The Vista or CD Savannah just aren’t our jam…we’ll probably do the Dream again next time…we discovered that we prefer the Dream Class ships…at least until the new Jubilee arrives in the port of Galveston!
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Embarkation went smoothly as we boarded with our luggage in tow.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The main dining room food was mediocre at best, both on sea day brunch and supper. The staff were absolutely fabulous.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Enjoyed the Serenity Deck, IMAX Theatre, Love & Marriage Show, Dive in Movies
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Chris Williams the Flying Scotsman was the CD on our last cruise and let it suffice to say, he is a hard act to follow…his musical abilities are outstanding. The shows on the Vista were simply “okay”
Children's Programs
There were no children in my party and limited children on the ship in April
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The service staff and wait staff were accommodating, friendly, and overall outstanding!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The ship was clean. The decor of the ship is minimalist and modern. I really love the French Impressionist style of the Conquest and felt that Vista just didn’t have that Wow factor. When aboard the Vista, we were surprised to find that it really didn’t feel any larger than the Dream Class ships…maybe more balcony rooms?
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Small balcony cabin on the front Lido. We had evening service from our room steward, Choi…who was fabulous!
Ship tip
If you are considering a cruise on the Vista, or any of the other Carnival ships, be aware that your port times may be cut drastically. We were in Grand Cayman 7am-2pm…barely enough time to do our excursion. In Cozumel we ported at 10am and we’re told to return no later than 3:30pm. The shortened port times were a huge disappointment for us. The ship remained in port at Cozumel until 5:30pm, reportedly waiting for a wayward crew member to return to the ship…he never returned. Wonder if Carnival would have waited 2 hours on ME? The wait put us behind 2 hours, so even though we carried our own luggage off the ship at disembarkation, we didn’t get off the ship until 11:00am. Fortunately, we were driving home from the port and did not miss a flight like some did.
It’s Galveston and we’ve been there many times. We stayed at the Moody Garden Hotel, which is due a facelift. I would definitely choose Hotel Galvez or the Tremont on future visits.
Selection of excursions was very limited as this was a last minute change in ports. We were originally scheduled to port in Ocho Rios…no reason for change was ever given. We simply shopped in the port area and returned to the ship. Most of the excursions offered involved a 1 hour drive to and from and we weren’t down for that.
We took a carnival excursion, Stringray City and Coral Garden, as our port time was so short. We were off the ship by 7:30am, milled around for an extended time waiting for the bus to arrive, then once we arrived at the canal where the boat was supposed to be, we had to wait almost another hour for the boat to arrive and pick us up. Stingray City is always wonderful and did not disappoint! There was a 60 year old man who worked for the tour company…said he was born on the island and had been working Stingray City for 30 years…it really showed in his confidence and handling of the stingrays! Gin-clear water♥️ The snorkeling was fun, but there was little live coral at the place they took us. We were joined by a group of rays! White Henney was inexpensive at the shop in port…less than on the ship. Last shuttle to the ship was 1:15pm…we really disliked the short port times on this cruise.
I love Cozumel as many of my best memories are there. Decided to forgo Mr. Sanchos 🥲due to limited port time. Caught a cab for $8 and went to town to shop for treasures. Los Cinco Soles never disappoints! Had lunch and the best margaritas that we had on the trip at Pancho’s Backyard downtown. Did I mention that I love Cozumel?!?!
I agree with MichaelW, we had Kendall Fire on our Christmas cruise this past December. Her and the Flying Dutchman are probably two of the best CD Carnival has, only been on 8 cruises and had 8 different CD's and they were by far the best.
If you ever get the chance to sail on the Vista when Kendall Fire is the CD, do it! She is high energy, friendly, and a Texas girl! Like you, I’m anxious for the arrival of Jubilee! Already booked for January 2024!
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