August 2002: New Orleans to Cozumel
Written: Nov 25 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Upbeat staff, smaller ship with better service, but not overcrowded.
Cons: Cuisine not mouth watering, typical "Carnival spring break cruisers."
The Bottom Line: Carnival offers an excellent product to those looking for a great bargin and some fun. Don't look for the glamour you'll find in premium or other mainstream level lines, though.
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| garykool81's Full Review: Carnival Holiday |
New Orleans has never been a traditional port used widely throughout the cruise industry, although, that is beginning to slowly change thanks in part to local political/economic efforts and commercial risk takers in the field such as Carnival Cruise Lines. The massive corporation, which has rocketed in success through its history by providing the now synonymous-with-its-name “fun ships” to a mostly younger crowd, has literally revolutionized the cruise industry in recent years with its groundbreaking “drive to the port instead of flying there” program.
By strategically placing ships such as M/S Holiday (no longer operating from this port from my knowledge) in select untraditional cruising markets where demand continues to grow, the company has grown even more popular and successful than ever before. And, the company can certainly afford to experiment and risk take, being that it is without argument the largest and most formidable name in the entire field.
Long story short, the experiment worked, and thanks to the efforts of Carnival and other companies following their footsteps such as Norwegian Cruise Lines, more and more people across the country are now in positions where they can afford cruise vacations minus the $300 roundtrip airfare.
The experience aboard M/S Holiday was my first cruise, which is always a risky adventure for both the passenger and line itself. I’ve known plenty of folks who went on their first cruise vacation, had a horrid experience with poor service among other problems, and vowed to never donate a single penny of their hard earned cash to that entire industry again. Likewise, if you’re like me, you enjoyed the first cruise so much that you have now become a cruise-a-holic and take as many of the trips as you can afford.
My cruise experience on the M/S Holiday was some time ago, but I do remember it vividly enough to author a pretty accurate review. The cruise, my first in what would become a long line, took place in late August 2002 on a short itinerary that took the M/S Holiday from New Orleans to Cozumel and back, spending one day at the Mexican coastal island and two days at sea on the departing and returning legs of the trip.
The embarkation process in New Orleans was standard for the industry – not pleasant but also not a total nightmare. We arrived at the International Airport in New Orleans and stepped out of the gate to experience that wonderful stench of what I lovably call “numbers one, two and some of number three,” whatever that means to you. We immediately caught a cab to the pier and found ourselves caught in a torrential downpour that lasted for at least an hour. Fortunately, the rain has passed by the time we got out of the traffic jam the storm had created and into the pier terminal of New Orleans.
Of the cruises I’ve been on so far, the embarkation process here certainly took the longest. We stood in line, got moved from seating area to seating area, and I personally felt like I just kept waiting in line to go wait in another line, and then be ushered into another seating line. Sigh. It was quit absurd, but it still was bearable and has us onboard Holiday within the hour.
Stepping on board the Holiday, I knew not what to expect. This was my first cruise, and I was educated enough about the industry to realize that Carnival had the reputation of being the Las Vegas and not the Paris of the industry. With the Holiday being one of Carnival’s older ships (it first set sail for the company in 1990) and measuring in at 46,050 tons (727 feet long), the ship is modest in comparison to Carnival’s massive fleet of mega-cruisers that often eclipse 100,000 tons or more. Holiday turned out to be a great ship for her size, though, and I was impressed with my experience and ended up having the more relaxing vacation of my life – a good recommendation coming from a person who at this point in his life averaged upwards of five vacations per year.
When we arrived at our cabin, I was actually impressed. After hearing all of the horror stories prior to my cruising experience, I expected a gloomy walk in closet with a small bed. Fortunately, for those who are not aware, Carnival boasts some of the largest standard inside and outside cabins (averaging around 180 square feet versus industry average of less than 130 sq. ft.) for its sea goers. The cabin was bright, with a picture frame window, and ample space to walk around and store items. I found the only grievance, and it has always been one since no matter what ship I have traveled aboard, to be those incredibly small bathrooms they expect us bath ourselves inside! And, might I add, being a man of only 5㤒 and 130 pounds, I do have room to speak! God help those of us who are even slightly overweight.
Holiday’s crew at this time was a magnificent one. While service standards may have left room to be refined, the personality of the crew onboard this ship – particularly those in the dining rooms and entertainment venues – was always upbeat and warmhearted, coupled with a good sense of humor. The service onboard many of Carnival’s ships may not offer guests the luxury and pretense that they can find on pricier vessels operated by higher-end owners in the industry, but the staff does provide a warm and inviting atmosphere for guests onboard to have fun, be themselves and experience the “vacation of a lifetime.” And, it’s just that which keeps so many fans loyal to the cruise line while at the same time alienating many who consider themselves “cruise aficionados,” and would prefer to walk down the spiral staircase into a grand dining room rather than spend the evening watching a waiter carry a basket on his/her head.
