Carnival Splendor

The 2008-built Carnival Splendor cruise ship belongs to Costa's Concordia-class liners - with sisterships Concordia (sunk in 2012), Favolosa, Fascinosa, Serena and Pacifica. Splendor was the largest "Fun Ship" until the debut of Carnival Dream in 2009.

The vessel (IMO number 9333163) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 372808000) and registered in Colon.

It was first announced that the ship would be repositioned to China in early 2019, then transferred to the fleet of P&O Australia in late 2019. At the end of September 2017 CCL officially announced that Splendor stays with Carnival.

History - construction and ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a USA shipping company, trademarked brand and subsidiary of Carnival Corporation (shipowner). CCL was founded in 1972 as an independent company by Ted Arison (1924-1999, co-founder of NCL Norwegian).

CCL has the Corporation's largest fleet as number of vessels and GT-tonnage (ship sizes/volumes and passenger capacities). In 2023, CCL had ~9% (by revenue) and ~19% (passengers) share of the cruise industry's worldwide market. In 2024, the parent company (Carnival Corporation) had ~51% stake in the US$64+ billion industry.

The 3006-passenger ship Carnival Splendor is a big ship with a huge personality, which has already set herself apart in grand style. For first-time cruisers, Splendor has inaugurated a new cabin category, the spa cabin. The retractable sky cupola that covers Carnival Splendor's pool deck is also a novelty for Carnival. With Carnival Splendor, the line introduced its first-ever route in the Baltic and South America, a remarkable expansion for the fleet.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Splendor staterooms (1508 total, in 33 categories) include 54 Suites, 537 Balcony, 363 Oceanview and 585 Inside cabins, most of which are sized 170-185 ft2 / 16-17 m2. CCL Splendor ship also has 66 Cloud 9 Spa cabins and 29 wheelchair-accessible cabins. Most cabin balconies are sized 35 ft2 / 3 m2. The largest are the Captain’s Suites (500 ft2 / 46 m2 plus 200 ft2 / 19 m2 terrace) accommodating up to 5 passengers.

The boat has 13 passenger decks, of which 8 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Carnival Splendor offers everything that's become a cruise industry standard, along with innovative surprises: a superb alternative restaurant, Indian tandoori grill, sushi bar, and stir-fry station. The premium coffee bar and Pinnacle supper club are the only onboard venues that come with an extra charge. The rest are all included in the fare you pay. Splendor's MDRs - The Gold Pearl and The Black Pearl, are grandiose dining venues. Dinner tables are assigned and the majority can accommodate 4-6-10 diners. Seatings are at 6 pm and 8:15 pm, orchestrated like a fine watch. Everyone knows it is time to say goodnight when Splendor's maitre d' starts singing and waiters jump up to dance on the tables.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Splendor restaurants and food bars.

• The Black Pearl Restaurant (744-seat forward Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings and Your Time Dining; offers Seuss At Sea-themed breakfast for $5)
• The Gold Pearl Restaurant (1122-seat aft Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings and open seating for Breakfast and Lunch)
• Splendido Lido Buffet Restaurant (1396-seat, self-service buffet restaurant with various food stations; operates as a bistro in the evenings)
• The Pinnacle Steakhouse (108-seat, reservations only specialty restaurant for steaks and seafood, with dance floor and live music)
• California Roll Sushi (sushi bar, complimentary)
• Fahrenheit 555 (added in 2019) is where guests can try the finest aged beef, that is seared to exact specifications to lock in flavor at the precise temperature of 555 deg. Fahrenheit. Set in an elegant setting and offering a menu of some of the best cuts, Fahrenheit 555 is the best venue for celebrating special occasions or indulging in the evening. The upscale steakhouse incurs an additional charge.
• Masala Tiger (2019-added) is a new modern dining concept created with the Australian palette in mind. It offers an authentic dining experience with Tandoori-style cooking. Passengers can enjoy a selection of chargrilled veggies and meats, curries, and naan bread fresh from the oven. The menu is included in the cruise fare and changes daily. Masala Tiger is to be located in the adults-only Serenity Retreat, also sheltering a nearby bar and Carnival Deli.
• Seafood Shack (added in 2019) is a seaside spot featuring New England-style, where passengers can tuck into a serving of fish and chips, Lobster BLT, or enjoy oysters, all at an additional charge.
• Pizzeria del Capitano (added in 2019) pays homage to the Italian heritage of a lot of Carnival Captains. The pizzeria features hand-made pizzas with imported Italian flour, delectable toppings, and fresh mozzarella, all included in the cruise price.

