Carnival Vista
Description
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| Gross Tonnage: | 133,500 |
| Guest Capacity: | 3,934 |
| Length: | 1,062 feet |
| Onboard Crew: | 1,450 |
Facilities
Carnival Vista offers a number of unique features, including a groundbreaking suspended cycling experience called SkyRide, the first IMAX Theatre at sea and the RedFrog Pub & Brewery offering three different kinds of beer brewed on board.
Also new is Family Harbor with special family accommodations and a family concierge, along with the tropics-inspired Havana staterooms and suites featuring a dedicated pool area. The ship’s outdoor spaces include a massive WaterWorks aqua park, highlighted by the 455-foot-long Kaleid-o-slide, the longest slide in the fleet.
Rating
Additional Details
Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Vista might just be one of the line's most fun, with a tons of scheduled daily activities, outside attractions and a nightlife that doesn't slow down till late.
Even on a 10-night cruise, we weren't able to get to everything on Carnival Vista. We did the [SkyRide](/articles.cfm?ID=2382) (an elevated bike ride), but not the ropes course. We tried out the outdoor Twister board, but never got a chance to play mini-golf or outdoor billiards. We went to the 4D Thrill Theater movie theater but never saw an IMAX movie. We saw four Playlist Production shows in the main theater, but skipped the magic show in favor of an evening of comedy. We made it to only one RedFrog Pub & Brewery trivia session, and never got to try one of the pour-your-own-beer taps or enjoy a drink in the pub's outdoor seating area.
Cruisers we spoke with had the same experience -- Carnival Vista just has so much to do that there's not enough time.
## Carnival Vista Deck Plans Bring Fun to Your Doorstep
The way deck plans have been designed on Carnival Vista – with a mix of public areas and cabins on most decks (except on decks 1, 2, 8 and 9) – means that light sleepers may get more noise in their cabin than you'd feel is ideal. However, Carnival Vista’s layout is great for those who never want to be far from the action.
The best decks on Carnival Vista for those who prioritize sleep over fun are decks 1 or 8, which are the only ones that have nothing but other rooms above or below. Note that some cabins between the aft and midship elevator banks on deck 8 may get noise from the IMAX theater.
Truth be told, despite the constancy of activities and a guest capacity of 3,934 passengers (double occupancy), Carnival Vista never felt manic. There was no sense that if you didn't do it all you were missing out. Perhaps that's because our fellow passengers were all laid-back, as ready to chill out as they were to have fun.
While you can find places to be solitary and quiet (the adults-only Sanctuary, for instance), Carnival Vista is not a ship for wallflowers. It's an extroverted ship full of friendly people, most of whom come from English-speaking countries, though you'll hear a fair amount of Spanish as well. And watch out during school holidays; the ship's passenger count can get pretty close to 5,000 with well over 1,000 kids during the busiest months.
Between the laid-back and friendly passengers, always-smiling crew and plethora of onboard activities, Carnival Vista maintains a vibe that is young at heart and down to earth.
## Carnival Vista vs. Carnival Magic and Carnival Dream
Carnival Vista, Carnival Magic and Carnival Dream offer very similar experiences for those sailing to the Caribbean. Carnival Vista is the largest of all (3,500 tons heavier) and can hold a couple hundred additional passengers than its sister ships.
The biggest differences between them, however, are the dining and entertainment options available on each – and Carnival Vista beats both. Carnival Magic and Carnival Dream lack the IMAX theater, Dr. Seuss Bookville and SkyRide that Carnival Vista has. In addition, Dream does not have a SportSquare or a SkyCourse, which Carnival Vista does.
## Health & Safety on Carnival Vista
Carnival Cruise Line is mandating a fully vaccinated policy for those 5 and older on Vista sailings from Galveston. Within the limits of the CDC's definition of a "vaccinated" cruise consisting of 95 percent all passengers and crew, vaccination exemptions are possible with preapproval, including for children.
Carnival ships are sailing with reduced overall capacity.
**Before Boarding**
· Proof of travel insurance covering COVID for unvaccinated guests over the age of 12.
· Proof of completed vaccination at least 14 days prior to sailing for over-12s
· Negative PCR or antigen test within 72 hours of embarkation for all passengers regardless of age
· Pre-embarkation online health questionnaire
· Online check-in and arrival appointment required
· Masks required for all guests over age 2 during the entire embarkation and debarkation process, and while on any form of transportation
**Onboard**
· Masks are no longer required in most areas of the ships. Passengers will need to wear a mask in the medical center, during embarkation and disembarkation at the home port and during port calls and on transportation, such as water shuttles and indoors on any Carnival tour. Local regulations may also require wearing of masks.
· Additional screenings, testing, and contact tracing as needed
· No capacity limits in bars or restaurants
· Cabin service once daily (rather than twice), with guests allowed to choose morning or evening
· Bar and restaurant menus, The Fun Times, and safety drill are provided via QR codes and the Hub App
· Sanitizing and hand-washing stations all over the ship
· No supervised Camp Ocean, Circle C or Club O2 activities for unvaccinated children , youth and teens.
The dress code on Carnival Vista is pretty casual, even on “elegant nights”, so there is no need to pack a tuxedo or cocktail dress if you think you’ll be happy dining in the buffet on the more formal evenings.
**Daytime:** Casual, with shorts and T-shirts most common inside the ship and bathing suits and cover-ups de rigueur on the pool deck.
**Evening: **Fairly casual (though shorts and tees are typically replaced by long pants and nicer tops) except on Carnival Vista’s "elegant" nights, when men are asked to wear long pants and collared shirts and women are expected to dress up a bit. Suits, sport jackets and gowns are not required. On cruise elegant nights you can dine in the buffet without dressing up at all.
