Carnival Vista May 13 - 20, 2023 out of Galveston
Cody and I have taken a cruise for the past several years in between our birthdays to celebrate us. Cody's birthdate is April 27, 1989, and mine is May 31st! This year's cruise was from May 13th to the 20th. We traveled from Galveston, TX to the Caribean and back and it was a trip to remember!!!
I grabbed Cody from work and we took off from Little Rock. We road-tripped straight to the port driving all night long. There were plenty of chargers this time down, but we had to stop more frequently to charge it seemed. We arrived around 6:30 am and slept at Target in Galveston for about an hour and a half before heading to the Vista.
Day 1 - May 13
We dropped our luggage at the curb, parked the car, and were on the ship in less than an hour. The onboarding process was the easiest it has been since COVID. We were able to get in the room at about 1:30 pm and napped for a few hours because the drive down is always exhausting when going straight through. We did not get our luggage until around 6 pm. I have to admit I was a bit nervous because I don't remember ever getting it that late before. The room steward said there was a mix-up getting the luggage on the ship, but we found out it was late because they are running all the luggage past drug dogs. Apparently, there has been a large number of weed smokers aboard the ships lately.
After our nap, Cody and I got ready and went to dinner. The first night, our wait staff was great and the food was fabulous! I really don't remember what we ate, but I'm pretty positive Cody had the cheese plate for dessert. You will find out why I mention Cody having the cheese plate around day 5. After dinner, we unpacked our luggage and roamed around the ship getting to know this week's home away from home!
We also hit the casino but had absolutely no luck. We probably lost a hundred dollars between us the first night. With such rotten luck, we decided to call it an early night because we were still worn out from the trip down. Before going to sleep Cody said, "I'm setting my alarm for 8 am because I want to enjoy a full day tomorrow."
Day 2 - May 14
We headed to the Lido Deck for breakfast around 10 am because Cody forgot to hit save after setting his alarm for 8 am. I was so very thankful because it is a sea day so we didn't absolutely have to be on a set schedule. On sea days there are lots of entertainment options. Shopping, gambling, live bands, live shows, movies on deck, movies in the Imax since we were on the Vista, food at all times of the day, art shows and auctions, and so much more!
Cody and I lost a lot of money in the casino the first full sea day. A lot of money to us is $100. We always set a loss limit because we look at gambling as entertainment. The way we see it is that if we go to a movie and spend $10 each on tickets and then another $20 on food and drinks we can spend about 2 hours in a casino playing on $40 and get the same return on entertainment value. We never walk out with more money after a movie, but sometimes we do after playing the slots.
Tonight's dinner was an elegant night. for the last several cruises Cody and I have brought suits or jackets and ties to get dressed up for these occasions. It's fun because they have all kinds of picture stations set up all over the ship and most of the photographers are pretty good. I've always heard they have a magician at dinner but don't ever remember seeing one until this cruise.
On this trip, the magician zeroed in on me and started doing a card trick. I thought he must think I'm gullible, but Cody thinks the magician thought I was cute. I love my jealous husband. The magician asked me to pick a card out of several that he had shown me and then acted as if he shuffled the deck while staring into my eyes. The magic man then said you had the Queen of Hearts and he was right! I'm seriously stumped on how he knew that. That's the magician ---->
At dinner they were handing out flowers for Mother's Day, so I asked for one for Cody. The waiter smiled and gave him two, a pink and red carnation. When we booked this trip, we did not realize it was on Mother's Day and figured that's probably why we got such a good deal.
We watched Flick after dinner. Flick is a live-stage production musical based on scenes from movie soundtracks. The show is only about 45 minutes but the actors work hard to make those minutes magic filled. I always enjoy the live shows, but Cody only goes because I make him!
Went to bed around 10 pm again because we had been going all day long trying to get as much in as possible.
Day 3 - May 15
Cody and I went to breakfast around 9:30 am because we turned the alarm off and slept in some. I had salmon benedict, ham, and sausage for breakfast. Cody had his usual omelet.
We went to the casino for a bit and won $110, but were still down a couple of hundred dollars. You win some, you lose even more generally.
Today we decided to ride the Skyride. Jo-Jo was one of the people running the show which I thought was interesting because that's what the grandkids call mom, JoJo. Before riding, we had to stand on the scale for 5 seconds and weigh less than 250 lbs. Lucky me, the light turned green and we got to ride above the water and see the magnificent ocean like never before. Essentially the ride is a bicycle on a track in the air. It circles around the ship so you can see the ocean from above. I definitely recommend the Sky Ride if you get a chance!
I turned on the in-cabin television and learned we had traveled 750 nautical miles since leaving Galveston at 12:30 pm today with 400 miles left to Montego Bay.
