We've been cruising mostly Carnival the last 17 years. I feel we get the most bang for our buck and the treatment we get is awesome. We recently sailed with another couple (from the Czech Republic) on the new Vista through the Mediterranean just before she headed to New York. The ship was very nice and met all of our expectations with a couple of exceptions...no glass elevators. My wife and I have always loved the layout of the Carnival ships so they are very easy to navigate. I think this time I expected something different. The "different" was the I-Max theater. Wow, very very nice but they need a much bigger selection of movies. Sci-Fi might be cool movies to see but it's just not us. "Sully" was great to see. The down side of having the I-Max was the loss of the glass elevators which I always thought were really awesome. They need to make the next ship (Horizon) long enough to accomodate both. The buffet was ok...the Seafood Shack was good and the price no big deal but I missed the Indian food and the fish & chips (on the Glory). Sushi is a must! The taste bar and the outdoor BBQ were fabulous! The salad bar on the Serenity deck needs an awning but what a fabulous idea...loved the selection..would've liked it to be self serve but the service was great. The Sky Ride was very cool and the water park was something I can't wait to take our grandkids to. The cabin (inside was adequate as usual). The updated room temperature control was an A++ on my wifes book! She hates being cold in the ship (we're outside mostly anyway) but she was cold in the cabin too much on other ships. We thought the "any time" dining would be great but after 10 days of it we decided assigned dining was better. That way you can get to know your waiter and the people you sit with. We'll probably do the early dining again as we have been on quit a few of the excursions for which late dining is nice.The service was great as usual with the exception of one dining night when the server was slow and oblivious. The items on the menu were sumptuous...I really got hooked on the flat Iron steak in wine sauce Because we were out and about so much in Greece, Italy, France and Spain we were too tired to hit much of the entertainment after dinner...sit in the hot tub and soak out the weariness. The countries we visited were absolutely picturesque with tons of history everywhere you go. All the ports were very nice and getting through them was very easy. The BEST way to get Euros is to take money out directly from your account from back home through an ATM at the country you are in. If you go to a bank you have to show them your passport. The exchange rate is better through the ATM as well.The real disappoinment was for as long as these countries have existed there were some places very filthy with grafiti everywhere.. even where there shouldn't have been. The joke was "it looks like Greek to me!". The open top buses (hop on, hop off) is one of the best ways to see most of the local major sites..about 20 Euros per person for the day.. The train ride to Rome was great and fast (100 mph/165 km).The crouds in Rome were insane. We still managed to see enough to scratch our siteseeing itch. The weather in Greece was very nice but got cooler the further north we went..naturally. By the time we got to Spain it was jackets! We are good with Europe for a long while now..we love the warm Carrabean. Overall, Carnival did a great job! Their service is splendid! Our entertainment director did a great job, unfortunatey she went to another ship. We'll be back on the Vista Dec 3 for a couple weeks. Coming from Michigan I'm looking forward to the warmer weather! ..and hopefully they have a larger selection of movies in the I-Max. I'm hoping Carnival has something going from Hawaii to Australia soon...I'll be on it if they do. Read Less

We did the Europe trip and was very port intense but we had a really good time! Once on the TA we had time to enjoy ship. We were in Athens for 4 nights prior to cruise explored as much as we could. Embarking and disembarking was smooth as silk. Our cabin stewards great ! Cove Balcony excellent cabin. The serenity area was very nice. My husband and I are scuba divers we went diving in 3-4 ports. everything was excellent. every cruise is great Yes I would go again and again. Negatives were size of show rooms. Very small. Dining room had a few issues it took a long time to be served, Cabin was a bit too small. Not enough closet space. The décor is not as nice as other carnival ships. On balconys there was already signs of rusting... Seems no one was winning in casino LOL ! Read Less

We choose these cruises for the itinerary : Mediterranean and Transatlantic. Overall we thought it was terrific. The ship was beautiful, great expansion of outdoor sitting areas, more subdued, classy decorating and fabulous staff. The live music entertainment was very enjoyable from shows to groups playing around the ship. Our cabin staff and dining room staff were great. I was concerned about having only 2 closets, but it worked out fine. The configuration of the cabin seemed to have more room than other interiors I have had. The only thing I found disappointing was the lack of table cloths. I had to mop my eating area several times per meal with my napkin or I'd have water dripping on me. Food around the ship was very good, especially lunches ( the seafood shack, though a pay extra for was excellent) and dinner at JiJi was terrific. The main entrees in dining room just fell short of being very good. Appetizers and desserts usually very good. I truly had no complaints and enjoyed the trip/ship immensely. STAFF WERE A#1 !!! Note: Did 1 Carnival excursion in Rome : Train, then on your own in Rome. Train was very uncomfortable ( had to interlace our knees with person sitting opposite. You thought economy class plane seats were cramped ? This seemed like a train for children) and the guide wasted our time insisting that tour (hoho bus) ticket sellers were all fake except for her friend. Waited to find her friend who proceded to run out of change and then out of tickets. Not impressed . Read Less

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Not impressed with the ship one bit, not worth all the "hype" it was given prior to going in service. First time I NEVER bought a drink on a cruise due to the VAT. Carnival should be ashamed of their selves for not disclosing this fact prior to sailing or prior to the cancellation date. Food was so bad in the buffet, deli and the new BBQ, I wouldn't give it to my dogs. "Dive In" movie was ended 20 mins. prior to the end, so "What happened at the end?" Paying for in room movies was a joke, never had to do that before. Atriums were underwhelming and the carpet was already being replaced in many areas. First time we experienced a power failure on a ship, glad we were in port. Main dining room was just so-so, menu choices were lacking but their "Sea Day" brunch was nice. The specialty restaurants, Fahrenheit 555 and Ji Ji's were the best dinner options. Lido deck Guy's Burgers and Blue Iguana were great for lunch and breakfast. We had 3 room stewards for this cruise and that was a first, they did a great job and met all our needs always with a smile. We will be looking elsewhere for cruise before we choose Carnival again. Read Less

Had fun, very disappointed about Kusadasi being canceled. This was the main reason we took this cruise. Once cancelled this kicked in the 24% VAT which was not good. I think crew was looking ahead to New York . Cruise director was very good just had New York on her mind. Best thing about the food was Guy's Burgers. Very very good. The male singers in the band of shipseas group were not real good.(Bad) DJ not my style, messed up a lot of good songs playing around. I think ship will be much better once it reaches home in Miami and gets into a routine. Entertainment will have to improve for sure. The sky cycles were fun, the ship was smooth, the ship was clean. The cabin was kept up very well. Laundry service was fast and good. Our cabin was under buffet on 9th floor. Lots of noise at 4 am from carts wheels rolling around. Need pneumatic tires on carts. Final word, Yes I would go again. Things will get better on this beautiful ship. Read Less

My husband and I chose this cruise to enjoy the intensive port itinerary. We purchased this cruise at a bargain discounter that included transfers from the airport to a fantastic hotel in Athens and another transfer from the hotel to the ship. We both thought that the upper decks were fantastically designed so that there were many types of activities to enjoy. Kudos to the designers!!! On my 65th birthday I challenged myself to do the ropes course. What a blast! Another day we did the cycle ride above the decks. Again, it was a blast. We were assigned to a table for 12 at the first seating. I never would have chosen such a large table and it was not to my liking. The dining room is extremely loud without soft surfaces to absorb the sounds. I truly disliked the lack of table cloths. I tried to keep my silverware on the bread plate, but when the servers removed that plate, they place my silverware on the bare table, The servers were excellent, but because of the number of tables and people ordering multiple main dishes, and the Maitre Ds singing, we were very late leaving the dining room. It seemed like the dining schedule and the entertainment schedule were in conflict. Twice I had a problem with gluten even though I ordered in advance. I made a complaint at guest relations. I must say that the problem was addressed and that they apologized and made a change in the kitchen. It turns out another passenger with Celiac had made a complaint the same day I did. The ports were excellent, but the cruise line should have provided transportation to the gates of the port. Because of the size of the ship and the distance to the gate, we were sometimes not allowed to walk. If the ship is that far away, shuttles should run frequently. At the port of Livorno, they sold tickets to the shuttle, and the shuttle service was inadequate for the number of passengers. Also, I would have loved to have had lectures about the ports we were visiting. After reading many reviews in Cruise Critic about slow, erratic and expensive internet on cruise ships, I was happy to find the internet service on the Vista to be fast, reliable and relatively inexpensive (especially in comparison to the Celebrity Equinox, on the transatlantic leg of our voyage home). The ship is absolutely beautiful. Read Less

