SweetCruiser39

we will be on the 1/22/17 cruise. when i booked i wanted a Havana room but none were available. a couple days ago i did a mock booking to check prices and saw a Havana interior room available and i was able to switch rooms. i am super excited. i have one question how do you get to the pool area. do you have to walk through the Havana bar. i couldn't tell on the deck plans.

Yes, the interior Havana rooms have to go through the Havana bar to get to the pool area. I was in a Havana suite, however, my daughter had a Havana interior cabin.

Well, I know that 2 of the 4 Havana suites can hold 4 people. There were three of us in one in August and the Carnival rep mentioned it. Not sure about the other ones though.

I haven't been able to figure out how to post pics from my iPhone here on the message board, but I did do a review of my August 6 sailing on the Vista here on Cruise Critic, focusing mainly on the Havana area with pictures. I stayed in one of the Havana suites, so if you look under the Vista reviews for that date, it should be there.

I loved the area, especially my private patio, which I used so much more than I ever did a regular balcony on past cruises. My daughter and her boyfriend had an inside Havana cabin, and although they enjoyed the private pool and jacuzzis, I don't think she would book the area again. She thought it was boring compared to the activity going on at the Lido pool. Lol.

I had a family harbor suite booked for 10 months, then switched to a Havana suite at the time of final payment. There really are no perks to booking the family harbor cabins unless you book a suite. Of course, they have the different decor and access to the lounge. Sodas are still an extra charge, as well as FTTF.

I will be sailing Feb. 17. Staying in a Havana Interior deck 5. I like to get up early (4-5 am). Can someone tell me where is the closest place to get a free cup of coffee from my location in the morning. Got to have it.

They set up self service coffee every morning right in the Havana bar!

My fears of this too have been alleviated. We have 5233 in February 2017 and I was concerned about the band at night but have heard (no pun intended) that you can't hear anything. So excited for this cabin...

SweetCruiser39, we are in 5235 next summer. What did you think of the lanai and people walking by and looking in? Any issues? Any tips for the suite?

Oh yes, I remember our conversation!

As for people walking by my lanai, it just didn't happen enough to think much about it. There is no reason for people not staying in those cabins to do so. The deck area outside of the private Havana patios can only be entered from the public promenade deck by key card. Folks coming from the Havana pool after 7 can exit there, but I guess most people leave the same way they came in, through the Havana Bar.

I was on my patio A LOT! I LOVED it. So I would have noticed if there had been any people walking by. I did step onto my patio one day to see a lady kind of peeking in, but when she saw me, she just said she was curious about these cabins and asked how I liked it. I had no problem telling her all about it and opening up my sliding door so she could kind of see. But there is a really thick curtain you can pull, so it's as private as you want it to be. When you sit in the swing, your side neighbors can't even see you because of the wood partition that shields you from your neighbors.

I don't know why, but I felt completely safe in these cabins. Most of the time, I didn't even close my patio door when I went to the pool, which is just steps away. We were back and forth between the pool area and my patio constantly on sea days.

My fears of this too have been alleviated. We have 5233 in February 2017 and I was concerned about the band at night but have heard (no pun intended) that you can't hear anything. So excited for this cabin...

And I was in suite #5235, right next to yours. So I can guarantee you will be fine. if you have any questions AT ALL, please feel free to ask me. I actually did a review on Cruise Critic on the Havana Suite and my cruise. There had been so much negative speculation about these cabins, I wasn't sure what I was getting. But it was absolutely fabulous!

hbrote, we are booked in a Havana suite for 2018, one question I have is how was the noise from the bar at night in the room? That's my only concern other than the massive crowds in the evenings...and if you have any pictures, can you please share?

Thanks!

 

 

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There was no noise AT ALL in the Havana suite when I sailed in August. At night, you could barely hear the music from the Havana bar out on the patio. I think the only people who are complaining of noise are those staying in a Havana cabin on decks 6 and 7. Those cabins were added as Havana cabins much later, probably didn't get the soundproofing that the others did.

I think certainly there will be all access the first day, much like there is for the spa, Family Harbor, etc.. Basic marketing. Let people know what is available.

I stayed in a Havana suite as well in August. They did not open for everyone, even the first day. I saw two guys without wristbands get asked to leave who were on the promenade deck by the Havana private patios. Probably a good thing. On the following cruise, a lady said that Carnival did open it to everyone the first day, and it caused a lot of confusion the next. People didn't understand why they couldn't come back when they had enjoyed the area the first day of the cruise.

On our 12 day Med cruise, it was the last time the Havana area opened at 5:00. People started lining up at 4:30 and by 5:02, the place was packed. Fortunately, we never had anyone walking past our our patio. Maybe it was too early for the drunks?

Probably good. We had to go on a waiting list for late seating dining. We were booked for "your time dining". The rep at Carnival said that on the first day of the cruise, just go to guest services and they would switch us. Fortunately, about a month before our cruise, I got notice that we had been switched to late seating. Our cruise in August was sold out as well.

