Holiday review, my favorite ship.

[mrBit]

The Holiday is now my favorite ship.

She is the smallest and the oldest from Carnival, but was in my opinion the best ship so far. (The little ship that could)

The drive from Houston to Mobile.

Oh boy was this fun, we planned on a 6 to 7 hour drive as I drive kind of fast and booked the Grand Hotel Marriott in Clear Point AL across the bay from the cruise terminal.

http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/PTLAL

WHAT A GREAT HOTEL, WE LOVED IT!!!

Ok anyway, we have to get there first. So we planned to head out at 4:30pm but in reality it was 5:30, thank you Houston traffic. For some reason is was worse than normal as we did the same for our Sensation cruise. Anyway we start to head out of town only to hit more traffic, BUT this time it did not move for 2 hours……….wow, my son is crying and we have eaten all the road snacks as we planned to stop and eat once outside of Houston and we cannot move. Well it turns out is was a tractor trailer fire. Well inch after inch I was able to exit on side roads and took 90 to Beaumont. So we are now 3+ hours behind schedule. Sooo we drive to AL, and get to the hotel at 3:30am.

NOW, what a hotel, fantastic! We arrive at the gate a little embarrassed but the gate guard was great and told us where to go. So we drive to the front and the hotel grounds are just beautiful and before our eyes are two hotel staff waiting in the cold for us to pull up. They took our bags, car and took my wife to the room as I checked inn. We got a late check out without asking and had the option to extend it if we wished. The room and hotel were just fantastic.

The next morning we woke up late (of course) and grabbed some brunch. We relaxed in the room a while and walked the grounds. My son was able to feed the ducks and just loved it.

Everyone there was simply pleasant. We will go back again.

So it came time to head out for the Holiday… yeah!!!!

As we crossed the bay bridge we were able to see the Holiday in the distance, it was a beautiful site. So we finally get to the terminal:

TIP: use the driveway to far right, we made the mistake of driving into the terminal exit and had to turn around to go to the entrance… duh.

Anyway what friendly staff, everyone from security to porters to Carnival administrative were simply fantastic.

We are CVC members (Carnival Vacation Club) and were able to use the VIP check inn. This was great as there was already a long line. We were escorted to the VIP office, then to the pictures and finally to the Sail and Sign check inn which is in the terminal and not the ship as in my past cruises.

Then we boarded the ship and did not know what to expect as we knew there would be no grand atrium and to expect a small ship. Well, I was not disappointed, we were greeted as we boarded into the purser’s and shore excursion desks area: (I have pictures and will post them shortly)

Yes it was not a gigantic atrium but it was very warm in my opinion.

The holiday is in great shape and I at no time did I smell anything but did not see any real aging either.

I love the décor on Holiday the best as well. The Conquest was goddy, the Sensation felt like I was in an Arcade game with so much neon and chrome; but the Holiday was just right. She had wooden chairs for the buffet and American themed carpeting to paintings (not the auction art) and on. She was very warm, I felt at home on the Holiday.

So we then proceeded to our stateroom and met our room steward, she was great and did so many things for my son.

The drill was the drill not much to say on that.

At first we found it a bit confusing to navigate the holiday as not all public decks span the length of the ship BUT once figured out the Holiday is a breeze to navigate.

I found the Holiday to be more festive for the bon voyage party and the crew indeed in my opinion was the friendliest by far.

The Holiday in the end was more of a “Fun Ship” for us, it just seemed to be more festive.

The food was great as with my other cruises.

The entertainment was fantastic, the cruise director was one of the most talented I have seen. He could juggle and play the heck out of a fiddle. This made the shows great in my opinion as having a cruise director in the show added a certain flavor to it.

To conclude:

Can you tell we loved the Holiday???

Pictures coming soon.

If you have any question please let me know.

[yellow bird]

Great review, I could tell you really liked the Holiday. I dont think she gets the credit she deserves because she is the oldest and smallest, but she is still a great ship to cruise on.