Mad Sizzle (2024-added/menu) is a specialty dining venue on Deck 9 open for lunch and dinner. It serves an array of kebabs and satays featuring slow-spit-roasted meats. Food-sharing options include mezze platter ($12) or grilled skewer platter ($22) complete with hummus, Fattoush mixed greens salad, and pita/flatbread. The menu includes chicken, chicken wings, lamb, falafel shawarma, satay skewers, grilled lamb and steaks (T-Bone, Ribeye Cutlet, Surf & Turf). Orders are made at the counter.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Carnival Splendor marks a new class of ship for Carnival. One of her most awesome features is the luxury, 21,000-square-foot spa, the most elaborate in the fleet. Pan-Asian in design, the Cloud 9 Spa spans on two decks and features a state-of-the-art fitness center which rivals any other at sea. There are many beauty and health rooms for treatment, as well as the first Thalassotherapy pool. With 24 lounges and bars, outdoor movies, a water slide and a singing maitre d', Splendor delivers exactly what Carnival cruisers expect: fun. Splendor's shipboard entertainment is not confined to evenings. Live music is all over the ship, day and night.

The 270-sq.foot theater screen on Lido Deck is constantly used, showing movies, headline news and concerts. And, just like any Carnival cruise, there are trivia contests, bingo, bean bag tosses, Love and Marriage game, even men's hairy chest contest.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Splendor lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Spectacular Theatre (1349-seat, 3-level show lounge for grand shows and musical productions; also used for daily trivia game shows, movies, bingo sessions).
• Splendor Atrium Lobby (7-deck high open floor area with Splendor Lobby Bar for live performances)
• The Pink Pearl (28-seat Card Room); Art Room Gallery; The Golden Atrium; The Alexandria Library
• The Fun Shops (offer Bon Voyage items, duty-free liquor, jewelry, fashion boutiques, souvenirs, logo items);
• Formalities Shop (tuxedo rentals, special occasion gifts);
• S&S Card LCD kiosks;
• Photo Gallery and Shop
• Club O2 (teens' club lounge for video games, movies, karaoke, and themed parties); Video Games Arcade
• Our House Bar (55-seat sports bar); El Mojito Bar (30-seat wine bar); Alchemy Bar; Grand Piano Bar (100-seat piano bar); The Cool Lounge (88-seat jazz bar); Robusto Bar (147-seat cigar bar with live music)
• Royal Flush Casino (484-seat, served by Oceanview Bar); Centuries Promenade Bar (23-seat)
• The Coffee Shop (50-seat specialty coffee bar)
• Red Carpet Disco and Nightclub (211-seat)
• El Morocco Lounge (425-seat, with dance floor; El Morocco Bar; hosts Punchliner Comedy Club)
• RedFrog Rum Bar (Caribbean rums selection, ThirstyFrog Red draught beer, burgers, and fries)
• Carnival Cloud 9 Spa (with Thermal Suite, Oriental Steam Bath, Aroma Steam Bath, Laconium, Thalasso Pool, Saunas, Fitness Center with Aerobics Studio, Beauty Salon)
• Sports Deck (multi-sports court, Tennis Tables, Shuffleboard); 9-hole Mini Golf Course; Jogging Track.
• Circle C (kids' club lounge, complimentary)
• The Web (24-hour Internet computers room)
• Splendido Pool area (with stage; served by Splendido Bar)
• Liner Pool area (with two Whirlpools, served by Liner Bar)
• Thunderball Pool area (with Twister Waterslide, kids AquaPark, 1 Whirlpool); Splash Park (with 3 waterslides, fountains, and sprays)
• Carnival Seaside Theatre (LED screen outdoor cinema)
• Serenity (adults only area with Serenity Bar, two Whirlpools, padded lounges)
• Camp Carnival (kids' club lounge area, complimentary programs, supervised activities, with outdoor Kids Pool area).

