Thinking about vista...help!

[Squeege]

Hi there,

I have only done 3 cruises in the last 3 years and have been loyal to royal I guess! But after reading this forum for over a month I'm thinking about trying something new. I mean how would I know if other brands are good if I don't try them. I have sailed Allure twice and freedom once. The Vista has me really considering trying carnival but I have a few questions.

 

A bit about me. Early thirties with a wife and 2 year old.

 

I am looking at vista 8 day southern caribbean Dec 2, 2017. My main question is we are laid back cruisers that just like to relax, walk the ship, and spend a lot of time doing things with the baby so if anyone has sailed rci how does the atmosphere compare?

 

Deck 5 on allure is the promenade where it's all shops, cafes, bars and small places to eat and just sit down and hang out. Is there something similar?

 

Rci has aquanauts which is a toddlers play area. Carnival has Seuss at sea correct?

 

Both have splash pads.

 

And the dreaded question, rci is supposedly family focused wow factor and carnival the party boat. Is this really how it is? Or am I looking into this too much and just need to book this trip and get excited!!

 

Ps I am looking at deck 2 family harbor Oceanview early saver right now. It seems the lounge with juice, snacks, games and books for kids is a really nice thing to have with a toddler. Anybody have experience in family harbor?

 

Pps early saver ends December 19. Should I rush to book or does ES not make much difference. Kids are free but I'm not sure if that's part of early saver or just standard on carnival.

 

Thank you in advance to everyone that helps me out. It's greatly appreciated. I do apologize for the long post, just trying to squeeze it all in instead of starting 5 different topics!

[Club Disney Chandler]

Full disclosure, haven't sailed RCCL, but before our Vista cruise, sailed Disney 4 times and loved, loved, loved Disney. Deck 5 on Vista is promenade as well, has great areas inside and outside as well.

 

Seuss at Sea is only a 1 day event with a $5/person breakfast, which was great by the way. I've heard from others that the Carnival kids program is great but we have teens. From what I saw of the Family Harbor Area, it looks great, would love to book it.

 

We were quite worried about the "party" ship reputation too, didn't experience that at all. Guests and crew were great, very respectful. Food was better than expected, especially their desserts, way better than Disney. I really loved Guys burgers, Blue Iguana Mexican and great 24 hour pizza. She now has Guys Pig and Anchor BBQ, which wasn't open on our sailing.

 

So now the comparison, how did Vista stack up to Disney, we loved her!!!! Have a B2B booked on her next June, (8 day southern then 6 day Western), and can hardly wait. There is a reason Carnival is called the FUN ships, it was just plain, out and out Fun! We had a great time. Granted, there are some things Disney does better and something's Carnival does better.

 

The bottom line is we are no longer going to be loyal to just 1 cruise line. I say just book it and start getting excited about it, I really think you'll enjoy it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[riclop]

Hi there,

I have only done 3 cruises in the last 3 years and have been loyal to royal I guess! But after reading this forum for over a month I'm thinking about trying something new. I mean how would I know if other brands are good if I don't try them. I have sailed Allure twice and freedom once. The Vista has me really considering trying carnival but I have a few questions.

 

A bit about me. Early thirties with a wife and 2 year old.

 

I am looking at vista 8 day southern caribbean Dec 2, 2017. My main question is we are laid back cruisers that just like to relax, walk the ship, and spend a lot of time doing things with the baby so if anyone has sailed rci how does the atmosphere compare?

 

Deck 5 on allure is the promenade where it's all shops, cafes, bars and small places to eat and just sit down and hang out. Is there something similar?

 

Rci has aquanauts which is a toddlers play area. Carnival has Seuss at sea correct?

 

Both have splash pads.

 

And the dreaded question, rci is supposedly family focused wow factor and carnival the party boat. Is this really how it is? Or am I looking into this too much and just need to book this trip and get excited!!

 

Ps I am looking at deck 2 family harbor Oceanview early saver right now. It seems the lounge with juice, snacks, games and books for kids is a really nice thing to have with a toddler. Anybody have experience in family harbor?

 

Pps early saver ends December 19. Should I rush to book or does ES not make much difference. Kids are free but I'm not sure if that's part of early saver or just standard on carnival.

 

Thank you in advance to everyone that helps me out. It's greatly appreciated. I do apologize for the long post, just trying to squeeze it all in instead of starting 5 different topics!

