Carnival Cruise Lines - Holiday Review

To start off this was my 4th cruise (all on Carnival) and my friend, Lori's 2nd (1st on Carnival). We decided this was our present to ourselves for graduating, so we booked this trip in October. Six long months ago!

We drove to the Mobile port. It is very easy to find and the directions from the Internet and the posted signs on the roadway are very accurate. We were turned away for being to early to board. They are very strict...you will not enter before they are ready! We sat and waited for hours...one reason for that was we were on EASTERN time and the ship is on CENTRAL time. Our mistake, but we were very early!

The ship! Yes, it is smaller than the other ships I was on, Fascination, Inspiration, and Sensation, but it still looked HUGE! Carnival employees were cleaning the ship as the passengers were leaving to make it clean for us, the new cruise. Beware, you will not be able to take any photos while you are OUTSIDE the terminal...I was guilty of that and was told to stop.

Embarkation: We were finally allowed to enter the port terminal. We were one of the first hundred or so. The porters took our luggage and we were directed to the parking deck. It cost $75.00. We saw people parking under the I-10 for free, and we seriously thought about it to save money, but the signs said they would tow. So we parked in the garage, I didn't want my car towed. We walked to the terminal with just a hand luggage and with documents in hand they took care of us in a short time. We took our picture and then it was time to board the ship! Maybe 20 minutes passed from parking the car to boarding the ship! That was fast!

Entering the ship: We entered on Deck 5 (Main), we were directed to the elevator to go to the Lido deck for lunch. All the aisle ways to the staterooms were blocked (they closed the fire doors) so we couldn't go to our room even if we wanted. We went to Lido deck and joined the other cruisers eating lunch. They were ready for us. Food smelled good and the Lido deck servers were smiling and very helpful. It was a very nice start to the cruise.

After eating we went to discovering the ship, found where we spent a great deal of time-The Americana Lounge! This is the place where all the indoor activities take place. SHOWS, games, Bingo, information about ports and shopping. We were in time for the Spa Demonstration. There were about 10 of us sitting there as they were setting up. Lori was picked for the facial demonstration and I was picked for the "updo" demonstration. We were told the services that we received were worth about $50- 80. WOW! Right off the bat we were lucky!

At 2:00 we were able to get to our stateroom. We were on the Main Deck 5. So it was easy to find. Our cabin number M112-ocean view. We checked it out and deposited our hand luggage we were lugging around. We went back to exploring the ship, until they called for the mandatory lifeboat drill. Our muster station was in the Reflection's Dance club on the Promenade deck (Deck 9). Elevators were crowded...so it was the steps for us...I think if the ship were to sink I would take my chances and swim...LOL instead of climbing the stairs to the lifeboat.

After the drill we headed back to the cabin. Some of our luggage was there, Lori's big bag was missing, but we were directed to the Main Deck between the Pursers Desk and the elevators was luggage that "lost" their tags. There were lots of bags with missing ID. Found hers quickly and we changed for dinner.

Dinner in the Seven Seas Dining Room was wonderful. We ate there EVERY NIGHT! We were seated at a table for 2, which was disappointing since we wanted to meet and greet other cruisers, but we LOVED our wait staff and decided to stay. The way to get to the Seven Seas Dining room was not a direct route. You had to take the "aft" (rear/back) elevator to the Americana Deck (8). It was the only elevator to take you to the dining room, if you didn't you would have to go to the next level (9) or down (7) to the next level go to the AFT elevator or stairs and the go back to the 8th deck. Confusing...yes... but once you remembered that was the only way to get to the Dining room...you didn't forget.

Activities we did/saw on Saturday (almost before sailing away)!
• Bon voyage sail away party (first drink...but not the last)
• Dinner in the Seven Seas dining room (early seating with Everton-our server at table 246)
• Cha-cha lessons (fun to do...I think I have 2 left feet)
• Game show mania (fun to watch...wanted to be picked)
• Art talk-won a print (more on that later-see Wednesday)
• Bingo (watched this game...played later on in the cruise)
• Welcome aboard show-comedian show John Floyd (funny guy...made us laugh until we cried)

Sunday our first full day at sea. The seas were a tad rough. Lori wore her patch and she was OK. I didn't wear one...the seas didn't bother me. We woke up and started out with breakfast in the Seven Seas Dining room. We ate every breakfast except for one in the dining room (one morning we were late and had to go to the Lido deck to eat). We liked the service and enjoyed talking to others about their cruising experiences...found wonderful conversations at the breakfast table.

