All Things Splendor

[DrivesLikeMario]

We did the 6/7/09 cruise on the Splendor last year, and there were a lot of under 21 yo passengers celebrating graduation. If I remember correctly, the Splendor did not have one empty cabin that cruise. Of course, this was during the Swine Flu reroute to Canada so the fares were rock bottom. Although, many had already booked the cruise before the fares dropped. I believe that this will be "peak" time.

 

That's interesting. I wonder how they booked the cruise? You have to have one person over 25 in each cabin if someone is only 21. :confused:

[HawaiianGoose]

Are they balcony cabins? If so, how did you open the balcony partition? Once open, did it lay against the wall or did the cabin steward take it away?

 

Thanks!

One cabin was a balcony, the other was across the hall. I don't know what would happen to the partition once opened, but I looked closely at the lock and it was very elementary and with a piece of metal I could have turned the mechanism.

 

Also regarding under 21. We booked our two kids 16 and 14 in the cabin across the hall this time. The carnival agent commented that she was getting warning messages on her computer, but she was just overriding them.

[hickorydickorydoc]

Great reviews and information from Brian. Keep it coming. I also posted a review from our cruise last August. Dated 8/2009 on the Splendor.

 

Some things not in the review, but worth mentioning are: bring a shoe organizer, hang it on your wall. We used it to store virtually anything that would fit and it was always at hand. bungee cord for keeping the balcony door open. hilighter for marking your carnival capers. suction cups with small hooks for hanging hats on your mirror. small collapsable cooler and tell your steward to keep it full of ice.

 

really liked the deck above the lido pool with the tucked away hot tubs. get there early to keep the kids out. really enjoyed the frozen yogurt. get a monkeyhead and use the booze you smuggle on to keep it filled.

 

have a great cruise. we are heading back in October and have the exact same two cabins we had last year. what are the odds?

 

Aloha,

Mark and Angela

 

You use a term new to me. What is a monkeyhead?

[Maxie Girl]

I was wondering the same thing. Never heard of Monkeyhead.

 

Anyone have recent Fun Times they can post?

[ccruisequeen]

I was wondering the same thing. Never heard of Monkeyhead.

 

Anyone have recent Fun Times they can post?

 

Here I am with my MonkeyHead- It holds a drink cup that you can use as a bank when you get back to shore!

Edited July 12, 2010 by ccruisequeen

[glrounds]

Hi All,

 

Considering the 7 day cruise on the 5th June next year.

 

Is this time "peak". And would we expect a lot of under 21 yo passengers.

 

Yes, a very busy time as school is out in many districts and there will be families vacationing. Carnival has a rule that no passengers aboard unless with a passenger at least 25 years old, so most of the under 21 year-olds will be with their families.

Carnival has an excelent children's program, so most of those much younger children will probably be in Camp Carnival. :)

 

Would you expect the cruise to be full at this time of year

 

Yes, although it wouldn't matter when as most cruise ships leave at 100%+ occupancy (they just discount the last minute to fill the ship)

 

We are coming from Australia so just need to know what to expect etc.

 

You'll have a great time. I've met many Aussies on cruises and have always had a great time with them. Welcome to America. :)

 

Thanks Mark

 

Enjoy your cruise. :)

[drisinger]

Redundant as this is....

Will one of you recent cruisers pls post your Fun News for me? I tried to print yours Brian, but they are huge files on my end and I am lost as how to print them?? I am bringing Mom (who is 80) with me on the 25th of July and want to give her some fun and exciting reading prior us leaving on our cruise and also so she can wrap her head around all of the "Fun Things" going on during the week. She tends to get a bit overwhelmed with all the choices and ongoing events onboard when we cruise. She can formulate some ideas when she has more time to think about all of this early on, instead of day of and trying to make decisions. This would be so helpful to us!!!

Anyone?