 

That is a good time of the year not many kids and drunks.

[beachbum53]

Hi there,

I have only done 3 cruises in the last 3 years and have been loyal to royal I guess! But after reading this forum for over a month I'm thinking about trying something new. I mean how would I know if other brands are good if I don't try them. I have sailed Allure twice and freedom once. The Vista has me really considering trying carnival but I have a few questions.

 

A bit about me. Early thirties with a wife and 2 year old.

 

I am looking at vista 8 day southern caribbean Dec 2, 2017. My main question is we are laid back cruisers that just like to relax, walk the ship, and spend a lot of time doing things with the baby so if anyone has sailed rci how does the atmosphere compare?

 

Deck 5 on allure is the promenade where it's all shops, cafes, bars and small places to eat and just sit down and hang out. Is there something similar?

 

Rci has aquanauts which is a toddlers play area. Carnival has Seuss at sea correct?

 

Both have splash pads.

 

And the dreaded question, rci is supposedly family focused wow factor and carnival the party boat. Is this really how it is? Or am I looking into this too much and just need to book this trip and get excited!!

 

Ps I am looking at deck 2 family harbor Oceanview early saver right now. It seems the lounge with juice, snacks, games and books for kids is a really nice thing to have with a toddler. Anybody have experience in family harbor?

 

Pps early saver ends December 19. Should I rush to book or does ES not make much difference. Kids are free but I'm not sure if that's part of early saver or just standard on carnival.

 

Thank you in advance to everyone that helps me out. It's greatly appreciated. I do apologize for the long post, just trying to squeeze it all in instead of starting 5 different topics!

 

Those that have only been on one short Carnival cruise, of 3, 4, or maybe a 5 day cruise may have the impression that ALL Carnival cruises are party boats full of drunken idiots. That is simply not true. While you might see some people on a short cruise, such as a 3 day Bahamas cruise, get a little out of control, not so on longer 6, 7, 8 day or longer cruises. The Cruise Director can have a lot of influence on the overall atmosphere on the ship. When it comes to providing a cruise that is both fun and family friendly, I think Carnival does a pretty good job. We always use Early Saver when booking our cruises. Yes, there are some restrictions with that category that need to be taken into account. But we like the fact that if there are any price drops, we can get either a price reduction (before final payment) or on board credit (after final payment). We're booked on the Vista for next April (we used Early Saver), but have not seen any price drops. In fact, prices have only gone up. That's probably because it's a new ship, loaded with on board amenities, and the demand to cruise on her is very high right now. So, with all of that in mind, if you're more than slightly curious about the Vista, and can get the cabin you want at a price that won't break your budget, then use Early Saver and book it. ;)

[KPfromCT]

Read this current thread.

Another LOYAL to ROYAL that was pretty WOW'D by Carnival.

They are called Fun Ships for a reason.......:D:D

Try it, you won't regret it.....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2431978

[LilDesertGirl]

Kids free? Where do you see this sale? I see everything else but not the kids free.

 

 

Lillian ⚓️[emoji568]

[Squeege]

Full disclosure, haven't sailed RCCL, but before our Vista cruise, sailed Disney 4 times and loved, loved, loved Disney. Deck 5 on Vista is promenade as well, has great areas inside and outside as well.

 

Seuss at Sea is only a 1 day event with a $5/person breakfast, which was great by the way. I've heard from others that the Carnival kids program is great but we have teens. From what I saw of the Family Harbor Area, it looks great, would love to book it.

 

We were quite worried about the "party" ship reputation too, didn't experience that at all. Guests and crew were great, very respectful. Food was better than expected, especially their desserts, way better than Disney. I really loved Guys burgers, Blue Iguana Mexican and great 24 hour pizza. She now has Guys Pig and Anchor BBQ, which wasn't open on our sailing.

 

So now the comparison, how did Vista stack up to Disney, we loved her!!!! Have a B2B booked on her next June, (8 day southern then 6 day Western), and can hardly wait. There is a reason Carnival is called the FUN ships, it was just plain, out and out Fun! We had a great time. Granted, there are some things Disney does better and something's Carnival does better.

 

The bottom line is we are no longer going to be loyal to just 1 cruise line. I say just book it and start getting excited about it, I really think you'll enjoy it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thank you! You sold me haha. I didn't know Seuss at sea was a one day event but I'll be sure to book it for the little one.

