Carnival Vista- 11/6 Monday, Sea Day- Post One
Monday, November 6th 2017, Sea Day:
The day started with another dose of Blue Iguana breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros, which I’m now super craving as I type this. We rushed over to the Sky Ride at 8:50am and got in the line that was already forming. There were nine people in front of us, and the line quickly extended behind us. The staff working the Sky Ride were doing their safety checks and opened pretty close to 9am. The line moved pretty quickly and my husband was riding by 9:20ish. We decided that he would ride first and take the YI action camera and I would hold on to our electronics, then when he returned to the platform I would ride. I know this might not be the most considerate thing to do, but other people were able to ride in between our turns and we didn’t hold the line up by doing this. The workers found other single-person riders to ride next to us, so we weren’t wasting anyone’s turns.
And then it happened. While in line for the SkyRide, I met the type of person who writes those terrible, over-the-top horrible reviews of Carnival ships. I don’t think she had a single ounce of fun in the 48 hours she had been on the ship. She shared that normally she sails from Europe on smaller fancier ships and she totally regretted sailing on the Vista because it was filthy (the plates in the hallway really got to her) and the people are loud and rude and the embarkation was a nightmare. I really do kinda feel bad for her and I hope she found some enjoyment at some point on this beautiful cruise. I always make it a point to acknowledge that a trip is what you make of it, and if you want to find the negatives then you will. Yes, there were a few room service plates outside doors in the hallway- that’s where they’re supposed to go. Am I going to let that ruin my cruise? Absolutely not.
To make up for that sidebar of negativity, here’s our footage of the SkyRide!
My husband's trip on the SkyRide. He said his footage was so shaky and full of motion because he couldn't stop looking at everything! I suppose that's valid when you're on this awesome ride!
My trip on the SkyRide. I tried to be more conscious of the camera and move my head steadily and smoothly. Personally, I like my video better š
The SkyRide was super fun, and slightly nerve-wracking. I never thought I’d be that high off the deck on a cruise ship riding on an open-air bicycle and even though I was belted in with two different safety mechanisms, it was still a little scary. But also so much fun! The dip when going from the inside to the outside was much faster than I was expecting but also provided a jolt of adrenaline. If you’re a thrill-seeker or even willing to go out of your comfort zone in a safe way, I would very much recommend trying the SkyRide. Also the design and engineering involved is really just remarkable and inventive.
He's ready to go!
There I go!
After experiencing the SkyRide, we walked around the lido and other sun decks before getting to the lanai on deck five. We grabbed a two-person circular lounger and sat there looking out at the ocean for a bit before deciding we were burnt and needed shade. The weather was incredibly beautiful and we were really enjoying the views, so we found some seats underneath the overhang of Bonsai Sushi and stayed there for over an hour reading, napping, and enjoying refreshing beverages. It was so relaxing and refreshing. As I look out at the snow-covered, 9-degree weather of Iowa right now, I’m really missing this moment I just described above.
For real, can this be my everyday?
We walked up to the Serenity and got in line for the salad bar, Fresh Creations. The line stood still for a good 5 minutes while workers were bringing up clean bowls from wherever they go to be washed. Not the best design if they’re going all the way to the galley to be washed and then need to be brought back up to deck 15. It was VERY windy outside and not conducive to building a salad in open air. The lettuce and spinach were covered by plastic lids and really hard to get to with tongs, and some of the salad toppings were also flying around. Trying to hold onto your plate while serving flying food was not a pleasant time. We decided that eating outside was not a possibility so we went down to the Pub & Brewery to eat lunch and buy our very first fishbowl. What an experience that was! Also very surprising how quickly you make friends while sipping a fishbowl, as several people approached us to ask what we were drinking or how to get one. So fun!
I promise I shared some of it with my husband!
Our next agenda item was Big Bang Theory trivia in the Ocean Plaza, which was fun and jam-packed full of BBT lovers. Unfortunately we did not win, because we’re apparently not die-hards like some other people, even though we’ve seen every single episode. Boo. At some point we made our way back to the room where we discovered our super sweet gift from John Heald, the senior cruise director and brand ambassador for Carnival. Fun Tip: if you write on his FB wall about 2-3 days before your cruise, with your name, room number, and occasion you’re celebrating, he will try to send you a little gift to your room. A please or thank you won’t hurt the cause either! I had my husband write on JH’s wall for my birthday/our honeymoon, and I am so happy that he took the time to send a little gift. AND WE GOT A SHIP ON A STICK! The trivia wouldn't prove very fruitful this cruise, but I'm so glad we still walked away with a "24K gold ship on a stick"
We tried our hand at sports trivia before heading to the Horizons MDR for our first dining room experience of the cruise. Overall it was pretty tasty and we definitely left very full. We had Your Time Dining, so we showed up at the check-in on Deck 5 right next to the Java Blue/Shake Spot venue and were given a ticket to head down to Deck 3 for the MDR. There was maybe like one person ahead of us in line, and I don’t think we ever waited more than 5 minutes between getting to the check-in line and getting to the doors of the MDR to be seated immediately. It seems like a pretty good system to me, because there’s no lines outside the MDR. My husband had the braised ox tongue that “melts in your mouth” (that’s a direct quote, ladies and gents). He also was so excited about trying the Indian entree because I had told him many people have positive things to say about it, and he is officially now one of those people. He said it was delicious and he’s looking forward to getting it again. I had the peach soup and loved it, but wasn’t a huge fan of my BBQ spareribs as they were just alright and not noteworthy (yet here I go making a note...). We split a s’more parfait and OH WOW I wish I got two and I wish we had even more than that. It was incredible. My husband had the double roasted pineapple and that had amazing flavor as well.
Horizons Bar
A blurry picture of the Indian food:
We saw Amor Cubano in the main theatre and really enjoyed it. I will confirm what most others say about the theatre (Liquid Lounge) on the Vista- it’s not great. The seating isn’t well planned and the lines of sight are sometimes interrupted by giant posts. We did find seats early enough that weren’t too bad, but I really don’t enjoy the theatre layout as a whole. The show was pretty great and I’m glad we went. The comedian, John Floyd, on the other hand, was not entertaining and we left within 10 minutes of it starting. Thankfully we were right by a door in the back so we didn’t cause a lot of disturbance by leaving. The Limelight Lounge is a nice space to the comedy shows, but you absolutely need to show up 20+ minutes before showtime if you even want a chance at a seat. Also, I am confused why they named the Limelight and Liquid lounges very similar names. We decided to head to the room and get ready for Aruba the next morning before going to sleep.
Another beautiful Dreamscape:
Bonus Portrait we had taken:
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