10 Things Families Will Love About Carnival Vista

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10 Things Families Will Love About Carnival Vista

By Nancy Schretter, Editor

Today’s top family vacation destinations must please a wide variety of ages. Family groups can include college–age children and their 20–something siblings, along with aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and friends. In addition, many grandparents are taking their children and grandchildren on multigenerational vacations, so there are plenty of adults to please. Families are seeking more excitement, more adventure, more enrichment and more fun. In order to serve this changing family travel market, cruise ships must offer programs, amenities and attractions for every interest and age group.

Carnival Cruise Lines understands family vacations well. The cruise line carries an industry–leading 700,000 children each year and has been a family favorite for decades. Carnival’s newest ship, Carnival Vista, caters to this new family travel demographic perfectly. Its wide variety of activities makes it a favorite destination for multigenerational groups and families with kids of all ages.

“Multigenerational travel is one of the fastest growing segments of the cruise industry and we’ve designed Carnival Vista to appeal to guests of all ages with on–board features that can be enjoyed by the entire family,” says Caroline Lombardi, Carnival’s Director of Youth Experience. The new ship features the first–ever IMAX Theatre at sea as well as a huge water park, an innovative aerial suspended cycling experience, Carnival’s entertaining Seuss at Sea program and much more. “Each age group has its own dedicated spaces, from a 4,000–square–foot marine–themed play area for kids called Camp Ocean to the Serenity adults–only retreat and our first–ever on–board brewery,” Lombardi notes, “meaning that there’s something for everyone on Carnival Vista.”

Here are ten reasons why Carnival Vista is a hit with families and multigenerational groups:

1. Innovative New Accommodations. Parents and kids usually need more family room on vacation. With this in mind, Carnival designed a new area called Family Harbor on the Carnival Vista, featuring an innovative set of 96 “family ergonomic” staterooms. Some are family suites for five people with two bathrooms, a must for many families. Guests staying in Family Harbor can use the Family Harbor Lounge, a cool hangout with large screen televisions, board games, and complimentary breakfast and snacks. The lounge is available exclusively to Family Harbor guests. A family concierge is available daily to provide assistance with dining and shore excursion reservations, youth program activities, and age–specific recommendations. Family Harbor rooms and suites come with special amenities including free meals for children under 12 in specialty restaurants, one free evening in the late night Night Owls kids program at Camp Ocean, and more.

Carnival Vista also offers a broad array of staterooms and suite options to fit all budgets, including plenty of connecting rooms for families and multigenerational groups. Guests seeking more access to the outdoors can opt for Carnival Vista’s new Havana Cabanas featuring private outdoor patios and easy access to the Havana Bar and Pool. The Havana Pool area can be used exclusively by Havana Cabana guests until 7 p.m. daily, after which time general access is available to all Carnival Vista guests.

2. Wide Array of Dining Options. Carnival Vista caters to all tastes and dining styles. The aptly named ship has an expanded lanai area on Deck 5, enabling a number of dining and bar venues to have outdoor seating with beautiful sea views. These include Carnival's exceptional Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse, along with Bonsai Sushi, the premium ice cream bar at Cherry on Top, RedFrog Pub & Brewery, intriguing Havana Bar, and the relaxing Library Bar. New to the Carnival fleet is Carnival Vista’s Seafood Shack, an indoor–outdoor eatery featuring favorites such as steamed lobster and lobster rolls, fresh fish, fried shrimp and more. In addition to these spots with outdoor seating options, there’s a wide array of other dining options onboard Carnival Vista including the popular Guy’s Burger Joint, Ji Ji Asian Kitchen, The Chef’s Table, the Horizons and Reflections main dining rooms, Cucina del Capitano, Pizzeria del Capitano, Oceanside Barbeque, and the casual Lido Marketplace buffet.

3. SkyRide Thrills. Carnival Cruise Line’s motto is “Fun For All, All For Fun” and they certainly deliver on that promise with SkyRide. This first–of–its–kind attraction lets cruisers ride along an elevated 800–foot–long track above the ship at speeds up to 18 miles per hour, providing beautiful vistas of the sea 150 feet below. Families love racing each other on SkyRide’s dual tracks. There is no charge for SkyRide, which is just one of the many great things about Carnival cruise vacations. A number of experiences and dining venues that would carry a per–person charge on other cruise lines are available free on Carnival ships.

