Tell me what you like or don't like about the Vista

[IPlayWithString]

We're on March 10-17, 2019 sailing and I am getting excited AF. I was perusing the dining options to see what they had, because I'm mostly curious to see if there was anything new I could possibly get my son to try that won't trigger his allergy. I was fuh-reaking out when I saw that Jiji's is open (gratis! SQUEE!) for lunch and I am SO anxious to try it because I love trying new things. I couldn't find a menu for their lunch though, only for dinner.

 

What about the IMAX? Is it worth the $$$? And the Red Frog brewery specialty beers? Good?  No? (I'm not usually a beer person but I'd be willing to give it a shot.)

 

Just..tell me. Everything. Good or bad. I need to know everything so I know what to expect because I'm a mom to a kid with Autism. The more prepared I am when we go on a ship that is new to us (this will be our first, hopefully not our last, sailing on the Vista), the more likely things are to be smoother than butter off a bald monkey's butt.

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by IPlayWithString

[cruzin Phillis]

We just got off the Vista last week. I am actually writing my review now. Overall, the ship is ok. Not as open as the Magic and Breeze are. It can get tricky trying to navigate to the different decks as not all the elevators stop on the all the floors. Did not like how the casino sits in the middle of the 4th deck. The ventilation was horrible. There is a brewery on board that has 3-4 different IPA;s I think. My son is HF autism and he did well. I just monitored him to make sure he did not get too freaked out. He only did the kids camp for 1 hour but they said he did great. They did have 3 people in the camp that specializes with dealing with autistic children so that was a plus! Overall, it was a good cruise. The IMAX is nice and most of the popular movies were sold out by the end of embarkation day. I would recommend stopping on deck 6 to purchase your tickets as soon as you board. We did the underwater adventure documentary which was in 4D. it was very interesting and nice. Movies are $5.50. Also, make sure you register for Kids camp when you board as well so you can beat the rush hour after sail away.

Edited November 8, 2018 by cruzin Phillis
change

[firefly333]

There is a good review on the Horizon (sister ship).

 

You said JiJis is free?? First time I ever read this. I know its free at lunch when its Mongolian Wok, but at night Ive read it is not free. The review up top says its hard to find and someone who also was on same cruise said they never found it.

 

The review above they got a havanna inside on deck 5 above a band and she had to wear earplugs to bed. 

 

I did not realize there was a BBQ on Vista, but sure enough I see it on the deck plans on Deck 5. If this is same food as Valor, glad to see it.

 

Im on Vista sunday, so Ill know for sure and take pictures

[MINILvr]

JiJi's is the Mongolian Wok for lunch and $15 per person for dinner.  We didn't try it at lunch, so I cannot comment on that.  We did, however, eat there twice for dinner.  DELICIOUS!

Cucina del Capitano is also free at lunch (pasta bar) and pay at dinner.  Take the aft elevators to deck 11 and both restaurants are right there.

 

The seating in the Liquid Lounge leaves a lot to be desired.  We never did go to the Limelight Lounge for the comedy shows. 

 

We watched Bohemian Rhapsody in the IMAX theater.  Ended up having to sit in the front row, but even that wasn't all that bad.

 

 

 

[PhillyFan33579]

What I don’t like about Vista;

- no glass elevators 

- no vaulted atrium

- lounges for production shows and comedy shows are way too small

- no thalassotherapy pool

- location of the Alchemy Bar

 

What I like about the Vista:

- Red Frog Pub and Brewery; the Carribean Wheat they brew on board is excellent

- salad bar in Serenity

- food in speciality restaurants is very good

- IMAX and Thrill Theater

- Havana Bar 

[IPlayWithString]

4 hours ago, cruzin Phillis said:

My son is HF autism and he did well. I just monitored him to make sure he did not get too freaked out. He only did the kids camp for 1 hour but they said he did great. They did have 3 people in the camp that specializes with dealing with autistic children so that was a plus! 

