Carnival Splendor 4 Night Canada Cruise - CruiseXLife's Photo Review

[cruisexlife]

We dropped the car back off into the lot. We had to cross the street and put the keys in a key drop box because the store closed at 1PM. I almost got hit by a bus here, watch where you're walking!

 

We walked back towards the ship. Such a beautiful vessel.

 

 

We reentered the terminal and got on the gangway. It was around 4:30 when we got back on. Jacqui wanted to go upstairs and read, and I wanted to it the gym. I went and biked for a while, then lifted, and finished with time in the sauna. The gym isn't all that bad. It worked for the trip. When I was done, I went back to the room and took a shower. When I came out, Jacqui was there. We headed to dinner around 6:15.

 

Here is a map of Deck 7.

 

 

We had a new tablemate. It was really nice talking to her and getting to know her. Our other tablemates were interesting too, but they showed up 45 minutes late and didn't really like conversation. I turned around and saw that we were leaving Saint John.

 

 

Until next time Saint John!

 

 

Since we were still on old menus, I got my chilled cucumber soup. YUM!

 

 

Tonight the waiters preformed Gangnam Style. Once they were done, we got some ice cream and then left. I forgot what I had as a main course but I know that it was good!

 

[cruisexlife]

Jacqui went and listened to some of the music in the lobby with some drinks while we waited for the sunset. Once it was time, we headed on deck.

 

 

Looking forward. New York Bound ):

 

 

Wake and sunset

 

 

I really liked how this photo turned out.

 

 

After the sunset, we decided to relive our adventure from earlier in the trip by hitting the hottub at night for a bit. From about 9-10 we hung out in there. There was a couple in there, plus two friends, and we had great conversation. I had been looking all over for the ship plaque, and I found it. It's in the steps going from Deck 10 to Deck 11!

 

 

We stopped for some ice cream and then went back to the room. Jacqui was super tired (she had a hard time sleeping the night before) and wanted to sleep, and I did too. We showered and got ready to sleep. Around 10:45 we had the lights off.

 

I woke up again around 12:15. I went to go back to bed when I realized that the Midnight Buffet was going on. I ran upstairs in my pajamas. I wasn't feeling any Mexican (didn't want my bowels to awaken me again later in the night) but I did get some cake.

 

 

I brought some back for Jacqui but she was still asleep, so I put it in the refrigerator for her to have later. 12:30, and I was fast asleep.

 

Next: Final Sea Day

[Kiran]

We just booked Carnival Splendor Canada cruise yesterday.

 

This will be our first Carnival cruise and we are looking forward to it.

[cruisexlife]

We just booked Carnival Splendor Canada cruise yesterday.

 

This will be our first Carnival cruise and we are looking forward to it.

 

You are going to love it. I will be done the review very soon. Feel free to ask questions, and I hope you enjoy the trip!

[cruisin4516]

Are you able to attach the fun times for the 4 days. Going on 8/20/15 and would love to see them in advance.

[pghsteelerfan]

 

Pghsteelerfan, I found out I did take a picture! This is a Canadian lucky Wishing Rock!

 

 

 

 

Just taking a little "break" today and just got caught up on your review. Thank you for adding the picture of the Canadian Lucky Wishing Rocks - those are really neat. I've always heard about how far the tide goes out at the Bay of Fundy but it was nice to actually "see" it through your pictures, which I always enjoy by the way. :)

[bubbles4ever]

Thank you for the review. I have decided that our October 2016 out of Miami will be the Splendor.

[cruisexlife]

Are you able to attach the fun times for the 4 days. Going on 8/20/15 and would love to see them in advance.

 

Thanks for tuning in, and welcome to Cruise Critic! :D

 

No, I cannot post the FunTimes, as I did not save any of them, and usually don't. Even if i did, I could not scan them. I'm so sorry about not getting them for you, I can try to remember when certain events were if you would like. :)

[cruisexlife]

Just taking a little "break" today and just got caught up on your review. Thank you for adding the picture of the Canadian Lucky Wishing Rocks - those are really neat. I've always heard about how far the tide goes out at the Bay of Fundy but it was nice to actually "see" it through your pictures, which I always enjoy by the way. :)

 

Thanks for catching up! And yes, they are night. You should try and squeeze in one of Sunshine's 4 nights next summer, or in October 2016. That is the best time to go. You'd only need 3 days off of work! :D

[cruisexlife]

Thank you for the review. I have decided that our October 2016 out of Miami will be the Splendor.

