New Year’sCruise

Item: Carnival Vista
Rating: 4.2
Author: ptosches5644185

Carnival Vista Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

ptosches5644185

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 63

Overall rating:

4.2 out of 5

Verified Review

8 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip)

Sail date: December 30, 2017

Ship: Carnival Vista

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 11246

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 6 years ago

Review summary

Overall, another very good cruise with Carnival but not without a couple of unexpected flaws in the experience. Huge props always should go out to the hard-working crew and staff who do the jobs none of us would do yet do it with a smile and a positive attitude that a lot of young people (and adults) in the U.S. ought to try.

Embarkation

3 out of 5

Didn’t find out until a week after we returned that the gift fruit selection delivered to our cabin was from a generous family member. There was no note left w the basket, even though one had been created online. Kind of an awkward moment when we returned and were asked if we ever received it.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

The food was typically very good though perhaps a step below the other Carnival cruises (5) we’ve traveled on. That includes the two upcharged restaurants (Italian an steakhouse), which are usually superb. Don’t mind paying extra but expect it will be worth it. We chose Anytime dining and were very disappointed with the dining room experience. Seemed we were regularly being treated as second-class diners, thrown into the mix only when they could squeeze us in, leaving waitstaff rushing around to serve us between the “scheduled” diners— and dumped into tables in the worst spots in the dining room (behind Service doors, walls, etc.) would have expected the dining room to be able to accommodate and plan for a certain number of anytime diners throughout the night

Alchemy Bar

5 out of 5

Always a fan favorite on newer Carnival ships. Bartenders were terrific—friendly and charming, exceedingly professional and full of good off-menu drink suggestions

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Service and Staff

4 out of 5

Generally very good although it felt a little inconsistent and even slightly below what we’ve experienced on other Carnival cruises. Just not used to seeing so many things fall through the cracks (silverware missing at dinner table, clogged sink in bathroom, frazzled dining room experience, etc.)

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Top notch as always

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Except for a clogged sink, outstanding.

Ship tip

Get out and do something different. People who complain about cruising are the ones who spend all their time at the buffet and scrambling on and off the ship for excursions. Try the Chef’s Table — a truly awesome dining experience. Or try the bartender class and learn about making new and classic cocktails (while the Bud Lite crowd pops in and asks if they can grab a beer — uh, NO!)

Thumbs up