Hey there John!
Well it’s our first port of call here on the Carnival Splendor! (cheers, whistles, shouts!!!) Welcome back to Mexico, Splendor! As I walked out on the open deck this morning I caught my first glimpse of Puerto Vallarta after such a long time away, the rolling green mountains, the birds flying from the shore over the ocean, and the sunlight gleaming off of the Wal-Mart marquee just outside the pier. I never thought I’d actually be happy to see that Wal-Mart again! Ha! The guests are thrilled to be getting off the ship today. Yes, it is truly amazing to be on board the ship; eating, drinking, playing games, and wallowing around in all the fun, but for a many of our passengers the vacation feeling becomes fully complete when we reach another country’s shore and get to explore an exotic coastline (beyond the Wal-Mart it does get a bit exotic, I promise!).
The ship has become very quiet for the first time since we left Long Beach as our vacationers make way for sandy beaches, shore excursions, and some much needed shopping therapy. For those guests that choose to stay on the ship in port, Christy has some exciting trivia contests and sports games planned, but most will swipe that Sail & Sign card at the gangway and head outdoors for some adventure. Our incredible staff in Shore Excursions have been busy guiding our adventure seekers to the proper places as some folks head toward a beach hideaway in Las Caletas, or to swim with the dolphins in a crystal clear pool. The real thrill seekers will be dashing down a zip line through tropical forests in our ever-popular Canopy Adventure, I always hear the best stories from this one…talk about a “Didja Ever?”! This is the one excursion that people never think they would do, and always wish they could do again and again after it’s over!
When you work on a cruise ship like the Carnival Splendor, you have to be ready to roll with the punches and take what life throws at you. Well, life threw us a bit of a curve ball today as we discovered that we would be deviating from our next port of call, Mazatlan, due to some safety concerns with the port. Here at Carnival Cruise Lines we take the safety of our guests and crew very seriously because we want everyone embarking on any Carnival Cruise Ship to have the time of their lives. So, such is the case in a situation like this where the powers that be (the beards, I suppose) feel that a change in our itinerary will be the safest choice for our passengers here on the Splendor. Tomorrow we will be making a half-day stop in Cabo San Lucas, leaving Puerto Vallarta a couple hours early to make up the extra distance. I’m sure there are some disappointed folks, as it’s never ideal to have to miss a port of call, but I’m glad that we are able to keep a port day for our guests.
Beyond the news of not going to Mazatlan we had an incredible night on the ship! Superstar Live, our karaoke with a live band, was rocking out in the back lounge, love the karaoke or not, watching our live band turn the guests into “Superstars” is certainly worth a peek! The real party of the night, however, was the Mega Deck Party with our Assistant Cruise Director, Marcelo Alvarado (Marshmallow Avocado). I think I forgot how much fun Marcelo’s deck party can be when those Latin hips start shaking and he turns the entire Lido Deck into a dance party with a little help from us hosts. We lead the party goers in some really fun group dances, a game or two, and just have an all-around great time. By midnight, the whole ship is about ready for bed, it’s been a wonderful day in port, a fun-filled night onboard, and we have a great day planned tomorrow…of course the Red Carpet Nightclub is open for our disco kings and queens, and there is music everywhere if you just want to sit and listen till the wee hours. This boy is off to his cabin and some much needed sleep, I’m knackered after that deck party (and I ate the most amazing dinner with my Mom tonight in the Pinnacle Steak House…it just doesn’t get any better than that!).
Ciao for now. More to come!
Ryan McQuarrie
Entertainment Host
Carnival Splendor
Look, friends — there are a few things you should remember before you comment. The space below is for you to post your comments about the post I've just written above. If it is something that's unrelated, please use the Ask John tab above. Now, while I may not be able to reply to your comment below, I do sit in my underpants almost every morning and read everything that is here. So feel free to comment on the comments and then if someone wants to comment on the comment to the comment then go ahead as well. Please be courteous unless the poster is French...........then you can say whatever you want.
Ryan WICBT but we don’t fly.
So please tell Felipe we say hello
Carolyn and Don
NO ONE is reading these things! BORING!
