Thoughts on the new Carnival Vista

[Club Disney Chandler]

Are the evening shows kid/family friendly ? Our only experience on CCL was 10 years ago on a older ship (I think it was the Destiny??). While my wife and I enjoyed the shows we felt the presentation would have perhaps been a little "coarse" had we had younger children with us. There seemed to be a lot of dancers in thongs, sexually explicite jokes and rough language. We also found the evening atmosphere to be rowdy enough (a lot of intoxicated people) that we were glad we didn't have kids with us. I'm not saying this to criticize carnival, my wife and I had a blast... It's just our experience (10 years ago) has kept us from considering CCL now that we have kids. .....vista is giving me second thoughts.

They were certainly family friendly, especially Hasbro, the Game Show, there was no cussing or crudeness at all. Outfits for the dancers were nothing different than watching Dancing with the Stars on TV. I don't think young children, (under 10??), would be as entertained as on the Disney ships at the shows.

The only show we saw that was crude was Love and Marriage, but it was an adults only show and was hilarious. My parents were on board with us and I was really hoping they would have been picked for the oldest couple. They celebrated their 60th anniversary on board but there was another couple that night that had 61 years!

I would say every stereotype that I've read about Carnival was squashed on the Vista. If you have kids under 12 I highly recommend looking into the Family Harbor area, especially the suites. If your kids are older than that the Havana Cabana rooms are amazing! They actually just changed the rules a little on that area that makes the pool exclusive to Cabana guests only until 7:00 PM now instead of 5:00.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Thank you for this report. I do love DCL but one thing I would love is a buffet option in the evening when you don't feel like going to the MDR. They had this on NCL. Did they have this on Celebrity? Thank you.

I don't know if you meant to type Celebrity or Carnival, but on Carnival, the buffet is open every night for dinner, and they have pizza available 24/7.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I don't know if you meant to type Celebrity or Carnival, but on Carnival, the buffet is open every night for dinner, and they have pizza available 24/7.

Thank you! I meant to type Carnival you are right. That is great news thanks. I like that option. Why cabanas can't do this I don't know.

 

[Hundredacre]

My kids are 17 months apart. I always take it into consideration. It would be different if they were far apart in age.



Of course kids are never too young to travel. Since my kids are close in age I didn't see the benefit of a Europe trip at age 5 and 6. If one of them would have been 11 that would have been different. They also weren't really interested in it. I'm glad we did the Mickey Mouse WDW stuff when they were young enough to really enjoy. We have been all over the Caribbean, Hawaii and Canada. We are about to make our second trip to Europe this year, and have plans to visit Asia and Australia over the next two or 3 years. They are currently 12 and 13. As a homeschooler I wanted to wait until they could really appreciate the trips overseas and remember it.

My response was to a poster who was concerned about taking a 5 and 8 year old on a long flight to Europe. She didn't feel they were ready for it. My kids certainly weren't at that age. Every family is different. You have the funds to go to Europe every year, but for some people it's a once in a lifetime trip.

I wish. Those 5 trips have spanned 9 years. We don't stay in hotels and eat out 3 meals a day in order to afford it. Rent apartments and houses, grocery shop and cook breakfast and dinner and it really helps fund the trip.

My niece is 22 months younger than my youngest DS and she started traveling with us when she was 4. Her first "big" trip was Hawaii when she was 6. Does she remember every detail? Nope, but that is not why we chose to travel with them when they were so young. Too us it was about giving them a view of the world and a love of travel to take into adulthood.

Having travelled extensively international ly with our first child when he was very young, all I can say is there is no way I would travel internationally with our younger ones. Regardless of what they would or would not retain, the flights alone are a serious deterrent. Not a vacation as far as I am concerned. Maybe when they are 14+. The best was when we had been on planes for 20 hours and came back through Atlanta to be told by a delta agent that there just were not any seats on the flight we were booked on and that it would be about a 10 hour wait to get on a flight. Awful.

 

[DCLBACH]

They were certainly family friendly, especially Hasbro, the Game Show, there was no cussing or crudeness at all. Outfits for the dancers were nothing different than watching Dancing with the Stars on TV. I don't think young children, (under 10??), would be as entertained as on the Disney ships at the shows.

The only show we saw that was crude was Love and Marriage, but it was an adults only show and was hilarious. My parents were on board with us and I was really hoping they would have been picked for the oldest couple. They celebrated their 60th anniversary on board but there was another couple that night that had 61 years!

I would say every stereotype that I've read about Carnival was squashed on the Vista. If you have kids under 12 I highly recommend looking into the Family Harbor area, especially the suites. If your kids are older than that the Havana Cabana rooms are amazing! They actually just changed the rules a little on that area that makes the pool exclusive to Cabana guests only until 7:00 PM now instead of 5:00.

How was the evening atmosphere ? A lot of partying ?

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

How was the evening atmosphere ? A lot of partying ?

Just people enjoying the various parts of the ship and having fun, never saw any out of control atmosphere. Just an overall fun vibe, I understand why they're called the FUN ships, the night time deck parties were great and very family friendly. The CD's are fantastic!

 

[DCLBACH]

Just people enjoying the various parts of the ship and having fun, never saw any out of control atmosphere. Just an overall fun vibe, I understand why they're called the FUN ships, the night time deck parties were great and very family friendly. The CD's are fantastic!

Great to hear. Thanks for all your feedback and trip report.

 

[Ofinn]

Having travelled extensively international ly with our first child when he was very young, all I can say is there is no way I would travel internationally with our younger ones. Regardless of what they would or would not retain, the flights alone are a serious deterrent. Not a vacation as far as I am concerned. Maybe when they are 14+. The best was when we had been on planes for 20 hours and came back through Atlanta to be told by a delta agent that there just were not any seats on the flight we were booked on and that it would be about a 10 hour wait to get on a flight. Awful.

As a standby flyer I can appreciate that. I have lots and lots of stories. I will say my kids are real troopers and take it all in stride. 90% of the time it all goes well. Its the 10% that can get real crazy.

Thank you! I meant to type Carnival you are right. That is great news thanks. I like that option. Why cabanas can't do this I don't know.

Cabanas does a sit down dinner. I dont think enough people would go to the buffet to make it worth it. The young kids like the entertainment in the MDRs. It would be nice if they kept the soda machines turned on 24 hours. They started shutting them off at 11 pm on our last cruise. My kids dont drink soda, but they were upset about not being able to get ice water at night. I dont think they will have this problem on the Vista since we have access to the family harbor lounge.

 

[mevelandry]

Hello!

I was wondering if you have tried any specialty dining? So far I asked for a booking in Cucina del Capitano and Jiji ... (And if you did, did you like it?) But I'm wondering if the Steak House is worth it? (Not sure I wanna pay 35$/pp when there are amazing food everywhere on the ship).

 

[AquaDame]

Looks like this thread is going off topic... I am not sure we need two Carnival threads on a DCL board so I am going to close this one since it had been buried since August. I see you posting in the other one also mevelandry - would you mind asking this question there? Thanks!