Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Carnival Vista - Not great reviews?

HarryKane

By HarryKane,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

 Share

Recommended Posts

firefly333

firefly333

Posted
Posted
Also our originally booked 2 top was changed to a different dining room and part of a 10 top next to the entrance. When we finally got our 2 top, it might as well have been a 6 top we were so close to other 2 tops. Great dining partners though!.:D

 

My PVP told me I could request small medium or large table. I didnt know its changed since the olden days and you can now even request much less book a 2 top.

 

I also didnt know it was a option to book the dining room of your choice.

 

lol and Im priority.

 

OP Im booked on the Vista and came here and noticed all the negative postings and got nervous too. My pvp and other posters to the thread I put up about the same thing have calmed me down. Im sure i will enjoy the new ship.

 

I agree there is a lot of negativity on this site toward Vista. Maybe follow Radios 4 day cruise on the horizon which is a sister to Vista and look at the pictures and his comments. Its a Live on the Horizon thread by Radio many of us are following.

 

Im cruising with a cruise newbie and not even going to tell her about this site to be honest, the comments on Vista are so negative. Why ruin her excitment?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ricew001

ricew001

Posted
Posted
M

 

Im cruising with a cruise newbie and not even going to tell her about this site to be honest, the comments on Vista are so negative. Why ruin her excitment?

 

 

Totally agree. i'm glad I didn't find this site before my first cruise. There are some helpful people here but the negativity is just overwhelming!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
firefly333

firefly333

Posted
Posted
Nice one mate, appreciate the info!

I’ll try and find a decently priced hotel with pool near the strand then. 👍

 

Hmm. there are only 2 hotels near the strand, and only one walking distance to the port, named Tremont House. You can watch the ship come in from this hotel. Its some old historic exensive hotel.

 

tbh almost all the other hotels are mostly along SeaWall. The Holiday Inn has a shuttle to the port, but i hear its always late. The Hotels along SeaWall Blvd are across from a beach where there is a wide boardwalk to walk along the beach. I stay on Seawall Blvd on the other side from the port. Its about 3 miles across to the port, too far to walk. Id say a taxi was $30 last time.

 

tons of good hotels along SeaWall, though I hear Tremont is very nice, its about $300 for my date for Vista.

 

Plenty of mexican, heck im happy with Taco Cabana, their margaritas are good, its near the Quality Inn, There is a better mexican restaurant in the parking lot of Quality Inn on Sea Wall, though Quality Inn is a bit down from the "Pleasure Pier", which is down around the Holiday inns, some pier where they have a bunch of rides and stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jenny in TX

Jenny in TX

Posted
Posted

We live about 30 minutes from Galveston and will be on the Vista in exactly a month. I read some negative reviews, but I also read some great reviews. We are very excited and can't wait to be on the ship.

 

I would suggest booking a hotel on the seawall in Galveston and then taking a taxi or uber to the strand if you want to go there also. The San Luis and The Galvez are both really nice and you will be right across from the beach and within walking distance of many restaurants. The DoubleTree Hilton on the Beach is nice also and has a nice bar that is by the pool. We often stay there and hang out at the bar in the evening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tinlizzy

tinlizzy

Posted
Posted

Im cruising with a cruise newbie and not even going to tell her about this site to be honest, the comments on Vista are so negative. Why ruin her excitment?

 

I don't think the Vista comments are negative but they are honest critiques by long time cruisers who have a lot of experience cruising with Carnival.

 

You may end up in the "not a fan of the Vista class ships" after you sail on her. Steel yourself Firefly because you may douse her excitement when you experience the Vista and are disappointed.

 

I didn't read anything about the Vista until I got home and came on here to see what other people thought.

 

16 cruises and I'm booked on the Horizon next year and I hope the surveys I fill out after the cruises impact future ship designs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sailaway108

Sailaway108

Posted
Posted
Thanks guys,

You know what - I’m going to book it!

I’ve never been to Texas neither and looking at the size of the place it's huge! We’re flying to Houston IAH George Bush Intercontinental Airport and from there we will have a three night stay before we board the cruise. Any ideas of nice affordable family places to stay, near the beach or with a good pool? Is it best to stay in the Galveston area?