Thanks for your help cruisers!! So Very Much! ;)

DeAnna

Oh... by the way Brian~ I wish you would get a TV show, because judging by the way you write you would be a HUGE hit. I would give money to watch what I read, trust me, I could see it all perfectly word by word by word! Thank you for the wonderful review and hope your working on the rest as I type!:) Go Brian Go!

[lovestotravel22]

When we get on the ship if we speak to the MD will they give us a table for 4? We just upgraded to a spa cabin deck 11 anyone stayed up there just curious about the motion..Thanks again for all the great info ..lisa

 

We sailed on the 6/27 cruise, cabin 1115. We did feel some of the motion but it wasn't too bad, more of a gentle rocking. The first night I did wake up, but that was because the seas were pretty rocky and the glasses in our room kept clinking :) This was my first cruise and I was worried I'd experience sea sickness, so I started with the Bonine prior to arriving in Long Beach. I had zero issues with sea sickness the whole time.

 

Our steward was Boo Boo and he was nice. The cabin was a nice size considering there were 4 of us (me, DH, and our two small children). The motion didn't bother us, but there was a tiny bit of noise at one point one night - the cabin is right near the door that leads to the water slide. It wasn't annoying at all, just something I noticed.

[HawaiianGoose]

You use a term new to me. What is a monkeyhead?

 

Monkeyheads as defined in the earlier posts are carved coconut husks that resemble monkey heads. Inside is a plastic cup usually with a drink of the day. They cost about $10 with drink, but often run out quickly due to their popularity.

 

There is also a club called the Cocunut MonkeyHead Wasters Club (CMHWC). I don't have the contact info at hand, but search around and soon you will find them. It's a club formed out of foolishness and fun. They will send you a license plate with your state. Looks like this:

[markperth]

Enjoy your cruise. :)

Hi Gary and others,

 

Thanks for your replies, they help "set the scene"

 

Cheers Mark

[lisa e]

We sailed on the 6/27 cruise, cabin 1115. We did feel some of the motion but it wasn't too bad, more of a gentle rocking. The first night I did wake up, but that was because the seas were pretty rocky and the glasses in our room kept clinking :) This was my first cruise and I was worried I'd experience sea sickness, so I started with the Bonine prior to arriving in Long Beach. I had zero issues with sea sickness the whole time.

 

Our steward was Boo Boo and he was nice. The cabin was a nice size considering there were 4 of us (me, DH, and our two small children). The motion didn't bother us, but there was a tiny bit of noise at one point one night - the cabin is right near the door that leads to the water slide. It wasn't annoying at all, just something I noticed.

Thanks for the information..did you use the spa? I paid for an upgrade for this cabin DH loves the spa..How were the open balconies? I tried to book on deck 10 but no 4 pax cabins..I too have young children there school is closed the week we are cruising and they are so excited! Thanks again for the info..Lisa

oops one more thing did your children go to the camp? did they enjoy it?..

[viaggi_per_mare]

Oh... by the way Brian~ I wish you would get a TV show, because judging by the way you write you would be a HUGE hit. I would give money to watch what I read, trust me, I could see it all perfectly word by word by word! Thank you for the wonderful review and hope your working on the rest as I type!:) Go Brian Go!

 

Brian.....more, more....love your review and pictures. Thanks for posting and it looks like you had a nice vacation......very handsome couple too:D

[Brian2204]

Sorry Gang....kinda got sidetracked!! Should have the rest of the trip up by Friday.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Sorry Gang....kinda got sidetracked!! Should have the rest of the trip up by Friday.

 

It's almost FRIDAY!! More please. :)

[Brian2204]

Ok everyone...here's the final installment.

Thank you so much for your intrest and sharing our vacation with us.

Will be happy to answer any questions.

 

Mikure - Just show up to the cooking demo at the Pinnacle. Just get there early.