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Just back from the Athens to Barcelona cruise Oct 2016. Boat is very nice. Great condition as new (even so all of the foyer carpeting had to be replaced during our cruise). Lots of room and rarely felt crowded. Drinks - beer, wine, cocktails & pop very expensive. Also got stuck paying 24% VAT tax so Carnival removed drink package option. The Thirsty/Red Frog beer was amazing. Food. Had all dinners in the Reflection (same as Horizon). Special thanks to Frank & Ilyana (sp.?) for their wonderful, attentive service. Amazing looking menus with superb selection but always looked better than it tasted. One of the problems of serving up hundreds of simultaneous meals - becomes a commodity regardless of how you dress it. On Lido deck Guys Burgers offered AMAZING hand-made, delicious burgers with great fixings. Same with the Iguana tacos. Felt like we could have eaten here all week. Mornings we had continental room service. Always great coffee. Toast always served cold. If it can't be delivered hot, suggest they offer up cold, fresh breads instead. Decent fruits, cereal, yogurt otherwise. Outdoor theatre was fun. Blankets were available as was chilly outside. Great sound so don't understand why English speaking movies also needed English sub-titles? Very distracting. Free popcorn was nice idea but terrible quality - served with some sort of edible (barely) oil product. The IMAX & 4D theatre were great - reasonably priced and not crowded (at least when we went). Sky ride also good. On rainy or cool sea days could really use indoor observation lounge (move the spa?). Would sell more alcohol as well. Otherwise stuck with poor side views from inside. Music & entertainment. Great throughout and lots of variety. Latin band, piano bar, shows, combos, all well done. Personally there was way too much "jazzy saxophone elevator" music played throughout the ship which grated on us after awhile. Also, for a cruise that was 90% age 50 +, we really did not like the liquid lounge DJ "music". Saw many people come in, than turn around and high-tail it out. Was playing rap, hip-hop, electronic more suitable for 19 year olds (a handful). When asked about selection or requests was told the music supplied by Carnival was very limited (like no Drive By - Train?). Balcony room @ 9th floor was very nice with larger bathrooms than previous cruises. Elevators. Always slow. Need to press at least 3 sets of buttons as one set does not control all up or down elevators. We got used to using the stairs most of the time. After an excursion, expect to wait 15 mins from 0 to 10. Pools & hot tubs looked nice but we did not use. Something about hundreds of sweaty, unsanitary, people hopping in totally dry (no shower before entering) is a turn off (especially with showers right beside!). Come on people...seriously, in this day & age? Glad to see at least rules enforced regarding the "lounge hogs" who put towels on primo chairs in the morning, then leave for most of the day. Crew allowed 40 mins of this then towels removed and loungers freed up. The Spa. We did not partake so no comment on the quality of service. We found it very expensive and really did not like having to be forced to pass through the "sales gauntlet" of charming young ladies always standing at the entrance to the lido deck promoting this over-priced (obviously profitable) service. Excursions were well organized and good value. Despite the numbers never felt over-crowded. All considered the Vista offers good value in what I would call a commodity cruise. The proviso being that while you are being lulled into a sense of care-free wonderment, they are there to make a profit. This by extracting as much money from you as possible with their many extra-cost services geared to take advantage when your budget defenses are in holiday mode. Read Less

This cruise was a new experience for us (never been to Europe) and absolutely wonderful! I am starting to realize just how "ship-based" cruising experiences are opposed to the company that is hosting the sailing (i.e. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, etc.). Me and my 62 year old mother went on this cruise, and we were very pleased with most about this cruise and the ship. CUSTOMER SERVICE: We've sailed on both Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Carnival Cruise Lines, and have often said that customer service on Norwegian Cruise Lines is better. This ship had the most proactive and responsive customer service I've ever experienced on a Carnival ship. When we arrived to the cabin, we had the water we'd previously paid for already in our room, and customer service immediately called to ask my mother whether she brought her CPAP machine (for her sleep apnea), and if she would be needing distilled water for it. One reason for the 4/5 rating in this category is that it took several hours after that telephone call, and a couple of calls before we received the water. However, we did appreciate the proactivity. As with most Carnival experiences, there were certain issues throughout the cruise that we had to bring up to customer service, but they were promptly, and politely responded to. The workers here were overall more considerate, kind, and responsive than any other Carnival ship I've been on (Breeze, Splendor, Liberty). FOOD: The food was CONSIDERABLY better than on any other Carnival ship. Even the food on the buffet was more flavorful and better prepared. The foods in the dining rooms were most often superb, and definitely in the specialty restaurants. Typically, Carnival food is mediocre at best. Whichever Chef you have on this ship who is responsible for the food - KEEP HIM. Lots of great restaurants to choose from. Didn't get to try to the Asian or the Italian restaurant on this ship, but heard they were really good from other guests. EXCURSIONS: Carnival offered excursions that we had a good time on, but I think they need some fine tuning. Overall, most of the excursions offered were just way too long, and were like history lessons and school field trips, vs. vacations (particularly in Rhodes, Greece and Valleta, Malta. I"m not really sure how Carnival can rectify this, other than finding tour guides that are more engaging and less talky. Some of this can't be avoided because if you want to spend a day in the country learning about it, there is no other way. The Italy excursion guides seemed to understand this concept. They provided history about the city, but also knew when to shut the heck up and let you relax. I think offering more excursions where you can enjoy certain aspects of the country you are visiting (there is no way you can learn every single thing about each country you visit), would serve them well. Also, spending 8-10 hours a day on an excursion every day is exhausting. We had to end up cancelling two of the excursions just to allow ourselves some rest. More 4 hour excursions (as opposed to 10 hours) should be offered so that people have more free time to do what they want without someone talking at them. Going to these countries, you are going to be walking a lot, so if you are going to be bringing any senior citizens or babies with you with walking issues, maybe you should arrange something to wheel them around in all day. EMBARKATION: Was a breeze! We didn't get there until 4pm on embarkation day. We literally walked right up to the desk and got on the ship. Our luggage was at our room within an hour or two at most. Just awesome. DEBARKATION: Great that we didn't have to go through customs, so we could easily find our suitcases without waiting in line. The directions on how to get to your Carnival Transfer (to the airport or hotel) in Barcelona were absolutely horrible. There was no one to tell you where to go and you had a bunch of people outside packed like sardines trying to figure out where the heck to meet. This was not acceptable because we'd asked a couple of folks on Carnival a few times during the cruise about what we should expect during this process, and they either gave misinformation, or not much to offer. The workers in Barcelona that are outside during this process are pretty useless as it relates to giving information - so beware. CLEANLINESS: Overall, the ship was pretty clean in the common areas. The cruise director stressed washing your hands every five seconds (not a common trait on carnival ships although it is on norwegian ships) because rumor had it that a few people on the cruise were discovered to have Norovirus (like on Day 2 of the cruise). They never announced it, but people put two and two together and many workers on the cruise told a few people what was going on. I'm not sure whether it was the air change, the air circulation in the ship, or what....but a lot of people also had sinus issues. Mom and I both had cold symptoms the entire cruise, but we were basically ok. I know others who also had sinus issues....but this could have been coincidental. They may want to look into the air circulation. ENTERTAINMENT: Due to the intense excursions (only 2 out of 10 sea days), we didn't experience much of the entertainment other than the comedy shows, the club (me not mom) and the casino. But there seemed to be a variety of activities at night and I didn't ever feel bored. I do think they should offer a bit more to do during the day for those that are not getting off the boat. There were times where I was on the ship early and twiddling my thumbs a bit. Lots of activities at night that I didn't even get a chance to participate in because there were only a few hours after the excursions and after you ate dinner, you were so exhausted that you picked ONE activity , and that was it. But there are several movies to choose from (both on TV Demand and each night offered to watch publicly with other guests), virtual simulator and 3D movies (didn't get to try this) with actual popcorn, and a variety of outdoor activities. For the most part, it got to be a bit chilly toward the end of our cruise so the last thing I wanted to do was hang out outside at night. OVERALL SHIP: Great! Pretty, lots to do, and set up pretty great. Read Less

