Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Splendor Cruise Review
The Carnival Splendor
Anchored Off of Cabo San Lucas
Carnival Splendor, An Agent’s
Perspective
By Nancy Norris
Itinerary:
Mexican Riviera
Sailing Date: September 13th, 2009
Occupation: Travel Professional
Number of Cruises: Many
I just returned from a FAM on
the Carnival Splendor, and from a travel agent’s perspective
disembarked the ship with mixed feelings. Up until the
Carnival Dream was launched and set sail on its Grand
Mediterranean inaugural voyage on September 21, the 3700
passenger Splendor was the newest and largest ship in the
fleet. This review is meant to serve as a resource for
travel agents when considering a Carnival product for their
clients and more specifically the Carnival Splendor. I will
admit that CCL is not my favorite cruise line for me
personally, but based on the demographics of my client base,
have a number of clients that are well-suited for a Carnival
cruise. I will share, from my point of reference, both the
pros and cons of this particular ship and also some of the
generalities that apply to matching the Carnival product to
the client. If you are interested in a detailed review of
the physical layout of the Splendor with many pictures, I
suggest you check-out Tom Ogg’s Splendor review at
eCruiseReviews (http://www.ecruisereviews.com/Carnival/Splendor3-1.htm).
Embarkation:
This is the first cruise I have been on where I received a
phone call prior to my travels requesting I not arrive
before 2:00 PM for embarkation. We actually arrived shortly
after 1 PM and it was not a problem, but I did discover the
reason for the phone call. The ship docks in Long Beach and
strict rules have been established at the port. Security
allows for traffic flow in only one direction at a time.
That means that no embarking passengers are permitted to
enter the cruise terminal until all previous cruise
passengers have disembarked from the ship. In order to make
the embarkation run smoothly and eliminate a bottleneck,
Carnival has begun calling guests to discourage early
arrivals. In fact, I spoke with some guests that had arrived
early and they were given discount coupons and strongly
encouraged to visit the Queen Mary as they waited to board.
The Long Beach Cruise
Terminal and Queen Mary
First impression:
There was no WOW factor upon entering the Splendor. In fact,
my initial reaction was OMG! Pepto Bismol pink is
EVERYWHERE! Even the handrails on the staircases are pink
and huge pink polka dots line the walls. In my opinion,
this was a Joe Farcus design gone very wrong. While the
theme of the ship is “Splendid Things”, which should evoke
images of elegance, grandeur and opulence, the design
completely missed its mark. But, décor aside, a festive and
fun spirit emanates from the crew and passengers alike that
provide the true ambiance of the ship.
Our Stateroom
Staterooms: On
this cruise I occupied a balcony stateroom mid-ship on deck
6. The balcony was small (35 sq. ft.), but the 2 chairs and
small table were sufficient for enjoying a morning cup of
coffee or a glass of wine while watching the sunset.
Although staterooms on Carnival ships are noted for being
larger than many of the other mainstream cruise lines, it
did not feel so in our stateroom. Our beds were configured
as 2 twins and the beds were spaced only about 12 inches
apart (a bit tight). It may have helped if both nightstands
were placed between the 2 beds. Not only did the proximity
of the double convertible sofa make this unviable, however,
the size of the sofa appears to further reduce the cabins
size. When booking a family, I would seriously consider
selecting a cabin that has a single convertible sofa and
upper pull down to maximize the livable cabin space.
Although I had some issues with the configuration, the beds
themselves were heavenly! The mattress and bedding made for
very comfortable sleeping. They are also constructed so that
even large suitcases can be easily stored under them.
There is a very nice flat
screen TV that offered a variety of channels that is mounted
in place on the wall opposite the beds. While the TV itself
is nice, it would have been much better if it could swivel
for enhanced viewing. Lighting in the room was good, as was
the amount of shelving and closet space. I would have
preferred more drawers, rather than open shelves, but the
allotment is manageable for a typical cruise. The hair dryer
is connected to its own power source and occupies a portion
of 1 drawer. While not extremely powerful, we found it to be
adequate for our needs. There is only one electrical outlet
on the desk, so a power strip or extension cord is advised
to provide additional outlets.
The bathroom was fairly
typical of most, compact with shower stall. On such a new
ship, I was surprised they used a shower curtain rather than
a glass door, but at least it was not the kind that enjoys
getting up close and personal as it clings to your body.
