Christmas Vista: Roatan

By
Saint Greg

January 14, 2022

Good morning! We are in Roatan today. This is the final port day of the cruise. We have two sea days remaining. I prefer this type of itinerary where you have two sea days to relax at the end after the port days.

I set off the smoke alarm again this morning. I wasn’t trying to steam my shirts this time either. I was just taking a normal five minute shower. I may need to start closing the bathroom door when I shower. As a solo cruiser I have a habit of leaving it open.

I stepped outside to catch the sunrise from the “secret deck.”

It’s pretty windy outside.

This is my window.

We are still making our way to the island of Roatan.

Here is today’s schedule of events.

With today being the final port day of the cruise, we have the towel animal takeover on lido deck. On Panorama in October they had a Halloween themed takeover.

Vista does have a little bit of a Christmas theme with the snowmen today. It’s just not as extensive as the Halloween display on Panorama.

I am heading downstairs to get my coffee.

I don’t know why people do this on this ship. Instead of taking the coffee line this way they go out in the walkway. Everyday it seems.

I went to the Plaza bar instead.

I’m going to check-in for breakfast while I get my coffee.

It only took three minutes to get a table assigned today.

I got a mocha.

I requested crispy bacon so hopefully I don’t get what I got the other day. They forgot the hash browns.

The hash browns have arrived.

They seated me in one of the chair/booth combo tables with one chair/booth combo table on each side of me.

They seat a couple on one side of me and start to seat another couple on the other side of me. The guy is like “NO! NO! We want a table to ourselves! Come here I’ll show you! This is fine over here!”

It’s nothing I haven’t done before but I hope I sound better than that. I know I’ve felt bad about it at times which is why I’ve just been going with their seating these past few cruises even though I wasn’t always happy about it.

After breakfast I headed upstairs for more coffee.

I’m going to the plaza bar for just a regular black coffee.

And a water to take ashore.

The coffee shop line is out in the walkway again.

The towel animals have still taken over the Red Frog Rum bar on lido deck.

I hate that fake bamboo they have blocking the view. It was there the last time I was on this ship but I don’t think other ships have it.

The beach doesn’t look too crowded.

Usually there are two ships here. The last time I was here I was on Breeze with Dream. The time before that I was on Dream with Breeze. The time before that I was on Freedom. I don’t remember who we were with that time but it was a Dream class ship.

Today it looks like it’s just our ship and we aren’t at full capacity. This is probably a good time to take advantage of that beach while there are fewer people on it.

I’m switching to beer with a Thirsty Frog Red.

I think I’m going to grab a sandwich then check out the beach.

This looks like a well done reuben.

They call this classic chocolate with fudge.

I think the gelato machines are being worked on. A huge line developed. They have the machines way behind the counter here so you’re can’t even tell what the flavors are. There are no labels on the machines either.

On Panorama they were up front with labels on them. The gelato line was up to 12 people at one point. I got in line with 7 people in front of me.

They are having problems with the machines. A girl comes up and asks for vanilla. The worker says “We have pineapple and caramel. Vanilla is soft serve.” She asks for caramel he says “It’s not ready.” She leaves.

I got to the front of the line and asked about caramel. He said five minutes. I’m waiting.

Do you see the gelato as half melted or half frozen?

They’re working on the gelato machine again.

One guy says it’s working. The other guy says it’s not working.

I’m heading off of the ship.

At this point shopping and zip lining is to the left. Bars, restaurants, and the beach are to to the right.

If you are meeting a Carnival excursion that would be by the white signs to the right.

If you are meeting a non-Carnival excursion that would be outside of the port area. You would take a left and exit the port area and you may have to go over the hill. That’s where my Glass Bottom Boat meeting place was.

Fat Tuesday’s is to the immediate right.

Then on the left is where you would buy your magic chair pass to ride to the beach. I always take the scenic route.

On the way to the beach they have a nature trail you can walk through. WiFi is $5 for the day if you wish to purchase it.

When you come over the bridge they have water sports rentals on the left.

There’s a nice photo op on the right.

They have shopping and restrooms before you get to the beach.

This is the local wildlife.

They have several places to eat and drink on this side.

They have private cabanas available for rent.

