Travel Maven Blog ...... David Molyneaux posts from TheTravelMavens.com

Cruising on high-decibel Harmony, with turbulent waterslides and the Ultimate Abyss

By David G. Molyneaux and Fran Golden

Entrance to the Ultimate Abyss, where passengers slip into a pouch for a 10-story plunge to the Boardwalk on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas

There comes a time when the current leader of “Who’s Got the Biggest Cruise Ship” does not mean much. A few yards of steel here, an extra deck plopped on top there, has little impact on the review of a new ship, as long as the added steel is well utilized.

You will hear a lot during the next few months about the size of Royal Caribbean’s new Harmony of the Seas. Harmony is, at the moment, the largest cruise ship in the world at 226,963 gross registered tons, carrying 5,497-plus passengers.

So what? It’s not that much bigger than the last queen of size, Harmony’s sister, Allure of the Seas (2010) that measures at 225,282 gross registered tons and carries 5,400-plus passengers.

Instead, the real questions are about experiences aboard:

Q: Is this a ship on which I want to lay down my hard-earned money to take a vacation cruise?

A: Yes, as long as you are looking for excitement, thrills, commotion, and top entertainment such as the ship’s showcase musical, “Grease,” which well deserves the standing ovations it is receiving in the 1,400-seat theatre, and a terrific show on ice called “1887.” The ice skating show, an original, is a love story through time and space set in Paris and inspired by the pioneer French sci-fi writer Jules Verne.

Q: Will I be wowed by life onboard?

A: Yes, not much doubt about that. Wows abound.

Bigger waterpark, more outside dining, craft beers on Carnival Vista cruise ship

Slip your cabin card into the slot and pour yourself a beer on Carnival Vista (Photo by David G. Molyneaux, TheTravelMavens.com)

When a major cruise line brings out its first new ship in four years, the design, style and atmosphere onboard speak to how the company currently sees itself: This is who we are, now. 

While some North American cruise companies are moving more upscale or appealing to a more global clientele, Carnival Cruise Line plows familiar North American waters.

The company continues to dance with the kind of ships that have brought success and profits, tweaking new vessels primarily to stay current with vacationers’ expectations.

In other words, says Carnival’s president, Christine Duffy, when you build a new ship, “Do no harm.”

The 3,954-passenger Carnival Vista, which began sailing the Mediterranean in May and arrives at its home port of Miami in November, fully fills its role.

WaterWorks on Carnival Vista (Photo by David G. Molyneaux, TheTravelMavens.com)

 From bow to stern, Vista screams, “I am Carnival.”