Another Splendid Splendor cruise (with pics) 6/29/15

[Jamman54]

The big slide minimum height is 42 inches to go down. My 4 y/o was right at 42 inches but the attendant would not let him go down for some reason (I don't think he would have gone by himself anyways). Your 8 y/o should be fine!

 

Jamman, I wanted to thank you for your awesome review! I read your other Splendor review when I was trying to decide to go on one of her sailings from Norfolk. She is a unique ship, not one of my favorites due to the outlandish decor, but I did like the sliding sunroof over the main pool which allowed us to use the pool in bad weather.

 

Hoping to make it back to HMC one year-only been there once!

 

Thanks for reading and thanks for chiming in on the height restrictions. It's been many years since my boys had to be concerned with that! :)

 

Love reading all your reviews, thank you for writing them. Look forward to meeting you and your family on the breeze soon and using my photo bomb skills to make your next review [emoji6]

 

Thanks for following along! Hope to see you at the M&G, and I'm sure you will have many opportunities to make the review! :D

[Jamman54]

I love reading - great job! Still here :) Making me excited for my first trip to HMC - we got a cabana as well. Thinking we will rent #9 - my wife doesn't like people that much (at least, in close proximity to us, hahaha).

 

Thanks for reading!! You will really enjoy HMC and your cabana. Even Patti's wonderful pictures don't do it justice!!

[Jamman54]

Continuing with my early morning walk on our 3rd sea day, here are the Thunderball Pool and hot tub on Deck 11 fwd…..

 

 

The following are some views of the Serenity area on the Splendor. By far, not my favorite Serenity on a Carnival ship, simply because, it doesn’t have any hot tubs. Thankfully, the Liner Pool and hot tubs all the way aft on Deck 9, are designated “adult only”. Serenity, Deck 12, starboard side…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Some views of the mini golf on Deck 14 forward…..

 

 

 

 

Looking down on the Serenity area on Deck 12, port side…….

 

 

 

Note the netting on the railing to keep golf balls from raining down on Serenity below…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

The waterslide entrance on Deck 14 forward…..

 

 

The waterslide…..

 

 

Looking aft from the waterslide…..

 

 

Looking down the atrium to the lobby floor…..

 

 

Looking up to the skylight……

 

 

I’m back at our cabin. I'm hungry! I hope Patti is ready to go to the Sea Day brunch!!

 

 

To be continued…..

[bigmama9224]

Hi Jamman, great review. Love it just like all your other ones. GAPearl just as yourself have such a flare for your reviews.

 

I have a question, I have been to Grand Turks about 5 times, were exactly is this NASA Exhibit is it right there on Margaritaville, also were is Jimmy's Surf Shack. I know were Jacks shack is, not that I have been there, cause I go out with a scooter so I do not even do the beach I just sit by the pool, even though last year I just rented a car and drove around for a couple of hours.

 

One of the reasons I love GAPearls and your reviews is because I can not do much with my condition so I do and have all the fun thru you and GaPearls reviews. They are so exciting it is as though I were there.

 

Will be at Grand Turks next year again..

[Jamman54]

Hi Jamman, great review. Love it just like all your other ones. GAPearl just as yourself have such a flare for your reviews.

 

I have a question, I have been to Grand Turks about 5 times, were exactly is this NASA Exhibit is it right there on Margaritaville, also were is Jimmy's Surf Shack. I know were Jacks shack is, not that I have been there, cause I go out with a scooter so I do not even do the beach I just sit by the pool, even though last year I just rented a car and drove around for a couple of hours.

 

One of the reasons I love GAPearls and your reviews is because I can not do much with my condition so I do and have all the fun thru you and GaPearls reviews. They are so exciting it is as though I were there.

 

Will be at Grand Turks next year again..

 

Glad you are enjoying the review and thanks for following along!

 

Jimmy's Surf Shack is located right inside the Margaritaville Restaurant.

 

The NASA Exhibit is very accessible for those on scooters. Once you exit the terminal building, hang a right and head towards the excursion pier. You can't miss it. Enjoy your next visit to GT!

[Jamman54]

Here we are at the Sea Day Brunch…..

 

 

 

Our view looking out the back windows…..

 

 

Here are some goodies from the bread basket…..

 

 

I started with the jerked bacon Caesars salad…..

