Comparisons between Carnival Spirit and Splendor

[Cazno2]

Hi All,

 

Have just booked a NZ cruise on the Splendor for late Jan.  I have previously cruised on the Spirit multiple times and this will be my first on Splendor.  For those that have travelled on both, I would love to know your thoughts on what is better or worse on the Splendor and things to look out for.  

 

Also a couple of questions from me.

 

There are 2 Pearl Dining rooms?  One Black and one Gold.  Are they classed as the same dining options?  Can you go to either?

Do they have the outdoor BBQ like the Spirit?

 

Do you think there is less available lounge/seating spaces on the Splendor compared to the Spirit?  The Spirit had some nice hidden inside seats in places that were nice and quiet.

[arxcards]

3 hours ago, Cazno2 said:

Hi All,

 

Have just booked a NZ cruise on the Splendor for late Jan.  I have previously cruised on the Spirit multiple times and this will be my first on Splendor.  For those that have travelled on both, I would love to know your thoughts on what is better or worse on the Splendor and things to look out for.  

 

Also a couple of questions from me.

 

There are 2 Pearl Dining rooms?  One Black and one Gold.  Are they classed as the same dining options?  Can you go to either?

Do they have the outdoor BBQ like the Spirit?

 

Do you think there is less available lounge/seating spaces on the Splendor compared to the Spirit?  The Spirit had some nice hidden inside seats in places that were nice and quiet.

I won't know for sure until Boxing Day. Similarly, Spirit is in our past and we are about to try Splendor for the 1st time. I am expecting a busy ship. I have been given some useful tips here -

As far as I am aware, one dining room is fixed dining, the other is anytime dining. That is just what I have been told, and I don't know which is which. I believe they have an Ol' Fashioned BBQ on deck 10.

[bazzaw]

I am sure that the same psychedelic drug was used by the interior designer for both ships. 

[Hogbay]

14 hours ago, Cazno2 said:

Hi All,

 

Have just booked a NZ cruise on the Splendor for late Jan.  I have previously cruised on the Spirit multiple times and this will be my first on Splendor.  For those that have travelled on both, I would love to know your thoughts on what is better or worse on the Splendor and things to look out for.  

 

Also a couple of questions from me.

 

There are 2 Pearl Dining rooms?  One Black and one Gold.  Are they classed as the same dining options?  Can you go to either?

Do they have the outdoor BBQ like the Spirit?

 

Do you think there is less available lounge/seating spaces on the Splendor compared to the Spirit?  The Spirit had some nice hidden inside seats in places that were nice and quiet.

On Splendor both restaurants have same menu and galle . The mid ship one is anytime the other at the stern is early and late fixed dining. Bbq "rub" on deck10 inside. Never been on Spirit.

[rkmw]

11 hours ago, arxcards said:

I won't know for sure until Boxing Day. Similarly, Spirit is in our past and we are about to try Splendor for the 1st time. I am expecting a busy ship. I have been given some useful tips here -

As far as I am aware, one dining room is fixed dining, the other is anytime dining. That is just what I have been told, and I don't know which is which. I believe they have an Ol' Fashioned BBQ on deck 10.

Geoff until you’ve been on the Splendor for a short time it’s a bit crazy because you can’t go all the way thru on deck 3 or deck 4 and the only decks that go all the way are deck 5 and deck 9

 

best to download the Hub App and once onboard and get your cruise card at 1.30 from outside your door and put your folio number from your cruise card you can access the Hub app

 

if you want to eat dinner in the Black Pearl restaurant for dinner (which is anytime) you book a table when your ready from the Hub app and the same for having breakfast in the Gold Pearl restaurant 

[Cazno2]

4 hours ago, bazzaw said:

I am sure that the same psychedelic drug was used by the interior designer for both ships. 

😆  Actually I do love it though, I had never seen anything like it in my life!  I am guessing Vegas is similar as I have never been there.

 

If it looked like the inside of a normal hotel I think I would be disappointed.