Ok, I have experience with this one. 6 weeks before my first trip to Europe (one week on land, one week by cruise ship) in 2014, I broke my heel. I was 12 weeks non weight bearing, with possible surgery. EVERYONE, including my doctors, said that I absolutely had to cancel. I was going to London, Paris, Venice, and cruising the Greek islands for a week. AND, not only was it my first time to Europe, but I was going alone with just my 16 and 11 year old children. Long story short, I did not cancel. I had my doctor take me out of the hard cast and put me in a boot. I had crutches and a knee scooter.

I had a fabulous time and never regretted it. It was a bit tiring getting around the land part, especially Venice, but I managed to see and do most of what I had planned. The cruise was the easiest part. Wow, the crew went out of their way to help me. It was incredible. Don't listen to people who say that it will be impossible to get around Europe. That just is not true. And I found that everyone was very understanding, helpful, and accommodating.

Yes, I tired easy. I did have to take it a bit easier than I would have. But I was also determined. I went up 400 steps, with no handrail, over rocks and gravel......on crutches to see the Parthenon in Athens.

So I say, it really depends on you. If the pain isn't driving you crazy, I would go for it.

Now as for canceling when you have the insurance, I had to do that once as well. I had a one week trip booked to the Bahamas to stay at the big resort there, when I found out I was expecting my 4th child at age 41. Being that it was a high risk pregnancy, my doctor wrote a letter, and I got every cent back.

No one understands how VAT works. No one. ;)

 

My suggestion: they could just let people bring on their own alcohol...But where is the fun or profit in that? :)

They do. On the European itineraries, you can bring all the alcohol onboard that you want.

I believe it is noon. We got there about 12:30 and walked right on.

We cruised in August. There was no VAT tax added to pre booked excursions or the internet services.

Two different dining rooms. Early and late are one dining room and anytime was another.

I don't know about Reflections, but the Horizon dining room had both.

Unless you are gold or higher, then yes. Its terrible , 2 nights our buzzer never got programmed. Even after numerous return trips to ask why we werent seated they just kept saying the dining room is backed up. When we finally got down there we come to find out it was half full only

That's because they hold the tables for people who have early or late dining. All those empty tables were probably folks who didn't show up. We had late seating at 8:15, but usually didn't make it until 8:45 or so. Our table was always still there, waiting for us.

I wouldn't book my time dining on a ship as large as the Vista. We had late seating, and every night as we were walking to dinner, we passed a huge line of people waiting in line on deck5.

I'm not happy with how Carnival handled the VAT situation on our August 6th sailing, but it won't stop me, and plenty of others, from booking the Horizon.

Yes, the cabin is right in the middle of the Havana insides on deck 5

Well, then I would most certainly take the Havana cabin. My daughter and her boyfriend were in inside 5225. It was nicer than regular inside cabins, no noise, but they preferred all the craziness going on at the Lido deck. Since I was after quiet and relaxation, I was perfectly happy to be by the Havana pool or on the patio of my Havana suite!

I would book the Havana inside. Much nicer decor and being on deck 5, if it is deck 5, is super convenient. Also, the other pools get crazy busy on sea days. If you are planning to spend any time by the pool, I would definitely book the Havana inside.

I don't want to appear nit-picky but it is "Specialty", not "Speciality". And we have a Havana stateroom booked for the exclusivity it comes with!!

Another cruiser who sailed on August 18th said that they opened the Havana area for everyone the entire first day of the cruise. That did not happen to us on our August 6th sailing, however, it was still 5:00 PM before it opened to the public on that cruise.

The first couple of cruises were mostly American. John Heard posted the breakdown on his FB page. But that sure was not the case when we sailed in August. We only met 4 other American families, one being our dining companions. As a matter a fact, I met a gentleman from Gibaltor who said Carnival had placed him with others from Gibaltor as well. I have to assume when making dining arrangements, Carnival intentionally tried to sit people together from the same country. Our table mates were wonderful, but we had the best time with a family from South Africa one evening when the American family decided to eat in the steakhouse instead.

It seemed like all the kids onboard were English. My 13 year old only met one other girl from America.

Congratulations! You are going to LOVE it. Same thing happened to me. For a year I was booked in a family harbor suite. Then the day of final payment, a Havana suite became available! We sailed on August 6th.

But I must warn you......you may never want to stay in a regular cabin again.

Enjoy!

I completely understand what you are saying. After cruising 9 times in the Caribbean, I loved my last two Med cruises because it gave us a chance to mingle with people from other countries. Some of the best conversations I had were with families from England, South Africa, and Scotland. It gets boring being with all Americans, even more so, a cruise ship out of Galveston with all Texans. I've lived in Texas my whole life.....there's nothing wrong with enjoying some diversity while on vacation.

I'm going in Jan. I have air fare booked hotel booked. Now I just need for it t get here!! I keep trying to see real pics of the Havana Suites. The excitement is killing me.

I stayed in one of the four Havana suites in August. Posted a video on "the other social media page" when I was onboard. Are you on the Vista FB page?