Great cruise, skipped turkey while other cruise ships continue to go there. We changed planes in Istanbul, felt safe. Theater is substandard. 2 levels instead of three with bad sight lines. Closet space has been reduced to accommodate air conditioners. Other than that, a great ship. Food service in main dining room has improved. We had Paul as a our dinner waiter and his service was prompt. We had Christian as our breakfast waiter and his service was also prompt. The Horizon will also probably have a small theater which converts to a dance floor with many chairs on the same level making it difficult to see the performances. I was told Carnival is working on the closet space issue. Jamie was a great cruise director. The food quality seems to have declined. It's good enough in the main dining room, but nothing special. There is good sushi available on board. Read Less

we choose the Carnival Vista as it is the newest ship in the Carnival fleet and we also wanted to do this cruise from Athens. The service was excellent from the time that we entered the check-in at the port to the time that we collected our luggage in Barcelona. We couldn't have been more pleased with the service, ship and itinerary. Having sailed with Carnival before and other cruise lines, we think that this was probably the best cruise that we have taken (25+). The staff were pleasing and trying to give you exceptional service wherever possible.Food was better than other cruise lines that we have been on so it is a plus for Carnival. I would like to see them continue with the European cruises in the future. we found that the itinerary from Athens was excellent and rewarding with the areas that were included. Our children and grandchildren would have loved to have been on this cruise with us and we are already looking for another Carnival cruise that we can take them on due to the experience that we had with this one. Read Less

