Carnival
Holiday
Cruise to Cozumel, Mexico
November 13-17 2008
by Michael Cornett
Preparation
Hi! This is my first time writing a trip report so please be kind.
We are in our mid to late twenties and do not have any children. DW
and I have taken a prior cruise to the Bahamas on the Carnival
Sensation. Previously, I have sailed on The Big Red Boat. We loved
our first cruise together so much that we decided to book a second
cruise to Europe on the Carnival Dream for October 2009. However, we
just couldn’t wait until 2009 for a well-deserved vacation. So, we
booked a last minute cruise to Cozumel, Mexico aboard the Carnival
Holiday. The day before we sailed, we picked up our rental car at
the Dodge dealership Hertz location. We drove to my mother-in-law’s
house to drop off our little girl “Beagle” and came back home to get
some sleep before our vacation started.
The rental car: Toyota Corolla. The cost to rent the car
including insurance for a one way rental from here to Mobile was
$117.00. The car had plenty of trunk space and was fantastic on gas
mileage getting around 38 MPG. I am accustomed to driving a Dodge
Durango so the car felt extremely small and uncomfortable.
Day One: Embarkation day
The day of our trip has finally arrived. We set our
alarm clock for 04:00 because Mobile is an eight hour drive from
home. After getting ready and eating breakfast, we hit the road
around 04:45. It was around 40°F and misting rain for most of the
journey. As we got closer to the Port of Mobile, the temperature
warmed up to around 85°F and the sun decided to grace us with its
presence. We found the Hertz location on highway 90 without any
problems. The sales representative was great; he came right out and
drove us to the cruise terminal.
My first long distance impression of the ship was: Oh!! This ship
is small. DW’s first long distance impression of the ship was: a
typical Carnival ship just smaller than our first cruise ship. The
embarkation process was relatively painless. We dropped off our
checked bag with the porter and proceeded to the terminal. Once
inside the terminal, we were whisked up the escalator and then we
waited for our turn through the metal detectors. When we reached the
check in specialist, she asked for our identification. Since we were
return guests, she said that she was not going to bother us with the
details and gave us our sail and sign cards. Woo-Hoo they were gold.
We entered the ship on deck 5—main deck.
My first impression was a neoclassical façade of the Poseidon
adventure. The ship appears to be in good shape for being 23 years
old. On our arrival on the Empress deck 7, the guests were not
allowed access to the staterooms yet. After about a 15 minute wait,
the crew finally opened the fire doors allowing for the mass rush of
happy vacationers. After a short walk to the rear of the boat, we
found our room. The room was well cleaned and our ice bucket was
stocked. The room seemed to a bit on the warm side but we thought
that was due to us being docked. We turned our air condition on high
and then proceed up to the Lido deck 10 to partake in the
traditional lunch buffet. The lunch buffet consisted of the usually
hamburgers, French fries, hotdogs, pizza, ice cream, New York Deli
sandwiches, carved roast beef, Italian food, salads, and fixings.
After we finished filling our stomachs with the first of many
delicious meals, we headed back to our cabin to get ready for the
dreaded muster drill.
At 16:00, the ships sirens sounded for all the guests to be
herded like cattle to their muster stations. The most entertaining
part of the drill was watching the first timers putting on their
life jackets and getting tangled in the straps. Parents were trying
to corral their children and keep them from blowing the whistle.
After we met at our muster stations, we were told to climb a flight
of stairs to see our lifeboats if we would have to abandon ship.
After everyone had performed the required drill, the captain blew
the horn announcing it was over. The drill seemed to last an
eternity but in actuality it only lasted about 15 minutes. I took
both of our lifejackets back to our stateroom. The DW went to the
front of the boat to find a great spot to stand as we sailed out of
Mobile into international waters. The sunset was absolutely amazing
and we watched the last of the sun’s rays sink into the ocean. The
moon appeared full and bright while it casted its glow onto the
water.
