Carnival Vista Here We Come

 Sisters Travel Adventure Series

     Epic Cruise Carnival Vista

img_0727Carnival Vista Here We Come!

Europe Here We Come!

The Sisters Are Arriving!

Our first back to back cruise! Our first trip to Europe! Our first cruise on the Mediterranean Sea! Our first transatlantic cruise! All these first at the same time! For months we have been in anticipation but I haven’t been able to really absorb the concept. Standing here I still can’t absorb the concept or have a clue as to what I am about to experience.

10-day Europe/Mediterranean Cruise

Itinerary: Piraeus, Greece – Sea Day – Rhodes, Greece – Sea Day – Valletta, Malta – Messina, Italy – Naples, Italy – Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome) – Livorno, Italy – Marseilles, France – Barcelona, Spain

13-day Transatlantic Cruise

Itinerary: Barcelona, Spain – Sea Day – Gibraltar – Sea Day – Sea Day – Porta Delgada, Azores, Portugal – Sea Day – Sea Day- Sea Day – Sea Day – Bermuda – Bermuda/Sea Day – Sea Day- New York City

Twenty-three days on the ship! Exciting! It is what I dream about. I could live on a ship. I wish I could live on a ship! We are really here. We are really doing this. I have to keep telling myself this is really happening.

Boarding Carnival Vista

The ship arrived yesterday. She has been sitting in port. We have time to do some more sightseeing but we just want to get on board. Breakfast at the hotel, repack our suitcases, killing time, check-out time is approaching, we head to the lobby. It is raining. Not like it was in Galveston last year but rain never the less.

I expect to be wowed stepping on the ship but instead I feel like I am arriving home. The entrance- the Atrium is familiar yet different than I remember. Of course this is a different ship. The newest ship.

“I miss the glass elevators. t doesn’t seem right.” Susan loved the glass elevators.

I can’t say I miss them. They looked nice but I hated riding in them!

cam02278

The centerpiece is a LED light that goes up the three stories. Blue with fish swimming around it.

The light design can be changed. cam02286

There is another one in the casino bar.

Forward is the main showroom, The Liquid Lounge. Our cabin is one deck down and all the way aft. Down the stairs we begin the long walk down the hallway. I can’t see the end of the hall.

Huffing and puffing, “I can’t do this it is too far. We have to find an easier way to get to our room.”

Shaking my head, “It is a long way from the front of the ship to the back. Hopefully most of the time we will be in the aft of the ship and not forward but if you are it will always be a long walk no matter what deck you walk down or how you go.”

cam02254

Our cabin is in the Family Harbor section of the ship. The Family Harbor section has cabins that are suited for families, with more space and bunks in some or adjoining rooms. There is also a lounge exclusively for these cabins. The lounge has couches, a tv, computer, tables, and board games. There is a refrigerator with milk and juice, coffee including a cappuccino machine, tea and ice cream available all day. In the mornings a breakfast is served which includes scrambled eggs, waffles, bacon, sausage, potatoes, fruits, a selection of cereal, and pastries. In the afternoon from 3 to 5 pm there is cookies, cakes and small sandwiches. This room turns out to be an added bonus that we are grateful for every port day!

Reaching our door stateroom # 2493. cam02253Susan inserts her key, otherwise known as our Sail & Sign Card. I like this cabin. It is larger than our last cabin. The odd shape suits me. Susan is not so sure. I think it is the fact that it is at the very aft end of the ship and the long walk down the hall to get here.

I take the bed by the window. We are lucky because we are staying in this cabin for both cruises so we will not have to pack and resettle when this cruise ends and the next one begins. We drop our carry-ons and off we head to the lido deck for some lunch and a drink! The elevators and stairs in the aft section are not far.

The grandness of the ship is in its size. I am not wowed by the décor, modern in style. I miss the grand old ships of the past, the Mardi Gras still has my fondest memories. The outside decks on this ship make up for what she lacks (for me) inside. As the days go along I will explore what I can of this ship. I don’t think I will explore it all even in 23 days!

Settled on the ship! Let the fun begin. I hope there are no more surprises like our cancelled fight but anything can happen. This is home base for twenty-three days as we explore Europe for the first time. This is going to be a busy port heavy first cruise. Susan is looking forward to it. I am not sure about all the ports day after day. For now I need to just relax and rest because it will be a major change from my lifestyle.

No time really to relax for now. Sail away party, unpacking, dinner and off to check out the piano bar. I sure hope the entertainer is better than on the last cruise.

Arriving at the piano bar, the room is packed. A good sign. Last cruise the piano bar was empty. On the Splendor it was packed like this every night. I stand at the doorway. Then I spot one seat at the piano bar, near a pool, a seat no one wants but I can watch a bit from her and see how Ben is and take stock of the crowd who is here. I see some people who seem familiar, possible from another cruise. Soon I am right in there singing and talking with everyone at the piano bar.

cam02356

Ben turns out to be fun. At least for now. This is a big ship with lots of entertainment. Too many choices and believe it or not – not enough time. We have long port days and late dinners so I don’t know how long I will last each night throughout this week at least. I am glad that our first day is a sea day. So another glass of wine and keep in singing along with Ben and the full room of guests.

Finally I begin fizzling out. I slip out of the piano bar and begin that walk down through the corridors and stairs to the cabin.

Author: cathy33

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *