Splendor 10-30-16 Review

[funinthesun1964]

Embarkation has been a mess on most of my more recent sailings. You should've seen it at Port Canaveral last fall for the Sunshine Journeys that was also a Premier cruise! So many Plat/Diamonds on the Journey sailings plus the FTTF plus the Premier. There, they also simply put up "Priority Boarding" on the overhead monitors and there were hundreds stampeding to board.

 

I'm slowly approaching Diamond (I'm at 171 days) but really doubt that I'll go out of my way to get there. Priority boarding was one of the few things I actually appreciated having as a perk. I don't use the free laundry. There are so few tender ports that getting an early tender isn't much of a benefit. I asked them to not deliver the chocolates but they did anyway.

 

Yes, I did enjoy the ports (except for that fear of drowning thing!).

 

And now I'm sick. I used to get sick at the end of every cruise but hadn't in quite a long time. Got sick while on Vista (which really was unfortunate but many, many people did and we all seemed to stay sick for weeks; it was a very nasty virus). At least I've gotten my land legs back under me! :D

 

Heading over to look through your photos now.

 

I think the embarkation problem is the fault of the premier cruisers. It clogs up the embarkation process and they all take up alot of space. So all of you premier cruisers, quit cruising! LOL, just kidding of course :D

 

I am sorry that you are sick, I worried that I would catch a virus or something too, seems that I do about 50% of the time. Luckily, I am healthy as of today. Hope you recover quickly.

[HectorAchilleus]

Embarkation has been a mess on most of my more recent sailings. You should've seen it at Port Canaveral last fall for the Sunshine Journeys that was also a Premier cruise! So many Plat/Diamonds on the Journey sailings plus the FTTF plus the Premier. There, they also simply put up "Priority Boarding" on the overhead monitors and there were hundreds stampeding to board.

 

I'm slowly approaching Diamond (I'm at 171 days) but really doubt that I'll go out of my way to get there. Priority boarding was one of the few things I actually appreciated having as a perk. I don't use the free laundry. There are so few tender ports that getting an early tender isn't much of a benefit. I asked them to not deliver the chocolates but they did anyway.

 

Yes, I did enjoy the ports (except for that fear of drowning thing!).

 

And now I'm sick. I used to get sick at the end of every cruise but hadn't in quite a long time. Got sick while on Vista (which really was unfortunate but many, many people did and we all seemed to stay sick for weeks; it was a very nasty virus). At least I've gotten my land legs back under me! :D

 

Heading over to look through your photos now.

 

I have experienced similar boarding problems. Miami seems to be one of the worst. On our last two cruises that just announced for Priority and it was like the running of the bulls! I felt bad for an elderly Diamond couple who were pushed to the back of the line. There was an incredible number of red & blue cards in priority.

 

Same thing for tendering. Not sure how many they sold, but it was a lot.

[NCTribeFan]

Well, I'm at home today, sick. :mad:

 

The Premier people do add a lot to the boarding congestion. But, it would be nice if the employees would follow the procedure. I guess that's asking too much.

 

I had a ship excursion in Grand Cayman so didn't use the priority tender option there. Since I've been Platinum (15 cruises ago), I think I've only had priority tender 2 or 3 times, all at HMC.

 

On Pride, when FTTF was fairly new, I actually had to yell at the blue-card FTTF people who were pushing and shoving as we were led down to the tender. Told them to STOP IT! WE'LL ALL GET ON THE TENDER SO BACK OFF!! Sure enough, we were boarded and then sat there and waited while they led down other groups. Sheesh, people. Just chill! :p

[d12j28]

How was the "Premiere" part of the cruise? I noticed you said you didn't get a list in the beginning of activities. I'm assuming you did eventually? Did they have a lot of drawings? Tournaments? Gifts? On our last cruise we got the DOU cards (even though we had cheers) and got served quite quickly as compared to when we didn't have them.

[NCTribeFan]

I did ask for the list while at the welcome cocktail party, although there were a couple of things listed that ended up being at slightly different times and if you weren't in the casino when that was announced, you might have missed something.

 

There was the usual Hot Seat, ping pong game, the premier-only slot tournament (for which I did not qualify (first time that's happened!)), and the daily snowball raffle. There were some other things but I think they were open to everyone.

 

Gift was the beach towel. I really had to work to get my bag to close to go home! I'd even taken out several items before I left the house to be sure I'd have room for my gift and I still had a struggle to zip it up.

 

Got chocolates one night and a bottle of Chandon Brut.

[jimbo5544]

Nice review and pic, thanks for doing it.

[NCTribeFan]

I write reviews (usually much more in-depth than this) partly to just memorialize the cruise for my own benefit. After so many cruises over the past few years, they become one big blur! I really enjoy reading other's reviews and just try to be objective and get my impressions out there.

 

When I'm booked on a ship I've already sailed, or doing an itinerary I've already done, I go back and re-read my reviews. Amazing how much I forget. And it gives me a reference point for comparison purposes.

 

I'm hoping that sailing HAL again will freshen things up a bit. I keep thinking I need to do other types of vacations but when I start to price them, I realize I can cruise twice for what one land vacation will cost me. And it truly is like an addiction. ;)

[d12j28]

I did ask for the list while at the welcome cocktail party, although there were a couple of things listed that ended up being at slightly different times and if you weren't in the casino when that was announced, you might have missed something.

 

There was the usual Hot Seat, ping pong game, the premier-only slot tournament (for which I did not qualify (first time that's happened!)), and the daily snowball raffle. There were some other things but I think they were open to everyone.

