My Fabulous Carnival Splendor Cruise (9/1-6/14)

[cruise pup]

Just got back from the 5-night Labor Day sailing to Canada on Carnival Splendor.

 

 

In a word, it was fabulous. Really, nothing major to complain about. This was my fifth sailing on Splendor since December. I love not having to fly to a ship.

 

Our ports were Saint John, New Brunswick (here's their City Market):

 

 

and Halifax,Nova Scotia (here's their Public Gardens)

 

 

Except for the first sea day, when we were completely surrounded in fog and til 10:00 a.m. the next morning in Saint John, the weather was perfect (as you can tell by the photo of the Public Gardens).

 

The crew was wonderful. Everyone was friendly and helpful. My wait team were my buddies from my last cruise, Ernest, Made and Vedan. They spoil me. I told Ernesto if I boarded the ship and he wasn't there I was going to fake Norovirus and get sent home. My cabin steward was good but nothing above and beyond the call of duty, which is good enough for me. The food is the same menu as always. I'm not in love with it but I always found more than enough to satisfy me. I finally tried the new pizza on the last night and thought it was really good. Very similar to what I had in Rome. The new diet pumpkin pie is a lot better than the gelatinous mess they used to serve.

 

Entertainment was not my priority since I was socializing a lot and brought my iPod. I've seen most of the shows. I enjoyed the ship's band in the casino on the first evening. It was a disco show with 2 of the ship's vocalist. Dumb place to have a show going on while people are walking right by it but that's Carnival for you.

 

Getting back to the ports, when I arrived in the terminal building in Saint John I went to a greeter, Cecile MacLeod, to ask for directions. She opened a map to show and then proceeded to point out other sites I should see. It turned out to be the best thing. The walk was easy and I saw things that you would just pass by if you weren't looking for them, like this:

 

 

and this:

 

 

Most of my Halifax time was in the Public Gardens. There was a section with dahlias. OMG!

 

Edited September 6, 2014 by cruise pup

[cruise pup]

I said, OMG! This is not a dahlia but so unusual.

 

 

I know we don't come on cruises to watch tv but the selection has improved. They now have TBS and the real TMC (not the one with interruptions and tv shows). What can I say, it's great to have the tv on sometimes when I need down time.

 

I'd love to go on and on but I am tired from getting up at 5:50 a.m. this morning and tomorrow I need to be at a 4:00 a.m. so that's it. Just wanted to tell you it was a great cruise.

Edited September 6, 2014 by cruise pup

[bbt7244]

Thanks for sharing. We are doing the 7 day Canada/New England on 9/20.

[SMSACE6]

Thanks for your review! I have the Splendor booked for Sept 2015, to Boston, Portland ME, Saint John NB, and Halifax. I am Canadian, and have been to NB and Halifax a few times, but not in the last 15 years, so your photos of the market in Saint John, and the gardens in Halifax, have given me something new to look forward to there. I have never been to Maine, and am so excited to be going there, and have only seen very little of Boston, so thanks again for the good review of Splendor, I know that I will have a blast.:)

[JohnSpo]

Thanks for the review. Your photos look great. I will be on the Sept 13 Splendor sailing. I plan on doing a walking tour of St John and Halifax. I will pick up the local maps.

 

Are both the St John market and the Halifax Public Garden within walking distance of the ship? I would like to go to both.

 

Thanks.:cool:

[mizLORInj]

Agree! It was a wonderful five nighter! Tired too since I was up to see the pilot get onboard at 4:30am!

[cruise pup]

Thanks for the review. Your photos look great. I will be on the Sept 13 Splendor sailing. I plan on doing a walking tour of St John and Halifax. I will pick up the local maps.

 

Are both the St John market and the Halifax Public Garden within walking distance of the ship? I would like to go to both.

 

Thanks.:cool:

 

Absolutely. It's about a 20 minute walk to the Public Gardens and about a 10 minute walk to the City Market. At the other end of City Market is King's Square which is very pretty:

 

 

Not far from City Market is Trinity Anglican Church which has a beautiful carved German altar piece:

 

 

All of this is absolutely free which is a bonus!

Edited September 7, 2014 by cruise pup

[JohnSpo]

Absolutely. Both cities are hilly but not too bad. The walk up to the Citadel in Halifax can be exhausting but the Public Gardens involves limited hill climbing. You caen avoid hills completely when going to the City Market. You walk down Water Street until you arrive at Queen Street. You'll see Market Square (different from City Market). Inside is an escalator and then you continue thru a series of walkways and escalators which will take you first to the City Hall, then the Brunswick Center and finally City Market. At the other end of City Market is King's Square which is very pretty:

 

 

Cruise pup, thank you for the St John and Halifax information. I can't wait for this cruise.

 

It is great you had a fabulous time. Have a good sleep. You are probably tired. Thanks for your reply.:cool:

[sshs]

Great pics - we were on the cruise right before you and had a great time too. It was just our 3rd on Splendor since January, so you have us beat! Really miss Chris performing in the lobby.

