What a splendid time!!

I have recently returned from a family holiday on the Splendor of the Seas around Dubai.  We had an amazing time.  Dubai is just out of this world, and will definitely be going back.

This blog will really give you an insight into what I thought of the ship and RCCL, also through the eyes of my children.

Our flight to Dubai was with Virgin, and I have to say was really impressed with the staff, food and the service.  This was the first time my children had been on a scheduled airline (usually we fly with low cost airlines), and they loved the whole experience, especially the fact my daughter could charge her IPhone was a blessing.

We arrived into Dubai at around 0800 which was too early to be transferred to the ship, so we were taken to a hotel just opposite the airport where we were served a breakfast and also completed check in for the cruise, all ran really smoothly, before you knew it we were called to board the coach that transferred us to the port.  Within half an hour we were onboard having lunch.  What a great way to start the holiday!  We couldn’t get into our cabin until 1.30 but this really wasn’t a problem because it gave us the opportunity to have a look round the ship and start sampling the many cocktails on offer.

View of the atrium at the top of the stairs – They would have acrobats and trapeze artist perform some fantastic routines

Freya on the stairs at the atrium

We decided before we went that we were going to buy the drinks package, which I have to say we used to the full capacity.  We ended buying the premium package which cost $49 per person per day, some people may think that was quite expensive but I worked it out and it really was beneficial for us.  It works out at about £35 per person per day.  What was really good was that the drinks package comes with a souvenir cup so you can go up to any bar and they will fill this up with soft drinks which was great for the children.

Kurts favorite part of the ship – Splendor of the Green!

I really loved the ship, loved the whole atmosphere, it felt a really happy ship.  I loved the fact that a lot of the evening entertainment was based in the atrium, which really was the heart of the ship.  We didn’t go to any of the activities on board so I cannot comment on this.  As it was out of school holidays there were only a few children, but my son decided to go and see what the kids club was like.

My birthday cake surprise!

One of the many different animals we came home to each evening!

“I really wanted to go to the kids club but I was worried because I didn’t think I would understand the American accent, or I couldn’t speak American, when my Dad picked me up I told him straight away that the American accent was easy to understand and he now calls football soccer!! There was only a few children in the club but that was fine because it meant they could choose whatever they wanted to do or watch on the telly.  I also made a friend from Spain and also Canada.  I don’t think the club was a good as the Ventura because there they would take us out to the pool and play some games”. By Kurtis West age 8

Picking Kurtis up from kids club!

We ate all our evening meals in the main restaurant and again I couldn’t fault the food, our waiter Desmond was an absolute diamond and was especially good with my little boy, by day 2 he sussed that Kurtis loved Jelly so every evening we had to guess what colour jelly he had, small things like this goes a long way with children.  We opted for opening dining, which again worked really well and again by day 2 the staff knew the time we liked to eat and always had the same table.  One evening my husband and I managed to have an evening meal just the 2 of us, so when we arrived at the restaurant to be seated to our usual table the waiter quickly moved us to a table for 2 by the window, they really did look after us that evening.

My kids on the I pads covering themselves from the Sun

Our cabin was a 4 berth inside, and I have to say it was a bit of a tight squeeze, the bathroom was tiny, but it always clean and as tidy as it could be with 4 of us.

I have asked my daughter what she thought of the ship – this is what she says:

The cruise was nice, the food was nice, the people were really friendly and I loved the mock tails!! A girl with few words… By Freya West age 12

Freya’s favorite drink!

Splendor of the Seas has been sold to Thomson cruises – I think this is going to be a fantastic move…