 

 

Patti started with the fruit plate…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Patti had a cheese and tomato omelet with a side of turkey bacon…..

 

 

I had the steak and eggs. It was very good…..

 

 

Afterwards, we made our way to the Spectacular Show Lounge for a three game session of bingo…..

 

 

Patti loved the curtain in the lounge…..

 

 

Well, I know for sure now that I jinx Patti at bingo. Again, we weren’t even close to winning!!

 

Next, we decided to try our luck at blackjack. We played for a couple of hours, and Patti wound up winning a little bit, while I got killed!!

 

Today, was the only slot tournament of the cruise, so Patti used her Platinum BOGO perk to get us entries. Neither one of us would qualify for the finals. Patti got a picture of me giving it my best shot…..

 

 

We made our way up to the Rotisserie for lunch, then grabbed a couple of bowls of ice cream to enjoy on our balcony. Here’s Patti enjoying her ice cream…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

We hung out on the balcony for a while enjoying the salt air. The seas were very calm…..

 

 

 

 

We decided to utilize our Cloud 9 Spa passes for an hour or so enjoying the T-pool and the heated loungers in the Lanconium.

 

Tonight was the final game of the Woman’s World Cup between the United States and Japan, so we decided to skip dinner in the Gold Pearl Restaurant, and made our way to the Our House Sports Bar…..

 

 

As game time drew near, the place quickly filled up, with every seat taken, and became standing room only. This was the only time the entire cruise that this bar was crowded. Hey, Carnival!! Do you see what happens when you show sports in the sports bar!! Here we are, enjoying the pre game festivities…..

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Patti tried a Hurricane Wave, but didn’t care for it because it was too sweet. It looks good though…..

 

 

The game has started, and less than two minutes in, we score!!!

 

 

The crowd in the bar looks on intently……

 

 

The final score is 5 to 2. We win!!!!

 

 

After the game, we made our way up to the Lido for a little dinner. For buffet food, it was okay…..

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

After dinner Patti went to check emails, and I played blackjack for a little while, losing another couple of hundred. Not a good gambling day for me! Lol.

 

Back at the cabin, the laundry that Patti sent out this morning has been returned. Patti loves the free laundry perk, as this means less to wash when we get home, but she never sends out any of our “good” clothes…..

 

 

Tonight’s turndown and towel animal…….

 

 

Our invitations for tomorrow’s VIFP party have arrived……

 

 

Coming up next: Our final day at sea, or is it really almost over?

[Mary49]

Hi Jamman54 - just wanted to let you know that I borrowed your "Music Boardwalk" picture for their FB page and they already have "25 LIKES" on it already. I hope you don't mind but I couldn't resist copying it. They have a big following. I just hope that Carnival doesn't let these bands go. Thanks Mary49

Edited July 30, 2015 by Mary49

[Jamman54]

Hi Jamman54 - just wanted to let you know that I borrowed your "Music Boardwalk" picture for their FB page and they already have "25 LIKES" on it already. I hope you don't mind but I couldn't resist copying it. They have a big following. I just hope that Carnival doesn't let these bands go. Thanks Mary49

 

No problem Mary. They are a very good band! :)

[CruzerDeb]

Thanks for posting such a great review! It brought back so many great memories and cruise-related feelings from my last cruise--which was the same itinerary! It's been far too long since I've cruised; I wish my husband enjoyed it. He has promised to go next year . . .

[Jamman54]

Thanks for posting such a great review! It brought back so many great memories and cruise-related feelings from my last cruise--which was the same itinerary! It's been far too long since I've cruised; I wish my husband enjoyed it. He has promised to go next year . . .

 

Thanks for reading! Time to get that next cruise booked!

[Jamman54]

Our last day at sea aboard the Carnival Splendor…..

 

 

We slept in late today, getting up about 9am. Looking out the cabin window, it looks like a beautiful sunny day, with very calm seas…..

 

 

Our plan this morning was to head to the Sea Day Brunch once again, but once we stepped off the elevator on deck 3, we could see that the line to get in was insanely long. We stepped right back into the elevator and made our way up to the Lido Restaurant for breakfast…..

 

 

 

After breakfast, we made our way to the casino to play blackjack for a few hours. We held our own, both of us winding up a little bit ahead for the session. Today was the 2nd blackjack tournament of the cruise. Using my free entry, I tried my luck, but did not qualify for the final table.