**Not permitted:** Cutoff jeans, shorts and swimwear are not permitted in the main dining room or Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse.
For more information, visit [Cruise Line Dress Codes: Carnival](/articles.cfm?ID=545#carnival).
Cabins on Carnival Vista are generally comfortably sized with plenty of storage space, though unfortunately the line went with a dated color scheme in standard rooms, which we feel makes the brand-new cabins seem older than they are. What really stands out for us about Carnival Vista rooms, however, is the wide variety of configurations available, including dozens of connecting rooms, making the ship particularly well-suited to families and groups of friends traveling together.
The ship’s layout, which mixes public spaces and cabins on most decks – means there are a few cabins to avoid on Carnival Vista if you’re planning on going to bed early or sleep in. Staterooms on deck 9, which is below Carnival Vista’s Lido deck, and those directly above or adjacent to the IMAX (decks 6, 7 and 8) are particularly subject to noise.
## Carnival Vista Rooms Have Welcome Touches Such as USB Ports
All Carnival Vista cabin types (except for a handful of inside rooms) have two twin beds that convert to a king, desk with chair, a flat-screen TV, mini-fridge (already empty so you can fill it up with what you want), hair dryer and a safety deposit box in the closet.
The interactive flat-screen TV comes with several channels and can be used to make dinner reservations or check your balance. Several on-demand movies are also available, including about half a dozen for free.
In all rooms you'll find both 110 and 230 power outlets, as well as USB outlets. All are by the desk; in other words, there are no outlets by the bed, a real shortcoming in our opinion. In standard rooms (inside, ocean view and balcony), the power outlets are located directly beneath the mirror, making it impossible to plug-in any oversized chargers. Bring a power cord if you have oversized chargers (like for a camera battery).
Bathrooms have plenty of storage space with glass shelving on both sides of the sink. All cabins except Cloud 9 Spa and Havana rooms come with shampoo and body wash dispensers in the shower and bars of soap.
**Interior:** The 723 Interior cabins are 185 square feet each. Most inside staterooms on Carnival Vista have space for two people, though a few fit three people and even fewer can fit four. Closets offer limited storage space, particularly hanging space.
There are also six Interior cabins with walkway views on Deck 7. Mostly identical to other interior cabins on Carnival Vista, these rooms feature a picture window facing the public observation deck (as opposed to an ocean view, which could be why Carnival chooses to call them interior rooms, even though technically they're not).
**Ocean View:** Carnival Vista ocean-view cabins are either 185 square feet or 220 square feet. In all, you'll find a sofa, coffee table, closets with plenty of hanging space and a picture window.
Carnival Vista Deluxe Ocean View cabins are 230 square feet and have two bathrooms, one with toilet and shower and one with toilet and junior tub.
**Balcony:** Carnival Vista has several balcony cabin configurations including standard, cove, aft, premium and vista balcony cabins. All have a sofa or sofa bed, coffee table and plenty of storage space. Balconies have a small table and patio chairs. All balcony cabins are 185 square feet inside, but the balcony size varies: 35 square feet for standard balcony; 45 square feet for Carnival Vista Cove Balcony (all of which are found on Deck 2); 60 square feet for aft balcony and 75 square feet for premium and vista balcony. Carnival Premium Balcony staterooms and Carnival Vista Balcony cabins differ only by location on the ship, with the latter located on the corner and the former located just inside the corner.
**Havana:** The Havana cabin category, open only to passengers 12 years or older, includes exclusive use of Carnival Vista’s aft Havana pool area all cruise long. Most of Carnival Vista’s Havana rooms (called cabanas) are located on Deck 5 and include floor-to-ceiling windows and a private outdoor patio, which can be accessed by keycard from outside as well as through the cabin; a few are located on Decks 6 and 7 and have balconies rather than patios, but still receive all Havana perks. Patios for both standard Havana Cabanas and cabana suites on Carnival Vista are 100 square feet. They are enclosed by a low white gate and feature a table, patio chair, loungers and hammock-style swinging chair. We loved the swing chair and being able to lie outside on our loungers whenever we wanted, but found the lack of privacy to be distracting at times. Not only can you clearly see and hear your neighbors on their patio (and they can see and hear you), but passengers who have managed to get onto the Havana deck and promenade occasionally stroll by and stop to ask questions.
Havana interior cabins are 185 square feet inside; Carnival Vista Havana suites are 260 square feet. Suites have a large inside seating area and a lovely bathroom with marble counters, his and her sinks and a rainfall showerhead. Suites also have generous walk-in closets.
All Havana rooms come with Havana-branded Elemis shampoo, conditioner, lotion and soap.
Carnival Vista’s Havana Balcony units are: aft-view extended with 60-square-foot balconies, or premium or vista category with 75-square-foot balconies. There are also a limited number of inside cabins designated as Havana category.
**Family Harbor:** Carnival Vista’s Family Harbor cabin category is one of the best family-specific grouping of rooms we've ever come across at sea. Located in a keycard-accessible section of Deck 2, providing an extra level of security, the cabins come with several perks including access to the Family Harbor Lounge with its daily buffet breakfast, daytime snacks and 24/7 soft ice cream; a free night of Night Owls babysitting; and free specialty dining for kids under 12 in most of Vista's specialty restaurants.
There are inside, ocean-view, cove balcony and suite cabins in Family Harbor. All cabins except insides have two bathrooms, one with a toilet and shower, the other with a toilet and bathtub. Many are connecting.
Carnival Vista’s Family Harbor suites are 275 square feet and have 65-square-foot cove balconies (meaning they're closer to the water than other balconies) and are the only rooms on the ship that have space for five people. They include a curtain to divide the main sleeping area from the rest of the cabin, and have two flat-screen TVs and roomy walk-in closets.
