good splendor reviews??

[deena26]

I would love to read some good splendor reviews as this is pretty much our biggest trip ever and we are so excited. This has been the one thing we have been looking forward to. Most the reviews were good enough- to great -pre fire, and now all i hear is how bad it is, how awful the food is, how long the lines are, how you cant get served in the MDR, etc. Out of the 1000's of members, if you had a great splendor cruise can you please post about it? Maybe they need a few months to get the kinks out, but you will see a dramatic difference in reviews 11/10 and earlier compared to feb 2011 on. I'm almost bummed about it. Dont want to be on a cruise from hell...

[LitchfieldParkCruisers]

We went on the Splendor last year for spring break....it was awesome.....and now we have booked for September 4th and we are sure it will be awesome again...

[Alliezona09]

Was on the same cruise as previous poster~ March 2010~ had an amazing time~ staff was fantastic, serivce was excellent, entertainment was great, food was to die for and drinks were mighty tastey~! And I too have booked the Splendor again for Oct 2011~

[dolphinwyo]

We sailed 3/13. LOVED it! Can't wait to go again. Will try to post a review this weekend. No problem with MDR, lines, or food. Thought it was laid out very well to keep crowds down. You will have a great time!

[deena26]

Thanks guys!!! - would looove to read your review from march!! Just need some positive post fire reviews to get me all excited again.

[reefgeek83]

We're booked for May 1, few more weeks. But I can't wait, good or bad, I'm having fun! I'll let you know how much fun we had when we get back.

[dixonfivecruise]

We're booked for May 1, few more weeks. But I can't wait, good or bad, I'm having fun! I'll let you know how much fun we had when we get back.

 

 

Reefgeek83....Have you seen the Splendor May 1st thread?? We have quite the roll call. There are about 70 of us and we've even set up a "cocktail hour". Come on over....We're a CRAZY bunch and would love to have you join us.:p

[ChrissyBTX]

I'm also going May 1st. I'd like to hear from recent (this year) Splendor cruisers about the embarkation process. I've read that it is slow. Can anyone comment on how it's been lately? How about VIP embarkation? Anything else you can tell us would be great, too. I just can't seem to find alot of details on recent Splendor cruises.

[AberAlex]

I would love to read some good splendor reviews as this is pretty much our biggest trip ever and we are so excited. This has been the one thing we have been looking forward to. Most the reviews were good enough- to great -pre fire, and now all i hear is how bad it is, how awful the food is, how long the lines are, how you cant get served in the MDR, etc. Out of the 1000's of members, if you had a great splendor cruise can you please post about it? Maybe they need a few months to get the kinks out, but you will see a dramatic difference in reviews 11/10 and earlier compared to feb 2011 on. I'm almost bummed about it. Dont want to be on a cruise from hell...

 

 

Thank you for the post! I second your comments! I can't wait till my cruise next month, but it would be nice to see some more upbeat feedback in the review section!

[btorlv]

Went on her April of 2010 we had a great time. The food was great and so was the staff and the entertainment. We hung out with are table mates and have seen them 3-4 times since the cruise.

[jewel825]

I was on the Splendor March 27th sailing and had a great time. I was with my husband, two daughters (ages 7 and 9) and my parents. We had balcony rooms side by side on the Upper (6th floor) deck.

 

We flew in from Seattle the day before and had a non eventful flight. Alaska Airlines central computer system had gone down that morning but somehow we escaped all the issues with that and landed at LAX on time. It turns out over 60 flights were cancelled and over 150 were delayed due to their computer glitch but things went smoothly for us. We spent the day in Long Beach and stayed at Hotel Maya for the night. It was a nice hotel in a perfect location. They had free shuttle service to the ship the next morning.

 

We arrived at the cruise terminal around 10:30 and I have to say it was complete chaos when we were dropped off. There were passengers leaving from the previous cruise at the same time we were arriving and there were just big masses of people everywhere! A porter immediately came up to us and offered to take our luggage. He was very friendly and helpful but also told us that he was a contract employee and didn't work directly for Carnival so he could not guarantee our luggage would make it on the ship. Not very comforting words when you are going to be gone for 7 days and may not have any of your clothes! We took our chances with him though and our luggage did arrive in our room as promised. We figured out quickly that you either gave your suitcases to a porter or lugged them around yourself the entire time. We did see several people carrying their bags around. I guess they didn't feel very comfortable leaving their luggage in a non Carnival employee's care. Weird set up, but obviously it works since that's all they offer.

 

We then got into line to check in and get our S&S cards. That whole process was very smooth and then we were given a zone number and an area to hang out in. We waited about an hour and a half and then we started the process of actually getting on the ship. The entire time from being dropped off by the shuttle and stepping on the ship was a little over 3 hours which I didn't think was too bad considering the amount of people Carnival is dealing with.

 

We were in awe stepping on the ship. It's beautiful (and very pink which my 7 year old loved). Everything still looks new and it's very clean. I knew it was a large ship but it was even bigger than I expected. It took a while for me to get my bearings and find my way around. I used the casino on the 5th floor as my central point and from there I could find just about anything. Some of the stairways and elevators don't necessarily get you to where you want to go so you have to go up or down a floor or two to cut over to where you want to go. By the end of the trip, I finally had it all figured out!

