Just back from the Holiday: Mini-review

[Cruise, J.D.]

I must have drank too much coffee and tea on the drive back from Mobile because I can't sleep. :cool:

 

Anyways, I will write a full review for the review section, but here is a mini-review. This was our second cruise on the Holiday and it was a 5 nighter to Progreso and Cozumel. Our cabin was E100.

 

Pros:

 

The FOOD! Wow, it was really good. We had a family and friends group of 16 and no one complained about even one dish. I ate most dinners in the dining room and it was great. Disappointments from the past such as the steak and the lobster showed marked improvement. My orders throughout the week were gazpacho & NY strip, stuffed mushrooms, 2 lobster tails, & lime sherbert, thai chicken, jerked loin, & tiramasu, and shrimp cocktail, lamb chops, & Grand Marnier Souffle.

 

Our head waiter. Krasimir (sp?) was excellent. He treated our 14 mo. old son like royalty and competently handled our special requests for his meals. Many in our party ordered multiple apps., entrees, and desserts and he never missed a beat. He was by far the best head waiter we have had.

 

Friendliness of the staff in general. This is a friendly crew. Same as last time. They were always stopping to say hi to our son and play with him. They do a great job of making you feel at home.

 

The bedding. I know it hasn't changed, but gosh it is great. I don't think I appreciated how nice it was on past cruises.

 

Progreso. We all liked this port. A lot of options, but we just hung out at the beach and shopped. No, the water is not clear, but the beach is large and the water is swimmable. There are lots of restaurants and shops near it.

 

Cozumel. Another great snorkel trip with Eagle Ray Divers. We had the boat to ourself and two guides.

 

The infirmary staff. Our son developed a fairly high fever on the last day and the doctor on board was very helpful. A full and lengthy exam. We felt very confident in his competency. He made the diagnosis and prescribed some medicine. The little guy is doing much better today.

 

Cons:

 

Service issues. The beverage waiter in the dining room was pretty bad. We were only asked for tea and coffee one time. When we did get tea, he would run out mid-glass on somebody and disappear for a relatively long time before coming back. On past cruises, this was never an issue.

 

Our room steward was OK, but I tipped him extra on day one to keep my ice chest full of ice and he only filled it one time. I left him a note about it but it didn't do any good. I let it go and just did what I did last time and hauled it from the Lido deck. Next cruise I'm going to get this issue straightened out even if it means talking to a supervisor.

 

We called room service one time for a corkscrew for a wine bottle. We were told it would be 45 minutes . . .:confused: Took it to the Lido deck pool bartender and he opened it for us.

 

A/C issues. A little hot in the cabin on the first day, but it got better. Very hot sometimes on the Lido deck by the buffet items.

 

Progreso. Constant bombardment to buy items or get a massage while on the beach.

 

The infamous brown water. Showed up the first day. It disappeared if the water was left running. Went away days 2, 3, and 4. Came back day 5.

 

Crowded feeling. Similar to our first Holiday cruise, the ship just feels a little crowded, especially on the Lido deck during high times.

 

Miscellaneous observations:

 

Cruising with a one year old. Challenging, but we would do it again. A lot will depend on your baby's disposition. Take a flexible attitude and you will be OK. Know when he or she has met his or her limit. We only received positive comments from other guests. Do not expect the same experiences as your past cruises without a child. It ain't happening.

Sewer smells. Not a problem this time. Never noticed it.

 

"Hidden" open deck. All the way forward on the Verandah deck (11). Great spot with a great view. Never more than a few people there at a time. Very romantic spot at night.

 

Dining room attire. Don't shoot the messenger :) Lots of shorts on casual night. Khaki and cargo for the most part. Baseball caps on casual night. Elegant night dress code looked like it was followed for the most part. We only had one elegant night.

 

Steve Cassel. Ran into him in the parking deck before embarkation. He drives a sweet red Corvette. Great guy.

 

Overall. The food really tipped the balance towards "exceeded expectations". Before, I thought a lot of dishes had a fancy name and look, but failed the taste test. Not this time.

 

 

If you have any questions, just post them and I will try to help.

[Calker]

Love reading reviews - mini or not.

 

Thanks for the info on bringing a very young child. Friends of ours are going on their first cruise with a 15 month old - they'll like to read about your experiences.

