Ginamarie Posted November 16, 2013 #1 Share Posted November 16, 2013 A trip on the Splendor was originally not in the cards for us in 2013. We sailed on Freedom of the Seas in August and thought that would be our extend of cruising for the year. However, the low rates on this ship were too good to pass up, and when I inquired about getting adjoining cabins for our family (necessary because we are 5 people now and I can't trust three little ones in a room of their own yet) it was not a problem. We wound up being joined by my mom and two younger siblings, who booked a cabin right next to our two. I did not have high expectations for this bargain cruise, but it wound up being a lot of fun. Embarkation- check in at the desk was faster than I've ever had. We had to wait for awhile before boarding began, but there were plenty of seats. Itinerary- This was our first time taking a Bahamas itinerary from NYC. Sailing from NYC is magical, and we loved watching the skyline and the Statue of Liberty. In Pt. Canaveral, we planned to have breakfast at one of the WDW hotels so that the kids could see some Disney characters and then walk/shop at Downtown Disney. We wound up having delays at the pier and they extended our time in port, but we couldn't take advantage of that since the rental car place wouldn't be open any later. We barely made it to our breakfast reservation (45 minutes late!) but they took us anyway. Our second stop was supposed to be Nassau, which I was hoping to enjoy, but rough seas kept us from docking there- even though we made it all the way to the pier and then had to turn around! We did make it to Freeport, but had planned on staying onboard that day, so we didn't get off of the ship. There is a small shopping area at the Freeport pier, but that's it within walking distance. Cabin: We had three balcony cabins on deck 8- all the way forward. It was a great spot and very quiet aside from the baby across the hall who was screaming for a long time one night. We were able to open the balcony dividers between our cabins to make it like one long balcony, which was nice. Cabins were spacious, beds were comfortable and everything was immaculate. This was one of the cleanest cabins I've been in. The bathroom was small, but adequate. Activities: Carnival was not kidding about having a fun ship. They had activities going on all day long, both for adults and families. We played a ton of trivia and won some of the coveted ships on a stick. I wish some of the nighttime activities didn't start as late as they did, but otherwise, I can't complain. We were not bored. The stage shows were kind of meh. They only had two singers onboard (who clearly hated each other) and the dancers were not very good.. lots of dancing in different tempos and not unison. We thought the game shows were fun, but not your traditional mainstage show. Malcolm was fine as a cruise director, though not what I expected from prior reviews. I wish the daily activities were better described in the printed materials. We didn't know what some of the listings meant, and a couple of times activities were listed for the wrong time period. The pools/water slide/splash pad got high marks from our group. Dining: Our wait staff was very good, except that we had to keep requesting lemonade while the tables around us were served and refilled without a problem. Food was surprisingly better than expected. The only thing I had that I didn't like was a salad that tasted like soap. Soups were generally excellent, pasta was well done, fish was great, etc. I loved my chocolate melting cake on a couple of nights. The hubby and I tried the steakhouse, which was also very good. Oddly, we never met the maitre d, and only saw him walking in our area of the dining room one night. He did not stop at our table. The buffet was also good and we didn't have trouble finding seats except during the chocolate buffet. I wish they would find a faster way to get out pizza (which was delicious) and set up a larger mongolian wok station, because the lines get too long. Also, the chocolate buffet was a mad house. There has to be a better way to organize that. Do not miss the rotisserie which is upstairs at the buffet. The kids loved those chicken legs. Oh, and the Carnival chocolate chip cookies were to die for. Ship Layout/Maintenance: As with many Carnival ships, it can be difficult to navigate decks 3-4, and the casino area reeks of smoke. Otherwise, we didn't have any problems. The ship was always being cleaned except that the tables on deck 10 around the pool were not cleaned frequently and people would leave their food out, and that was gross. Kids Club: All three of my kids enjoyed the kids club. It was great that they would take my 2 year old even though he is still in diapers. The staff in the clubs were wonderful and the activities were really cute. I wish they didn't close at odd hours and start charging after 10 pm, but I don't want to nitpick here. Service- Service on this ship was superb. Our cabin stewards were always around smiling and knew us by name. All of the employes we dealt with were pleasant and helpful. We were impressed. Overall- this was one of our better cruises, and, for the price we paid, an amazing value. I would not hesitate to sail on Carnival again. Our last Carnival cruise had been on the Ecstasy and while we enjoyed it, this experience was much better. I think from here forward, we will try to stick to the newer classes of Carnival ships. I'm seriously considering another spin on the Splendor for 2014, especially if I can find a good deal on a different itinerary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcwingwalker Posted November 16, 2013 #2 Share Posted November 16, 2013 A trip on the Splendor was originally not in the cards for us in 2013. We sailed on Freedom of the Seas in August and thought that would be our extend of cruising for the year. However, the low rates on this ship were too good to pass up, and when I inquired about getting adjoining cabins for our family (necessary because we are 5 people now and I can't trust three little ones in a room of their own yet) it was not a problem. We