I wish the cruise lines would stop building these new ships with more staterooms and smaller public facilities. Our cruise had over 4900 guest with lines everywhere. If you waited for an elevator your cruise would be spend waiting the 15 to 20 minutes it took for the elevator to arrive. The lines for food were outrageous so we decided not to do any excursions and to enjoy the ship when it was empty in port. Also the bigger the ship it looks like the smaller and fewer pools. I guess it has to do with keeping a low center of gravity but taking a fee cabins away and adding more amentities would make for a better cruise. Matt and the cruise director staff was perfect and did a great job entertaining. The main theater shows were lackluster. When the singer tried to sing a Donna Summer song it was just not for her style of voice. The cabin bathroom had a feet or tangy smell to it and the shower was slow to drain. We are not big complainers so we decided to over look it and make the best of the sitiation. The photo area was an unorganized circus and people where everywhere confused about the process. The chefs table was a great experience and I wish everyone would try it.I enjoyed the cruise but improvements need to be made. Read Less

Beautiful cruise very good and knowledgeable staff that are eager to help I loved every experience at this ship MR billy from Morocco made sure our experience was unforgettable at the dinner made sure he made us comfortable made sure all our needs are met and told us about the food the staff and made sure we enjoyed every minutes of it and made us aware of the show time wile dining Over all that was amazing They made sure they gave my wife the wine she likes that Argentina Malbec canteena was amazing and that philly mignon is delicious Thanks Billy @horizon deck 4and 5 Thanks carnival vista Also not to forget me doouper the self acclaimed super doouper our room attendant or I would like to call him my vip concierge he was like always there even when I have a situation like when I was late requesting the clothes washed he went above and beyond ask permission from management to make sure they ready when I want them so I can go out to the show with my wife talking about the shows I loved the rock America show and flick show at liquid lounge Loved all entertainment Also loved the rope climbing around and the pool movie cinema after a long day you get to relax watching a movie while drying out and enjoying the free pizza ad pop corn There is so much good stuf I like to say but the only way to find out is by booking one yourselves I promise you won’t be disappointed Before I go guys don’t forget the excursions those were the highlights of our vacation cruise especially the Dunn waterfall climbing in ocho rio Jamaica Read Less

My hubby and I took a Carnival cruise for our honeymoon. Twenty years later we took our two kids with us for our Anniversary. It was pretty much what we remembered. A ton of people! But for the most part it's not really bothersome. Just try to go to the pool or dining room or stores when everybody else is occupied. For example, go swimming during normal dinner hours. Or eat dinner late when everyone else is at a show, etc. Unfortunately we weren't thrilled with the quality of the food. The dining room experience use to be something special: tablecloths, food that was placed like art on plates and amazing flavors. Now there isn't anything fancy about it at all. And the taste is just okay. That goes for dining rooms and buffets. The pizza isn't even that good anymore. Kind of sad. BUT there were plenty of postivie things about this cruise as well.... Matt our cruise director was fabulous. He is funny and incredibly entertaining. The Carnival Hub App is fantastic! It's soooo much easier to find out what's going on around the ship and the ship map on the app saved me many times. Our state room was great. A king bed with two singles for the kids. Small but space for everything. We brought removable hooks and magnets to hang things up on the walls. Paperwork, lanyards, bags of souveneirs, hats and more. It was a huge help! Our steward, Wayan, was so kind and helpful. We liked him a lot! The shows were pretty good too. We aren't talking big city theater or anything but it was entertaining enough. A couple of the singers on board were really good. We played trivia, watched a live game show and more. We also really appreciated the information Carnival provided at each port about trusted stores, vendors and excursions. Made us feel really secure that we weren't going to get ripped off. And we didn't. Yay! So all in all, a fantastic time was had by all. Our kids loved the pools, waterslides, ropes course and Sky Ride. At one point they were both a bit overwhlemed by all the activity on board. Oh and I should mention that both embarkation and disembarkation were super simple. Very easy to follow the directions. Disembarkation took only a few minutes. Very smooth! Thanks Carnival for a memorable 20th wedding anniversary! Read Less