[Toddcan]

Thanks for the review. Please let us know when your full review is completed in the review section?

 

What time did you arrive at the port? I've posted in the "Gulf Coast Departure" forum, but no one goes there. I've heard that they will not let cars into the parking lot until 11am or even later, but others have posted they got there eariler, and were on the ship at 11:30am. I'd hate to show up at 10:30am, and sit in a line of cars because they won't open the gates to the parking garage. But, I like to beat the crowds, so want to be on the ship as soon as possibe.

[Cruise, J.D.]

What time did you arrive at the port? I've posted in the "Gulf Coast Departure" forum, but no one goes there. I've heard that they will not let cars into the parking lot until 11am or even later, but others have posted they got there eariler, and were on the ship at 11:30am. I'd hate to show up at 10:30am, and sit in a line of cars because they won't open the gates to the parking garage. But, I like to beat the crowds, so want to be on the ship as soon as possibe.

 

We arrived at the terminal about 11:00 a.m. and drove right in. We were on the ship at about 12:15 p.m. There were already quite a few people parked, but there wasn't a line. There wasn't a line at 10:30 a.m. on our first Holiday cruise either.

 

Here is my tip: Try to get in at 10:00 - 10:30 a.m.. If you can't, just drive around to the overpass across from the terminal and park under it and watch the entrance. You will see occasional vehicles try to enter. As soon as you see the security guard let in a vehicle, get the heck over there. That worked for us on our first Holiday cruise - we were on the ship in no time. Don't worry about the time the security guard gives you - he is going to estimate a late time.

[cookingchick]

What time did you arrive at the port? I've posted in the "Gulf Coast Departure" forum, but no one goes there.

 

Including you, apparently. :) I replied to your post in that forum 2 days ago.

[ryano]

I was on the Holiday right before you and enjoyed it tremendously..........glad you enjoyed your cruise :)

[cjkumbaya]

Thanks for the mini review (though I think it would qualify for a regular review). Very nice - I'm glad you all had a good time. We were on the Miracle in March and really loved the bedding as well. A friend of mine at work will be going on the Holiday in December and I will pass on this information to her.:cool:

[bonniemari]

I have to agree with you about the food on the Holiday. I was on the April 21st sailing of the Holiday and then the May 4th sailing of the Destiny and the food on the Holiday was much better. That's not saying the food on the Destiny was bad cause it wasn't-but the I liked the food served in the Dining Room better on the Holiday.

 

I had thought that my April cruise on the Holiday would be my last goodbye to the Holiday but I had such a great time I plan on going on her again one "last time" in October or November.

 

And one trip to Progresso back a few years ago was enough for me so I always choose the route that includes Calica.

[Cruise, J.D.]

Cruise Review – Carnival Holiday – 06/07/08

This is a review of a cruise on the Carnival Holiday that my family took beginning on June 07, 2006. The cruise was out of Mobile, Alabama and was my and my wife's second cruise on the Holiday and our third cruise overall. This was our first cruise with our 14 month old son. Our cabin was E100. Overall, we had a great time and I can recommend the Holiday. My review of our first cruise on the Holiday is also posted in the review section of this site.

General Comments

Cruising with a baby is a different experience. We had a lot of fun, but it was also a lot of work. We went with a large group of family and friends which made it easier. They gave us occasional breaks to go out on our own. We also took turns to give each other a break. If your child is two or older, you will have Camp Carnival to help you out. If your child is under two, you will need family, friends, or the babysitting service to get a break. The babysitting service is $6/hour. The staff did an excellent job welcoming us and our son. I can't count the times a staff member stopped to say hello to our son and play with him.

Other than taking our child and the associated limitations, the primary difference between this cruise and the last one on the Holiday was the food. The food was pretty good last time, but it was fantastic on this cruise. We did not have one bad dish in the dining room. The embarkation and debarkation process remained easy. Our service this time was better in some ways and worse in some ways. The lines and crowding on the Lido deck were still a problem. I did not experience vibrations in the elevator this time or sewer smells. The infamous brown water did show up. However, it would go away if you left your sink running and it completely disappeared for three days.