 

Day 4 – Mazatlan – Rejuvenation

Another excursion planned for today so it was up early again. We had decided to try breakfast in the buffet this morning so no room service was delivered. Once dressed we headed to the Lido. I’m not a breakfast eater typically, and certainly not any greasy concoction. With that said I opted for croissants and yogurt and RC had scrambled eggs and some sort of sausage and potato mixture along with Danish and yogurt. Once properly fueled up for the day we made our way to the gang plank.

Today’s activity was the Salsa and Salsa excursion. Once loaded onto vans we were shuttled to the Las Flores Beach Resort where we were seated under open air tents. These tents were placed between the resort and it’s pool with no cross breeze. Now, you know when the locals say that it’s an extremely hot day there must be some validity to it. As we were led to the seating area we were invited to grab a margarita or glass of iced tea, I opted for bottled water. The two ladies that presented the instruction were full of life and very enjoyable to listen to. It seemed as though they were having just as good a time as all of us. They began by teaching us how to make two different varieties of margaritas, then moved on to guacamole. The tables we were seated at had all the ingredients to make various types of salsa along with the needed tools and aprons and chef’s hats. It was all pretty standard and nothing that you couldn’t learn on the Food Network. Once our guac and a couple of salsas were made the wait staff brought out quesadillas and taquitos to enjoy with. It was now time for a break and we made a bee-line to the beach just for some fresh air. (FYI…after the break a couple of other salsa were made including a fruit salsa that was served over ice cream)

Little did I know that RC’s version of getting some air meant breathing it at 500 feet above sea level. We had seen the parasailers, as we approached the beach, being flown up and around and then landing back on the sand. You know that longing look a child gets on their face when something intrigues and fascinates them; glazed over eyes, slack jaw, faint smile?? Then you know exactly how RC looked as he watched the brave souls liftoff and land. It took no arm twisting when I asked if he wanted to try it. We handed over our $30 (this is per person. I’ve done this before so I was the designated photographer) and RC was instructed to wait on line. We didn’t realize that there were 6 people in front of him but the time passed quickly as we people watched and just enjoyed the scenery. I had spotted two ladies seated in chairs under a rather large umbrella and asked if I could share their shade. This was close enough that I could keep an eye on RC’s line progress. This beach, too, had authorized vendors. A simple “No Gracias” worked fine for those whose wears didn’t interest us, but RC had spied a seller of silver so we took a peek at his goods as RC was looking for a money clip. With the transaction complete is was now time for RC to get suited up for his flight. Another brief wait and before you knew it he was being schooled in all things parasail. I flashed as many pix as possible then settled down for his landing. Within about 5 minutes he was coming in for a touchdown. Thrilled and exhilarated from his new experience it was time for a smoke break. As we ascended the steps back to the resort we could see that the Salsa (food) portion had been completed and tables and chairs were being moved aside for the Salsa (dancing) portion. We dropped a $5.00 tip in the hat, grabbed our belongings and headed to the pool. This resort was nowhere near the size of PV’s but suited us just fine. In fact it was quite pleasant that the pool water was so cool as it was so warm outside.

The Las Flores Beach Resort is right in the middle of the shopping district; the “Golden Zone”? I think it’s called. Once we had cooled off we decided to take a stroll around the area and check it out. We found a cute little mall that lead directly to the beach, but other than window shopping found little of interest. Instead of taking the bus back we had decided to take a “pulmonia” back to the ship. These are open air taxis and are plentiful all around the shopping area. The pre-arranged price back to port was only $10 and after spending the afternoon in the hot sun and humidity we thought the ride and the air would do us well. And what a ride it was!! Our driver knew all the back streets and alleys but the one question I have is: Are there lanes on the streets in Mexico?? Now I jest of course, as once we hit the main boulevard it looked like any other drag. But getting there was an experience. At times I would have been able to reach out and touch the other cars no more than 16 inches away from us. In a big Cadillac this would be no problem. But this is a tiny little vehicle that is open air and our driver sure did know how to maneuver around all those obstacles. I do have to say, though, once we were on the main street it was a beautiful view of the bay and ocean. All in all we enjoyed the ride very much and would recommend it to others. (One note: Be sure to tell the Tour Leader that you will not be getting back on the bus for the return trip. On this particular excursion the Tour would have paid our taxi fare back to the port, however, we would have had to use their choice of taxi.)

