Carnival Splendor...Want Details

[degan]

My husband and I booked the Carnival Splendor July 1,2012. This is our first time on Carnival...have heard not so great things about the food and service. The cruise is an easy drive for us and is cheap so we are giving it a try. What advice do you have for first time cruisers on Carnival? Do we go with low expecations?

[swedish weave]

My husband and I booked the Carnival Splendor July 1,2012. This is our first time on Carnival...have heard not so great things about the food and service. The cruise is an easy drive for us and is cheap so we are giving it a try. What advice do you have for first time cruisers on Carnival? Do we go with low expecations?

 

We just returned from the Splendor (Our first Carnival cruise). If you receive the same food and service as we did, regardless of your expectations, you will be very pleasantly surprised. It was great !!

[westcruzer]

I have been on carnival many times and have yet to have any bad experiences regarding food or service. Just be prepared to see ALOT of pink on the Splendor. If you can get over that you will have a GREAT time.

 

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[kazbar]

As with most things, if you go in with a negative attitude then you will look at everything and find fault.

 

Go with the right attitude and I'm sure you will have a great time :)

[Whoo]

Food was very good in the main dining room, and at the Deli and Tandoor Grill near the aft pool. Service was poor in the MDR, in my opinion - a few examples: waiters never offered fresh ground pepper, parmesan, etc. for appropriate dishes, desserts were served without silverware to eat it with :eek:, coffee not served until you were through eating dessert, etc. I think it may have been the waiters we had at our late traditional dining, because we met a couple who invited us to their early traditional dining - and their waiters were great! We were disappointed with the buffet - the selections, and the hours it was open.

 

So, in a nutshell, most food was very, very good - and the service may be good or not good, depending on who your waiter is. Hopefully you'll have good waiters!

[Missileer]

We have been on the Splendor 5 times and have 6 and 7 scheduled. At first we didn't like her because she is laid out a little funny and hard to navigate. After you figure that out she is wonderful. Meals everywhere great to include the Steakhouse. We love the crew and the service is always top of the line.

Enjoy you cruise!!!!

[treasure4two]

I have been on carnival many times and have yet to have any bad experiences regarding food or service. Just be prepared to see ALOT of pink on the Splendor. If you can get over that you will have a GREAT time.

 

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**

I think you will love the Splendor,the service and food(not 5***** but good-no one starves or losses weight!)..

As far as the pink, unless I was thinking about People on CC talking about the pink-and that last about 2 minutes, I did not find it noticeable nor in bad taste.

Enjoy!!

[SadieN]

When we were on the SPlendor I didn't notice pink but I noticed circles everywhere.

 

Also be careful in the buffet area. Polished marble is not a good idea in hi traffic areas.

[FightOnRon]

My husband and I booked the Carnival Splendor July 1,2012. This is our first time on Carnival...have heard not so great things about the food and service. The cruise is an easy drive for us and is cheap so we are giving it a try. What advice do you have for first time cruisers on Carnival? Do we go with low expecations?

 

Go with an open mind.

 

If you look at my signature I was a strickly HAL guy, and strickly a balcony guy. I have 2 friends that had never cruised and they wanted to try a beginner cruise so I chose the 4 night Paradise cruise out of Long Beach. I had read these boards a lot before I left and I too thought it would be pretty bad,,but my friends wouldn't know and I will pretend it was fun even if it wasn't.

 

Well I have to say I had a blast. I am not young,,I was 58 on that cruise,,my wife is younger, my frineds older. So we were towards the older age on this boat,,vs HAL where we would have been close to younger. But we weren't ready to be on a ship where the things shuts down at 11pm and this was the boat. Its sort of like I grew too young for HAL.

