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Carnival Splendor

Sails from Sydney, Australia · Fly into SYD

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Carnival Splendor at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal, January 2025

Carnival Splendor at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal, January 2025 · Photo: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

About Carnival Splendor

Carnival Splendor is a Carnival Cruise Line cruise ship of the Concordia class, in service since 2008. She measures 113,573 gross tons and carries 3,012 guests with a crew of 1,150. She sails Australia and New Zealand, South Pacific, Asia itineraries. We rate her 3.7 out of 5.

Carnival Splendor is a Concordia-class ship that was designed and ordered for Costa Cruises but transferred to Carnival during construction; she is the only ship of that class in the fleet and has a different funnel from her Costa sisters. She entered service in July 2008 as Carnival's largest ship, carrying about 3,000 guests, until Carnival Dream arrived in 2009. Features include a midship pool with a retractable roof, the Green Lightning slide, El Morocco Lounge, The Cool jazz club and a Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse at the top of the ship. Based in Sydney since late 2019, she had a 19-day refurbishment in August 2024.

Ship facts

Guests
3,012
Crew 1,150 · 1:2.6
Entered service
2008
Refitted 2024
Length
290 m
Longer than 73% of 575 ships
Decks
13

Carnival Splendor is bigger than 75% of the 418 cruise ships in service on Cruises Frog with a tonnage on record, and carries more guests than 84%. At 37.7 gross tons per guest she is tighter than 57% of 416; the median ship is 39.4.

Cabins
3/5, fleet average 3.1
Dining
3/5, fleet average 3.0
Entertainment
4/5, fleet average 4.0
Service
4/5, fleet average 4.0
Pools & decks
3/5, fleet average 2.9
Value
5/5, fleet average 5.0

Editorial scores, 1 to 5 per metric; the overall is their average, not an average of reader reviews. Ticks mark the Carnival Cruise Line fleet average across 29 rated ships in service.

More from Carnival Cruise Line

The ships in the fleet closest to her in size.

Deck plans & cabin locations

Open dedicated deck-plan page

Official colour deck plan - reviewed October 2026 · Published edition. Confirm the edition for your departure with the cruise line.

Explore the deck plans

What’s above your ceiling matters as much as the view. Compare the decks around your cabin, then use the location notes to build your shortlist.

No exact sailing-date window is supplied for this download. Confirm the cabin category, connecting doors, accessibility, view and refurbishment changes for your departure. Layout-based noise cautions are not confirmed disturbance reports; explicit obstructed-view flags are identified separately as operator-listed.

All decks

Official colour deck plan - reviewed October 2026 · bow to the right

Cabin-number search becomes available as verified cabins are mapped. All published deck diagrams are available below.

Start with cabin sections on Deck 7 · Check Deck 8 beneath pool and buffet activity
Deck 14Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 14: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 12Deck plan

On this deck: Combined forward and aft diagrams

Carnival Splendor, Deck 12: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 11Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 11: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 10Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 10: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 9Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 9: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 8Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 8: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 7Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 7: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 6Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 6: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 5Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 5: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 4Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 4: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 3Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 3: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 2Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 2: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 1Deck plan
Carnival Splendor, Deck 1: official cabin and venue layout
Use Zoom plan to enlarge a diagram.Full ship PDF

Cabins to avoid & quieter candidates

  • Deck 7 where accommodation overlaps vertically

    Start with cabin sections on Deck 7

    Compare a central room with cabins immediately above and below, away from lifts, stairs, connecting doors and service access. Check the exact three-deck footprint; category colour alone does not identify a quiet room.

    Why we flag this

    The ship-specific colour plans show substantial accommodation on Decks 6, 7 and 8. This is a layout-based starting point, not measured sound data or a guarantee of quiet. Check the source plan.

  • Deck 8 under occupied parts of Deck 9

    Check Deck 8 beneath pool and buffet activity

    Match the cabin with pools, outdoor seating, buffet/marketplace dining and public routes above. Ask about furniture movement and early setup where the room actually overlaps those areas.

    Why we flag this

    The ship-specific Deck 9 diagram shows pools and dining/open-deck facilities above portions of the Deck 8 accommodation. The upper deck also has forward accommodation, so rooms beneath other cabins need a different assessment. Check the source plan.

  • Deck 6 over occupied Deck 5 areas

    Check accommodation above public venues

    Compare the room with dining, lounge, theatre, casino or promenade spaces where labelled below. Verify exact venue hours and vertical overlap if you are an early sleeper.

    Why we flag this

    The official plans place substantial public areas on Deck 5 beneath portions of the Deck 6 accommodation. Individual venue names and footprints come from this ship's PDF, rather than a substituted sister-ship map. Check the source plan.