 

I thought the food on the ship was great. I really enjoyed dinner every night in the MDR. We had the nicest waiter who was quiet but he really gave us great service. If I chose not to order dessert after dinner, he'd still bring me something that he thought I might like. Or if one of my daughters chose not to order a starter with dinner, he'd find something suitable and bring it. Just a classy guy that very professional but loved to have a little fun with us. Our bar waiter was awesome too. He made a point to learn our names the first night and found us on the pool deck the next afternoon and called us by name. It was nice added touch of personal service. We did not smuggle any alcohol on board so everything we drank was directly from the bars on board. I can see why people smuggle booze now. Those drinks add up, lol.

 

The food on the Lido deck was okay. I won't say great because the lines did often get long on sea days and by the time I had plates filled for both my daughters and myself and finding a place to sit, it was often cold. One daughter would want something from the deli while another wanted something from the grill (opposite sides of the lido deck) that someone was not going to have hot food to eat. This is nothing I can fault Carnival with. This is what you get when you are traveling with others who need a little assistance and then trying to gather all together to eat. Not a big deal at all and I guess we could have gone to the MDR if we wanted to. The variety on the Lido deck was nice and I never had trouble finding something for one of my picky kids. The 24 hour ice cream was a fan favorite with my family!

 

Camp Carnival was a huge hit with both of my kids. They were separated into two different groups which they weren't sure about to begin with but they both easily met new kids and were excited to go back every day. The counselors that work in those camps are so good with the kids and I only have positive things to say about them. One night they had a late night party until 3:30 AM in the 9-11 year old group. I thought it was crazy but my 9 year old really wanted to go. She had an absolute blast and that party was the highlight of her trip.

 

We hit Cabo for one day and Puerto Vallarta the following day. We had fun in both ports. My girls had their hair braided and it looked so cute. I loved all the shopping in town and the cheap buckets of beer. We didn't do any excursions in either port but did spend hours in both ports hitting all the main tourist stops. It would have been nice to having another port day and hopefully someday the Splendor will be stopping in Mazatlan again.

 

We did spend a lot of time at the pools on board. One day (while the kids were at Camp Carnival), we spent the day at the Adult Only Pool. I was warned about chair hogs and was pleasantly surprised that I didn't encounter any. When I first got on the deck I couldn't find any 2 chairs next to each other. As people got up, they moved their stuff so I could move around myself to get chairs side by side. After about 30 minutes of patiently waiting for people to move, we were able to get 4 chairs next to each other. I wasn't waiting on a chair being held by a flip flop or a bottle of sunscreen. It was a pleasant surprise. The Lido Deck had a little more of that chairhogging but not bad. The pools were never really that crowded (they were very cold so maybe that's why) but the hottubs were like "people soup". They were always wall to wall filled with people. I never even attempted to go in one. My husband loves hot tubs so he bought a pass to the special hot tub in the spa for $100 for the week and used that every day. He loved it because it was bigger, had some special minerals in it and the best was it was never crowded. There were never more than 3 or 4 people in it at any given time he was there. A lot of the time it was just him. Well worth the extra cash if you really enjoy hot tubs. He also would then shower up there every day. The showers had multiple heads and were much bigger than the ones in the staterooms. I don't think he ever even used the shower in our room the entire week.

 

The casino was very fun! My mom and I were in there every night and met some really fun people. It's actually a good sized casino and it never felt crowded in there. Plenty of different table games and lots of slot machines.

 

As far as entertainment, I only saw a few shows. They were good but most of the time, we were always busy doing something else and missed them. I loved the band that played out on the Lido Deck most days. They were a great cover band that played just about anything from the 70s, 80s, 90s and current.

 

Debarkation went fine - very similar to embarkation. it just takes a long time to move that many people on and off the ship.

 

I'd definately give this cruise two thumbs up. It has me itching to book another one soon!

[deena26]

yayyyyyy! Thank you for the reviews!!! My last cruise had 2500 people, this one is almost double. I cant really imagine how a cruise could be bad though. We have a balcony, we can always escape. Now I'm seriously considering the mud rassle room and maybe paying for the spa for the week. Sounds like a good escape when things are hectic. Just want to eat, drink, and RELAXXXXX.

[edjuljen]

Deena26

 

We sailed a week earlier - embarkation was interesting, but it was weather related and not Carnival's issue. It was rainy and the winds were gusting to about 50mph. We arrived too early for the given conditions, yet still ended up with Zone 8 boarding passes. This is the first time we were shown to the Queen Mary to wait to board. Weather was so bad we actully left about 3-4hours late and missed our fist day in Cabo San Lucas.

 

The ship is just beautiful - my husband and I enjoyed the Spa Pass for the week (after reading tips on this board) for $249. Worth every penny, as hardly another was there. Added bonus of body surfing in that pool when the waters are rough!!!

 

This was the first time we've ever gone into a Piano Bar on a cruise - we adored Chris Novak. Had lots of fun singing along and on this ship, no smoking in there.