 

Gift was the beach towel. I really had to work to get my bag to close to go home! I'd even taken out several items before I left the house to be sure I'd have room for my gift and I still had a struggle to zip it up.

 

Got chocolates one night and a bottle of Chandon Brut.

 

Thanks for the info! Looking forward to our cruise more and more each day!

[Shake-n-Bake]

I write reviews (usually much more in-depth than this) partly to just memorialize the cruise for my own benefit. After so many cruises over the past few years, they become one big blur! I really enjoy reading other's reviews and just try to be objective and get my impressions out there.

 

When I'm booked on a ship I've already sailed, or doing an itinerary I've already done, I go back and re-read my reviews. Amazing how much I forget. And it gives me a reference point for comparison purposes.

 

I'm hoping that sailing HAL again will freshen things up a bit. I keep thinking I need to do other types of vacations but when I start to price them, I realize I can cruise twice for what one land vacation will cost me. And it truly is like an addiction. ;)

I enjoy the candor of the reviews, keep that up. Hope we get to sail together again. Hope you are starting to feel better.

[John F]

We were on the Splendor for 10-22 sailing. Had a wonderful time. We are Diamond members.

Our stateroom attendant came around and asked about room cleaned (morning or evening). We both said twice a day as always. He said fine. No card to pick our choice. He was terrific all week!! I was all prepared to go see the Hotel Director (Nickos) if needed, as we have cruised with him many times. No need and great cruise!! John & Priscilla :)

[NCTribeFan]

I enjoy the candor of the reviews, keep that up. Hope we get to sail together again. Hope you are starting to feel better.

 

Thanks, Ed. Stayed home again yesterday. Back at work today; don't have any work to do but just didn't want to use another sick day! When are you sailing again? I'm looking for something "big" to use my Milestone OBC since I was going to use it on the Pride repo but cancelled that to do the HAL sailing. Was hoping the full Canal repositionings would be at a time I could go, but don't think I can do 2 weeks mid-January 2018. We're already into tax season by then. I consider myself lucky that they're letting me go at the beginning of the year. If I was involved in payroll and/or 1099 reporting, they would've declined my time-off request. So maybe another Med cruise on the new ship or finally a TA. Again, it just depends on when that happens.

 

We were on the Splendor for 10-22 sailing. Had a wonderful time. We are Diamond members.

Our stateroom attendant came around and asked about room cleaned (morning or evening). We both said twice a day as always. He said fine. No card to pick our choice. He was terrific all week!! I was all prepared to go see the Hotel Director (Nickos) if needed, as we have cruised with him many times. No need and great cruise!! John & Priscilla :)

 

Typical Carnival in that they aren't being consistent. Others on my cruise were only given the option of early or late service. Mine didn't ask but the morning service often didn't happen until around noon. Not a problem for me as I'm typically not in the cabin during the day.

 

fyree39 (sorry, I thought I was quoting you too but it isn't showing up): I did think the ship showed some wear, but I don't really notice those things. I expect it when there are thousands of people on the ship every week. I'm surprised everything holds up as well as it does! I did notice buffet tables that looked like they'd been wiped but had crumbs and food bits in the crevices, which is kinda gross. :(

[ChosenOne]

The OP stated the fridge was missing from her cabin. Did they remove all the fridges ??because we use ours and are sailing in February. Just curious if anyone else wasmissing their fridge.

[Shake-n-Bake]

The OP stated the fridge was missing from her cabin. Did they remove all the fridges ??because we use ours and are sailing in February. Just curious if anyone else wasmissing their fridge.

I was on Splendor in September and I had a fridge in my cabin.

[NCTribeFan]

There was one the past two sailings. I wonder if it was just my cabin. I normally carry on my bottle of wine, but since I had a DOU card for the casino, I didn't want to bother going out shopping after I arrived in Ft Lauderdale (which was a good thing because it rained all evening and I'm not sure about Sunday morning alcohol sales).

 

I was rather surprised when I opened the cabinet (the one at the end of the bed with the lamp) and there was nothing there. If I'd needed it, I would've asked about it. But other than stashing my bottle of white wine, I never use them. Never buy anything from them and I don't drink soft drinks, so don't haul those on, either.

 

I probably should've asked my cabin steward just to understand why there wasn't one, but I only spoke to him that one time. Sorry I didn't get clarification.

[ChosenOne]

Thanks for your replies about the fridge!

[NCTribeFan]

You're welcome.

 

One other thing I meant to point out about the cabin was the closet space. It was quite limited compared to other cabins, even 1As, I've had.

 

Since I typically pack a couple of maxi dresses and often a long dress for elegant night, I was a bit unhappy that there wasn't a closet where I could hang my dresses. Even the slacks I brought had to be hung over a hanger since they were too long to hang from the clips without bunching up at the bottom.

 

 

Just something to bear in mind. I didn't use the drawers in the closets at all, just the ones in the desk.

[NCTribeFan]

I always do this. A week, 2 weeks, a month after I get home I keep remembering things I meant to mention in the review but forgot. :o

 

The Platinum gift was the hideous Croc visor. Mine was red. If it had been blue, I would've considered keeping it. I don't wear ballcaps but occasionally will wear a visor. It looks like it should be really thick and heavy but it wasn't at all.

 

I left it in the room. I didn't even bother going to the service desk to ask if I could exchange it. Probably just as well since I didn't really have any room in my bags to bring anything home. I barely managed to get that beach towel in the case and get it zipped, even opening up the extended section!

[nicolend]

Thanks for the review. I enjoyed reading it!

 

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