As we made our way back to the stateroom, the party was in full
swing. Many of the passengers were already exercising their livers
for the massive amounts of alcohol that they would consume. We had
several hours to kill and we decided to enjoy one of life’s little
indulgences, the hot tub. So, we went back to the room and changed
into our bathing suits. I donned the free robe and then we were off
to the verandah deck. We joined in the communal bathing with three
beautiful ladies. After an hour in the hot tub, toasting the great
life and wishing warm wishes to all those stuck in the cold, we
headed back to get ready for dinner.
We took our showers and noticed the water pressure was a bit low
but nothing intolerable. Warning: turn on the cold water first
unless you want scorched skin. Our head cabin steward showed up and
introduced himself to us. We asked him why our cabin was not cooling
down even though we had been sailing for several hours. He informed
us that some of the rooms had been having air condition problems and
he would report it. He said that we should report it also in order
to speed things along. We immediately went to the purser’s desk
where we reported our problem. They said that they would send a
maintenance technician to take a temperature reading and check the
AC. After we left the purser’s desk, we partook in the free liquor
tasting.
Then we were off to dine in the Four Winds dining room at table
139. On our previous cruise, the maitre D did a wonderful job
pairing us up with other couples around the same age group and
occupation. However on this cruise, the Maitre D dropped the ball.
We were placed with three couples that we had hardly anything in
common with. Thus, the conversation was forced. The other couple at
our table was obviously not use to formal dining. Even though we
received poor dining arrangements, the service and food were
exceptional.
After dinner, we went back to our room to see if the air had been
fixed. When we opened the door, the room was still hot but there was
a box-fan setting by the chair. My DW called the purser’s desk to
enquire about the AC issue. She was told that the room temperature
reading was normal at 25°C. The only solution they offered was to
use the box-fan to circulate the air in the cabin. My DW explained
to the purser’s attendant that we needed an extra outlet in order to
run the fan and my CPAP. The purser’s attendant then told her that
they would provide a power-strip for a $25 fee. She asked why we had
to pay even though the broken AC was not our fault. The purser’s
attendant just didn’t understand my DW. So the DW hung up on the
attendant and was very frustrated. We immediately went down to the
purser’s desk; since the DW was mad, I did all the talking. I spoke
with the other attendant at the desk and he explained the fee was
refundable upon return of the power-strip. He also said that he
would send another maintenance technician to look at the AC. So we
went back to the cabin and plugged in the fan. Not more than 10
minutes later, the technician was at our cabin. He opened the air
vent all the way and stated there wasn’t much air flow. So he took
the cover completely off the air vent. This seemed to help because
there wasn’t anything impeding the air flow. With the cover off and
the box-fan circulating the air, the cabin temperature was
tolerable. HINT: Bring your own power strip you never know when you
may need extra outlets. After the long drive, the alcohol, and
fighting with the purser’s staff we were exhausted. So we called the
day done and went to bed.
Day 2: Fun day at sea
There are benefits of having an inside cabin. When
you turn off the lights, you have no concept of the time of day. So,
we slept in until 11:00 and it felt great. After fighting with the
purser’s staff the day before, we received two phone calls. One from
housekeeping asking about our air condition, and the second was from
the purser’s staff asking if the fan was helping the room temp.
Since we had already missed breakfast, we stayed in the cabin and
just relaxed until noon. Finally, we decided to leave the cabin
because we were both famished. We went to the Lido buffet to enjoy
the taste of the worlds. Today’s special was Caribbean but they also
had all of the other classic buffet food. After filling up on jerk
Chicken and red beans-n-rice, we decided to go outside where we
commandeered two lounge chairs. It was a balmy 85 degrees with no
clouds in the sky; the water was smooth and the deepest blue you
have ever seen. All of the other lounge chairs were occupied by
bikini clad sun bathers and the alcohol was flowing like water from
the tree of life.
After a couple of hours of lounging on the deck, we helped
ourselves to well deserved ice cream. Our cruise director Tory Secoy
announced that at 14:30 they were going to host a Win Lose or Draw
activity at Cappuccino’s lounge. It sounded like a fun way to kill
an hour or so. We did fairly well and were able to help the red team
win some points. All of this relaxing is tough so we went back to
the cabin for a nap.