 

Thanks for reading! I am so ready to book on her again, what a great ship she was. it wasn't the decor as much as the design itself. I had a great time and cannot wait to go back. You will love it! :D

[cruisin4516]

Not a problem. Thank you for replying and enjoyed the review.

[Michellelhs]

I love your review so far!! I have been eyeing those Canadian trips for a while now but another one always catches my attention... I think becase they are so short.... maybe a b2b... hmmm.

Anyway, I was thrilled to see you went to tea! I love tea on seadays! It's one of the highlights of my cruises but it seems so many people don't even know about it!

We are on the Splendor in December so I am loving the pictures of her!!

[cruisexlife]

I woke up around 8:30AM, hoping to go to the gym, but I just couldn't. I can't describe how I was feeling, but it wasn't good. I looked over and Jacqui was reading a book. And once I saw the bathroom door swing open and closed, I knew. We had hit a storm. I got up to go to the bathroom and legitimately fell onto the floor. I think 90% of that was just having had woken up, and stepping up a the wrong wave moment, but it was bad. I hadn't felt this bad since the Enchantment of the Seas Hurricane Sandy After-party cruise in 2012! o:

 

 

After stopping in the bathroom I realized I couldn't brave this storm. Jacqui said it was okay if I went back to bed. I woke up again around 10AM, still feeling horrible. Half of me wanted to puke, and the other half wanted to enjoy my day. Around 10:15, I had convinced myself to get up, all in spirit of not ruining Jac's day. She said she was fine, as she ordered breakfast for the room, but I felt bad. I got my clothes on and headed to brunch. She had just gotten the breakfast, so she just wanted salad. I got a shortstack and some fries. As I continued eating though, I began to feel really sick. I didn't say anything but it was obvious to Jacqui. She asked if they could let us leave with the trays and they let us. So we headed up to the Lido to finish. I became better. Not healed, but better. We had a nice meal up there. After eating I felt better. Others had lightened up too, and were watching the recap of the Love and Marriage show on the big screen.

 

 

Here is a better view of the outside

 

 

We went back to the room to check out the FunTimes and really prepare for the day. We saw that the Chocolate Extravaganza was going on at noon, so we took mini-naps and then headed up.

 

 

I had gotten an amazing piece of cake, but it was too chocolatey. Jacqui had some stuff dipped in the chocolate fountain, where I alter got some more for us to share. It was very good! After eating, we headed on a rainy outer deck walk. We didn't take many pictures, as our drizzle adventure turned into pouring. But I did manage to snap this one. The rain and rocking didn't stop some from some hottub fun!

 

 

We headed back inside to our next venue, Deck 4, to join the gender showdown trivia! Here is the Black Pearl Dining Room.

 

[cruisexlife]

Not a problem. Thank you for replying and enjoyed the review.

 

Any time, and thanks for reading! :D

[cruisexlife]

I love your review so far!! I have been eyeing those Canadian trips for a while now but another one always catches my attention... I think becase they are so short.... maybe a b2b... hmmm.

Anyway, I was thrilled to see you went to tea! I love tea on seadays! It's one of the highlights of my cruises but it seems so many people don't even know about it!

We are on the Splendor in December so I am loving the pictures of her!!

 

Thank you so much! I love going to tea, it's one of my favorite things about sea days! I am so excited for you, you will enjoy her! :D

[cruisexlife]

We arrived in the lobby around 12:45.

 

 

Thought I'd get some lobby shots for you guys

 

 

Definitely not my favorite ship lobby, but I did enjoy it. It was still pretty.

