Hello...just got off the Holiday on Sat, 19 July.

You can read our review and see our pics at:  http://holiday.grunds.net

Hope you find it useful.

Bill 

Bill:

What a marvelous and complete review.  I felt like you covered everything possible that I could bring up as a question.  Your pictures are excellent.  I look forward to taking lots of pictures, especially close ups of the food. My daughters are 20 and 21. Is there nite time dancing for them?

We leave on August 2nd.  We are going to Progreso, did you stop there? Looking forward to the beaches in Cozumel!

Sandyh

Your daughters can pretty much go to any club that they want to and they can truly enjoy the lido deck dancing!! 

Enjoy!

  What a great post!  We went on the Holiday last year and after reading your post, we were back there again!  Just wish we had a great post like yours to go by before we went.  We agreed with everything you said about the Holiday.  We had a great cruise and now you have given us the idea of doing the same thing you did when we go on the Liberty in a mere 2 months from today!  Look for our post in a few months if you ever decide to go on the Liberty.

Scott & Kelley

 Wow what a great review. This was the first review that I was able to sit my family down and share with them a good review (your vacation). We are leaving Aug 16 going to Progresso and Cozumel. I  was really worried about having a good time from all the other bad reviews. This goes to show that there is some good with the ship. I am a group leader of about 45 people and I was wondering what I was going to tell all thoes people about the ship. Thank you for making my job easier. You did a wonderful job on your review.   Thanks alot. 

WOW!!!!!  What an AWESOME review!!  It's like a great book that I just can't put down!  I am taking my first cruise (honeymoon) August 2 on the Holiday and your review makes me so much more anxious.  I have been searching for detailed pictures of the ship and especially the cabins for awhile now... thank you so much for posting those.  I love the envelope money system you had going (are you a fan of Dave Ramsey?).  I had actually planned to do the envelope system before reading your review and I am happy to see someone else believes in it.  I do have one question.... we are driving in from Arkansas the night before, do you have any hotel recommendations...clean, safe, inexpensive??  Thanks so much!  By the way, you have a beautiful family.

Everyone,

Thanks for the positive posts.  I'm glad you enjoy the review and are finding it useful.  I basically spent the better part of Sun and Mon putting it together.  I knew that if I didn't get it done then I never would.

I had read so much negative about the ship and there seemed to be so many unanswered questions out there that I went on the cruise with the objective of taking lots of pics and writing as detailed and lenghty review as I could for the folks that came behind us.

 And, if I haven't kicked this dead horse enough, we really enjoyed the Holiday.  But, we didn't go thinking it was going to compare to the mega ships just rolling off the line.  One thing I am going to update is the fact that I wouldn't want a lower aft cabin due to the engines and the movement.  I do remember talking to some folks who lived there and it did bother them.  We were more towards the front, so no real problem for us.

Dancing:  Yes, there is a disco for 18 and older only.  If you go to the picture gallery, you will find the Carnival Capers.  I scanned in each day and if you look through there, you will find the times that it opens.

Hotel recommendations  Sorry, the only hotel I'm aware of is the Radisson and that's only because I was thinking of saving some money and parking there instead.  I would check the Mobile port of call part of this message board and see what they have to say.  Failing that, I'd give Travolicity.com a shot.  What part of Arkansas?  I was stationed at Little Rock AFB from 2003-2005.

Envelopes  This just comes from me and my military planning background I guess.  Every once in a while it pays off being this anal retentive.

Insofar as the beautiful family comment, I'd like to take credit but we all know they got that from my wife.  I used to love it when my kids were babies and someone whould say to me, in the same breath, "they are so lovely, they look just like you."  Nope...they can either be lovely or they can look like me, but they can't be both!

Thanks,

Bill

Sandyh,

Believe we went to Progresso back in 2004 and toured some of the ruins there.  Not bad but we had more fun in Calica and Cozumel.  We've always had a good time in Cozumel and this time Nachi Cocom raised the bar.

Bill

Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed your review!

What a great review.  I have been on the Holiday for a four day and can't wait till my next one.

Enjoy!

Try the Ramada near the ship...251-433-6923.... close to ship 3-4 blocks with cruise parking... rooms with parking are about 95.00 I think... good luck and congrats

telley72 I am going on the Liberty in April and look forward to reading your review.   I have never been on a ship as large as the Liberty or on a seven day, so we can't wait to go.

Also, thank you for sharing your review on the Holiday. I have been on it before, but I always enjoy reading reviews.

Bill,

Thank you for this amazing review and most importantly I'm sure I can speak for the rest of us that we want to thank you for serving our country and protecting us so that we can have the freedom to enjoy these wonderful vacations! ! !  

 What a wonderful review!!!

 Your family is absolutely beautiful!!!

 We will be cruising on 8/18/08 on Fantasy and we are looking for something to do in Cozumel.  We sailed the Holiday in 4/07 and loved it!  We have 3 teens traveling with us this year and they want to parasail and do the banana boats which I noticed Nachi Cocum offers.  Can you tell us what the cost was per person to enter the resort? 

Thanks so kindly!

David and Vicky,

The cost, per adult, is $49.  The kids are cheaper, around $30 I think.  All I know is we really felt is was worth the cost...had a great time.

Bill

 Bill,

Great pics you have ....thanks for sharing I do have one question for you.  What was the beach like at Nachi CoCom?  It seems like you spent most of your time in the pool?  I have been researching several beaches as we are looking for a nice sandy beach that we can walk along in the water and kinda play around in.  I have been told that one I am also checking out has a rocky bottom until you get our several feet.  So I am curious as to what the beach area is like at this one?  Thanks alot.