We all want our holiday to be easy, safe, relaxing and fun, and a cruise is one of the most carefree ways to travel, not to mention the best value.
When you arrive home from a four-day Carnival Splendor trip feeling refreshed and uplifted – instead of ‘holidazed’ – you know you’ve had the perfect break. Weeks after my cruise, the afterglow still hasn’t worn off.
With a capacity of just over 3000 passengers, and a huge personality, Carnival Splendor strikes a balance between big-ship amenities and small-ship service.
Embark on bliss
Before I even unpacked, I reserved a treatment at the Cloud 9 Spa so I could start unwinding asap. My desk-job aches and pains melted away in the Thalassotherapy pool – a saltwater oasis with water jets that massage the whole body.
Next, at the Thermal Suite, I discovered you can tailor your spa experience with a choice of dry heat saunas and high-humidity steam pods to turn up the heat just the way you like it.
If you need to get away from all the activity onboard, simply nab a lounge and a cocktail in the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat. Sit back and take in a spa and hot tub or relax with a facial treatment.
Playing 9 to 5
From a game of mini golf to hair-raising water slides and a splash in one of two swimming pools or seven large whirlpool hot tubs, there are heaps of daytime activities to choose from. Early birds can catch a 7am yoga class, or de-stress with your favourite workout in the ship’s ultra-modern gym.
There’s also fabulous shopping onboard, so I indulged in a bit of retail therapy. And here’s a tip: On the last day at sea some of the stores are on sale with a wide range of products and duty-free items discounted, so you might just bag a bargain.
Paint the deck
After sunset, I felt ready to take on the floating town. With Carnival Splendor’s ‘fun ship’ mentality, there’s never a dull moment.
Elegant Night gave me just the excuse to get glammed up, while the ’80s themed rock party let me belt out ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun’ and other classics, unashamedly.
Treat yourself
Four nights’ respite from cooking is heaven to me, as was the ship’s fine dining restaurant, Fahrenheit 555. It’s well worth the splurge with a menu that pairs premium cuts of beef with lobster tail, and platters of oysters served in impressive large domes of smoky goodness.
Or for something more laidback, you can tuck into the moreish fare at Pizzeria del Capitano (open ’til late), Guy’s Burger Joint, The Carnival Deli (with the best Reuben outside of NYC) and Indian standout Masala Tiger, which are all included in the package.
App-solutely fabulous
Your time onboard is precious and thanks to the very handy, feature-rich Carnival HUB app, I was able to make the most of mine. It helps you get oriented with useful maps, track all the exciting happenings so you can plan your day at sea or on shore, access info you need, book your dining table and avoid queues – and even chat with friends.
With all these incredible options to relax, rejuvenate and renourish, it was easy to return home without chanting the old traveller’s mantra: “I need a holiday from my holiday”. Namaste!
Carnival Cruise Line is the World’s Most Popular Cruise Line® and has two ships deployed in Australia, Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa. Sailing year-round from her Sydney homeport, Carnival Splendor joined the Carnival fleet in late 2019. Carnival Luminosa joined the fleet in 2022, sailing seasonally out of Brisbane and Seattle. Carnival Luminosa will return to Australia in October 2024. Designed with fun in mind and featuring over 45 activities to enjoy each day, Carnival offers families and couples fun, memorable holidays at great value.