Found the casino and deposited money in the penny slots...but I found a machine that had quarters stacked and they were pushed to the front edge and they looked like they were going to fall at any moment if you played...well, lets just say it was VERY deceptive! They fell but not as many as you wanted/needed to fall to come out even. I did that "game" several times...I didn't learn a thing except that I was going to lose my money...and I did...to the tune of about $20.00 during the duration of the cruise...I know...I know...big spender...

Things we did/saw on Sunday
• Bingo (I watched, Lori played)
• Changed and went sunning
• Ice carving (took pictures)
• Hairy Man Chest contest (was a judge)
• Dressed for formal night
• Cocktail reception (free drinks-and nibbles!)
• Danced in the Disco Lounge (had fun---danced for about 30-45 minutes-non stop!)
• Watched the show-Xtreme Country! (Great show)
• The R rated comedy show with John Floyd
• Took photos of the Gala Buffet
• Then walk through and sampled the goodies! (YUM)

Monday: Progreso, Mexico our first time there. We were excited to go see the flamingo habitat and lay out in the sun. As we were getting up and getting for our excursion an announcement was made that the seas were too rough to dock or tender. The winds were measured at 35 knots, which is about 42 miles per hour (that is what the purser told me). So we were very disappointed...we never even got close enough to even see Progreso. I did go out on the deck and I think I saw the 4.5 mile long pier...since that was the only thing out there to see and it was miles away. The Captain made a longer speech about if we did make it in to dock, we would have been in jeopardy of NOT being able to leave on time and we would miss Cozumel. I took many pictures on the back deck of a small pool that was making its own waves! The ship was definitely feeling a bit rockier and "barf" bags appeared at elevators, where if you needed one you can get one. They did some scrambling to get some activities going. But since the ship was rocking so much a lot of people went to their cabins to rest up...which we did and napped for several hours. We did go to dinner and ate much lighter than on the 2 previous nights and looked around and saw many people didn't make it to dinner. A table for 12 that was near by only had 2 people at it and several tables nearby had no one at them. It was a very light night for the wait staff.

Things we did/saw on Monday
•  What's in the Bag (sort of a team scavenger hunt)-I was the "captain" and I kept score for the RED team
• Battle of the Sexes-very aggressive game...which was great fun
• Bingo (Lori played, I watched)
• Deck party on the Lido deck---Red team vs Blue team-games and music

Tuesday: Cozumel, Mexico. We made it in to the International pier. The sun was shining and the temperature was nice not too hot or too cool. We packed our supplies for the day for our Deluxe Sail, Snorkel and Beach party. Since we needed to meet the tour guide at 9:15 (our tour was to begin at 9:30) we ate breakfast in the dining room and headed off the ship. We took our photo as we left the ship and then again with a fellow dressed in traditional Mexican garb. We had about 30 minutes to look around and we looked in several stores, since we were the only ship out there it wasn't very crowded. At 9:15 we went to meet our tour guide and we told that the seas were too rough to take out the Catamaran and that they were waiting until 10 to leave to see if the seas would settle down. Meanwhile we went to ask around other tours if they were going snorkeling. We found one if was the Mini Jeep and snorkel at Punta Sur. We decided to cancel our original excursion and go with the Mini Jeep. It was the best decision of the day. The excursion was for 5 hours more than we wanted to pay ($101.00) but since we missed Progreso and the excursion we wanted we decided we were worth it and went. Felix, Al and Tony took great care of us. They showed us Punta Sur ecological park. We saw salt-water crocodiles, miniature Mayan ruins, a lighthouse that had 132 steps, and a great reef. We got to drive a 2-person jeep (yes, a photographer took our photo and yes, we bought it!). That was great fun. We stopped to see the salt-water crocodiles and the guides gave us a short talk on them. Then we crossed the street and they showed us the mini Mayan ruins. He explained that the Conk shells that were embedded in it would serve as an early warning system for hurricanes. The wind would blow into the shells and "whistle" the sound would be heard as far as 3-4 miles away! Amazing! Then we got back into our mini jeeps and drove to our snorkeling place. Here we swam out about 300 yards and then swam over the reef which was about ¾ mile (it felt like MILES) and then swam back to shore. We then walked back to where we left our belongings and the mini jeeps. We had time to shower and change and it was off to the lighthouse. When we arrived we were told there was 132 steps to the top of the lighthouse and NO elevator to bring us up or down...if we chose to do this we would have about 30 minutes to go to the top and come back down again. I will tell you right off...I should have stayed on the ground and be happy to just look at the lighthouse...but I went to the top! The pictures I took are awesome. My hips, knees, thighs and feet are still swollen and stiff and it is 3 days LATER! Next time I am listening to my brain...I thought I was tired after swimming all that distance...well that was nothing, I am still tired and amazed that I actually did all of that! We drove back to the pier after dropping the jeeps back. It was 5 hours since we left...the ship sailed 40 minutes later, so we didn't get to see any of Cozumel. That was a disappointment but we had a great tour and I saw parts of the island I haven't ever seen (I had been 2 other times)