Itineraries

Carnival Splendor itinerary program was initially based on departures from NYC New York (to Canada/New England and the Caribbean), from Miami Florida (to Eastern and Western Caribbean), as well as roundtrips to The Bahamas, Caribbean and Cruises to Nowhere out of Norfolk VA.

In 2019, the ship was repositioned from Los Angeles USA to Australia (homeport Sydney NSW) for year-round deployment. Operations for Carnival Australia started in November 2019, following the relocation voyage from Singapore to Sydney NSW. In Singapore, the liner was drydock-refurbished and new dining options were added for the Australian source market. It was previously suggested that Splendor in 2019 would join the P&O Australia fleet.

• Bookings on Carnival Splendor's Australia 2019 program (departures November 25 through December 28) were opened on March 23, 2018.
• The Asia-Australia repositioning itinerary visited Indonesia (Benoa Bali, Komodo Island) and Darwin AU.

From Australia, Carnival Splendor initially offered 3 itineraries (Sydney roundtrips) to South Pacific islands.

• 8-NIGHT (2 sea days, Noumea, Lifou, Isle of Pines, 2 sea days), from AUD 1130 pp / double inside cabin rates
• 9-NIGHT (2 sea days, Noumea, Mare, Lifou, 3 sea days), from AUD 1649 pp / double inside cabin rates
• 9-NIGHT (2 sea days, Isle of Pines, Mare, Lifou, 2 sea days), from AUD 1699 pp / double inside cabin rates.

The longest Carnival cruise ever was the 24-night Transpacific crossing on Splendor - departing on October 5, 2019, from LA-Long Beach CA. The ship crossed the Pacific Ocean to Asia (Singapore), arriving on October 30. After extended stops in Honolulu and Maui, the liner visited Guam and Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia), then Saigon (Vietnam) - all the 3 ports were first for CCL (never visited before). The relocation cruise also featured the traditional ceremony held during International dateline crossings. Prices started from just USD 1650 pp ($69 pp per day) with double occupancy.

As part of the "Carnival Journeys" itinerary program (offering longer enrichment voyages), in 2018 (August 25 - September 8) Carnival Splendor operated a 14-day roundtrip Alaskan cruise from Long Beach (Los Angeles) California. The itinerary featured Hubbard Glacier and Icy Strait Point (day-long stay, whale and bear watching, world's longest zip-line). The list of onboard activities included Alaska-themed cultural and culinary events and themed seminars (photography, arts, crafts, cooking, celestial navigation). The list of Alaskan shore excursion included hiking, sea kayaking, canoeing, helicopter flightseeing tours, lake snorkeling. In 2017 (September 2-16), Carnival Miracle operated company's first-ever roundtrip to Alaska from California.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the CCL Splendor ship was paused for 2+ years (March 2020 thru May 2022), and was planned to restart from Sydney NSW on May 31st. Splendor's Australia 2022 itinerary program was based on:

• 3-day Getaways (themed cruises to nowhere)
• 4-day Tangalooma - Moreton Island
• 5-day Tasmania (Port Arthur, Hobart)
• 8-9-10-days "Great Barrier Reef" (Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas, Willis Island, Moreton Island, Willis Island)
• 8-10-11-12-days "South Pacific Islands" (New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji/including Dravuni Island)
• 10-12-days "New Zealand" (Wellington, Lyttelton-Christchurch, Port Chalmers-Dunedin, Fiordland NP)