My wife and I have been Carnival traveler's since 1993. So, we just completed our 10th cruise with Carnival, and the first on the ship Vista. I was totally amazed with the layout of the Vista, and how easy it was to maneuver through the different entertainment areas. Matt the cruise director was amazing, and he had a huge following at all of his announced events. Matt's team really did a nice job entertaining the guest throughout the entire cruise. The crew was great, the captain had a personality, and the casino staff was a lot of fun (even though I was losing). It was a GREAT trip and the BEST ship we have sailed to date. With that being said; I would have two minor complaints. First, they never traded out comedians, so their shows became the same on day 3. Second, I thought the buffet choices were pretty weak. Those were two minor critiques so, we are looking at going back on the Vista very soon. Read Less

I would say this is my least favorite ship that I have been on with Carnival. We took our boys on the 8 days Southern cruise because we really enjoy the ports on this trip. The ports were absolutely amazing. Grand Turk is changing so much we probably will make that a boat day whenever we visit there again. The Vista itself however was so disappointing. There just were not enough crew members for the amount of guests that were on the ship. There were so many things that were broken and you couldn't use them. They didn't have parts to fix things. The Red Frog Pub didn't have darts for the dart board. The bartender at the Red Frog Pub towards closing time (11:30 I believe) seemed to be a little put out that we wanted darts (even though the pub stays open, just not the bar). There was a lot to do on the Vista I will give it that. But they made all the areas so small in order to fit everything in. This is the first Carnival Ship I have been on that there were hardly any bar waiters on the decks. You had to go to one of the bars any time you wanted a drink. I saw maybe 3 deck waiters in 8 days and that was during the parties on deck. Most of the time only 1 buffet line was open so the lines got crazy if you wanted the buffet. The BBQ was absolutely amazing, wish they would have been opened more. My husband enjoyed the Sushi and all except 1 night our experience in the dining room was great! There was a lot of teenagers on the ship who were mainly destroying things and arguing and basically just trying to start arguments with people as they walked by. I believe had there more crew members walking around that may have cut down on that. Read Less

Vista had great reviews. Our cruise director, Matt, was funny, fun, and sexy all at the same time! His accent melted my heart. My only complaint was the long lines for the lido buffet. I noticed a lot of heavy people on our cruise, and kinda feel they were there mostly for the food. I wanted to cruise so I don't have to worry about drinking and driving, plus wanted to see and do lots of games and shows. My daughter is a vegetarian, and it would be nice if they could give people a discount since meat costs quite a bit more than veggies. I think it would be nice to pay separately for the food, since some people don't eat nearly as much as others. Overall, the ship was nice and I got lots of exercise climbing the stairs from our 1st floor room to all the upper decks every day, so was happy I didn't gain any weight :) Read Less

The Vista is a large ship with a lot of people which meant lines form the beginning to the end of the cruise. After waiting on line to check in despite an appointed time we could barely fit into the ships lobby and forget getting on an elevator. Once the crowd cleared we noticed the ships decor was somewhat hospital like,very plain with only one main decoration in the center of the the lobby. The main dinning room looked more like a cafeteria than an elegant cruise ship. It had dark wood formica on the walls and tables. Only twice at dinner did we have table cloths. To add to this atmosphere people showed up in shorts and bathing suits for dinner, not a pretty sight. It was also very inconvenient to have to check in for a table on a completely different deck before proceeding to the the main dinning room every night.The cabin had a balcony but it was small. The food ranged from good to not so good depending on what you ordered. Service was Ok . The entertainment was similar every night with the same crew of singers and dancers who did a good job. Seating in the theater was poorly designed since many of the seats were on the same level making it difficult to see. The ports and shore excursions were interesting. In our last port it took us well over a hour to get off the ship which made us the last to arrive at our excursion, they had to back up the boat and re lower the gang plank for us. If you don't mind crowds and waiting on long lines for every thing, like half an hour for a taco, then this cruise is OK. Read Less