 

 

I wondered why there were those black spots on the ceiling

 

 

Here's a better look

 

[cruisexlife]

It was around 12:50 and Super Duper Trivia was at 1. Arts and Crafts or whatever was going on was running late so we wanted to run up on deck to get some pics. One side of the deck had the doors blocked off due to the weather, but the other did not. So, we decided to test our luck and go outside :D

 

 

The slide. You could see the ship, but all around the ship was buried in fog.

 

 

(Not) looking forward (to going home!)

 

 

Looking at the sea. It had calmed down loads since the morning, but you can still see some of the swells. Now that the rain had stopped, we enjoyed a walk around the upper decks. Walking around a cruise ship through the fog is the coolest thing. On Glory during the sea days, it was sunny but 75, and if you positioned yourself right, you wouldn't get the winds in your face, making it okay to tan. But on Splendor, it was foggy and chilly. I didn't mind the change, as it was super hot as home, but be prepared for both, especially if you're cruising in June-August.

 

 

We headed back down to Deck 3 to join Super Duper Trivia. But, due to our walk, we were too late to join. We watched for a little, and then I realized I had yet to venture over to Splendor's award's case.

 

 

Out of any ship I've ever been on, Splendor wins by far. If you aren't familiar with her history, I'll sum it up. She began her service with cruises through the Med and Greek Isles, in addition to the British Isles and Northern Europe, something different for Carnival. Then she sailed across the Atlantic and was homeported in Fort Lauderdale doing the Caribbean runs for a bit. Then she sailed around South America over to Long Beach, and did the Mexican Riviera runs, with some cruises to the Pacific Northwest, as well as Hawaii. In 2013 she switched with Miracle and sailed yearround from New York to Bermuda, Caribbean, and Canada. She has also sailed from Miami on the Caribbean routes, with special cruises from Norfolk and San Juan to exotic ports. So basically, she has much more than the "First visit to Belize" and "First visit to Miami" plaques. Definitely make the visit over to the showcase!

[cruisexlife]

We went back and watched the rest of Super Duper Trivia. It was Girls V. Boys, and the Girls won. Shouldn't have gone up on that walk, I could've changed that outcome! :p

 

After that was over, we went up and played a few games of chess on the board on the outer deck. We had wanted to spend as much time outside as we could, because it was so beautiful in the fog. And the fact that they didn't need to turn on the horn signaled tranquility. It was tied, we each won one game each, and it was still in the air as to who would win the tiebreaker when we stopped. We wanted to go to Tea Time.

 

Tea Time was good today. We had a cup or two each and some snacks. Our tablemates today weren't as talkative and lively as the first sea day, in fact one lady did not stop for air once the whole visit. When she wasn't complaining about how terrible the weather and fog were and how they were ruining her cruise, she was sipping her tea. On Splendor, they would not let us either day sit at a table for 2, and I don't remember seeing anybody at any of them either. I may not have been paying good attention, but that kind of puzzled me.

 

After tea, we went back to the room and went to the gym together. We worked out for about an hour, and then both went in our respective saunas. It was refreshing and I felt very good afterwards. We went back to the room and took showers. It was now around 5. We grabbed our books and headed up to Serenity to read. It was weird seeing that the book I managed to grab was about getting lost at sea, but it ended up being really good!

 

For dinner tonight I wasn't feeling anything on the menu, so I ordered bacon mac and cheese with mashed potatoes. It was a very good meal, and I would certainly skip the regular meal again for it in the future. I forgot what Jacqui had. I had a piece of cake and a chocolate lava cake. They sang the sad song (My bags are nowhere close to being packed, and I'm not ready to go :() And we left. We then headed up to the room and immediately got into the hottub on deck.

 

Wondering the about obsession with the hottubs? Well when we went on Glory in August 2013, there was a mechanical problem, and every single hottub on the ship was broken for the entire duration of the cruise! This made Jacqui very mad then, but once we got on this cruise, it became an inside joke. So every time we jumped in the hottub, she would say "this is to make up for the Glory!" We got out when we saw the sun start to set. We went back to the room, ringed out our bathing suits, changed, and went back up.

 

 

Such a beauty. I will be back!

 

 

The sunset was not to die for tonight. But it was still worth the visit.

 

 

Even in all this wind!