We napped from like 1 pm to 4:45 pm and then went to dinner. I had escargot, lamb, and some kind of chocolate souffle for dessert. Cody ordered a shot - kiss on the lips - which wasn't full like the ones on another tray that passed by. He drank the shot anyways but sent the glass back.
JC was emcee at Punchline Comedy Club. He told an opening joke about an older lady's dress flying over her head while holding her hat. I wish I would have written it down because it was hilarious. The comedian Geechy Guy headlined the show which was ok. It was the early show with kids present so it felt like a set of dad jokes, but was pretty entertaining. That was his last show on the Vista before changing ships in Montego Bay.
I watched most of Deadpool 2 the Holiday edition before heading to bed early because we were ready to get off the boat.
Day 4 - May 16, 2023
We got up at about 8 am and headed to the Lido for our usual. Cody ate 2 omelet's and I had eggs benedict again. There were a few more people in line this morning compared to when we slept in. People-watching is the fun part and there were plenty around for it.
We got off the ship around 10 am for our first trip to Jamaica. Montego Bay here we come!!! We did not schedule a Jamaican excursion because we just wanted to explore Jamaica as much as possible. After stepping out of the port, we took a bus tour picking the 3rd bus in a long line of probably 20. The bus guide's name was Big Momma. We were supposed to go anywhere we want from shopping to the beach and were told, just like Vegas "Whatever happens on the bus stays on the bus." Big Momma said don't worry, be happy, welcome to Jamaica mon! The bus driver drove on the right side instead of the left. They called him Big Poppa!
We learned that Jamaica is 4411 sq miles and is called the land of wood and water with a population of approximately 3 million. There are 3 international airports in Jamaica. Patois is a mixture of French, Spanish, and English and is the 2nd Jamaican language. English is their first language. The driver said the exchange rate is 100 per $1 American and $8 American per gallon of gas. We gripe about $3.00 gas here in the States.
The bus stopped at a small shopping center. There was a DJ playing music the entire time including tracks like Will Smith's Getting Jiggy with It, Nah. Nah, Nah, Nah, Michael Jackson, and more reggae-style sounds. They also had a man on stilts and a lady with a fruit basket on her head. We got free Key Chains from the jewelry store and asked about cologne but it was $103 per bottle and should have been $60 to $80, so we did not get any.
The bus driver and tour guide - King and Big Momma were definitely scam artists. They charged $25 each for the bus ride and then $8 each for the beach after telling us it was only $7. We didn't really get to go anywhere that we wanted, we got to go wherever they took us. Kind of scary thinking back on it. Glad I still have all my organs.
At the beach, Cody got a massage for 30 mins for $60 and I watched the people. Cody said the lady went too far up his thighs. I had already spent $107 today and only have $4 left so I won't be getting any Jerk chicken from the buffet. There was a DJ at the beach playing music and hosting games for free drinks. One question was what Ricky's last name was from I Love Lucy. I wasn't paying but said Arnez, on the show it was Ricardo. They also have a lady braiding hair here too. I did find a $5 coin that was supposed to be good luck.
We decided Jamaica is kind of like Arkansas. Dirt poor, gay-hating people with a similar population as ours. They are also backward like us. In Jamaica, they dial 119 for the police and do everything on the wrong side including driving on the wrong side of the road.
We ate after getting back on the ship. This time, Cody ate a tuna fish sandwich and chicken wrap from the deli. I had pepperoni and white pizza from the Pizza Shack. Afterward, we took a nap for a little over an hour.
The dinner menu changed and I was disappointed because I thought I'd have Prime Rib and Lobster but I had Salmon Cakes and Linguini instead. I ordered coffee instead of my usual Dr. Pepper with dinner because I was tired from the adventures of the day.
One thing that we noticed is that Cody and I were missing our Ukrainian friends who are not here working but at home fighting for their country instead. I hope Ukraine wins that war and teaches Putin a lesson.
Day 5 - May 17, 2023
Today we stopped at Grand Cayman. The water was clear blue and you could see straight down forever. The port and city were a lot nicer than Montego Bay Jamaica. There were a lot of banks outside the port here which made me wonder how many gangsters had tax-free cash stashed away here. We walked a mile or so in both directions from the port and saw shops that are available at pretty much every port we have ever been to. We did pass by a Hard Rock Cafe, so I had to snap a couple of pics.
We ferried in and out of the port at Grand Cayman and it was only about a 5-minute trip and a smooth ride compared to other stops we have been to. It was a clear, beautiful day at about 83 degrees, but hot on the concrete while walking. We did not stay in Grand Cayman long. One of the gift shops that we stopped in was selling Aruba merchandise because the Grand Cayman merch got shipped to Aruba and Aruba's to Grand Cayman. It was cheaper to sell it at a discount than to ship it to the right place.
