Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2017 (Berlitz Cruise Guide) (2016)
Grand Holiday
★★★
Berlitz’s Ratings
Ship: 289 out of 500
Accommodation: 123 out of 200
Food: 214 out of 400
Service: 241 out of 400
Entertainment: 64 out of 100
Cruise: 225 out of 400
Overall Score: 1156 out of 2000
Grand Holiday Statistics
Size: Mid-size Ship
Tonnage: 46,052
Lifestyle: Standard
Cruise Line: Iberocruceros
Former Names: Holiday
IMO Number: 8217881
Builder: Aalborg Vaerft (Denmark)
Original Cost: $170 million
Entered Service: Jul 1985/May 2010
Registry: The Bahamas
Length (ft/m): 726.9/221.5
Beam (ft/m): 92.4/28.1
Draft (ft/m): 25.5
Propulsion/Propellers: diesel (22,360kW)/2
Passenger Decks: 9
Total Crew: 660
Passengers (lower beds): 1,452
Passenger Space Ratio (lower beds): 31.7
Passenger/Crew Ratio (lower beds): 2.2
Cabins (total): 726
Size Range (sq ft/m): 189.2-420.0/17.0-39.0
Cabins (for one person): 0
Cabins (with private balcony): 10
Cabins (wheelchair accessible): 15
Wheelchair accessibility: None
Cabin Current: 110 volts
Elevators: 8
Casino (gaming tables): Yes
Slot Machines: Yes
Swimming Pools: 3
Hot Tubs (on deck): 2
Self-Service Launderette: No
Dedicated Cinema/Seats: No
Library: Yes
Onboard currency: Euros
A casual, family-friendly ship for Spanish-speaking cruisers
Overview. This ship is best suited to young Spanish-speaking couples seeking their first cruise experience, single passengers, and families. The passenger flow is good, although the ship does have a high density and always feels crowded.
The Ship. Grand Holiday used to be Holiday, a Carnival Cruise lines ship. It is a bold, high-sided, all-white contemporary vessel with a very short, rakish bow and stubby stern typical of so many ships built in the 1980s. It has a distinctive swept-back wing-tipped funnel. Iberocruceros spent €55 million to refurbish the ship in 2010.
The decks are named after cities and towns - Seville, Valencia, Lugo, Pamplona, Avila, Elche, Barcelona, Madrid, and Ronda. There are numerous public rooms on two entertainment decks to choose from, and these flow from a double-width indoor promenade. A real red-and-cream bus is located right in the middle of one of the two promenades, and this is used as a snack café.
Accommodation. There are just four cabin categories: Suite with balcony; Junior Suite with balcony; exterior cabins, and interior cabins, in 13 different price grades. The standard outside and interior cabins are plain but functional units that provide all the basics including a small vanity/writing desk. TV sets are typically placed high in one corner and are not easy to watch. The bathrooms are practical, with decent-size shower enclosures. Wall-mounted dispensers provide body soap and shampoo.
Dining. There are two main restaurants: Cantabrico and Alboran. Both are large, have low ceilings and raised center sections, and feel cramped.
The food is presented well, but few garnishes are used. Do remember that this really is banquet-style catering, with families and children in mind, so standardization and production cooking is the norm. Although there is a decent wine list, there are no wine waiters.
The Ensenada Buffet is a self-serve buffet area that provides all the basics (except service) although its layout is old in style and makes the venue seem more like a canteen than a restaurant. Still, it’s good for that quick meal when the ship is in port and the family and kids want to be out and about.
Entertainment. The Grand Theater Bazan is the principal venue for large-scale production shows and major cabaret acts - although pillars obstruct the views from several seats. It has a main and upper level.
Most lounges and bars have live music, so there’s always plenty of life. There are two discos - one large, one small overlooking the ship’s single swimming pool.
Spa/Fitness. Some fitness classes are free, while some may cost extra. Do make early appointments for massages, facials, or other beauty treatments such as manicures and pedicures), because time slots go quickly.