Bathroom amenities are comprised of bar soap, shower gel and
shampoo dispenser in the shower and a basket of trial size
items. These “baskets of freebies” are staples of all
Carnival ships and the offerings vary from ship to ship and
week to week. It just depends on what companies have
provided “advertising samples”. Make sure your clients know
that just because there were disposable razors in the basket
on their last cruise, they won’t necessarily be there on
their next cruise.
The (Pink) Splendor Atrium
Public Rooms:
This is where the Splendor excels. Discounting the garish
pink décor, from the nine-story atrium and the 22 bars and
lounges onboard, to the excellent 21,000 square foot spa and
fitness center, the adults only pool and Jacuzzi on the
fantail and Seaside Theatre at the Lido Pool, the Splendor
offers a venue to suit everyone. As already mentioned, since
Tom Ogg’s review provides pictures and details of all the
public space on the ship, this review will concentrate on
some specific pros and cons of the various public areas.
Pros:
The Pool on the Fantail
--On our particular cruise the
Linear Lido Pool adults-only area was rather crowded, but we
were still able to secure lounge chairs and enjoy a gentle
breeze while catching significant rays. However,
--If one is in search of a
quiet respite away from any noise and crowds while basking
in the sun, the adults-only Serenity Lounges are a perfect
haven. The nicely padded chaises are an added bonus. The
area even sports its own bar, so no need to venture into the
fray.
--The retractable sky dome
above the main pool and Seaside Theatre, allows for the
utilization of this space even in inclement weather. Great
for watching an evening movie on the giant screen as
temperatures begin to dip into the cool zone.
--The social and entertainment
hub of the ship on Promenade Deck 5 allows for easy egress
from one venue to the next. This is particularly of value to
anyone utilizing a wheelchair.
--The Spa/fitness center is
huge and the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities are
top-notch. The Asian décor of the Spa is quite a soothing
contrast to the rest of the ship and the thalassotherapy
pool, with a covered glass dome and thermal suites with
indoor and outdoor relaxation areas are quite inviting. Cost
for a day pass to use both is $35 a day. However, if your
clients are interested in enjoying such tranquil and
rejuvenating experiences, consider booking them into a Spa
Stateroom.
--There were banks of
elevators forward, mid-ship and aft that appeared relatively
efficient at transporting guests when the ship is at full
capacity (which it was on this sailing).
--Internet access (although
not cheap) was excellent. Wi-fi was available throughout the
ship, including the staterooms. The Internet café, tucked
away on Deck 4 was never crowded (at least whenever I
checked).
Cons:
--Smoking!!! My traveling
companion is very sensitive to smoke and as soon as we began
to descend the stairs to deck 5 from our deck 6 stateroom
the odor was evident. Our very favorite venue in the evening
was the Piano Bar, but since smoking was permitted
throughout the lounge, on more than one occasion the smoke
was so prevalent we were forced to leave. We are both huge
football fans and found a similar situation occurred when we
ventured into “Our House” (the Sports Bar). If you have
clients that do not smoke or have issues with smoking, this
is NOT the ship for them.
--While there are multiple
banks of elevators, not all the elevators can be used to
access all floors. To further complicate this situation, the
location of the two dining rooms and mid-ship galley create
additional logistical problems.
--The Library must have been
an after-thought and, in my opinion, hardly worth the space.
Make sure your clients bring their own reading material.
--Okay, this may be a bit
petty, but while the Seaside Theatre offered some good
movies, many of us found it totally ludicrous that there was
$1.50 charge for popcorn, particularly since ice cream was
free. I can never understand some of the thought that is
behind cruise lines “onboard revenue” decisions.
Dining: There is
no question that choices are endless on the Splendor, but I
was a bit disappointed with the quality of the food on this
sailing. I was totally impressed with the quality of the
food on my New Year’s cruise on the Carnival Spirit a few
months ago and expected the same caliber on this cruise. I
was sorely disappointed. As an example, the baby back ribs I
raved about on the Spirit were a far cry from those I was
served on this cruise. The menu was the same as I had
experienced on the Spirit, but in almost every case, the
same item I sampled on this cruise did not come close to the
quality I had previously experienced. Notable exceptions
were the warm chocolate melting cake and the prime rib. They
were definitely still as good as I had remembered.
The service and staff were the
highlights of dining in the main restaurant. We were
assigned to dine in the Black Pearl Restaurant (the smaller
of the two). The Maitre’d was perhaps the most charming and
enigmatic Maitre’d I have encountered on any cruise. He and
his singing and dancing wait staff made dining a pleasure
every evening. Our waitress was hard-working, professional
and efficient yet friendly and personable. She was well
deserving of the extra gratuity my roommate and I gave her
at the end of the cruise. If there was ever an example to
define the “fun” on the Carnival “fun-ships”, hands-down it
would be the dining room staff.