The ship’s public areas are attractive, and while lacking the glitzy glamour found on the carrier’s newer mega-ships, they do serve their purpose. Keeping up with a long held tradition of themed rooms, those wandering the Holiday will find themselves in bars themed after bus stops, a “Tahiti Lounge,” and an indoor “Broadway Promenade” that features state-of-the-art fiber optic lighting coupled with an old time New York taxi cab theme.
Something Carnival emphasizes and pioneered in the field more than anyone else is onboard entertainment that goes beyond the traditional string quartet or piano lounge singer. And one downside to being an older ship such as the Holiday is the lacking of what some seasoned cruisers would call a “true theater” where Carnival may showcase its famous Las Vegas/Broadway style evening productions. Because of the ships construction and smaller size, it was simply not possible to create the multi-balconied theater that some may be used to seeing on the newer vessels, nor is the ship’s ceiling in the Americana Lounge high enough to be used for full blown special effects or lighting in their shows. While this may hinder production quality a bit, we still found the entertainment onboard Holiday to be above par for the industry.
The Americana Lounge does its job well, though, and those looking for a little more entertainment and activity during the sea days will be soon calling this a second home next to their cabins because of the amount of daytime and evening productions taking place. Daytime and evening productions, with the exception of the full-blown Broadway style shows, usually involve a good amount of audience participation and include spin-offs of Jeopardy, The Newlywed Game, etc.
Those traveling with younger children, or who themselves are under 6 feet tall, might want to arrive in the theater roughly 45 minutes before a crowded evening show begins. If you don’t, you may find yourselves with a greatly obstructed view because of a lack of “stadium-style” seating in the venues onboard.
Outside of the Americana Lounge, the entertainment goes on. If you take a trip out on top of the ship near the pool, you may be lucky enough to witness the infamous hairy back contest. It sounds disgusting, but if you’ve had a few drinks and are out in the open ocean with nothing to do, it quickly becomes good old-fashioned family fun. Then, of course, there are the standard karaoke nights; late night comedians once the kids are safely tucked away and more traditional lounge signers and bands.
Generally speaking, I must say that I found myself far less bored on sea days aboard the Holiday than I did on later cruises with Norwegian Cruise Lines, even though I do personally prefer the higher end of service that other lines tend to offer. In terms of entertainment is concerned, though, Carnival certainly seems to have their game in gear.
Dining aboard M/S Holiday isn’t the best experience available in the mass cruise market, but it certainly isn’t an awful one either. If you’re looking for luxurious surroundings with perfected service, and you don’t want to see someone donning a tee shirt and khaki shorts for the Captain’s Gala Dinner, this is not the place for you. We found servers to have an excellent attitude with prompt service, though not as refined as premium level lines or even some of the higher end mass market lines, and cuisine and presentation style of meals to be of an average quality – not the best ever, but still good.
Both of Holiday’s dining rooms are decorated in what one would expect for the time the ships were built and the line they were built for. Don’t look for plush muted tones of carpeting and window treatments to create an ambiance of elegance. Rather, you’ll find stainless steel beams and neon lighting to dine Las Vegas style. What else would one expect from Carnival, after all?
We found fellow cruisers on average seemed to be in their twenties to thirties, with the stereotypical emphasis on what always turn out to be annoying and obnoxious college and high school students. Monopolizing the bars and hot tubs, taunting fellow cruisers, cat calling – ah, yes; the joy of the sea days. Alas, we cannot blame this all on Carnival. Everyone is responsible for his or her own actions, and we are all well aware of the numerous steps this corporation has taken to remove the word Spring Break from its unofficial slogan by raising age limits for booking rooms, etc.
Cozumel, as always, was a wonderful place to spend several hours in. If the 16-year-old police force that Mexico employs and arms with semi-automatic assault rifles won’t get you, then the blazing hot sun just might do the trick. Joking aside, Cozumel is a fantastic place to book a shore excursion or just go shopping. The port has been revitalized greatly over the past several years and is now bigger and better than ever. In fact, the last time I visited in January of 2003, the port was filled with at least eight cruise ships, effectively doubling and maybe even tripling the island’s population!
The Mexican island boasts some of the best snorkeling waters in the world and also has some of the best, most natural looking beaches you’ll see in your entire life. Having the ability to swim in an amazing white sand beach surrounded by nothing more than wildlife and perhaps ten to fifteen other people in sight is a real treat!
Once back in New Orleans, which I was not looking forward to, the debarkation process went as smoothly as any other ship I’ve been on in my life. We waited, waited, got thrown out of our room so it could be turned over for the next guests, waited with heavy luggage and then waited some more before our color was called. A short taxi ride back to the airport, and we were back in Washington DC in no time!
While Holiday and Carnival certainly did not provide me with the best cruise I’ve ever taken (that title still lies with a 1/03 cruise aboard NCL’s Majesty), it was a fantastic first experience and definitely turned me into an avid fan of the industry. In the few months since that trip with Holiday, I have now booked cruises on NCL’s Majesty, NCL’s Norway, NCL’s Sea (a major let down unfortunately) and have a future booking aboard Celebrity’s Galaxy in 3/2004.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Singles
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Epinions.com ID:
garykool81
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Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 1 member
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