Considering a cruise on the Holiday...

[jmaze]

Hi.

We are considering making our 2nd cruise a 5 day cruise on the Holiday from Mobile. There would be 2 adults and 1 teen. Does anybody know how comfortable the rooms are or have suggestions for which deck. Since there are no balconys we are just going the cheap route for an interior cabin. Heard some talk on the boards of brown water or sewer smells. Yuck! :( Don't even want to think about ruining a great cruise with something like that.

Also, how is the cruise terminal out of Mobile? Our first cruise was out of Tampa and that was fabulous.:)

Thanks for your input

[Wennfred]

Hi.

We are considering making our 2nd cruise a 5 day cruise on the Holiday from Mobile. There would be 2 adults and 1 teen. Does anybody know how comfortable the rooms are or have suggestions for which deck. Since there are no balconys we are just going the cheap route for an interior cabin. Heard some talk on the boards of brown water or sewer smells. Yuck! :( Don't even want to think about ruining a great cruise with something like that.

Also, how is the cruise terminal out of Mobile? Our first cruise was out of Tampa and that was fabulous.:)

Thanks for your input

 

How far are you from one of the cruise terminals out of Florida?

 

 

Fred

[jmaze]

We are almost an hour outside Pensacola so Mobile is the closest port. Jacksonville opens up in the fall but that is going to the Bahamas and we really want to go back to Cozumel. We loved it there.

[Kurbanfan]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=775873

[ala-kat]

Hi.

We are considering making our 2nd cruise a 5 day cruise on the Holiday from Mobile. There would be 2 adults and 1 teen. Does anybody know how comfortable the rooms are or have suggestions for which deck. Since there are no balconys we are just going the cheap route for an interior cabin. Heard some talk on the boards of brown water or sewer smells. Yuck! :( Don't even want to think about ruining a great cruise with something like that.

Also, how is the cruise terminal out of Mobile? Our first cruise was out of Tampa and that was fabulous.:)

Thanks for your input

 

Found the cabins to be very comfortable (but did not have three). Never saw brown water. Sewer smells happen on all ships, mainly when docked as that sh*t has to be off-loaded at some point. The smell is usually fleeting and only an afterthought.

 

Mobile is super, super easy. Not just getting to, but getting through.

[crystalh256]

Just returned from the Holiday and will be posting on the review board tomorrow. Or you can look back a few pages here for the short one I wrote up. :)

[VolzCruiser]

I would recommend another cruise ship other than the Holiday but if you are dead set on taking her I would advise getting a room in the bow of the ship if possible. There is a bad vibration that is felt through out the back half of the ship, it isn't just when pulling into port either it is during the whole cruise. You will have CC members that will come by and say how great the service staff is and how well kept she is. To me that is like saying that you have set someone up on a blind date and you tell them that the date has a great personality. Also if they say she has gotten some service award well not sure how reliable that is either cause I just got off the Triumph and that staff had just won the award for the last 6 weeks.

[crystalh256]

I would recommend another cruise ship other than the Holiday but if you are dead set on taking her I would advise getting a room in the bow of the ship if possible. There is a bad vibration that is felt through out the back half of the ship, it isn't just when pulling into port either it is during the whole cruise. You will have CC members that will come by and say how great the service staff is and how well kept she is. To me that is like saying that you have set someone up on a blind date and you tell them that the date has a great personality. Also if they say she has gotten some service award well not sure how reliable that is either cause I just got off the Triumph and that staff had just won the award for the last 6 weeks.

 

 

FYI The case the crystal trophy was in said Truimph won last year.;)

[crystalh256]

Yes there is a vibration felt in the back half of the boat. I noticed it in the dining room at night, but not at any other time. Had no problem with the brown water, never showed up in my cabin M54. Noticed the smell on Riviera deck when we were in port, not sure if it was there other times as I never went down there. Also, noticed it on Empress the last sea day just walking up the stairs, but was gone when I came back thru a short time later. The bed and bedding was very comfortable (and a relief as I am a sheet snob and the hotel we stayed at prior to the cruise most definately did not have anything close to the 400-600 thread count I am used to!):) If little things may bother you, you probably should find a different ship.