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We chose this particular cruise because we wanted to experience Carnival's new ship and at the same time visit some of the ports in Europe we had not seen before. As we have come to expect from Carnival, embarcation went smoothly, our cabin was ready when we boarded; however, it was our anniversary and I had purchased a package that included decorations, a bottle of wine, a card and chocolates. Whe we arrived only the decorations were there, the wine and the glasses were missing and the card was misspelled. Not a good beginning....(They did give us an extra bottle of wine and a very nice cake for our dinner on the date of our anniversary which was VERY nice of them) Being a brand new ship, The Vista looked incredible. All the spaces were very nice and very appealing, the Sky Cycle was a lot of fun to ride and the I-Max theater was amazing. The Havana Cabanna bar and the Havana area on the back of the ship were incredible. We did have some issues with the design of the ship when you compare it with previous ones like the Breeze which was our last cruise with Carnival and remains our favorite Carnival ship. First, the Liquid Lounge which serves as theater and night club is smaller than in other ships, the seating arrangement is not good and the seats themselves are not confortable, they don't even have a place to put your drinks. The floor is not slanted so the viewing of the show can be a little challenging if you have taller people in front. The atrium which is the main lobby is not as open as other ships and they did away with glass elevators. They gave too much space for the Pixels Gallery and since they are doing away with the printed photo diplay in favor of digital displays for the viewings, they could have made it smaller. The "New Any Time Seating" system they came up with is not confortable. Everyone wants to eat at 7:30 and you could see people waiting in line for a long time before they got a table assignment. Meals in the main dinning hall were VERY GOOD, the menus were varied and as allways included alternatives for the less adventured cruisers as well as some classic Carnival signature desserts . ALL the restaurans and alternative eating venues in the ship are just amazing, from the Blue Iguana Cantina, Guy's Burger Joint to the Bonzai Sushi and the Farenheit 555 steak house passing through the buffet line and walking to the 24/7 Pizzeria and a few others, you could allways find something to tickle your taste buds. Carnival's classic after dinner dance performed by the waiting staff was very enjoyable with the added plus of Ken our Maitre'd who sang every night and entertained us with Sinatra's greatest hits. The entertainement on board was just amazing, all of the ship's productions were incredible. The other acts booked for the trip were fabulous as well. If were going to say anything is that maybe they could have more activities during the evening after the last show. As far as service is concerned, we feel that Carnival's biggest asset and its most redeeming quality is the staff and we don't mean only the people you see but also the ones you don't. They are nothing short of amazing, allways willing to do anything to make you feel like you own the ship and make your onboard experience the best one in your life. One sore point for us was the Cloud 9 Spa. I will say 2 words... "Norwegian Epic"... Sorry guys but after experiencing the Spa on the Epic, we were hoping for something a lot more spacious and enticing. The Casino is not very welcoming, it feels small and the gaming tables too close to each other without space to move around. Also the ventilation is not very good so the atmosphere is dense with cigarette smoke. The ports of call were very good, we were sorry to lose the visit to Turkey but that is part of the way things go in a cruise. The shore excursions offered were very good only they were a little on the expensive side. From reading the book in our cabin about the design of the ship, we got that it was designed by hotel people more that cruise ship designers... It Shows.... In short, we had a wonderful time on the Vista, we loved the ports of call, we loved interacting with all the staff. we thoroughly enjoyed the shows onboard and the cuisine and we will keep sailing on Carnival (it remains our favorite cruise line).. Only not on the Vista. Read Less

I chose this ship because it was new and for the itinerary. i sailed solo so chose most economical cabin, so small but cozy ,nice bathroom The individual eating venues that I tried were great, Buffet, Burger joint, new BarBQ, Burrito Bar, Horizons Dining room service was outstanding. I couldn"t eat at them all The Comedy Club offered new comics every few days and all were very funny, 9:30 was family friendly, at 10 it was for adults only and some very raunchy. Staged shows were spectacular, just the costumes alone, for each show were outstanding! All the singers and dancers were so talented. Everyone in all categories were courteous, friendly, smiled, and so helpful. All ports were exactly what I wanted and why I chose this cruise, I have been to most of the port before. Transpo to Rome comfortable, only excursion I went on was very good and well worth the money. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of it gave us a great itinerary and allowed us to stretch our budget enough to spend a few days in Greece before embarking joining the cruise. We were picked up form the Athens airport by Carnival and it was impressively smooth. The driver was fantastic and the embarkation process from the airport to getting on the ship was simple and efficient. When we got on board, our luggage was already at our room, giving us a chance to get unpacked and settled before the muster drill. The hallways were substantially wider than any ship we had been on previously, but this is our first newer ship so this may be more standard now. Also, despite being a sold out cruise, it rarely felt crowded on the ship. It was the largest ship we have been on and it was nice that it didn't feel like you were constantly fighting with people for elevator access and space on the deck, etc. The casino was one major drawback. You had to go through it to navigate from front to back of the ship on deck 4 and it was always smokey and the smoke tended to waft out into the common areas on either side. Being a new ship I would have expected it to have much better ventilation. The staff was amazing, from the dining staff to the entertainment staff. Although we did find that we had some trouble with meals being extremely slow in certain areas of the dining room. There was a bit of confusion on the first night surrounding special dietary needs but things were straightened out and they provided a delicious meal. Every other night was smooth, with menus being provided for the next day at the end of the meal. This was a very port intensive cruise so we did not spend a lot of time enjoying the amenities of the ship but what we did partake in were very good. We enjoyed most of the comedians we saw and the shows done by the entertainment staff were top notch. As others have commented, the liquid lounge design is not ideal for viewing the shows if you are in the floor seating at the back but I would say it is no worse than floor seating at any concert held in a sports arena. At most of the ports we did our own thing, but did do a tour with Carnival. That excursion was enjoyable but I would probably continue to arrange much of our time off the ship through private companies. I felt like we saved money and saw more/did more with the private companies. There's a big difference between seeing the Vatican with 6 people versus 50 in your group, The debarkation process on the ship was probably the smoothest we've ever experienced. I think some of this might have been helped by the fantastic gangways that they had in Barcelona making it so it was easy to get off the ship but it is worth noting that, despite it being such a large ship, it wasn't jam packed to get out with lots of confusion and chaos as we have experienced during debarkation elsewhere. Overall we had a great time and would definitely do this cruise again although we would try to have a TA after that port intensive itinerary. Read Less