[Yazoo cruiser]

and we prefer her over the larger ships. The staff and crew are fantastic. Glad you had a great cruise.

[futaba951]

The Grand Hotel is awesome isn't it? Makes you wish you could just stay there for the week and forget about the cruise. :D

[luckycruzer]

19 days, and Apr23.....I too had heard lots of negetives and a few positives, but I'm old enuff to decide for me. After several lines, and 19 cruises under my life jacket, I will still cruise her..as long as she is 100 miles away and accessable. I was shutteled to port by hotel, got my bags in order, (I lost my TBA tags) asked for more, but was referred to the nice blue eyed man who helped me in Nov..he is port stevadore/not CCL employee , and called me by my last name .WOW..how many pax does he see in a month, much less 3 1/2...St ???d..it is not a real common name, but I have uncommonly white bouffy hair, and he got both cheeks addressed, as he looked up my name on the list and even wrote my # on all of them.....I always have $1's in my accessable pockets, and he refused them..imagine that..hope to see him the 26th. That certainly gets the cruise off to a fab start. I had one little negative report to purser staff, and a letter under the door followed that night. Problem adressed, and another letter telling me they had a meeting over it,and welcoming me back soon and thanks for seeing the situation. That's as good as Chocolate melting cake, escargot, and free champagne!

[vetgirl]

Thanks for the nice little review that put a great big smile on my face! I will see her in less than 3 weeks!:)

[Cruzman]

Nice to read all the good stuff about the Holiday! Such comments merely reinforce my own positive thoughts about this grand lady. My fourth cruise on her is just 10 days away; YES!

[Iamthesea]

Thank you for the review. I will send this on to my daughter! Looking forward to the photos.;)

[smrn]

Thanks for the review!! I board in 11 days!!

 

What activities do you recommend onboard?

 

Anything of "don't miss" quality?

[mrBit]

ok here they are:

 

I was the most curious about the lobby so for those who want to know:

 

 

 

 

the rest can be viewed

 

http://www.pbase.com/mrbit/root

[debberannne]

Hubby and I spent our honeymoon at the Grand. When we got up that morning, there was a huge jubilee! Flounder, crabs, shrimp, even eels. That is the only jubilee I have even seen.

We sailed the Holiday this Spring, and just loved it.

I guess some of y'all will not know what a jubilee is....

When the water, temp, wind, and other factors are combined in a particular way, (not really sure what that way is) the sea life in Mobile Bay cannot get oxygen. They all scramble to the surface and you can just pluck them out. Jubilees can last a few minutes or a few hours. Mobile Bay is one of just three or four places over the entire world that this happens.

The morning of the jubilee, the chefs and kitchen workers were out catching all the fish, crabs and shrimp in dozens of big buckets. If you were thinking that perhaps the prices in the restaurant went down that night...No. LOL

[mrBit]

Things not to miss would be the shows where the Cruise Director plays his fiddle.

[mowrider]

The pig race in the Americana, it's a hoot !

[smrn]

Thanks for the pictures!!

[IllinoisCruiser]

Thanks for the pictures, we leave on the Holiday on 3/26/07.

[elizablake]

Wow! That you so much for the review and photos. I especially loved your comparison to the Sensation since that is the only ship I have been on. Some of the members of my group are very interested in the food (probably because they are dieting). Did you eat in the dinning room? Are there any dishes that stand out?

[Cotton]

Just wanted to add my two cents. The Holiday remains my favorite Carnival ship. I think the chef has it all over the chefs on other ships. I have never found anything I didn't LOVE in the Holiday dining rooms.:) Yes, I'm a "foodie" (and a retired chef). To the Holiday - Long May She Float!

 

The Grand - I've spent a week there every year for the past 25 years. Gotta love it!

[mh1973]

Thank for the review and great pictures! I will take my first cruise on the Holiday April 19th, can't wait!!!