[Sparky74]

4 hours ago, bazzaw said:

I am sure that the same psychedelic drug was used by the interior designer for both ships. 

 

20 minutes ago, Cazno2 said:

😆  Actually I do love it though, I had never seen anything like it in my life!  I am guessing Vegas is similar as I have never been there.

 

If it looked like the inside of a normal hotel I think I would be disappointed.

I reckon that the interior designer of the Splendor is an absolute genius. How on earth they convinced someone to pay money for their services is beyond me!

[arxcards]

5 hours ago, rkmw said:

Geoff until you’ve been on the Splendor for a short time it’s a bit crazy because you can’t go all the way thru on deck 3 or deck 4 and the only decks that go all the way are deck 5 and deck 9

 

best to download the Hub App and once onboard and get your cruise card at 1.30 from outside your door and put your folio number from your cruise card you can access the Hub app

 

if you want to eat dinner in the Black Pearl restaurant for dinner (which is anytime) you book a table when your ready from the Hub app and the same for having breakfast in the Gold Pearl restaurant 

I have the app and am looking forward to checking in soon. Seems to be the aft restaurant requires a deck juggle, but that has been the same for a few princess ships and was awkward to navigate on Pacific Sun. We have sprung for a suite, as they were as cheap as buggery when we booked through all that cancellation stuff. That should give us quicker access to our cards.

 

We have early fixed at this stage, but also including 2 x steakhouse meals. I am looking forward to a loose & relaxed cruise.

[rkmw]

50 minutes ago, arxcards said:

I have the app and am looking forward to checking in soon. Seems to be the aft restaurant requires a deck juggle, but that has been the same for a few princess ships and was awkward to navigate on Pacific Sun. We have sprung for a suite, as they were as cheap as buggery when we booked through all that cancellation stuff. That should give us quicker access to our cards.

 

We have early fixed at this stage, but also including 2 x steakhouse meals. I am looking forward to a loose & relaxed cruise.

Geoff if you have a suite you could check 16 days out from the cruise , non platinum and below it’s 14 days

 

you should be able to drop off your carry on once onboard but won’t have access to your card till closer towards 1.30, if you want a drink use the barcode on your boarding pass till you get your cruise card

[Hunter69]

OK, it's no where as good a layout as Spirit, hard to get around as mentioned about going Up & down to get to MDR's. There's the Gold pearl with the set time dining 5:30 & 7:45. Its to the aft of the ship on decks 3 & 4. You also have Breakfast & brunch here. For these you use the Carnival App to book a Table for how many in your party or you can ask for a shared. It gives you a wait time & tells you when your table is read with the table number. There's also The Black Pearl Mid-Ship on the same decks, it's a Nightly anytime dining option. You use the app to get your table the same as mentioned above..

Ok both have Guys burgers, the Deli & Normal Buffet. But The Splendor has Mongolian Wok (Chinese Noodles) & Masala Tiger (Indian), but doesn't have The Mexican Cantina.. Theres just as many popular bars like The Red Frog, The Piano Bar & of Course The Punchliner Comedy Club..

There are a few hidden quite spots, deck 6 & 7 forward out the front of the ship, plus my favourite Deck 12 forward to the sides, theres a hidden bar up there & a good spot to chill during the day.

The quite inside areas would be the red frog pub, until 4 when it fully opens & there's a BBQ up on deck 10 just above the buffet with all the same options...

Yes it has the same decor..

 

[cheznandy]

2 hours ago, Hunter69 said:

OK, it's no where as good a layout as Spirit, hard to get around as mentioned about going Up & down to get to MDR's. There's the Gold pearl with the set time dining 5:30 & 7:45. Its to the aft of the ship on decks 3 & 4. You also have Breakfast & brunch here. For these you use the Carnival App to book a Table for how many in your party or you can ask for a shared. It gives you a wait time & tells you when your table is read with the table number. There's also The Black Pearl Mid-Ship on the same decks, it's a Nightly anytime dining option. You use the app to get your table the same as mentioned above..

