NCL(er) sailing the Vista Havana 2/22/20

[Beachiekeen]

42 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Asked some folks about “faster to the fun”.  Apparently, you pay for the privilege of boarding early, getting your own line at Guest Services, and some services that seemed relatively minor.

 

Word to the wise....save your money.  The few times I’ve had to go to Guest Services, my “plebeian” line was shorter than the Faster to the fun/diamond line.  Moreover, I arrived at the pier at exactly the boarding time I was given.  Walked right on to the ship.

 

Again, to me, not worth it...not even close.

Agree.  It was worth it at $50 but not now.  Last cruise (on the Vista), we walked right on at noon (our boarding window), went to Guy's and ate had our first drink, then our rooms were ready.  Easy peasy.  We check all our bags though.

 

Enjoying your review!  You are making me miss the Havana, pool or no pool!  

[graphicguy]

My favorite mixologists on the high seas.....

 

katsiaryna zhykhar and Nathalie
 

 

[graphicguy]

Weird night last night....from about 3:30 a.m.-4:40 a.m. the Capt kept piping in announcements to the cabins about someone contacting customer service.  I can’t imagine that was for a declined credit card.  So, another fitful night of sleep.

[graphicguy]

On NCL and RCCL, they’re pretty vehement about washing hands...all the time.  I get it, particularly given the pandemic happening now that’s spreading to the U.S.

 

Carnival?  They don’t seem to be nearly as insistent, but they do have these cool “automatic” hand washers outside the Marketplace.

[graphicguy]

Did the Brewery Tour yesterday.  Pretty cool.  Freshest brew I’ve ever had.  Well worth it.

 

 

[Jerseygirl1416]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Weird night last night....from about 3:30 a.m.-4:40 a.m. the Capt kept piping in announcements to the cabins about someone contacting customer service.  I can’t imagine that was for a declined credit card.  So, another fitful night of sleep.

I was recently listening to a Podcast about a girl who disappeared from a cruise ship where she was sailing with her family. They said around 200 people have disappeared from cruise ships since the year 2000 😳 Hopefully they found who they were looking for!!!

[graphicguy]

20 minutes ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

I was recently listening to a Podcast about a girl who disappeared from a cruise ship where she was sailing with her family. They said around 200 people have disappeared from cruise ships since the year 2000 😳 Hopefully they found who they were looking for!!!

Hope it was nothing nefarious that happened.  Haven’t heard a thing on board this a.m. except the passengers/crew don’t seem to know why the announcements were made.

[graphicguy]

I enjoy all my cruises.  This one has been fun.  Some people think being snarky and try to ruin things for other.  Having coffee at the Java Blue. Next to it there’s a game of thrones trivia game going on.  I know people take these games seriously.  The host reminds every one over and over not to shout out the answers as that would ruin it for those who are playing.

 

Wouldn’t you know it, a group of 4-5 people came by and scream out answers to ruin it for those who are playing.

 

Some passengers on this cruise seem to relish ruining others’ fun for some reason.  It’s happened quite a bit, from what I’ve seen.

 

That’s too bad!

[graphicguy]

Had another specialty dinner at JiJi’s Asian.  Again, did not disappoint.  Excellent....both food and service.  

[graphicguy]

Invariably, there are questions about “formal nights”.  I will say that I didn’t eat in the MDRs any night, let alone “formal” night.  I’m struggling to think of anyone I saw in a gown or suit, anytime.  And, I just can’t recall anyone dressed up.  There were some in button up shirts and long pants.  But, no one with a tie.  I brought a pair of long pants, but never wore them.  I wore shorts and button shirts all week, in any dining venue...including Chef’s Table, with no issues.  I was the norm rather than the exception.

 

Usually ended up grabbing a light breakfast at the Plaza on deck 5.  Lunch was either something from Seafood Shack or a “wrap” from the Marketplace. Dinner was either a specialty dining venue or a “make your own salad” at the Marketplace.  In short, I ate where I wanted, whenever I felt like it (except the specialty venues, which accommodated me whether I was early or late arriving).

 

Had pizza once.  Pretty bland....not sure if it was the bland sauce, or bland toppings....maybe both.  Plus, the slices were pretty “floppy”.  Wasn’t a fan.

 

Edited March 1, 2020 by graphicguy

[graphicguy]

Excursions.....I really didn’t do any.  I’ve been to Dunn River’s Falls, the beaches of Cozumel, etc....many, many times.

 

I usually just leisurely disembarked, and grabbed a taxi to a beach.  It was cheap, and exactly what I was looking for, whenever I left or returned to the ship.  Had as good of a time as I would have had if I had signed up for a tour or excursion.

 

The times I was interested in the “cycle” around the ship, I was told it was too windy.  Come to think of it, I don’t think I ever saw it in operation the entire cruise.

[graphicguy]

Pool-side movie...