4. Massive WaterWorks featuring Kaleid–O–Slide. Water parks are a winner with families, even adults. Carnival Vista is equipped with the largest WaterWorks aqua park in the fleet which makes it a hit with kids and “kids at heart” of all ages. What makes this water park even better is Kaleid–O–Slide, Carnival’s first raft–type tube slide. This awesome slide features 455 feet of corkscrew twists and turns along with music and cool kaleidoscopic colors and effects. The huge aqua park also has Carnival’s signature water features including a 300–foot high–speed Twister slide and the 300–gallon PowerDrencher tipping bucket that drenches and delights younger guests. Little ones love Carnival Vista’s kiddie water play area with 30 different types of water spray toys and mini–racing slides.

5. Movies at the Multiplex. Carnival Vista features the first IMAX Theatre at sea as part of its new Carnival Multiplex. Cruisers can watch IMAX classic movies and documentaries on the big screen along with recent Hollywood blockbuster movies and family favorites. The popular Carnival Thrill Theater is also located in this area. Families also have fun watching nightly Dive–In Movies together on Carnival Vista’s massive LED flat screen overlooking the pool. These shows feature both family–oriented and action themes and they’re very popular with families and multigenerational groups.

6. SportSquare Fun Zone. Carnival Vista’s SportSquare is a fun outdoor and indoor recreation area located at the very top of the ship. Families flock here to experience SkyRide and SkyCourse, Carnival’s ropes course at sea. Guests are strapped into a safety harness and then head out to traverse the aerial course. The SportsSquare Clubhouse has indoor activities like mini–bowling and arcade–type basketball. Soccer, volleyball, ping–pong, a basketball court, SkyGreens, a jogging track and more are up in this area as well.

7. Great Family–Oriented Entertainment. For families who love competitions and winning prizes, Hasbro, The Game Show is the place to be. Hasbro, The Game Show is a TV–quality, larger–than–life show held in Carnival Vista’s Liquid Lounge. Families also enjoy family–friendly comedy shows at the Punchliner Comedy Club and playing video and arcade games at The Warehouse. After all this, families can top off their entertainment experience with sundaes from the premium ice cream parlor located inside the Cherry on Top store – always a sweet treat.

8. Cool Programs for Kids and Teens. Carnival Vista has so much to offer kids and teens that it’s sometimes hard to get them off the ship. Families are thrilled with Carnival Vista’s 4,000–square–foot Camp Ocean play zone featuring daily age–specific programs for children ages 2–11. There’s even an evening Night Owls program to entertain kids until the early morning hours. Older kids have their own brand of fun on Carnival Vista in the fully supervised Circle “C” club for 12–14 year–olds and Club O2 for 15–17 year–old guests. Carnival Cruise Line’s fleetwide program, Seuss at Sea, is very popular with families. This fun program includes the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with The Cat in the Hat and Friends. At just $5 per person, it’s easily the best value character breakfast on land or sea. Kids love the Seuss–a–Palooza Parade and Story Time and Dr. Seuss Bookville, a colorful family reading and play area on Carnival Vista.

9. Awesome Areas Just for Adults. Adults have a fantastic time on Carnival Vista. The ship has a number of great areas and entertainment features designed solely for adults such as the huge adults–only Serenity outdoor lounging area, a two–level Cloud 9 Spa with Carnival’s first infrared sauna and hamam, adults–only performances at the Punchliner Comedy Club, the awesome Alchemy Bar, and a wide variety of other spots including Carnival’s popular RedFrog Pub & Brewery featuring the first brewery at sea in North America. While the kids are enjoying their own activities, adults can have drinks and dance the night away at the Havana Bar, see a Playlist Productions show, go to a deck party, or check out the many other bars and adult attractions available onboard the ship.

10. Amazing Activities Schedule. One of the many reasons Carnival Vista works so well for families and multigenerational groups is the ship’s incredible array of activities. There are so many events and programs taking place simultaneously on Carnival Vista in a wide range of venues. Family members of all ages are sure to find something they will enjoy, so it’s easy for everyone to have fun both together and apart. Carnival Vista is a great fit for all types of vacation preferences, activity levels and interests. On this exceptional ship, guests can do as much as they’d like on vacation – or simply relax and do nothing at all.

For more information, contact your favorite travel agent or visit Carnival’s website at www.carnival.com.