next month!)

 

When your zone is called, you go into the dome to go through security, photos, etc. Then you get on the ship. :D

 

Does someone have the a review on the special tour for people that have booked on the Spa deck?

I recently read one (sorry, can't remember where, but I was searching here for photos of the mud room to see if it was prettier than I remembered so you might try that), but it sounded like it was just the regular spa tour but with fruit and a push to sell the discounted treatments at the end?

 

(Spa cabin passengers get fruit whenever they want from the relaxation room, and it sounded like the discounts stay the same even if you don't book during that tour, so I'm also curious to hear if there's a reason to do the special tour. We just did a regular tour-for-two, no upsell, nice and easy.)

 

We've been told that we get priority booking so can I let them know the time I wish at the beginning of the day that I've decided to do?

It didn't happen for me when I tried to book the mud lounge. I could make appointments for later in the week, same as anyone else, but I suspect the "priority booking" has a lot to do with booking on embarkation day during the "special" tour. ;)

 

Cabo 1st day: paragliding, jet ski's, and shopping around the Medano beaches.

I don't want to sound like cruise director Stu Dunn's parrot on this issue, but be careful when renting jet skis. If anything goes wrong (or you're accused of something going wrong), you may find yourself negotiating to "only" pay $12,000 to replace the equipment. (Or else go to Mexican jail.) I don't share Stu's concerns about, say, water taxis (although it's good for people to know that you may have to wade ashore with some of them), but he is VERY passionate about the jet ski issue.

 

Obvisouly price between the ship and PVT and LVC but do I get for paying extra on the ship?

This is a really contentious issue, but often the big selling point for buying your excursion with the ship is that if anything happens, the ship will wait for you. For some tours, this is a non-issue. But if you're going to, say, spend seven hours in the mountains (as we did), knowing a flat tire won't kill your cruise is reassuring. :)

 

7.) Din ing during the las 2 days will be at sea...nice:cool:. Now it's time to unwind and hit those spa amenities.

You and everyone else! We were sooooo glad we got good use out of the spa before those final sea days hit and everyone was in the spa. (And the spa ran more incentives to get people in there - lots more "daytrippers" with pay-by-day wristbands, treatment parties for teen girls, etc.) Crowds won't affect your treatments, but don't hold off on visiting the thermal suite until the end.

 

any and all replies are appreciated

I take you at your word! :D I love Splendor; I love the spa; I know you'll have an excellent time!

[junmatno]

This forum is full of useful information and I have been researching it for the last month or so. I still would like to have some personal opinions from people that have recently taken their cruise to the Mexican Riveria on the Carnival Splendor. We are going in July, have spent the extra $ for upgrade suite, even though we've been told you don't spend alot of time there. I've upgraded to the Panorama deck and am looking forward to the spa treatments. Again I've done the search on the forum but I am looking for recent personal experiences, opinions, and answers.

1.) Has anyone gotten a refund or onboard credit (OBC) if the price goes down before boarding? Has the price ever dropped after booking? My final payment isn't due till the end of April and I am wondering if I should be checking the price from time to time to be sure I'm getting the best price.

2.) We are staying at the Maya Hotel (Doubletree Hotel) and was wondering if they have underground or covered parking. Does anyone know if the CC special rate includes breakfast?

3.) How early can we check in at the ship? I'm an early kinda person and would like to try and avoid lines if possible. Once we check in do we have to stay on the ship or can we go to brunch on the Queen Mary.

4.) Does someone have the a review on the special tour for people that have booked on the Spa deck?

5.) We've been told that we get priority booking so can I let them know the time I wish at the beginning of the day that I've decided to do?

6.) Excursions. There is alot of topics on this but here is what we want to do and I need reviews and suggestions for vendors and.

Cabo 1st day: paragliding, jet ski's, and shopping around the Medano beaches. I've been giving some thought to The Mango Deck for doing the paragliding, jet ski's and general relaxtion.

Cabo 2nd day: Horseback riding on the beach and shopping in quaint markets/flea markets in the interior of Cabo San Lucas. Maybe a sightseeing tour.

Peurto Vallarta: Zip lining/ATV riding combo and shopping. Here we plan on using Los Veranos Canopy tours but I need to know what is the difference between booking direct, or with Peurto Vallarta Tours, or on the ship? Obvisouly price between the ship and PVT and LVC but do I get for paying extra on the ship? I understand (correct me if I'm long) that either way Los Veranos is the provider of these excursion.

7.) Din ing during the las 2 days will be at sea...nice:cool:. Now it's time to unwind and hit those spa amenities. I'm looking forward to the flotation therapy and Tai Chi. I was looking to book the acupuncture treatment also but I dont see it. Does anyone have information i.e. time, cost, and experience for these amenities?

 

I know this is a tall order but any and all replies are appreciated.

 

 

Mesmeralda: You are going to have a great time!! And what a small world, we live in Salinas!! I know a few of the answers:

 

1) Yes you should check often, maybe every other day for price drops PRIOR to your final payment so you can either call your PVP or TA to have them call Carnival to adjust. If you booked EARLY Saver then check after your final payment for price drops, and if there are any, fill out the early saver form.