At the port there is an open air mall that’s restricted to passengers with various shops along the perimeter and a small cantina in the middle with music in the air. Amid lots of hustle and bustle about us we decided to stop for a beer and peruse the shops and kiosks. RC purchased a small coin purse and I was on the hunt for a pair of leather sandals, huaraches I think they’re called. Naturally the only vendors that have them they are either too big or too small. Ah such is life! As we were enjoying our beers there was a guy peddling jell-o shots and making balloon hats for people. At one point I heard a young lady holler out “show me your di*k”! I thought I would fall through the floor until I realized that the shots/balloon guy had on an apron which was attached to an “appendage” (I refer to it as that cuz it was as big as an arm!!) the flopped out every time he lifted his apron. All in all it was a very festive atmosphere and an enjoyable place to people watch.

Back on board it was balcony time for RC and nap time for me. For dinner this evening RC had the tiger shrimp cocktail, cesar salad and ENTRÉE while I sampled the minestrone soup, mashed Yukon potatoes and beef stroganoff; again, no complaints. I was tired out from the day’s activities and heat so chose to call it an early evening while RC checked out the casino action.

Day 5 – Cabo San Lucas - Rest

Because we had been in Cabo just a year ago we had decided to make this our spa day and stay onboard. During our morning balcony/coffee/breakfast time we perused the port specials the Spa was offering and decided to try the “Spa-‘dulgence” package. This was an hour or so in the Thermal Suites followed by a back massage and facial. So off I went to make our appointments and, perhaps, a deal as well. I tried to negotiate some extra time to try out the Theralasic pool but no deal. Our appointment was at 11:00 a.m. so it was back to the cabin for more of our beloved balcony time.

We dressed in our bathing suits and robes and headed up to the spa around 10:45. Once all the appropriate forms were completed we were shown to the Thermal Suites. There are four of them with varying degrees of heat and steam. We were instructed to spend some time in each as it would loosen our muscles in preparations for our massage. These rooms are relaxing with heated tile seats and great views out of the slanted windows. We hit all the rooms and spend a little time in each finally settling on the first room which was the most comfortable to just hang out in. Shortly our Therapists came to collect us and we were each on our own way. Ria was my masseuse. She’s a small, young lady with incredibly powerful hands and quite intuitive about where all my stress was being carried. She worked the heck out of my shoulders but it sure did feel good. (Complaint Alert: Did they really need/have to put the massage rooms directly under the basketball courts? Kinda ruins the whole serenity thing they’re trying to impart). Then it was time to rotate so she could make my face shine. When she was finished, and after I had peeled myself off the table and dressed, she returned with a refreshing glass of water and sat down for the proverbial sales pitch. I only let her get a few sentences in when I politely informed her that I had been on the Splendor a year ago and had purchased some of the products she was trying to hawk (of course this is not true cuz there’s no way in he** I’m spending $200 on bath salts or face fufu!!). She was very respectful and didn’t push the issue; much appreciated. I tipped her a $20 and was on my way. RC and I were supposed to meet in the Spa lobby. I waited about 15 minutes for him before I realized that he, most likely, was in as much of a nirvana-ish stupor as I and had probably gone back to the room. Sure enough that’s right where I found him. This was the night we had reservations at the Pinnacle (steak house) and was also the night of their big show, Vroom. I had originally made our reservations for 7:00 p.m. but decided to change them to allow us enough time to eat, have a smoke and make our way to the theatre in enough time to get decent seats. With the reservations changed and confirmed we decided to make this a “sun free” day and mostly hung out at our usual haunt (Deck 10 Aft), in the shade, and people watched. We shared a plate of fried chicken, potato salad, spinach filo and fruit for lunch. Afterwards it was back to the room; Balcony time for RC and a nap for me. Refreshed from our respite, we dressed in our finery and headed to the Pinnacle.