[poptart]

Thanks for sharing! We'll be on the Holiday for our 1st cruise on her on 3/22-only 6 more weeks. I'm really looking forward to it. It will be our cruise buds 3rd cruise on her and she is their favorite--we were all on the Glory together in November and they kept saying how they like the Holiday better, so dh and I are really looking forward to trying her out--the relatively short drive to port is a plus too--less than 6 hours :D So if she's all that I hear, I'm sure this may just be the 1st of several cruises on her.

BTW the Glory is my least favorite ship I have been on--way too crowded and lousy dining room service and food--of course that is a personal opinion--we love Carnival--just didn't care for the Glory--although we had a wonderful time and enjoyed ourselves in spite of a few problems. Heck, we were on a ship and life was grand!!

 

What did you do in port? We're thinking Paradise beach and shopping in Cozumel.

[jetskier]

I concur that the Holiday is a nice ship but it is the crew that makes her special. I have sailed on her six times now. Just got done doing my Platinum cruise on her.

 

Dave

[marshabear]

we leave sunday- sailing monday!! :)

 

can't wait to enjoy all there is to enjoy about this wonderful ship!!

 

looking forward to fantastic meals as we weren't too impressed with the food on our last cruise-Destiny- not bad, but not much "stood out" either...

 

also looking forward to the country show...we LOVE country music!! :)

 

 

Marsha

[Iamthesea]

Duplicate!

[Iamthesea]

mrBit - Thank you for the pictures! Any more pics of the stateroom?

 

poptart - I agree about the Glory. It was the worse cruiseship! :p

[luckycruzer]

with 5th in 18 days, and 6th Apr 23, C'mon Dave..My 2nd w/ Dave I might add..this time met lovely wife Michelle..both great dancers!..I agree with Cotton.....and the menu has been upgraded since Nov cruises..I have become pals with Chef Georg Schneider:D (eat your heart out, y'all) (my moms name also...He didnt agree with Geo Blancs selections..mostly the plating time element..Cotton will concur...(specially on those mega liners).I have many cruises on other lines, and just started back up in Sept..and think of no other now!. Hubby just went on 10day RCCL w/me and didnt "get" what I was always talking about.:confused: .last night he stated he wants to go on "HER"..he works out of the area, 4000 miles away. So his time with me needs to be spent w/quality activities.:) Also shorter iten.CD Steve, is a talent, shows are terrif..My $750 Bingo win didnt hurt..pushed the RED TEAM over the top.Food is nicely preparred, well presented, and very warm to hot when served. go on Galley tour to to have a better understanding of the team system and effort.You will be amazed:cool: . looking at a fall cruise too..I am too busy w/ wedding season here on the gulf cost to plan a 5 day-er at the present(may can sneek in a qwiki) So, any q's..just post...judi

[luckycruzer]

with 5th in 18 days, and 6th Apr 23, C'mon Dave..My 2nd w/ Dave I might add..this time met lovely wife Michelle..both great dancers!..I agree with Cotton.....and the menu has been upgraded since Nov cruises..I have become pals with Chef Georg Schneider:D (eat your heart out, y'all) (my moms name also...He didnt agree with Geo Blancs selections..mostly the plating time element..Cotton will concur...(specially on those mega liners).I have many cruises on other lines, and just started back up in Sept..and think of no other now!. Hubby just went on 10day RCCL w/me and didnt "get" what I was always talking about.:confused: .last night he stated he wants to go on "HER"..he works out of the area, 4000 miles away. So his time with me needs to be spent w/quality activities.:) Also shorter iten.CD Steve, is a talent, shows are terrif..My $750 Bingo win didnt hurt..pushed the RED TEAM over the top.Food is nicely preparred, well presented, and very warm to hot when served. go on Galley tour to to have a better understanding of the team system and effort.You will be amazed:cool: . looking at a fall cruise too..I am too busy w/ wedding season here on the gulf cost to plan a 5 day-er at the present(may can sneek in a qwiki) So, any q's..just post...judi:)