[jmaze]

The destination (Cozumel) is my real reason for going. But, I do like comfort and my son being a teenager (14) will complain if he is not accomodated to his high expectations.:p We sailed on the Legend in 2007 and we were told not to go to the Holiday after sailing the Legend. But, again, we are watching the funds and the Holiday is the closest ship and I really, really want to go on another cruise to Cozumel. I want clean, comfort, courtesy and again, clean.:D

[clackey]

The destination (Cozumel) is my real reason for going. But, I do like comfort and my son being a teenager (14) will complain if he is not accomodated to his high expectations.:p We sailed on the Legend in 2007 and we were told not to go to the Holiday after sailing the Legend. But, again, we are watching the funds and the Holiday is the closest ship and I really, really want to go on another cruise to Cozumel. I want clean, comfort, courtesy and again, clean.:D

We sailed the Holiday last year and liked her well enough to book another trip 12/1. Yes the ship is old and we did see a little brown water and I did smell sewage just like I have on every other ship that I have cruised on, but the food, drinks, entertainment was good and the beds were comfy. The dining staff went out of their way to make things nice and all in all, it was a good trip.

 

Mobile has an easy terminal to get to although it is a little pricey.

 

I can forgive the imperfections of this old ship as long as she can forgive mine. We'll sail her again in December and have a ball. Come along. There are plenty of cabins left and cheap, too.

[dottiespots]

We sailed the Holiday two years ago for spring break with my daughter who was 15 at the time. We also love Cozumel and since Mobile was only about a 4 hour drive from home it seemed like a good idea. The ship is old but but clean. The staff was good and the ports were great. The problem for us is that there isn't anything for teenagers to do when the ship is at sea. Keep in mind that during spring break the ship was full of teens with nothing to do except swim and I use that term loosely since the pools are so tiny very few people can utilize them at any given time. Didn't experience any brown water or bad smells so can't comment on that. If you want to go inexpensive then this is the cruise for you. You are probably going to be disappointed since you have cruised before on a larger ship. The Holiday is the smallest and oldest in the fleet. Just prepare yourselves and don't expect the royal treatment and you should be ok.

[KimtheCruiser]

I would recommend another cruise ship other than the Holiday but if you are dead set on taking her I would advise getting a room in the bow of the ship if possible. There is a bad vibration that is felt through out the back half of the ship, it isn't just when pulling into port either it is during the whole cruise.

 

I will beg to differ on choosing a cabin in the front of the ship - if you are prone to motion sickness, go more for midship - We had some rough weather last year, and there was quite a bit more motion at the front. My boys had cabin U1 - very front - and there was quite a bit of up-and-down motion.

 

My boys had one of the cabins across the back - large cabins with upper/lower bunk for the lowest price on the ship - 1A. One of my boys loved it - said the vibration wasn't that bad - the other didn't like it. (But the younger one is spoiled - we were upgraded to a balcony suite on our very first cruise, and he expects that every time!)

 

I love the Holiday - the port is so convenient - the terminal staff is wonderful. The beds are wonderfully comfortable. Not sure about 3 in a cabin - we've always been able to put our boys in their own cabin.

 

Search the board and you will find lots of opinions about the Holiday - we love it -

[KimtheCruiser]

My boys found quite a bit to do - pingpong tournaments, Wii and Xbox 360 tournaments, shows, "babe-watching"

 

We do usually have the now-15yo take a friend - the friend's mom pays his cruise fee and we pay the rest. The now-21yo always find someone to hang with -

[KimtheCruiser]

I will beg to differ on choosing a cabin in the front of the ship - if you are prone to motion sickness, go more for midship - We had some rough weather last year, and there was quite a bit more motion at the front. My boys had cabin U1 - very front - and there was quite a bit of up-and-down motion.