 

 

For the rest of the night, we spent our time in the casino. I was up 20 when I decided to stop playing, Jac broke even. It was around 10, and we just got some drinks and listened to the live music. Splendor had a great show band! Around 11:30, I found myself curled up in bed, not ready to leave such a beautiful ship in the morning!

Edited August 8, 2015 by cruisexlife

[cruisexlife]

I woke up around 7:45 and was confused as to why self-assist was not starting until 8:30. We were debarkation zone 20, but both of us decided to keep our suitcases and walk them off the ship ourselves. Before going to bed I had done some packing, but I did 85% of it in the morning. Being on a short cruise and not having that much stuff, this was convenient, and I plan on doing it again, even on a longer cruise. Around 8:30 we made our way upstairs for breakfast after packing. We had our last meal onboard, called home, checked emails, and began to settle back into life. Once we were done we just sat for a bit, talking, Around 9:30 we left. We got back to the room and planned on waiting there, but we were asked to leave. That's one thing forgot! Our room steward was amazing. I never remember their names but I do know that he was one of the better that I've had.

 

We planned on waiting on Deck 4, but as we were pressing the button they called Zone 20. So we went to Deck 3, and disembarked.

 

 

The gangways at Pier 90 are kinda scary looking if you ask me.....

 

 

Goodbye Splendor, thanks for such an amazing vacation!

 

 

In the terminal, we walked right in, and got to breeze right past the bag zones and get in line for customs.

 

 

We waited about 10 minutes, were checked, and we were out. This was the quickest debarkation I've ever had. Back in the US!

 

 

We left the terminal, and walked up the street to call the Uber. While we waited I snapped this picture. It was really goodbye now!

 

 

The Uber came and took us to the back of Port Authority. There, we waited for the bus back to Newark Airport. Right when we got off, there was actually a transfer to the Crowne Plaza right there. So we got in and met Jac's car. We drove off, went to lunch, then went to her house, where I got my car and continued onto mine. I pulled into my driveway around 7PM, sad my vacation was over.

 

If I learned one thing this trip, it's that short vacations have no shortage of fun or entertainment. And as for the Northeasterners who think these cruises are a waste, you're really missing out. Canada is full of adventure and beauty, in addition to tranquility. Yes, it's different from the Caribbean, but it is still very much an amazing vacation. I would recommend anyone in the area to check these cruises out, and anyone who has never been to NYC to consider combining it with a stay in New York. I met a few couples and families from California, in addition to one from Nevada and one from South Dakota who did a joint trip. It's a really amazing trip, and I want everyone to give it a shot sometime! Saint John is beautiful, in addition to Halifax, and I've heard Boston and Portland are great too.

 

Thanks to everyone who tuned in and read the review, it's very appreciated. Now, I would like you to leave any comments you may have about my writing / photos. I live off of these reviews when I go to plan vacations, and I really want to make sure I am helping everyone to the best of my ability.

 

Thanks again everyone, and I now bring this review to a close. Happy cruising to all, eh? (:

[earthchild618]

Thank you! I found it very helpful as you covered a wide range of topics. You did not just focus on your excursion or just on food/drink. The pictures of the ship were great and I loved the history you gave of the ship!

[cruisexlife]

Thank you! I found it very helpful as you covered a wide range of topics. You did not just focus on your excursion or just on food/drink. The pictures of the ship were great and I loved the history you gave of the ship!

 

Thank you so much for following along, and I'm glad you enjoyed it! :D

[nybumpkin]

We were so close to Canada Day, but we missed it. I wonder if Carnival would ever have a cruise that would purposefully dock here or Halifax on Canada Day That would be so cool!

 

On our very first cruise 11 years ago we docked in Halifax on Canada Day. It was just the way the schedule worked. It was a lot of fun being there, although we left port too early to catch the fireworks. On another cruise we docked in Saint John on July 4 - which is humorous because Saint John was founded by loyalists who went to Canada during the American Revolution. That time we took a tour with a guide dressed as a loyalist and he had a great time reminding us of Saint John's history.:)

 

Thank you for sharing your review. I really enjoyed your pictures, especially the caves at St. Martin. In all our visits to Saint John we haven't made it there yet.