**Cloud 9 Spa:** Carnival Vista Cloud 9 Spa cabins are available in several categories including inside, ocean view, balcony and suite. Room layouts are the same as other cabins of the same category. Carnival Vista Cloud 9 Spa room amenities include Elemis toiletries in the bathroom, free access to Vista's thermal suite, two free fitness classes per passenger and upgraded Cloud 9 Spa bathrobes and slippers.
## Carnival Vista Suites Add Space and Perks
Carnival Vista suites come in three different categories: Junior Suites, Ocean Suite and Grand Suites. Passengers in all suites receive priority check-in and boarding, main dining room time assignment, bathrobes, pillow-top mattresses and two bottles of water.
**Junior Suite:** The two Junior Suites are 275 square feet, have a 35-square-foot obstructed-view balcony (meaning you don't get a completely full view of the outside world from your balcony) and feature a bathroom with shower and whirlpool tub combo, as well as double sinks. Junior suites also have a cozy sitting area and a walk-in dressing area with vanity table and chair.
**Ocean Suite:** Carnival Vista Ocean Suites are 275 square feet and have 65-square-foot balconies. They come with roomy walk-in closets, a sitting area, full bathroom with shower and whirlpool tub combo and double sinks.
**Grand Suite:** The largest room category on Carnival Vista, Grand Suites are 345 square feet and have 85-square-foot balconies. On top of all the same features as Ocean Suites, Grand Suites have a bidet and the walk-in closet has a vanity table with chair. Grand Suite passengers get free access to the Havana pool area.
We love that Carnival Vista's free restaurants outnumber those that cost money, though with many free venues only open at select times or on select days it doesn't always feel that way. (Fresh Creations salad bar, for instance, is only open for lunch on sea days.) There's still plenty of food included in the Carnival Vista cruise fare, and, in fact, our favorite lunchtime venue was complimentary (The Pasta Bar).
Generally speaking, the food on Carnival Vista is good, though we'd have to say our meals in the specialty restaurants (both free and extra fee eateries) tended to be a tad better than what we had in the main dining room or buffet. With that said, we never had a truly bad meal. Most of the complaints we heard about the overall dining experience were gripes about limited hours for spots like Bonsai Sushi and Guy's Burger on port days.
## Free Restaurants on Carnival Vista
There is a great array of food options on Carnival Vista. Restaurants included in the cruise fare run the gamut from casual outdoor spots for a quick bite to multicourse meals in formal dining rooms with waiter service. Food menus are varied and tasty and include international options such as a Mexican cantina and an excellent pasta bar.
**Horizons (Decks 3 and 4) and Reflections (Deck 3) Restaurants
Meals: Breakfast (B), Dinner (D)**
Carnival Vista's two main dining rooms: The two-deck Horizons Restaurant is for the flexible Your Time Dining program participants (choose when you want to dine and a table will be assigned at the time), while the smaller Reflections dining room, on Deck 3 of Carnival Vista, is for those with assigned seating; dinner is has two seatings. Horizons also has a small bar inside, perfect for a pre-dinner drink if you're waiting for a table.
One unusual detail regarding the Your Time Dining: Diners who have chosen Your Time Dining must first stop at a desk on Deck 5 near Java Blue cafe, to sign in for dinner and get their table assignment. It's out of the way, depending on where you're coming from, and you then have to wait in line twice.
Breakfast is served in Horizons on port days; on sea days, it's brunch. Both are sit-down affairs. The breakfast menu features standard morning items, while the brunch menu is double-sided -- one side for breakfast items, the other for lunch items.
For dinner, both restaurants offer Carnival's [American Table](/articles.cfm?ID=2337) on most nights and American Feast on cruise elegant nights. The casual American Table is characterized by a lack of tablecloths, which some veteran Carnival cruisers don't like, but we didn't miss. On American Feast night, the white tablecloths do come out. Dinner menus are the same in both restaurants.
Dining is banquet style with a multicourse menu that includes rotating items, along with always available dishes. Food tends to be Pan-American with the occasional ethnic dish (Tex Mex penne, lasagna, sweet-and-sour shrimp, etc.).
Each night also offers a few special items; one, an appetizer, is labeled a "Rare Find" and described on the menu as "food you always wanted to try, but haven't yet dared." These items could include alligator fritters, tuna tartar, braised ox tongue and escargots.
Also available every night are several steakhouse selections that carry a surcharge.
The menu is slightly smaller on American Feast nights when the dishes available are bumped up a notch.
Regardless of whether it's an American Table or American Feast night, dinners on Carnival Vista are a festive affair, as they are on all Carnival ships, and your waiters will sing and dance for you every night. Feel free to join them, they love it when you do!
**Lido Marketplace (Deck 10)
Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)**
Lido Marketplace is Carnival Vista’s buffet. It offers an impressive amount of seating, both in terms of quantity and variety, so you'll rarely be wandering around looking for a spot to sit.
Breakfast features all the usual morning options, while at lunch and dinner, Lido Marketplace is divided into distinct areas. Comfort Kitchen, located near the entrance by the Lido Pool, offers a variety of American favorites; at the back of Lido Marketplace, you'll find the carving station as well as a section called (on a rotating basis) Caribbean Favorites, Italian Favorites and Good Eats. You'll find a small salad bar in each section and the Carnival Deli is located all the way at the back of Lido Marketplace. Both sides of the buffet have a Sweet Spot dessert station. Around the corner are the popular 24/7 soft serve ice-cream machines.
Also on both sides of the buffet are self-pour beer taps with Bud Light and ThirstyFrog Red; swipe your card to activate the tap. Self-service beverage stations, scattered throughout the buffet, offer complimentary lemonade, water, tea (iced and hot) and coffee. At breakfast, the beverage choices are orange, apple and orange-passion fruit-guava cocktail juices.