Actually alot of are!!! And we also find it interesting to follow the ship. It makes us feel like we are all there too!
I am reading them and obviously you are too if your commenting:)
Well, obviously you are….as you wouldn’t have posted a comment!!! =)
My apologies for correcting you, but I read them, and I find them very interesting. I understand if you may find them uninteresting or not worth reading and you have a right to voice that opinion, but not to speak for everyone.
I’m reading them – with pride. I think Ryan’s doing a great job chronicling the beautiful Carnival Splendor’s first voyage after dry dock, and I think lots of folks are interested – those that love the Splendor, those that want to sail Splendor, and the followers of her 11/7 happenings. Since I was aboard this week, I can vouch for the accuracy of his reports.
Can we give a new blogger a break? After all, John leaves very big shoes to fill, and absolutely nobody has his British sense of humor which we all enjoy!!
Dear Ryan,
John better hurry and get back on the blog before you get to liking this too much. Another great report.
Sorry about Mazatlan I am sure there will be some people who will want a complete refund of their cruise because of the trama they have suffered due to missing a port. The captain is doing what is best for them and everyone else but that won’t matter.
I have got to go on a cruise with Marshmellow Avacado., he just sounds like too much fun. Too much fun thats news to me…… Too much fun, there must be a whole lotta things that I have never done…… I ain’t never had to much fun!!
The Cruzin2some
Wow…sounds like an excellent time!!! Will be on board Oct 16 Mazaltaan or not!!! Hope the rest of the cruise goes as well!!
Sounds like a lot of fun..Sorry that you missed one of the ports. We always rely on Carnival to take care of the passengers and do some exciting things with them. Bet you will not have any complaints! Anne
Ryan
Please respond
Just a short question. If the Splendor leaves PV 2 hours early then what happens to the “Rhythms Of The Night Tour” 3:30 to 8:30 PM
We have it booked for upcomming cruise.
Best to you,
Mike
Ryan… Glad you and your mom had a great dinner.. (now I really WIWT!)…. Kind of worried about the CD and the ACD.. I mean now you have a Flipper and a Marshmellow Avocado.. Oh please don’t tell Flipper (er.. I mean Felipe) I said that..
Thanks John for letting Ryan tell us how our beloved Splendor is doing on her second “maiden” voyage. Jan 2012 before I will be back on her… can’t wait.
I’m reading we can request a reservation for the chef’s table on this blog?
On cruise critic they are saying if u request with booking number, the reply won’t show in blog???
Hubby and I are on Fascination May 7
Stacey,
We just sailed on the CCL Fascination three weeks ago and loved the ship and the crew. Sailing out of Jacksonville was a breeze too. The Airport is eight miles from the port and many hotels have shuttle service from the airport to the hotel and the hotel to the port and after the cruise from the port back to either the hotel or the airport at a really good rate. We stayed at the Jacksonville Plaza Hotel and Suites. Very nice rooms and the shuttle only cost $15.00 per person.
If you ask John to make the reservations for you on the blog he will have one of his Stephanies do so and CC was right it will not post on the blog. However they will send you confirmation by email in just a couple of days.
Have a great cruise!
The Cruzin2some
Hi again John,
Wanted to say thanks for setting up our reservation for the Chef’s Table on our March 27th sailing of the Splendor. This is for our 25th Wedding Anniversary and we are not taking our kids this time ! Yes they are both dissapointed but we need some mom and dad time and they have been on 3 cruise anyways. Wondering if you could put me in contact with someone at Carnival to arrange a meeting place for our Cruise Critic roll call for a Meet & Mingle. We are up over 50 in our group now and still have a month to go! Is there anything special we can do for our Anniversary ? Thanks again John. Love the Blog thingy and FB
Posted to my Blog Tonight – Thanks for a great time!
Carnival Splendor
Mexican Riviera Feb 20 – Feb 27, 2011
Ports of Call: Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas (2 Calls)(Mazatlan was cancelled after an “Incident”.)
