7 Things Families Will Love About Carnival Vista

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7 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 multi–generational vacations – so there are plenty of adults to please. Today’s families are seeking more excitement, more adventure, more enrichment and more fun. In order to serve this changing demographic, cruise ships must offer programs, amenities and attractions for every interest and age group.

Carnival Cruise Line understands this market well. The cruise line carries over 700,000 children each year and has been a family favorite for decades. Carnival’s soon–to–be–launched ship, the Carnival Vista, reflects this new view of family travel perfectly.

“Multi–generational travel is one of the fastest growing segments of the cruise industry and we’ve designed the 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. “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 the Carnival Vista.”

Here are seven reasons why Carnival Vista’s ageless appeal will make it a hit with families and multigenerational groups:

1. Sky Ride. Carnival Cruise Line’s motto is “Fun For All, All For Fun” and they’re delivering on the promise with Sky Ride. 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. Carnival understands enjoying a family vacation doesn’t include worrying about how much everything costs, so there is no charge for Sky Ride. That’s one of the many great things about Carnival cruise vacations. A number of experiences and dining venues that carry a per–person charge on other cruise lines are available free on Carnival ships.

2. Massive WaterWorks featuring Kaleid–O–Slide. Water parks are a winner with families, even for adults. The Carnival Vista is equipped with the largest WaterWorks aqua park in the fleet – sure to be a hit with kids and “kids at heart” of all ages. What makes this aqua park even better is Kaleid–o–Slide, Carnival’s first inner–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 will love Carnival Vista’s kiddie water play area with 30 different types of water spray toys and mini–racing slides.

3. Awesome Onboard Entertainment. Carnival Vista will feature the first IMAX Theater on any cruise ship as part of its Carnival Multiplex. Cruisers will be able to watch IMAX classic movies and documentaries along with recent Hollywood blockbuster movies and family favorites. The popular Carnival Thrill Theater is also located in this area. Guests love being totally immersed in their movie experience as their seats move back and forth, bubbles appear and they’re sprayed with water. Fun video and arcade games at The Warehouse complete the Carnival Multiplex line–up on the Carnival Vista. Families will also enjoy participating in Hasbro, The Game Show and family–friendly comedy shows at the Punchliner Comedy Club presented by George Lopez. Topping off the family vacation experience on the Carnival Vista will be a premium ice cream parlor located inside the Cherry on Top store – always a sweet treat.

4. Innovative New Accommodations. Parents and kids often need a bit more family room on vacation. With this in mind, Carnival has designed a separate area called Family Harbor on the Carnival Vista, featuring a new set of 96 “family ergonomic” accommodations. 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. A family concierge caters exclusively to Family Harbor guests, providing assistance with dining and shore excursion reservations, youth program activities, and age–specific recommendations. Family Harbor rooms and suites come with special amenities such as free meals for children under age 12 in specialty restaurants, one free evening in the late night Night Owls kids program at Camp Ocean, and ‘round the clock access to the Family Harbor Lounge.

Carnival Vista will offer a broad array of staterooms and suite options including plenty of connecting rooms for families and multigenerational groups. Guests seeking more access to the outdoors can opt for the new Havana Cabanas featuring private outdoor patios and easy access to the Havana Bar and Pool.

5. Fun Play Areas for Kids. 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 – 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 that will be available on the Carnival Vista. Families will also be thrilled with the ship’s 4,000–square–foot Camp Ocean play zone with programs and engaging activities for children ages 2 to 11. Older kids will have their own brand of fun on the Carnival Vista in the fully supervised Circle “C” club for 12–14 year–olds and Club O2 for 15–17 year–old guests.

6. Cool Areas Just for Adults. Families with young adults will have a fantastic time on the Carnival Vista. The ship has a number of great areas and entertainment features designed solely for adults such as the adults–only Serenity outdoor lounging area with beautiful views, a two–level Cloud 9 Spa with Carnival’s first infrared sauna and hamam, adults–only performances at the Punchliner Comedy Club presented by George Lopez, and a wide variety of other spots including Carnival’s ever–popular RedFrog Pub with Carnival’s first ever onboard brewery. While the kids are enjoying their own activities, adults can have drinks and dance the night away at the Havana Bar or check out the many other bars and adult attractions onboard the ship.

7. Dining with a View. The aptly named Carnival Vista is designed with an expanded Lanai area on Deck 5, enabling a number of dining and bar venues with outdoor seating. These will include Carnival’s steakhouse – Fahrenheit 555, Bonsai Sushi, the new premium ice cream bar at Cherry on Top, the RedFrog Pub, Havana Bar, and the relaxing Library Bar. New to the Carnival fleet is the Vista’s Seafood Shack, an indoor–outdoor eatery featuring favorites such as steamed lobster and lobster rolls, crab cakes, fried shrimp and more. In addition to these spots with outdoor seating options, there are a wide array of dining options onboard the Carnival Vista including the popular Guy’s Burger Joint, Ji Ji Asian Kitchen and Cucina del Capitano.

The Carnival Vista is scheduled to begin sailing in Europe on May 1, 2016. The ship will reposition to New York in November for several sailings before moving to its home port of Miami for year–round Caribbean sailings. For more information, contact your favorite travel agent or visit Carnival’s website at www.carnival.com.