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Carnival Vista Cruise Review
7 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip)
Sail date: January 07, 2023
Ship: Carnival Vista
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 7323
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 1 year ago
Review summary
One of the the best cruises we’ve had. Great Fun Squad and CD.Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Havana Bar
Glynda was a delight and introduced me to a new drink. The UltimateXO is sort of a White Russian with a cinnamon kick. All of the bar tenders here were good, but she was a shining star.
BlueIguana Cantina
Had breakfast burritos. Lunchtime had tacos and burritos that you chose the ingredients for. Friendly staff and willing to add as much to your plate as you want.
Guy's Burger Joint
A favorite of many. Usually had two lines but many people only noticed one. It made for a quick burger if you paid attention.
Vista Lobby and Bar
Bartenders seemed busy and were pleasant, but didn’t seem to roam the area like they do on other ships. A great place to wait for others and to people watch.
Alchemy Bar
The busiest bar in the evenings. Unusual offerings. Met several fun people here!
Horizons Restaurant
We enjoyed our meals. Not fond of using the phone for the menu. A regular menu is available upon request. Had a fantastic wait staff. Sadly, our head waiter left at the end of the week.
Guy's Pig & Anchor
A nice mix of barbecue for the non-Texans. We found the sauces acceptable, but heard a bit of grumbling from the Texans that the hot sauce wasn’t hot enough.
Onboard Activities
Fun Shops
Nice variety. I am an EFFY fan. The crew here was nice. Yes, they tried to get you to buy but were okay if you said no. Nice selection of watches. Not enough logo items. Had a “general” store but a bit pricey. Good Pandora store for those interested. Cherry on top full of goodies!
Sky Course
While I didn’t do this, I watched! The crew were encouraging to those that were reluctant or had a “freeze” moment on the course. Also they went out to “rescue” anyone who needed it. Saw youngsters encouraging others and mastering the course. Kudos to the crew. Reelo tried to convince me I could do it. She’s a sweetheart but I’m not going up there! Note: if the winds exceeded 45 mph and or it was wet from rain, these options were closed for safety. But opened as soon as safety allowed.
Sky Greens
Had a blast. It could use some tender care, but the maintenance was done on some of the holes during the cruise. Just skip the one being worked on. Six holes on one level, go up the stairs for the last three. That’s where the Sky Ride and Ropes course are!
Photo Gallery
The photographers were friendly without being overly aggressive. Some good pictures, but couldn’t find many of ours using facial recognition. Plus had people who looked nothing like us in a few.
Vista Casino
Cashier was funny. When I asked if I could ask a question, “yes I already did and the next one was only $5”, said with a big smile. I didn’t do well, but enjoyed playing the slots. Yes, it’s smoky.
SportsSquare
Many options. Pool, bean bag toss, mini golf, foosball, and ping pong.
Entertainment
Carnival's Seaside Theatre
Watched Top Gun: Maverick the last night. It was cold so we bundled up. Note: the movie will be interrupted by announcements on occasion.
Liquid Lounge
Don’t care for the seating in chairs on this class of ship.The shows were extremely loud. Other gatherings here were okay, but no place to set a drink during the “repeaters” gatherings.
Limelight Lounge
Good comedians and a good host from the Fun Squad. MaKayKay, was at the door to be sure underage didn’t go to the R rated, make sure there was enough seating and cleared the venue after each presentation for the next show. Very upbeat.
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom