Splendor or Mariner of the Seas?

[KornuttleCruiser]

Hi everyone so trying to decide between Carnival Splendor and Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas for our Mexican Riviera trip. I am usually a little more interested in RCL but I can't help but wonder what Carnival's new ship would have in store for us. Has anyone been on both of these ships? Thank you!

[pppiglet]

I haven't been on either, but hear that Splendors rooms would probably be larger, Splendor has some great pricing right now, and Carnival's food is much better than RCL in my opinion. I would do Splendor before Mariner, but I will definately do Mariner some day!

[tovin]

Wondering the same thing!

 

A little scared of Carnival's party reputation, and was leaning towards RCI...but if people could give their opinions it would truly help!

 

T

[bobnsofi]

Each are new to our area, will will do Marnier 2/22 and Splendor 5/10. If one or the other, we would lean towards splendor due to the giant screen tv over the pool. sporting events and evening movies with blankets and popcorn are fun. As far as the partying, we have found if you go when kids are in school, then the partying is minimal.

[azbaby8062]

Wondering the same thing!

 

A little scared of Carnival's party reputation, and was leaning towards RCI...but if people could give their opinions it would truly help!

 

T

 

I too felt intimidated by Carnival's "party reputation" especially since I tend to travel alone with my young son. However, my first cruise with Carnival showed me that the "party reputation" was exaggerated or no longer accurate. I think you may still see that atmosphere on shorter trips but I really did not see anything when we sailed in June. We liked it enough that we are sailing on the Splendor in June.:)

 

Now comparing RCI and Carnival. I have never sailed RCI so I don't really have first hand experience. However, since I most likely would not do the things that are on RCI (ice skating, rock climbing, etc) it is not worth the extra money that RCI charges.

[sbwmail]

We have the same decision to make...Splendor or Mariner....we had a fantastic time on the Carnival Splendor during the summer in No. Europe...food was fantastic, service excellent, met great people, great price! ...Carnival has greatly improved and doesn't deserve the bad rep. that it has any longer....Our past three Carnival cruises have been excellent. We are going to take the Mariner just because we feel like we were just on the Splendor, and it's too familiar. It was our best cruise EVER!

[seblagg]

I had this dilemma too, but decided on the Splendor for a cruise in October. I just couldn't pass up the early saver deal. Weighing it against the Mariner I decided that the extra amenities on the Mariner weren't worth the price (just like pp mentioned.) Plus the Splendor is a brand new ship, rooms are bigger, I've heard great things about the food, etc. Good luck choosing!!

[Summers2Go]

Hi everyone so trying to decide between Carnival Splendor and Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas for our Mexican Riviera trip. I am usually a little more interested in RCL but I can't help but wonder what Carnival's new ship would have in store for us. Has anyone been on both of these ships? Thank you!

 

Hi there - We have only cruised twice so my opinion may not hold much weight here. First cruise was with RCL out of Florida - Loved it and we were "hooked". We were looking to go on a second cruise following year and recently took a 7 day cruise on Carnival Splendor. I too was hesitate to book with Carnival as I had read all the reviews that painted Carnival as the party ships etc. We are in our late 40's, early 50's and like to have a good time also but I am not ready to relive my college days anytime soon. I think that reputation may hold true under certain circumstances i.e - booking during Spring breaks, school holidays etc. & which ships you book - the older, smaller ships tend to attract the younger folks due to the cost maybe? Our TA thought we would enjoy the newer ship and assured me Carnival was trying hard to rid itself of the party hardy anything goes cruiseline - so we booked Carnival Splendor for a Dec. 2008/7 night trip. The mix of people and ages on board were great, I have no complaints there and our balcony room was very roomy. I do not consider myself a picky person but after day two - I was ready to get off that ship. Everything you may or maynot have read regarding the decor of the Carnival lines is true! PINK EVERYWHERE! :eek: Various shades of pink grant you - but yes - it is everywhere. Also, the food was just so so in my opinion (we did not try any of the specialty dining) Main dining room was good/not great (enjoyed RCL more) and the buffet got very boring after day three. I feel the buffet on RCL was much more varied and changing daily. Also - for being a newer ship the layout was not that impressive and very "cut up". We also are looking at a Mexican Reviera trip for October 2009 and the Carnival price is tempting compared to RCL - but I dont think I could do another Carnival ship for a 7 day cruise again.

[Family Man]

Hi everyone so trying to decide between Carnival Splendor and Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas for our Mexican Riviera trip. I am usually a little more interested in RCL but I can't help but wonder what Carnival's new ship would have in store for us. Has anyone been on both of these ships? Thank you!

I can let you know in about a month. We get to do 2 days to nowhere on each (Mariner this weekend, Friday to Sunday and Splendor, March 21-23)! :D

 

It will be nice to compare the 2 so close together. ;)

[Cruising Aussie Mum]

We are also trying to decide between these 2 ships! We recently went on a Royal Caribbean cruise and loved it, so planned that we would do Mariner - but now I've noticed the great early bird prices on Carnival + they charge less for the kids.