Things we did/saw on Tuesday
• Famous faces trivia game
• Liars club (I was chosen to go on stage (one (ME) red team member and one blue team member)-this game was about who told the truth about a definition of words...and not your everyday words...words like "zooty" and "tit-tup")-won a ship on a stick!!
• Sea Feud-similar to family feud-teams were divided into red and blue teams again (Lori and I were chosen to be up there and there were several rounds) won a medal!!
• Our cruise director, Steve Cassel juggled and made us laugh with his antics
• Brad Tassell another comedian very funny
• Late night Bistro (snacked)

Wednesday: our last sea day. We slept a little later since we were exhausted from all we did in Cozumel. We decided to take it easy. We dressed and walked a bit slower than we had in the past! Met up with the art lady to receive my free print. Well, lets just say free doesn't mean the same things to her as it does to me...shipping and handling is...are you ready...this is NOT framed...it is in a tube...$45.00. My jaw almost dropped and if I didn't want it so bad I would have told her NO. She did say that if I had them frame it I wouldn't have to pay shipping...so I asked...How much? She told me it started at $220.00 for a basic frame. I will receive my print in about 10 weeks.

Things we did/saw on Wednesday
• Morning trivia
• Carnival color wars (games were played for points)
• Putt-putt on the sun deck (boy, oh boy was it windy)
• Country Line dancing
• Bingo (we both played and lost---again)
• Pig race
• Winner was announced for Carnival Red/ Blue Wars...it was the Blue team (BOO!!)
• Newlywed and not so newlywed game (funny...we laughed the whole time)
• Towel folding class (I love those towel animals)
• Took photos of Everton (our server) and us
• SHOUT! The last show-was great
• R rated comedy show with Brad Tassell

Thursday: Docked in Mobile, Alabama. This is our last morning on ship. We ate in the dinning room one last time. Bought our last dining room photo and took a few pictures in the Doc Hollywood Lounge of us sitting in the saddles. Went back to the cabin and waited for them to call our number to debark. We were finally called about 9:30. So we lined up holding on to our hand luggage and left the ship...found our luggage in the customs area. It was a long line that weaved up and down and in and out. No searches...look at our documents and they declared us cleared...we were free to go to the car and go home. That was the longest we waited...we were in the car and on the way home at 10:45.

Overall the cruise was great. It wasn't Carnival's fault we missed Progreso or our excursion was cancelled, that was Mother Nature. I mentioned that this is the smallest ship; it is also the oldest ship in the Carnival fleet. All the Carnival employees were polite and welcoming, smiles were everywhere. I didn't see any rude employees or cruisers. A big thank you goes to Bob (captain of the red team), TJ (captain of the blue team) they were both Social Hosts, Beka the Bingo queen and Everton our server in the Seven Seas Dining room. Photos will appear, but I am not sure when...I took over 600 and have to sort through which ones I want to post...more on where I will post them later. Hope this "book" was helpful on if you want to cruise on the Carnival ship Holiday. Enjoy!