**Pizzeria del Capitano (Deck 10)
Meals: Open 24/7**
Located at the back of the ship, right by the Tides pool and across from the Seafood Shack, this is the place to get pizza on Carnival Vista. It offers five varieties of individually sized pizzas, all available free of charge 24 hours a day. Slices and gluten-free pies are available as well.
**Guy’s Burger Joint (Deck 10)
Meals: L **
One of Carnival's most popular eateries, [Guy's Burger Joint](/articles.cfm?ID=2208) is the brainchild of celebrity chef Guy Fieri. Build your own or choose from five pre-designed burgers. You'll also find delicious crispy fries and a generous toppings bar. Be prepared for a long line during prime lunch hours, but it usually moves fast. Veggie burgers are not advertised but are available upon request.
**BlueIguana Cantina (Deck 10)
Meals: B, L **
It's Cinco de Mayo every day at this poolside Mexican venue, where tacos and burritos are on offer for lunch. Choose a tortilla (or have your taco or burrito served up on a platter if you don't want the wrap), protein as well as optional ingredients, plus there's a salsa bar with even more toppings. [BlueIguana Cantina](/articles.cfm?ID=2228) is hopping for lunch, but breakfast is quiet and the scrambled egg burritos are delish.
**The Captain’s Pasta Bar (Deck 12)
Meals: L**
Located inside Cucina del Capitano, The Pasta Bar (a somewhat misleading name as you actually eat in a sit-down restaurant) is a great, free spot for Italian food lovers to get a quick meal. Choices, which you indicate by filling out a paper form given to you by your server, begin with the pasta itself, but also include five sauces and a variety of ingredients. You can also order a meat lasagna if you don't want pasta, and can supplement any meal with a Caesar salad and bread. Half-portions are available, as well.
**Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que (Deck 5)**
**Meals: L**
This casual outdoor spot offers all the smokehouse classics, including mac ’n’ cheese, potato salad, sausage, nachos, chicken wings, beef brisket, and ribs.
**Fresh Creations (Deck 15)
Meals: L (sea days)**
This salad bar is located in the adult-only Serenity area and offers more toppings than the salad section in the Lido buffet.
**Room Service
Meals: B, L, D**
Free in-cabin dining is available 24 hours a day, though breakfast choices are all cold options. Anytime options are sandwiches, garden or Caesar salads, and a market vegetable platter. For a small fee, you can order wings, chicken tenders, fried shrimp, chicken quesadilla, Philly cheesesteak, pizza and fries.
## For-Fee and Specialty Dining on Carnival Vista
**The Chef's Table (Deck 5); prix fixe**
**Meals: D**
Located inside the Reflection's main galley (kitchen), the 16-seat Chef's Table on Carnival Vista is separated from all the action by a glass wall so diners can watch the hustle and bustle as waiters come and go. The evening kicks off with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres inside the galley, followed by a tour of the galley and then concludes with an eight-course meal, all hosted by one of the ship's master chefs. The Chef's Table is proving to be very popular with cruisers, and on most sailings it's already sold out by the time the cruise departs. Pre-cruise or first-day reservations are essential.
**Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse (Deck 5); prix fixe; children’s menu available
Meals: D**
With its sophisticated atmosphere, Carnival Vista’s steakhouse is a great date night choice. The menu offers a selection of aged beef steaks, lamb chops, lobster tail and grilled fish specialties, along with 17 appetizer, salad, soup and side dish choices – there’s something for nearly everyone. (We don't recommend it for vegetarians.) Reservations are highly recommended.
**Bonsai Sushi (Deck 5); a la carte
Meals: L (sea days), D **
Hands down the most popular eatery onboard Carnival Vista, [Bonsai Sushi](/articles.cfm?ID=2876) offers a comprehensive menu of sushi, sashimi and bento boxes, as well as cooked-to-order items. The more adventurous can choose the Omakase meal, in which the chef prepares a series of sushi and sashimi dishes just for you. Reservations are not permitted so be prepared to wait.
**RedFrog Pub & Brewery (Deck 5); a la carte
Meals: D**
In addition to its liquid libations, you'll find small-plate Caribbean-inspired pub grub at Carnival Vista’s [RedFrog Pub](/articles.cfm?ID=2328).
**Seafood Shack (Deck 10); a la carte
Meals: L, D**
Fans of comfort seafood, like fried shrimp, lobster rolls, crab cakes and good old-fashioned fish and chips, will want to check out [Seafood Shack](/articles.cfm?ID=2815). Order at the outdoor counter and your food will be delivered to one of the picnic-style tables located a few steps away. You can also purchase fresh fish, bought at one or more ports along your cruise. Pick which fresh fish you'd like and have it cooked on the spot or preorder to have it delivered to whichever restaurant you're dining at that night. Carnival Vista’s Seafood Shack prices go from just a few dollars for a single item to per-pound charges.
**Cucina del Capitano (Deck 11); prix fixe; children’s menu available
Meals: D**
Carnival Vista’s Cucina del Capitano’s menu is similar to what you would find on other Carnival cruises: large portions of Italian staples, so prepare to walk away stuffed to the gills. Located across from the kids’ and teen clubs, the atmosphere is family-friendly, with an old-fashioned trattoria feel that makes for a laid-back, cozy meal. Reservations are recommended but not required.
**JiJi Asian Kitchen (Deck 11); prix fix; children's menu available
Meals: D**
Dining at JiJi is a smorgasbord for the taste buds, where menu items from China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore are shared family style, giving everyone a chance to taste multiple appetizers, entrees and sides. We highly recommend the super spicy Kung Pao chicken. Reservations are recommended but not required.