REmember that the available cabins have to be in the SAME EXACT category.

 

5) We actually are cruising on April 17th and one of our cabins is a Spa, and I understand it the same way as you, that you get priority reservations, but when I go, I'll check it out and let you know when we get back.

 

7) If Tai Chi is a class, then you actually get 2 classes per person in the spa rooms. Sorry it's late and I'm feeling a little blonde today;)

 

3) I called the Queen Mary a couple weeks ago because we are staying there the night before our cruise, and they do have early check-in there for both Splendor and the Paradise. Someone actually posted some pics of a tour they took there and showed the room and sign.

 

Have a great time!!!

[Liffey]

I called the Queen Mary a couple weeks ago because we are staying there the night before our cruise, and they do have early check-in there for both Splendor and the Paradise. Someone actually posted some pics of a tour they took there and showed the room and sign.

 

Oooo - I definitely hope this is true, as we're also doing QM the night before our next Splendiferous cruise. I've found so many posts on the west coast forum reiterating that it's only for Paradise (Mon/Fri) that I jumped on the "don't get your hopes up" train when replying above.

 

That said, the most recent posts saying you can't do it for Splendor are from October, plenty of time to change policies, but a Trip Advisor review from a few days ago says the guests went across the parking lot to the terminal at 9:15 to check in, so I'm not quite jumping for joy yet. Still, it will be great if something has changed and it's not the usual case of "ask 10 people, get 10 answers."

 

I've seen (and taken) pics of the QM check-in room, such as in the recent excellent thread here about the tour, but I haven't seen a photo that shows people checking in for Splendor. If someone can snag some recent photographic evidence for Splendor doing early check-in at QM, my happy dance is ready to launch! Pleeeease, cruise gods, make this so. Fingers AND toes crossed!

[Mesmeralda]

You are going to have a great time!! And what a small world, we live in Salinas!! I know a few of the answers:

 

5) We actually are cruising on April 17th and one of our cabins is a Spa, and I understand it the same way as you, that you get priority reservations, but when I go, I'll check it out and let you know when we get back.

 

7) If Tai Chi is a class, then you actually get 2 classes per person in the spa rooms. Sorry it's late and I'm feeling a little blonde today;)

Have a great time!!!

 

I look forward to seeing your review if your booked on the Panorama deck. The treadmill thing has me a little worried, not by much though.

 

Perhaps when you have time we can meet at Starbucks so I can hear your cruiseship adventures.

[BSQ]

No to covered or underground parking at the Maya.

[Liffey]

Just a follow-up - I emailed QM and asked about the early check-in. They said it completely depends on Carnival, and the QM staff *might* know the day before, so I could ask again at check-in. Interesting... I think I'm going to keep asking until I get the answer I want, hehe. ;) (Not really, but I will keep those fingers crossed for all of us!)

[Mesmeralda]

So far I'm beginning to understand this. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Similar to an airport once you check your bags in you go through security, wait for the ship to emptythen you can board the ship but don't have access to your room till they clean it. In the meanwhile you explore the ship. You cannot leave after you've gone through security, like the airport, nor leave the ship after boarding. correct?

[junmatno]

So far I'm beginning to understand this. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Similar to an airport once you check your bags in you go through security, wait for the ship to emptythen you can board the ship but don't have access to your room till they clean it. In the meanwhile you explore the ship. You cannot leave after you've gone through security, like the airport, nor leave the ship after boarding. correct?

 

 

That is correct! Except it varies for the Splendor. When we sailed last April, anyone on decks 1 and 2 checked in outside, got their S&S, etc. THEN they went through security. Everyone on deck 6 and up checked in on the inside of the dome, AFTER going through the security line. They actually have two different security lines set up. Then you head to the ship.

But I'm not sure if they've changed this or not, so I'll let you know when we get back.

[Mesmeralda]

That is correct! Except it varies for the Splendor. When we sailed last April, anyone on decks 1 and 2 checked in outside, got their S&S, etc. THEN they went through security. Everyone on deck 6 and up checked in on the inside of the dome, AFTER going through the security line. They actually have two different security lines set up. Then you head to the ship.

But I'm not sure if they've changed this or not, so I'll let you know when we get back.

 

Kewl thanks for the information... :)

[explodr]

So do you have to get back on the ship at cabo. we are going on the 24th and its two days in cabo just wondered how they work that..Thanks

[junmatno]

So do you have to get back on the ship at cabo. we are going on the 24th and its two days in cabo just wondered how they work that..Thanks

 

 

From what I've read, you can arrange to spend the night, BUT, if the second day the weather turns bad or the currents too rough, the Splendor might not be able to come back into the bay and will just go on to the next port. You would be responsible for getting to PV on your own dime.

 

They've said that due to the eco-system, the ship gets everyone back onboard the first day, then sails around outside of the Cabo bay until the next morning, and comes back in.

[Mesmeralda]

This is good to know...