 

Now there were tons of more kids then I am used to but the thing is,,I found that everything I LIKE to do on HAL I could do on Carnival, (but I think Carnivals bingo is fake,,,way too low of payouts for the money pouring in,,HAL gives back virtually everything it takes in) everything was very close. Dining a tad better on HAL, but not enough for me to say yuck,,,Carnival is horrible. Just less choices in the MDR but, at least 2 years ago,,everything was fine (HAL serves one extra course,,you can make up for that with 2 appetizers on CCL). I think the alternative places are better on CCL,,like the burger/pizza and HAL (last time I went) didn't have the Mongolian grills (my wife loves it) or the rotiserie.

 

One other thing I like are the shows and I think Carnival won hands down. My wife hates hates hates the shows. On the Paradise she felt obligated to go 'cause our friends wanted to go. She told me she loved them,,way better the the HAL shows.

 

I don't do swimming pools or hot tubs,,if I did there may have been a point of contention with all the chairr hogging and kids piling 3 layers deep into pools,,but when the kids are plugging the pools,,that leaves the rest of the ship for me.

 

So in about a month I will be on the Splendor out of Long Beach,,with my friends,,on a cruise that I could have taken out of San Diego with HAL for about 250 per person more based on the cabin we are in,,OV.

 

The only thing I really miss about a HAL boat is the walk around promonade deck,,but I found the Splendor has an outside deck right above where my cabin will be so I figure up one staircase and I have my own huge balcony.

[LitchfieldParkCruisers]

Two times on Splendor= 2 great cruises!! She got a bad wrap from that fire and Mexico isn't the premier tourist destination it used to be..but the cruise will be awesome and stay in local, public areas for your shore excursions and you will love it!!

Just our opinion...

 

LPC

[degan]

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I am feeling much better. I am eager to learn more about the ins and outs of Carnival.

 

I read it is possible to get "booked" in advance for the Captain's table, which we did on Princess. How do you email the steakhouse or John Herald?

 

Many thanks :D

[mondello]

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I am feeling much better. I am eager to learn more about the ins and outs of Carnival.

 

I read it is possible to get "booked" in advance for the Captain's table, which we did on Princess. How do you email the steakhouse or John Herald?

 

Many thanks :D

John Heald (not Herald) has blog on CCL website and is on facebook. Most people email steakhouse directly. Each ship has 2 letter code, usually first 2 letters of ship name. Splendor is slsteakhouse@carnival.com

[waitn2cruz]

I have been 5 Carnival cruises and I have to say the Splendor was one of my favorites. We are thinking about booking again this summer before she heads to New York next year.

[riclop]

We have been on the Splendor 4 times and have 2 more scheduled before she leaves long beach, which we are not happy about. We enjoyed it every time.

[mousey]

Good to hear some good things for a change!:D

 

We are cruising on the Splendor for spring break with the DH, DS 9(16), his friend who is also 16, and myself. Can't wait!

 

I'll be posting a review when I get back on the Members Review section of CC and on this board right here so look out for it.

 

1 month from today!:D

[love2relax]

We love the burrito bar and Mongolian Grill in the buffet for lunch, as well as the Indian food aft. If you can't find a table, go up one flight of stairs to the rotisserie and there are plenty of tables, as well as some nice chicken.

[cruisinJenF]

Splendor is my FAVORITE ship- I am so sad she is leaving the West Coast and plan to take one last cruise on her this summer/fall before she leaves :(. NEVER had a bad experience on Splendor- not in three cruises! Here is a link to my review from January http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1545786

 

Have a great cruise!!!

[LesPaul]

Just got off the Splendor on Sunday. I hadn't cruised since 2003 and was anxious about noticing the cutbacks that the more frequent cruisers have commented on. And I was pleasantly surprised. Overall, I thought the food was good, but I only ate at the specialty places at lunch, loved the Tandoor, Deli and Rotisserie. At the Deli, your food was made to order and the lines were much shorter. There was some slip ups in the MDR, dishes ordered but not delivered, wrong food delivered, but nothing that ruined our experience. When you see how hard the service teams work, for that number of diners, perfection is impossible. We were always offered fresh bread, warm and delish, our water glasses were refilled during dinner.

 

Our room stewards were great, we loved seeing them, smiling and greeting us. They thanked us for keeping our cabins tidy. They must see some messy rooms!!