## Theaters and Shows on Carnival Vista
The Liquid Lounge theater offers up four 40-minute, high-energy Playlist Productions shows every sailing; examples include Studio VIP, which pays homage to the disco-loving '70s and America Rocks, a faux-concert featuring some of the USA's greatest rock songs -- get there early for the best views as seats toward the back do not have great views of the stage.
If you'd rather watch movies, the ship also has an outdoor screen on the Lido Deck. There is also the extra-fee IMAX at Sea and 4D Thrill theaters.
## Things to Do During the Day on Carnival Vista
Daytime activities might include, but are not limited to: trivia and trivia-like games, bingo, pub games, dance classes, outdoor sports competitions, art auctions, cooking demos and spa and shop seminars. (Be aware, seminars led by the spa or retail staff are always more about selling you something than educating you and often come with a hard sell.)
Other options during the day include the Clubhouse at SportSquare, where you'll find mini-bowling, Ping-Pong and arcade basketball. Outdoors at SportSquare are billiards tables, nine-hole mini-golf and even a Twister board painted onto the deck.
## Nightlife on Carnival Vista
At night, the bar scene comes alive, especially at the Havana Club and RedFrog Pub, while the 18+ shows at the Punchliner Comedy Club are usually standing-room only. (Do* not *go to the comedy club if you are easily offended.)
The ship has a busy casino with a variety of table games, slot machines and a variety of tournaments.
Dancers will want to head to Havana Club for Latin-style dancing, while a DJ spins dance hits in Liquid Lounge until late.
## Carnival Vista Bars and Lounges
With more than a dozen bars and lounges on Vista, there's a spot for just about everyone to enjoy, whether you prefer wine, cocktails, beer or a frozen drink.Highlights include:
**Limelight Lounge (Deck 4): **Limelight is where you'll find the Punchliner Comedy Club as well as drinks with "funny" names like the witty margarita and zany zombie. You'll have a choice of four comedy shows most nights; one or two will be family-friendly.
**SkyBox Sports Bar (Deck 4): **The only place on the ship to catch sporting events, SkyBox Sports Bar is dominated by rows of oversized TVs showing various sports.
**Alchemy Bar (Deck 5):** You'll find lab coat-clad mixologists putting together inventive cocktails with names like the Deal Closer, French Kiss and Perfect Storm at this pharmacy-themed cocktail bar. Or, tell the Alchemy bartenders your favorite base drink and what kind of mood you're in and they'll whip up something special just for you.
**RedFrog Pub & Brewery (Deck 5): **One of the most hopping joints on Vista, the RedFrog Pub & Brewery is the place to be for cold brews (including three brewed-onboard craft beers) and pub trivia. Brewery tours are offered every sea day, last about an hour and cost extra. In the evening, Caribbean-inspired pub grub is served, and you'll find live guitar music after 8 p.m.
**Piano Bar 88 (Deck 5): **The ship's traditional piano sing-along bar.
**Havana Bar (Deck 5): **Havana is Vista's large Cuban-themed lounge. Morning, noon or night it's the place for strong Cuban coffee, while the daytime drinks menu is dominated by Latin American favorites including mojitos, Cuba Libre and daiquiris (frozen or on the rocks). Every night a live band plays Latin dance songs (salsa, cha-cha and the like) to a packed audience.
**RedFrog Rum Bar (Deck 10): **During the day, you'll be hard pressed to find a seat at this Lido Deck staple. Rum lovers flock to RedFrog Rum Bar in droves for its coladas, daiquiris and mojitos. Sun deck loungers can also get buckets of beer or pitchers of hard lemonade.
**BlueIguana Tequila Bar (Deck 10): **Also on the Lido Deck, BlueIguana is where tequila lovers go to get their drink on. The bar pours several different types of tequila, along with frozen margaritas and a handful of tequila-based cocktails. Beer buckets and hard lemonade pitchers are also available.
## Carnival Vista Outside Recreation
## Pools on Carnival Vista
For a ship this size, Carnival Vista surprisingly only has two pools to service entire ship. There's one additional pool for guests staying in Havana cabins, which might help in your decision making process when choosing a room.
## Water Slides, Sky Ride and Ropes Course on Carnival Vista
Testing your mettle on the ship's ropes course, which offers two pathways -- one easy, the other slightly more scary.
One of the most unusual distractions at sea is the SkyRide, an elevated recumbent bike ride you can pedal while suspended 150 feet up in the air. It takes about a minute and a half to pedal your way around the course, which includes dips and zigzags.
Most popular with the kids is the WaterWorks water park, which features two water slides, a splash zone for kids and the PowerDrencher soaking bucket. (Children must be potty trained to use any of the pools or the water park.)
## Sundecks on Carnival Vista
For those who want to spend more time lazing about than playing, there is lots of sun deck space for simply lounging about, including on the adults-only Serenity deck, a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the ship.
## Carnival Vista Services and Wi-Fi
Carnival Vista has a variety of services, including guest and shore excursion desks; future cruise sales; a library; a photo gallery and camera shop; several stores -- including designer accessories and clothing; fine jewelry; Carnival-branded items; toiletries; snacks; duty-free alcohol and cigarettes.
There's also a DIY launderettes (quarters needed), with iron and ironing board for use free of charge; an ATM and a medical center.
Wi-Fi on Carnival Vista can be accessed through packages, which you set up onboard.
## Cloud 9 Spa and Thermal Suite on Carnival Vista
The Cloud 9 Spa on Carnival Vista offers a variety of body treatments (massages, wraps, scrubs, etc.), facials, medi-spa treatments (Botox, dermal fillers, etc.), acupuncture, salon services (hair, nails, waxing, men's grooming), teeth whitening and more. Prices are high, often more than you'd pay on land, but look for discounts during port days.