I did find the choices at the
Grand Buffet to be more extensive than on the Spirit. The
Burrito Bar, Deli Station, Mongolian Barbecue and the Grill
were the most popular stations on this cruise, and for good
reason. While the selections were extensive, the physical
layout of the restaurant created its own set of problems.
The restaurant sits between the two pools on the lido deck
and consequently passengers entered the area from both
directions and got bottlenecked in the middle. The beverage
stations near the center of the restaurant often appeared
congested, but I believe it was due to the traffic pattern.
To add to the congestion and confusion in this area, both
the aft and mid-ship bank of elevators opened into this
space. Tip: Here is an area of the ship that needs to be
cautiously considered if you have clients that have limited
mobility or utilize a wheelchair.
Okay, I am a typical
mid-western gal and my traveling companion is from Texas. We
both enjoy comfort food and to our delight, the Rotisserie
fit the bill. Located on a balcony above the Grand Buffet,
it is a quiet, un-congested spot to enjoy lunch. But, the
real treat is the macaroni and cheese that is served there.
Not your typical, average run of the mill mac and cheese,
there are special ingredients that make it much more – worth
every calorie! We tried in vain to get the recipe, but to no
avail. However, we did score the recipe for the amazing
mushroom soup served at the Pinnacle. So, if you would like
to prepare that sumptuous treat, shoot me an e-mail.
Entertainment: I
was disappointed when comparing my dining experience on
Carnival Spirit to the Splendor, but the complete opposite
was true on this cruise when it came to entertainment. The
quality and variety of entertainment onboard was
exceptional. Ron Pass, the piano player in the Piano Bar was
talented, versatile and just great FUN. The costuming and
stage presentation of the production shows on this cruise
were quite good. There were two lead vocalists that
complemented each others talents and overall provided a
pleasant and spirited show. Everything from Dixieland, jazz
and solo guitarists to calypso, Latin rhythms, pre-dinner
dance and party music were offered in the various venues
every evening. There was a lounge dedicated to karaoke and
late comedians performed in the secondary theatre. One of
the faults I found with the entertainment onboard the Spirit
was the lack of same during the production shows. On the
Spirit, during the shows in the main theater, that was the
only game in town. Kudos to the Splendor! If one chose not
to go to the main show, there were multiple venues from
which to choose to be entertained.
CCL Generalities:
When deciding whether a Carnival Cruise might be right for
your clients there are some points to consider. First of
all, if you haven’t been on a Carnival cruise in a while,
they have taken great strides to dispel the wild and crazy,
“party-till-you-drop” image. However, that’s not to say that
they should be considered sophisticated and classy. Carnival
is very clear on their cruise philosophy and the
demographics to which they cater. Approximately 90% of the
US population has not been on a cruise and many of those
have misconceptions about cruising. Carnival has positioned
itself as the “Fun Ships” to dispel these misconceptions.
Everyone wants to have fun on a vacation, but everyone
defines fun differently. Depending on how your clients
define fun, a Carnival cruise may or may not suit their
specific needs.
The average guest age of a
Carnival guest is 41, with 24% of the passengers over 55.
They are typically middle class, value conscious
pragmatists. Carnival’s target audience is youthful in
spirit, outgoing and enjoy interacting with others. They are
gregarious and enthusiastic about life. To be truly happy on
a Carnival cruise, one must dedicated to having FUN.
If your clients are refined,
reserved and seek educational experiences this would not be
the recommended cruise choice. If they value a relaxed,
quiet and unobtrusive environment, then a Carnival cruise is
most likely not their cup of tea. Are they experienced
cruisers that have come to enjoy the finer things in life,
then look elsewhere.
Why would an agent consider
selling Carnival? If you have clients that are traveling
with a 2 year old, this may be a good choice as their
Children’s Program begins at age 2 (which is not the case on
all cruise lines). If you have reluctant cruisers,
Carnival’s Vacation Guarantee offers a unique money back
guarantee for clients. While certainly not deal breakers,
amenities such as complimentary 24 hour room service,
bathrobes in all staterooms, a 24 hour pizzeria and teen
shore excursions specifically offered for the 12-17 year old
set may be of importance to your clients.
Would I recommend this ship
and Carnival in general to all my clients? Most definitely
NOT! But, there are those that are perfectly suited to such
a vacation. |