The Carnival Splendor is a beautiful ship. Very vibrant and colorful, which adds to the overall “Fun Ship” atmosphere. When we arrived early at check in, we found we were already half way back in line. Normal scheduled entrance to the ship is 12 noon, but we, along with everyone else, figured we could get on board early since no one was leaving. Well, we understood that about 1,000 people, Including John Heald and Gerry Cahill, needed to depart and rooms to be cleaned, from the party the night before. Thus getting on at a time closer to normal was what we experienced. But it was odd to stand in line to check in, then be pointed to another line to wait for entrance to the ship. Embarkation here seems quite unorganized, at the port of Long Beach.
When we were finally boarding, we entered on Deck 3 forward, in the Atrium, with the bank of glass elevators. From here, we boarded an elevator to Deck 9, Promenade, for lunch in the Splendido Lido restaurant (Buffet). Or at the hamburger grill or Pizzaria by the Lido Pool. I chose a Calzone, freshly made, at the Pizzaria. It was yummy. My son in law says he had at least one a day, they were so good. For me, there was much more to experience, and not limit myself.
When we arrived at our Balcony Stateroom, 8358, Here were my first impressions:
• Bright room with a large window and a swinging door that goes out to the balcony.
• Colorful Piccaso-esque artwork on the walls.
• Nice sofa to view the, be it small screen, flat panel TV mounted on the wall, also facing the bed.
• 3 large closets providing hanging and shelf space for clothing.
• My wife and I disagree on this, but I felt the layout of the bathroom was very nice and roomier than others we have experienced with other cruise lines. His and hers glass shelves on either side of the large bowled sink. And a shower that felt bigger to me as well. No more shampoo bottles, but a convenient shampoo and shower gel dispenser mounted on the wall in the shower. (NOTE: No Hair Conditioner provided, which was a surprise. Buying a bottle in the shop on board was 4 times more expensive than Walmart. Bring your own.)
• The Safe is located in the cabinet below the desk area. This is not easy to access, as it is positioned low. You have to be on your knees to read the instructions on how to use the safe. Other cruise lines position this in the closet up higher, so you are standing when you use it.
• The desk area is wide and has a mirror that covers the wall for most of its length, making the room feel more open. (Note: As has been mentioned before on John Heald’s Blog, there is only one power outlet at the desk and one very high in the bathroom. That’s it! No more! If you have a computer, cell phone, curling iron, camera chargers, or any other electrical needs, you will find it difficult to take care of them all.)
• The lighting in the room is brighter than any room I have encountered in the Princess, Holland America, or Norwegian fleet. At night, you can see very well, with the florescent lighting around the edge of the ceiling from the doorway to the Balcony door. VERY NICE! There are also bedside lamps, a wall lamp beside the couch, and additional lighting at the desk area.
• The biggest downer of the cruise was the location of our Balcony Stateroom, which of course costs more. Our room was right under the Splendido Lido Restaurant. Walking on tile and rolling carts were bad enough. But when the crew decides to clean the carpet at 3:30am, I was up for the day!
AS I sit here in the Atrium with friends, playing cards, listening to Cartoon Trivia, drinking a Pepsi from Walmart in Puerto Vallarta, I still believe there is no place better on earth than on a cruise ship!!!!
Attending the shows has always been our favorite activity while on-board a cruise ship. The Spectacular Spectacular is a fabulous show lounge. Three comfortable levels put you close to the stage. I honestly have not seen a more beautiful theater. There were 2 major shows put on by the singers and dancers, Vroom and Musica Latina. The costumes were excellent and the band was awesome. The music was very loud, compared to shows on other ships, which those who are hard of hearing may appreciate. I for one had ringing ears for quite a while afterwords. The stage is smaller than other ships, but that makes for a very large seating area. When sitting in the balcony areas (Level 4 and 5), the railing in front of you can tend to block your view of the stage. While watching the comedy/magic show last night, I had to slump in my seat to see the entire stage. If you are taller, it would be even worse. NOTE: This is a Vegas style show and the female dancers were always wearing thongs. This show may not be for all family members.
