Seas the Day, Part 2

We cruised in the Caribbean aboard the beautiful Carnival Vista, one of Carnival’s newest and largest ships. It was my third cruise with Carnival, and it was my best one yet! I’ve always had a positive experience with Carnival, and our 6-night voyage on the Vista was exceptional. Everything felt new and modern, and the staff was so gracious and helpful.

This was the first time we decided to get a balcony room, and honestly, I’ll never cruise again without one! My husband and I enjoyed it immensely–we loved reading outside in the warm ocean breeze or watching the vibrant sunsets with a cold glass of champagne. Pictured above is one of the most colorful sunsets that we witnessed at sea.

I think there’s a certain stigma that exists around cruise line food–some love it, some hate it. I’ve honestly never had a bad food experience on any of Carnival’s ships, and the Vista’s food even exceeded my expectations.

For example, Guy Fieri has two restaurants aboard the Vista: Guy’s Burger Joint and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse. We didn’t have a chance to dine at the burger option, but that’s probably because we ate at the Smokehouse twice! My husband and I love barbecue food, and the pork was excellent (also the mac and cheese!).

Coincidentally, Guy Fieri himself was aboard the Vista the same week as us (if you’re a fan, he has pics of his trip on Instagram). My husband saw him at the casino several nights, but didn’t want to bug him for a photo (pics or it didn’t happen? 😉).

One evening we paid extra to eat at the ship’s steakhouse, and it was worth every penny! The four-course meal was elegant and well-prepared, from the flavorful French onion soup to my medium rare filet mignon.

Dessert was especially theatrical and unlike anything I’d ever seen. I included the video above of the dessert we shared, which they called “Art at the Table.” This tableside masterpiece mixed such a variety of tastes and textures, from the “drawings” made of tart passionfruit syrup to the sweet, white chocolate ball. My husband likened the white chocolate ball to an artistic, adult version of those Wonder Ball candies he ate as a kid.

Sunflower Bikini: Forever 21 (similar)

On our days at sea we lounged in the Serenity, the adults-only area of the ship. It was definitely serene, and the cabana-like pods were a cozy spot for two!

Dress: Spense (similar here and here) Heels: Nine West (similar) Clutch: Halogen Watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs (similar)

I wore this fabulous red dress for the ship’s formal night. There was definitely a variety of attire amongst the passengers–some wore full suits and long gowns, though I would say most women wore cocktail dresses and most men opted for a collared shirt, slacks, and no blazer or jacket.

This A-line dress was a TJ Maxx find from last year, so I linked similar silhouettes above!

Bikini Top: Cupshe Wrap Skirt: Band of Gypsies (similar here and here)

Our first stop was in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We had this be our casual, beach day, so we didn’t book any excursions.

My floral wrap skirt from Band of Gypsies was a breezy and effortless cover-up. The lightweight crepe fabric was such a practical choice for the humidity and strolling on the beach.

We had lunch at Margaritaville and really enjoyed the Jamaican jerk chicken and jerk pork tacos. The Jamaicans we met were so friendly and outgoing, and I would definitely love to come back here in the future to spend more time on this beautiful island.

Our next stop was the island of Grand Cayman. We booked an excursion through Carnival to the Cayman Crystal Caves. Our tour guide was so energetic and knowledgeable, and we had a wonderful morning trekking through the caves and learning about all the rock formations. Do you see the skull shape that the stalactites and stalagmites make in the picture above? 💀

There were bats in some of the caves, but our guide told us they were fruit bats, not vampire bats. Nevertheless, I definitely walked quickly through the cave they called “the bat cave” because I get pretty squirmy and uncomfortable around bats!

Hands down our favorite was the one they call “the lake cave” (shown above). Look at all those stunning shades of blue in the water! And please excuse how sweaty we look, but between the hiking and the humidity we were definitely glistening (hah 😉).

Our last port of call was the island of Cozumel, Mexico. We booked an excursion called “La Casa en La Playa” through Carnival’s website, and this peaceful, ocean-side retreat more than lived up to the amazing reviews we read online.

They keep the group small for this excursion, which makes this perfect for those who want a relaxing day in paradise. A private chef cooks you an authentic, Mexican lunch, and whether you’re hanging out in the ocean or the pool, the staff brings you tasty drinks and fruity cocktails at your leisure (lunch and drinks are included in the price of the excursion).

My husband and I love tropical vacations where we can swim in the warm ocean and lounge on the beach, so this was truly an idyllic day for us.

Hat: BP (similar options) Bikini Top: Target (similar) Swimsuit Bottoms: Cupshe

This hat I found at Nordstrom Rack earlier this year, and I love these playful styles with sayings embroidered on! I found on Amazon a large selection of similar hats with a variety of sayings and puns.

I enjoy mixing and matching swimwear, and I especially like strapless, bandeau-style bikinis to avoid tanlines.

Jumpsuit: Monteau (similar here, here, and here) Earrings: Nordstrom Rack (similar)

This striped jumpsuit is one of my favorite looks from the trip. It was a recent TJ Maxx find, and I’ve linked comparable black-and-white options above. I’ve been loving jumpsuits the last few years (they’re so cool and chic!). I’ve seen tons of different prints and silhouettes recently, from so many brands at various price points.

I hope you got some inspiration for your next tropical getaway! Thank you so much for stopping by, and please comment if you have any questions about our cruise. What are your favorite vacation spots? 🌴