Vista revisited (Havana Cabana this time)...... A fairly lengthy review with pics

[jimbo5544]

I will be on the Vista in July, we have a havana cabana booked as well as a family harbor oceanview. Looking forward to all the new experiences.

 

 

Two great new cabin choices.

 

 

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[Flytko]

Following, just booked a family harbor deluxe oceanview for April 2019. Can't wait to see what the ship has to offer.

[jimbo5544]

Following, just booked a family harbor deluxe oceanview for April 2019. Can't wait to see what the ship has to offer.

Thanks for following along, I do not think you will be disappointed in the ship, especially that area.

[jimbo5544]

After sail away, we went down and unpacked and got ready for dinner. It has been mentioned by others, but in the rooms on the Vista, you lose one closet door and interior (2 instead of 3), the payback for this is significantly enhanced A/C (individual unit in each cabin). Big win from my perspective.

 

Muster (was actually done before sail away)

Possibly the worst we have ever had and the worst thing during our cruise. The use iPads to scan S&S cards at each Muster station (all inside now). While this is a def improvement, this was by the worst muster drill we have attended. I t took over 20 minutes and three announcements to get people to go to their muster stations. Pet peeve on my end....so I will move on. Even after they started the drill they stopped twice. I was not even sure that it ever ended, where they say eat the sound of the tone it ends, or letting one group go before another. Has to be a better way or penalize those who make everyone wait.

We went back out to Red Frog and then to the lobby to enjoy some of the lobby entertainment before dinner. We had late dining and as a result were in the Reflections dining doom (mid ship - one floor)). The aft dining room is the Horizon dining room (aft- two floors and a bar inside the dining room) which is YTD and some assigned dining (although I have not heard of anyone with assigned dining actually going there).

[jimbo5544]

The lobby area

 

There has been significant discussion regarding the loss of the open area above the atrium and the loss of the glass elevators. This was one thing that had not made a significant impression on us during our first cruise that I wanted to spend a little more time with. As our room was aft (both cruises) we tended to use mid ship or aft elevators most of the time.

Carnival obviously put the led light funnel in the lobby (and also in the middle of the casino - but glassed in to contain the smoke...TTL) as the replacement to the atrium wide open eye catching factor. It does do that, that said I have to agree that loosing those elevators is a takeaway.

So the lobby area is open from five down to three with a small entertainment island sticking out between the two staircases (on or almost on the second floor). On our Med cruise there were 4 violinists that played (with backup canned music) before dinner(s). I loved this and was hoping it was still there. Getting down there we found that the personnel had changed (at least somewhat) and there were now 3 women violinists. They play anything from classical to pop and we loved them.

[heffy2]

Welcome back! I love your reviews!

[jimbo5544]

Here is a pic of the lobby area and the ladies I described. I believe their name was Allure strings.

[jimbo5544]

Welcome back! I love your reviews!

Thanks on both counts, we loved the cruise and I love reliving the cruise by doing the review. Appreciate the kind words.

[Jamericannn]

There is a website called www.whatsthefare.com You put in a starting and an ending address, and it will give you a breakdown as to approximate cost for Uber, Lyft and taxi. For FLL to Miami cruiseport, it's 32 for Uber, 33 for Lyft and 49 for a taxi. Uber XL is 72 and Lyft Plus is 73. You should be able to do two regular cars and put 3 in one and four in the other. Look for promo codes online as well, it's usually a free 22.00 ride for first time on Uber. If two people out of the 7 have never used them, that's a great saving.

 

 

 

This is a great suggestion. I really appreciate it. Thanks.

 

 

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[Jamericannn]

It is reasonable, you can quote it by doing a dry run(don't submit) and it will give you the cost. They have larger vehicles, but fewer of them, if it were me I would compare all options, including outer transfers and uber both ways (large SUV) and two separate vehicles. I really don't know how competitive they are with larger cars, but it stands to reason they would still be cheaper. What makes me somewhat hesitant is how many vehicles large enough are there in the area and are they of a premium for cruisers.... just me 2 cents.

 

 

 

Thanks Jimbo. Always love your input on this board.

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

Thanks Jimbo. Always love your input on this board.

 

 

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Thanks!

[jimbo5544]

As I had mentioned, we usually travel in groups and of our 39 cruises, this was only our 4th with just the wife and I. In making preparations and decisions before the cruise we left dining open (as opposed to asking for a 2 top) as part of the adventure of the cruise (seeing who we would dine with).

After listening to the violinists play, and they had opened the doors, we went into the dining room to see how it all worked out. On our past cruise we had been on the left hand side and had three large tables (two round and one long one - 18 people). This time we were met at the door and escorted to the right side and about half way in. The answer to our seating was we got both..... We got a two top (right next to the center aisle) with a the back seat a long bench that handled our two two on the left side, a four top next and a long 12 top down to the right. Interesting and frankly not what we were expecting - not bad just assumed it would be a round table with multiple couples.

Funny how things work out, interesting in this case in that two things happened. The first was our head waiter and two assistants were introduced and turned out to be top notch. The interesting thing is we met our "neighbors" a wonderful couple with two teen boys who by the end of the cruise we became friends with. Each evening we talked about what happened during the day and by the end of the week were catching up like old friends. The last 3 nights we met them for a drink before coming into the MDR.