We were originally scheduled Jan 30, 2011, and we requested “Your Time Dining”. But because that sailing was cancelled due to dry dock and repairs after the fire, we rescheduled for Feb 20, which is the first sailing after coming out of dry dock. Because we rescheduled, “Your Time Dining” was full, and only “Late Seating” was available. This was our first experience with traditional dining, and more especially, dining at a late time. We found this was too difficult, for our bodies, especially on “Elegant Night”, when Lobster and Prime Rib were served on the same menu. I had to have both. I have never eaten that much in my life, and resorted to Yogurt the next morning for breakfast. Also, this time interfered with earlier show times, which we have always preferred. Our waiters, Jose and Vlatko had a challenge with our table for 10. This table was situated at the very back of the ship, on the upper level of the Gold Pearl Restaurant. Three of our seats were between window partitions, making serving us difficult. The first night at sea, we encountered rough seas, and 2 of our party could not handle the motion very well and had to leave. The Maitre d’ was really fun in the dining room. Here, nightly entertainment was provided by the dining room staff, either by singing or dancing. Last night, my 17 year old daughter was up and singing and dancing with our waiters and having a great time. I would have to say that the food itself was average, except for the Prime Rib, which was absolutely intoxicating. It could have been our wait staff or maybe generally speaking, but the transition from one course to another was not as elegant as I have experienced on all other ships. Such as, cleaning the crumbs from the table and cleaning off all dishes before serving dessert.
As for the Buffet area, knows as the Splendido Lido, which included areas:
• Splendido Pool and Bar
• Pizzeria and Grill
• Mongolian BBQ
• The Rotisserie
• The Deli and Tandoor
I have to say I was most unimpressed with the service in these areas. The most noticeable difference is the lack of food, except at lunch time. Everything closes at 4pm, except for the Deli, Grille, and Pizzeria. The only food served in the Splendido starts at 6pm, which is late for many people who want to have dinner at 5pm. The most popular of venues, the Mongolian BBQ, only serves at Lunch. The daily variety of food is almost non existant. With the exception of the main course, everything else is pretty much the same. Especially the daily breakfast menu here, the only thing I noticed, that varied from day to day, was the type of sausage served, which was mainly a couple varieties of Italian sausage. Yesterday morning, my impression was “Left Overs”. Some American sausage, Italian sausage, mixed in with some hamburger and chili sauce. The other thing I noticed was the lines at lunch time. The way this is laid out, causes lines that stretch down hallways. Other ships break up the items to be served into station areas, making lines almost non-existant. The only other service I really missed at breakfast in the Lido, was having wait staff come by and offer a drink. This happened only once, and only after I had sat in my seat for an hour talking with friends. On other ships, this is a constant and consistent service.
Children’s programs, especially Camp Carnival for my 9 year old are worth their weight in gold. My boy could not wait to get there each day, and we had to drag him from the ship on port days. Activities galore. Even eating dinner together. He loved every minute and made lots of new friends, which, as I always say, makes cruising even funner. My teens also enjoys time at Circle C and Club O2. At 13 and 17, they both made new friends who will, I am sure, be facebook friended as soon as we get home. There were approx 700 children under 18 on this ship. The counselor’s for the 9-11 yr old group were very enthusiastic and wished for even more than 23 who stayed out til 3am this morning. When those activities were done, they made sure each child made it to their cabin, with a parent present, safely. Thank You, Camp Carnival!
My 22 yr old son and his girl friend had the time of their lives on this cruise. The night life for the younger crowd is perfect on these fun ships. They spent a lot of time hanging out in the hot tub, with, what seemed, 20 other people (Way over crowded, but what the heck). This, I believe, is where Carnival excels. Alcohol and parties for the 21-30 crowd. Gambling for them, but more especially, the older crowd.
From floor to floor, the Carnival Splendor and her Crew does a fairly good job of making a cruise vacation one to remember, and also one that is a great value. We figured this trip cost as much, or less, than a week at Disneyland, when considering hotel, food, and 5 days at the park. But on the Splendor, we got to see Mexico (Less Mazatlan). We got to enjoy warm sunny weather. We had a wide variety of entertainment to keep us busy. We could eat Prime Rib and Lobster like they were our last meals on earth. Felipe, the Cruise Director, did an excellent job keeping us informed and laughing (Thanks Mel and Herman and Alice). When Mazatlan was cancelled, Felipe was on the speaker early to let us know and make us feel safe. I honestly felt a sigh of relief that we were not going, only because of past incidents. Seeing the whales, jumping Manta Rays, and the beauty of Cabo made up for missing Mazatlan. One note: The people of Puerto Vallarta are stating there is more to see and do there than Cabo.