The Pinnacle

A bit of background first; As mentioned earlier, we were on the Splendor in May of 2009 with my Dad. One evening we dined at the Pinnacle. In the steak house it’s customary to bring to the table a cart with the various cuts of meats and seafood one can order. During the server’s presentation she indicated that one of the offerings was FRESH lobster tail. I wanted to be sure I had heard her correctly and repeated “fresh lobster”? She replied in the affirmative. So I asked…”oh, does that mean you have tanks in the kitchen?” With this she got completely and totally flustered. It was a simple question really. Fresh is fresh…Frozen is NOT. Once it was clarified that these were frozen tails she then proceeded to ask me if I wished to order one. “No way!” was my response (I have a thing about frozen shell fish…yeccch!) Well I guess I rattled her cage so much that she never came back to our table and instead we were served by another. Needless to say my Dad needled me about this for the rest of the trip saying that I made that poor girl quit. However, other than that minor incident, our food and service were above and beyond our expectations. Superb!.

So this trip I knew what to expect…or so I thought.

We arrived just a few minutes before our reservation time and were immediately seated at a window table. (Again a small complaint; The Pinnacle is located on Deck 11 Aft. The ambience is lovely until some typical vacationer comes strolling by in their too ill-fitting swimsuit and starts peering in the window…honestly…totally blows the intended atmosphere and completely reminds me of exactly where I’m at…On a ship with 3,000 other passengers.)

We had already ordered our drinks from the person that seated us (it wasn’t the Matre’d) and soon Mary Jane, our server, approached us with the proverbial cart of display meat and accompanying speech. RC ordered the crab cake, lobster bisque, and surf and turf (lobster tail and fillet (medium rare)). I ordered the French onion soup, tomato salad and NY steak (medium rare). At this particular restaurant the Chef will typically make an amuse bouche; that’s really just a fancy word for an appetizer. RC’s was pea soup (it was ok…Anderson’s is just as good if not better) and mine was some sort of potato concoction surrounded in a sauce with drops of crème fresh and a dot of something on top. When I tasted the “dot” there was a virtual explosion of flavor in my mouth. It was really, really good and I was astonished there could be so much flavor in such a small (was smaller than a fish egg) bite. When Mary Jane came by to check on us I asked her what the dot was. She replied that it was only for decoration. STRIKE #1 As mentioned earlier I’m an amateur foodie and can be found most Saturdays watching Food Network for inspiration. From this I know that everything on the plate is edible (especially in a fine dining establishment) and is there for a reason. I informed Mary Jane that it was not just for decoration and she said she would check with the Chef. The response was it was reduced balsamic vinegar (no doubt made using some molecular gastronomy technique(like those fancy words I’ve learned from FN?)). Next up was the crab cake (forgettable) and French onion soup. I have made this soup many times myself as it’s one of my favorites. A basic lesson in cooking is if you burn garlic or onions you start over as there’s nothing one can do to mask that flavor. This soup was just nasty tasting. Obviously the onions were burnt and the soup had not been tasted. Two sips and it was pushed away. When asked I replied that the onions had been burnt and did not wish another bowl. STRIKE #2 The next course was RC’s lobster bisque (missing the lobster…oh yes and taste too!) and a tomato salad for me. Then it was on to the entrees. Long story short; RC’s fillet was way overcooked but at least still tender. My NY, however, was rare. And not just rare but “mooooing” rare and tough as shoe leather. RC mentioned that when he saw me sawing into the steak he knew there was a problem. STRIKE #3 At this point there was another table being seated and one who had ordered but had not yet received their food. Two bites and my jaw was sore. By this point I was soooo disappointed in the quality of food that I just wanted to bolt. Mary Jane came by and, obviously, noticed that I was not eating. I explained and showed her my issue with the meat. To her credit she did offer to replace it but by now I was in no mood. She stated that she would have to inform the Chef. I responded that that was fine BUT under no circumstance did I wish to speak with the Chef in the dining room (I figured that just because my experience in the Pinnacle sucked I wasn’t going to ruin it for everyone else in the place by making a scene). She indicated that she understood. Not five minutes later I spy the Chef and Mary Jane speaking in the middle of the dining room. Then he disappeared back into the kitchen. Well lo and behold not five more minutes later here he comes with a direct aim at my table. I knew what was coming and stood to greet the Chef (BTW…this was the same Chef that gave me the ingredients for the Mac n Cheese during the cooking demo). In a hushed tone I politely told the Chef that I had indicated to my server that I DID NOT wish to speak to him in the DR. With that he nodded his head and retreated. (Is there such a thing as STRIKE #4?) RC ordered the cheese cake for dessert and at this point I could care less. Coffee and cappuccino were also ordered. The cheese cake was a mile high and more than enough for even two people and the coffees were the best we had had on the entire ship. I did tip Mary Jane $20 and with that we were up and out of there. What is typically a three hour leisurely meal was whipped through in just over an hour. Actually faster than in the MDR.

