Anyone who has recent travel experience with the cruise Splendour of the Seas?

Question

During Spring Break of '08, my family and I will be taking a Royal Caribbean Cruise on the Mediterranean Sea from Italy to Croatia, everywhere in between and then back, it's a week long cruise. The ship we are going on is the Splendour of the Seas, one of the oldest ships with RCL. This will not be my first cruise, I have been on 4 ships with RCL actually, starting with the Monarch of the Seas in '98 and ending with the Voyager of the Seas in '04. However, since we began cruising, each time we have gone normally we've been on the most recently built ship at that time. I am worried that my expectations will be too high set for Splendour and am worried it will ruin the vacation. If there is anyone who has been on Splendour recently, or been cruising in Europe, could you please help settle my nerves by telling me what you thought of the ship or trip, or at least explain the experience you had with Splendour or Europe. Please and thank you! You are greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Go to CruiseCritic.com, click on "Boards" and "Reviews" for all the information you could possibly want.  And if you don't find exactly what you want to know - just ask!  Posters on those boards are really friendly and eager to help.

Answer 2

The Splendour of the Seas had a major refurbishment in 2001 which was a year after we cruised on her, so I cannot really comment on her condition at present, however before the refit, I personally thought that she was in really good condition, clean and immaculate in all areas.

You will probably find Splendour slightly smaller than what you have been used to with RCCL so far but that makes it more interesting and less impersonal.

We too sailed around the Med and really enjoyed the whole trip and all the ports, so much so that we have been back again 3 times.

If you have been on four cruises with RCCL you will not be disappointed with this trip, the standards are the same whatever ship or trip you are on.

There is a link to a good impartial review of the Splendour below.

Have a great cruise.

Answer 3

Firstly, Splendour isn't the oldest ship in the fleet.  Empress is.  That being said, Splendour isn't by any means a small ship at 70,000 tons.   She was launched in 1996, making her 12 years old this year.  

Royal Caribbean has long been in the habit of retiring their older ships once they no longer conform to their high standards.  They use them in secondary markets (operating under a different name and cruise line)  where they continue to act as cruise ships for years and years to come.  None of the retired RC ships has yet been scuttled, in fact.   (RC business model is to build bigger and better ships - on the order of one PER YEAR - so eventually the smaller, older ships begin to oversaturate their markets, and they don't want to take business away from themselves!)  So my point being, even the smaller, older ships in the fleet are still held to extremely high standards, because even when Royal Caribbean is done with them, they will still be operating them via their Pullmantur secondary line.   They take good care of their ships.

And Splendour isn't even one of the smaller, older ships in the fleet.  The Vision Class of ships is generally regarded as more luxurious than the Sovereign class (of which Monarch is one).  Those are being phased out beginning next year - being about 10 years older on average than the Vision ships.  

Is it as nice as Voyager or the new Freedom-class ships?  No.  

Is it as nice as Monarch?  Probably nicer.

You'll have a great time, don't worry.  I'm sure the ship will be fine.