So overall rating, including the feedback of previous Carnival Passengers (This was our First Carnival Sailing), a 7! The Splendor apparently is doing things differently than the rest of the fleet, and I hope it is not a plan of migration for all the rest. Concerns for everyone to consider:
• Family Friendly is not altogether true. Though the children’s programs are excellent, the shows are not for younger kids, when considering the costume apparel which is way too revealing. Leave it in Vegas.
• The Captains reception was extremely lacking on this sailing. Past passengers felt that they were not appreciated, because of the down scaling of this event. Their perception is that Carnival is cutting back.
• Unless you are a Platinum Member, don’t arrive too early, or you’ll be sitting around.
So there you have it. As I now sit in my balcony stateroom, watching the sunset off the coast of Ensenada Mexico, I feel that I must try Carnival again, as past passengers have told us that other vessels have been better. I have to say my kids really enjoyed themselves, all 4 of them. My wife and I, for the most part, have been able to relax and enjoy ourselves as well. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there is no better way to vacation. I wil recommend this cruise to the following:
• Newlyweds
• Singles
I will be cautious to recommend to certain families, depending on ages of children, and affiliations. Carnival’s Mantra, All For Fun, Fun For all lives up to its hype.
Hi John
I just returned from the Carnival Miracle 8 day Southern Caribbean cruise. It was a great cruise and both my daughter and I enjoyed it. The four sea days really help with de-stressing from our daily lives and the ports of call were nice as well.
This is the first time that we used the Alternate time dining and it worked very well for us. We were anxious about this dining choice because Vanessa is allergic to garlic and has to be very careful what she eats. Whenever we traveled we had a fixed dining hour and a hostess used to come and take her order for the next day. This time the same thing happened, we were advised that it would be no problem for them even though we were in the alternate time dining. Every evening, the hostess (Mirlana) came to our table and helped Vanessa with her choices for the next day’s dinner. We cannot say enough positive things about her professionalism in dealing with us. It is nice to know that although Carnival had so many dinners to get done, they were still able to make arrangements to help out my daughter.
Before our departure I recall reading negative comments on Cruise Critic regarding the Cruise Director Malcolm Burns. I cannot understand what more they want from this guy. He was personable, made us laugh with his “Woohoo” shouts, he interacted with us outside of the theatre and basically made the cruise fun for us. The entertainment team, Sparkles, Ali, Levi and Dan were fantastic. They had all sorts of activities planned for us to keep us busy during our sea days.
The best thing we enjoyed about the cruise was the fact that there no longer is the “Art Auction”. What a great surprise! No more constant reminders of the “sales” and getting flyers every night (which ended in the garbage anyway) of all the wonderful famous pieces of artwork we could own. I recall you had asked us in your blog what our comments were on this service and I’m glad that the beards listened to them.
The “Groove for St. Jude” was fun and it was great to see it advertised by the staff. My comment however is that two dances is not enough to get the people “into the groove”. Neither is it timely to schedule the event just before the second formal night at 5pm when most people are getting all “dolled” up. Maybe scheduling it in the morning i.e. around lunchtime you might be able to see more traffic on the lido deck.
The entertainment was Superb! The shows are fantastic and rival any Las Vegas show that’s for sure. The dancers are professional and you can see they really enjoy what they do and that is to give us the time of our lives!!
John I can keep going on and on about this cruise but I don’t want to make it a lengthy story. All I wanted you to know is that Carnival really delivers an excellent product to cruisers and you give good value for money. Yes, yes there are all these new sea hotels out there (opps sorry) but I’d rather have a nice ship, with an excellent crew and wonderful on board entertainment. We are looking forward to seeing you on the Carnival Magic in May, we’ve been waiting for this cruise for over 1 ½ years.