After about three hours, we had to get ready for formal night. DW
looked absolutely stunning. We got to the Americana Lounge around
19:00 and the Captain opened the doors at 19:15. The Complimentary
cocktails were watered down but they keep them coming. DW thought
the hors d’oeuvres were bland and kind of chewy. I thought they were
a nice touch but cheaper than I remember on other ships. In the
dining room this
evening, we had the choice between a Maine lobster tail, prime rib,
and other elegant dishes. I couldn’t decide between the first two so
I ordered both. The prime rib was very flavorful and cooked to
perfection. The lobster was as sweet as any lobster I have ever
eaten but it was very small. I know I could have ordered more but I
was trying to save room for dessert.
After dinner, we watched the Holiday dancers perform “Xtreme
Country.” The show was a huge hit complete with fiddling. When the
show ended, we made our way over to Doc Holiday’s lounge where Brad
Tassell performed an “R” rated comedy routine. After only 15
minutes, DW made a wise choice and left. I kept thinking it would
get better but it didn’t. I honestly felt that I was robbed of an
hour of my vacation but worse than that an hour of my life. His
whole routine was based on degrading others. When people had enough
of him, they left. Then they became his next victims. In my opinion,
this show is a waste of time and should be cancelled prior to the
next sailing. After this disappointing experience, I decided to hit
the hay.
Day Three: Cozumel
The ringing of the alarm clock woke us up at 07:00.
We got up immediately and dressed in bathing suits and headed up to
the Lido deck for breakfast. As soon as we stepped into the warm
Mexican Sunshine, it warmed us to our bones. We noticed that we had
not completed our docking process yet. So, we grabbed some breakfast
from the buffet and we watched the captain parallel park our
floating home. As soon as we cleared customs, we headed down to deck
three forward to disembark the ship. As soon as we stepped onto
Mexican soil or rather Mexican concrete, I was grabbed by a Mayan
warrior who insisted I take a picture with him.
After the pleasantries and pictures were taken, we were free to
explore. While walking away from the ship in the hot Mexican sun, I
immediately started to feel the effects of it. Luckily I brought a
towel from the ship and I wore it over my head to keep the sun from
roasting my flesh. As we made our way to the pier, it felt like I
was in a Wal-mart store on a Sunday afternoon; except here they
spoke better English. We finally found our way to the taxi stand.
After discussing the price of a trip to our private beach, we agreed
on $15.00. After a very peaceful 15 minute ride, we were dropped off
at the Nachi Cocom Beach Club. When we entered the club, we were
greeted right away and made to feel right at home. We had gotten
there so early that the cashier was not there yet. We were told to
help ourselves to a seat on the beach under an umbrella. When the
cashier arrived we could settle our tab. The beach is made of
crushed shell and coral, but it is crushed so fine it almost appears
to be white sand. The water is smooth and clear with an aqua marine
color. You could see the bottom in the entire swimming area. The
club also has a fresh water pool and hot tub just steps from the
beach. The restaurant on the beach is an open air cabana that has
about 15 tables. Once the cashier arrived, we paid the remainder of
our deposit for a total of $100.00 for two people. The price
includes admission to the beach, all you can eat, and all you can
drink. Once the tab was paid, they banded us with purple wrist bands
and introduced us to our personal waiter for the day. The first
order of business was to get a drink.
While in Mexico, I figured that I must start with tequila. My
first order was a Margarita. The DW decided on a fresh strawberry
daiquiri. We found our way back to our umbrella and lounged on the
beach with “sun tanned toes tickling the sand and a cold drink
chilling in our right hand”. After we finished drinking, DW relaxed
in one of the many hammocks while I played in the water. After a few
more drinks that were brought right out to us by a very attentive
waiter, we were ready for lunch. Our waiter brought out a menu and
told us that we could choose 3 dishes a piece. DW went for the
nachos and I went for the fresh guacamole. Both dishes were
outstanding. After eating authentic Mexican food, we were hungry for
more. So we ordered our main course; DW had the fried tacos and I
had the chicken, beef, and shrimp fajitas. All I can say is WOW!!!
