Don BucoloWe are back from 8 days sailing on Carnival Vista and share what it is really like on this nearly 10-year-old vessel. From the dining to the entertainment and activities, we share what we loved and hated in our honest Carnival Vista review. Admittedly, we were sailing mostly to be among the first guests to visit Celebration Key. However, we were eager to see how this ship fared when compared to newer ships in the Carnival fleet and if Carnival had really changed since our last sailing.
COMPLETE CARNIVAL VISTA CRUISE REVIEW VIDEO
Casual Dining
One area in which Carnival Cruise Line continues to excel is its casual dining. Carnival Vista offers a variety of dining options that are perfect for quick grab-and-go meals. Well, unless you are stuck waiting in a line.
Our favorite is the BlueIguana Cantina. This venue serves up spicy bowls, burritos, and tacos for lunch, but don’t overlook this venue in the morning either. Many don’t realize that BlueIguana also serves breakfast burritos, which are arguably even better than their lunchtime counterparts.
Additionally, Guy’s Burger Joint still serves up one of the best burgers at sea. This fast food favorite offers freshly made burgers with a variety of fixings, allowing you to craft your perfect burger. If you’re not a burger lover, a veggie burger option is available. Plus, Guy’s offers the best French fries on Carnival Vista.
Other standouts include Guy’s Pig & Anchor BBQ located on the waterfront promenade during sea days and the Carnival Deli. Open daily from 11 am to 11 pm, Carnival Deli will satisfy your cravings any time of day with options like a steak & cheese or buffalo chicken sandwich.
In the adults-only Serenity Retreat, those 21+ can create a custom salad for a healthier midday meal at Fresh Creations during sea days. Though, you won’t find Fresh Creations listed in the Fun Times or the Carnival Hub app.
Along with an easy-to-navigate Lido Market with smartly designed stations, including a Family Express option for most meals, finding something delicious and quick to eat was never a problem during our cruise.
While most of the quick-service selections met our expectations, the pizza at Pizzeria del Capitano fell short. Usually, I find the pizza on Carnival to be better than the competition. But this was not the case on Carnival Vista. We tested it on a few occasions, and it was equally disappointing every time. The debate was real between Heidi and I regarding which pizza was better: Pizzeria del Capitano or Sorrento’s on Royal Caribbean.
For even more lunchtime options, guests can head up to Deck 11 to the specialty restaurants. During the day, both Ji Ji Asian and Cucina del Capitano offer a complimentary sit-down lunch. The Mongolian Wok and Captain’s Pasta Bar are great alternatives to the other grab-and-go dining venues.
A newer addition to Carnival Vista’s casual eats is Empanada & Pie. These small, savory or sweet handheld treats are $1.50 and are the perfect snack alongside some brews at the nearby RedFrog Pub. This station is located in Ocean Plaza and is only open in the evenings.
Pool Deck
At double occupancy, Carnival Vista holds just under 4,000 guests. But this mid-July cruise was the first visit to Carnival’s new exclusive destination, Celebration Key. Thus, we were sailing at close to max capacity with a total of 4,870+ guests onboard. So, it wasn’t a surprise to us that the pool decks on the ship were rather busy.
There are two pool areas on deck 10, the Lido Deck. The Beach Pool is the main pool, midship on this deck. Honestly, this pool felt way too small for a ship of this size.
By early morning, our fellow cruisers had claimed the prime loungers near the main pool. The same was true for the loungers and additional seating on decks 11 and 12, immediately overlooking the beach pool.
At the aft of this deck is the Tides Pool. Again, another small pool with two adjacent whirlpools, this area was often crowded. By lunchtime, the Tides Pool was a soup of people, with cruisers of all ages trying to find a spot to cool off.
Both of these pools are open to families. Adults 21 and older have access to the Serenity Retreat. All the way forward on deck 15, this exclusive space offers a more relaxed and chill vibe.
While Serenity does have two whirlpools, it does not have a pool. The cruise line did rectify this glaring omission on Carnival’s newest ships, like Carnival Jubilee, though.
Guests staying in Havana staterooms have access to an exclusive sun deck. All the way aft on deck 5, the Havana Pool Deck boasts two whirlpools, an infinity pool, and a variety of seating options. We liked the location and setup of this Havana more than its counterpart on Carnival’s Excel-class of ships; though, it did feel a bit small too.