 

 

[graphicguy]

Piano Bar and Library Bar....

[graphicguy]

Gonna wrap this up.  Returned yesterday.  I sincerely appreciate everyone following along.  Had a great time on the cruise.  The service, across the board, from the room steward, to the last crew I saw disembarking, was quite good. 

 

But, it seemed all week things always were a little off....the Havana Pool situation, the entertainment (which really was mediocre compared to the Broadway caliber shows on NCL).  Even “Schwartz” the CD, seemed to lack a little effort.

 

Some things, like the Havana Balcony Cabin issues, were really disappointing.  I knew going in that my “balcony/porch” was open to the public.  What I didn’t know is how not only could passersby see into my “Porch”, but also into my cabin.  I didn’t assume there would be two way glass, I couldn’t comprehend why Carnival would make it so easy for others to act as voyeurs.  What this resulted in was me keeping my drapes closed almost the entire trip.  No, opening them at sunrise and watching the water from my bed.  No coming out of the shower and seeing the water as I prepared for the day.  No, leaving the door open at night as the wind would blow the drapes inward for everyone to gawk as I slept (or worse, since the gate on my “porch” could be opened by anyone).

 

This is a serious design flaw that wasn’t thought through.  I’m sure in concept it sounded brilliant.  In practice, it is seriously flawed.

 

To add to all of that, the band(s) in the Plaza area right outside the Havana were loud enough to be heard in all of the cabins.  OK...I can live with that.  But, the band in the Havana Bar would also blast into the Havana Balcony Cabin area.  Then, there were super drunk revelers In the Havana Hot Tubs who made sure everyone had to hear them in the Havana Balcony Cabins.

 

Said it in another thread, the Havana Balcony Cabins are nothing more than standard balcony cabins with the balcony being accessible to anyone who happens by.  Plus, they can see in your cabin, unless you keep your drapes closed all the time (what’s the purpose of a balcony cabin if you have to do that?).  

 

Beds were super hard, too.

 

I didn’t get much sleep as a result.  So, maybe that’s part of my frustration.  

 

Back on a positive note, the food (except the pizza) was all quite good, regardless of venue.  The Friends I made at the Alchemy Bar were great people and the mixologists there were wonderful, and engaging.

 

Actually had quite a bit of fun pre-cruise in Galveston for Mardi-Gras, too.

 

Have returned home with some good memories.

 

 

[Joe817]

Great review graphicguy! Bravo! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your review. Well done. 👍

[LaRue1975]

Thanks for the review, I enjoyed it very much! I sail on the Vista April 4th so thanks for all the tips and info!

[graphicguy]

On 2/28/2020 at 12:02 PM, Jerseygirl1416 said:

I was recently listening to a Podcast about a girl who disappeared from a cruise ship where she was sailing with her family. They said around 200 people have disappeared from cruise ships since the year 2000 😳 Hopefully they found who they were looking for!!!

Depending on which person I spoke to, chalk this explanation up as juicy gossip and the most consistent story I heard based on people who said they knew the person.

 

Apparently, Wife and her husband had dinner with another person (persons?).  Husband retired to bed, while wife wanted to stay up and party on.  3:00 a.m. rolls around, Husband wakes up to find there is no evidence Wife returned to their cabin.  He goes to the last bar they were hanging, and found it had been closed for a while.  He then goes to the other bars on the ship looking for her.  She’s nowhere to be found.

 

Husband contacts security.  Security looks for her.  No luck.  

 

That’s where the announcement at 3:00 a.m. comes in ship wide looking for her.  There were a couple more announcements over the next ½ hour until she’s found on a security camera in a hallway, wearing a sheet for her clothes, creeping out of a cabin (not hers).

 

I guess she Wasn’t coming back to her cabin until next morning,  But, then the announcement with her name was announced all over the ship and she tried to sneak back.

[indygirl76]

2 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Depending on which person I spoke to, chalk this explanation up as juicy gossip and the most consistent story I heard based on people who said they knew the person.

 

Apparently, Wife and her husband had dinner with another person (persons?).  Husband retired to bed, while wife wanted to stay up and party on.  3:00 a.m. rolls around, Husband wakes up to find there is no evidence Wife returned to their cabin.  He goes to the last bar they were hanging, and found it had been closed for a while.  He then goes to the other bars on the ship looking for her.  She’s nowhere to be found.

 

Husband contacts security.  Security looks for her.  No luck.  

 

That’s where the announcement at 3:00 a.m. comes in ship wide looking for her.  There were a couple more announcements over the next ½ hour until she’s found on a security camera in a hallway, wearing a sheet for her clothes, creeping out of a cabin (not hers).

 

I guess she Wasn’t coming back to her cabin until next morning,  But, then the announcement with her name was announced all over the ship and she tried to sneak back.

Meeeeeeep. I wonder what the rest of the cruise with the husband was like!