[092306]

Several friends of ours traveling separately were on this sailing and had a wonderful time too. Didn't get specifics, but said it was great and a lot of fun. Glad it was for you too, thanks for posting!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[yankee04]

I was on the cruise as well. We had some of the best weather those two ports have all year. We were quite lucky with that.

 

I booked this as a last minute cruise for a dirt cheap rate. I basically would have been paying the same or more over those 5 days to live my normal life on land.

 

The Splendor is my favorite of the three Carnival ships that I've been on (the others being the Imagination and the Glory). I got to try the Chef's table on this cruise and that was a great experience that I recommend to anyone. The steakhouse was great as well. The 18 oz spiced ribeye is awesome and the free bottle of wine on the first night in the steakhouse makes it an even better value. The MDR is good as usual. The buffet is average at best like usual. The shows were mediocre. The comedy shows were hit or miss (one comedian was great, the other just made jokes about us choosing Canada as our vacation OVER AND OVER).

 

Nothing on the ship will "wow" you but I had a lot of fun and met some great people. To me, that is what cruising is all about anyway.

[sgttami]

Had a great time also on my 4th Splendor trip since February.

 

Weather was perfect, met lots of wonderful, friendly people including a few from these boards who were also traveling solo.

 

Once again, it didn't disappoint and once again, I still haven't eaten in the Lido!

[cruisetrail]

Cruise Pup, thanks for the report!

 

How was the food on the Splendor?

[10XCruiser]

How was the temperature on the ship and stateroom? I stay pretty hot (thanks to being a 50+ year old woman!) and don't know whether I should bring a fan. Leaving on Friday to sail this coming Saturday. My 16th Carnival cruise but my first on the Splendor.

[FSRoberts]

Very nice. I'm on the 9/27 7-day that adds stops in Boston and Portland for my honeymoon. Though rather than some nice summer weather, I'm hoping for some nice autumnal weather.

[DONDON55]

Very nice. I'm on the 9/27 7-day that adds stops in Boston and Portland for my honeymoon. Though rather than some nice summer weather, I'm hoping for some nice autumnal weather.

 

 

we are on the Splendor 9/2 as well.....hubby and I and my cousin and her hubby have joined us. second cruise on the Splendor, last cruise was Dec 2013.....food was good, service was excellent, entertainment was doable, had good luck in the casino, looking forward to Canada stops for something different than the Carribean.....hope the weather holds up for us !

[pirate4me2]

Great pictures!

[mizLORInj]

How was the temperature on the ship and stateroom? I stay pretty hot (thanks to being a 50+ year old woman!) and don't know whether I should bring a fan. Leaving on Friday to sail this coming Saturday. My 16th Carnival cruise but my first on the Splendor.

 

We adjusted the temp in the cabin to almost all the way cold and it was good. The man was a bit chilly, but it felt good to me. I wouldn't need a fan--something else to pack! I didn't find that I needed a sweater around the ship though evenings outside got chilly.

This was my first Splendor (though 15th Carnival) cruise and I liked the ship a lot.

Have fun!

[erewhon]

Thanks for the review.

Great photos.

[Cyber Kat]

Cruise pup your photos are awesome. Sorry we missed the Gardens in Halifax. I also love your architectural details pics - I usually take pics like that as well!

 

We were on this same cruise. LOVED it. The Splendor is my favorite ship - at least of the ones that we've been on. No major complaints. DH was disappointed that the taps weren't working for the Thirsty Frog ale - but I think that's fairly new - they didn't have it when we were last on in June 2013.

 

The weather - as you said, except for the fog - was fantastic! And I like fog - just not ALL day :)

 

Did you get to see the whales and dolphins Friday morning? That was the highlight of the cruise for me!

[cruiserider444]

I was on the cruise as well. We had some of the best weather those two ports have all year. We were quite lucky with that.

 

I booked this as a last minute cruise for a dirt cheap rate. I basically would have been paying the same or more over those 5 days to live my normal life on land.

 

The Splendor is my favorite of the three Carnival ships that I've been on (the others being the Imagination and the Glory). I got to try the Chef's table on this cruise and that was a great experience that I recommend to anyone. The steakhouse was great as well. The 18 oz spiced ribeye is awesome and the free bottle of wine on the first night in the steakhouse makes it an even better value. The MDR is good as usual. The buffet is average at best like usual. The shows were mediocre. The comedy shows were hit or miss (one comedian was great, the other just made jokes about us choosing Canada as our vacation OVER AND OVER).

 

Nothing on the ship will "wow" you but I had a lot of fun and met some great people. To me, that is what cruising is all about anyway.

 

have the chef's table?

[Traveling Wifee]

Thanks so much for the information! My husband and I are on the Splendor to Boston, Portland, Halifax and St. John in October. I am looking at the excursion to Peggy's Cove and the one to St. Martin and Bay of Fundy. Any input on those? Also, I appreciate your comments about the food on Carnival. This will be our 12th Carnival - we are content and don't complain! Keep Cruisin!