[crewsweeper]

. The aft dining room is the Horizon dining room (aft- two floors and a bar inside the dining room) which is YTD and some assigned dining (although I have not heard of anyone with assigned dining actually going there).

 

Jimbo, we had early dining in the Horizons on the second level. We were at a two top, which was nestled between two other two tops so that it was in effect a 6 top , but all had assigned dining. And I saw others on that level that I know had assigned dining. for our cruise, at least, the Any time dining appeared to be restricted to the lower level. And from my vantage point on the nights we ate up there, the service for ATD was horrendously slow.

[texhockey]

As I had mentioned, we usually travel in groups and of our 39 cruises, this was only our 4th with just the wife and I. In making preparations and decisions before the cruise we left dining open (as opposed to asking for a 2 top) as part of the adventure of the cruise (seeing who we would dine with).

 

One of the main reasons we still choose set dining times is we love to meet new people and dinner is a great time. Our first cruise Carnival did an amazing job putting us at a table with 2 other couples with daughters around the same age as ours and on our second cruise they originally had us at a private table but we requested to be moved to a bigger table if one was available. We always ended up making new friends.

 

Love your review and has helped me make my mind up on booking a Havana cabin when the Vista gets to Galveston.

[jimbo5544]

Jimbo, we had early dining in the Horizons on the second level. We were at a two top, which was nestled between two other two tops so that it was in effect a 6 top , but all had assigned dining. And I saw others on that level that I know had assigned dining. for our cruise, at least, the Any time dining appeared to be restricted to the lower level. And from my vantage point on the nights we ate up there, the service for ATD was horrendously slow.

Good info thanks....

[jimbo5544]

One of the main reasons we still choose set dining times is we love to meet new people and dinner is a great time. Our first cruise Carnival did an amazing job putting us at a table with 2 other couples with daughters around the same age as ours and on our second cruise they originally had us at a private table but we requested to be moved to a bigger table if one was available. We always ended up making new friends.

 

Love your review and has helped me make my mind up on booking a Havana cabin when the Vista gets to Galveston.

I believe you will love the Havana area, glad my review helps. Thanks for the info, I agree on the new friends aspects.

[jimbo5544]

The second surprise of the evening that the waiter for the rest of the row (the four top of our new friends and the long table as well as another round table) was our head waiter from our last Vista cruise. She spotted us right away and hugs were exchanged. I think our new wait staff was taken back a bit, but it all worked out. Here is a pic of my wife and Maia our waiter from our Med cruise on the Vista.

[jimbo5544]

Following dinner we went and listened to the entertainment in both the Red Frog and Oceans Plaza and then headed off to bed. Next up: First formal night and a wonderful day at sea.....

[jimbo5544]

We are early risers, and we walked around the corner from our cabin and there was coffee set up at the Havana bar. What was not there was the Cuban breakfast items we had seen on the Sunshine and heard was on the Vista....maybe removed for lack of interest. We got coffee and returned to our lanai and enjoyed the early sea day.

We got changed, and headed over to the poo (again, around the corner...which we were really getting into), and spent the morning hanging out by the pool. At lunchtime we headed up to the main pool area and had a guys burger. It was loud and crazy and after a while looked at each other and headed back downstairs to the Havana area.

[figdu]

We are early risers, and we walked around the corner from our cabin and there was coffee set up at the Havana bar. What was not there was the Cuban breakfast items we had seen on the Sunshine and heard was on the Vista....maybe removed for lack of interest. We got coffee and returned to our lanai and enjoyed the early sea day.

We got changed, and headed over to the poo (again, around the corner...which we were really getting into), and spent the morning hanging out by the pool. At lunchtime we headed up to the main pool area and had a guys burger. It was loud and crazy and after a while looked at each other and headed back downstairs to the Havana area.

 

Looking forward to the rest of the review. My wife and I ate breakfast at the Havana bar just about every morning on the med cruise. In fact we would have missed breakfast the first day without it. The lines were too long on lido and we got up late. Like you two, my wife and I are early risers so coffee on the Lanai will more than make up for it.

[jimbo5544]

Looking forward to the rest of the review. My wife and I ate breakfast at the Havana bar just about every morning on the med cruise. In fact we would have missed breakfast the first day without it. The lines were too long on lido and we got up late. Like you two, my wife and I are early risers so coffee on the Lanai will more than make up for it.

We were mildly disappointed, but it was not a big deal going upstairs or over to the continental breakfast they had setup at the taste bar on Oceans Plaza. Had to take the weekend off for the review, but back at it now, thanks for following along.

[jimbo5544]

Here are some pics from the previous night when we got back to our room. As we were celebrating our anniversary, one of our daughters had sent some gifts and others were from some Carnival management friends.....

[jimbo5544]

.....and here are some from the Havana area during the first sea day.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JaniceB]

The havana area looks awesome. I definitely want to try one of these cabins.

[jimbo5544]

The havana area looks awesome. I definitely want to try one of these cabins.

I do not think you will be disappointed.