Kmom Live-ish from Carnival Vista April 23-30, 2022

[KmomChicago]

[mondello]

7 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

Good thing I never saw anything like that back when I was trippin! So many variations on the lighting.

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

Onboard.

YAY!!!!!!

[KmomChicago]

We arrived at port around 1230 which was the end of our appointment time and 2.5 hours after the shuttle’s 10:00 scheduled departure. The interstate is entirely ripped apart, 2 lanes in each direction. The line outside the terminal was CRAZY long but moved along pretty well.

 

We got to the first pre check-in person who noted the health assessment problem which I explained, she asked a few questions, said it was fine and sent us on our way. At the real check in desk the same happened so it wasn’t fine, and this one walked us over to “medical.” The lady there said I had said yes to ALL the listed symptoms which I definitely didn’t. 
 

Also at the pier they ask about symptoms in the past ten days, but on the website it was 14 days, plus I answered three days ago. I told them I had no symptoms in the past ten days. We discussed a minute, they looked at my Covid test again, cleared me and off we went. I did not go take my hundred dollar booked port test but don’t regret booking it. It fits exactly the kind of karma I seem to attract. I prepare and over prepare and it’s overkill and as soon as I get the slightest bit sloppy it all goes to heck in a hand basket. 
 

Sail away party was at 4:15 as scheduled, but we didn’t sail away. We were delayed until around 6 and of course we don’t know why but  the traffic delays might have factored in and the the anti-musters. We’re out in the gulf now, and we’re both pretty worn out. Likely turning in very soon, very early tonight. 
 

 

Edited April 24, 2022 by KmomChicago

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

We arrived at port around 1230 which was the end of our appointment time and 2.5 hours after the shuttle’s 10:00 scheduled departure. The interstate is entirely ripped apart, 2 lanes in each direction. The line outside the terminal was CRAZY long but moved along pretty well.

 

We got to the first pre check-in person who noted the health assessment problem which I explained, she asked a few questions, said it was fine and sent us on our way. At the real check in desk the same happened so it wasn’t fine, and this one walked us over to “medical.” The lady there said I had said yes to ALL the listed symptoms which I definitely didn’t. 
 

Also at the pier they ask about symptoms in the past ten days, but on the website it was 14 days, plus I answered three days ago. I told them I had no symptoms in the past ten days. We discussed a minute, they looked at my Covid test again, cleared me and off we went. I did not go take my hundred dollar booked port test but don’t regret booking it. It fits exactly the kind of karma I seem to attract. I prepare and over prepare and it’s overkill and as soon as I get the slightest bit sloppy it all goes to heck in a hand basket. 
 

Sail away party was at 4:15 as scheduled, but we didn’t sail away. We were delayed until around 6 and of course we don’t know why but  the traffic delays might have factored in and the the anti-musters. We’re out in the gulf now, and we’re both pretty worn out. Likely turning in very soon, very early tonight. 
 

 

Looking forward to the review of the actual sailing now that you are safely onboard.

 

I was going to ask about your boarding experience after the test questions, but I am glad I waited as you have now posted them.

[georgiacat]

Glad to see you back.  Following along.

[KmomChicago]

Our room is one of the forward picture window behind a secret deck rooms with more or less the Cap’n’s view of the sea. 
 

The room was fairly cheap as it’s deemed sort of the best of the interior cabins. It only holds two so we’ve never been able to try it before as our teen is usually with us. It’s comfortable and feels roomy with some open floor space. The foot of the bed seems about a meter away from the wall which feels luxurious. The room is shorter but wider than the typical long thin room along the sides of the ship. Carpet looks snd feels nearly new. Room has no weird smells.

 

There is a slight noise problem. Every few minutes there’s a shuddering kind of banging sound that is obviously related to the ship’s movement. It is muffly, lol sounds like a cabin door banging on its frame a deck below and is accompanied by vibration. It’s not extremely loud and we slept through it last night but it’s not the tomblike silence I really love. We can also feel a lot of motion so this room might not be a good choice for everyone. 

There are only 2 closets  rather than the usual 3 and no couch, which is sort of irrelevant as it’s always made up into the teen’s bed anyway so we don’t use it for seating. There is room between the bed and bathroom for an easy chair but then perhaps it would feel cluttered which it doesn’t now. 
 