 

 

We are a family of 4, sailed out of Galvaston on the Breeze in 2017. Depending on what you are looking for in accommodations I would recommend the Harbor House Hotel at Pier 21. The hotel is an old warehouse, nothing fancy but clean and the best part is you are beside the cruise port. Our room faced the cruise port and we watched ships set sail as well as the Breeze arrive, we also walked to the cruise port with our luggage. The hotel is next to Willy G's and a couple of other restaurants and walking distance to the Strand. We also walked to the sea wall, it was a long walk but doable. Enjoy your cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HarryKane

HarryKane

Posted
  • Author
Posted
We live about 30 minutes from Galveston and will be on the Vista in exactly a month. I read some negative reviews, but I also read some great reviews. We are very excited and can't wait to be on the ship.

 

I would suggest booking a hotel on the seawall in Galveston and then taking a taxi or uber to the strand if you want to go there also. The San Luis and The Galvez are both really nice and you will be right across from the beach and within walking distance of many restaurants. The DoubleTree Hilton on the Beach is nice also and has a nice bar that is by the pool. We often stay there and hang out at the bar in the evening.

 

Hi Jenny,

 

Thanks for the information!

 

So you are 30-mins from Galveston and I’m a 10 hour flight away 🤪

 

So stay near the seawall? And taxi to the strand? Got it!

 

Is there millers ale house type places?

 

We’re going in April, will the weather be warm enough to swim and sunbathe?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
firefly333

firefly333

Posted
Posted

Im another vote to stay on SeaWall Blvd at a nice hotel across from the beach rather than the 2 near the Strand. The Strand is mostly just hooky souveneir shops anymore, though there are a few places to eat. There are plenty of places within walkin distance on SeaWall also. Guidos Seafood is probably the best known ... on a Sat night the wait was 1 hour!!! (next to Guido Motel if you are looking at a map, which i dont recommend).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pellaz

Pellaz

Posted
Posted
You cannot see outside for most of decks 4 and 5. They are just hallways now. You can walk completely around deck 5 (ocean plaza deck) but you have to either exit from ocean plaza or cut through the red frog pub. There may be other venues to walk through to get to the promenade but I always felt like I was searching to see the ocean. You can no longer see the water at all from the casino and aren't allowed to exit any outside doors from decks 3 or 4.

 

The older ship designs just feel more connected to the outside views.

 

There is an entire "lanai" area outside on Deck 5, port and starboard, where you can go out and connect with the sea. Did you not see this part of the ship?

 

For the OP, we were on the Vista last October out of Fla. and overall, we enjoyed the cruise. There are a lot of free/included dining options, especially at lunchtime, and we didn't mind such things as the "shorter" atrium and other cosmetic changes.

 

A few thoughts:

  • The ship is designed for clear, warm sailing weather. If your weather is rainy or windy, some of the ship's awesome "outside" charm will be reduced.
  • On embark day, consider Jiji's Asian Kitchen or Cucina del Capitano for lunch instead of the Lido buffet. Both are one deck above the Lido, they will be virtually empty on embark day, and they are free during lunch. The Lido buffet will be crowded, as it always is on embark day.
  • There are great "secret" decks accessible through doorways past the forward cabins on those decks. Of special note is the deck above the bridge, where you can walk above the bridge wings for an incomparable view forward and along the side of the ship.
  • We really enjoyed the Red Frog Pub and Brewery at night; the performing soloist was great and it wasn't too crowded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
riclop

riclop

Posted
Posted
Howdy guys,

 

I was about to pull the trigger on a vista cruise out of galveston texas earlier but when I checked the reviews on here they don't seem to be very good for the vista. People complaining saying ship is simply too big and feels overcrowded etc etc.

 

Ive only ever been on the magic before and that was amazing, I'm keen to try another ship but dont want to feel like ive downgraded - especially as it's a 10-hour flight from the uk to Houston Texas before we board the ship!

 

Sell it to me guys, is the vista as good as the magic?

Different class of ships , i prefer the Magic but go and form your own opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tinlizzy

tinlizzy

Posted
Posted
There is an entire "lanai" area outside on Deck 5, port and starboard, where you can go out and connect with the sea. Did you not see this part of the ship?

 

 

The "lanai" is outside Ocean Plaza - exactly what I said, you can walk around outside on deck 5 if you go through the exit at Ocean Plaza but if you are walking inside the ship you will be walking through a hallway with walls.

