Chief93

Just a guess, but there is no corresponding space on deck 14 under you, so it is not a stairwell. Looking at the deck above you, it appears you are under a pool area, and the location of the pool seems to match the mystery space. I'd bet the space is the pool from deck 16. Noise will depend on how early folks start dragging chairs around the pool. Personally, I'd skip it and look for a different cabin.

The problem with the balcony lever is in most seats there is either a support pole in front of you, or the top of the railing is in your line of sight. I suggest you go sometime during the day when it is open but not being used and find seats you like. I personally like a row of bar stool seats, top level, way at the back. How early I go depends on how much I want to see the show. The floor level isn't bad, especially if you can get one of the semi-circle couch looking things. But beware, for some folks those are as precious as that pool side lounge chair.

Vista is my least favorite ship. That being said, it's the DW's favorite, and I'm sailing on her (the Vista, not the DW) for the 3rd time in September. I don't like the enclosed atrium. To me it doesn't feel like a cruise ship. But the DW loves both of these things. We both don't care for the theater seating, so we arrive early and try to sit upstairs. It has my favorite, the Alchemy Bar. And to be clear, I've always had a good time. To me, 80% of why I cruise is sitting on my balcony in my underwear watching the ocean go by. In the morning with coffee, in the evening with wine, and at night with whatever. In the world of TMI, I like to drink plenty of water before bed time to insure I have to get up in the wee hours (no pun intended), sit out on the balcony and watch the inky black ocean go by.

My consuegro (fun Spanish word for your child's father in law) is an exterminator. I have learned a lot about bed bugs from him, and the advice about not putting your luggage on the floor of a hotel is spot on. He suggests putting your luggage in the shower/bath tub.

FYI, there is a chance you may be denied boarding. Even though you have a release from your physician, the cruise contract (item 6) gives the ship's physician sole authority to deny boarding to anyone they feel is not fit for travel.

If I may give some off topic yet tangent advice, there may only be one plug in the cabin. However, most CPAPs work happily on 220. I bring a two prong European adapter, and plug my CPAP into the 220 socket.

If you buy a bottle on board they will give you a nice box for it. If you ask nicely, they will give you box that holds 2 to 4 bottles, even though you only bought one. One word of caution. I, your humble servant, bought 2 bottles on King George V at the duty free in Grand Cayman. T'was a deal at $770 each. Resold the Chinese New Year one for $1,200. But that's another story. Anyway, I was terrified they would get stolen or broken, I was affixed to the window at the airport trying to see if my bag was being loaded, etc. They both made it home. I wrapped them in dirty clothes, as dirty clothes are everywhere after a cruise.

This thread is exactly why I only cruise while kids are in school. Never in the summer, never over spring break, never over xmas. While I have not had your experience, I did take a 7 day cruise from Galveston after hurricane Katrina. There was a very large number of passengers that had purchased the cruise with the $2,000 debit card the government gave "displaced residents" to help cover their basic needs.

Costa Maya. Last time in Belize just took the tender, got a seat at a bar/restaurant upstairs overlooking the water, watched people, it was an OK time. Costa Maya offers much more. In MY opinion, security at the port tells you a lot. Costa Maya has a few Mexican marines watching everyone. Belize has a high fence/wall around the cruise area with multiple well armed police officers (though they try to be discreet). Of course nothing beats Roatan or Jamaica when it comes to armed police/military trying to prevent you from mingling with the locals.

Yes. The daal was the same every time, but there was always something different. On a side note, I was told that I had to be a vegetarian, or die. I can have eggs and dairy and fish and most shellfish. Indian food ( and Thai) saved my life. Only they can make a plate of vegetables feel like a meal.

The Indian vegetarian changes every day, I usually get it 4 or 5 times on a 7 day cruise. Its fun because you get three or four dishes. Sometimes one is just ok (like bhindi), but the others are very, very good. It is always excellent as most of the chefs are Indian. On my last cruise one of the dishes on the second to the last night was tiny potatoes in a yellow spicy sauce. It was amazing. I asked the waiter to find out what it was called. The next night the chef himself came to our table, thanked me, and told me that it was a recipe he had invented based on something his mother made him when he was a child.