This was the first and last Carnival Cruise I believe I will embark on. The cruise was chosen due to its proximity to my home and the islands that were visited. I would like to start off the review by acknowledging the positive factors of the cruise.

The room which was a balcony room on deck 10 was spacious and clean (I will write more about that in room review). The cleaning crew was very nice. They always spoke and made it a point to learn the names of the passengers whose rooms they were cleaning. Another pro of the Carnival Splendor was the amount of availability to things. If there was something that was needed (i.e. extra toilet paper) it was requested and received immediately. The overall cleanliness of the ship was that it was clean most of the time. There were a few times when early in the morning after breakfast was retrieved, that we had to walk from table to table, until we found one that did not have left over crumbs from another passenger.

There were many negatives that must be mentioned, for anyone who is interested in getting an honest review, of a true experience on the Splendor. The first and one of the most important review is that of the food. Who doesn't go on a cruise with the intentions of gaining a few pounds, just on the food alone?!? That was my ultimate plan which quickly changed after the first evening on the ship. The food was HORRIBLE! The only good option for eating is the Mongolian Grille. It was only open daily from 12PM-2:30PM, and there was ALWAYS a line (approximately a 20 minute wait) because everyone had the same idea, that it was worth the wait, and by far the best food option at that time. Everything else was not very appetizing, from salad (the lettuce had a 'funny' taste), to the french fries ("who can mess up french fries?"). The oil that they were cooked in was thought to be the reason for the 'not quite right' taste. All of the salad dressings were bland. They looked like they had flavor, but had none at all.The made-to-order omelettes were not even appetizing, my travel partner and I narrowed it down to the cooking spray that was used. It was nice to see that staff cleaning up the vegetables as they spilled out on the buffet but, it was also annoying how at 2:30pm despite what food was left over in the buffet line, the crew was very adamant, about taking the food down, regardless of who wanted some or not. All the food that went to waste was very disheartening, even though it was nasty. If people are hungry, they should still be able to eat. The steakhouse which cost an extra $35 per person/ night, was a much better option. But, after paying the amount that was paid for the cruise, I do not feel that it is necessary to have to pay extra money for good food. The best option for food is to wait until you reach a destination, and get off the ship to get a flavorful meal. On to the decor of the ship... the entire ship needs a COMPLETE renovation!!! Once you get on the ship it looks like you are in 1974. That includes carpet, light and bathroom fixtures, the wallpaper, and even the choice of entertainment on the Lido deck. The Lido deck was on deck 9 and it had a big movie screen which showed outdated documentaries of Bob Marley and Phil Collins. The music was also outdated and was probably the top songs of whatever era the ship originated in, but not quite entertaining for the year 2014. Room service was not great either! First they have a limited selection of pre-made sandwiches. I know they are pre-made because I requested cheese to be added to mine, and not only did they go back and forth with me about what I (the customer wanted) but afterwards agreed to look into it, and when my food was delivered there was no cheese to be found, and we only had one place setting for a request from 2 guests. The same food was bland, the Ceasar dressing tasted like oil with no flavor, and the lettuce had an awkward taste. Read more