Carnival delivered again both on price and on fun. Ports of call included Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. I'll let you research each port on your own, although I'll have some brief thoughts for you on what to do in each port at the end of the review. We stayed in a Deck 7 suite which was quite nice. I'm not a suite kind of guy, but I get the appeal! Our room had a tub, a balcony, a walk-in closet and a big-screen TV. We thought about doing the Havana Cabana deck (with the back of the ship pool/hot tubs which seemed appealing) but that category wasn't available when we booked. Keep in mind that there's a bar right behind those cabins, so not sure what the noise factor might be like when you're in your cabin. The Vista is immaculate, although one deck (it was either 3 or 4) you can't "get there from here" when you take the elevator to that floor. Not sure why that happens on a brand new ship, but there must be a good reason. Like every cruise line I've been on, the staff is fantastic but clearly overworked. Cabin staff and wait staff work unbelievably long hours. Yes, gratuities are collected on their behalf from your bill, but if you feel service warranted it, a little cash in an envelope would be greatly appreciated. The level of service on this ship really is excellent. And I'm not sure that some of the more demanding guests really appreciate how good they're getting it for the price-point. The Carnival Vista is a LOUD cruise ship in some public areas. Like really loud. Like ear-splittingly loud. The hairy chest contest, which is hilarious and worth watching (even if you don't think you'll want to watch) was at such a loud level my wife and son had to leave to find a quieter vantage point. The organizer was screaming into a loud mike and it really was unpleasant. Food was excellent with many, many menu options in the main dining room (unlike our last European cruise on Costa.) And while Carnival is the master of upselling, some of the dining options were worth the price. The Chef's Table experience was amazing and totally worth the $95 per person. The steakhouse was fantastic, also worth the $35 per person. I'm not a food guy and would have been content to enjoy the regular menu in the main dining room, but my wife and son wanted to try both of those dining experiences. The 24/7 pizza was fantastic. And the Carnival Vista is used as an experiment for menu choices, especially in the buffet. So while you've got your usual dining options, be prepared for some fantastic new menu additions. The desserts were wonderful too. And the freshly-made gelato was a nice touch. (By comparison, on a recent European cruise on the Costa Luminosa, the pizzas were an additional charge, and so was coffee/tea outside of breakfast hours. And Costa also charged for water in the main dining room was well as ice-cream on deck. I'm still pissed about that and they will not be getting my repeat business.) To be clear, Carnival makes great pizza which is included, along with ice-cream, iced tea, lemonade and coffee/tea when you want it. Cabin service was fantastic. Not my joke, but a comedian on another ship observed that the attendants are like ninjas. They jump in when you're not there, leaving the cabin spotless. As for the ports of call. Ocho Rios has nothing going on so plan your time accordingly. (In fairness, we didn't do an excursion, just walked around downtown.) You've got to see Stingray City in Cayman. And thoroughly want to recommend Paradise Beach in Cozumel. Paradise is a $15 dollar, 15 minute ride each way. $3.00 admission with a promise to buy $10pp in food/beverages. There are other admission offers, but the pool and beach were perfect for us. You don't need a ship excursion in Cozumel, but would recommend a ship excursion for Stingray City (even though we did the ship excursion and had about a 10 minute walk to the bus at the back of a downtown shopping area with a 30-minute wait because the bus driver couldn't find our group. I mention this in case you are someone who has difficulty walking a long distance in the heat.) The adult serenity deck was great, with a bar and food options up there on what I think is Deck 14. That said, it could be impossible to find a place to sit in peak hours. Couple of negatives about the Vista. It's a huge ship with lots of people and it did feel crowded. I disagree with other reviewers who feel the ship can accommodate all the guests. There were ridiculously long lines at peak times for the buffets. The line could be an hour or more for the Sky Ride, which my son and I never got to do because of the lines. The bowling machine never worked. There were always long lines for non-Platinum guests at the pursar's desk. There were long lines at peak times for pizza. The pools were never leisurely and constantly packed. There were frequently long wait times for elevators (one elevator didn't seem to work for the entire cruise.) And many employees, when spoken to privately, stressed the need for passengers to score 10's on the comment card because anything less was viewed as failing. Also there were days at sea where my wife and son couldn't find much of interest to do and it was sad to see them retreat to a cabin to watch a movie. Areas for improvement might include more ideas for non-revenue guest engagement (and glad to see that napkin-folding isn't on the schedule any more.) Also not sure who's buying art at sea. In my opinion, it seems to be the worst possible place to buy art. But people go and people buy so what do I know? And the custom-orthotics sales? In my opinion, not sure something that medically important should be a spontaneous at-sea purchase, but again that's just me. Embarkation and disembarkation were impressively orderly. We were on the ship in minutes, and likewise off just as quickly. Only major delay was for customs, but that's not something that's in Carnival's hands. Finally, a shout-out to Matt the cruise director. He's fun, engaging, personable, genuine and really seems to make sure that everyone is having a great time. I've seen him on another Carnival ship (the Victory) and think he's an incredible asset to Carnival. There are some passengers who choose cruises based on the ports. Others who choose the ship. I could understand why some people might select their future cruise based on the cruise director! And there's good reason why he's working as a cruise director on one of the line's newest and biggest cruise ships. Carnival, give the dude a raise otherwise you're going to find himself doing something, somewhere in the entertainment industry! All in all a great relaxing cruise and looking forward to being back on board when time and budgets allow. Read Less