However, in early-February 2022, Splendor's Australian schedule 2022 (June 10-Sept 26) and Carnival Spirit's Australian schedule (June 5, 2022, through October 5, 2023) were both canceled. Carnival Splendor was redeployed to Alaska (May 2-August 30), and the Australian program was scheduled to start from Sydney on Oct 9th. Carnival Spirit was redeployed to the Caribbean and homeported in Jacksonville Florida (March 7th thru April 9th), then to Alaska from Seattle (May 3-Sept 13).

In Spring 2018, Splendor was repositioned to Asia for roundtrips from China. Carnival Asia operations are a partnership between Carnival Cruise Lines and Costa Asia. The second Carnival ship in Asia was Carnival Spirit (2017-2018 winter season only).

Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was done in 2016. Splendor is Carnival's sole vessel of Costa Cruises Concordia-class liners, with sisterships Concordia, Serena, Pacifica, Fascinosa, Favolosa.

The vessel has Fincantieri Sestri Ponente yard/hull number 6135, volume 113573 GT-tons, DWT-deadweight tonnage 11553 tons, max draught 8,3 m. The powerplant is based on Wartsila marine diesel engines (model 12V46C) with combined output 75,6 MW (101380 hp).

In December 2016, Carnival announced that Splendor will be transferred to P&O Cruises Australia in late 2019. However, in 2017 this decision was canceled.

Fun Facts: this ship was originally designed to be part of Costa Cruceros fleet. That is why the boat has the largest Spa installed on a Fun Ship (2-deck area sized 21000 ft2 / 2000 m2) with winter garden and traditional tea house. Splendor also has fleet's largest kids playroom (sized 5500 ft2 / 510 m2). The main pool area is covered with a 2-deck-high retractable glass roof/dome.

In early 2013, CCL Splendor was relocated from LA (Long Beach) to NYC via itinerary route around South America. The reason for that long repositioning cruise was that (as Post-Panamax vessel) Splendor was not able to transit through Panama Canal.

Carnival Splendor refurbishments review

Carnival Splendor's last drydock refurbishment was in 2024 (August 5-24) in Singapore, at Sembcorp Marine's Sembawang Shipyard. The 3-week refurb project resulted in refurbished public spaces, updated/expanded amenities, additional enhancements (new dining options), general maintenance works, safety/classification inspections, hull cleaning/repainting (new CCL livery and hull colors). Besides CCL's new livery (2021-introduced, red-white-blue hull design), Carnival Splendor features the Southern Cross (constellation) design displayed on both sides of the hull, as a nod to its connection with P&O Australia. The upgrades in 2024 included updated menus (Mad Sizzle, Masala Tiger, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse), stateroom refurbishments (fully renovated cabin balconies, suites upgraded with new whirlpools), sports and wellness facilities updates (gym, basketball court, jogging track, Cloud 9 Spa's Thalasso Therapy Pool), revamped Carnival Waterworks aquapark (waterslides, Splashy Cove playground), fully refreshed Mini-Golf Course, youth facilities (new video gaming areas at Camp Ocean and Club 02), refreshed Casino and Retail Shops, new entertainment (Playlist Productions' new show “Dear Future Husband").

The ship's previous drydocking was in 2019 (October 30-November 24) in Singapore (Sembcorp). The USD 60 million project adapted the vessel for the Australian market. It also received CCL's signature Fun Ship 2.0 upgrades. The drydocking included general maintenance works, technical overhauls, refreshed interior spaces, adding new dining venues and bars (RedFrog Pub, Alchemy Bar, Guy’s Burger Joint), Serenity Retreat (adults-only sundeck), redesigned waterpark (with a free-fall drop waterslide).

Drydock 2016 was in the period March 6-20.