Whenever I'm getting ready to go somewhere, I make a point of reading the bad reviews and ignoring most of the good ones.  I look for the bad reviews where specific compaints appear repeatedly.  It's easy to spot the whiners and ignore them.  I have seen a complaint here and there about engine troubles, but it didn't seem like any more than most other ships with a year or two on them.  The only complaint that truly worried me was the one about the brown water. But I have posted about that and have gotten replies that others have never experienced the brown water.  So maybe...maybe no.  I don't plan to drink out of the bathroom tap anyway, and I'm bringing my own bottled water as always, so I doubt this is a real problem unless it smells.  Even then, I have an automatic air freshener I bring along.

What I have heard about the amazing service that resides particularly on the Holiday (not necessarily on Carnival in general) makes me want to sail her and take my chances with the plumbing.  One of the rare times I've given attention to positive reviews, which very often consist of "had a great time...would go again."  (Oh, that's very helpful.  Thanks.)

DarlingNikki:

We can sit on the bus together!! We'll be there too!!

Hey this is my 3rd trip on the girl and the only reason it is my last is because they are taking her out of service I will say I have never had bad water nor a problem this the motors we did have a problem docking in Cozomel last year but she is small and the winds were up but we made it on the 3rd try but I belive the fact that she is small is what makes it a great cruise you meet new freinds and enjoy the company and the crew is great from the room stewart to the captain who is out and about on the ship taking care of his guest and he makes you feel like you are his guest

hope that is more than a "Great cruise would do it again" review

Well, we ordered our passports yesterday!! I can only hope that it actually gets here in time, since we had to send our birth certificates with it. I didn't think about that until we were walking out of the office and my husband turns to me and reminds me we need the BCs to get on the boat without the passport. BUT, we have about 8 weeks and they said 4-6 weeks... *crosses fingers*.

If it gets down to the wire and you livein the same state where you were born (depending on the state), you may be able to go pick up another copy of your birth certificate - for a small fee, of course.  I happened to be in the town in Texas where I was born, so I stopped in at the court house to get another copy of mine while my original was out with my passport application.  The fee was $15.  I waited about five minutes while they printed one and pressed in the seal and signature.  The clerk helpfully told me I could pick up a copy at any courthouse in the state.

Actually, it might not hurt to go ahead and request another copy of your birth certificate now, just in case, even if you have to send off for it.  It will probably get here before your passport and then you'll have a backup copy in case something happens to the original.  Win-win!

FYI, "passport" isn't the magic word that gets your posts sent to moderation.  I can't tell you how many times I've made posts with that word in it and it goes straight to the page. Although it might be that word in combination with some other word or words.  There may be a formula.  My guess is that moderation is totally random.  Like getting pulled out of line at the airport for a second screening.  Riiiight.

Moderation is absolute if you reply to some under questions for carnival or someone complaining.  I was sent five times in a row today answering those questions lol.

I wouldn't worry .they told us 6-8 weeks and we got ours yesterday.It was only 3 weeks!

Bill:

I wouldn't worry .they told us 6-8 weeks and we got ours yesterday.It was only 3 weeks!

I certainly hope you are right! I do not live in the same state and when I ordered a copy before my wedding in 2006, it took almost 4 months to get my BC. Luckily, in Alabama they don't require it or we wouldn't have been getting married. But, that was because I was born in Louisiana, and they had a little more to worry about back then than paperwork. I imagine it would take less time now. 

I am just gonna cross my fingers that it really only takes 4-6 weeks like they said. Otherwise, we will just have to cancel the trip. 

sibelius:

FYI, "passport" isn't the magic word that gets your posts sent to moderation.  I can't tell you how many times I've made posts with that word in it and it goes straight to the page. Although it might be that word in combination with some other word or words.  There may be a formula.  My guess is that moderation is totally random.  Like getting pulled out of line at the airport for a second screening.  Riiiight.

I have found that if you put a lot of numbers in your post you will go to moderation. I once tried to post a recipe for a Bahama Mama and it got moderated. So, with the word passport and all the numbers, I figured I would do the edit trick just to be safe. 

So, enough about my problems... we have 60 days everyone!! Are you excited? I posted a comment on John Heald's blog with a few questions, including if they have costume parties that early in October. I will post his answers once he replies. If there are costume parties, are you planning to dress up? 

Maybe I just have an overly simplistic view of the birth certificate process.  Small county=less paper=faster processing.  It usually helps when they know who you are, too, even when you haven't lived there in 100 years, just because of what your last name is.

 Have any of you decided what excursions you are going to do? In Progreso I think we are going to go with Auto Progreso and check out the Reef Club. Don't know much about it, but I have seen some pictures and heard some nice things from the lady who runs Seauonboard.com. Should be relaxing and fun. I think we will also do the two dollar bus tour just to check the city out. 

In Cozumel though, I just can't pick between Nachi Cocom or Chankanaab. I like that Chankanaab has a little of everything that Cozumel has to offer, but I am not sure if it is too touristy for my taste. And then there is Nachi Cocom which I have heard fantastic things about, and it is basically your own private Corona commercial. But, we are doing a beach club in Progreso, so... I just can't decide. Luckily I have two months to decide.

 In addition to Nachi Cocom and Chankanaab, I am also now considering Isla Pasion by Twister, to get a little excitement before a beach break at the place where they actually filmed a Corona commercial!! 

As I mentioned, we are going to Chichen Itza from Progreso.  I'm a history buff, so it should be interesting.  We'll probably go back to Paradise Beach in Cozumel, although on our first cruise, we took a very nice tour of the island - billed as "island tour and shopping."  I'm not really into shopping, but it was more tour and less shopping until the end when we were dropped off at the shops near the pier and let loose on our own.  We did get some great shopping tips like how to bargain with the locals, how to tell the difference between black coral and onyx, and how to know you're getting real silver rather than silver plate.  I ended up buying my best necklace along that tour, well outside the pier area, for a price I'm sure was more than a loss for the vendor.  I was really trying not to buy it, but when I lowballed the price and he agreed, I couldn't resist.  I wear it every day.  I've since bought two charms for it in Cozumel - an onyx and a brilliant blue turquoise.  (I've never seen a turquoise quite that color.  They're usually kind of a dull blue.  It's beautiful, surrounded by a silver sunburst.  Merry Christmas to me!)

But I digress...the tour of Cozumel really was interesting.  Our tour guide gave us a lot of history of the island and of Mexico.  And since we were there only a month or two post-Wilma, a complete rundown of hurricane information - what was open, what wasn't, what X used to look like, that sort of thing.  I think what I found most fascinating was the Mayan ruin with the open-air Catholic church complete with friendly resident dogs right next door.  I took loads of photos.