Please, Please DO NOT let this one experience dissuade you from trying the Pinnacle if you have that desire. Our first experience was so delightful and this one not…but everybody has an off day/night and this might just have been theirs. If on the Splendor again I will definitely give it another go.

From there we headed to the Promenade and the phalanx of photogs. Had a picture taken then it was to the cabin for a pit stop change of clothes. From there we were off to the Spectacular Lounge to catch the big show, Vroom. Arriving early we were able to get seats 5 rows back near the center. I had noticed two signs placed on the center seats that read “reserved for production staff” so I figured if the staff is gonna sit here they must be pretty good seats so we’ll take the seats right next to them. As it turned out they were excellent seats but it wasn’t staff we were sitting next to; a couple of ladies who no doubt were VIP’s of some sort. The show itself was high energy and non-stop. I gotta give those dancers credit for dancing and singing for one whole hour solid. One minor quibble would be to change the shows at least once a year. We had seen this show on our last voyage and it changed very little other than the lead male singer and dancers. But all in all was an enjoyable show. Another room pit stop and we were off to the Morocco Lounge for the “Quest”. This was, by far, the funniest entertainment we had all week. Without giving too much away, the basic premise is that the participants are on a “quest” for certain items found within the lounge. Oh….and this is an Adults Only event, taking place at 11:00 ish or so, and for good reason. You would not believe the things people will do for a ship on a stick, beads and a couple of bottles of champagne. But let me tell you…we laughed our asses off at this one. It definitely was a DON’T MISS!! And I have to say that this was the only time we found CD “Goose” to be at ease, relaxed and off the cuff thereby being very enjoyable. We finished up our evening with a quick stop in the casino then off to our cabin.