We did the final Mediterranean sailing of the Vista before she made the Transatlantic trip to the USA. We stayed in an inside room on the 7th floor and signed up for anytime dining. Embarkation, outside of the Greek Air Traffic Controllers going on strike the day we were slated to arrive, went okay. One thing odd did happen- it appeared as if someone stole my luggage tags and the wire cables holding my cruise tags. Luckily all our luggage made it to our room okay. Once on board and since this was a brand new ship, I guess I was expecting something 'more' than we had found on previous ships so I may have been slightly disappointed only because of my own expectations. What we did find is that the room, although square-foot-wise it was quite ample, the lack of storage space especially closets, was rather annoying. One narrow hanging closet and one narrow closet with shelves and drawers built in was all we had. There was a set of three open shelves under the counter that housed the mini-fridge but most of them were so 'short' and deep that all I used them for was to hold the pool towels and some paperwork. And, with the lack of closets, the life jackets are now housed under the bed therefore making it tough to even stuff your empty suitcases under the bed. Service however, was not disappointing. I would like to point out the across the board, the staff was excellent. Our room was always ready and we were never disturbed by housekeeping. The dining staff was friendly and helpful. We didn't really go to any shows or use guest services so I can't give any opinion. Because the stop in Turkey was cancelled, there was a 24% VAT added to everything purchased on board for the duration of the cruise. And due to this high charge, Carnival decided to cancel all drink packages, claiming they weren't a good value. I hated to point out that instead of paying 24% on a discounted drink, we now had to pay 24% on the full price which seemed even less of a value for us travelers. One can't really go wrong cruising through the Med which I will most likely do again in the near future. Read Less

Wow what an experience for our 1st cruise where to begin. Beautiful brand new ship, loaded to the rim with great restaurants, activities and attractions. Being an adventurous family, we never took the Carnival excursions, rather we rented cars in most of the ports of call, which wasn't simple due to the distances involved but ultimately highly rewarding due to the freedom and flexibility this gives compared to the structured (and expensive!) nature of the excursion methods. Jaime the veteran cruiser director and the rest of her staff are out of this world - energetic, friendly, funny, knowledgeable, patriotic! There were 4 main night shows, all entertaining and not too crowded if you show up on time (no need to reserve anything) + some playing performances + a commercial performances + the Dr. Seuss kids show. The Dive In Movies are great we saw quite a few and they provide comfy blankets if it's cold outside. We also went to the IMAX to see the brand new Magnificent Seven movie - great experience but pricey. Still worth it. We ate breakfast at the Family Harbor and Lido Market - never crowded, never big lines, great service and selection. We ate lunch and dinner at the big dinning rooms - again great food and service. No lines if you take the select your own time option rather than the prefixed options. Elevators are too few in all 3 sections of the ship, they should have added a lot more with these many guests but it's bearable. The hamburger joint is great for late lunch or early evening snacks, solid 24/7 pizza joint too, you can also eat lunch for free at two of the paid for restaurants - the Italian and Asian ones - both were nice! My wife went to the spa and really enjoyed herself there. The kids were really happy in Camp Ocean, hot tubs and of course the waterslides/water park. The 11 y/o could use all slides and also the rope course and Sky ride, which are great and not busy during port days. All in all the value for money is great. Read Less

Had 3 nights in Athens prior to cruise . Embarkation went very smoothly and quick. Rooms were ready straight away too. It felt a bit flat walking onboard for 1st time as your straight into deck 0 the lifts . We have been on several cruises before with carnival , RCI and NCL and my most memorable embarkation was on carnival splendour, straight into deck 3 I think it was, into the most beautiful black marble , sparky glitzy lobby. Totally wow ! We felt vista was a nice ship but no wow factor about it Food was fabulous in all the eating areas, top marks. Loved the guys burger bar at the poolside . We chose the any time dining and never had to wait for a table for any longer than a few minutes , and usually went around 7.30-8pm Staff in the main dining room excellent and always cut our 2 young daughters steak for them We had a family harbour balcony cabin which had a few great extras including use of the family harbour lounge . This was a great lounge but often had no food available in it and the ice cream machine broke a few days into the cruise and very disappointedly was never repaired. Often no cups for tea available either The entertainment on the ship was very good , fantastic shows , comedians and deck parties . Cookie and Jamie were the best cruise director / entertainment staff ever. Didn't like the lay out off the liquid lounge . Not as big as a usual ship theatre . The cabin was nicely decorated but we felt it wasn't the best lay out and defiantly not enough cupboard space for a family of 4. So glad I took my 3 year old daughters dresses on her hangers . Our room Steward Ricky did an excellent job We have 2 girls age 6&3 who loved the ship . They went to the camp carnival a few times too and always had fun, they enjoyed a steak every night , loved the ice cream machine . The choice at breakfast time and the pools / hot tubs and water slides . The youngest also spent a lot of time at the crazy golf . And eldest had a whale off a time on the sky ride. Great experience on something different . We visited the thrill theatre which was so much fun. The only really disappointing thing of the whole cruise was the extra 24% tax we had added onto everything on top of the usual 15 gratuity so that was a total of 39% on everything purchased on board. Thankfully we got a really good deal on the cruise price . I'm not a big drinker but like the odd one and also really enjoy a coke at meal times or a non alcoholic cocktail at the poolside but this really put me off. And I think this is possibly the reason the were not batting an eyelid when people were walking on with bottles of alcohol and cans of juice. We always did our things in the ports off call. Our favourite this time was Rhodes . Expensive shuttle bus at Marseille too. The gym was brilliant . 30 treadmills and lots off cross trainers, exercise bikes and weights etc Read Less

