Pride vs. Vista - talk sense into me!

[cruizinisthebest]

I guess I take the Pride for granted. It's only 3 hours away from me, but I always choose a ship out of Florida instead. Unlike OP, the Pride rarely comes out less expensive even without having to fly. The ports are not thrilling - ever - although I would love to visit HMC one day.

 

I used a spreadsheet and measured out everything in terms of cost - Pride was slightly more expensive next Summer. But even if it hadn't been, it wouldn't have won out over the Vista although it gets such consistent great reviews. I don't think the Vista is that high priced for a new vessel. Especially if you book early. Either choice will be a great one. If it comes down to nothing else but money, go with the Pride. It's not a bad choice. Us, we're trying the Vista in 2017. Both ships will be around!

[aztekpm]

How about a drive to an airport with better options? Southwest usually has some pretty good prices into FLL, especially if you manage to catch a good seat sale. $99.00 or lower per person each way is not uncommon, but can almost always pick up one for under 200.00 pp each way with their Wanna Get Away fares.

Edited February 2, 2016 by aztekpm

[Crusin Karen]

Only thing that would convince me to book Vista with one less day but more $ is maitre d' Ken Byrne. I have never paid attention to the maitre d's on any of our cruises, but he was AWESOME on the Pride last May. We also had him on the Dream when we went on one of her inaugural cruises. He sang Frank Sinatra every night and actually did a personal favor for us. He is switching to the Vista from the Pride. :(:(

[vlynn]

I guess I take the Pride for granted. It's only 3 hours away from me, but I always choose a ship out of Florida instead. Unlike OP, the Pride rarely comes out less expensive even without having to fly. The ports are not thrilling - ever - although I would love to visit HMC one day.

 

 

My vote is the Pride also. LOVE the ship and Baltimore port!! HMC is an experience in and of itself. You will not be disappointed. :D

 

Check out the Pride's new offerings. They are doing several Journey cruises with great itineraries. :)

[Capo Capitan]

I wouldn't waste airfare or travel time/expenses for anything less than 7 days. But that's just me.

[iheartmarshall]

How about a drive to an airport with better options? Southwest usually has some pretty good prices into FLL, especially if you manage to catch a good seat sale. $99.00 or lower per person each way is not uncommon, but can almost always pick up one for under 200.00 pp each way with their Wanna Get Away fares.

 

We could try that. Pittsburgh is 4 hours away, Columbus and Cincinnati are 3 and 4, respectively. Aside from Spirit which does summer routes, CRW only has Delta, United, and American Airlines to choose from. We've flown all three previously and prefer Delta but we hate the times/layovers on the connecting flights in ATL or CLT for AA. It doesn't keep us from flying but I think that driving somewhere sounds better and better haha. The next closest airport to us is HTS where Allegiant flies direct to Florida throughout the summer but they only fly certain days so I'm not sure if it'd match up. We do like Allegiant though and would much rather do a 2-hour direct flight to Florida than an 8-hour airport ordeal with connections.

 

It's waaayyyy too early to look at airfare though so if we did book the Vista, it'd be a gamble no matter what route or airport we did. Decisions.

Edited February 2, 2016 by iheartmarshall

[Heather1972]

I've sailed Pride before. While it doesn't have all the bells and whistles other big ships have, I did really like it. With that said, I did a 6 day cruise on the Breeze. Looking back 6 days was not enough for a ship like that. So, when I found an excellent deal on a 6 day cruise on the Vista, the kiddo set me straight and we went with a 8 day cruise instead. So, hmm go with Pride... ? :D

[fourkittys]

I'm proud of you. You have made a very responsible choice!!!! There is always tomorrow and you might not get that chance on the Pride in the near future. The Spirit class ships are ones you don't want to miss. Being on a budget all of my life I understand your position. Not going over your head ($) will save lots of frustration when you return and have a bigger debt than you feel comfortable with.

I think you will LOVE Half Moon Cay.....EVERYBODY does and sounds like you have fun planed for Freeport. Personally I LOVED Grand Turk swimming with the beautiful fish that would swim by, but then I'm a beach person. They also have a beautiful pool area and Margarittaville.

