CBuick

That is ashame Bitter and Blanc isn't available on shorter cruises. That and the chateaubriand are the two things I miss most from the old menu.

I like the Splendor alot too. The food in Tandoori, the thelasso pool and the service were outstanding on my trip in 2014. I know alot of ppl complain about the pink, but I think the rest of the ship more than make up for it. Gonna miss that ship, though I know the P & O cruisers are going to love her.

I think that timing can be one thing, but there can be bottlenecks. The thing I like about Guy's is that it is very efficient, and quick. Though Mongolian Grille is a popular favorite, it is a place where bottlenecks can be serious in comparison because of the cook time for each dish. This is one of the reasons I think they have chopsticks on Pride instead of the more favored Mongolian Grille. The crowds for the Pride's Dining Rooms and theater exits are those are very large venues - larger then the similar venues on The Sunshine. The Pride is a narrower ship so those crowds can seem large.

So I think the crowds on Pride are related to the larger size of these venues, where Sunshine is the opposite. The theaters and dining rooms are smaller. One should still time things to avoid the peak crowds.

I was happier to see that the new builds are including a larger atrium, because some of the worst "bottlenecks" I witnessed on Sunshine were during disembarkation. My solution to that would be to rest one floor above in the theater and monitor the crowds as they clear out. Not optimal but a good work around.

Call me old fashioned but I really prefer the decoration of the Pride compared to the Sunshine.

I did the Sunshine last year out of NYC on a cold trip to Canada. That being said I can understand the mixed reviews. Although there were some design changes I didn't like, I really liked the food on the Sunshine. The main changes to the Sunshine (from the Destiny) is the aft pool was removed and the theater and mid ship dining room shrunken by a deck. The ship carries roughly 3,009 which is identical to the larger Splendor (sad that ship is leaving CCL :loudcry:). Though not painfully crowded, there were occasions you felt the 10,000 ton difference between the two. Disembarkation was a little tougher in that they didn't have the theater to queue. I haven't been on a Dream class or Conquest so I can't compare to those two. Some of the loudest complaints are from cruisers that miss the aft pool, and those unlucky enough to book a cabin under the theatre - which is converted to a nightclub late at night. The serenity decks closeness to the main pool is also unnerving to some.

I am probably one of the few cruisers that really likes the older "loud" decoration style of the older ships, so the design seemed a little bland to me. I like how the loud decorations can really force one into vacation mode. I also felt she could use 2 or more additional hot tubs. Design wise my least favorite CCL ship, food wise one of my favorites. We did JiJi's the first night and the pork belly is every bit as good as everyone says it is. The free drinks for the first night were nice too. The peppered beef is also a cool dish. Though I am not a buffet fan I thought the Comfort Kitchen was good change from the International themed Chefs Choice. The free pasta station for lunch was a treat, and Guys as always is excellent. I didn't expect to really like the Havana section of the ship but it proved to be a good place to grab a buffet seat, and the buffet items there were an excellent addition that helped me forget about the lost aft pool. My Father (who is a RCL fan) really enjoyed the Epic Rock show compared to other ship board shows. Despite the smaller comedy club size, we were always able to get a seat.

Would I go on Sunshine again? Yes - in a hearbeat. But I wouldn't use it as a template to compare for all Carnival cruises, as it is a very unique ship. Probably my least favorite CCL ship in all categories, except food.

I have done a few cruises mostly Carnival. I decided to give RCL a try when the Liberty of the seas was docked in Port Liberty. Fresh off of the Splendor a year before I really wanted to like RCL. The pictures of the ships looked great, and alot of coworkers raved that it was a "higher class" ;) line than Carnival.

In short there were some highs. The ship was def built to impress. My Father was very pleased by the ice show and the Kadota Figs. Those hot tubs that jut out from the sides were certainly cool. I felt as though the staff was a little unfriendly, especially one English Assistant Crew Director. With a rare exception of the before mentioned figs, and Congee available daily in Jade the food was a letdown. Didn't hit me how much I didn't like the food until I walked back to the ship in Bermuda and a sadness came while over watching all the restaurants close for the day. Despite the ships design the room and general ship cleanliness was an issue. It also seemed like everything was a little more expensive. I wrote filled out a long thoughtful survey, and didn't hear a word back. From that experience figured RCL wasn't for me.

Rewind to this year. Those Kadota Figs lured my parents on the Anthem. Though they had an okay cruise. They felt there were less entertainment options, but they really felt the pressures to pay for additional food and services - While it seems as though Carnival touts the value of their specialty value dining choices ($15 pp at Ji Ji) :D, Royal seems to match or exceed land based options - $6 for shrimp wonton soup at Itzumi :o.

So yes, RCL does have some impressive ships, but seeing myself on one soon. If not for my poor experiences with RCL, I would give NCL a go. For now sticking with Carnival. Looking forward to the Pride in October. It is a great ship.

BTW, if anyone can tell me where to get some good Kadota Figs I would be super appreciative. Might be one of the gifts I can give my Dad for Father's Day. :D:D