Holiday

[mh1973]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise for our 10 year anniversary in April on the Holiday, anyone been on this ship and if so what was your experience? Any tips for first timers?

[Cruzman]

Great choice for a first cruise! Though she is older and smaller than Carnival's other ships, the level of service onboard is the very best IMHO. I have sailed on many ships, three times on the Holiday (#4 coming up soon), and I have always had a great time. The staff and crew are among the friendliest I've experienced! Absolutely do not miss the "Extreme Country" show.

[cruisindoggie]

The Holiday was my first cruise back in 85. I am looking into bokng again next summer. She is great

[cruisindoggie]

The Holiday was my first cruise back in 85. I am looking into booking again next summer. She is great

[Yazoo cruiser]

smaller compared to the other Carnival ships, being your first cruise, she will still be huge the first time you see her. We have been on her 5 times out of our 35 cruises and still find plenty to do. The food is as good as the larger ships, the entertainment is very good and, without a doubt, the crew provides the best, most courteous service we have experienced on an ship. There are a lot of Holiday fans on here, so I am sure you will get a lot of information. And if you are driving to Mobile, the terminal is extremely easy to get to. Have a great cruise. Any specific questions, feel free to ask.

[Cotton]

I think you've chosen a good first cruise ship. The Holiday is the oldest and smallest in Carnival's present fleet, but I've had four wonderful cruises on her, and she remains my favorite ship. And yes - she will seem HUGE to you!:D

 

I haven't been on the Holiday since they started the Extreme Country show, but I've heard it's very good. I was particularly fond of "Shout!" and "Fuego del Caribe" on my Holiday cruises...saw them both all four times, but w/different cast.

 

The food and service on the Holiday is hard to beat. Enjoy, and happy anniversary!:)

[Rodeomomof2]

We loved our cruise in August on the Holiday, I think you will enjoy your anniversary cruise. Boarding in Mobile is really easy, I would suggest getting there around 11:30 and you will have no lines. (or at least we did not) Do you know what type of room you are going to be in? Take advantage of the dining room for breakfast and lunch at least once. The food was really good, if you do not think you will like something on the menu at dinner you can always ask for steak or chicken. The room service chocolate cake is really good, and if you want a neat litte treat, go to the afternoon tea, it was one of my daughters best memories of the cruise. They have a lot to do, or you can do as little as you want, I promise you will have a good time. We had pictures made before the Captains dinner and they turned out realIy good, we bought quite a few to have for keepsakes. I have some pictures that I took from our cruise in August if you are interested. emailme@hannis4@bellsouth.net if you have any more questions or want to see the pics. :)

[Dixe Lee]

We sailed on the Holiday over Christmas and it is still a wonderful ship. What makes her so enjoyable is the crew - they are fabulous. We have also found the Celebration, which is the Holiday's sister ship, to also be a great ship with a wonderful crew. Wonder if the smaller ships can attend more to the passengers ? Maybe the crew is not so overwhelmed with numbers of people even though there are more crew for more passengers. The mini-golf course is a blast, very popular among the passengers. The bedding is superb. Ship spotlessly clean, as usual. We did not have an "extreme country" show - maybe replaced with the Xmas show? Different cruise director from our last time on the Holiday, but he did as good a job with the productions and entertainment. Take advantage of room service, especially for your wake-up coffee (if you do coffee) - order a pot so you get more than just 1-2 cups; nice to have while getting ready. Go to the dining room at least once and don't miss the gala buffet. Your Capers will outline everything going on so you can plan your day and not miss anything; you will get them each evening for the next day. If you go to Mobile the day before, there is a lot to see and do in that area such as the USS Alabama and downtown Mobile is loaded with museums and old forts. Parking at the terminal is a breeze - get there early if you want a covered deck. Lots of hotels in the area offer free transport to the terminal and back for staying in one of their rooms, but you have to weigh the extra cost of the room for staying in one less expensive and going and parking yourself. Enjoy your cruise and use these boards - there is a ton of info available to you simply free for the asking.

[Tater1800]

You can't beat the Holiday for a simple cruise. I don't care for atriums, spiral staircases and the like. I just want good food, relaxation and a little entertainment. Here are a few photos:

 

http://home.alltel.net/hyatts1/index.htm

[heatherty3]

Thanks so much for all the tips about the Holiday. We leave on MONDAY!!! I'll definatly have to check out the Extreme Country show! THANKS!

[Montycruiser]

We have been on Holiday twice, she is a wonderful small ship and you can't beat the service. We are leaving on Feb 3rd on the Glory out of Port Canaveral. This is our first time on a Conquest class ship and we can't wait to see the differences. Of course, we are partial to the Holiday, she was our first cruise and now she is only a short 2.5 hour drive from our house. Go and have a wonderful anniversary. :)

[mh1973]

Montycruiser, great slideshows, thanks for sharing!

[Beth]

Be sure aand go to the Extreme Country show it was fantastic!!

[Beth]

Be sure and go to the Extreme Country show it was fantastic!!

[Traveler353]

The Holiday was my first cruise and will be my choice for the third in a couple of months. Great ship and crew:D

[streaks23]

Totally agree! Great slideshow!

We, also, are from Montgomery (Vaughn & Taylor area) but haven't been on the Holiday...yet :)

We've been on the Triumph, Paradise, Fantasy and Valor. All awesome...aslo, some other cruise lines in between!

I'm sure we'll be trying the Holiday !!!