I just wish we had a drivable port to cruise out of. I hate

wasting fours days on the road.

Be sure to write a review when you come back w/pictures and let us know what a WONDERFUL time you had!!!!!

[iheartmarshall]

I'm proud of you. You have made a very responsible choice!!!! There is always tomorrow and you might not get that chance on the Pride in the near future. The Spirit class ships are ones you don't want to miss. Being on a budget all of my life I understand your position. Not going over your head ($) will save lots of frustration when you return and have a bigger debt than you feel comfortable with.

I think you will LOVE Half Moon Cay.....EVERYBODY does and sounds like you have fun planed for Freeport. Personally I LOVED Grand Turk swimming with the beautiful fish that would swim by, but then I'm a beach person. They also have a beautiful pool area and Margarittaville.

I just wish we had a drivable port to cruise out of. I hate

wasting fours days on the road.

Be sure to write a review when you come back w/pictures and let us know what a WONDERFUL time you had!!!!!

 

I agree with everything you said! We did the $3,500ish route this past December so I know that we could do it, just realistically not in the next couple of years. Part of it is because this semester, I started taking grad classes at night while working on a second masters so that is a ton of money out of pocket at the same time. I think the Vista would be such an amazing cruise but maybe in 3 or 4 years when we have more disposable income and the hype dies down a bit. I feel very much like an adult right now, haha!

 

On a side note, we were in Grand Turk in December and did a kayaking and ecotour excursion then spent a couple of hours down near Jack's Shack (thanks CC!). It was absolutely beautiful and we enjoyed ourselves but when we go back I think we'll do one of the ATV tours or perhaps the zip lining and challenge course at the lighthouse. We've zip lined here in WV and had so much fun so I think doing it with the Caribbean in the background would add to it. So far we've been able to find something to do in every port so even if it is just a beach day like at HMC, I will bathe myself in 100+ SPF every hour and enjoy the scenery :)

[swalton85]

I would definitely choose the Pride. It is a great ship with a great layout. The Serenity area is the best in my opinion on the Spirit class because of its location and amenities (bar right there, pool, hot tub and awesome wake view) I would take that money you'd be saving and set it aside for a future Vista cruise. Cheaper and longer cruise is a no brainer for me! :p Happy sailing no matter what you choose! :)

[iheartmarshall]

Some of you asked for an update when I first posted this thread, so I thought I'd let you know we ended up booking the Pride today! YAY! (also, yay for 50% deposits)

 

Again, thank you everyone for your feedback. We're excited to cruise on the Pride and actually drive to port for once, but know that we'll be on the Vista in the future as well. Maybe I'll see y'all on board :)

Edited February 14, 2016 by iheartmarshall

[vaka08]

I love the pride and would do that one but if you want to try the vista have you thought about driving a little further to a different airport? Not sure where you live but could you drive to a hub airport that would make the flight cheaper?

[swalton85]

Some of you asked for an update when I first posted this thread, so I thought I'd let you know we ended up booking the Pride today! YAY! (also, yay for 50% deposits)

 

Again, thank you everyone for your feedback. We're excited to cruise on the Pride and actually drive to port for once, but know that we'll be on the Vista in the future as well. Maybe I'll see y'all on board :)

 

Good choice! :) The Pride really is a great ship. Will be going on her for the 4th time this April :D

[sunset785]

Book the Pride and save the money towards your next cruise on the Vista.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[iheartmarshall]

I love the pride and would do that one but if you want to try the vista have you thought about driving a little further to a different airport? Not sure where you live but could you drive to a hub airport that would make the flight cheaper?

 

We looked into that and even considered taking two days and driving to Miami. We've done the drive to St. Augustine before (12 hours) but after weighing all our options and the cost/time involved, we decided the Pride is the best decision for us at this time. The Vista is still on our list (as is a cruise to Alaska) but we'll wait 2 or 3 years for those. I'm sure they'll be worth it!

 

In the meantime, we're excited to cruise on the Pride and are happy with our decision. :)

Edited February 14, 2016 by iheartmarshall

[Taters]

I would choose the Pride cruise without hesitation. The Vista is just too damn big with too many passengers.

[Rosethorn40]

I am speaking here, one West Virginian to another. I would never steer a neighbor wrong, so trust me when I say "DO NOT TAKE THE PRIDE" go with the Vista. I work in Maryland, and many of my co-workers have sailed the Pride because they either didn't want to pay for airfare, or hate flying. Based on their comments I personally would not choose the Pride.

 

Drive to BWI and take Southwest to FLL and the shuttle to MIA. Long term parking isn't that expensive at BWI, and the shuttle bus to the terminal is free & easy. Southwest doesn't book seats ahead of time, it's open seating, BUT they will not make your kids sit alone. At least one parent can sit with the kids. Southwest also doesn't charge for the first checked bad, nor for 1-carryone each. I have found airfare R/T from BWI to FLL for as little as $145 pp.

 

You said you like the ports better on the Vista and they are way better (And this is coming from someone that actually likes Nassau). The Pride trip is longer, because you need more sea days to get to Florida and the Bahamas. It can be cooler those first few days out and back.

 

I understand about being concerned about the cost, and that is a valid concern, but would you rather pay a lot of money for a nice vacation, or pay a little extra and have a great vacation?

[iheartmarshall]

I am speaking here, one West Virginian to another. I would never steer a neighbor wrong, so trust me when I say "DO NOT TAKE THE PRIDE" go with the Vista. I work in Maryland, and many of my co-workers have sailed the Pride because they either didn't want to pay for airfare, or hate flying. Based on their comments I personally would not choose the Pride.

 

Drive to BWI and take Southwest to FLL and the shuttle to MIA. Long term parking isn't that expensive at BWI, and the shuttle bus to the terminal is free & easy. Southwest doesn't book seats ahead of time, it's open seating, BUT they will not make your kids sit alone. At least one parent can sit with the kids. Southwest also doesn't charge for the first checked bad, nor for 1-carryone each. I have found airfare R/T from BWI to FLL for as little as $145 pp.

 

You said you like the ports better on the Vista and they are way better (And this is coming from someone that actually likes Nassau). The Pride trip is longer, because you need more sea days to get to Florida and the Bahamas. It can be cooler those first few days out and back.

 

I understand about being concerned about the cost, and that is a valid concern, but would you rather pay a lot of money for a nice vacation, or pay a little extra and have a great vacation?

 

Thank you for your thoughts, especially from a fellow West Virginian! We already booked the Pride earlier today and so I updated this thread as others mentioned they wanted to know which one we ended up choosing. Choosing the Pride over the Vista was not something we took lightly and we budgeted everything out -- cost of driving to Baltimore versus driving to Miami, flying out of Columbus/Pittsburgh/Cincy/Charlotte (we're in southern WV so about 7 hours from Baltimore), hotel costs, parking at the port, etc. In the end, we decided the Pride was the best choice for us at this time. A lot of that decision has to do with money as I'm in graduate school and am paying for it myself, so spending an extra $1,000 - $1,500 on vacation can impact us. We still want to go on the Vista and will probably save up for that in 2018 once I graduate and we have some extra disposable income to spend.

 

This was SUCH a hard decision to make, though! It was definitely a battle of the heart vs. the mind. I do know that we will enjoy the Pride though and I am excited to see what excursions are offered -- we can always find something to do! And hey, we'll be on a cruise so what's not to love? :)

Edited February 14, 2016 by iheartmarshall

[sammee]

I'd rather not go broke paying for a vacation! haha. But seriously, thank you for your thoughts, especially from a fellow West Virginian! We already booked the Pride earlier today and so I updated this thread as others mentioned they wanted to know which one we ended up choosing. Choosing the Pride over the Vista was not something we took lightly and we budgeted everything out -- cost of driving to Baltimore versus driving to Miami, flying out of Columbus/Pittsburgh/Cincy/Charlotte (we're in southern WV so about 7 hours from Baltimore), hotel costs, parking at the port, etc. In the end, we decided the Pride was the best choice for us at this time. A lot of that decision has to do with money as I'm in graduate school and am paying for it myself, so spending an extra $1,000 - $1,500 on vacation can impact us. We still want to go on the Vista and will probably save up for that in 2018 once I graduate and we have some extra disposable income to spend.