Day 6 – At Sea - Regenerate

This was our last day at sea and had the Behind the Fun tour scheduled. After our usual breakfast on the balcony we dressed and met our fellow tour-ers (15 of us in all) in the Alexandria Library. We were greeted at the door by a petite young blond woman, who would be our tour guide, and handed a pamphlet with various facts and figures about the ship. After a brief intro we were scanned with one of those hand held security devices (you are not allowed to bring phones, cameras or walkie talkies on this tour) then let to the very bow of the ship. I think this was Deck 4 because we passed all the lifeboats on the way. This was the same place I had taken a photo of from the “hidden deck”. Once our photo was taken we were off to explore the bowels of the ship. Our first stop being the dressing rooms of the theatre and the stage. From there I couldn’t tell you what we saw next because I felt like a rat in a maze. It’s astonishing how the crew moves about the ship. Of course if I lived on the ship I would know it like the back of my hand also. We visited many areas including the infirmary, brig, crew and passenger laundries (one room just for bed linens!), crew, officer’s and Captain’s dining rooms, garbage/trash disposal areas, and of course the galley. Here was another AHHH HA moment. The Chef ‘d Cuisine led this part of the tour as he explained the various operations. I asked if he was the Head Chef a year ago and the answer was no. So now I had my answer as to why the food had improved so very much over the past 13 months. We finished the tour on the bridge with a visit from the Captain and another photo then made our way to the Pinnacle. Uh Oh…I’ll give you one guess who was addressing us in the steak house…That’s right…my buddy the Chef who gave me the Mac n Cheese ingredients and who also mis-cooked my steak. Now I don’t know if he recognized me or not but I kept a low profile nonetheless. We finished our tour in the restaurant itself and were served our choice of mimosas, champagne or OJ. Some final Q and A’s and then we were given our swag bags; BTF bag, BTF hat, lanyard, one of those plastic/rubber bracelets, and a carved soap in the shape of a swan (During the galley portion of the tour we were introduced to two chef’s whose only job was to carve fruit. One of these gentlemen was the same person who had done the ice carving demo earlier in the week and was the same figurine…now, do you think a delicate carved bar of soap made it home in one piece? NOT). I also kept our VIP passes that allowed us full ship access. These were supposed to be turned in but no one ever came to get ours (ooops…I guess I shouldn’t have admitted that…blush).

After a quick pit/cabin stop to drop off our loot we made our way to the shops to see what great bargains we could find. RC was in search of a sweatshirt and I wanted to purchase a couple of bottles of liquor (Biggest bargains of the trip? booze and cigarettes). From there it was to the Lido buffet for a bite to eat; rotisserie chicken, mac n cheese, spinach soup and a burrito. And of course ending at Deck 10 Aft for a smoke. This was the second day for Tea and since we had nothing pressing on our agenda we gave it a second go. Was as good as the first time but upon exiting the Gold Pearl I realized that the soft piano music that had been playing in the background was being played by a live human being. I had just presumed it was either muzak or a player piano, but once I realized it was live it just added that much more to the experience. From there it was back to the cabin to begin the arduous and sad task of packing. Now I don’t know how this happens because I brought one whole extra suitcase filled with soda and snacks, but I had a hell of a time getting everything to fit as it had before, even with an extra bag!! Considering we really didn’t buy a whole lotta happy crap the task was a challenge to be sure. By this time lunch had settled and RC was feeling peckish so off he went to grab a hamburger and a hot dog. These were food items that RC had been eyeing all week long but never got a chance to try. His verdict was he should have waited till we got to the nearest In and Out. Even though both were freshly cooked he thought the taste just wasn’t there…even all dressed up. But to be perfectly honest, if that was the worst of the food we had on this trip then we couldn’t complain.

With packing done we spent a little balcony time before heading down to dinner. Tonight’s dinner was the best we had in the MDR and that’s saying a lot considering we thought all the meals we had had in the MDR up to this point to be excellent. RC had lobster bisque (way better than the Pinnacle) and the prime rib (cooked correctly). I had the navy bean soup, fruit salad and flat iron steak (again cooked correctly). We both finished up with a soufflé for dessert. Awesome! One last stop at the casino (had to drain the rest of the cash from my S&S card..wink, wink) then off to the cabin.

Day 7 – Debarkation

Once again up early for RS breakfast. We had been assigned group 30-something so we knew it would be a while before our number was called. We finished up any last minute packing and just hung out keeping an ear to the announcements that were being made. I had stepped out to the balcony earlier to see emergency vehicles parked at the port and a stretcher being brought on the ship. I never did find out what was up, but was most likely responsible for the late debarkation. At 9:30 a.m. announcements came over ALL the speakers (in room cabins too) that everyone should make their way to Deck 3. We obliged and made our way down to the theatre by 10:00 a.m. Not a ton of people, but enough to fill about half of the bottom seating area. Finally around 10:30 a.m. all final group numbers were called and we were soon on our way back to the Bay Area.