If you like to sleep in, your best chance of getting loungers is aft on deck 11. Just keep in mind that the starboard side of this deck is the smoking deck. You will find ashtrays and smokers the entire stretch from the Beach Pool to the aft overlooking the Tides Pool.
Sports Deck
Families, especially those with younger children, are Carnival Cruise Line‘s target audience. Thus, there are numerous onboard activities and attractions designed for families. All the way aft is the SportSquare. Offering a variety of complimentary activities, we got in on the fun as well. After all, Heidi and I are big kids at heart.
With the ship being near max capacity, we were surprised this area wasn’t busier throughout the cruise. However, it was also consistently over 90 degrees every day.
The signature attraction is the SkyRide. Carnival Vista was the first ship in the fleet to debut this attraction. Essentially, guests peddle around the top of the sports deck, offering some great views of the ocean and decks below.
The SportSquare also contains a nine-hole mini golf course. You can join a cornhole competition or rack up some steps on the jogging track as well. It takes eight laps around the jogging track to hit a mile.
Along with the SkyRide suspended above the SportSquare, there is a ropes course. The ropes course isn’t as intricate or as extensive as some others, but I still worked up a sweat making two laps around the obstacles.
There is also a Sports Court offering free play and organized games, including basketball and pickleball, throughout the cruise. And, if you’re looking for a little indoor fun, there’s a few games inside off the SportSquare at The Clubhouse including foosball, table tennis, and soccer billiards.
Forward on deck 12 is the WaterWorks. This onboard water park is perfect for your little kids. It includes a couple of slides, as well as a splash pad and additional water features. Yes, Carnival’s PowerDrencher is front and center on this WaterWorks on Carnival Vista.
Finally, the Cloud9 Fitness Center is open most days from 6 AM to 10 PM. Offering a variety of workout equipment, cardio machines, and free weights, gym enthusiasts will have no issues getting in a workout during a cruise.
Onboard Activities
Cruise Director MarQ and the FunSquad were out and about, both day and night, hosting a variety of events and activities. For the most part, our fellow cruisers were right alongside them, making sure to enjoy every minute of their cruise.
During the day, there were several trivia sessions, cruiser competitions, games, and dance classes. In fact, on one sea day, the Ocean Plaza was jam-packed for an afternoon session of karaoke. I mean, on what other cruise line would that even be a thing?
Additionally, Carnival Vista houses an IMAX theater. Although it incurs an upcharge, it costs about the same as a ticket on land. I was surprised to see that the theater was showing the new Superman movie on the weekend it debuted.
Guests can also take a brewery tour, partake in liquor tastings, or sign up for behind-the-scenes tours on sea days. These activities are an upcharge and can be booked once onboard.
Not to mention, Carnival Vista has a spa with a thermal suite where guests can purchase cruise-long packages, day passes, or 3-hour passes. There’s also a casino that was surprisingly busy at all hours of the day.
If you’re looking for some ocean breezes away from the crowds between ports of call, the outdoor lanai on deck 5 has various seating options to catch up on a good book, with many in the shade which was prime real estate during our sailing.
Kids and teens have their own spaces too with Camp Ocean for ages 2-11 years old, Circle C for tweens 12-14 years old, and Club O2 for teens 15-17 years old. There’s also the newly relocated arcade and the Dr. Suess Bookville which are great for some family time.
The Fun Times daily magazine listed all the events and showtimes each day. You can also use the Carnival Hub app to review daily schedules, dining times, and other pertinent information.
Entertainment & Nightlife
The Liquid Lounge, located on decks 4 & 5, is the main theater. Unfortunately, the lounge setup of this venue means that there are very few seats with great views of the stage. So, you’ll need to arrive early if you want to snag prime viewing spots for the shows.
Most nights, the Liquid Lounge boasted either a game show or Playlist Productions. Honestly, we are not huge fans of the Playlist Productions when compared to the Broadway-caliber shows found on Royal Caribbean ships. For this cruise, we caught three shows. Flick featured popular music from movies and television, but the surprise ending did catch us off guard when compared to the rest of the show’s vibe. The other shows we saw were America Rocks! and Amor Cubano. These shows were entertaining; however, we wouldn’t necessarily schedule our evenings around them.
The Liquid Lounge was also home to a pretty typical Welcome Aboard show featuring the FunSquad. There were several game shows too, including Deal or No Deal and the popular Love & Marriage, as well as Bingo. But one of the highlights for us was the Family Feud game show. We were able to catch the adult-themed Family Feud at 11 PM, and it was hysterical.
With so much to do, see, and eat, we weren’t able to get to everything, even some of our favorite shows! In fact, we never made it to a comedy show all week.
The LimeLight Lounge does host a few additional activities but essentially doubles as the cruise ship’s comedy club. During our cruise, 4 different comedians took to the stage. With comedy sessions starting in the early evening and running late into the night, both PG and 18+ sets were offered by all comedians. These are very popular, and lines start forming up to an hour before the show.
Carnival Vista also hosted several parties. There was an ’80s Rock-N-Glow Party and a Silent Disco out on the pool deck. On night 7, we all squeezed into the three decks of the atrium for the White Hot Party. MarQ did a good job hosting these events and getting the rest of the “Vista Family” fired up. And these events were always well-attended with cruisers ready to have a fun time.
Although, we were somewhat disappointed with the music program on Carnival Vista compared to our previous experiences on Carnival ships. While there were several musical artists, the vibe just wasn’t as lively or upbeat. You might find a steel drum player in the RedFrog Pub & Brewery (which we thought was odd) or an acoustic guitarist depending on the evening. The Vista Rock Band performed some nights in the relatively open Ocean Plaza, which isn’t the ideal spot to rock out. There was also Latin dance music in the Havana most nights, live performances in the atrium, and piano hits in Piano Bar 88.
Bars and Lounges
Carnival Vista boasts over a dozen bars and lounges. Many of them serve a standard menu, which includes classic boat drinks as well as standard mixed drinks. However, there are several venues with signature cocktail menus for you to make good use of your Cheers beverage package.
Along with live music, the Havana Bar aft on deck 5 serves up Latin-inspired cocktails heavy on the rum, such as a classic daiquiri or Havana Especial. Musically-themed cocktails are on the menu at Piano Bar 88, also on deck 5. While this is usually one of the liveliest bars on a Carnival cruise ship, the piano tunes with Mat didn’t draw much of a crowd.
The most popular bar on the ship, and our favorite, was the Alchemy Bar. Located on deck 5, the mixologists here crafts drinks to cure any ailment. From The Remedy to the Robert Boyle, the Forty is the New Twenty, or the Cucumber Sunrise, there is plenty to choose from. The team at the Alchemy Bar, including Omar, Christian, and Erika, were the best on the ship.
Additionally, Carnival Vista was the first ship based in the U.S. to have an onboard brewery. The RedFrog Pub & Brewery offers a variety of draft beers brewed right on board. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to do one of the beer tastings and brewery tours either. The brewmaster was very passionate about his job!
During the ship’s dry dock last year, the cruise line re-themed Carnival Vista’s sports bar to the Heroes Tribute Bar. Paying homage to those who served in the armed services, this bar offers cocktails with a military twist alongside plenty of televisions broadcasting your favorite sporting events.
Out on the pool deck, you have a few choices. Margarita fans will gravitate to the BlueIguana Tequila bar on the port side of deck 10. Those who prefer long drinks will want to walk across the lido to the RedFrog Rum Bar. Or, maybe you’ll want one of each! Additionally, the Serenity Bar shakes up exclusive sangrias, along with other signature cocktails, forward on deck 15, and the Tides Pool Bar serves up your favorite frozen cocktails aft on deck 10.
For the most part, all signature cocktails, beers, and many wines by the glass are covered in the drink package.
If you know us, this probably doesn’t come as a surprise, but the one bar we visited the most was the Java Blue Cafe. By day 3, Diane and Seti knew our drink order! If you are a coffee drinker, don’t forget to get a coffee card. Every 7th coffee is “free” for those not on a drink package. Of note, if the line is long here in the morning, the nearby Plaza Bar does serve espresso beverages as well.
Further, you may have heard that Carnival is testing mobile ordering for coffee too, but this feature is NOT included in the Cheers beverage package.