Unique spa offerings are treatments designed specifically for teens (acne attack facial, ice cream manicure and pedicure), as well as a selection of parent/child options.
If you plan on purchasing multiple treatments, ask about the "book three, save 30 percent" package: Book three treatments, get 10 percent off the first, 20 percent off the second and 30 percent off the third.
The Thermal Suite on Carnival Vista features heated ceramic loungers, a thalassotherapy pool, several steam chambers and a sensory shower (day and full-cruise passes available)
## Fitness and Gym on Carnival Vista
Fitness buffs can stay in shape on Vista with a full selection of LifeCycle and LifeFitness machines, including ellipticals, recumbent bikes, treadmills, free weights and resistance machines, as well as the high-tech spin studio.
Classes include free (early morning stretch, fab abs) and for-fee (yoga, Pilates, cycling) options and personal training is available for a fee.
One of the oddest fitness spots onboard is an outdoor space with strange-looking ellipticals, stair climbers and resistance strength machines.
Those who prefer their fitness to be more active can check on the scheduled activities on the combination basketball/volleyball/soccer court, or hit the jogging track (seven laps is 1 mile).
## Kids and Camp Ocean on Carnival Vista
Camp Ocean s for kids aged 2 to 11 years, but the program further divides itself into three sections: Penguins (2- to 5-year-olds), Stingrays (6- to 8-year-olds) and Sharks (9- to 11-year-olds). Age-appropriate activities include arts and crafts, dancing, treasure hunts, movies, sports contests and video gaming. Youth counselors will change diapers.
Parents (or parent-appointed guardians) must sign kids, ages 2 through 8, in and out of Camp Ocean. Kids 9 and older can be given permission to sign themselves in and out.
Camp Ocean programming runs during the day and evening. From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., youth facilities are used for Night Owls babysitting, the line's late-night, extra-fee group babysitting program. It's available for kids ages 6 months to 11 years for an hourly, per child fee (Families in Family Harbor get one free night of Night Owls babysitting.)
## Tweens and Teens on Carnival Vista
Carnival gives tweens (kids ages 12 to 14) their own space with Circle C, from which they can come and go as they please. Organized activities for this age group include team challenges, scavenger hunts, digital karaoke, SportSquare competitions, video gaming and movies.
For the older teens (ages 15 to 17), Carnival Vista offers Club O2. Activities are similar to Circle C, with video gaming and foosball competitions, SportSquare challenges, trivia battles, themed dance parties and smoothie socials.
Customer Reviews
My husband and I have previously cruised on Carnival and were very disappointed in the service on this cruise. We had purchased the drink package, we understood you are not able to use in port but we actually couldn’t use it at all the first day. When we could use it, there were small inconveniences that didn’t make sense…for instance if you ordered a double and we’re paying for it you got it right away, but if you had a drink plan, you had to wait 5 min. There was minimal service around the pool and the bars were short staffed. When attending a show, we also had to get our own drinks and also had to get a drink and bring it to dinner, otherwise you would get the drink with dessert. We chose to do anytime dining but it also involved using the APP and putting your name in and often had to wait 30 to 40 min for a table. There were extra costs for certain juices, coffees and smoothies that were uncovered on the drink package. They even charged $3 for popcorn on movie night. One night at dinner, they brought us what they said was a complimentary shot for after dinner and they charged us the full amount and also for the shot glass. When ordering dinner, you had to ordered all 3 courses right away, had to hunt down a waiter if you wanted a refill on coffee or bread. We also had booked fitness classes to which the instructor did not show up and then they refused to reimburse the full amount. The customer service agent was rude and refused to address any of our concerns. In general, the motto of this trip was hurry up and wait… getting on/off the ship for excursions was a nightmare and very disorganized. I would definitely not consider cruising on Carnival going forward.
Hmmm…Where do I start?
This was my 8th time cruising on Carnival and cruised on over 20 cruises. This was undeniably the worst cruise ever on any cruise line I’ve been on.
MAJOR ISSUE - PUBLIC RESTROOMS - very sparse, hidden and small. The worse example, the men’s restroom located by the aft pool/bar. This men’s restroom had 1 sink, 1 toilet and 1 urinal. This restroom serviced the aft pool/bar area, part of buffet and 2 specialty restaurants on the 11th deck. Now, if this is not really bad ship design, I don’t know what is. Come on Carnival. The other restrooms, if you could locate them, were not much better.
Embarkation was running late. We arrived at our allotted time went from one line to another a bit frustrating. Took about an hour to board ship.
FYI, if cruising out of TX or NY, drink packages do not go into affect until the 2nd day of cruise. So, any beverages purchased the first day on Carnival will be charged to your account.
Buffet - food was mostly cold, warm at best. The selection was limited and long lines. Had to wait in long lines just for a couple of selections. Rock hard bagels. No kidding, I cut into one and it flew off my plate. Worst of all, they ran out of bacon. What???
Guys Burgers, Blue Iguana, Pizza and Deli offered good HOT and tasty food.
Main Dining Room - food was good and hot. We didn’t care for the limited menu. It was much better when there were daily menu changes. Service was very good during our two visits. Waiters Milroy and Edwin were very nice, personable and efficient. We had anytime dining and enjoyed the App check-in option. Tip: check-in on app and don’t head to dining area until app lets you know table is ready. It gets very crowded in SMALL dining room entrance.
Specialty Dining - good and bad experience.
Fahrenheit Steak: The steaks were cooked perfectly, the appetizers and sides were good, nice selection. The dessert we choose was just ok. It was the chocolate sphere, nice presentation, not that great. The cheesecake at the table next to us looked delicious.