 

This was SUCH a hard decision to make, though! It was definitely a battle of what the heart vs. the mind. I do know that we will enjoy the Pride though and I am excited to see what excursions are offered -- we can always find something to do! And hey, we'll be on a cruise so what's not to love? :)

 

I think you did great. We were on pride last September. Tight budget for us too. We were originally going out of Charleston, but my boss decided to be a pita because of the labor day weekend. So I had to look for something the following week. I gave Baltimore another look even though it would cost more, but we went from a 5 to 7 day cruise. I thought it was a nice ship. It doesnt matter which ship or line you choose, you are going to see the yays and nays. The best part of Baltimore, we left that morning with no stress. Coming home we didn't have to rush since we'd be home in a few hours.

[trixiegal]

I am speaking here, one West Virginian to another. I would never steer a neighbor wrong, so trust me when I say "DO NOT TAKE THE PRIDE" go with the Vista. I work in Maryland, and many of my co-workers have sailed the Pride because they either didn't want to pay for airfare, or hate flying. Based on their comments I personally would not choose the Pride.

 

 

 

Drive to BWI and take Southwest to FLL and the shuttle to MIA. Long term parking isn't that expensive at BWI, and the shuttle bus to the terminal is free & easy. Southwest doesn't book seats ahead of time, it's open seating, BUT they will not make your kids sit alone. At least one parent can sit with the kids. Southwest also doesn't charge for the first checked bad, nor for 1-carryone each. I have found airfare R/T from BWI to FLL for as little as $145 pp.

 

 

 

You said you like the ports better on the Vista and they are way better (And this is coming from someone that actually likes Nassau). The Pride trip is longer, because you need more sea days to get to Florida and the Bahamas. It can be cooler those first few days out and back.

 

 

 

I understand about being concerned about the cost, and that is a valid concern, but would you rather pay a lot of money for a nice vacation, or pay a little extra and have a great vacation?

 

 

I think the OP made the best choice for her wants and needs!

 

I also live in MD and my cruise planned for the Vista in November will be my 4th on Carnival. I actually toured the Pride a few years ago with a travel agent group but I wasn't very impressed. However, they did just undergo a dry dock last year and added Guy's Burgers and some other popular 2.0 offerings. So I may book Pride in the next few years IF the price is right. But usually, the prices are just too expensive and the ports are not where I want to go. I'm normally looking at summer itineraries.

 

As far as SWA, we fly that airline exclusively back and forth to Florida for cruising and to get my DD to/from Orlando for college. I NEVER pay more than $200 RT going into MCO or FLL. My average RT fare is under $150, though. And bags include 2 FREE checked bags per passenger. My family and I take whatever we want when we cruise. I love SOUTHWEST!

Edited February 14, 2016 by trixiegal

[cincicruisers]

The Pride gets my vote~~8 nights, less expensive, visits HMC, and no flights needed.

[Rosethorn40]

Thank you for your thoughts, especially from a fellow West Virginian! We already booked the Pride earlier today and so I updated this thread as others mentioned they wanted to know which one we ended up choosing. Choosing the Pride over the Vista was not something we took lightly and we budgeted everything out -- cost of driving to Baltimore versus driving to Miami, flying out of Columbus/Pittsburgh/Cincy/Charlotte (we're in southern WV so about 7 hours from Baltimore), hotel costs, parking at the port, etc. In the end, we decided the Pride was the best choice for us at this time. A lot of that decision has to do with money as I'm in graduate school and am paying for it myself, so spending an extra $1,000 - $1,500 on vacation can impact us. We still want to go on the Vista and will probably save up for that in 2018 once I graduate and we have some extra disposable income to spend.