If you have never had authentic Mexican food, you have never had
Mexican. After a couple more hours playing in the water, DW wanted
dessert so she ordered coconut ice cream. She said it was absolutely
delicious and it had freshly shredded coconut inside. However, I was
still to full to indulge in anything else. When the waiter brought
the ice cream, I told him to summon a cab for us. The DW finished
her ice cream and we both got ready to leave. It only took about 15
minutes for the cab to get there.
My thoughts on Nachi Cocom: you get a very private beach, all you
can eat, and all you can drink. All of this and you still come out
cheaper than a cruise ship tour. This beach is really a great deal
and a true piece of paradise. When we make it back to Cozumel, we
will be coming here again. The cab driver helped us into his van and
started back to the cruise terminal. We informed him that we wanted
to go shopping and he immediately turned into a tour guide telling
us the best places to go to get what we wanted. After a 20 minute
drive and a fare of $20.00, he dropped us off at the Forum Shops.
While we were souvenir shopping, we spotted a tequillaria
international. This place gives out free sample of tequila and they
don’t care how many samples your take. After trying several samples,
I wanted to try the tequila with the worm in the bottle “Mezcal.”
After downing the shot, I thought I had taken my last breath. I
heard the angels singing, I felt fire run down my throat, and it hit
me like a Mike Tyson punch right in the gut. It felt like I had
swallowed a fully loaded tobacco barn. It was very smoky and not
smooth or pleasant at all.
After nearly meeting my maker, I was unsure if I wanted Mexican
tequila at all. Next we stopped at Los Cinco Soles and this place is
great because they have everything you want. We found a great deal
on some Mexican blankets, 100% Vanilla, and 100% agave tequila.
After we finished shopping, it was time to walk back to the ship.
While walking back to the ship we were asked at least a million
times if we wanted a taxi, we just kindly shook our heads and said
no. Tip: walk on the side closest to the water there are less people
and fewer people trying to sell you things. On our arrival back at
the ship, we went through the metal detectors. They asked if we had
any alcohol and we said told them we did. They told us to check it
in beside the elevators and we told them that we would. After we
cleared the metal detectors, there was a line to check-in the
alcohol. So instead of getting in the line, we just took the stairs
to the right and bypassed having our tequila confiscated. Nothing
was ever said.
Once we were back in our stateroom, the DW and I took a cool
shower and passed out for a couple of hours. DW wanted to play a few
trivia games in Cappuccino’s lounge. The first game she played was
“Name That Kiss.” During this game, they showed one still shot from
each movie and you had to name the movie. Well since her DH is such
a great kisser or she watches a lot of movies, she won the game with
35 out of a possible 40. For winning the game, they presented her
with a pewter carnival medallion. Next, we played Shout about
Movies. It was fun except we kept getting interrupted by all of the
Alabama fans on board the ship. They wanted to watch the BIG game on
the TV that we were using for the movie game. However the ship did
not have the correct ESPN channel. After the game, it was dinner
time. Dress was cruise casual and we had another fantastic meal with
exceptional service.
After dinner we made our way to the showroom to watch Yolanda
Barber and her amazing vocal talents. She was followed by John Floyd
and his comic routine. After about an hour of a fairly entertaining
show, we headed to the Lido deck for the deck party and all you can
eat Mexican buffet. Someone must have pissed off Poseidon because
the seas got rough. In fact the seas got so rough that the crew had
to shut the huge steel storm doors, to keep people off of the top 2
decks. We were heading right into 42 knot head winds and this caused
the ship to shake, rattle, and roll. You know it’s a bad sign when
they place those little white baggies every wear. One guy ran out on
the deck and decided to sell Buicks over the side of the ship. After
an evening of watching the little green people rush past us to their
rooms, we decided to call the day done.