Location-based guidance, not measured noise or a guarantee of quiet. Flags identify areas to investigate, not every cabin on a deck. Check the exact room, connecting doors, accessibility and the plan for your sailing date. Native per-deck artwork extracted from the ship-named official PDF colour/category plan, checked 21 October 2026. Forward and aft diagrams are combined on a single deck image when the source splits that level. The full PDF retains category legends and any additional accessibility overlay.. Reviewed 2026-10-21.

Read the full cabins-to-avoid guide

Photos

1 photo

Where she sails

Home port: Sydney, Australia.

Flying in for your cruise?

Quick answers

Which cruise line operates Carnival Splendor?

Carnival Splendor is operated by Carnival Cruise Line and belongs to its Concordia class.

How big is Carnival Splendor?

Carnival Splendor measures 113,573 gross tons and 290 metres in length, with 13 decks.

How does Carnival Splendor compare in size with other cruise ships?

Carnival Splendor is bigger than 75% of the 418 cruise ships in service on Cruises Frog with a tonnage on record, and carries more guests than 84%. At 37.7 gross tons per guest she is tighter than 57% of 416; the median ship is 39.4.

How crowded does Carnival Splendor feel?

Carnival Splendor has a passenger space ratio of 37.7: 113,573 gross tons for 3,012 guests. Ratios over 50 feel spacious and under 30 busy, so Carnival Splendor feels comfortable for her size.

How many passengers does Carnival Splendor carry?

Carnival Splendor carries 3,012 guests at double occupancy, with a crew of 1,150 (about 2.6 guests per crew member).

When did Carnival Splendor enter service?

Carnival Splendor entered service in 2008 and was last refurbished in 2024.

Where does Carnival Splendor sail?

Carnival Splendor sails Australia and New Zealand, South Pacific and Asia itineraries. Her home port is Sydney, Australia.

Which airport should I fly into for Carnival Splendor?

Carnival Splendor sails from Sydney, Australia. Fly into Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD), which has 15 airport lounges listed on Lounge Frog.

Where can I find the deck plans for Carnival Splendor?

Carnival Cruise Line publishes the deck plans for Carnival Splendor; this page links to Deck plans (PDF).

How is Carnival Splendor rated?

Cruises Frog rates Carnival Splendor 3.7 out of 5 overall, the average of 6 editorial scores. She scores best on value (5/5) and lowest on pools & decks (3/5).

Which cabins are good choices on Carnival Splendor?

For the “Official colour deck plan - reviewed October 2026” plan, start with these quieter-location candidates: Deck 7 where accommodation overlaps vertically: Compare a central room with cabins immediately above and below, away from lifts, stairs, connecting doors and service access. Check the exact three-deck footprint; category colour alone does not identify a quiet room. Compare the exact cabin with the decks above and below, nearby lifts and connecting doors. These are layout-based suggestions, not a guarantee of quiet.

Which cabins should I avoid or check carefully on Carnival Splendor?

For the “Official colour deck plan - reviewed October 2026” plan, review these flagged locations before booking: Deck 8 under occupied parts of Deck 9: Match the cabin with pools, outdoor seating, buffet/marketplace dining and public routes above. Ask about furniture movement and early setup where the room actually overlaps those areas. Deck 6 over occupied Deck 5 areas: Compare the room with dining, lounge, theatre, casino or promenade spaces where labelled below. Verify exact venue hours and vertical overlap if you are an early sleeper. These flags are not measured noise reports or a warning about every room on a deck. Read the sourced cabin advice for the evidence and any explicit operator warnings.

How can I check whether a cabin is under a pool, nightclub or theatre?

Find the cabin on the selected plan, then compare the same fore-and-aft position on the deck above and below. Check the full venue footprint, including outdoor seating, stages, service areas and entrances. Nearby activity can be a reason to investigate, but does not by itself prove a cabin is noisy. Use the cabin advice and its sources to distinguish layout cautions from operator warnings.

Where can I find Carnival Splendor deck plans?

Use this guide’s deck selector to compare the decks around your cabin and open available diagrams in the zoom viewer. The full ship PDF and source links are listed for each plan edition.

Which deck-plan edition applies to my sailing?

Select your sailing date before comparing cabin locations. Editions can change after a refit. These answers use “Official colour deck plan - reviewed October 2026”, reviewed 2026-10-21. No exact sailing-date window is supplied for this download. Confirm the cabin category, connecting doors, accessibility, view and refurbishment changes for your departure. Layout-based noise cautions are not confirmed disturbance reports; explicit obstructed-view flags are identified separately as operator-listed.

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