Just home from Splendour!

[EastTexans2]

We arrived home this afternoon after a wonderful cruise on the beautiful Splendour of the Seas. Any questions, just ask. I will try to write a review after I work on the laundry!

[ranchingal]

Thanks for the post. We are leaving on the Splendour on Monday.

Fill us in on any details you can. So excited can't wait.

[EastTexans2]

I am so jealous....I want to go back!

 

Splendour is very much like Rhapsody. The new bedding is wonderful. Very comfy. The Windjammer is set up different from Rhapsody, maybe because she has been to dry dock, I don't know. It is set up with different "food stations" and it is much less congested. There is an omlet station where they will make you a fresh omlet with whatever you want in it. Also, and this is just my opinion, the food was much better in the Windjammer on Splendour than it was when we sailed on Rhapsody.

[ranchingal]

Did y'all go to the shows or casino?

[EastTexans2]

I went to the casino for a little while, but I was losing, so I left.

 

The shows were very good. As soon as I unpack the Cruise Compass I'll let you know what they all were!

[ranchingal]

We are leaving Saturday morning to Galveston. Sounds great.

 

Thanks

[meansun]

We went to the casino and played the slots and 3 card poker. We hit it big on poker and lost on the slots. My mother in-law actually hit 3 jackpots and came out ahead. I am not a one armed bandit kinda guy anyway but my wife is and she loved every minute of it. She actually hit 3 of a kind 3 times yesterday in her first poker venture.

 

We got married on the ship. We all had a blast. There was 16 of us on board. We never saw the kids. The staff on this ship is trily unbelievable!!! Have fun on her and maker sure you tell the dealers the newlyweds said hello!!!

[KirstenL]

We're leaving in 9 days, 2/17/07. We have Mom in electric wheel chair, two 50-something sisters, and one teen daughter. Four single women, out and cruisin!

 

Any tips or thoughts? Or I'll just read all the info you post.

 

Is Cozumel still tendered? Was that a port of yours? Did you notice if it's wheelchair accessible?

 

Congrats and Best wishes on the marriage! I wish you many years and years of happiness. We're taking some ashes of Daddy and my husband to dop in the ocean. They both LOVED the sea and sailing, one a SeaBee and one an engineer on a seismic (I can't spell that, I've tried three times and it still is wrong!)

 

We're on board for Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday -- is there a chapel on board? Just wondering...

 

Thanks to all for any news!!

Kirsten from central Texas

[EastTexans2]

We DOCKED at both Cozumel and Costa Maya. And yes, both were wheel chair accessible. At Costa Maya we were the first ship in and then Legend of the Seas arrived and docked and Norwegian Sun also arrived and docked.

[cruise wizard]

We are on Splendour this October and November cruising from Venice to the Greek Isles - this will be our first cruise on Splendour - how are the Junior Suites? Any specialty restaurants like Chops or Portifinos? The new bedding sounds super and the Windjammer food stations sound like the set up on the Radiance class ships - very convenient.

[KirstenL]

Glad to hear they dock!! HOORAY!!

 

Any tips on shopping or excursions? My 18 yr old wants to zip-line, but only saw a beach zip-line on the list. She hoped for jungle canopy tour. I'm in for shopping and sis plans to shop for shoes, sexy high heel ones -- I wonder if she'll get red??? She's coming from Holland and figures Mexico is known for leather -- therefore they must have shoes...

 

HOORAY for the winning gambler!! Daughter can gamble on board, but I'm reminding her most people lose -- hey, a novice gambler always can hope and may have beginners' luck!!

 

Kirsten

[Woe is me]

At Cozumel you don't always dock. We were on the Splendour in Dec and we docked, we were on the Splendour in Jan and tendered. The good thing is we tendered right to the ferry dock downtown.:confused:

[figmentdj]

Welcome back. How's that review coming. Going on March 31 and devouring everything I can read about her. Thanks. Compasses would be great too.