We just returned from a back to back cruise. the Carnival Vista is a very beautiful ship. They are still trying to work out some quirks. Our Cabin was beautiful and our cabin steward was excellent and helped with any needs we had. The dining service took some getting used to. Carnival has changed some things up. No more table cloths. Not as much doting, smaller wait staff, and not as much selection on the menu. We didn't go hungry and there was always plenty to eat, but from our experience of Carnival in the past it was just different. The entertainment was great. I loved the live music playing while you waited for dining. Port and shore excursions, so much to pick from. Loved the Imax and the Dive in movies. There was a lot of new staff so there was a learning curve. Loved the Sky ride and the water fun. I will be interested to see the changes now that it will be based out of Miami now. I'm sure we will book on Vista again. Read Less

Very quiet and smooth sailing. Lovely decor. Paradise 4 kids with the waterpark. The cabin was same as other cruise lines. Variety of food in Carvery was excellent compared to other liners. Just played awefull band stand music from the 50 s over and over and over in the restaurant. That drove us and the staff that works there MAD! The main theatre was a total disaster. There were NO seat in there where the stage was not partially blocked by a head in front of you or a pillar. How did the architects get it so wrong? Can they not calculate the correct slopes of the seats? Entertainment compared to the other liners was the worst. Ports and excursions was the same as other ships. Spa and gym was excellent, but we could not affort to do anything, because of our useless Mandela money. Our South-African Rand was 15 x times weaker than the euro! Read Less

We chose Carnival Vista because of reasonable prices and port-intensive itinerary. I'm writing this because I had seen so many poor reviews which made me apprehensive before we left. All in all, we (my husband and myself, seniors) had a great time. We used Carnival transfers from the airport to the embarkation port in Athens and everything went smoothly. The port, itself, is a makeshift port to handle all of the people (i.e., set up with tents). Carnival, though, had things organized pretty well. The ship is very modern, decor is not as fancy as some other Carnival ships. The gym was great - all new equipment and it was never crowded when I was there. There is a lot to do, especially for children. They have a large camp area and many areas for kids to play onboard. The water area with slides is very cool. They have a ropes course above ground and the sky ride. Ken, the maitre'd, was wonderful, as always. He would sing a song every evening at dinner, bringing the dining guests together to provide a homey feel. Our waiter, Sasa (Sasha) and his team (sorry, can't remember the rest of their names) were awesome. We had a great balcony room, near the elevators on the 8th floor. Very convenient to everything. Room stewards were attentive and wonderful. My only reason for giving a 4 and not a 5 is because of the Lido deck. We were reminded to wash our hands all the time, but I didn't see many people doing that. Also, people fill drink bottles at the automated drink stations by putting their bottle right up to the mechanism -- not sanitary. Once, while getting breakfast, a man came by and put 4 pieces of toast back because he didn't use them. I told him I didn't think he was supposed to do that. There were no attendants around to tell him otherwise. It taught me to take food from the back of the tray whenever I was selecting. In sum, I think more attention to what folks are doing there is necessary by Carnival crew. Carnival, as those who cruise frequently most likely know, has cut costs by cutting back on amenities and food choice. They have added places where you pay additional for food. We had dinner at the Italian restaurant (additional $15/pp) and it was very good. Waitstaff was very attentive there, too. Read Less