 

My boys had one of the cabins across the back - large cabins with upper/lower bunk for the lowest price on the ship - 1A. One of my boys loved it - said the vibration wasn't that bad - the other didn't like it. (But the younger one is spoiled - we were upgraded to a balcony suite on our very first cruise, and he expects that every time!)

 

I love the Holiday - the port is so convenient - the terminal staff is wonderful. The beds are wonderfully comfortable. Not sure about 3 in a cabin - we've always been able to put our boys in their own cabin.

 

Search the board and you will find lots of opinions about the Holiday - we love it -

 

I realize that looks like a contradiction - in 2006, the boys were in U215 on the back - in 2007, the boys were in U1 on the front -

 

Older prefers the back - younger wants to try midship -

[Cruzman]

I would recommend another cruise ship other than the Holiday but if you are dead set on taking her I would advise getting a room in the bow of the ship if possible. There is a bad vibration that is felt through out the back half of the ship, it isn't just when pulling into port either it is during the whole cruise. You will have CC members that will come by and say how great the service staff is and how well kept she is. To me that is like saying that you have set someone up on a blind date and you tell them that the date has a great personality. Also if they say she has gotten some service award well not sure how reliable that is either cause I just got off the Triumph and that staff had just won the award for the last 6 weeks.

 

Sorry, but having read many of your posts relative to the Holiday, I have to place you in the same category as Ky Transplant; a man on a mission to convince as many as possible that the Holiday is a lousy stinking ship with absolutely nothing positive to offer. I've "dated" the old girl 5 times and can't wait to go again. She may not be a 10 when it comes to looks, but you'll have the time of your life once you get her .... ur, uh, well you get the idea. By the way, I've sailed on the Ecstasy, Fantasy, Inspiration, Pride, Legend, Liberty 2x, Glory and the Paradise, as well as on other cruise lines. The staff and crew offers a quality of service that beats them all! I'll leave it to others to determine who has the credibility. By the way; how did you like the a-- whipping Alabama put on Fat Phil and your beloved Vols last year?

[VolzCruiser]

Sorry, but having read many of your posts relative to the Holiday, I have to place you in the same category as Ky Transplant; a man on a mission to convince as many as possible that the Holiday is a lousy stinking ship with absolutely nothing positive to offer. I've "dated" the old girl 5 times and can't wait to go again. She may not be a 10 when it comes to looks, but you'll have the time of your life once you get her .... ur, uh, well you get the idea. By the way, I've sailed on the Ecstasy, Fantasy, Inspiration, Pride, Legend, Liberty 2x, Glory and the Paradise, as well as on other cruise lines. The staff and crew offers a quality of service that beats them all! I'll leave it to others to determine who has the credibility. By the way; how did you like the a-- whipping Alabama put on Fat Phil and your beloved Vols last year?

 

That is what makes forums so wonderful everyone can voice their opinion. I don't share your opinion of the Holiday. I really don't think I am on a mission, I just like to call them like I see them. I want readers to understand that while the Holiday "cool aid drinkers" want to paint a picture of a ship of oh so many redeeming qualities and how wonderful she is that she has as many problems and issues that need to be resolved before I would ever recommend her to anyone. So that people can make an informed decision and not one based many views and not just a few who are so in love with the Holiday. Also while Ky Transplant likes to put the general passengers down I have never done that I have only talked about the ship herself so please at if you are going to accuse me of something please be correct about it.

[Kurbanfan]

I would never recommend the Holiday. I just don't understand why people will settle when there are so many options available.......but they do.

Could be the reason why they don't resolve the problems.......

[mics pics]

I would never recommend the Holiday. I just don't understand why people will settle when there are so many options available.......but they do.

Could be the reason why they don't resolve the problems.......

 

If you can find me a cruise for $90 a day including single supplement I will gladly look at other options.

 

For now, Holiday is the one that fits the bill and I will gladly sail her.

