This was the first cruise our family has ever been on. So, we had nothing to compare the boat to. That being said, we did a lot of research and hoped that Carnival Vista would live up to our expectations. And it did! We have always thought that we would not enjoy cruising. After the first day, we still felt that way. There were a lot of people on this boat and there were lines for food and activities at peak times. However, we learned when to visit places and avoid lines, which greatly improved our trip. We were at breakfast in the buffet every morning by 7:30/8am and it was practically empty. Then the grown-ups would head to the Tides Pool, while the kids went to the ropes course. By 11am, the crowds were moving in and we would grab an early lunch. In the afternoon our kids and their cousins (ages 10-12) would head to the library to play games, watch a movie, visit the arcade or kids clubs. We opted for an early dinner every night (5:30 seating). By the time we finished, the majority of people were just starting to have dinner. So, we would head to the Havana Club pools and hot tubs (open to the public at 7pm) or catch an 8pm show or poolside movie. The Havana Club was practically empty at night and it was beautiful to watch the stars from the back of the boat, while sitting in one of the hot tubs.

The food on the boat was decent but not outstanding. The main dining room food was decent. Probably the best food was at Guys Burger bar. We also enjoyed breakfast at Blue Iguana or lunch at Cucina del Capitano or Fat Jimmy's BBQ (which are both free at lunch). We did pay a little extra and enjoyed dinner at Bonsai Sushi one night.

The sky ride on this boat is amazing. The waterslides were a lot of fun and our kids did the ropes course multiple times every day. We also took the kids to the thrill theater, which they all enjoyed. My husband and I watched one movie in the Imax and there was hardly anyone else there! The movie theater is one of the few places, if not the only place, that offers fountain sodas. So, if you get the soda package, you can get a drink at the theater, even if you aren't watching a movie. Read more