Main Dining Room
Across our 8 nights onboard Carnival Vista, we dined at the main dining room on three evenings. With the Your Time Dining option, we entered a virtual queue when we wanted to eat and never waited more than 10 minutes for a table.
If you’re more of a traditional cruiser, Carnival does still offer set Early Dining and Late Dining in the Reflections dining room, while the Horizons dining room is the venue for Your Time Dining and the newer Express Dining option. This Express Dining option has a more limited menu but is designed to get you in and out of dinner in under an hour.
While we have noted that main dining rooms across all cruise lines have gone downhill in recent years, we were pleasantly surprised by Carnival Vista. Dining around the same time on all three occasions, we had the same waiter. Darrell was funny, personable, and took great care of us whether we dined as a large group or just the two of us.
Some of the better selections that we sampled included beef wellington, roasted leg of lamb, Szechuan shrimp, and spaghetti carbonara. For appetizers, classics like a Caesar salad or the shrimp cocktail were on par with our experiences on mainstream cruise lines. However, the menus also feature select dishes from Emeril Lagasse like a crab and shrimp cake and Girod Street salad which are unique to Carnival Cruise Line.
For dessert, you have to get at least one Carnival melting chocolate cake on a cruise. But other sweet treats like the bitter n blanc, which is essentially bread pudding, or classic cheesecake were also great ways to end a meal.
Additionally, Carnival was the pioneer of Sea Day Brunch which serves up delicious breakfast and lunch options from 8:30 AM to 12 PM on sea days. While we typically love this option, our go-to Sea Day Brunch menu item, the skillet cake, did not meet our expectations. It was pretty dry and over-cooked. Still, the chicken & waffles and omelet were solid choices.
Specialty Restaurants
Over the course of 8 nights on Carnival Vista, we sampled ALL of the specialty restaurants including The Chef’s Table. For the most part, they were better than we remembered.
Our favorite might be Ji Ji Asian Kitchen though. Dining with a large group, we indulged in a variety of appetizers, entrees, and sides. From spring rolls to nanjin-style duck, dumplings, and chicken soup, our table was overflowing with flavor. Of course, we couldn’t pass up entrees like Singapore Chili Shrimp, Kung Pao Chicken, Peppered Beef, and Braised Short Rib. Some hakka noodles and fried rice accompanied these. And we finished the meal with some tasty desserts too, like the carmelized crepes. At $24 per person, this is a fantastic value.
Almost as equally appetizing was Cucina del Capitano. Our previous visits to this Italian restaurant on other Carnival ships were underwhelming. However, the menu has been updated, and we were stuffed by the time dinner was done.
Appetizers included classics such as fried calamari, house-made burrata, and Nonna’s meatballs. For dinner, Heidi couldn’t say no to the chicken parmigiana. Based on the waiter’s recommendation, I chose the pappardelle with shrimp this time around. It was fantastic.
For dessert, our table went overboard and all ordered the mile-high gelato pie ($6 up-charge). While delicious, we could have split one dish between the two of us. Again, with dinner at Cucina del Capitano costing $24 per person, this is a great value when stacked up against other mainstream cruise lines.
On night 5, we opted to try Bonsai Sushi. This a la carte casual restaurant on Deck 5 dishes up small plates and sushi rolls. While Heidi is a picky eater, I quite enjoyed my shrimp tempura and spicy tuna roll. Heidi did like the chicken yakitori, but she wasn’t a fan of the Udon noodles. Still, it is a nice alternative to a longer sitdown meal, or for those looking for something lighter.
On the final night of our cruise, we dined at Fahrenheit 555. This American-style steakhouse served up an admirable meal. My surf and turf came with a perfectly seared medium rare filet mignon. Plus, you can’t go wrong with the decadent chocolate sphere for dessert. Or, if you prefer something a bit more balanced, the apple tarte tatin is also a great choice. As if we hadn’t already eaten enough, this meal was the perfect way to end our cruise on Carnival Vista.
But, perhaps our most impressive meal of the whole cruise was The Chef’s Table. While we don’t typically book this kind of experience because of Heidi’s picky palette, I’m so glad we decided to join our media group for this dinner. The 7-course feast, with some additional surprise courses, was undoubtedly a highlight of the trip.