JiJi Asian Kitchen: the food was excellent and overall experience was good. The tables for two are too small for all the dish sizes they serve. They should consider serving in deeper smaller bowls/dishes. At one point, I had my dinner plated hanging about a third off the table. The Rose crème brûlée was delicious.
Cucina Del Capitano: sad to say food was not that great and I’ve dined there on other cruises. I was very disappointed. The food was served warm, not hot. My partner ordered the Porkchop entree and it was not cooked properly and tough. The Bellini I ordered not served cold. The 2nd one I ordered was cold and much better. The dessert was cold. It would have been better if served hot or warm. The rolls were good.
Entertainment - blah
Liquid Lounge: once again, horrible design. NOT ENOUGH SEATING! The lower floor has lounge type seating, resulting in limited seating. 2nd floor was not much better. There are tables located near the rear entrances serving no purpose at all. Not sure why they are there, one cannot see the stage from those tables. Part of shows watched were mediocre.
Limelight Lounge: much better seating. Comedians were entertaining. Enjoyed the variety of comedians and number of shows offered.
Ocean Plaza: offered a nice variety of entertainment.
Main pool (Mid-ship): lots of empty, wasted space could be used better. It needs a larger pool and more seating.
Staff: a lot of sad faces roaming the ship, everywhere. Not sure if Carnival is treating them badly, not paying enough and/or overworking them. Quite the contrast to the staff on my recent cruise on Celebrity. I normally tip a fair share to the staff from bartenders, cleaning, waiters, sometimes for just cleaning my table, delivering a drink or just a smile. I came back with more tip money than usual.
Disembarkation - TERRIBLE
It was not so much that we were arriving late to the port. The ship had a detour to Cancun to drop off sick passenger. The disembarkation instructions were so confusing. We didn’t depart the port until 2pm.
I could go on and on, but I will say I will most likely will NEVER sail with Carnival again and warn cruisers not to go on the Carnival Vista. The WORST Carnival ship I have sailed on.
We were a group of 19 grandparents, parents and grandchildren taking our first cruise together. We chose Carnival for their family friendly reputation. We chose the eastern Carribean cruise but Carnival had to cancel it and substitute a western Caribbean cruise on our chosen date which we couldn't alter. They offered a $100 per cabin on board credit which we were allowed to convert to actual cash back at the end of the cruise. They didn't mention that option until the last day so most of our group spent theirs on board. Anyway, we enjoyed the flexible dining arrangements and the cuisine very much. They had all kinds of options for children and adults served at many locations on two different decks; some of them we had never before tasted. The barbecued ribs and lobster were my favorites. Other than the first day when everyone was trying to eat lunch at once, there was adequate dining room around the outer lido (10th) deck with views of the ocean so that we could all sit near each other. We enjoyed the table staff who served us every evening and learned our names and shared their stories with us in the more formal dining rooms and we liked dressing up for the two formal dining suppers there as well. We also pretty much loved singing and dancing to the brief 'Showtime!' entertainment in the dining room every night toward the end of the dinners. All of the other staff we met were friendly and interested in us.
Cabin arrangements were very good for our family groups of three, but the provided crib was too small for our two year old grandson so they had to move him to the big bed and his dad wound up sleeping on the hard couch. One of our cabins for four had a pull down bunk bed with two levels which is necessary to comfortably sleep a family of four. The storage cabinets provided had a surprising amount of space which was mostly adequate and the restroom/ shower area was comfortable to use. Thanks to our lovely and talented travel agent, we were all near each other on forward deck 8 and liked that part a lot. Our cabins each had balcony access which provided beautiful views of the ocean and some fine relaxation. One balcony even had a door to the adjoining balcony and the staff member opened and fastened it so we could share the experience with one of our other families next door. By the way we would rate overall cleanliness as excellent!
Our kids loved the water park with its two large tube slides, etc. rope course, workout equipment, sport court, and sky ride with its pedaled gondolas suspended over the upper deck. We also used the two pools (but swim diapers were not allowed) and the hot tub. Some of the other activities and entertainment we liked but some not so much, as might be expected. They all seemed professionally done, though. We used the indoor IMAX theater to watch Avatar 2 and the outdoor theater with its lounge chairs to watch Wakanda. Our adults played Skull King and Blackjack around a large table in the dining area at night after the kids were asleep. We did use the children's activity rooms for a little while on a couple of occasions but they weren't quite as immersive or exciting for our children as we had hoped. We felt And there were other venues we didn't use.
Our excursions to Big French Key at Roatan, Cave Tubing at Belize, and All Inclusive Dolphins, Manatees and Sea Lions at Cozumel were all great experiences; better than we expected. We wanted to stay longer and enjoy more snorkeling and beach time at Cozumel, and we had to remind the tour guide that snorkeling and paddle boards were included in our package at Roatan but they were all a lot of fun and we liked the included lunch at all three places. We all felt that the debarkation procedure could use a better, more detailed and consistent explanation between its live presentation and its written forms. Luckily some cruisers knew where we should congregate beforehand so that we were at the right deck when our muster group was called and only needed to haul our luggage three decks down because the elevators were far too crowded to get us there in time for our early non Carnival shuttle from Galveston to the Houston Airport. One of our cabins was able to smell the odor of smokers but only on one evening. All in all though, we came away very satisfied with our cruising experience.
I have disabilities that made me think I could not cruise. Carnival proved me wrong. My ADA approved cabin was spacious, the bed was comfortable, and the closet space was accessable. the bathroom was large enough for my power chair to turn around in. The crew was helpful with every aspect of my needs. Every crew member assisted me with anything I needed and always had a smile and a friendly greeting. I got lost my first night and couldn't find my dining room. The hostess in the Horizons dining room found me a space and my waiter, Jonathan, took care of my dining needs.I had a wonderful holiday. Once they knew of my special needs, they solved every request, need and want. If I had any criticism, l it would be having more time at the ports of call, however, that is not in the control of the cruise line to control time. I am ready to go with Carnival on another awesome vacation!!