[vettecruiser1]

I was on in Jan. and we tendered, it was a 4 day cruise. I believe the 4 day cruise they tender and the 5 day cruise they dock. At least that is what has been the case based on Cruisecal.com. It shows the docking positions for each ship in port on a given day.

[wolfcathorse]

At Costa Maya we were the first ship in and then Legend of the Seas arrived and docked and Norwegian Sun also arrived and docked.

 

I was on Legend that came in after you. We saw crew fishing off the back of Splendour, I've got pics and video on my digital camera to prove it! Did you have "fresh fish" on your menu that night? :D

 

Who was your captain?

[wolfcathorse]

double post

[ILoveScotland]

Not going on the Splendour until next January, but I knew little or nothing about her so am anxiously awaiting the review - and hopefully some pictures, too!

[Woe is me]

I was on in Jan. and we tendered, it was a 4 day cruise. I believe the 4 day cruise they tender and the 5 day cruise they dock. At least that is what has been the case based on Cruisecal.com. It shows the docking positions for each ship in port on a given day.

 

Both Splendour cruises we were on were 5 days. In Dec we docked in Jan we tendered.:rolleyes:

[EastTexans2]

Finally, I have time to write a review of Splendour…….

 

On our previous cruise, we drove to Galveston the day before the cruise (6 hours). This time we drove to Huntsville (4 hr.) and then got up and drove the rest of the way on Saturday morning. Very relaxing.

 

DH dropped me and the luggage off at the pier around 11:00 am and he took the car to EZ Parking and walked back to the pier (2 blocks). We had to wait a few minutes to go through check-in because they had three wedding parties that they were boarding first. We went through check-in and were on the ship at 11:30 am.

 

From there we went to the dining room to see where our table was located. It was #146 and was in a great location on the lower floor. At noon the Windjammer opened for lunch. The new layout for the Windjammer is great. Now remember this is my opinion only……but I think the food was much better in the Windjammer on Splendour than it was on our previous cruise on Rhapsody. At 1:00 pm we were allowed into our room. This was the first time for an interior. We were on deck 6 and the room was fine. I did NOT feel like I was in a closet. We had an OV on Rhapsody and this room was exactly the same, without the window. We were going for “inexpensive” this trip and we were very pleased. At 3:00 p.m. our Cruise Critic group met at the Pool Bar. I think there were about 25 of us (all wearing yellow) and we had a great time getting to know each other.

 

Saturday night we ate in the Dining Room and I believe DH had prime rib. I don’t even remember what I had but all of the food in the Dining Room was wonderful. Oh, I do remember the appetizer the first night was the onion tart!

 

We ate all of our breakfasts in the Windjammer and all dinners in the Dining Room. I got hooked on the latte’s from Café’ Latte-tudes. They have a “coffee card” and if you buy 6 you get the 7th one free. They punch the card each time you buy one.

 

The new bedding is wonderful. It is so thick and comfy! Don’t forget that you can put the “room service” card on your door each night and write the time you would like coffee brought to your room, if you like coffee when your feet hit the floor in the morning. I had coffee delivered every morning. Just remember to tip your server.

 

The entertainment the first night was David Morgan & “Chucky”. Very, very funny. Do not miss them if they are on your cruise.

 

The second night, Sunday, was our formal night. Of course the Super Bowl was being shown everywhere also. The show that night was the Royal Caribbean Singers & Dancers with “Dancin’ Thru the Movies”.

 

Day 3 we docked in Cozumel. Nice and warm! The entertainment that night was Elaine Lesley (singer). The Love & Marriage game was that night also.

Day 4 we docked in Costa Maya. I think that night was Lobster & Shrimp.

 

Not to be missed was the entertainment on Day 5….”Los Pampas Gauchos” featuring “The Artistry of Fluorescence”. What a show!

 

We played Trivia several times and even won it one day! Splendour is a beautiful ship and we had a wonderful time.

 

If you have any specific questions, please ask.

[sea~shells]

My mom and I are leaving on March 3rd and I cant wait! How was the weather in Cozumel and Costa Maya? Did you do any of the excursions?

