The Carnival Splendor is a popular floating resort. The waters are crowded with sea-worthy vessels, so to make planning easier, we've done all the prep work for a cruise vacation. As part of a Huffington Post Travel series on cruise ships, here is a tip sheet offering all the key information one could ever need to know about the Carnival Splendor.
Destinations
The
departs year-round from Los Angeles on seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.
Grand Ship
The Carnival Splendor is a large, 13-deck ship that weighs 113,300 tons and is 952 feet long. It holds 3,006 guests (double capacity), employs a crew of 1,150 and has 1,503 staterooms. Its registry is Panama.
Special Features
The Carnival Splendor features a 5,500-square-foot children's playroom, a pool covered with a two-deck-high Sky Dome and a three-deck-high Twister water slide. Other impressive amenities include the Carnival Splendor Seaside Theatre, an outdoor poolside venue with a 12-by-12-foot LED screen and a 70,000-watt sound system.
Accommodations
The Carnival Splendor offers four types of staterooms: inside, oceanview, balcony and suite. All staterooms are equipped with flat-screen TVs and the Dreamy Carnival Comfort Collection of fine cotton linens and duvets. Carnival also offers connecting staterooms and cabins that accommodate four or five passengers.
Cost
Prices vary depending on the season. Inside cabins start at about $410 per person; oceanview staterooms start at about $500 per person; balcony stateroom princes are in the low $600s and suites cost about $1,100 per person.
Excursion
Thrill-seekers on the Carnival Splendor who want to experience a little bit of everything won't want to miss the Extreme Canopy shore excursion in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Activities include a boat ride, off-roading, mule riding, zip lining, rappelling and hiking. One guest said
on this excursion than other tours. The activity level for this six-hour excursion is difficult, and the minimum age is 10 years old.
Dining Experience
The Carnival Splendor offers dining options ranging from casual to elegant dining. The main dining rooms (6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. seatings) are the Gold Pearl and Black Pearl restaurants. The "Manhattan-chic" Pinnacle Steakhouse offers a $30-per-person dinner, which includes an appetizer, entree, dessert and wait staff gratuity. Casual dining options are the Lido Buffet, which is open 24 hours a day and features a pizzeria, the Bistro Cafe and 24-hour room service.
Maiden Voyage
The Carnival Splendor embarked on its maiden voyage on Aug. 18, 2008.
In The News
In November 2010,
, leaving it drifting without electricity about 200 miles off the Mexican coast. There was no hot food or refrigeration, and passengers said the ship smelled of rotten milk and sewage. The USS Ronald Reagan dropped food and supplies on the ship's deck, and the ship limped into port in San Diego three days after the fire.
WATCH:
A tour of the Carnival Splendor.
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