wound up being joined by my mom and two younger siblings, who booked a cabin right next to our two. I did not have high expectations for this bargain cruise, but it wound up being a lot of fun. Embarkation- check in at the desk was faster than I've ever had. We had to wait for awhile before boarding began, but there were plenty of seats. Itinerary- This was our first time taking a Bahamas itinerary from NYC. Sailing from NYC is magical, and we loved watching the skyline and the Statue of Liberty. In Pt. Canaveral, we planned to have breakfast at one of the WDW hotels so that the kids could see some Disney characters and then walk/shop at Downtown Disney. We wound up having delays at the pier and they extended our time in port, but we couldn't take advantage of that since the rental car place wouldn't be open any later. We barely made it to our breakfast reservation (45 minutes late!) but they took us anyway. Our second stop was supposed to be Nassau, which I was hoping to enjoy, but rough seas kept us from docking there- even though we made it all the way to the pier and then had to turn around! We did make it to Freeport, but had planned on staying onboard that day, so we didn't get off of the ship. There is a small shopping area at the Freeport pier, but that's it within walking distance. Cabin: We had three balcony cabins on deck 8- all the way forward. It was a great spot and very quiet aside from the baby across the hall who was screaming for a long time one night. We were able to open the balcony dividers between our cabins to make it like one long balcony, which was nice. Cabins were spacious, beds were comfortable and everything was immaculate. This was one of the cleanest cabins I've been in. The bathroom was small, but adequate. Activities: Carnival was not kidding about having a fun ship. They had activities going on all day long, both for adults and families. We played a ton of trivia and won some of the coveted ships on a stick. I wish some of the nighttime activities didn't start as late as they did, but otherwise, I can't complain. We were not bored. The stage shows were kind of meh. They only had two singers onboard (who clearly hated each other) and the dancers were not very good.. lots of dancing in different tempos and not unison. We thought the game shows were fun, but not your traditional mainstage show. Malcolm was fine as a cruise director, though not what I expected from prior reviews. I wish the daily activities were better described in the printed materials. We didn't know what some of the listings meant, and a couple of times activities were listed for the wrong time period. The pools/water slide/splash pad got high marks from our group. Dining: Our wait staff was very good, except that we had to keep requesting lemonade while the tables around us were served and refilled without a problem. Food was surprisingly better than expected. The only thing I had that I didn't like was a salad that tasted like soap. Soups were generally excellent, pasta was well done, fish was great, etc. I loved my chocolate melting cake on a couple of nights. The hubby and I tried the steakhouse, which was also very good. Oddly, we never met the maitre d, and only saw him walking in our area of the dining room one night. He did not stop at our table. The buffet was also good and we didn't have trouble finding seats except during the chocolate buffet. I wish they would find a faster way to get out pizza (which was delicious) and set up a larger mongolian wok station, because the lines get too long. Also, the chocolate buffet was a mad house. There has to be a better way to organize that. Do not miss the rotisserie which is upstairs at the buffet. The kids loved those chicken legs. Oh, and the Carnival chocolate chip cookies were to die for. Ship Layout/Maintenance: As with many Carnival ships, it can be difficult to navigate decks 3-4, and the casino area reeks of smoke. Otherwise, we didn't have any problems. The ship was always being cleaned except that the tables on deck 10 around the pool were not cleaned frequently and people would leave their food out, and that was gross. Kids Club: All three of my kids enjoyed the kids club. It was great that they would take my 2 year old even though he is still in diapers. The staff in the clubs were wonderful and the activities were really cute. I wish they didn't close at odd hours and start charging after 10 pm, but I don't want to nitpick here. Service- Service on this ship was superb. Our cabin stewards were always around smiling and knew us by name. All of the employes we dealt with were pleasant and helpful. We were impressed. Overall- this was one of our better cruises, and, for the price we paid, an amazing value. I would not hesitate to sail on Carnival again. Our last Carnival cruise had been on the Ecstasy and while we enjoyed it, this experience was much better. I think from here forward, we will try to stick to the newer classes of Carnival ships. I'm seriously considering another spin on the Splendor for 2014, especially if I can find a good deal on a different itinerary. Nice review................thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linerguy Posted November 16, 2013 #3 Share Posted November 16, 2013 I was on the same sailing and pretty much echo your thoughts. I wasn't expecting much at such a low rate, but it was really a great cruise. Your comments about the two main vocalists in the production shows made me laugh. I've never seen to people on the same stage stand so far apart. She was actually an excellent singer – lots of soul for a cruise ship performer – but he was sharp and flat most of the time. Excellent review, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alymb03 Posted November 16, 2013 #4 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Thanks for your review! We will be doing the same itinerary as a 3 cabin family group in January! Can't pass in the great deals right now! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4merlurker Posted November 16, 2013 #5 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Great review! :) Cant wait for our turn! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitamin_Sea Posted November 19, 2013 #6 Share Posted November 19, 2013 Happy to see you had a good time. Nice review and thanks! We are sailing the Splendor 1/28. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieShip Posted November 19, 2013 #7 Share Posted November 19, 2013 Thanks for the review, sailing on her next week! Yipeee! Interesting that Nassau was canceled, was thinking of maybe booking Comfort Suites for Atlantis, but think I'll pass this time around. What did you guys do that day instead of going to Nassau? Does the ship just sail more slowly to Freeport or does it sorta just dock in the middle of the ocean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBanana1240 Posted November 19, 2013 #8 Share Posted November 19, 2013 Thanks for the review and I hope you have fun on your transatlantic cruise! Magic was recently upgraded (: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Geegitz Posted November 19, 2013 #9 Share Posted November 19, 2013 Thanks for posting. Looking forward to our cruise in Splendor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa0719 Posted November 19, 2013 #10 Share Posted November 19, 2013 We sailed right after you. Captain told us it was the first time in 17 years they couldn't dock in Nassau . . . ship was going to hit shore and tug boats weren't helping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Dancer Posted November 19, 2013 #11 Share Posted November 19, 2013 We did the South American repo. She was our home for 7 weeks, needs updating badly. Hope you like pink!!!!!!!!:eek: Was Malcolm the CD? He is very funny, but a bit over the top! The crew was great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
092306 Posted November 19, 2013 #12 Share Posted November 19, 2013 We were on the Splendor a few weeks ago and had a good time also. Thanks for the review and glad you had a great cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndeneef Posted December 11, 2013 #13 Share Posted December 11, 2013 Had a great first cruise on the splendor. Only down fall our balcony cabins 8399-8403 had the smallest connection door ever it was at most 12 inches so if you need connecting balconies these rooms are not the best choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnSpo Posted December 12, 2013 #14 Share Posted December 12, 2013 I was on the same sailing and pretty much echo your thoughts. I wasn't expecting much at such a low rate, but it was really a great cruise. Glad to hear you all had a great time. I will be on Splendor with the same Bahamas itineary next month. I can't wait.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitamin_Sea Posted December 12, 2013 #15 Share Posted December 12, 2013 We are doing the same cruise next month. Im wondering how many days would be warm enough to use the pools? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxie99 Posted December 12, 2013 #16 Share Posted December 12, 2013 For our Christmas Cruise - I have two balconies booked with the connecting Inside door - should be great - am hoping we can have the balcony partitions opened as well... We can't wait - was definitely a bargain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginamarie Posted December 31, 2013 Author #17 Share Posted December 31, 2013 We are doing the same cruise next month. Im wondering how many days would be warm enough to use the pools? The nice thing is that one of the pools is in a domed area, so even if it is cold outside, that pool can still be opened as long as the seas are smooth enough. For us, the outdoor pools were usable on the Pt. Canaveral day and thereafter until we started sailing north of FL again. It really depends on your week though- even FL has cold snaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mira28 Posted January 2, 2014 #18 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Loved your review. It really gives me a good, clear picture of the ship. I'll be on the Splendor later this month for my first cruise! Is the ship lively, with any live music? In Port Canaveral. Do you think there's enough time to go to Epcot? (Love that place.) Do you know if Carnaval has excursions there? Thanks again and I'm glad you and your family had a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitamin_Sea Posted January 2, 2014 #19 Share Posted January 2, 2014 (edited) Loved your review. It really gives me a good, clear picture of the ship. I'll be on the Splendor later this month for my first cruise! Is the ship lively, with any live music? In Port Canaveral. Do you think there's enough time to go to Epcot? (Love that place.) Do you know if Carnaval has excursions there? Thanks again and I'm glad you and your family had a great time. CCL has excursion to Epcot $159 pp It says its a 10 hour deal :eek: Seems tight to me.. My docs say were in PC..7am- 6pm. Edited January 2, 2014 by limoguy1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginamarie Posted January 2, 2014 Author #20 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Loved your review. It really gives me a good, clear picture of the ship. I'll be on the Splendor later this month for my first cruise! Is the ship lively, with any live music? In Port Canaveral. Do you think there's enough time to go to Epcot? (Love that place.) Do you know if Carnaval has excursions there? Thanks again and I'm glad you and your family had a great time. I thought the ship was plenty lively. I especially liked the movies and music that they had on the deck, which would have been more fun if the weather had been better, but they had no control over that. We rented a car and drove to WDW on our Pt Canaveral day. I thought it was too pricy to do the excursion with park tickets because there were so many of us, and the rental car wasn't that expensive. We wound up having breakfast at Ohana to see the characters and then went to Downtown Disney for awhile. (I love Epcot too, and WISHED we were going there because it was also Food and Wine Festival time, but you can't do everything!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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