Carnival Splendor Post Drydock

[oskarNZ]

Tomorrow people will be boarding Carnival Splendor for the first time post drydock as she heads to Sydney.

 

As someone who is cruising on the Splendor next month, I am excited to see what changes and upgrades have been made.  In particular, I’m keen to see if any colour changes have been made to all that pink. 
 

Is anyone going to be on this Singapore - Sydney cruise who would be happy sharing some of the updates with us?
 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[cheznandy]

We are currently in Singapore, boarding tomorrow.
Happy to let you know of the changes they have made.
I won't have free internet like on Princess, and probably wont purchase any unless there is a good deal, so might not make any posts or photo's until we reach Darwin and can use my own data.

Stay tuned[emoji3]


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[Kiwi Kruzer]

Wishing you smooth seas and fair winds Chez . Have a great cruise . Enjoy.

[oskarNZ]

54 minutes ago, cheznandy said:

We are currently in Singapore, boarding tomorrow.
Happy to let you know of the changes they have made.
I won't have free internet like on Princess, and probably wont purchase any unless there is a good deal, so might not make any posts or photo's until we reach Darwin and can use my own data.

Stay tuned


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Awesome.  Thanks so much. 
 

Have a great cruise.  

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Out of drydock and at the Marina Bay Cruise Terminal  . Splendor is on one side and Quantam of the Seas is on the other. Should be a busy terminal today.

 

[cheznandy]

We have a 2pm boarding time, it's 1pm here in Singapore so about to checkout and jump in a taxi.....perhaps time for a Singapore Sling at the bar.
32c here and sunny.

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[cheznandy]

Hi all, just checking in from the Carnival Splendor docked in Darwin.

We are having a lovely cruise, weather has been great with calm seas, but we know that will change once we start heading down the east coast.

 

I will do a review when we get back but in short......lots of little issues that we expected as this ship transitions from Carnival US to Oz, and just out of drydock. Not many lifts working, tendering at Benoa not good, we didnt get off as we would not have got over until 12pm and all aboard was 4pm.

Have heard issues with the laundry but i dont go there on holidays!!

Staff great,  dining room food ok, small portions, loads of free options for lunch, lots of variety.

 

The ship.......mmm.....it's well worn, weird layout but once you get used to going down from deck5 and not trying to get across through deck 3 and 4 getting around is easier. This one wont become a favourite of ours because of the design.

Only two pools, both small, aft adults only, lido pool is too small for everyone else.

They removed the gaudy decorations around the pool area and painted it white, looks better. 

Lots of old furniture around, nice wide corridors in the cabin areas, love love love our Oceanview cabin on deck one, the interiors are larger than a balcony cabin, its quiet and convenient surprisingly.

 

Will give more info later if anyone wants prices etc. We have hired a car today in Darwin and are waiting to get off, we docked at 2am due to a medical issue, we heard through the grapevine, but still cant get off till 8am.

This Captain tells us nothing, no 12pm update, no notification of arriving early, perhaps I have been spoilt with the informative Princess Captains or this is a Carnival thing, not sure........we have only done one short Carnival Cruise on the Spirit, but on this one have never seen so many shorts and thongs(flipflops) in the dining room haha!!! all good though, doesnt stop us from dressing nicely for dinner.

 

Ok, we are off to Litchfield for the day.

[Kangakid]

Thanks Chez for the review.  We have been debating between Splendor and a Ovation as both dates work for the whole mob.  Reading your review Ovation will be our choice, as we have never sailed on Carnival so was very unsure of what to expect, but reading between the lines, not your preferred option...

 

cheers Vicki

[oskarNZ]

Thanks heaps Cheznandy for checking in and giving us an update.  Anything more you provide, including prices, will be read with much interest.

 

I had read some of the issues you mentioned (broken lifts, laundry and poor rendering) on their Facebook page, plus a few people complaining of cold water. I guess teething problems are to be expected, but I hope they sort them quickly for the rest of your cruise.  
 

It’s a shame to hear about old furniture.  You’d think in a big drydock that would be the first thing to go and be replaced.  
 

Great though to hear the cabins are good.  We have an oceanview on deck 2, so hopefully ours will feel spacious like yours does. Have they spruced up the cabins with new bedding and a lick of paint?  Also, is the ship still mostly all pink?