Day 4: Not so fun day at sea
The sea rocked us to sleep until noon. Once we got
up, we headed to the Lido deck for the lunch buffet. The ship was
still being treated like a rag doll so most of the decks were still
closed due to the high winds. After lunch, I went to the Park West
Art Auction. The DW joined in on the trivia games at Cappuccino’s
lounge. The art auction was alright. After just a few minutes, I
found the DW and played trivia games with her. We stayed there until
it was time for us to gather for the galley tour. The galley tour
was an interesting experience however it was not as detailed as I
would have liked for it to be. With this being our last day at sea,
we decided that it would be a good time to take our last nap. We
slept from 17:00 until the alarm clock woke us up at 18:30. Then we
got up and headed for the show in the Americana lounge featuring the
Holiday dancers. The name of this show was “Shout.” It was a knock
off Broadway style show that featured music from the 50’s, country,
Caribbean, Motown, and finished up with gospel music. The show was
entertaining and had some good songs. However I think that the “Xtreme
Country” show was much better.
After the show was over, we proceeded to the dining room for our
final meal. The waiters and there assistants put on a rousing
goodbye special after yet another wonderful meal. After eating, we
went back to our cabin to see if the alcohol I purchased had been
delivered. When we entered the cabin, I was disappointed. I did not
see the white carnival gift shop boxes sitting anywhere. So, I
called the purser’s desk to find out when my booze would be
delivered. They said it should already be there. I asked them to
check my sail and sign card to see if my alcohol purchase had been
added. They did not have a record of my purchase. Luckily the gifts
shops were still open. So I shuffled my tail up to the liquor store
so I could restock my liquor cabinet. Watch out Canucks Team USA
will be hard to beat. After bringing back my duty free booze, the DW
and I decided to hit the disco. When we walked in the “Cupid
Shuffle” was playing, the DW headed straight to the dance floor. So,
I found a couch against the wall that was in full view of the door
and the dance floor. The very next song was “Whatever You Like” by
T.I. and my DW busted out her moves. The entire club erupted with
cheers and applause as she dropped it like it was hot. We stayed in
the disco for several hours just enjoying the music. Then “Baby Got
Back” came on and we both hit the floor. We amazed everyone in the
club with our ghetto fabulous moves. After turning up the heat on
the floor, we decided to cool down on Lido deck with some ice cream.
Then we headed back to the cabin for showers and bed.
Day 5: Debarkation Day
They told us that self assist check out would start
between 08:00 and 08:15. So, we got up at 07:00 and went up to the
Lido deck where we had our last cruise meal. When we finished
eating, we went back to the cabin to relax until they forced us to
walk the plank. At 09:15 the US Customs finally declared the ship
clear and allowed the process to start. We were the very last deck
called to leave during the self assist departure. This is absolutely
the worse debarkation that we have ever experienced. We were forced
to stand in line with 300 of our fellow cruise mates. The customs
agents were separated into 6 lines and they gave each person in
their line the third degree. When we finally reached the customs
agent, he asked us the normal questions. We informed him that we had
exceeded our alcohol limit. He kindly overlooked our discretion and
allowed us to pass through without having to pay the duty. On our
previous ship, a custom officer boarded the ship and was placed in
the library. Each passenger that needed to declare any overages on
their purchases paid their duties while on the ship. The agent then
gave you a receipt. When you disembarked, all you had to do was show
your receipt. This allowed you to pass all the lines, agents, medal
detectors, and the bag search. When we cleared customs, we called
for our rental car agent to come pick us up. After an hour wait due
to a massive traffic jam on the port end, he picked us up in a 2007
Ford Mustang. We had a slight problem getting our luggage into the
trunk, but once everything was jammed in the trunk. We rode in style
down to the Hertz office. Then we signed our paperwork and he tossed
me the keys to the mustang. Pretty cool I arrived in a Toyota
Corolla and get to leave in a Ford Mustang. The journey home was a
blast as I got to see what the Mustang could do.
Final thoughts: The trip was a well deserved vacation, that both I
and DW had a good time on. We would go back to Cozumel right now if
given the chance. However, we would not cruise again on the Carnival
Holiday. The Holiday must have been a heck of a ship back in its
day. But today it is showing its age and really needs to be
replaced. When the fantasy class of ships arrives in the port of
Mobile, I will give it a try. However it is going to be hard to
replace Port Canaveral as our home port, even if Mobile is six hours
closer. I hope you enjoyed reading this trip report as much as I
enjoyed writing it for you.
