I spent 7 nights in a 185-square-foot, windowless room on the Carnival Vista, where no space was left unused. Take a look inside.
I booked an interior room on the Carnival Vista, the first Carnival cruise to leave the US since 2020.
During my seven-night stay on the ship, I spent each night in a 185-square-foot room.
I was worried I'd feel cramped in the windowless room, but every inch of space was used.
I'm was one of Carnival Cruise's vaccinated passengers on the first ship to set sail out of the US in the last 16 months.
On the seven-night cruise, I spent each night in one of the ship's 723 interior staterooms on the cruise's 15 decks.
When I learned the windowless room was only 185 square feet, I was a bit apprehensive about the seven-night stay.
When I arrived at my room on the first day, I retrieved my key from my room's "mailbox," where crew members left notes and messages throughout my stay.
Upon stepping inside my cabin, I was surprised by how spacious it felt. Every inch of space was utilized and there was just enough room for a bed, two nightstands, storage unit, vanity, bathroom, and closet.
Before I arrived, my stateroom attendant had pushed my two twin beds together to create a king-size bed - an upgrade from my queen bed back home.
On each side of the bed was a small nightstand, which had a lamp and storage space.
The only bummer? The outlets were behind the bed, which made charging my phone and laptop a bit of a struggle.
One of my favorite features was the light switch above the headboard. Each night I didn't have to worry about getting out of bed to turn off the lights.
There was also a vanity with a lighted mirror near the bed.
The vanity had a phone, the only outlets I spotted in the room (besides the one behind the bed), a USB charging port, and a hairdryer.
One of the few changes I noticed due to COVID-19 restrictions were paperless menus. Instead of a printout room-service menu, there's a QR code you can scan to place an order.
There was a closet near the entrance to my room. The first half had hangers, and the second half had drawers and a small safe. This was plenty of space for a week's worth of clothing.
Near the bed, there was a TV and more storage space.
On the first day, I was surprised that I couldn't find a mini fridge in the room. Then I discovered it under the TV.
While the room didn't feel cramped, the bathroom did. There was a small sink, shower, and an airplane-like toilet.
Inside the shower, there were spots for your own toiletries along with shower gel for guests.
The shower was small, and it was nearly impossible to avoid getting water all over the bathroom floor. Luckily, the entire bathroom was waterproof.
There was plenty of shelving for all my toiletries.
The thing that's surprised me most about my room was that - besides the paperless room-service menu - there were few signs of COVID precautions. When I arrived, I expected hand sanitizer or alcohol wipes for my stay.
In the evening after my arrival, my stateroom attendant put out a pamphlet, which touched on general safety, mask requirements, and other COVID protocols to consider when visiting ports.
Overall, the room had plenty of space for one person, but I imagine it'd be a little tight for a couple or family.
If you have questions about cruising this summer or want to know what a certain experience aboard the Carnival Vista was like post-vaccine, email me at mhumphries@insider.com.
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