Carnival is an inexpensive cruise line compared but the dining experience was poor We sailed on the Celebrity Silhouette two year. ago and had excellent food. I met the chef and all but kissed his spatula. We sailed on the Carnival Vista last year and the only decent place to eat was Guy's burger joint. We won't be going back to Carnival.We were on the RCCL Allure five years ago and it was good. But it seems that the overall quality of dining room food is going down especially on Carnival.Carnival cuisine used to be OK but not the last couple of times we have sailed. The dining room service was good but due to congestion there were a lot of minor accidents. The cabin service was good and was never late. The room service menu seemed limited compared to past cruises even compared to other Carnival cruises we have taken but it was delivered fairly promptly. Guys burgers and the Bar B Q was the best food on the ship I wish I could have eat there every meal. The entertainment was good . The rock and Roll show was entertaining to a boomer like my self. The Carnival shows are among the best I have seen The only reason I can see to sail on Carnival is the low price, but I only get so much time off and it is not worth spending it on an inferior cruise, We sail next on the RCCL Brilliance and hope it is a good experience Read Less

The southern Caribbean cruise on the Vista was an amazing experience in every way. It leaves from Miami, and our overnight stay at the Intercontinental hotel was perfect. The cab ride to the ship was quick and easy, and embarkation was a breeze! The ship itself is designed so most activities are on decks 4, 5, and 10 - this made it easier to get around this extraordinary mega ship. The food choices are unbelievable... we ate someplace different everyday! The steakhouse is not to be missed, and the art at the table dessert is super cool and delicious. My husband's favorite, besides the steakhouse, was Guy's burgers (no surprise there). I have to admit, they were really good! We particularly enjoyed the Alchemy Bar and the Red Frog Pub. Try one of their homemade brews - I am not normally a fan but they are really good! There were 4 ports of call - Grand Turk, La Romana, Curacao, and Aruba. No need for an excursion in Grand Turk. The beach and shopping are right off the pier. We spent the day at the Margaritaville pool, and if we get to go back we want to check out Jacks Shack. I do recommend an excursion in La Romana. There's not much to do without one. We took a taxi to the Dreams Resort, which was really nice. For $65 you get an all-inclusive day pass which includes food, drinks, pool access, and beach access. It was well worth it. Curacao had a ton of things to do within walking distance. It was a quaint town with great shopping - lots of inexpensive souvenirs here! Aruba has breathtakingly blue water as far as you can see... if you can do an excursion that involves the water, I highly recommend it. There are some shops here, but the prices aren't as good as Curacao. The ship itself is a playground that takes days to discover! We went on the sky ride, the waterslides, and the ropes course. We had his and her spa treatments, and we used the thermal suites pass almost daily. Do the hot stone massage if you get a chance... ahhhhhhhhh. If you love adventure and fun, you will love this ship and this cruise! Read Less