Since we haven't been on Carnival, I was a bit unsure - but it sounds like most people have been happy with their recent Carnival experiences.

Whichever one you choose, I will be eager to read your review. Good luck, I'm sure either one will be fabulous.

[AdamKnows]

I would go with the Mariner of the seas....really worth the extra money. I am going on my 3rd cruise on the mariner in 14 days. She is a beautiful ship with so much to offer. I was going to go on a Caribbean cruise until I heard the Mariner moved to the Mexican Riviera.

[andynlala]

Any more recent opinions on this subject? We are trying to make this same decision. We sailed on the Explorer and had the best family vacation EVER, but Carnival'sprices are very attractive.

[polyfan]

We were on the Splendor June 28th- we too had to decide between that and Mariner- we have been on RCL for the past several years- the Freedom of the Seas a couple of times and the Liberty. We chose Splendor b/c of price and wanted to have different food, since we had just been on RCL in April. We were very nervous about this, and when we got to the ship started having second thoughts about the Splendor. However, by the time the cruise was over there is no doubt that we made the RIGHT choice with Splendor. We would definitely book it again. The cabin was good, the food was excellent- with soo many more dinner choices on the menu than RCCL. The entertainment was nonstop and very good- We were very surprised and pleased!

[Beachcruzer]

You'll love either ship! :D I haven't been on the Splendor yet, but I've been on several other Carnival ships and have always had a great time. We loved the outdoor movie theater on the Liberty. I've been on the Mariner twice and it's my favorite ship so far. I'm also booked on it again at the end of August and again next April. It's a great ship whether you're traveling with your family or with your friends.

 

You'll have a great time no matter which ship you choose!:)

[poet_tess@yahoo.com]

You'll have a great time no matter which you choose.

 

Mariner is an awesome, beautiful ship, we usually prefer RCL just because their ships are so beautiful, plus we like all there is to do as a family on that ship. The main dining room is so beautiful and we had live music during dinner. The first time we were on her, they had the crooze comics who would pop up various places, and were hilarious.

 

That said, we have had many great family cruises on Carnival as well, usually the 7 day-ers are not rowdy. The music is loud on the pool decks. However, Carnival does a very nice daily tea, usually in the piano bar. Sometimes they have a classical music trio or classical guitarist. I'm on Splendor on Aug. 23, going with just my sister this time. I was attracted by their spa and spa rooms, since it's a sister cruise. We also enjoy tea so I hope Splendor has it. We are def. not big partiers, thing this will be wonderful.

[Velvet1153]

I agree that you will love either one of these ships!

 

Please don't worry about the Carnival reputation for wild parties! We have been on 6 Carnival cruises and it wasn't any wilder than the Royal Caribbean or Princess cruises we have been on! We have been on 3 day, 4 day, 7 day 8 day and 14 day cruises so I do have some experience with a variety of cruises.

 

We chose the Mariner of the Seas over the Splendor for our next cruise simply because we've done so many Carnivals lately and are ready for a change. But we do plan to do a Splendor cruise in the future.

 

 

Differences of the two ships I can think of off the top of my head:

• The Splendor offers the
  
  • Huge outside LCD screen that shows movies and concerts
    

  [*]The Mariner offers

  • "Promenade"
    
  • Iceskating rink
    
  • Johnny Rockets
    
  • Rockclimbing wall
    
  • In-line skating
    

You can't go wrong with either ship!

[crzndeb]

Wondering the same thing!

 

A little scared of Carnival's party reputation, and was leaning towards RCI...but if people could give their opinions it would truly help!

 

T

 

That is an urban legend...there are party people and non party people on ALL cruise lines...any short 3-4 day cruises will attract more partiers. I am 58 years old and going on my 5th Carnival cruise in a row on the Splendor in Oct. I have been on RCI before and will go again, but price wise the Splendor is a great deal that couldn't be passed up.

[Bruin Steve]

I know a lot of the Carnival faithful are not going to like what I say, but...

 

I am ready for the attacks by the Carnival faithful...but someone has to lay it out truthfully...

 

I have cruised several times on BOTH cruise lines including twice on Crnival to the MExican Riviera and twice on Royal Caribbean (as well as once on Princess)...I have also cruised both Carnival and Royal Caribbean in the Caribbean, once doing the two lines back-to-back...

 

And, obviously, a lot of this is my personal opinion and can be, as everyone's opinion is, somewhat subjective...HOWEVER, I think I am in an excellent position due to my experience to put forth a fairly supportable comparison.

 

First, Carnival's reputation is absolutely NOT an urban legend...

Carnival, through its pricing and advertising, targets the extreme low end of the cruising market...The typical Carnival cruiser ends up there because they've shopped for the lowest price or have been attracted by the advertising--which pushes "Fun" and "prices starting as low as___"...

 

The crowd you get is a product of how you market...