 

This was SUCH a hard decision to make, though! It was definitely a battle of the heart vs. the mind. I do know that we will enjoy the Pride though and I am excited to see what excursions are offered -- we can always find something to do! And hey, we'll be on a cruise so what's not to love? :)

 

Totally understandable. Back in 2011 & 2012 our cruise choices were based on finances, and we did manage to have really nice vacations on ships we may not have considered if more funds had been available. In fact, one of our cruises was on the Fantasy, the oldest ship in the Carnival fleet. It was my DH's first time on Carnival, a cruise line he said he would never sail on, but it was good enough to bring us back twice more to Carnival (And a third time on the Vista this upcoming December). Part of the reason we liked it was the opportunity to spend a couple of extra days in Charleston, SC (A great city with great food). If you have the time either before or after your cruise, and if you haven't already been there, try to spend some time in Charm City herself (That would be Baltimore). The Inner Harbor isn't that far from the Port of Baltimore cruise terminal, and there is so much family friendly things to do, all within walking distance or a short water taxi ride of each other.

 

I didn't know that the Pride had undergone a refresh and added some additional things like a Guys Burger. Plus, my understanding is there is a pool with a retractable roof in case of cooler weather.

 

Congratulations on being so close to earning that graduate degree. Quite the accomplishment.

[wickedhangover]

Some of you asked for an update when I first posted this thread, so I thought I'd let you know we ended up booking the Pride today! YAY! (also, yay for 50% deposits)

 

Again, thank you everyone for your feedback. We're excited to cruise on the Pride and actually drive to port for once, but know that we'll be on the Vista in the future as well. Maybe I'll see y'all on board :)

 

Great choice! Pride is my favorite ship (and Miracle for that matter). I've been on Breeze and Dream but prefer the smaller ships and even though I've only been off her a week, I miss her a lot. Enjoy your trip!

[beckzay]

I need someone to talk some sense into me.

 

Currently planning a cruise in May 2017 and we've narrowed it down between the Pride out of Baltimore or the Vista out of Miami. While technically the Vista is cheaper for the cabin, once we factor in flights, hotel, excursions, etc., we're looking at $1,300ish more than the Pride. Seems like the Pride would be the clear winner, right? But that's not how life works. Both DH and I would love to cruise on the Vista and the ports of call are way more interesting to us (better excursions in our opinion). But we are on a budget and can only afford so much, which is part of the reason we book way in advance and make payments. We'd be happy with either and want to try the Pride but the Vista is so tempting. What to do, what to do?!

 

Pride out of Baltimore

Cost: $2,300 (cruise fare + hotel + parking + excursions)

Ports: Grand Turk, HMC, Freeport (8 days; 3 sea days, 3 port days)

Pros: Less expensive, drive-able port, can get a 4K (we want to try one!)

Cons: Not as excited about the ports/excursion options (we're not the best beach people).

 

Vista out of Miami

Cost: $3,500 (cruise fare + flights + hotel + excursions)

Ports: Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios (6 days; 2 sea days, 3 port days)

Pros: IT'S THE VISTA, better excursion options

Cons: Expensive, poor flight offerings (always happens when flying out of our airport, ugh).... that's it. The cost is the big factor.

 

 

So again... someone please talk some sense into me and tell me I should book the Pride over the Vista, before I actually book the Vista.

 

I just wanted to say, that I am in this same EXACT prediciment for our family! I'm trying to decide between these 2 exact cruises also so I'm so happy to see the responses. Thanks!

[chocolate melting cake]

To the original poster----you're going to love the Pride. The Spirit class (the Pride and her sister ships) is our favorite class----easiest to get around and just the right size. We're lucky enough to have been on many cruises since retirement (if you check below you'll notice of our 4 upcoming cruises 2 are on Pride and 2 on Vista) and would pick the Pride in an instant. Last year we took our 12 year old granddaughter on the Pride----unfortunately it's a different itinerary (we'll be doing yours next year). If you click below I have an "album" of our cruise. You may get an idea of what the ship will be like. Enjoy your cruise.

 

2015 Carnival Pride Cruise