[Squidly]

Contrary to what you may here the Holiday is a fine ship with a very good crew and the food was very good. Any cruise is only as good as you let it be. Don't sweat the small stuff. Have a great time.:D

[Magic City Cruiser]

That is what makes forums so wonderful everyone can voice their opinion. I don't share your opinion of the Holiday. I really don't think I am on a mission, I just like to call them like I see them. I want readers to understand that while the Holiday "cool aid drinkers" want to paint a picture of a ship of oh so many redeeming qualities and how wonderful she is that she has as many problems and issues that need to be resolved before I would ever recommend her to anyone. So that people can make an informed decision and not one based many views and not just a few who are so in love with the Holiday. Also while Ky Transplant likes to put the general passengers down I have never done that I have only talked about the ship herself so please at if you are going to accuse me of something please be correct about it.

 

If you're not putting down the folks who like the Holiday, what in the world is a "cool aid" drinker? I've sailed the Holiday and several other larger ships. My experience on the Holiday was exemplary. You can find something you don't like on any ship. All I can do, like you, is report what MY experience was. I didn't notice any sewage smell, brown water, excessive vibration, worn carpets or less than desirable fellow passengers. Please note that I said "I didn't notice". I'm quite sure that these issues exist and I have a vague recollection of experiencing some of the issues on the Holiday. Just like I experienced on the Sensation, Fascination and Fantasy. As the "pro-Holiday" folks like to point out, your cruise experience depends upon your expectations. Some expectations are higher than others. But to say that you recommend other ships over Holiday because they are better and you won't experience any of the Holiday "issues" to me, seems unlikely. It's often a gamble. Look at all the posts of people on the very same cruise having very different experiences!

The Holiday, for me, was a great ship for a great value. It suits my desires for a cruise experience. Maybe my desires aren't as many as some. I don't need bigger, atriums, rock climbing, ice skating, movie theatres or upscale dining options. I don't oppose having those options, and when the mood strikes me, I'll spend the extra money to travel to a distant port and pay twice what I pay to sail the Holiday. Until then, we're looking forward to cruise #2 on the Holiday in October!

Donna

[jmaze]

Hey Squidly, I see you have been on the Fantasy and the Holiday. The fantasty is just a couple of hours further from us and going to the same place, which one did you like more? After doing some checking last night I narrowed it down to these two ships. I like the close proximity of the Holiday but if the Fantasy is much better (and I understand it is getting it makeover this fall) then I don't mind a bit of an extra drive.:)

[ryano]

wahhhh! the rug was stained! the water was brown for a minute! I smelled a foul odor one time and it ruined my cruise! its old and its tired! :rolleyes:

 

I have nothing else to go by as Ive never cruised before but I can tell you one thing in that all you Holiday Haterade drinkers will not piss on my parade no matter what you say.

 

For every bad review Ive read (and Ive read tons of them) I have read 10 positives from folks that have cruised many many times..........I think I will go with the majority on this one and go in knowing there could be a few faults but have the ability to overlook the small stuff and have a blast.

[Cruise, J.D.]

I loved the Holiday, but I try to point out her problems to anyone considering sailing on her. The problems don't bother me much, but they might bother someone else.

 

I don't view my choice of sailing on her as settling. I had a great time on her in 2006. I feel lucky to be able to go on another cruise. I weigh a lot of factors when looking at a cruise. I have some unusual circumstances this time around and the Holiday is the best choice. However, after this one, we will be ready to branch out.

[Kurbanfan]

Hey Squidly, I see you have been on the Fantasy and the Holiday. The fantasty is just a couple of hours further from us and going to the same place, which one did you like more? After doing some checking last night I narrowed it down to these two ships. I like the close proximity of the Holiday but if the Fantasy is much better (and I understand it is getting it makeover this fall) then I don't mind a bit of an extra drive.:)

 

Since you are open for other options.......I would choose the fantasy:)

The fantasy class ships in my opinion are laid out much much nicer then the Holiday.

Which ever one you choose I'm sure you will have a wonderful time.