Best Cruise Everrrr
Carnival Vista Cruise Review
Contributor Level:
Second Mate
Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Reviews: 2
Helpful Votes: 63
7 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip)
Sail date: May 18, 2019
Ship: Carnival Vista
Cabin type: Inside
Cabin number: 12217
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 4 years ago
Review summary
This was a great trip, we had lots of fun, & also met lots of new couples from all over the U.S. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to cruise with the best Cruise Director of all time Matt Mitchum & party like rock stars every night. We laughed, danced & ate good, it was a cruise to remember & as always with Carnival it was fun fun fun!!!Embarkation
Easiest we've experienced. There were tons of people there, but because we arrived from the airport on Carnival's Shuttle we bypassed the lines & had a separate "VIP" entrance. The ladies working the ID check in line were super nice & funny.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The food was decent, but Guys Burgers & Blue Iguana were really good as usual. We dined in the dining room every night & had nothing to complain about. I will say the drinks were a bit stronger this time around, we always drink margaritas & they had a bit of a kick. We did find out that when u order a margarita on the rocks u get 2 shots of tequila vs 1 shot in the frozen. So on the rocks it was!
Onboard Activities
As usual there was plenty to do on the ship, that's one of the main things I love about Carnival, there's always something to do! The pool deck was always poppin, they had one of the BEST R&B trios we've heard, ever. They were from Georgia & they could saaaang! We played trivia, I won in the casino on the slots, my hubby loves that grab a stack of cash game! I took one of the salsa dance classes, taught by a few of the casts from the show, it was a lot of fun! My hubby played a game tournament in the Red Frog Pub. Just a good time with lots to do.
Entertainment
The entertainment was so phenomenal!!! The comedians were HILARIOUS & the theater productions were some of the best I've seen, specifically, The Cuban Nights show. Again, the R&B band that played was AWESOME & so entertaining, every time we went to see them, it was standing room only. Now, for the best of the best, MATT the cruise director!!! This guy is just memorable, his goal was to make sure that EVERY passenger on that ship was having a good time, & I believe he achieved it. He's perfect for the job! He's never met a stranger, he's funny, charming, personable, endearing, & he's easy on the eyes too. His looks are the least of what makes him so awesome. He was always around & seen, I loved that. His parties were on overflow because everyone wants to be around him. His wonderfulness trickles down because his staff was just as awesome & engaging. Shout out to Shorty & the rest of the crew. I'm just glad we got to experience his reign!!! I've never experienced a cruise director & crew like them on any other cruise. It was truly a pleasure.
Service and Staff
The service was excellent, everyone took really good care of us. I can't say enough about Jonathan our room steward, he always greeted us with a smile & by name. He kept our cabin spotless & made sure we had everything we needed. Our dining room team of waiters were wonderful & kind. Again they greeted us by name every night & took good care of us. These people work so hard & are so dedicated to our having a nice memorable vacation, & we appreciate that. Then there was Herman in the watch shop, who I just happened to meet while browsing one day. He was so very nice & every day as I would walk thru the atrium, he would greet me by name. We had really nice conversations about watches, fragrances, his country, my country...he was such a pleasure & I appreciated him making us feel so special. There was also a young black woman that worked the specialty sales in the atrium (I can't recall her name because this review is long overdue & I'm in the bed writing it 😕), but she was so friendly & funny, she could sell water to a fish & we bought lots of alcohol from her. Every time we saw her she greeted us so warmly with her big beautiful smile. These are the people that make us want to return to Carnival again & again.
Ship Quality
The ship was huge, beautiful, & clean. There were always staff working to keep it that way. I liked the lay out of the ship & the new photo gallery set up. The spa was amazing! The elevators were slow, but really, my main complaint is that the ship was HOT! We just could not find a cool place. Our cabin was so warm, we called, they came but it never cooled off. The elevators were so hot, everyone was complaining about it. When the doors closed it was like being in a hot box. One night my hubby & I wanted to go to salsa at the Havana club, but the heat was so unbearable we couldn't stay. I felt so badly for the band. Honestly, it felt like the heat was on. There weren't even any people in there because of the temperature. I called & complained about it the next day. I can't imagine being on this ship in the dog days of summer. I hope they got that fixed.
Cabin / Stateroom
This was a good choice we were at the end so it was quiet, but right near the waterslides, so we could walk out of our cabin & onto the pool deck. It was an interior room, but spacious enough for us. The cabin was clean & I love the new movie system. We were right down from the spa, so it was easy access. My only complaint was that it was ALWAYS WARM. Fortunately, I travel with a desk fan, so it came in handy.
Ship tip
Don't forget to visit Guy's Pig and Anchor down near Ocean Plaza. It's hidden & only open during lunch hours, so it's easy to miss.
Thumbs up
0
Ports of call
Caught the bus & went to a public beach. We ate jerk chicken & rented some chairs. It was a nice day. I only gave it 3 stars because the bus ride was so long. Although we were able to see a lot of the island.
Disembarkation
Something was going on that caused us to have to disembark a different way thru a garage down by the loading dock, but even with that, it still went pretty smooth.
Traveler Photos