[Squeege]

Read this current thread.

Another LOYAL to ROYAL that was pretty WOW'D by Carnival.

They are called Fun Ships for a reason.......:D:D

Try it, you won't regret it.....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2431978

Thank you. It was a good read and definitely helps the decision!

[A&Jfamily]

Were you aware that Carnival takes 2 yo in their camp program? It is a really great experience for the kids; mine almost always wanted to be in there playing. And it allows Mom and Dad some nice down time.

[Squeege]

Kids free? Where do you see this sale? I see everything else but not the kids free.

 

 

Lillian ⚓️[emoji568]

I'm not sure if it's a sale or not. I just did the mock online booking and put 1 stateroom 3 guests. At the point before you press continue to input your personal info the price breakdown shows 2 guests at full fare ($1,009 each) and the 3rd (sorry I thought it was free) at $179 plus tax. Comes out to 6 times cheaper than full fare. Not sure if it's normal with carnival as I am new but it seems like a good deal.

[Squeege]

Were you aware that Carnival takes 2 yo in their camp program? It is a really great experience for the kids; mine almost always wanted to be in there playing. And it allows Mom and Dad some nice down time.

No I was not. Mine will be 2 weeks shy of 3 years old at the time of sailing. On our past cruise last month we were trying to muster up the courage to leave our little one at daycare but just couldn't do it! (What if he screams and cries all day, if they can't control him, if he doesn't nap, eat, play with others, what if they lose him....)haha all the normal things parents think I guess.

 

But the down time to relax for a bit just the 2 of us sounds so awesome and much needed!

[A&Jfamily]

No I was not. Mine will be 2 weeks shy of 3 years old at the time of sailing. On our past cruise last month we were trying to muster up the courage to leave our little one at daycare but just couldn't do it! (What if he screams and cries all day, if they can't control him, if he doesn't nap, eat, play with others, what if they lose him....)haha all the normal things parents think I guess.

 

But the down time to relax for a bit just the 2 of us sounds so awesome and much needed!

 

Well then he will be the perfect age for camp ocean! And ZERO need to worry about screaming and crying - they give parents a pager or phone (perhaps they will have a more modern way by the time you cruise using the HUB app) to contact you if there is any type of issue. At just shy of 3 my son didn't make it to the potty in time. They paged me. When I got there they had him in spare shorts and a camp carnival t-shirt which he got to keep and color later. He was happily playing so we just left him! They weren't bothered by the accident in the slightest, and handled it just as you would expect of a child care professional.

 

The hours on sea days are from 9am -12pm, parents pick up for lunch, and usually 1-4 during the day. Our youngest always got up and had breakfast with us, then spent the morning in camp. After lunch he generally wanted to go back, and we would pick him up around 3:30 to get a nap in before dinner @ 6. They also offer camp dinner for the kids on the Lido at 6 and take them straight to camp, which officially opens again at 7 and stays open til 10 pm. After those hours, they do offer various late night parties for a small fee, but we never did those because he needed his sleep. Camp dinner allows for a romantic dinner in the steakhouse!:D

 

He often begged to have dinner with camp and I would let him once or twice a cruise; the rest of the time, he was with us in the MDR. We chose the fixed seating because we were guaranteed the same waiters and it was easy to request that they have milk and a fruit plate handy, as we knew he would be hungry and didn't want him filling up on bread. While we ate our appetizers, he had his main course, and while we had our main course, he had dessert. Timeout out to right about 7 pm. One of us would take a look at the dessert menu, leave the order with the other, and walk him to camp. Then, we had the evening to enjoy coffee, dessert, shows, gambling etc before picking him up for bed.

 

Most relaxing way to travel with kids EVER!

[serene56]

No I was not. Mine will be 2 weeks shy of 3 years old at the time of sailing. On our past cruise last month we were trying to muster up the courage to leave our little one at daycare but just couldn't do it! (What if he screams and cries all day, if they can't control him, if he doesn't nap, eat, play with others, what if they lose him....)haha all the normal things parents think I guess.

 

But the down time to relax for a bit just the 2 of us sounds so awesome and much needed!

 

 

 

You will be given a pager or a cell phone. If they can not quiet the toddler you will be called. You do not have to leave him there the entire time. The program is done in 30 min increments. Look at the programs see what will interest your child then take them at that given time.

