Carnival Splendor — the basics, and what to ask
A large ship, 3,016 berths, but not the scale where you need a map for the first two days.
She dates from 2008, so expect a refit or two in her history. Ask about cabin condition rather than assuming — refurbished and un-refurbished cabins on the same ship can be years apart.
Big enough that a sea day never runs dry, small enough that you are not queueing for lifts all week.
Passenger-to-crew is about 2.6 to 1. Fine, but at peak times — embarkation day, the buffet at one — you will notice.
From her deck plan: an indoor promenade, a waterpark, a casino, a spa, a dedicated kids area, a sports deck and a central atrium. That is what the layout shows — if something has been changed in a refit, correct us.
Cabins run from deck 1 to deck 10 across 7 decks. The usual advice applies and applies harder on a ship this shape: mid-ship and low is the steadiest ride, and what sits directly above your cabin matters more than the view out of it.
Been aboard? Say what you would tell someone booking her next month.
#1·