After getting back on the boat, I did laundry and Cody had a movement so large it looked like a tree trunk. Remember the cheese plate he had for dessert the first night? Well, he had the cheese plate every night and it finally came out! He had to call the room steward to get it to flush. That's what he gets for eating so much good food on this trip. Laundry cost $3.50 to wash and $3.50 to dry per load. You better get a good dryer or you will have to dry 2x's.
If you order a Dr Pepper, room service delivers them cold unlike at a bar or restaurant where they are hot and poured over ice. We napped again before the elegant night dinner and took some photos on the way.
As we were waiting to be seated, a well-dressed lady walked past the line and into the main dining room. The hostess stopped her and asked if she knew where her table was. The well-to-do lady said yes, and then said oh wait I thought my table was 320. I guess not. The hostess said you will have to wait at the end of the line then. The Karen stated, "Nevermind I'm not eating here then."
For dinner, I had pork tart, prime rib - med/rare, lobster tail, and vanilla creme brule. Cody had the pork tart, mushroom bisque, fried oysters, spaghetti carbonara, and of course a cheese plate for dessert.
Day 6 - May 18, 2023
Oh, what a day. I will never forget it. We stopped in Cozumel for I think our 6th time there. We love all Cozumel has to offer but this time we visited a beach recommended by our cab driver and that was a mistake. This beach looked fabulous on the poster and pretty great when we arrived, but once you got closer it was not so great.
We laid our stuff on the only chairs left available. They were out in the hot sun without umbrellas because we had arrived late, but we didn't care because we were about to jump in the water and cool off! Cody and I took our shoes off and headed to the water. People were paddling all around in kayaks which looked fun, but we wanted to in thein the water to cool off. The first five feet was rocky and we had to tread lightly so we wouldn't hurt our feet. Finally, we got to the sand, or so we thought. We stepped into something soft which felt weird but was glad to be in the water so we keep going. Then we smelled something akin to feces and were like hum? We looked around and noticed no one else was actually in the water. Just paddling on top of it. Cody swears we walked in sewage, but I think it was rotten algae. Once we figured out that it was nasty, we got out quickly.
The beach club had a pool so we figured we would go wash off in that. I sat with my legs in the water and Cody jumped in. As I sat there I noticed bugs floating on top of the water and that it wasn't moving. The jets weren't on so I pointed it out to Cody and he quickly got out. We grabbed our stuff and hailed a taxi back to the port. We went straight to the ship and showered that nastiness off of us. We did go back into the port and enjoy its beauty.
And to end the day, the dinner service was soooooo shitty that Cody said we should tip them - (negative) $5 because they owe us for sucking so bad. We did have a good chat with a retired couple from Dallas while we waited an hour for our food. People really do make these trips amazing!
Day 7 - May 19, 2023
We relaxed on the last sea day knowing we had a long drive home the next day. I finally won some mullah in the casino, but Cody left empty-handed. That's odd because Cody usually wins and I usually go home penniless. The only real memorable thing we did on the last sea day was visit Cherry-On-Top and have some delicious ice cream! I don't remember what we had but I sure did take a picture for you to see.
That is what Cody had. Mine was with cherries and both were to die for. Definitely recommend you stop in a Cherry-On-Top for ice cream on your next Carnival Cruise!
We tried to get some sun and napped a lot before packing up our stuff. Tomorrow was disembarkation day and we were ready. We always pack the night before and have learned that it is quicker to carry your luggage off with you. After packing, we had one last dinner and caught the movie on deck before going to bed.
Day 8 - Disembarkation
Carnival was trying out a new process for disembarkation and failed miserably. We grabbed our bags around 8 am and headed to the Lido deck for breakfast. I always have a couple of cups of coffee expecting a long day getting home. Of course, Cody had an omelet. We met a nice family from Louisiana while waiting to get off the ship. It was two sisters and a brother having a family cruise. They were all retired and enjoying it. We chatted with them until about 9:30 when we usually are heading off the boat. Today was different because they hadn't started calling muster stations. Apparently, they were still letting off priority guests, so Cody and I went to see what was up. We found tons of people on decks 4 and 5 just waiting with their luggage and a long line heading off the ship. It was a mess.
We found an open elevator and snuck down to level three and got in line. We finally exited the boat around ten and found out that customs was taking forever especially if only traveling with a birth certificate. We were in that line for almost an hour and it was about 11:30 when we finally made it to the car.
Finally, we were on our way home!
We love cruising and we love Carnival! Our next cruise is scheduled for November and I cannot wait to tell you all about it! Until then please read our other blogs and stories at www.kingryanradio.net