Setting
Harmony of the Seas has grabbed the headlines recently, but it’s not the only new ship worth knowing about, finds the Travel Weekly team
TRIED & TESTED by Hollie-Rae Merrick
a horse: I would race down the road on a bright pink bike, but in my mind I was riding a stallion, galloping to the finish line of the Grand National. I returned to that happy
Carnival Vista W
hen I was younger, I used to pretend my bike was
place as I pedalled around an 800ft track on the top deck of Carnival Vista, 150ft above the sea. The SkyRide is the standout feature on board Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship, although adrenaline junkies will also enjoy the line’s largest Waterworks, which features two waterslides, including a jazzy new Kaleid-O-Slide. There’s a splash area for
younger fun-seekers and the excitement continues in kids’ club Camp Ocean. Carnival’s partnership with Seuss Enterprises means children can meet Thing 1 and 2, and even Dr Seuss himself, at a Green Eggs and Ham breakfast (€5). While the children play, adults wanting a slice of heaven – in the
form of pure peace and quiet – can take their choice from the two-deck Cloud 9 spa, which features the line’s first infrared sauna and Turkish bath, or the adult-only Serenity Deck, where guests have to be 21 and over. My favourite restaurant was Ji Ji Asian Kitchen (it may even be my favourite at sea), but new dining option the Seafood Shack is also a hit, serving lobster BLTs, oysters and good old fish and chips for guests dining alfresco by the pool at the back of the ship. The Seafood Shack also prepares fresh fish bought in port each day to any restaurant on board, if pre-ordered that morning (priced by the pound at the market). Other foodie favourites
brought over from the rest of the fleet include Bonsai Sushi, Guy’s Burger Joint and Italian restaurant Cucina del Capitano. Thirsty guests can sup a pint
from the ship’s own brewery – the first of its kind at sea. Another first is the Imax cinema – it’s a wonder that one has not been put on a ship before. The screen is massive, showing new releases as they hit cinemas around the world. I was treated to a preview of The
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travelweekly.co.uk 9 June 2016
sale
Jungle Book and was eager to return for another showing. Two new cabin categories
have proved particularly popular in the UK market, prompting a record number of Brits to book Vista’s European sailings. The Havana Cabana
staterooms are as cool as it gets on this ship: stylish and exclusive, they’re off-limits to under-12s, and guests get private access to the Havana pool until 5pm. Families, meanwhile, have been snapping up Family Harbor cabins, which have access to a private lounge. The 3,936-passenger Carnival
Vista marks Carnival Cruise Line’s first return to Europe since 2013: the ship will remain in European waters until October, when it moves stateside, but the line has hinted at a return in 2018 with its next new ship, currently known as Vista 2. BOOK IT: An eight-night cruise on Carnival Vista costs from £549 cruise-only, based on a round-trip sailing departing August 26 from Barcelona, calling at Messina, Naples, Rome and Livorno, Italy; Marseille, France; and Palma, Majorca. Guests receive $100 onboard credit.
goccl.co.uk
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