How old is your son, though?  Mine's a teenager (almost 15) and I think at that point they pretty much leave them to their own devices except for a few parties, etc in the evenings. So, because of how Carnival is so loosey-goosey with the kids (allowing them to check out of Camp Carival, etc at the age of 9), he's never been to the clubs because if he decided to check himself out, he'd wander around and get lost looking for us. 😕 If we signed a thing (when he was younger anyway) saying he couldn't leave Camp without one of us, he'd be stuck there playing video games all day which isn't what we want for him either. So as much as we wanted him (initially anyway) to go to Camp Carnival, it's never been really much of an option for us. I'm glad your child went and had a good time though. 🙂

 

>JiJi's is the Mongolian Wok for lunch

 

See that was the part I couldn't figure out and I'm glad that's what it is, because I've tried Mongolian Wok before and loved it.

 

>Cucina del Capitano is also free at lunch (pasta bar)

 

DH will be glad to hear they have a Cucina Del Capitano...he loves their pasta bar for lunch.

😄

 

>not all the elevators stop on the all the floors

I'm a little confused. I know on the ship we were on most recently--the Freedom (and on most of the other ships we've been on as well) that most of the elevators went at least to deck 10 or 11 and  only a couple of the aft ones went higher than that. Is that not the case on the Vista?

 

>

lounges for production shows and comedy shows are way too small

- no thalassotherapy pool

 

No matter what ship I've been on, I've always felt the comedy lounges were way, way too small. And I hate (though I understand WHY they do it even if I disagree with it) how now, after the show is over, they kick you out. It seems to me that when we first started cruising a few years ago, this wasn't the case. And it wasn't until I think last year on the Breeze that I ever encountered having to leave the lounge immediately after the show and then get in a half an hour long line just to get back in. And a lot of the shows ended up being standing room only and they had to turn people away so the servers would have room to move about during one show.

 

I don't know what a thalassotherapy pool is, but I'm sure it's a bummer to not have it if you want to use it.

 

 

 

 

 

[Pellaz]

[Sorry about the formatting; the "new improved" forum still won't work properly here]

Things I liked:

1. numerous free/included food options for lunch: JiJi's, La Cucina, Guy's Burgers AND Barbecue, Blue Iguana Cantina, Fresh Creations (salad bar in Serenity), plus the usual pizza and Lido buffet

2. Lots of open deck space that puts you closer to the sea instead of in a shopping mall

3. Engineering Control Room (on the BtF Tour) was really nifty, looked like something out of a sci-fi novel

4. SkyRide was fun, as was the waterworks area and the slides

5. Location of the Casino on Deck 4 means you can walk through the Promenade on Deck 5 without (too much) smoke

Things I disliked:

1. No adults-only pool

2. Only two adults-only hot-tubs (in Serenity)

3. There were lines in many places (which we mostly avoided by going to alternate eateries, etc.)

Edited November 8, 2018 by Pellaz
Manually added HTML line-breaks as the forum is broken here

[beerman2]

Likes

1) Alcemy Bar

2) Bartenders at Atrium Bar

3)Guy's BBQ and Guy's Burgers

4) Steakhouse

5) New Age Violinist 

6) Java Cafe

7) Changing Champagne glass in Atrium area (Very Colorful)

8 ) Our MDR waitstaff was very good.

Dislikes

1) Our table in MDR was right next to serving Station, not pleasant looking at dirty dishes stacked up. Carnival could fix this by installing a 2 Ft. Wall enclosing the area.

 

All in all our cruise was excellent, however the little things don't bother us. Aka elevators being slow, long lines at times, we've learned to avoid peak times.

[firefly333]

The T pool is one where you can swim against waves. I dont think this ship has spa cabins like the Dream class and doesnt have this? but thats what it is.

 

As far as your child getting lost so you dont check him into the childrens clubs, I had that problem with my sister. She cant figure out odd/even numbers or descending, so I often left her in the buffet and she always found people to talk to. But I did almost lose her a couple of times. The last time after the theater got out the elevators opened up going the opposite direction we were going .... I just looked up in time to catch the back of her shirt and pull her off before off she went on the elevator. She just walked onto the elevator with the crowd. 

 

you might want to try and impress upon him to go to guest services if you ever get separated, but idk with someone autistic. good luck.

 

good info about the salad bar in serenity area

Edited November 8, 2018 by firefly333

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, IPlayWithString said:

 

 

No matter what ship I've been on, I've always felt the comedy lounges were way, way too small. And I hate (though I understand WHY they do it even if I disagree with it) how now, after the show is over, they kick you out. It seems to me that when we first started cruising a few years ago, this wasn't the case. And it wasn't until I think last year on the Breeze that I ever encountered having to leave the lounge immediately after the show and then get in a half an hour long line just to get back in. And a lot of the shows ended up being standing room only and they had to turn people away so the servers would have room to move about during one show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you think the lounges used for comedy  on other ships are small, you will really think the lounge on Vista is small.  Even the lounges used for comedy on Fantasy class ships are larger than the one on Vista class ships.  When we were on Vista last year, we gave up trying to see any comedy shows after the second night. 

[Crusin Hogs]

2 hours ago, IPlayWithString said:

How old is your son, though?  Mine's a teenager (almost 15) and I think at that point they pretty much leave them to their own devices except for a few parties, etc in the evenings. So, because of how Carnival is so loosey-goosey with the kids (allowing them to check out of Camp Carival, etc at the age of 9), he's never been to the clubs because if he decided to check himself out, he'd wander around and get lost looking for us. 😕 If we signed a thing (when he was younger anyway) saying he couldn't leave Camp without one of us, he'd be stuck there playing video games all day which isn't what we want for him either. So as much as we wanted him (initially anyway) to go to Camp Carnival, it's never been really much of an option for us. I'm glad your child went and had a good time though. 🙂

 

>JiJi's is the Mongolian Wok for lunch

 

See that was the part I couldn't figure out and I'm glad that's what it is, because I've tried Mongolian Wok before and loved it.

 

>Cucina del Capitano is also free at lunch (pasta bar)

 

DH will be glad to hear they have a Cucina Del Capitano...he loves their pasta bar for lunch.

😄

 

>not all the elevators stop on the all the floors

I'm a little confused. I know on the ship we were on most recently--the Freedom (and on most of the other ships we've been on as well) that most of the elevators went at least to deck 10 or 11 and  only a couple of the aft ones went higher than that. Is that not the case on the Vista?

 

>

lounges for production shows and comedy shows are way too small

- no thalassotherapy pool

 

No matter what ship I've been on, I've always felt the comedy lounges were way, way too small. And I hate (though I understand WHY they do it even if I disagree with it) how now, after the show is over, they kick you out. It seems to me that when we first started cruising a few years ago, this wasn't the case. And it wasn't until I think last year on the Breeze that I ever encountered having to leave the lounge immediately after the show and then get in a half an hour long line just to get back in. And a lot of the shows ended up being standing room only and they had to turn people away so the servers would have room to move about during one show.

 

I don't know what a thalassotherapy pool is, but I'm sure it's a bummer to not have it if you want to use it.

 

The T-Pool is on Dream Class  ships in the Spa , You either use it free when you book a spa cabin ,or buy a spa day pass  

 

 

 

 

 

[Crusin Hogs]

 

27 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

The T pool is one where you can swim against waves. I dont think this ship has spa cabins like the Dream class and doesnt have this? but thats what it is.

 

As far as your child getting lost so you dont check him into the childrens clubs, I had that problem with my sister. She cant figure out odd/even numbers or descending, so I often left her in the buffet and she always found people to talk to. But I did almost lose her a couple of times. The last time after the theater got out the elevators opened up going the opposite direction we were going .... I just looked up in time to catch the back of her shirt and pull her off before off she went on the elevator. She just walked onto the elevator with the crowd. 

 

you might want to try and impress upon him to go to guest services if you ever get separated, but idk with someone autistic. good luck.