 

In addition, many in the travel agency industry steer their clients toward certain cruise lines. My travel agent, for example, told my parents she wouldn't book them on Carnival...not that she wouldn't be able but that she felt, right or wrong, that Carnival would not be a good match for them. Whether you like it or not, when travel agents steer clients based on that reputation, it tends to become a self-fulfilling prophesy.

 

In any event, my experience is that Carnival DOES cater to a more blue collar, "everyman" sort of clientele...

 

...not that this is bad...

 

Most Carnival customer are good people, fun to be around and gregarious...But there are a certain number on every Carnival cruise we've been on that haul onboard cases of cheap beer, stay drunk most of the time, make a lot of noise, act obnoxiously, wearing t-shirt on formal night, etc. Not to say you won't find these types on other cruise lines, just fewer of them...It seems the lower down the pecking order in the cruise business you get, the worse it gets...

 

So, even though it may be a small percentage on any Carnival cruise, it's enough to perpetuate the stereotype...Plus, the advertising and price point and reputation of the cruise line means you get a younger crowd--which, in some aspects is good, in others, adds to that "party crowd" reputation...

 

That, combined with the overcrowding, poor design and layout and terrible service we've found on Carnival, pretty much will keep me off Carnival ships from here on out...

 

Of course, that is also not to say that some folks think Carnival is jut fine...Everyone has different criteria and standards...Some things important to me may not be important to others...and vice versa...

 

I will give Carnival credit for what it does well...The food has improved drastically over the years--though the dining room service is the worst we've experienced (Yes, I know someone will post that they loved the service , but lest you think it's only a matter of opinion, on our back-to-back cruises, I counted the number of passengers each RCI waiter and assistant waiter was serving and did the same for Carnival...On Carnival, the waiter was tending to 1.5 times the number of people and the assistant waiter 3 times the people. The Carnival dining room had tables way to close together and relied on booths to fit more people in--which affects the service as well)...The cabins on Carnival are well-sized and have ample storage space (though of course, with tacky decor)...and, of course, the price is cheaper...or more affordable, depending on how you want to look at it.

 

That said, I absolutely love the Mariner of the Seas...It is a beautiful and well-designed ship with more amenities than any other ship in the market. BTW, I have sailed 9 different ships in the Mexican West Coast routes--Norwegian Southward, Royal Caribbean Monarch of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Viking Serenade, Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Elation, Sapphire Princess, Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas and Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas...IMHO, the Mariner of the Seas blows them all away as the best ship we've ever had out here on the West Coast...

[crzndeb]

Oh my goodness...the urban legend was a joke and you could have just said you prefer the Mariner.

 

OP, you might want to just stick with the Mariner, since you are familiar with the RCI product.

 

I like both cruise lines. (Sitmar still continues to be my all time fave)

[Jimmanknows]

As far as I can tell all posts here are very accurate. Really it comes down to your own personal taste.

I think in some ways it can be answered by "you get what you pay for".

We did a inspection of Splendor this June and we also did a 1 day sail to nowhere on the Mariner back in February 09. The real difference we saw between the two ships were Splendor is like staying at a Holiday Inn and the Mariner is like staying at the Hyatt.

If money is an issue go with Splendor, yes it is pink, but you will have a great time.

If you can spend the extra, I would say do it. The Mariner is much more elegant.

[sassyredhat]

Have sailed Splendor, and will be on Mariner in future.

 

First, don't worry about that "reputation", Splendor was not a rowdy ship. Food was good, service was good, cabins were nice, decor did not bother me.

 

BUT, that ship is HUGE.:eek: Not for us.

 

Didn't enjoy the embarkation facility--parking was bad. IMO only.

 

Pat

[Sandy Sails]

Pat, isn't the Mariner bigger than the Splendor? Also, I've heard horror stories about the Mariner embarkation at the port. The secret is to have luggage tags ahead of time - one less line to stand in. But I'm excited to be on the Mariner very soon - she's a beauty.

[SDPadreFan]

I know a lot of the Carnival faithful are not going to like what I say, but...

 

I am ready for the attacks by the Carnival faithful...but someone has to lay it out truthfully...

 

 

Your rants against Carnival are legendary, but they are still just as useless and inaccurate as they always have been. Nothing new, just old and tired.

[sassyredhat]

Pat, isn't the Mariner bigger than the Splendor? Also, I've heard horror stories about the Mariner embarkation at the port. The secret is to have luggage tags ahead of time - one less line to stand in. But I'm excited to be on the Mariner very soon - she's a beauty.

 

 

OMG, I don't know! :eek:

 

Since DH doesn't fly, I may never get a chance to sail RCCL. SOOO, I booked it last year with a CC group.

 

Well, we will see. :)

 

Pat

[Edeno]

I was on the Mariner (inside cabin) and it was TINY-115 sqaure feet I believe....I am scheduled on the Splendor in September, another inside cabin-says its 185 square feet. It may not sound like a big difference, but I did sail on the Carnival Paradise - also listed as 185 square feet and it felt MUCH MUCH bigger and more comfortable...seriously-we couldnt even use the toilet on the Mariner without the bathroom door being open! Just my 2 cents...

 

Eden in Sacramento