At the end of the beach they have a pier you can go out on.

And of course the beach.

I had some local beer.

And I got in the water. You don’t have to go out far before it’s up to your shoulders. If you swim out a bit there’s a sandbar in the middle people are standing on.

Then I used the showers to get the sand off the feet.

I stopped by Fat Tuesday’s for one more beer before getting back on the ship. The last time I was here I sat at the bar. This time they removed all of the barstools.

I think I caught shift change. This picture doesn’t capture the number of people that just walked through here. It felt like 100.

After showering and changing I stopped by the Serenity bar but it wasn’t open yet. It was supposed to have just opened, but they were setting the bar up and saying they weren’t open yet.

I could’ve waited but I thought my tip money would be better spent elsewhere under the circumstances. I headed to the Red Frog Rum bar for some frozen concoctions.

I switched to the Thirsty Frog Wheat.

The ship coin is by the waterpark.

I went ahead and made a dinner reservation at JiJi’s Asian Kitchen.

I’m sending out another load of laundry.

I retrieved my peanut butter from the refrigerator to take to the alchemy bar so Raunak can make me the Reece’s drink.

That is the Reece’s drink in the blender.

Reece’s Peanut Butter drink.

Raspberry drink from Raunak.

The lady next to me was holding a coffee. Someone came up behind her and I guess it scared her and she spilled it on my pants.

Raunak has been making some habanero infused vodka for a couple days. It’s ready now so I had him make me this with it.

I headed out to JiJi’s for my dinner reservation.

I was late to JiJi’s. Fortunately I was in the elevator with my JiJi’s server who was also late.

There are two tables for two next to me. I have my things overflowing to the table next to me so hopefully they won’t seat anyone there.

They try to seat a couple at the table next to that one and it’s like breakfast this morning. The guy tells them they want to sit somewhere else. The guy apologizes and says it’s nothing against me. I tell him no problem. I don’t want to sit next to them either.

Compliments of the chef. These are kind of like cheese sticks but there’s potato in them as well. They’re good.

These are the best spring rolls I’ve ever had!

Shrimp fried rice.

This is my first time getting the peppered steak. It does not disappoint. The top is edible as well though I didn’t eat it.

Rose crème brulee which I think is the best crème brulee on Carnival.

Apparently someone else in the restaurant has paid my check. I had the server give me a $0.00 check and I paid the full amount as a tip.

“The Grinch” is playing on lido deck.

Tonight the Playlist cast is off so they’re having all of the comedy in the main lounge. It’s a pretty good crowd for a PG show.

I think there are even a lot of people in the upper deck.

Comedy host Joey.

Dana Moon. This is my first time seeing her. She seems lost and nervous.

Joe Lindley.

I could tell the lady next to me was looking for someone at the comedy show. It was obvious she wasn’t watching the show. She was scanning the crowd. Finally 43 minutes into the show she found who she was looking for and was happy as could be spending the last few minutes of the show with her friend.

I stepped out to the atrium after the show. Electric violins are playing.

Electric violins playing back to back Metallica songs while I was there

This isn’t a very large crowd for Spirit of the Season Christmas caroling. On other ships this has been in the atrium and it’s been packed. I wonder if they moved it outside due to COVID.

It’s time for adult comedy in the main lounge.

To the left of me there are four guys together and only three seats. One of them comes over and asks me to move down so they can sit together.

I explained to him why I had picked this seat over the one next to me. It’s because I have a nice spot with a gap between the two people in front of me. If I move down one that guy’s head is going to be blocking my view.

I did get here 10-15 minutes before the show to pick a seat. They didn’t. Eventually a second seat opened up to the right of me and two of the four went over there to sit together.

It’s my movie theater argument. Are you there to talk or to watch a show? If you’re sitting next to me, I hope you’re watching the show because I didn’t come to a comedy show to listen to you and your friends talk.

Just June is twerking.

This is my first cruise with Jason Blanchard. He’s pretty good.

After comedy they had a guitar duo in the atrium. I like the violins better.

A problem people have had on this cruise that I haven’t seen on my others is cards peeling. I heard there was a bad batch of cards that was sitting in a warehouse during the shutdown. I’ve been lucky up until this point.