Ok both have Guys burgers, the Deli & Normal Buffet. But The Splendor has Mongolian Wok (Chinese Noodles) & Masala Tiger (Indian), but doesn't have The Mexican Cantina.. Theres just as many popular bars like The Red Frog, The Piano Bar & of Course The Punchliner Comedy Club..

There are a few hidden quite spots, deck 6 & 7 forward out the front of the ship, plus my favourite Deck 12 forward to the sides, theres a hidden bar up there & a good spot to chill during the day.

The quite inside areas would be the red frog pub, until 4 when it fully opens & there's a BBQ up on deck 10 just above the buffet with all the same options...

Yes it has the same decor..

 

Hey you know all my secret spots!!

When we did the 15 night repositioning back in 2019 that area on deck 12 forward had lots of chairs and lounges but noticed not as many lounges when we were onboard in June.

As well as the forward decks on 6 and 7, there is also one on deck 10, we had booked an inside spa cabin and used that deck lots for morning coffees, and sail ins, only ever saw another couple there and its huge, plus we had the secret lift up to the spa, so good.

Yes Splendor is gawdy and clunky but we love the vibe, loads of food choices, so many lounges and outdoor areas, we can overlook the Pink!!

We have been on Spirit, Splendor and Luminosa and have enjoyed them all.

[ddvgww]

The Spirit used to sail year round out of Sydney since about 2012 until it  was replaced by the Splendor in 2019..   We sailed many times on the Spirit and loved it.  We have sailed 3 times on the Splendor and don't think we will cruise on it again.  Main reasons being the Serenity lounge is nowhere near as good as on the Spirit and also that on the Splendor one of the main evening nightly live music venues is situated in the main walkway on deck 5 with the stage directly facing the casino.  Crazy setup.

[sayaguru]

First time I went on Splendor I thought "Why have they got black fried eggs on the ceiling". Then I realised they were supposed to be pearls. Haha!!!

[Sparky74]

7 hours ago, sayaguru said:

First time I went on Splendor I thought "Why have they got black fried eggs on the ceiling". Then I realised they were supposed to be pearls. Haha!!!

YES! I made a similar comment. They look even more like fried eggs in the Gold Pearl restaurant. 

[arxcards]

Yikes!!

[Hogbay]

3 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

YES! I made a similar comment. They look even more like fried eggs in the Gold Pearl restaurant. 

Yes fried egg restaurant and pink donut elevators .!

[sayaguru]

Better than the Greek Urns on Legend. horrible. Although they did refurb after we went on her last. Hopefully better now.  

[Sparky74]

I stand by my earlier comment that the interior designer of the Splendor was an absolute genius if they convinced someone to pay money for their services!

[plettza]

If you look at the deck plan of both Spirit and Splendor, you'll notice no forward pool on Splendor.  You only have the midship and aft pools.  And I agree with ddvgww that Serenity is nowhere near as good as on Spirit.  I think maybe becuase the bar is so small and it serves people within Serenity as well as those outside.

 

One thing that really annoys me about Splendor is on deck 9, to walk from the Lido Marketplace to the forward inside area, is not entirely covered.  So if you've got a plate of food from the Lido Marketplace and you want to take it to your room, you walk forward past the midship pool but get funneled into the entry between Red Frog and Blue Iguana bars.  This area in not covered.  In Port Vila, I brought back some breakfast from the Lido Martketplace and it rained really heavily.

 

I found the seats in the Spectacular Spectacular and Lido Marketplace to be really low as .

 

Lastly, if you look at the Splendor deck plan, you see where the Gold Pearl restuarnt is a small atrium area.  It gets really crowded when people rock up for dinner and the elevators just get packed,  Just be aware of this if you are unable to use the stairs.

 

I can't say that Splendor is my favourite ship.  I would much prefer Spirit or Legend return to Australia.  The Spirit-class layout is just really logical.