Eva
Hello Ryan!
My wife and I will be taking our 3rd Splendor cruise within 13 months this coming May 8th – my 10th overall with Carnival and my wifes 13th. We love the ship – but then again, you could stick us on any Carnival ship and we’d both be happy!
We are both happy to hear everything is going well and we certainly look forward to seeing you and the rest of the crew soon!
Peace,
Craig
I would also be interested in the chef,s table. My husband and I are sailing on the 29th of may on splendor it’s our 10 year. Can you tell me how to arrange. Not sad about mazatlan I hope carnival will get on board and cancel it completely with the violence going on over their. Most of the other cruises lines have pulled out completely.
I am also trying to schedule the Chef’s table. I was told prior to send an email to make arrangements. However, I don’t see a link on John’s blog to send an email. Does anyone know how to send John an email?
Hi John
Just finished our 14th cruise with Carnival this past January on the Glory. Taking our 15th on the Valor the first week of April 2011. I love everything about Carnival. Particularly the added perks given to Platinum cruisers. Thank you Carnival. Cruised with you, John 4 times. Best CD on the High Seas!!!
If there was one point of mild concern, it was the security folks who are responsible for watching the hot tub(s) on Lido. We sat by the pool in the big blue molded chairs that are located on the first riser at the end of the main pool. I was constantly seeing babies with and without diapers being allowed in the hot tubs. Did not see anyone from security address this issue. There is a sign on both sides of the hot tub that address this. Decided not to go in. We were on the Dream last March, and we saw security be pretty diligent in watching the hot tubs. It also appears that while security is missing the hot tub issues, they are also not really paying enough attention to the areas on Lido deck where smoking is and is not allowed. Several times during our last cruise, fellow passengers were sitting on the port side of the Lido deck puffing away. Even though we felt a bit uncomfortable having to take it upon ourselves to police this, we politely did.
The Steakhouse on the Glory was fantastic!! One of the best dinners I have ever had. Keep up the great work.
Hi John, We were just reading Ryan’s blog and he was saying how much fun the deck party was with Marcelo! We have been fortunate to have cruised with Marcelo 3 times in the past. This last time in Jan he was acting cruise director on the Glory! What a fabulous job he did! We so enjoyed his usual enthusiasm, friendliness & sense of humor. We found him to articulate,professional and very much in command of his audience. We had such a marvelous time at the “newlywed/marriage game”! Marcelo had us laughing all the time with his ad-libs! When he gave the overview for the shore excursions,he said to be sure to try the “bushwacker” drink in St Thomas as it would make the side of your face go numb. How true!! His morning TV program was entertaining and fun! He was master of ceremonies for the “Legends Show”. His portrayal of Dolly Parton was hilarious and side splitting!!! In the future, we would hope to see Marcelo given the opportunity to be a full-time cruise director. We feel he would do an awesome job!
Hi Son (Ryan),
Just left you aboard our splendid Carnival Splendor day before yesterday, and miss you terribly. Sorry, but your “no tears” advice just didn’t work!
However, many were tears of joy as I was so very, very, very proud of you!! Watching you do your job was very intriguing, even knowing you as I do. It was amazing to witness your expertise in crowd control as you cued the Splendor show lounge audiences in clapping along, standing, swaying and waving. I witnessed you leading activities, welcoming, giving directions/instructions, DJing, awarding prizes, congratulating, acknowledging special celebrations, teaching towel folding and scrapbooking, performing safety and security functions, interacting with fellow crew, and making many guests smile – all while having a warm and sincere smile of your own to share. You’re doing a fantastic job (often with little sleep), and it is so gratifying to see you so happy. I am so very, very proud of you!!!
Thank you for making a great week aboard our Carnival Splendor so special and so much fun! Aunt Linda and Bill send their love, too.
Please tell all your fellow crew who I was privileged to meet that I miss them, too, especially my new Australian daughter, Amy.
Keep smiling and cruising, and be safe.
My love always,
Mom
hi my name is murat from turkey how can ı work at cruise ships .thanks please can you help me