Drink Package on Vista for July cruise - bars too busy?

[ChicagoCruisin]

Hello!  We are cruising on the Vista in July, wondering about the drink package.  Not so much if its worth it, but if we get the packeage can we readily get drinks from the various bars onboard, or is it a struggle with lines and under staffing?  If some bars have long waits, is there any specific bars you recommend that are usually less busy?

I would rather not get drinks than get the package and be frustrated because the lines and wait time are super long. 

Thank you for any thoughts you have!  🙂

[jimbo5544]

8 minutes ago, ChicagoCruisin said:

Hello!  We are cruising on the Vista in July, wondering about the drink package.  Not so much if its worth it, but if we get the packeage can we readily get drinks from the various bars onboard, or is it a struggle with lines and under staffing?  If some bars have long waits, is there any specific bars you recommend that are usually less busy?

I would rather not get drinks than get the package and be frustrated because the lines and wait time are super long. 

Thank you for any thoughts you have!  🙂

We were on the Horizon during a spring break week.  I was very frustrated in how crowded the bars were to get drinks.  Two reasons, high capacity of guests, cheers packages.  Will that ring true for July on the Vista in July?  Who knows.  Alchemy will always be crowded.

[dctravel]

We were on Jubilee over spring break and did NOT have the Cheers package. Most times when I went to get a drink, it was a very short wait. Different bars are popular on different sailings. There was always a crowd at the brewery on the Jubilee, but I never had to wait more than a few minutes to get a bar tenders attention. Obviously just my experience, but I think broadly you will find the places you like and be able to get drinks when you want them.

[nc762shooter]

Different bars are busy at different times and I'm sure it varies depending on the particular crowd on each sailing. Haven't sailed on Vista but I've been on cruises over New Year's, spring break, and July 4th on different ships which I think would skew towards busier bars in general. Even at the busiest, most crowded times I don't think I've ever waited more than 5 minutes to place an order. Of course I consider myself to be pretty patient and having to wait a few minutes for a drink wasn't a huge deal to me. Also if it looked like it might take much longer than that to get up to the bar I would just go find another one that was less busy and have my drink in the same amount of time or less had I waited. I certainly wouldn't let concerns over crowded bars stop me from getting the drink package.

 

Besides once you've frequented some of the bars enough and are patient, friendly and polite, in my experience the bartenders will a lot of times prioritize serving you over the rude and obnoxious customers lol.

[staceyglow]

Could the bars be so busy that you have trouble getting the 15 maximum drinks?  I suppose that is a possibility.

 

Will they be busy enough that you won't be able to at least break even on a Cheers package?  Highly unlikely.

 

I have been on over 25 Carnival cruises and other than the first afternoon, I have rarely had a significant wait (more than 5 minutes) for a drink at a bar.  Any indoor bar during the afternoon will be relatively uncrowded.  I have never seen a long wait at the Serenity bar.

 

Now, if you rely on a roving server to get your drinks, that will definitely take longer.

[x lindsay x]

Just off a spring break Venezia cruise and the lack of bar staff was noticeable when it came to servers coming around to take your order (as stacey mentioned above), you'd always have to go to the bar for a drink. But the longest I waited was maybe 5-10 minutes for a drink, I think I waited 15 for a coffee one morning. 

[hurricane0226]

Was on the Vista in March, never over 3 to 5 mins to get a drink, serenity, like they stated,

was always empty for a drink, so was the atrium bar, not a long wait. casino was sometimes

a wait for a server if you are playing.

[Elaine5715]

On 5/28/2024 at 2:28 PM, ChicagoCruisin said:

Hello!  We are cruising on the Vista in July, wondering about the drink package.  Not so much if its worth it, but if we get the packeage can we readily get drinks from the various bars onboard, or is it a struggle with lines and under staffing?  If some bars have long waits, is there any specific bars you recommend that are usually less busy?

I would rather not get drinks than get the package and be frustrated because the lines and wait time are super long. 

Thank you for any thoughts you have!  🙂

Havana and Atrium Bars would  be my go-to on Vista

[balcony bound]

Ocean plaza bar was my go to in April. Stellar service.

[Jamman54]

3 hours ago, balcony bound said:

Ocean plaza bar was my go to in April. Stellar service.

Yay, Setyo!! 😀

[Knights on the Beach]

10 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

Yay, Setyo!! 😀

 

She is the best! But I think she's leaving Vista at the end of June. Ocean Plaza, Atrium and Havana Bars were our go tos at night last month. Red Frog Rum Bar, Blue Iguana (and Atrium) during the day. Depending on timing, we sometimes had trouble getting a seat at the Atrium at night but never had a problem getting a drink there. We didn't have any luck getting a seat at Alchemy but we didn't try very hard. The only place we had trouble getting drinks was at Tides bar. We gave up after the third time there.