We attended part of the Extreme Country show, but did not attend any of the other production shows or comedy shows. We attended a few of the activities and found them enjoyable. We were also not able to enjoy much of the nightlife aboard the ship, but it appeared people were having a good time in the various clubs and lounges. We missed the Captain's Cocktail Party, but made the Past Guest Party. There were plenty of servers and free drinks available.

The Holiday remains a great cruise. As the Cruise Director, Steve Cassell, pointed out in the debarkation talk, the Holiday is doing better than Carnival ever expected. Yes, the price is a little lower, but it takes more than that to consistently bring people back and fill up a ship. I ran into many passengers who were past Holiday cruisers. I like bargains, but I am not going to jeopardize my vacation dollars on a questionable cruise. The Holiday offers a solid vacation value. Our group was a mix of first time and experienced cruisers - no one had a bad time or thought they didn't get their money's worth on the Holiday.

06/05/08 - 06/06/08 Mobile, AL

We decided to drive to Mobile on Thursday after I left work to try and have a "normal" day on Friday. The drive was fairly uneventful and we arrived in Mobile around 2:00 a.m. I previously booked the La Quinta Inn through Priceline for a total of $50 per night for two nights. This was my second visit to this hotel, the first visit was in June 2006. I also booked it for our family members.

Upon arrival, the front desk staff took an inordinate amount of time to find my room. In addition, I had called ahead and requested a crib for the room. I was told there was not a crib in the room and that the front desk did not have the ability to get one at that time. When I made it to the room I discovered there were no towels and there was a dead bug (dirt dobber) on the floor. Other problems in the room were burned out light bulbs, the remote did not work well, and the A/C did not work well. I heard other guests report the pool was cloudy. Positives were the inclusion of a refrigerator in the room and the water pressure.

For the price I paid for this room, I feel I received adequate quality. However, if I was paying the retail price for this hotel, I would feel the hotel was substandard. I would only recommend this hotel if you can get it for a substantial bargain off the retail price.

On Friday, we went to the local Wal-Mart to pick up some supplies. Afterwards, we met up with my wife's family and took a drive around Mobile. We drove to Dauphin Island and that afternoon we went to the Original Oyster House for dinner.

This was my second time to eat here and both times were excellent. I had the grilled Ahi tuna and shrimp and a nice beer brewed from pecans. I ordered my tuna as rare as possible and the quality of the tuna was outstanding. Everyone in my group reported their food was good. The restaurant has interesting photos on the wall of its past and the impact of hurricanes. Great food and atmosphere and great views of Mobile Bay.

06/07/08 Mobile, AL – Embarkation

We arrived at the parking garage at the terminal around 11:00 a.m. As we were looking for a spot to park, I noticed Steve Cassell in front of us in a red Corvette. He parked in a restricted area - I guess being the Cruise Director has its privileges! Parking was $15 per day.

For some dumb reason, I had it in my head that we needed to carry on a lot of stuff. Trying this with a one year old was a mistake. We carried on two suitcases, three bags, and a small ice chest - in addition to our son in his stroller. Needless to say, he got tired of being in his stroller and this was a big headache. We did have a lot of essential carry on stuff, but a lot could have been checked. Note to self - don't do that again when bringing on a small child.

We made it on the ship at about 12:30 and chilled out in the Main deck lounge for awhile before going to our room. We met our room steward and introduced ourselves. I also gave him an extra tip and asked him to keep my large collapsible cooler (I packed it in my checked luggage) filled with ice. He did it one time - but never filled it again. This was very frustrating as the same thing happened last cruise. I even left a note. The note disappeared but there was no ice. Next time, I will escalate the matter. I ended up lugging ice from the Lido deck like last time. Other than that, our room steward was fine throughout the week. He made up our son's crib and placed his lovies in the crib each night which was a nice touch. All of our checked luggage arrived fine. I packed some alcohol in it and it was there.

Our dining room was the Seven Seas and we had the main seating at 6:00 p.m. That night at dinner I had the Gazpacho for a starter and the New York Strip for an entrée. Both were excellent. In the past, the steak was a bit tough, but not tonight.

After dinner, we walked around the ship with our son. We went to the gift shops where a free liquor tasting of Amarula and Bailey's was given. I managed to catch a little of the Welcome Aboard show with some of the guys who came with us. The comedian for the night did a small part and he was funny.