EMBARKATION: We live within two hours of the port, so it was an easy drive. Parked at Falstaff Cruise Parking and got a shuttle to the ship. The shuttle was a bit slow to get to the ship due to road blockages from the Dickens on The Strand event that was happening. Falstaff parking was fine, but they only run one shuttle per ship in port which means wait times can be long. Upon arrival at the pier, we gave our luggage to the porters and headed for check in. We arrived at our designated time. When I first saw the lines, I was worried, however the lines moved amazingly fast and we were quickly checked in and sent to the holding area to await boarding. The ship had arrived late that morning due to fog, so boarding was a bit delayed. We boarded by sections which went fairly fast, and we were on the ship in a reasonable period of time. Carnival handled this very well. Our cabins were not ready at the 1:30 time frame promised, however we were able to drop our bags off and go explore the ship which we did.
CABIN: We were in cabin 9379, a balcony cabin mid-ships on deck 9, starboard side. The cabin was exactly what was expected, it was nice and clean, configured in a twin bed arrangement since I was traveling with my adult age daughter, and well taken care of by Ida, our cabin steward. He did a great job through the cruise.
SHIP PROS: The staff on this ship were fantastic. They gave great service and were kind and helpful throughout the cruise. We loved the team on this cruise. I could not have asked for better service. The entertainment was excellent, loved the new 80’s rock show, and the shows throughout the week were well done. Louis Clare, the Cruise Director was more visible and active with the passengers than I have ever seen before. He was on the pier at every port greeting passengers, and even thanking us and inviting us back as we left the ship. He was very friendly and hardworking. One highlight of this trip from a service perspective was the Chef’s Table. My daughter started feeling bad as the event started and elected to return to the cabin. The Chef’s table staff assist he back to the cabin, prepared some homemade chicken noodle soup and sent it to her, and checked on her throughout the cruise. They were amazing. In addition to how caring they were, the Chef’s table experience was amazing, I enjoy fine dining, but this experience took it to another level. Definitely worth the extra fee.
We really loved the Serenity area and the aft deck pool area. Both areas were reasonably quite and a nice place to hang out. The atrium lobby was a nice area to hang out with a good variety of live music, however you need to sit on the other side away from the casino to try to avoid the horrible smoke smell. The dining venues overall were nice, and the service was good, however they could feel crowded at times.
SHIP CONS: The ship overall is a good ship, however I feel like Carnival has not built sufficient public venues to handle the passenger count on the ship. The Liquid Lounge is probably the worst theater I have ever seen on a ship. The moveable “church choir” chairs felt cheap and they were crammed everywhere you could put a chair. Carnival really needs to look at some their past theaters and improve this design. Also, drink service in the theater was exceptionally slow and continually disturbed the audience during the show. The Casino REEKED of smoke, it was disgusting. I had to walk through there a few times and held my breath as long as I could. It was beyond terrible. Carnival needs to do something about this, either improve the ventilation, limit or eliminate the smoking, or completely isolate the space from the rest of the ship, this space stank way out into other spaces. I even heard smokers complain about how badly it smelled. The piano bar was nice, if you could get in, it was clearly to small and we could never find a seat. The library was nice, if somewhat lacking in actual books! However, the Park West Art people monopolized the space several evenings and we could not go in and read or play games because of the “art” they had everywhere. They got annoying. The amount of effort and space they dedicate for this supposed “art” is over done. While there are some design issues with this class of ships, it was still a very good cruise.
FOOD: Overall the food on the ship was pretty good.
Lido Marketplace – there was a nice variety of food available except for breakfast which seemed to be essentially the same everyday. They needed more protein available (I mean bacon), and a great variety of other things.
555 Fahrenheit (Steakhouse) – we ate there twice and it was very good. The steaks were cooked exactly as we ordered them, delicious appetizers and desserts were available, and the service was very good.
Cucina Del Capitano (Italian) – Excellent food, good service (but not as warm as the rest of the ships staff), but overall a good experience.
Seafood Shack – pretty good sea day fair, a bit overpriced in my opinion, but worth sampling.
Pizza – pretty good, very similar to what we have had before on Carnival ships
Guys Burger Joint – overall pretty good
Main Dining – good food and service each evening with a variety of menu items, the service throughout was excellent
Sea Day Brunch – usually crowded, but great service and the menu was pretty good. We tried the optional “juices” and they were pretty good.
Chef’s Table – an amazing experience that I highly recommend to anyone who wants a unique dining experience. It took over two hours, but it was wonderful.
HUB APP: I really enjoyed using the hub app, however it was seldom accurate with regards to wait times for reservations in the main dining room.
Guest Services – the lines were often very long. They really need a section for people arguing about their bill, and sections for other services. Having to stand there and listen to all of the arguing got really old. I feel sorry for some of the employees for the abuse they took.
Ships Stores: We did not spend much time in the stores, most things tended to be overpriced and were available on land, however we did buy a few small things at the logo shop.
IMAX – really awesome theater, a great way to spend time on the ship. They need real popcorn, but otherwise it was a great experience.
Ports:
Roatan – Mahogany Bay – great port, we did a snorkeling excursion independent of the cruise line, had a great time and would highly recommend this island for the great sea life and nature.
Belize – did some zip lining and the river cave tubing. The cave tubing was amazing, I would not miss this. There was a mile long hike into the jungle, but it was worth it to see the caves and tube the river. We had a great guide, Roy, with Mystique Belize.
Cozumel – There were 7 ships in port and the port was crowded. We mainly shopped and explored the town. We spend the afternoon on the ship at the IMAX.
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