While it was priced at $124 per person (plus 18% service charge), the nearly 3-hour event is more than a meal. With a galley tour, cooking demonstration, and impeccable service, the Chef’s Table is definitely a unique experience worth the up-charge. With personalized attention to dining preferences, the chef was able to customize selections to accommodate everyone’s requests, even Heidi’s.
Among the standouts were the lobster, the venison, and the braised wagyu. Take my word for it, food connoisseurs will not want to pass up this opportunity on Carnival Vista.
Stateroom
We stayed in stateroom 8220 during our sailing on Carnival Vista. This category 8C balcony stateroom is on the portside, forward of the forward elevators. According to Carnival’s website, the cabin measures approximately 185 square feet with a 35-square-foot balcony.
This balcony cabin had a familiar layout similar to that of other mainstream cruise lines. Immediately upon entering the stateroom, our bathroom was on the right (forward wall), with our closet on the left (midship wall). Beyond the bathroom and closet was a sofa on the right, with the desk on the left. Our king-sized bed was just before our balcony on the forward wall facing aft.
For an 8-night cruise, we had just enough storage space for all our clothes and gear. The closet had three different sections. One offered a series of shelves and drawers along with the safe. This was where we stored our packing cubes. There was also one full-length clothes bar, and a second clothes bar with an adjustable setup. We took the liberty of removing the lower shelf and clothes bar in this third closet to make it full length as well.
The sofa provided ample space to relax and work during the week, and the desk was equally spacious, featuring small shelves for storage off to one side. The bed was comfortable, and I appreciated the small nightstands on each side which offered additional storage.
What the stateroom was missing: USB outlets. The only USBs, as well as power outlets, were on the desk. So, we had to use our cruise-approved multi-plug outlet to ensure all of our technology stayed charged. The lack of charging stations near the bed always makes it difficult to charge phones (which also serve as alarms) overnight.
Along with the lack of outlets, the bathroom on Carnival Vista also felt dated. Perhaps the biggest turn-off was the dreaded shower curtain. Thankfully, newer Carnival ships feature better-appointed bathrooms, including showers with glass doors!
For a Carnival FUN ship, the room did feel a bit drab. It wasn’t as bright or colorful as we would have expected.
While we enjoyed having the balcony, it felt a bit cramped. There was just enough space to squeeze by the table and chairs when taking in the ocean views. And we always dislike the single door opposed to the sliding door found on other cruise line balconies.
Still, for a ship that is nearly ten years old, the furnishings were pretty well-maintained, and the stateroom served as a functional space during our cruise.
Our Carnival Vista Review Recap
We were a bit skeptical before boarding Carnival Vista in Port Canaveral. Our main objective was visiting Celebration Key, but could we survive an 8-night cruise on this 10-year-old ship just to get there?
Well, happily, we did more than just merely make it through the week. We had a fun time. While the ship was busy, we managed the crowds. With a bit of planning, we were able to see the shows, enjoy all the food and drinks, and have some laugh with our friends who were also onboard without any hassles. Plus, the FunSquad always ensured that everyone was having a good time and kept the energy high.
Despite all the viral social media videos, we didn’t witness any unruly cruisers, fights, or other obnoxious behavior. Just fellow guests ready to enjoy their vacation.
Carnival Vista delivered on the fronts that matter most to its cruisers. The food was excellent, and there was plenty of it available throughout the day. And there are several bars with signature drink menus to make the most of the Cheers beverage package.
Further, there were a variety of complimentary activities to keep the fun going day and night, perhaps more than some competitor cruise lines. The lido deck and other outdoor areas offered space to bask in the sun or enjoy some poolside games and sports. The Liquid Lounge and Limelight Lounge featured a variety of shows and productions, and there was plenty of live music, trivia, and karaoke to keep all crusiers engaged.
There was even space for those who wanted some quiet time. From a little pampering in the thermal suite, to relaxation in the Serenity adult-only retreat, or cozy nooks on the lanai, Carnival Vista has options for everyone.
While Carnival is the mainstream cruise line that we have sailed on the least, this trip certainly has us eager to sail again, especially if it includes a stop at Celebration Key!
Comments
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