Our first experience cruising was great, except for the weather.
Written: Feb 20 '04 (Updated Feb 21 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great staff
Cons: size of ship, lack of activities
The Bottom Line: Great ship for first time cruiser
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| gman2129's Full Review: Carnival Holiday |
Our first cruise on Feb 5, 2004, was both good and bad. Great ship, but the weather out and back was terrible.
We booked our cruise on the Holiday out of New Orleans. We had never cruised before, and were excited to experience it.
Boarding: Boarding was a snap. The lines moved fairly quickly, and took maybe a total of thirty minutes waiting in line. The staff was EXTREMELY courteous and cordial.
First Impression of the ship: CLEAN! I know that the ship had recently been refurbished, but you could see some things that were not new, but were very clean. The carpets for instance were a little dusty around the edges, but hey, who can get all of those anyway. Our cabin was well appointed. We opted for an inside cabin on the Riviera deck in the middle of the ship. I did this so we wouldn't feel the rolling or rocking. (Later on, I was glad we did this.) The bathroom was a bit small, but clean(that word again.)There were small assorted toiletries(shampoo, toothpaste, even dental floss!)Closet space was more than ample. Enough room to store clothes for a week long trip. The beds were even comfortable! Not to mention that the comforters were much better than those that you encounter at a motel chain. Initially, we had trouble with our toilet, but a call to our cabin steward, and it was promptly and efficiently fixed.The weather was overcast when we left New Orleans, and a steady wind was blowing out of the south. As we entered the Gulf, we encountered seas about 5-7 feet. Not too bad, but noticeable. The lifeboat drill was orderly and over quickly enough.
Friday, Feb. 6, was the only day we really saw any sunlight. A word of advice: get up on deck early to secure your deck chairs. Due to the fact that it was sunny, EVERYONE wanted to be there. Dinner was a pleasant experience, however, the portions seemed a bit on the small side. The staff was pleasant, and we were seated at a table for four. However, the photographer always seemed to interrupt a great dinner for a photo op.The good news was that you could try anything on the menu and as much as you wanted. We only experienced one midnight buffet, and we were glad we made it. The ice sculptures were very artistic, and the rest of the food on the buffet was edible art. We took a lot of pictures of this. We did attend the formal dinner, and was a little disappointed, not in the food, but in the fact that people in shorts were allowed to sit at dinner, even though the staff had asked passengers not to dress that way. Even this minor flaw did not tarnish the level of service.
Saturday, Feb. 7, the weather in Cozumel was very overcast with intermittent showers. We had not booked any shore excursions there, and were glad we didn't. We opted to shop the day away. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT! After securing a taxi to the downtown area (six dollars) we strolled the shops to begin our fiesta of savings. Cigars were not a very good deal, in fact, the ship had the same cigars at a slightly higher price. The discount medications that we had heard so much about in Mexico were not to be found. Apparently, due to the demand by tourists, the prices have skyrocketed. Some shops refused to barter on prices, and in one shop, we were asked if we wanted cocaine. Of course we said no, but ever eager to please, our foreign hosts said that they could get it for us, but it would take a couple of hours. Senor Frogs was a let down. Overpriced drinks, and the food was not that great. However, the staff was friendly and eager. Eventually, we made our way back to the ship amid the threatening skies. After leaving Cozumel, the south wind now created a following sea behind us. Oh yeah, the temperature(due to the cold front) now dipped into the 50'S. It became very rough, and the rocking and rolling started. Dinner was an experience with the gyrations of the boat. Hint: you know it is rough when you see empty convenience(vomit) bags near the elevators and stairwells placed there by the crew. My wife became a little sick and we spent the rest of the evening in our cabin. It seemed that most of the other passengers opted for the same experience too.
Sunday, Feb 8.---After a miserable night of being tossed about in our cabin, we awoke to stiff winds and cold temperatures. Everyone up on deck had jackets on.
The activities are somewhat limited during the day, so we just kind of hung around with some friends that we had met.
(Note to self--bring a good book for the next cruise.) The activities that day were limited to Bingo and the hairy chest competition. After viewing the hirsute parade,(our new found friend won it!), we pretty much just lounged around.
Disembarking, Monday Feb 9---After waiting for almost 2 hours after going to our appointed spot to wait, we were finally allowed to get off. Clearing customs was a snap and we strolled right on out the door.
Overall impressions: The ship was clean, the staff very eager and efficient. I'm sure that the larger ships have more activities, in case of foul weather. The first show that we saw was aimed at a slightly older crowd. The performers were good, and the music was good also. I thought the evening show on Sunday was much better.It was more like a Vegas Style show, whereas the first was more like a musical. I enjoyed the cruise, but was disappointed in Cozumel. I would not hesitate to recommend the Holiday for the first time cruiser or older traveler. We did see some children on board,but they were well behaved and did not hamper our experience. The idea of the tips being automatically tabulated was a big help. We tipped our cabin steward extra money, due to the wonderful job that he did. The staff in the dining room were great too. I am looking forward to another cruise, but maybe on a bigger ship with more ports of call.Above all---remain flexible!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
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Epinions.com ID:
gman2129
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Reviews written: 2
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