 

good info about the salad bar in serenity area

 The  T -pools  have no waves to swim against  ,, The are like enlarged hot tubs with minerals in it ,,No swimming involved  

[coevan]

29 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

The T pool is one where you can swim against waves

 

 

 

No it's not it's a giant mineral infused hot tub, no swimming. You might be thinking of the Endless Pool commercial

[cruzin Phillis]

3 hours ago, IPlayWithString said:

How old is your son, though?  Mine's a teenager (almost 15) and I think at that point they pretty much leave them to their own devices except for a few parties, etc in the evenings. So, because of how Carnival is so loosey-goosey with the kids (allowing them to check out of Camp Carival, etc at the age of 9), he's never been to the clubs because if he decided to check himself out, he'd wander around and get lost looking for us. 😕 If we signed a thing (when he was younger anyway) saying he couldn't leave Camp without one of us, he'd be stuck there playing video games all day which isn't what we want for him either. So as much as we wanted him (initially anyway) to go to Camp Carnival, it's never been really much of an option for us. I'm glad your child went and had a good time though. 🙂

 

>JiJi's is the Mongolian Wok for lunch

 

See that was the part I couldn't figure out and I'm glad that's what it is, because I've tried Mongolian Wok before and loved it.

 

>Cucina del Capitano is also free at lunch (pasta bar)

 

DH will be glad to hear they have a Cucina Del Capitano...he loves their pasta bar for lunch.

😄

 

>not all the elevators stop on the all the floors

I'm a little confused. I know on the ship we were on most recently--the Freedom (and on most of the other ships we've been on as well) that most of the elevators went at least to deck 10 or 11 and  only a couple of the aft ones went higher than that. Is that not the case on the Vista?

 

>

lounges for production shows and comedy shows are way too small

- no thalassotherapy pool

 

No matter what ship I've been on, I've always felt the comedy lounges were way, way too small. And I hate (though I understand WHY they do it even if I disagree with it) how now, after the show is over, they kick you out. It seems to me that when we first started cruising a few years ago, this wasn't the case. And it wasn't until I think last year on the Breeze that I ever encountered having to leave the lounge immediately after the show and then get in a half an hour long line just to get back in. And a lot of the shows ended up being standing room only and they had to turn people away so the servers would have room to move about during one show.

 

I don't know what a thalassotherapy pool is, but I'm sure it's a bummer to not have it if you want to use it.

 

 

My son is 5. I know that they are able to sign themselves out at 13. You may wan to talk to the camp director regarding your specific concern.

We went to lunch at the Mongolian wok 2 and it is free. You make selections as to what you would like.

 JI JI Kitchen is not free. It cost 10 per adult and 5 per child under 12.

As far as the elevators, some are marked 3-12, some are marked 0-10, and some are marked 3-15. There are signs at the elevators, you just have to make sure you know where you are going.

 

 

 

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, coevan said:

 

 

 

No it's not it's a giant mineral infused hot tub, no swimming. You might be thinking of the Endless Pool commercial

 

or Im thinking of the spa pool on Princess probably. sorry

[IPlayWithString]

We actually DID talk to a camp director (on our first cruise which was on the Fascination, when he was 9) and while I was confident that they would be able to look after him, DH was less than thrilled with the camp staff, so we never signed him up and have never signed him up since then. He seems perfectly content to hang out with DH and I and do trivia and other things. And the beauty of a cruise vacation is that it's VERY easy (easier than in other vacations we've taken in the past) to switch off and go do our own things if we want to, so that neither one of us has to be with him the entire time. Because he's also older now, we decided to give letting him stay in the cabin while we went  to an adult comedy show a trial run over the summer this year. He was content to lay in bed and watch the SAME Cartoon Network shows (because they run them on a loop somehow) over and over since we don't have cable at home. So I feel confident now that if DH and I wanted to go do some late night things...go to a deck party, adult comedy, etc, he'd be fine by himself for a little while.

 

Also..per Carnival's website..Jiji's is open for lunch and is free with a limited menu, kind of like Cucina Del Capitano has a pasta bar at lunch that's free. So I can't wait for that!!! I was also hoping they'd have one of those places that serves Indian food that I tried on the Breeze (I think it was on the Breeze?) this summer. Because those beef kebabs were so good! And the little graham flour pancakes..OMG. I could eat a million of them.