[balcony bound]

1 hour ago, Jamman54 said:

Yay, Setyo!! 😀

Actually, Jurgita ( I know I blew that spelling) was putting my drink on the bar as I walked up consistently. Bless her, it felt like the old days. 

[ray98]

On 5/30/2024 at 2:16 PM, x lindsay x said:

Just off a spring break Venezia cruise and the lack of bar staff was noticeable when it came to servers coming around to take your order (as stacey mentioned above), you'd always have to go to the bar for a drink. 

Sometimes I miss the old days.  Back before drink packages were the things you couldn't turn around on a ship without a server with a tray full of drinks trying to sell you one.  Of course back then they wanted your money, now they already have it.

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, ray98 said:

Sometimes I miss the old days.  Back before drink packages were the things you couldn't turn around on a ship without a server with a tray full of drinks trying to sell you one.  Of course back then they wanted your money, now they already have it.

I miss the “pld” days for a bunch of reasons, but that is a good one.

[VentureMan_2000]

I don't know... you're on vacation, on a ship, with no place to go most hours of the day.  I'm not sure why folks are in a hurry to get a drink.  The at-times 5–10-minute wait is an opportunity to smile or say hello to a fellow passenger... or just to people watch.

[lasvegascruising]

I agree with VentureMan_200.  I just returned from a five day on the Firenze and the Rocco Bar on the Lido deck was almost always busy when I was there.  The bartenders worked very hard and fast to serve everyone.  It was enjoyable to talk to others waiting their turn to order and ask them what they were trying.  I believe the bartenders take a mental note of who was before who and take orders accordingly.  The pistachio dream frozen drink was like a dessert in a glass!!  If on the Firenze, it is a must try!

[Knights on the Beach]

On 5/31/2024 at 2:49 PM, balcony bound said:

Actually, Jurgita ( I know I blew that spelling) was putting my drink on the bar as I walked up consistently. Bless her, it felt like the old days. 

 

Actually, I'm pretty sure you spelled it right - Jurgita from Lithuania. She often worked with Setyo at night. When we walked up, she would ask if we wanted Christine's Fave. 😍

[hurricane0226]

Just booked the vista again for the end of July, like I stated in an earlier post, serenity bar,

atrium was not to bad either, and depending on the time of day red frog pub, are good.

[sparks1093]

We were on Mardi Gras recently and never had to wait more than 5 minutes or so for a drink, unless it was ordered from a server at the pool or Punchliner. Servers walking around with trays sounds so inefficient and I expect there was a lot of waste. If the ship is busy the bars will busy and that applies whether you have Cheers or not so if you are inclined to get Cheers, then get it. (And a 5 or 10 minute wait for a bar for a drink is short compared to some land venues I've been to, but no matter the ship that seems to be the norm.)

[Chet Rhodes]

Recently off of the Celebration and typically would have to wait at the bar in Serenity for about 15 minutes to get a drink. Some days they had servers come around to take your order, but then you might not see your drink for 20-25 minutes.

 

Tiki bar at Lido was not any better, maybe worse. A lot of the time I would take the elevator down to deck 8 to get a drink and bring it back up.

[aborgman]

On 6/3/2024 at 5:44 PM, VentureMan_2000 said:

I don't know... you're on vacation, on a ship, with no place to go most hours of the day.  I'm not sure why folks are in a hurry to get a drink.  The at-times 5–10-minute wait is an opportunity to smile or say hello to a fellow passenger... or just to people watch.

 

I'm generally not in a hurry to get a drink,but I usually am not particularly interested in standing around a crowded bar butts to nuts with 50 other people.

 

I'm in a hurry to sit on *ss, or get back in the hot tub, or get to the show..

[joe/jack]

Just returned from Vista last week

bars busy on day 1

The rest of the cruise was normal

5 minute wait at the most 

late night casino maybe 10 minutes 

[BlerkOne]

On 5/28/2024 at 8:28 PM, ChicagoCruisin said:

 

I would rather not get drinks than get the package and be frustrated because the lines and wait time are super long. 

Thank you for any thoughts you have!  🙂

To some extent, it depends on how many casino drinks packages are given away. That is bound to frustrate paying customers.

[sparks1093]

57 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

To some extent, it depends on how many casino drinks packages are given away. That is bound to frustrate paying customers.

When someone in line is waiting to get a drink I have no clue how they are paying for it, nor do I care. If they are getting it free then good for them. I figure either way they would still be in line in front of me. 

[BlerkOne]

4 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

When someone in line is waiting to get a drink I have no clue how they are paying for it, nor do I care. If they are getting it free then good for them. I figure either way they would still be in line in front of me. 

I think it is a given that people who drink free (drink packages of any kind) consume more than those who pay by the drink. The more drink packages, the more competition for limited resources. There might not be a line at all.