 

While I was participating in the blackjack tournament, Patti went up to the Lido Restaurant to check out the Chocolate Extravaganza…..

 

 

Here is the Chocolate Extravaganza menu, page 1…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Here is the Chocolate Extravaganza menu, page 2…..

 

 

Here are a few views from the Chocolate Extravaganza. What would you have?

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

We made our way to the Cloud 9 Spa to enjoy the T-Pool, and the heated loungers, for the final time this cruise. We spent about an hour and a half there before heading back to our cabin. Since we were too late to eat lunch upstairs, we elected to order some room service. We normally use room service quite a bit when we cruise, especially late at night, but for some reason, this was the only time we ordered this cruise. It only took them about ten minutes to prepare and deliver. The grilled cheese sandwich…..

 

 

Caesar’s salad…..

 

 

A couple of veggie platters…..

 

 

My favorite, the BLT…..

 

 

They are still using the old room service menus on the Splendor…..

 

 

Here is the breakfast menu that you hang on the door at night, for delivery in the morning…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Soon it was time to attend the VIFP party. As you all probably know by now, it is limited to Platinum and Diamond members only…..

 

 

They did not take, or even look at our invitations, when we entered. The party was held in the El Morocco Lounge on Deck 5 aft, and as you can see from the following pictures was not very crowded at all…

 

 

 

 

There were plenty of appetizers and drinks for everyone. As luck would have it, Neille, our bar waitress from the dining room, kept us backed up with the drinks of our choice! Live music was being performed by the Splendor show band, otherwise known as Dan Zagar & the Hungry, Hungry Honkers, along with vocalists Royce Nelson and Nicolas Whiteside…..

 

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Our Cruise Director, Malcolm Burn, was the master of ceremonies…..

 

 

 

After the usual video of the ships, where everyone claps for the ships they’ve been on, Malcolm introduced some of Senior Staff members…..

 

 

Captain Candeloro Donato spoke a few words…..

 

 

Malcolm brought up to the stage, and interviewed, the five Diamond members at the party….

 

 

We have sailed with Malcolm at least five times over the years, so he introduced me as his brother from a different mother, which got a good laugh from everyone…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

Malcolm and me…..

 

 

Our bar waitress Neille, with Patti and me…..

 

 

 

After the party, Patti went back to the cabin to begin packing. Knowing that I needed to stay out of her way, I went bar hopping to say goodbye to my favorite bartenders. Lol.

 

Soon, it was time to head for our last dinner at the Gold Pearl Restaurant. Patti started off with an order of the bacon mac & cheese…..

 

 

I started out with an order of shrimp cocktail, followed by two orders of the Portobello mushrooms…..

 

 

For my main, I had both the bacon mac & cheese, and the panko encrusted shrimp…..

 

 

To be continued…..

[Jamman54]

For her main, Patti had the zucchini & eggplant parmigian…..

 

 

For dessert, Patti had the apple pie with butter pecan ice cream, and I had the cappuccino pie…..

 

 

 

We said goodbye to our waiters Bernie, Daniel, & Evers…..

 

 

After dinner, Patti went to check emails and the shops before heading back to the cabin. I went to play blackjack for a little while, making a small donation.

Back to the cabin to put out the luggage. Seeing the luggage in the hallway makes you realize that the cruise is just about over…..

 

 

Our final towel creation……

 

 

Coming up next: Sailing back into New York, debarkation, and final thoughts…..

[hockeyluver]

 

 

 

 

Coming up next: Sailing back into New York, debarkation, and final thoughts…..

 

OMG that picture is truly heartbreaking~~!!~~

[Jamman54]

Well, it’s time to wrap this review up.

 

It’s the day everyone dreads…..debarkation day. Here is our debarkation information. Since we put our luggage out last night, Diamond members will be meeting in the Pink Pearl at 8:15 to debark…..

 

 

I love watching us sail back into New York. Knowing that we usually pass underneath the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, (VNB), at around 5:45am, I was up at 5:30. The first thing that I heard was that dreaded fog horn. I stepped out onto our balcony, and yes, the fog was like pea soup…..

 

 

 

Suddenly, The VNB appears out of the fog…..

 

 

 

 

To be continued…..