splendida: changes for china

I have just found this snippet on another cruise site from a recent traveller from uk:

Just back from the Splendida which was just back from a minor refit for the Asian/China market. Their idea of modification was changing the wine bar to a Dim Sum and Tea room (In name only), adding an Asian Fusion restaurant and adding some chinese language signs .

No mention of apps or the like.

Thank you for posting this, Andante! :)

I had a feeling that the Tex-Mex restaurant would be replaced with an Asian-themed one. :(

I'm sorry to hear that the wine bar is no more. It was a very nice place to hang out and I was looking forward to enjoying a glass or two of wine there as I'll have the premium package, so I would have been covered for their 'wines by the glass' offerings. :mad:

Elsewhere, CruisingFox posted (and I had found this out, too) that the MSC for Me app is advising that it's "coming soon for MSC Seaview and MSC Splendida". :confused:

The old wine bar - now called dim sum - is STILL the wine bar lol but just decor changes.

Large wine menu in there.

The old wine bar - now called dim sum - is STILL the wine bar lol but just decor changes.

 

Large wine menu in there.

Thanks for the clarification. Hopefully it'll remain as a wine bar for the repo. I'll live with the decor as long as I can get a nice glass of wine after dinner in the evenings.

I also appreciate the update in your review regarding the El Sombrero venue becoming Butcher's Cut now and that the Asian-themed restaurant is on deck 16.

Anne, I found a couple of interesting bits of info on that review. I've decided to post here, rather than hi-jack Paul & Ann-Marie's review thread:

Other than a few carpet changes and a fairly significant move around of the retail shops the only other point worth noting is the removal of charges on the snacks in the Italian area on deck 6 – they used to do Macaroons and cakes for a few Euros, now it is small sandwiches and cakes/cookies. (It makes for a nice afternoon tea).

This sounds like a very nice use of the Piazzetta area, though I was looking forward to indulging in some of the wonderful treats that were on offer previously, which were covered by the deluxe drinks package that we'll have.

Another comment is incorrect:

The Galaxy restaurant has been changed for an Asian Fusion, which we didn’t try.

Galaxy was never onboard Splendida (or Fantasia, for that matter), only on Preziosa and Divina. However, thanks to Paul, we know that the Asian-themed restaurant is on deck 16 in the same area that Galaxy is in on the other 2 Fantasia-class ships.

Anne, that sounds just like what I was looking for. We'd booked a ship's tour to the CuChi tunnels and Saigon, but we've been to Saigon before and really only wanted to see the tunnels on this trip. I can easily cancel the excursion as we don't pay beforehand, so no problems there. I would love to hear more.

I really appreciate this - thank you so much.

So glad I mentioned it...this couple are so genuine and create such a wonderful day you won't believe it. We were a group of ten made up of individual bookings from the millennium. I rarely enthuse about any tour, let alone remember it 2 years after...I see you have been before...for me it was the third visit and first time we had seen the real vietnam and got close to the people.

This is from the review on TA...there are loads more and much more recently on there under Best Tours of Vung Tau. He also has a web site which you should find if you google paul and sen rowe:

We joined this small group from a cruise ship docking (not so) near to Ho Chi Minh. Whilst the cruise ship tours set off for a 90 min plus journey to other sites(i.e. chu chi tunnels), we only had a 30 min journey. Paul and his partner Sen are a delightful couple whose care and attention throughout the day exceeded even the highest expectations. Paul's knowledge, which he readily shared, is faultless. He has combined professional education with personal experience which means he brings the whole tour to life in a very unique way.

We have never in all our travels around the world experienced such personal and attentive service. Water was in constant supply, as were icy towels. We drank refreshments with locals in an off the beaten (and tourist) track cafe, we saw all the promised features of the tour (see Pauls web site); we had a soothing foot massage followed by a magnificent lunch with enough food for three times as many people....lucky then that the local monkeys helped us eat it...what an amazing experience that was! Forgot to mention the freely flowing beer that was provided over lunch, and the vietnamese hat we were all given as a gift. We were on a four week cruise of the far east visiting some amazing locations: without hesitation this trip was the highlight of our trip.

I also know of another worthy excursion in Langkawi...cannot remember the name but could find it if you or anyone is interested.

= involves a small boat cruise visiting caves and all kinds of wildlife. Again run by very professional and competent people, one of whom trained in uk with David Bellamy. Anne

Just for now, I'm going to say thank you so much! I'm going to give this my undivided attention in the morning and follow up with you. :)

Bea, Not as easy to find him as I thought he has a tour company name of vung tau mai mai day tours on google. The trip has changed its name to take in a change of lunch menu but otherwise seems to be the same. Lunch is at the farmhouse, which I think is their own home....and looks like grandma does the cooking. He says it is $65 with the lunch...that is a full day tour (Q&A on TA). Anne

Paul (2paulrowe@gmail.com)has sent the itinerary and prices. Looks like they have gone up quite a bit. Including collection from the port he states it is $230 for 1-2 people and $90 for three or more. This is for the tour and seven course vietnamese farm lunch with beer. I am not sure if that means if he gets more than 2 subscribing or if it applies to individual bookings. Anyway sure you can find out. Takes max of 20 people. Also dont know how this compares with msc tour price....or even if it matters.

Anne - again, thank you so much!

Paul's tour isn't comparable with anything that other excursions offer, it sounds terrific and would really suit adventurous types. However, the seven course meal is a non-starter for me. I'm a hopelessly picky eater. If it weren't for that, I would say that $230 is fantastic value for a private tour - I can't imagine getting that anywhere else.

Would you mind if I posted this info on the Roll Call thread? There may be others interested and your research may not go to waste. Who knows, there may be some willing to share the tour. If I could get to do it at a lower price point, I wouldn't mind. I can also bring some sandwiches with me - I've done that before when on a full day's excursion.

I currently have "Highlights of Langkawi" booked with MSC which is described as a "city tour". They offer a similar tour to what you describe, but, lunch is included and I tend to avoid those because I don't like paying for meals that I probably won't eat! :rolleyes:

Anyway, I can't say "thank you" enough times. :hearteyes:

Thats a shame Bea...but please do what you like with the info. It may still be worth you contacting Paul because with him everything is negotiable. If I remember rightly he does base the price on how many people he gets applying, so anyone interested could maybe via the roll call could join together...or each apply separately...as long as he get more than three the price is $90. I also think lunch is optional and costs $20 or $25 so that would bring the price down to $65.

I dont recall that the trip we did in Langkawi did lunch.

I've just found the reviews for Paul on TA. I haven't got around to emailing him, yet.

The excursion you mention for Langkawi sounds very interesting (especially as it doesn't involve lunch LOL). Do you have any other information about it?