 

We took one ship's excursion in Puerto Vallarta and felt safe the entire time, it was the Extreme Canopy tour. I'm 57 and went ziplining!! Did need Motrin the next morning...

 

We enjoyed the comedy club, piano bar and dancing every night. We only saw one production show, VROOM, the rock n roll one and especially enjoyed the lead female singer.

 

Leslie

[mousey]

Just got off the Splendor on Sunday. I hadn't cruised since 2003 and was anxious about noticing the cutbacks that the more frequent cruisers have commented on. And I was pleasantly surprised. Overall, I thought the food was good, but I only ate at the specialty places at lunch, loved the Tandoor, Deli and Rotisserie. At the Deli, your food was made to order and the lines were much shorter. There was some slip ups in the MDR, dishes ordered but not delivered, wrong food delivered, but nothing that ruined our experience. When you see how hard the service teams work, for that number of diners, perfection is impossible. We were always offered fresh bread, warm and delish, our water glasses were refilled during dinner.

 

Our room stewards were great, we loved seeing them, smiling and greeting us. They thanked us for keeping our cabins tidy. They must see some messy rooms!!

 

We took one ship's excursion in Puerto Vallarta and felt safe the entire time, it was the Extreme Canopy tour. I'm 57 and went ziplining!! Did need Motrin the next morning...

 

We enjoyed the comedy club, piano bar and dancing every night. We only saw one production show, VROOM, the rock n roll one and especially enjoyed the lead female singer.

 

Leslie

 

Thanks so much for sharing! Can't wait to sail in 4 weeks!:D

[mousey]

Splendor is my FAVORITE ship- I am so sad she is leaving the West Coast and plan to take one last cruise on her this summer/fall before she leaves :(. NEVER had a bad experience on Splendor- not in three cruises! Here is a link to my review from January http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1545786

 

Have a great cruise!!!

 

CruisinJen, I loved your pictures, especially the one of the flying Manta Ray. Since you just cruised this past Jan. do you know if they have fridges in the inside cabins on the Splendor? Does anyone know? I've asked this question several times but have gotten no answer yet.

 

Thanks all!

[cruisinJenF]

CruisinJen, I loved your pictures, especially the one of the flying Manta Ray. Since you just cruised this past Jan. do you know if they have fridges in the inside cabins on the Splendor? Does anyone know? I've asked this question several times but have gotten no answer yet.

 

Thanks all!

 

Thank you! Yes- there are fridges. Inside cabins do have them. Have your Steward unlock it if it's locked.

[mousey]

Thank you so much for your response.

 

Yea! I'll have a fridge!:D

[Psweets]

Has anyone who has recently been on Splendor seen any of the 2.0 changes?

I will be sailing the lovely Splendor in July and am curious if it will be updated yet.

 

Pam

[cardqb]

Has anyone who has recently been on Splendor seen any of the 2.0 changes?

I will be sailing the lovely Splendor in July and am curious if it will be updated yet.

 

Pam

 

No 2.0 changes yet, it's on the list for 2012 as TBD.. so no dry dock date set. Plus it's not getting several of the big 2.0 upgrades (Guy's burgers noteably)

 

Too bad once Splendor does get 2.0 upgrade and leaves the west coast that there will be no ships serving the west coast with the Fun Ship 2.0 upgrades at all. :(

[Winterstale]

Sailed her twice - loved her both times! Definitely hit the steakhouse -- keep you expectations in order in the food department -- remember that they are cooking for over 3000 people -- we loved the deli and the tandoori by the aft adult pool -- love the aft adult pool for that matter! We are spa junkies so we booked spa interior the first time and upgraded to a spa balcony for the second trip - loved both.

 

Just ignore the pink and the circles -- and the strange fried-egg looking things in the dining room - lol -- you'll love her - and in July? It will be hot hot hot -- probably even on your first sea day! Have fun!

 

I'm seriously going to miss having her here in SoCal :(