Carnival is the largest cruise line in the world and arguably the most competitive. Not content to stay in the shadow of its biggest rival, Royal Caribbean, which just launched the largest cruise ship in the world, the Harmony of the Seas, Carnival is aiming to recapture the cruising public's attention and dollars this summer with its largest ship, the Carnival Vista.
The 133,500-ton Vista has a maximum passenger capacity of 4,980 and boasts what we believe is the first-ever craft beer brewery at sea. The Red Frog Pub & Brewery, located on the ship's promenade deck, brews three distinct flavors derived from Miami's own Concrete Beach Brewery-a brand of Alchemy & Science, a subsidiary of The Boston Beer Company. Currently the brewery at sea has the capacity to brew approximately 18 barrels a week. Of course, Carnival offers tours of the onboard brewery at $12.95 a person (including a tasting).
In addition to the brewery, Carnival's new ship has the first IMAX Theater on a cruise ship. Additional attractions include a 455-foot-long water tube slide-the largest in Carnival history-which passengers can enjoy while floating on inflatable rafts. The only thing seemingly missing would be the first law firm at sea- but one can only hope.
The Vista is the first new Carnival ship in four years and is currently sailing around the Mediterranean on its initial voyages; however it will be repositioned this fall at Carnival's home port-the Port of Miami. Once it has been repositioned, Carnival will offer six-night Caribbean voyages to Jamaica, Cayman Islands, and Mexico, and the eight-night itineraries will alternate among Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Grand Turk, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten.
We wish everyone a safe and exciting cruise aboard the Vista, and remind all passengers to drink responsibly. As a cruise ship passenger injury lawyer, I have long cautioned about the dangers of mixing excessive alcohol and cruising. We recommend that if you must try the beer, you please keep your wits about you.
It is very easy for people to forget while they are drinking aboard a cruise ship-on vacation, without the necessity of driving anywhere-that cruise ships have unique architectural features like raised thresholds, wet and slippery decks that rock and roll with the wind and waves, marble staircases, and more potentially dangerous scenarios than most people are accustomed to in a land-based resort or hotel.