The decor is just as anyone can see in the standard photos. Clean and comfortable, relatively timeless and neutral, properly beigeified for the post Farcus cruise ship design era. This is my 5th Carnival cruise and 2nd non-Farcus after Mardi Gras.  
 

Joe Farcus is the zany and brilliantly creative interior designer who made the older Carnival ships the unique mix of wackiness that people love or hate to this day. This is our 5th Carnival cruise and second post-Farcus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KmomChicago]

We had Cucina for supper and I’m sorry to say we were too tired and not hungry enough to get much out of it. 
 

The bread, of course is divine and I wish they would quit serving it as it’s like food crack for this chubby girl and I WILL fill up on it. 
 

I wanted something kind of light (lol - I know I was in the wrong place) and meat didn’t sound appealing so I ordered minestrone, eggplant parmigiana, and lentils. The lentils were my favorite of the three. I can’t make tasty lentils at home which is annoying because they are so cheap, sustainable and nutritious. 
 

Hubby had Nonna’s meatball, chicken parm and broccoli and cauliflower. 

Edited April 24, 2022 by KmomChicago

[arctickitty]

So glad you made it through health security!  
 

I had lentils as part of my dinner last night!  

[KmomChicago]

I got a ton of sleep in phases. Asleep before 9, woke briefly due to an emergency announcement around 11 about a missing passenger!! 😳

 

They must have been found because nothing more has been said. Slept deep until 3, woke up for an hour, slept until 8 and then brunch.

[KmomChicago]

HEAR YE, HEAR YE. The brunch steak and eggs is NO LONGER FILET. It was a loin strip. Still good and pretty tender but not so much as a filet. 
 

In fact the menu just says steak and eggs. Doesn’t describe the steak so I wonder if it can be whatever is available with supply chain issues. Maybe even the dreaded flat iron steak!! 

[KmomChicago]

Won nothing at Fun Aboard Fun Ashore but Kyndall Fire is indeed awesome. 
 

Trying again at Caribbean shopping show. I don’t like jewelry but I like bamboo clothes and sheets and the color change merch. I don’t see perfume or body care products highlighted in the map book. 

[KmomChicago]

Got two of these sweet tote bags just for showing up at the Caribbean Shopping Show.

Edited April 24, 2022 by KmomChicago

[KmomChicago]

Cariloa bamboo lei.

[KmomChicago]

You can get these free fun ships barrels just for showing up at various shopping events and you can enter a cruise sweepstakes. I read the rules. The odds are not in your favor.

[KmomChicago]

Caribbean shopping show went almost 90 minutes! Dropping stuff in the room then lunch.

[KmomChicago]

[KmomChicago]

We had Mongolian Wok in the Jiji’s space for lunch and I would have preferred the buffet, but it was okay, acceptable. It was very busy, and it seems a barely controlled operation. The salad was tasty. 
 

Grabbed cake downstairs in the buffet, really yummy. Green tea checkers cake and strawberry Mille fuille. 

[KmomChicago]

Rode the Skyride, the little bikes on a track and I really liked it. Hope to do it again. The ship is very pretty and we are enjoying ourselves.

[Hogladyrider]

@KmomChicagoso glad you are getting some quality time with hubby and enjoying your cruise.  Well earned my Tribe friend.  Enjoying your pics and posts.

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

Loved the Mongolian Wok, but did not like the lines.

 

I don't remember beer and wine being added to the choices; I guess that is new.

[Saint Greg]

On 4/23/2022 at 1:51 PM, KmomChicago said:

Don’t shower with the bathroom door open!

[mondello]

4 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Don’t shower with the bathroom door open!

Would that be the secret door everyone is trying to find?

[Saint Greg]

5 minutes ago, mondello said:

Would that be the secret door everyone is trying to find?

 I don’t know about any secret doors but I was in that room type on Vista in December and everytime I took a shower with the bathroom door open it set off the smoke alarm and some big mean looking guy in a fire proof suit came banging on my door. Sometimes preceded by a call from the navigation bridge.

 

Edited April 24, 2022 by Saint Greg

[mondello]

5 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 I don’t know about any secret doors but I was in that room type on Vista in December and everytime I took a shower with the bathroom door open it set off the smoke alarm and some big mean looking guy in a fire proof suit came banging on my door. Sometimes preceded by a call from the navigation bridge.

 

Just kidding about the door, thought you meant others were getting a great view.