Not much longer now! That’s right we only have a handful of days left until the Carnival Vista welcomes her first guest on board! As of right now she has finished all of the sea trials and the crew should be on board getting everything ready! May 1st will be the first sailing and she will continue to travel around the Mediterranean until later in 2016 when she makes her way across the Atlantic to the US.

***Photo Courtesy of Carnival***
It’s been a few years since the Carnival Breeze started sailing and I have no doubt in my mind that this one will be better than the last! We are booked on one of the first sailings, so keep an eye out for that! I am really excited to get over to Europe and see her for myself, but for now, Carnival pics will have to do! With that in mind, I decided to do a preview post of a few of the new and improved features that I am most excited to see!
Red Frog Pub
Red Frog Pub is not a new feature to Carnival but the Vista will have something a little special that we have not seen before…the 1st American brewery at sea. Yes you heard me right…they are going to be brewing beer on the cruise ship! Cruisers will be able to see the brew tanks on board, get the house made beer at the regular bar and pour their own beers through special tabletop beer taps. Here are the beers that are to be brewed on board. Cheers!
- ThirstyFrog Port Hoppin’ IPA – aromatic, floral and hoppy notes with passion fruit and citrus overtones
- ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat – unfiltered lager with aromas of bananas and spices
- FriskyFrog Java Stout – Carnival Vista’s take on a traditional stout, rich and creamy with hints of coffee

Sneak peek of the Red Frog Pub’s brew tanks on the Vista! ***Photo Courtesy of Carnival***
IMAX Theater

***Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line*** We all love to settled down from time to time to watch a flick, whether it is poolside or inside. I’m sure we are all familiar with the Seaside Theater and Dive-In Movies…some of you may even be familiar with the Thrill Theater. But wait… what is this? The Vista is going to have the 1st IMAX theater at sea. Even better is that it will be showing 1st run movies that will be shown on two screens.
SkyRide

***Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line***
Skyride is a peddle-powered roller coaster car that goes around the ropes course on the top deck. The ride is 800 feet long and 150 feet above the water and can get going up to 25mph. Hope you’re not afraid of heights! I am pretty interested to see this in person and I am not afraid of heights so it should be lots of fun!
Kaleid-O-Slide
At a dizzying 455 feet long this slide features visual effects along with twists and turns. This will be the cruise line’s first water raft ride. I’m kind of interested in seeing how they plan to get the rafts back up to the top once people are done at the bottom of the slide…
Havana Pool
Palm trees, thatched huts, hot tubs, colorful umbrellas, comfy seating, and the best view on the ship. Sound like paradise? I’m pretty sure this might be a possibility! There is also the Havana Bar that will authentic Cuban food and drinks.

Photo Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line
Atrium
A new kind of atrium will be found on the Carnival Vista. It will feature a multi-deck funnel-shaped LED screen and visuals to help set the mood. So far, I have seen a varieties of blue and green with tropical beach themes and shades of red.
New Restaurant and Some Old Favorites

***Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line***
The Seafood Shack – indoor/outdoor dining venue near the Lido Marketplace. The menu is full of delicious seafood and fresh favorites available for purchase with prices ranging from $3-$16
Cherry on Top – The candy shop is upgraded and will include ice cream bar with outdoor seating. Can you say yummy?
Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, Fahrenheit 555, Bonsai Sushi, The Chef’s Table, Ji-Ji Asian Kitchen, Cucina del Capitano – All the normal favorites will be there. Mmmmm!
So there is my list of things I am really excited to see on board the newest member of the Carnival family, the Carnival Vista! Of course, just being on a boat make me happy but to experience a brand new ship will be something completely different!
Comments 16
I’ve never been on a cruise because I thought they would be boring, but I am amazed how much there is to do! It looks like you are going to have a great trip and I can’t wait to read about it when you get back!
Author
Laura – You should definitely try one! I wasn’t sure I would like it either and now I am hooked! Every cruise line is a little different in what they have to offer. Check out some of our other articles about cruises…we have some for Royal Caribbean, Holland America and MSC! Cheers and happy sailing!
I got married on a Carnival ship years ago and it was a wonderful and fun experience. They keep evolving and glad to see they are still going strong. perhaps we’ll get on one again for our 20th!
Author
Which ship did you get married on? I am definitely loving the decor of the newer ships! The Breeze was beautiful and I am sure that Vista will be incredible too!
Holy crap, I had no idea that cruise ships could have that much going on! A roller coaster and an iMax theatre? crazy!
Author
They really are floating cities and there is something for everyone! I am really excited to see this new Carnival ship. You should subscribe to my newsletter and follow my trip in a couple weeks! 🙂
How exciting! I’m going on my first cruise ever in exactly one month via Carnival Inspiration (Los Angeles to Ensenada) – only 3 days but I’m still so excited since it’ll be a completely new experience! Looking forward to seeing your post after your trip!
Author
Kana, That is awesome! I really hope you have a wonderful trip! I am looking into on of the longer cruises out of LA to go down to Cabo. 🙂 Signup for our newsletter and make sure you don’t miss our posts about the Vista! http://eepurl.com/bXmtXf
I have been all around the world, but have yet to take a cruise. This looks amazing! I hope you have a fantastic trip!
Author
I’m still working on the around the world part, but cruises are such fun! Do you have any plans to take a cruise in the future?
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This looks like so much fun! we hope to take a Carnival Cruise soon!
Author
Hi Lindsay! Carnival has so many options available for cruising! So many ports to choose from and cruise lengths! Florida seems to have the most available though. 😀
I can see why you’re excited!! An IMAX Theater…Stop. It. So cool! Would love to read your trip re-cap when you’re back!
Author
I really hope you do come back and see the trip re-cap! In addition to the Vista we will also be visiting Barcelona, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal!
You sound really excited! I hope you have a great trip!
Author
I am really excited for sure! I am counting down the days! ?