06/08/08 Sea Day

We awoke and had breakfast on the Lido deck. We generally ate breakfast and lunch on the Lido deck throughout the week. Most of the day was spent touring the ship and playing with our son. We went to the Seventies Dance Class and it was hilarious. That afternoon we took our son and his blowup pool to the Aft children's pool area and he had a good time.

For dinner, I had the Stuffed Mushrooms for a starter, two lobsters for an entrée, and lime sherbet for dessert. All were excellent. On our past cruise, I thought the lobster was rubbery. However, it was tender and moist this time. My second lobster was served on a complete plate after I finished the first one.

That night we went to the Extreme Country show. Somehow our son managed to sleep through the loud music. The male lead is a better singer than the female lead, but it is a decent show. We left a little early to go to bed.

06/09/08 Progreso, Mexico

Our plan for Progreso was to take the free shuttle to town and then walk to the beach. After going through the initial terminal on the pier, the free shuttle buses were on the left. We loaded up and the bus took us to Progreso. The ride was uneventful. You can see the beach on the left as you ride down the pier.

When we arrived in Progreso, we immediately made our way to the beach. We entered the beach near a statue and went to one of the free palapa huts with a table and chairs. There is no charge for using these, but it is a nice gesture to order drinks, food, or both from the waiters who will come around. The restaurants across the street put out the chairs and palapas. The first spot we were at had beer for $2. The waiter had a Del Sol shirt on.

We were constantly bombarded with pleas to buy trinkets and get massages while on the beach. One time a guitar player played a song for us without our asking and then asked for a tip. We were constantly saying "no thank you". That was usually enough.

Our son loved the beach and the ocean. He would try to wriggle his way free when we took him into the water! He also loved playing in the sand and the seashells. The water was a little murky here, but it was still the ocean and the water was swimmable. The beach is fairly wide and the sand is not bad. Eventually, we saw my father-in-law, and we moved down the beach to meet up with the rest of our group. At the new spot, Corona's were two for $3 and the proprietor was giving us free food and shots of tequila.

After our son fell asleep, we made our way back to the bus drop off and caught the free bus back to the ship. That night at dinner I had the Thai chicken for a starter, jerked loin for an entrée, and tiramisu for dessert. Everything was excellent.

06/10/08 Cozumel, Mexico

I had prebooked a two reef snorkel trip for eleven people with Eagle Ray Divers for our group. We made our way to the taxi stand and took two taxis to La Caleta Marina - a short ride from the pier. Eagle Ray was ready for us when we arrived and went over our equipment and safety precautions. We had two guides to help us.

The snorkeling was fantastic. A lot of colorful fish and we also saw a sea cucumber and a large eel. Fruit and drinks, including beer, were offered. After our snorkeling, we took taxis back and did some shopping. Eagle Ray called the taxis for us. I can recommend Eagle Ray divers for snorkeling. My wife stayed back with our son and shopped in the pier area.

At dinner, I had the shrimp cocktail for a starter, lamb chops for an entrée, and Grand Marnier soufflé for a dessert. I liked everything, but thought the soufflé was a little bland.

That night I hung out with my father-in-law and we walked around the ship and had some drinks. We tried to get a bottle opener from room service, but it was going to be 45 minutes so we just took the wine bottle to the bartender on the Lido deck pool area and he opened it for us.

I had read about a nice "secret" open area on the Verandah deck, so we decided to find it. You can get there by taking the elevators that are all the way forward to the Verandah deck, then walking down the hall and through two doors or you can walk out of the Lido deck pool area onto the side deck and then all the way forward and up the stairs. When we got there at night, there was only two other people there. It was nice and quiet and a romantic spot - however, I was there with my father-in-law, so we didn't hang around much! Eventually, we went to the casino and my father-in-law hit a lucky four of a kind playing video poker and won $108. Needless to say, he was excited.

06/11/08 Sea Day

This day ended up being a scary day. Our son woke up at 4:00 a.m. vomiting and with a high fever. We alternated giving him ibuprofen and tylenol and that kept the fever in check. Thankfully, he quit vomiting and was able to hold liquids and food down. We had also brought some Pedialyte for him. His fever went down to 99° and we thought we were in the clear.

