First Look It’s a bit disconcerting to wake in pitch black, so deeply ensconced in the womb of a massively grand liner that not even a porthole gives a pinprick clue as to the hour. So began my first morning on the newest member of Carnival’s fleet of fun ships. Like a Vegas showgirl, the Splendor is flamboyantly appointed, from pink zebra stripes down to glittering gold leaf detailing. Her interior is comprised by a sparkling atrium, bars at every turn (including one exclusively for coffee drinkers), a gift shop, library and the grand theatre venue. The casino décor, ubiquitous cocktails, nightly shows, and late night disco lent the flare of a weekend on the Vegas strip to the two-day preview excursion. Within eight hours of embarking, I had seamlessly drifted into an otherworldly nightlife existence. By 10 p.m. we had only just finished our late dinner in the Black Pearl dining room (brought to a head when the wait staff performed a dance number), which we encored with the midnight comedy show in the plush El Morocco lounge, sandwiched on either end by hours logged at the disco. For this sailing, the Splendor departed from San Francisco rather than its home port of Long Beach, Calif. Without any stops to ground the voyage, I felt strangely detached from the unbound ocean that glinted at me through the windows. My windowless interior cabin underscored the disconnect, glowing a cozy orange in lamplight, which once extinguished allowed for uninterrupted gestation no matter the hour. Also, rather than spanning the entire perimeter, outdoor decks are only available on either end of the ship. Reaching open air requires crossing a series of antechambers, including the yawning lido deck, and bypassing a gauntlet of buffets. Even then, the first rude burst of chilly outdoors sent me scurrying back into the bosom of the boat. However, given more time and the warmer climes of its intended environs
(the Mexican Rivera), I expect that Mama Splendor would have birthed
an entirely different half-life in the wake of earning her party-ship
stripes. One that would no doubt include frenetic port calls tempered
by long hours logged in Cloud 9, the largest onboard spa yet to grace
the fun ship fleet.
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