[pghsteelerfan]

cruisexlife,

 

I just now finished reading your review and have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed your others. I have a cruise that I need to be planning for, but here I am on CC enjoying reading reviews! :D It was nice to see a detailed review of a cruise to Canada. It really is pretty and the scenery was just spectacular. But oh, I was sure feeling the seasickness as you described your last day at sea. That was the same experience we had on Liberty in April 2014 when we did a western Caribbean cruise on her. The day we missed Grand Cayman was the worst, but probably not quite as bad as your experience. I'm prone to motion sickness and have always taken Dramamine, which works, but decided to try the ginger for that cruise. It did work, until that day when I was definitely feeling it. Good thing I had Dramamine with me as a backup. We heard from a few others that they were feeling it too. DH is lucky, he doesn't have that problem.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to do a review and share your pictures. You really take good pictures and I enjoy them very much. So, when is your next cruise? I'm looking forward to another review in the future. :)

[cruisexlife]

On our very first cruise 11 years ago we docked in Halifax on Canada Day. It was just the way the schedule worked. It was a lot of fun being there, although we left port too early to catch the fireworks. On another cruise we docked in Saint John on July 4 - which is humorous because Saint John was founded by loyalists who went to Canada during the American Revolution. That time we took a tour with a guide dressed as a loyalist and he had a great time reminding us of Saint John's history.:)

 

Thank you for sharing your review. I really enjoyed your pictures, especially the caves at St. Martin. In all our visits to Saint John we haven't made it there yet.

 

Wow hoe ironic about being there on Canada Day! Hopefully there is a change in the future and the 4/5 night cruises come back in the future, especially from Boston. That's always been a city I've wanted to visit, and a cruise to beautiful Canada would be a great excuse! But the story about the guide on July 4 is a good one! :D

 

Thanks so much for the words! I would definitely recommend a visit up there on a future cruise, but definitely in your own car. The freedom is great, and it's cheaper than any other excursion.

 

Thanks for following along! :D

[cruisexlife]

cruisexlife,

 

I just now finished reading your review and have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed your others. I have a cruise that I need to be planning for, but here I am on CC enjoying reading reviews! :D It was nice to see a detailed review of a cruise to Canada. It really is pretty and the scenery was just spectacular. But oh, I was sure feeling the seasickness as you described your last day at sea. That was the same experience we had on Liberty in April 2014 when we did a western Caribbean cruise on her. The day we missed Grand Cayman was the worst, but probably not quite as bad as your experience. I'm prone to motion sickness and have always taken Dramamine, which works, but decided to try the ginger for that cruise. It did work, until that day when I was definitely feeling it. Good thing I had Dramamine with me as a backup. We heard from a few others that they were feeling it too. DH is lucky, he doesn't have that problem.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to do a review and share your pictures. You really take good pictures and I enjoy them very much. So, when is your next cruise? I'm looking forward to another review in the future. :)

 

Oh yes the scenery is amazing. Like I said you only need 3 days off of work for the 4 night, and 4 for the 5 night! It really is worth it!

 

I left my Dramamine at home this cruise, I thought we wouldn't need it judging on my last Canada cruise. But I now vouch to bring it all the time and on every cruise.

 

Thanks so much for being such a loyal reader! I really appreciate it on every review. :D

 

As for my next cruise, I have no idea. 2 weeks after Splendor, I went to Europe for 2 weeks on land. Athens to Rome via Crete, Sicily, and Naples, and it was my favorite trip to date! I LOVED Europe so much. I also took a short trip down to Tybee Island in Georgia. Now I have to prepare to work again. As for the usual November cruise, my mother is having hard time committing to the cruise due to a surgery she needs to have soon, and I can't fins anyone to go with me. Hopefully I'll find a cousin or friend or maybe even my grandma (86 and still travels constantly!) to tag along. But as of right now, nothing. I'll find something though! :D

 

Hmmmm, now that Americans can board in Barbados, that Fascination 7 night from there with a resort pre-cruise is calling my name..... ;)