 

We really enjoyed the Punchliner's comedy shows and Felipe (CD) and his staff are very entertaining. We won two ships on a stick at Trivia!!

 

Food was remarkably good...we do prefer the main dining room for breakfast (hubby can't get enough of Carnival's version of Eggs Benedict) and found lines at the buffet to be manageable - just plan to go before or after lunch rush. Our family had dinner at Pinnalce one evening - FABULOUS. The Pinnacle chefs also offer a culinary demo as an activity. Delicious and fun - they give you recipes to take home!!

 

I this this ship is magnificent - she's had her share of troubles, but is immaculately clean and staffed with attentive and efficient folks who indeed attempt to make your vacation FUN...you'll have a great time

[deena26]

Thanks for the mini review!! Yes, am planning to do the Pinnacle on the first night. Thinking we'll try some MDR breakfasts since we didn't know we could on our last one. Also pretty sure we will do the spa package for $249 since everyone that posts about it sais it is so worth it. I hadn't considered it until I kept reading over and over about it. Originally we were going to do massages, but the price is outrageous- so I'm pretty sure we dont want to pay that and then get pressured with high sales tactics. Thanks for all the insights!!!! Glad the food was good- after a 7 month pre cruise diet I'll need it yummy. hahahaha

[dolphinwyo]

Sorry still haven't had time to sit down and write my review. Wanted to add though that we had a spa balcony room so we used the spa everyday also. It is so worth it! They also ran some pretty good specials during the week - so you may be able to get your massage in for a good rate - watch for the flyers. It was so peaceful in the spa. I was resting in a heated tile recliner chair in one of the rooms, fell asleep for a while. Very nice!

Also agree with Camp comments. Best Camp Carnival experience. My kids never wanted to leave!

Will try to get a review soon, feel free to ask any questions.

[luv cruising 007]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=28694692 check this review out the very 1st poster is the OP & she linked it to her review & its a fair & honest review, check it out!

[LitchfieldParkCruisers]

Here is a link to our review of the Splendor back in March, 2010......

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=65004

 

I hope the link works.....

 

LPC

[floodcasso2]

My wife and I took our honeymoon on the Splendor and had an ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE time. Don't let people get you down, it's a fantastic cruise on a fantastic ship :) Check the photos in my signature for proof!

[Beckyv]

Hi

 

I just wrote this

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1395826

 

Embarkation i would have to agree was a nightmare.

 

However my parents had VIP and they said it was fine. They were on within an hour, it took us 3.

 

Sea was a bit choppy and it was cold on the 2nd sea day on the way back, but you cant control mother nature

 

Other than that it was a fantatstic cruise.

[Shadwick]

Reefgeek83....Have you seen the Splendor May 1st thread?? We have quite the roll call. There are about 70 of us and we've even set up a "cocktail hour". Come on over....We're a CRAZY bunch and would love to have you join us.:p

 

70!? :eek: Are you kidding me? For my May 15th, we might be lucky to have just over 10-15 people. :p. But we will still have fun. It's getting closer! :D

[stargate fan]

I would love to read some good splendor reviews as this is pretty much our biggest trip ever and we are so excited. This has been the one thing we have been looking forward to. Most the reviews were good enough- to great -pre fire, and now all i hear is how bad it is, how awful the food is, how long the lines are, how you cant get served in the MDR, etc. Out of the 1000's of members, if you had a great splendor cruise can you please post about it? Maybe they need a few months to get the kinks out, but you will see a dramatic difference in reviews 11/10 and earlier compared to feb 2011 on. I'm almost bummed about it. Dont want to be on a cruise from hell...

 

Just flew home last night from our 4/3 Carnival Splendor cruise. We had a fabulous time! The ship is very pink inside, but I loved it! We had a balcony cabin on the Lido Deck (9). Very convenient deck-the pools and buffets were steps away.

 

Swaying while sitting here typing, so I feel like I'm still on the ship. Yay extended vacation!

 

But seriously, our room steward did a fine job keeping the cabin clean and the ice bucket stocked.

 

I found most of the food in the buffet quite good, but I did not care for the Mongolian Stir-Fry. My meal was bland, even though I asked for sauce.

 

Dining room food was very good, as was our service.

 

Sushi was delicious!

 

For the first time in eight cruises, we had a problem with chair hogs. There was a very loud, obnoxious group of 20+ traveling together. We would go up on deck to the aft pool around 7:30 and all the chairs by the railing would have towels, books, etc. on them. People would show up a couple of hours later. These people were loud and there was not a minute that they didn't have drinks in their hands.

 

This was the second least smokiest ship we have sailed. (Paradise was a totally non-smoking ship back in 2000.) The only places that smoking was allowed, other than cabins and balconies, was the Sports Bar, part of the casino, and the starboard side of the Lido Deck. Being non-smokers, we were pleasantly surprised.

 

There were 900+ kids on board. The most we have ever encountered, even on a summer cruise. And many of these darlings ran all over the ship. We could actually hear them overhead as they sounded like herds of elephants.

 

There is lots more I can write, but laundry calls. If you have any questions, please ask.