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Carnival Cruise Line

MS Holiday

Your Rating:
Reviewed by:David and JoAnn Perry
# previous cruises: 1
Date of Trip: September 25, 2000
Itinerary: Mexico-Western

This cruise was a 4-day short hop from L.A. to Catalina and Ensenada. This was the first cruise for my wife and I. Overall, it was a good experience and we would recommend it to budget minded folks on the west coast looking for a brief vacation break featuring good food, entertainment and sunshine.

For the most part, the public areas were pleasant enough. The casino area is engulfed in smoke every evening. We were not able to spend much time there. The pools were very cold; only the children and the inebriated ventured in.

The food in the main dining room was very good, one of the most enjoyable parts of the cruise. The other faire in the buffet style service was ordinary.

We had a basic inside stateroom. The room was very plain, but well sized for two. We found the living and bath areas to be quite functional. Since we were only in the room to sleep, bath and to occasionally rest our weary feet, it well met our needs and expectations.

The house band in the main lounge was very talented. We were not much interested in the Las Vegas style entertainment, the country western music or the Karioke bar. My wife would have enjoyed a pop rock band; I would have liked more jazz offerings as well.

Catalina is wonderful, we shopped main street and did the glass bottom boat tour. The highlight for us was a tour of the casino ballroom; a wonderful historic theatre/dance hall that gives you a glimpse into the islands storied past. We did the town and shopping district tour of Ensenada and did not find much to recommend the place. In retrospect, we would have been better served to stay on board the Holiday.

We went after the kids were back in school, so it was largely an adult crowd; all ages and many nationalities represented. We enjoyed the company of the couple that regularly shared our table at dinner.