[vettecruiser1]

When in doubt on tendering or docking, there is a cozumel website that states the berths or tender location for each ship on the week to come. Also we had dinning room table #49 for two. It was the perfect table by the window up stairs next to an overhang so you could see down stairs. Just romantic as one could get. Me and wife were having our last cruise before the baby arrives in May and she gushed about the table. I had to give my T.A. props for the hook up.

[EastTexans2]

The weather in both ports was great. Sunshine and 80+ degrees. We did not do any excursions this time. Just got off the ship and walked around the shops, etc.

 

I wish I was going with you in March. We are ready to go again!

[vettecruiser1]

There is a website for cozumel that will let you know the berth or tendering sites for cruises coming in for the next week. So just google that and you will be able to figure it out. Also we had table #49 in the dinning room. It is for two and is next to the window and over looks the first floor area, my wife loved it and said it made our last cruise before our baby arrives in May perfect. I had to give my T.A. prop for the hook up.

[MellowMel]

Thanks for writing the review. We're taking our little ones on the Splendour for Easter and we can't wait!

[marimojo]

Robert and I were on the cruise with Lanie & Bill and lots of other really wonderful people. I will write a mini review.

 

We went to Galveston the day before and stayed at the Harbor House at the pier. It was very nice, they let us park our car there while we were on the cruise. Splendour was docked at Terminal 2, so it was a long walk from the Harbor House. Robert dropped me and the luggage off, went back and parked the car and walked back to the ship.

 

We got priority checkin because we had a junior suite - our informal Meet & Mingle all decided to wear yellow shirts. Low and behold, at the priority check-in - there is Lanie in her yellow shirt - we did not know each other before that. We were the first ones on the ship - it was great - we also had champagne, don't know if we were supposed to, but we did.

 

Once on the ship, we explored, had lunch, after 1 went to see our cabin. We were in JS 8546, the bedding was great, the JS is a nice size for two people, the bathtub was great, really big and deep for soaking. The balcony had two chairs and a table and was a nice size. We could have fit a lounger on it, but did not ask for one. There was plenty of room for all our stuff - and we packed way too much stuff. We were very happy with our JS, it was by the elevators. Every morning we had room service breakfast on the balcony.

 

In Cozumel we took a taxi to Paradise Beach. It was $13 to get there and it is beautiful beach - the beach is free but you are expected to buy drinks or food. No problem, the drinks were really good and the guacamole was devine. I had two mojito's - very strong. We sat under an umbrella and I used 30 spf sunblock but still got a sunburn, the sun is very strong. The water was gorgeous. There was a floating rock wall in the water and Robert tried to climb it, he didn't make it to the top, but had a good time. On the way back, we got a cab and I asked him to take us to a drug store and took a chance on some medications I needed. We then had him take us to a local liquor store that was cheaper than buying in port. Robert wanted Cuervo 1800 - I think it was like $20 for a big bottle. We had a great day in Cozumel. When we got back on ship, it started to rain a little, but I think it passed pretty fast.

 

In Costa Maya we took a cab to Mahuhal Beach - what a great spot. Again, the beach was free, but we had a bucket of Coronas for $10 (I think). We also got massages on the beach, 40 minutes for $20. We did some shopping with the local vendors. The beach was gorgeous, nice white sand and warm water. I don't remember what the cab cost, but it was really cheap - I want to say $5.00 each way. The Mayan people are so nice, everyone in Mahuahal treated us so nice.

 

We had a really good cruise. Our tablemates were wonderful, every night we would all meet and talk about what we did that day, we would laugh and laugh - we were usually the last group to leave the dining room.

 

I agree with Lanie, don't miss the Gaucho show - it was sooooooooo good.

 

I posted my cruise pictures on webshots - if you look at them, view them in slideshow mode, I think they turned out pretty good. I got the Legend docking in Costa Maya - it was all so fun. For future cruisers on Splendour, I hope you have a wonderful time. Robert and I really wish we could do it all over again!!