Carnival Splendor

The 2008-built Carnival Splendor cruise ship belongs to Costa's Concordia-class liners, with sisterships Concordia (sank 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 initially announced that the ship would be repositioned to China in early 2019, then transferred to the fleet of P&O Australia in late 2019. However, in late September 2017, Carnival officially confirmed that Splendor would remain in its fleet.

History – Construction and Ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a US-based cruise company, a trademarked brand, and a 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 operates the Corporation’s largest fleet in terms of both the number of vessels and total GT tonnage (gross tonnage/passenger capacity). In 2023, Carnival held approximately 9% of the global cruise industry’s revenue and 19% of its passenger volume. In 2024, Carnival Corporation had a ~51% share of the USD 64+ billion global cruise market.

The 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor is a large vessel with a bold personality, standing out with several firsts for the fleet. She introduced a new spa cabin category, and her pool deck features a unique retractable glass dome. With Splendor, Carnival launched its first-ever Baltic and South America cruise itineraries, significantly expanding the fleet's reach.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Splendor staterooms (1,508 total in 33 categories) include 54 Suites, 537 Balcony, 363 Oceanview, and 585 Inside cabins, most measuring 170–185 ft² / 16–17 m². The ship also has 66 Cloud 9 Spa cabins and 29 wheelchair-accessible staterooms. Most balconies are 35 ft² / 3 m². The largest accommodations are the Captain’s Suites (500 ft² / 46 m² plus 200 ft² / 19 m² balcony), sleeping up to five guests.

The vessel has 13 passenger decks, including 8 with cabins.

Shipboard Dining Options – Food and Drinks

Carnival Splendor offers all the amenities expected of a modern cruise ship, with several standout venues: an Indian Tandoori grill, a sushi bar, a stir-fry station, a specialty steakhouse, and a premium coffee shop. Most venues are included in the cruise fare; only the Pinnacle Supper Club and specialty coffee bar carry additional charges. The main dining rooms—The Gold Pearl and The Black Pearl—are grand, with assigned seating for 4, 6, or 10 guests at 6:00 pm and 8:15 pm. Entertainment is part of the experience, with the maître d’ often singing and the waitstaff dancing on tables.

Dining venues include:

• The Black Pearl Restaurant – 744-seat forward dining room with fixed and Your Time Dining; offers Seuss At Sea-themed breakfast ($5)
• The Gold Pearl Restaurant – 1,122-seat aft dining room with fixed and open seating for breakfast/lunch
• Splendido Lido Buffet – 1,396-seat self-service buffet with evening bistro-style service
• The Pinnacle Steakhouse – 108-seat reservation-only venue with steak, seafood, live music, and dance floor (extra charge)
• California Roll Sushi – Complimentary sushi bar
• Fahrenheit 555 (added 2019) – Upscale steakhouse with premium aged beef, à la carte pricing
• Masala Tiger (added 2019) – Indian Tandoori dining experience included in cruise fare, located in Serenity Retreat
• Seafood Shack (added 2019) – New England-style seafood for an extra charge
• Pizzeria del Capitano (added 2019) – Italian pizzeria with hand-tossed pies, included in cruise fare

Mad Sizzle (added in 2024) – Located on Deck 9, this specialty venue offers kebabs, satays, and grilled platters. Signature items include chicken wings, lamb, falafel shawarma, skewers, steaks, and mezze plates ($12–$22).

Shipboard Entertainment – Fun and Sport

Carnival Splendor introduced several new features to the fleet, including the largest spa (21,000 ft²) across two decks. The Pan-Asian-themed Cloud 9 Spa offers a full fitness center, health and beauty treatment rooms, and the fleet’s first Thalassotherapy Pool. With 24 lounges and bars, a movie screen, a waterslide, and live entertainment throughout the day, the ship is packed with activities for all ages.

Entertainment venues include:

• Spectacular Theatre (1,349-seat, 3-level show lounge for productions, trivia, bingo, and movies)
• Splendor Atrium Lobby (7-deck-high with Lobby Bar and live music)
• Pink Pearl Card Room, Art Gallery, Alexandria Library
• The Fun Shops (duty-free, souvenirs), Formalities Shop (tuxedos, gifts)
• Photo Gallery, Club O2 (teens), Video Arcade, Circle C (kids)
• Our House Sports Bar, El Mojito Wine Bar, Alchemy Bar, Grand Piano Bar, Cool Lounge, Robusto Cigar Bar
• Royal Flush Casino, Centuries Promenade Bar
• Coffee Shop, Red Carpet Disco/Nightclub, El Morocco Lounge (comedy, live music)
• RedFrog Rum Bar, Cloud 9 Spa (thermal suites, saunas, gym, salon)
• Sports Deck (multi-court, shuffleboard, mini-golf, jogging track)
• The Web Internet Café, Serenity Retreat (adults-only area with bar and whirlpools)
• Multiple pool areas: Splendido, Liner, Thunderball (with Twister Waterslide), Splash Park, and Carnival Seaside Theatre (outdoor LED screen)
• Camp Carnival (kids’ programming and pool)

Itineraries

Carnival Splendor initially operated from New York, Miami, and Norfolk, offering cruises to Canada/New England, the Caribbean, and The Bahamas, as well as short cruises to nowhere.