[Brian2204]

Reading back I'm realizing I missed a few things...

 

In addition to the aforementiond BTF swag we were also surprised with a plate of sweet treats (pastries and choc covered strawberrys) upon returning to our room. Later that evening two photos for each of us were delivered to our room; one from the bow of the ship, the other on the bridge.

 

Also forgot to mention how worth it was to take this tour...at least once. Everything we saw and learned was truly facinating. Though I wouldn't take the tour a second time.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Thank you, Brian! So good to get to read the rest of your review. :)

 

We have reservations at the Pinnacle, so I'm hoping our experience will be better than yours. I've heard mixed reviews, but willing to give it a try.

 

I appreciate all the detail you included and glad you enjoyed your cruise. We're counting down the days--36 to go!--and can't wait!

 

Thanks so much!!

 

:D

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Thank you Brian, great review! I wish December would hurry up and get here so I can go on my cruise. I think I might get a day pass to the spa. Did you go in the relaxation room?

[livingnow1]

Hi Everyone, Can you tell me are there DVD players in the staterooms. Thanks

[Ltonjn]

Brian,

 

Thank you so much for the wealth of information that you shared with us. I have been reading posts about this ship for over a year and have found your to be the most help. I am glad that you enjoyed your cruise and hope that October comes quickly. We are traveling with 21 family members but hopefully we will be able to enjoy alittle balcony time once in a while.

 

Lisa

[dominichunter]

Hi Everyone, Can you tell me are there DVD players in the staterooms. Thanks

No... You can bring your own.

[drisinger]

Brian,

Next Sunday our group of 12 sets out on the Splendor!

I have such better insight of the things I can do, eat and just so much more because of the bang up job you did here! This was a lot of work and time vested by you and there are so many that will be benifiting from it, I just can't imagine how many! You are one amazing man for so throughly sharing your experiences aboard the Splendor with us all on Cruise Critic! Fabulous effort and extremely appreciated by me!!

Best Wishes to you and RC!

Happy trails and happy cruising in all your days ahead! :)

DeAnna

[IslandToIsland]

Wondering if some of you can help me out. I was just reading some reviews over on the Mexican Riviera board and there are a few that talk about the water being dirty, contaminated, and murky looking. Particularly in Puerto Vallarta. I am still in the deciding stages of booking and was looking into Las Caletas in PV. After reading reviews, not so sure. Has anyone ever experienced this on any of the beaches in Cabo, PV, or Mazatlan?

Edited July 18, 2010 by froggy4

[Brian2204]

To all of you who found our travel journal helpful...you are more than welcome!! Though to be perfectly honest it was written more so that we could reminice (sp?) and remember details that are usually forgotten.

 

mssocalcruiser...I'm not sure what "relaxation room" you are referring to, however, we did visit all 4 of the Thermal Suites. Check out my journal at Day 5-Cabo

 

We had originnal planned on getting a week pass to the spa, but upon reflection are glad we didn't. The "hot tub" in the spa is no better/worse that the one's on the ship other than they are less crowded. As to the Thermal Suites...one day was enough considering the price for a week or even a day pass ($35-$40).

 

frogg14...One thing I didn't include in my journal was that at PV there was a large pipe coming out of the ground at just about the shoreline. There was some NASTY lookin water coming out of it flowing right into the ocean. There was a sign next to the pipe indicating that it was reclaimed water and not toxic in any way. But it sure didn't entice me to get into the water. Matz water was fine and clear. We didn't go ashore at Cabo.

[tea4ular]

Can you tell us what the cost was for the BTF tour?

 

In 2002 we did on on a RCCI ship, that was free. I understand Carnival charges.

 

Thanks in advance!