Carnival Splendor Is A Winner!

Is it time to cruise again yet?  Sailed on the Splendor out of NYC on 6/29.  Itinerary included Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay (AKA the most beautiful place on earth,) and Nassau, Bahamas.  This was my second time on the Splendor, fourth time cruising with the CD, Malcolm, and 8th Carnival cruise.  

Embarkation in NY is always a breeze; since we had a suite we were"VIP'", but to be honest if you get there earlier you can get right onto the boat within minutes of leaving your car.

Our room was ready upon embarkation, and the fun began as we stepped onto the ship! 

Carnival has the most friendly staff across the board!  You really feel "home" on a Carnival ship!  The food was great, always a lot of options.  The activities were varied--you could do three hours of trivia if you wanted, or you could chill out wherever you wanted.  One of my favorite things about a cruise: it truly is a customizable vacation: you can do as much or as little as you want.  Everyone will have a different experience. 

I have left from NYC for all of the Carnival cruises I have been on, so I have seen all of the ports that are offered.  Since it was our fifth time at Grand Turk, we chose to stay on the ship and enjoy.  Definitely take a tour if you go; it is a nice island to see with interesting things to learn about.  The beach is very rocky there. 

Half Moon Cay is one of my favorite ports; to know that somewhere that beautiful actually exists makes me sad that I'm not there now!  Get a cabana--best way to go!  Have been there three times and all three times I wanted to stay longer (says the girl who usually hides from the sun and is not generally a beach person!)  It is "paradise."  Crystal clear waters, sand as soft as clouds--an all around dream.  

Nassau, Bahamas: Our third time there, we chose to do a new excursion: the Adventure Quest.  It was a family style Survivor meets Amazing Race..it is highly recommended and was a lot of fun!  

Life onboard is pretty sweet.  Malcolm Burn, our CD, is a truly amazing person.  There is this overall positive feeling while on the ship--he makes you want to get involved in your vacation.  

The bottom line: 8 of my 9 cruises have been with Carnival.  I tried something different last year-- WHAT A MISTAKE.  Stick with Carnival, it's the best!