 

Carnival changes diapers-- Royal does not. Royal charges for kids under 3 and at 3 there is zero tolerance for accidents.

 

Carnival charges a fee after 10pm

 

we took our GD at 18 months her first cruise-- took her on the outside promanade after dinner just to run off energy. She isnt going anywhere. There are very few people out there. Then we were off to see the show etc

[Squeege]

Well then he will be the perfect age for camp ocean! And ZERO need to worry about screaming and crying - they give parents a pager or phone (perhaps they will have a more modern way by the time you cruise using the HUB app) to contact you if there is any type of issue. At just shy of 3 my son didn't make it to the potty in time. They paged me. When I got there they had him in spare shorts and a camp carnival t-shirt which he got to keep and color later. He was happily playing so we just left him! They weren't bothered by the accident in the slightest, and handled it just as you would expect of a child care professional.

 

The hours on sea days are from 9am -12pm, parents pick up for lunch, and usually 1-4 during the day. Our youngest always got up and had breakfast with us, then spent the morning in camp. After lunch he generally wanted to go back, and we would pick him up around 3:30 to get a nap in before dinner @ 6. They also offer camp dinner for the kids on the Lido at 6 and take them straight to camp, which officially opens again at 7 and stays open til 10 pm. After those hours, they do offer various late night parties for a small fee, but we never did those because he needed his sleep. Camp dinner allows for a romantic dinner in the steakhouse!:D

 

He often begged to have dinner with camp and I would let him once or twice a cruise; the rest of the time, he was with us in the MDR. We chose the fixed seating because we were guaranteed the same waiters and it was easy to request that they have milk and a fruit plate handy, as we knew he would be hungry and didn't want him filling up on bread. While we ate our appetizers, he had his main course, and while we had our main course, he had dessert. Timeout out to right about 7 pm. One of us would take a look at the dessert menu, leave the order with the other, and walk him to camp. Then, we had the evening to enjoy coffee, dessert, shows, gambling etc before picking him up for bed.

 

Most relaxing way to travel with kids EVER!

 

 

I had no idea about the pagers or cell phones. It seems like a win win situation now and has got me excited before i've even booked! Thank you for your insight :)

[Squeege]

You will be given a pager or a cell phone. If they can not quiet the toddler you will be called. You do not have to leave him there the entire time. The program is done in 30 min increments. Look at the programs see what will interest your child then take them at that given time.

 

Carnival changes diapers-- Royal does not. Royal charges for kids under 3 and at 3 there is zero tolerance for accidents.

 

Carnival charges a fee after 10pm

 

we took our GD at 18 months her first cruise-- took her on the outside promanade after dinner just to run off energy. She isnt going anywhere. There are very few people out there. Then we were off to see the show etc

 

Royals zero tolerance policy wasnt 100% comforting and the not changing diapers was an issue. Carnival seems to have a better program by the sounds of it and with the 30 min increments i can ease my son in on the 1st day and hopefully he likes it enough to want to stay longer or keep going back!

[dacsmom]

Definitely book the family harbor cabin on the Vista. I book ES fares, but know what you are buying before you book. ES fares have many restrictions, that some are not aware of when they buy. I switch back and forth between RCI and Carnival and they are more alike than different. Both have great kids clubs. Carnival is not so much a party ship on an 8 night cruise and Southern Caribbean is a great itinerary. Don't overthink, just go for it and have a fantastic cruise.

[serene56]

Royals zero tolerance policy wasnt 100% comforting and the not changing diapers was an issue. Carnival seems to have a better program by the sounds of it and with the 30 min increments i can ease my son in on the 1st day and hopefully he likes it enough to want to stay longer or keep going back!

 

you can not stay with him at all. They will not even let you take him into the room. Some ships have closed circuit tv that you can watch your child from the hall way.

[Jamericannn]

I'm not sure if it's a sale or not. I just did the mock online booking and put 1 stateroom 3 guests. At the point before you press continue to input your personal info the price breakdown shows 2 guests at full fare ($1,009 each) and the 3rd (sorry I thought it was free) at $179 plus tax. Comes out to 6 times cheaper than full fare. Not sure if it's normal with carnival as I am new but it seems like a good deal.

 

Third and fourth guest is always cheaper.