Getting on the ship, a mass of people pushing and shoving and no clear lines to move through in orderly fashion. A disaster in the making. New ship = confusing directions at each of the elevators (not enough of these), and poorly laid out public space. People trying to sell you photos/spa services at every turn was annoying. Food was ok, better on formal nights. No table linens was inviting germs. Free burgers (not that good) free pizza (not good) free stuff on Lido was ok, but nothing great. Room was dirty when entering. Took four times before it was clean, of "gunk" (previous person's hair and "other stuff"). Steward was not friendly and did nothing to make the experience better. Theater seating was horrid, entertainment "shouted" their way through each production. And some wandering man stayed on stage for one entire performance which did not make sense to many people. Lines to the theater were horrid with people pushing and shoving older people with disabilites out of line or taking seats that should have been reserved for those with physical limitations. Rude passengers may be the norm, but this ship seemed filled to the brim with them. First cruise and last cruise on this cruise line. Too many other cruise lines offering better pricing, less "people herding" and better food to pay this company for their lack-luster performance. I felt sorry for the customer service people who had to field long lines of complaining passengers. Internet service was poor and cost way too much, tv channel selection was poor, and movies were average. Did not use the spa, over priced. Exercise area was ok; sky ride was fun, as was the ropes course. Had to find alternative routes around the casino with the noise and smoke. Bars in every corner of the ship offered over priced drinks and with the added VAT tax in the Med, did not use this service at all. There were exceptions in service, some dining room people were excellent, while others took forever (three hours for a meal is way too long). Some passengers said their room stewards were good, while the one my family had was horrid. Lack of training and consistent reinforcement was a problem, as was the issue with so many people getting ill on the ship. Decor looked cheap and the atrium was a huge disappointment. Carpets were being replaced on Med cruise. One coat of paint was already flaking off with many rusty areas showing through on interior window areas. All in all, gives rise to the question of safety of the part one could not see. Tried to find something positive about the ship - it did not sink. Read Less

We chose this cruise for two reasons, firstly it was a new ship and secondly the destinations. Although we had cruised many times and had taken 6 previous trips with Carnival we had never cruised in the Mediterranean and thought it would be nice to visit the noted ports of call. The ship was not a disappointment, very well appointed, well maintained and with a good variety of places and activities to be enjoyed. The décor theme was a bit simple and "plastic" in some areas and navigation of the main activity decks was a bit difficult sometimes, requiring an "up and over" route. The embarkation process at Athens was excellent as we were 60 minutes from our hotel lobby in Athens city centre to being in our cabin. Our cabin, 8 deck balcony, was as expected for a major cruise line, roomy and some new features like the larger screen television with the simpler remote control were good. There were one or two noise issues like the vacuum toilet system from adjacent rooms, poor PA audibility and a terrible vibration from the room panelling when the balcony door was opened in certain wind directions. Our room steward was friendly although we felt there was a lack of attention to detail, like only one drinks glass was provided, the bed sheet had some "washed in " stains that we noticed, so why didn't he? and we were interrupted several times whilst dressing for dinner for the evening room service after informing him of our dining time. Dining was the biggest disappointment of our trip. The food was never bad, just not what we had experienced in the past. Choices were uninteresting and repetitive, presentation was sometimes sloppy, orders were often mixed up, starters were sometimes not worth dirtying the plate for and accompaniments were strange from time to time. Perhaps it is an American thing but serving Mac and Cheese with a piece of beef is odd. With the exception of the 2 formal nights, we dined on formica table tops, a first for us, even in the restaurants of cross channel ferries between UK and France table cloths are the norm. At least 66% of our service team tried to work hard, but language was sometimes a problem for them. We were all Brits at our table, maybe that was the issue. But we felt that our table team were struggling to cope most the time. One topic of critical conversation at our, and many other tables, was the notification at the end of day 1 that a charge of 24% would be added to all on-board purchases. By this time many guests would have signed up for drinks and table wine packages and this was somewhat naughty we felt. The blame was laid at the door of EU requirements since the cancellation of the port in Turkey presumably removed the zero tax rating on exported items. The Lido deck Marketplace buffet was generally unappetising unless one wanted salad or cold cuts. We ate only one burger which, as we chose to have it without cheese, was kind of re-cooked to raise the temperature from cold to less cold. Any of the buffet dining options require vigilance in the face of over enthusiastic table staff. We ate continental breakfast often at the open air taste bar and, despite leaving evidence of occupying the table, all our cutlery, napkins and drinks were cleared away when we went to get our next plate of food. There was a variety of entertainment. The main stage shows were well produced in terms of sets, co-ordination, costumes etc but a lot of the music was less enjoyable. Comedians were usually good entertainment. We formed an opinion that cruising is becoming more and more like airline travel. At one time something a bit special but now just basic unless you pay extra for all the add-ons to improve the experience. Read Less

We primarily chose this cruise because the itinerary was amazing and so was the price. We loved the Vista and everything was very well done! The staff was very friendly and pleasant and helpful, the food was very good in quality, variety and quantity, the ship was lovely with lots of fun things to do, having many fun things incorporated into the design. Even though our cabin was an inside one, it was roomy, comfortable and designed well to make the space usable. The itinerary was excellent and the ship arrived right on schedule at each stop except 1. The price was remarkably low, making it an excellent value for our money. We are very happy with all aspects of the cruise! The only concern I had was that they didn't enforce hand cleansing practices at the dining entry points, and though no one to my knowledge got a stomach bug, this was asking for trouble. Other than that, well done, Carnival!, Read Less