 

 

So I do have a tip. The Ocean Plaza serves a smaller buffet breakfast in the morning similar to the late riser breakfast on lido....scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, french toast and danish if I recall correctly and oatmeal and grits. Coffee, tea, milk and juice. I was told it was to make breakfast more convenient for the Havana room cruisers if they didn't want to venture upstairs. There was only one couple and several officers eating breakfast there in the mornings. If you want to avoid the crowds or get off the ship fast on port days the Ocean Plaza is the place to eat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lgdick54

lgdick54

Posted
Posted
Get a Havana room of any type. You’ll be so glad you did. That’s the only way I would ever step foot on another Vista Class ship again.
We got a Havana cabana for 10/21, pretty much the only reason we've gone back to Carnival. Only had to book 18mths in advance.

 

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites
declansdad

declansdad

Posted
Posted

5. Magic has more deck room, lounge chairs, etc. outside. I have never had a problem finding a lounge chair at any time on Magic (deck 5 is a great place to hangout outside during the day). On the other hand, on Vista it was difficult finding a lounge chair on sea days unless you got up early.

 

 

Found Deck 5 on the Vista was exactly the same, never a problem to find a lounger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rosethorn40

Rosethorn40

Posted
Posted

I was on the Magic in March 2013 (Spa Cabin) and the Vista in December 2016 (Havana Cabana Cabin). I loved both of them, but for slightly different reasons.

 

Magic-I loved the location of our cabin, so convenient to the spa and serenity deck, where we spent so much of our time. It was also the ship where we discovered the Mocha Chocolate Getaway. It was a Western Caribbean itinerary; Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel and we had a blast at all three stops-4x4 in the mountains in Jamaica, swimming with stingrays & dolphins in Grand Cayman, and Xcaret Park in Cozumel. Its one of my favorite Caribbean holidays.

 

Vista-I loved our cabin (A Havana Suite as were celebrating my DH 60th B-Day), loved the Havana area, which was so quiet without a bunch of screaming kids. Loved all the food options; Guys Burgers, Ji-Ji's and Bonsai Sushi were my personal favorites. This was an Eastern Caribbean itinerary, and we never got off the ship as DH was suffering a lot of aches and pains and couldn't do anything that active, so I read a lot, and played a lot a trivia (Won 4 Ships-on-a-Stick).

 

Its a toss up which was better, overall I liked the Magic cruise more, but I loved the Havana area. Either that you chose should be great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HarryKane

HarryKane

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for your help with finding a place to stay pre-cruise guys. Ive ended up booking the Holiday Inn Resort Galveston-On The Beach hotel which seems decent with good tripadvisor reviews. Hotels are quite pricey pre-cruise, ive booked three nights and it was more expensive than I would have liked to have paid but needs must I guess!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lgdick54

lgdick54

Posted
Posted

Awesome! Good location. Landry's (seafood) IHOP (breakfast) are close by. Check out a place call The Brick House Tavern which may be close in concept to that other venue you mentioned. Also a place called "The Spot". You're close to the convention center and San Luis Resort. So most places will be walkable. Enjoy Galveston, can be a fun city.

Thanks for your help with finding a place to stay pre-cruise guys. Ive ended up booking the Holiday Inn Resort Galveston-On The Beach hotel which seems decent with good tripadvisor reviews. Hotels are quite pricey pre-cruise, ive booked three nights and it was more expensive than I would have liked to have paid but needs must I guess!

 

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites
firefly333

firefly333

Posted
Posted
Thanks for your help with finding a place to stay pre-cruise guys. Ive ended up booking the Holiday Inn Resort Galveston-On The Beach hotel which seems decent with good tripadvisor reviews. Hotels are quite pricey pre-cruise, ive booked three nights and it was more expensive than I would have liked to have paid but needs must I guess!

 

They want $396 the night before my Vista cruise. I never saw Galveston hotels so high.

 

Beachcomber?? looks like a 2 story walk up, what am I missing is asking $399 nov 10th, the night Im going.

 

Im staying at what I consider a lesser hotel than Id ordinarily book, ... for over $100 a night.

 

The only hotel under $100 for my night was The Pearl which I also never heard of, and reviews are pretty terrible, two reports of bugs and bug bites. lol.

 

When did hotels get so expensive?? I went last year in December and I guess its off season vs November? Holiday Inn last Dec was only $100 a night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...