In 2019, the ship was repositioned from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia, for year-round operations starting in November, following a refurbishment in Singapore.

• Bookings for the Australia 2019 program (Nov 25–Dec 28) opened on March 23, 2018.
• The Asia-Australia repositioning cruise visited Bali, Komodo Island, and Darwin.

Initial itineraries from Sydney included:

• 8-night South Pacific: Noumea, Lifou, Isle of Pines
• 9-night South Pacific: Noumea, Mare, Lifou
• 9-night: Isle of Pines, Mare, Lifou

In 2019, Carnival Splendor operated the company’s longest cruise—24 nights from Los Angeles to Singapore (Oct 5–30). The voyage visited Honolulu, Maui, Guam, Kota Kinabalu, and Saigon, including the International Dateline crossing ceremony. Prices started at USD 1,650 pp.

As part of the “Carnival Journeys” program, in 2018 (Aug 25–Sept 8), Splendor sailed a 14-day roundtrip Alaskan cruise from Long Beach, featuring Hubbard Glacier and Icy Strait Point, with themed onboard events and adventure excursions. In 2017, Carnival Miracle offered the line’s first roundtrip Alaska cruise from California.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Carnival Splendor was paused from March 2020 through May 2022. The Australian restart was initially scheduled for May 31, 2022, with itineraries including:

• 3-day cruises to nowhere
• 4-day Moreton Island
• 5-day Tasmania (Port Arthur, Hobart)
• 8–10-day Great Barrier Reef (Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas, Willis Island)
• 8–12-day South Pacific Islands (New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji including Dravuni Island)
• 10–12-day New Zealand (Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Fiordland)

However, in February 2022, the Australia 2022 schedules for Splendor (June 10–Sept 26) and Carnival Spirit were canceled. Splendor was temporarily redeployed to Alaska (May 2–Aug 30), resuming operations in Australia from October 9. Spirit was reassigned to the Caribbean (homeport Jacksonville FL) and Alaska (homeport Seattle) from May to September.

In Spring 2018, Splendor was temporarily positioned in Asia, offering cruises from China. Carnival’s Asia operations are a collaboration between Carnival Cruise Lines and Costa Asia. The second Carnival vessel deployed in Asia was Carnival Spirit (winter 2017–2018).

Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was completed in 2016. Carnival Splendor is the only vessel in the Carnival fleet from the Costa Cruises Concordia-class, with sisterships including Concordia, Serena, Pacifica, Fascinosa, and Favolosa.

The vessel was built at Fincantieri's Sestri Ponente shipyard with hull number 6135. She has a volume of 113,573 GT and a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 11,553 tons. Her maximum draught is 8.3 m. The powerplant consists of Wartsila marine diesel engines (model 12V46C), delivering a combined output of 75.6 MW (101,380 hp).

In December 2016, Carnival announced plans to transfer Splendor to P&O Cruises Australia in late 2019. However, this decision was reversed in 2017.

Fun Fact: Splendor was originally designed for Costa Cruceros, which is why she features the largest Spa in the Fun Ship fleet (a two-deck facility spanning 21,000 ft² / 2,000 m²), complete with a winter garden and a traditional tea house. She also boasts the fleet’s largest kids’ playroom (5,500 ft² / 510 m²). The main pool area is covered by a two-deck-high retractable glass roof/dome.

In early 2013, Carnival Splendor was repositioned from Los Angeles (Long Beach) to New York City via a route around South America. This lengthy repositioning cruise was necessary because, as a post-Panamax vessel, she was unable to transit the Panama Canal.

Carnival Splendor Refurbishments Review

Carnival Splendor's most recent drydock refurbishment was held August 5–24, 2024, in Singapore, at Sembcorp Marine's Sembawang Shipyard. This three-week project included refurbished public areas, expanded and updated amenities, new dining options, general maintenance, safety and classification inspections, and hull cleaning and repainting with Carnival’s updated livery. In addition to the new red-white-blue hull design introduced in 2021, Splendor also features the Southern Cross constellation graphic on both sides of her hull, symbolizing her connection with P&O Australia.

The 2024 upgrades included new menus (Mad Sizzle, Masala Tiger, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse), full refurbishment of cabin balconies, suite enhancements with new whirlpools, and upgrades to sports and wellness facilities (gym, basketball court, jogging track, Cloud 9 Spa’s Thalasso Therapy Pool). Other highlights included a revamped Carnival WaterWorks aquapark (new waterslides, Splashy Cove playground), a refreshed Mini-Golf Course, enhanced youth areas (video gaming spaces in Camp Ocean and Club O2), and upgraded Casino and Retail Shops. A new Playlist Productions show titled “Dear Future Husband” was also introduced.

The previous drydocking took place from October 30 to November 24, 2019, also in Singapore (Sembcorp). This USD 60 million project prepared the ship for the Australian market and incorporated Carnival’s signature Fun Ship 2.0 upgrades. The refit included general maintenance, technical overhauls, refreshed interiors, and new venues such as RedFrog Pub, Alchemy Bar, and Guy’s Burger Joint. Additional improvements included the Serenity Retreat (adults-only sundeck) and a redesigned waterpark with a free-fall drop waterslide.

The 2016 drydock took place from March 6–20.