 

I did wonder about there being only one pool for families?  I’d imagine the pool decks get very crowded.   Are they good at policing chair hogs?  
 

Sorry about all the questions.  I’m very very curious to learn as much as possible 😊

[cheznandy]

Thanks Chez for the review.  We have been debating between Splendor and a Ovation as both dates work for the whole mob.  Reading your review Ovation will be our choice, as we have never sailed on Carnival so was very unsure of what to expect, but reading between the lines, not your preferred option...
 
cheers Vicki

Hey Vicki, if dates and price works for both I would choose Ovation, it's a beautiful modern ship, very big compared to Splendor, but more spacious areas.
I asked hubby, who isnt a Royal fan and he said he would choose Ovation if price and itinerary were similar.

Splendor has its pluses, Carnival have great staff and you dont have to put your hand in your pocket to eat if you have hungry teens etc, there are many Carnival longtime cruisers onboard......they are the ones with lanyards and all their badges for every cruise pinned on it, must be a Carnival thing, i am learning something new everyday haha!!

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[cheznandy]

Thanks heaps Cheznandy for checking in and giving us an update.  Anything more you provide, including prices, will be read with much interest.

 

I had read some of the issues you mentioned (broken lifts, laundry and poor rendering) on their Facebook page, plus a few people complaining of cold water. I guess teething problems are to be expected, but I hope they sort them quickly for the rest of your cruise.  

 

It’s a shame to hear about old furniture.  You’d think in a big drydock that would be the first thing to go and be replaced.  

 

Great though to hear the cabins are good.  We have an oceanview on deck 2, so hopefully ours will feel spacious like yours does. Have they spruced up the cabins with new bedding and a lick of paint?  Also, is the ship still mostly all pink?

 

I did wonder about there being only one pool for families?  I’d imagine the pool decks get very crowded.   Are they good at policing chair hogs?  

 

Sorry about all the questions.  I’m very very curious to learn as much as possible [emoji4]

I can give you more info when home and have time to post some pics and prices etc.

Basic internet package was $180 and that was only for social media which i dont do so didnt purchase.

The pink is everywhere haha, even our cabin lighting is trimmed in pink!!

Donut holes abounds the ships corridors and lift areas.

They were fixing the lifts today, i have heard the laundry machines are working again, i can only imagine all the complaints.

 

Two lovely things have happened to us, we chatted with a staff member when handing some forms in at the services desk, a couple of nights later in our cabin was a lovely letter card saying it was lovely to meet us and 4 drink vouchers valuing $60......now today we have come back to chocolate coated strawberries and a bottle of bubbly and a card from another staff member. We can only think it is because we had a rattling noise in our interconnecting door which was promptly fixed, anyway great staff who are trying to please, in all or cruises with Princess we have never had such gifts!

 

 

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[cheznandy]

Here is some lovely pink in our cabin.....we get a towel animal everyday!!

The white framing around the window appears to be new but sadly i can't see anything else, definately not the bedding, sheets or towels, or curtains.

 

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[cheznandy]

Carnival Splendor in Darwin today on our walk back to the ship.

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[oskarNZ]

4 hours ago, cheznandy said:

Here is some lovely pink in our cabin.....we get a towel animal everyday!!

The white framing around the window appears to be new but sadly i can't see anything else, definately not the bedding, sheets or towels, or curtains.

 

 

 

 

Oh, that’s a real shame.  I thought refreshed cabins (new bedding, cabin furniture etc) would be the minimum in what they hailed to be a pretty big drydock and I was looking forward to sleeping in a cabin that felt a bit new.  
On the plus side though, I guess it’s good to know in advance that the changes have been much more minimal than I expected and lower my expectations accordingly.  I would have been quite disappointed when boarding the ship otherwise.  

 

Pleased to hear that you were treated kindly with some unexpected gifts.  Small gestures can go a long way. 

 

 

 

 

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Sydney arrival 10 Dec 2019

 

 

[oskarNZ]

Exciting that she has arrived, but gosh that smog is awful.  
Poor Australia - those fires are really holding the country hostage.  

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for the info on the Splendor.