Aside from our embarkation experience and staff that upset our family and made my child cry, the cruise itself was fantastic, well organized, and had great staff. The best stop was Honduras and we were so happy that the captain made it happen as the Carnival Vista captain wasn't able to and left with another day at sea.
Embarkation
1 out of 5
We arrived early...thank goodness. The attendants and supervisor wouldn't let us on the cruise ship due to not having the proper paperwork for our daughter. We had passports and a US Sentry Card (a card that can only be received after proving citizenship). Unfortunately they wouldn't let us on without having a birth certificate for our daughter. So while this was our fault, since I assumed a Sentry Card would trump all other documentation the experience was treated poorly and left my daughter in tears as they asked us to describe our luggage so they could retrieve it since we weren't going to be allowed on the ship. Luckily our dog sitter was able to send a picture of her Birth Certificate and that did the trick. Strange since the Sentry card even has a photo of her. Perhaps there should be more documentation on the website on what documents aren't permitted. We live near the Mexican border and can come and go with a Sentry card so not sure why it doesn't work to board a ship. Again, it was our fault for not bringing a birth certificate, but it should have been handled a bit more professional and with the thought that my child heard all conversations that upset her.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Wonderful! Our waiter and bus boy were the BEST!!
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Bingo, spa, after dinner shows. It would have been nice to have a movie and popcorn night in a theatre. Maybe a scavenger hunt...PG family style.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Great, all were fantastic!
Children's Programs
3 out of 5
My 13 year old didn't participate in kid's club, however it would have been nice to have evening entertainment that she could attend. A family-style scavenger hunt, movies and popcorn night in the pool, etc.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Extremely professional and cordial. Particular bonus stars for those on the Lido deck who get bombarded by folks eating so much food. They kindly check on each table and try to make conversation. Sweetest staff with GREAT BIG SMILES!! Oh, and my daughter left her purse and when we returned it was gone. A waitress suggested I go to the 2nd floor and sure enough, it was there!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
I think the design and cleanliness was great. However it is an OLD ship that is a bit neglected. I realize salt water and air is tough, but there is quite a bit of rust visible from our veranda. I rarely saw staff doing the upkeep on the ship either. This is my 8th cruise, and I've always seen staff sanding and painting on other ships except for this one. It needs maintenance. Ship itself was clean though.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Loved the bed, cabin was clean. And we got an animal towel every night! Yeah!!
Loved the island. Was nice that Mogogany Bay was built for those just wanting to get off the ship. We hoped in a cab and created our own tour, loved it!
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