My wife's mother watched him for a little bit, and we left to explore the ship with others and take a break. We went to the "secret" area on the Verandah deck and took pictures and had some pizza.

When we got back, our son's fever had risen to about 102° and he was having severe congestion in his nose. We took him to the infirmary and the doctor did a thorough examination of him and asked about his medical history. He diagnosed him with an upper respiratory virus and prescribed some medicine. The doctor appeared very competent to us and our son responded nicely to the medicine. By that night, he was wanting to play and his fever had come down.

We didn't leave the cabin much that night. I went and ate at the Lido deck and brought some food back for my wife and son. We hung out in the cabin and played.

06/12/08 Mobile, AL – Debarkation

Our son was doing much better this morning, which made things a lot easier for us. We put a lot of luggage out the night before to be checked to avoid having to carry it. We did not feel like doing self debarkation. After a leisurely wait, our number was called around 10:30 a.m. and we made it off the ship. We grabbed a porter to help with the luggage and before we knew it, we were back on the road. It was a great cruise and vacation.

[Tncontrygirl]

I so much enjoyed reading your review! I keep forwarding all the HOLIDAY information to my sons, and friends who are planning to cruise with us. I'm going to have to print out the directions to the secret spot...I don't remember finding it last time, and I'm usually to wimping to be opneing doors and exploring on my own!

 

I'm curious about the time in Progresso, I'm offering to stay behind with my step mom so my Dad and my son can go to the Ruins. She has some heart issues and can't walk long distances. Can anyone give me advice as to the best way for me to keep her entertained while in this port>??

 

Thanks...Vicki

[Cruise, J.D.]

I so much enjoyed reading your review! I keep forwarding all the HOLIDAY information to my sons, and friends who are planning to cruise with us. I'm going to have to print out the directions to the secret spot...I don't remember finding it last time, and I'm usually to wimping to be opneing doors and exploring on my own!

 

I'm curious about the time in Progresso, I'm offering to stay behind with my step mom so my Dad and my son can go to the Ruins. She has some heart issues and can't walk long distances. Can anyone give me advice as to the best way for me to keep her entertained while in this port>??

 

Thanks...Vicki

 

Glad you enjoyed it!

 

As for the secret spot, just do it LOL. You walk down the hall past the suites and the door is at the end. Walk through that door and another door right in front of it and voila! The spa and gym area will be at the other end of the hallway where you get off the elevator.

 

For Progreso, there is some shopping right off the ship that doesn't require actually going into town. If you do take the bus into town with her, there is shopping near the drop off. It is about a two block walk to the beach - however, I don't know her limitations. Whatever you do, if you leave the ship with her it will be pretty hot so take precautions.

 

I'll take a look at our capers tonight and post the activities on the ship when in Progreso to give you an idea of things to do if you can't leave the ship.

[mzloolue]

Thanks.

I really enjoyed your review.

 

We're booked on Holiday this Friday.

[PinklacesS]

Thanks for the great review! We are going in August and I can hardly wait. I will definately be looking for the 'secret' door! Thanks for the tip.

 

Glad to hear your baby is doing better... always scaring when kids get sick on vacation!

[Beader7]

Great review. WE are cruising on August 2nd. REally looking forward to it. Your review was great!

Sandy:)

[Monkeythyme]

I so much enjoyed reading your review! I keep forwarding all the HOLIDAY information to my sons, and friends who are planning to cruise with us. I'm going to have to print out the directions to the secret spot...I don't remember finding it last time, and I'm usually to wimping to be opneing doors and exploring on my own!

...Vicki

 

I think the previous poster is referring to the observation deck on top of the bridge. I just looked at the deck plans, and it appears you can get to it by taking the hallway through the verandah suite area to the deck.

I have been there several times myself, and I do not recall going through the verandah suite area. Perhaps there are stairs up to it from the lido deck promenade. I tend to wander to interesting places and then forget how I got there, because I'm O-L-D.

[Squidly]

I liked your review of the Holiday she is a great ship. I call her the little ship that Can and Does. She can give a great cruise experience and does give great service and food.You can't beat that for the price.:D We will be back on her in Sept.:)