Carnival Splendor is an evolutionary ship. Nautically, she is a refinement on a design that has been developed in a series of ships from Carnival Destiny (1996) to the Costa Serena (2007). Over this period the ships have grown larger, with more decks and more features. At the moment, Splendor is the largest of this series but will be surpassed by the Carnival Dream in September of this year.
Splendor also reflects the evolution of Carnival Cruise Lines. With the development of the cruise industry, the cruising public has become more demanding. Consequently, in order to remain competitive, Carnival has striven to improve the food quality, the variety of activities and the level of service. In addition, the ships have had more and more features. Splendor, for example, has an expanded spa complex incorporating new amenities and with associated spa staterooms. The midsection of the ship has a retractable glass dome so that the main pool can be used and movies shown on the giant LED screen no matter what the weather. The children’s play area has been expanded and an outdoor water park added.
The feature that impressed me the most on my recent cruise on Splendor was the alternative specialty restaurant, the Pinnacle Steakhouse. Having one or more alternative specialty restaurants on new ships has become standard throughout the industry. However, the level of service and the quality of the food at the Pinnacle was outstanding. In addition, a very pleasant ambiance is created by the live music and large dance floor. It was comparable, if not better, than the equivalent venues on some of the premium lines.
My profile of Carnival Splendor is at http://www.beyondships.com/CarnivalSplendor-Profile.html and the photo tour and commentary begins at http://www.beyondships.com/CarnivalSplendor-Tour-1.html.
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