Carnival cruise late January/early February to Costa Maya and Cozumel?

Question

I'm planning my Carnival cruise for the end of January or early February. Both are 5 days.

Fantasy: New Orleans, Louisiana; Costa Maya; Cozumel; New Orleans

Holiday: Mobile, Alabama; Costa Maya; Cozumel; Mobile

Both have the same itinerary as well. I don't know where to port out of, as both places have convenient times.

Do you recommend those locations or should I try a whole new cruise?

Answer 1

I would take the Fantasy.  It is a larger ship.  It just came out of a refit, so it has a bunch of new features.  It was also the first cruise I went on when it was in Port Canaveral, so I might also be a little partial.

Answer 2

I would go with the Fantasy one - out of New Orleans.  

I've been to Cozumel and Costa Maya-  both are beautiful.  Enjoy the beaches!

Answer 3

Well, since the itinerary is the same, you are left with picking the most convenient port or the best ship.  Since I don't know where you live, you'll have to decide which is the more convenient port.

As to the ships, the Holiday is around 46,000 gross tons (this is a space rating, not a weight rating) and was built in 1985.  

The Fantasy is more or less a bigger version of the Holiday.  It is about 70,000 gross tons and was built in 1990.  Besides being bigger, the main difference between the two ships is that the Fantasy has a central atrium, while the Holiday does not.

Both are the first ships of their class.  After the Holiday, Carnival built two more similar ships, the Jubilee (1986) and the Celebration (1987).  The Jubilee has since been sold to a sister line.

After the Fantasy, Carnival built seven more similar ships.  The last, the Paradise, was built in 1998 and is currently based in Long Beach, California.

Other than being bigger, you will find that the Fantasy is laid out very similar to the Holiday.  In other words, if you cruise on one, then cruise on the other, you will have no trouble finding your way around the second ship.

While the Fantasy is bigger, it also carriers more passengers.  So, I would say that your experience on either would be about the same.  Pick the more convenient port and enjoy your cruise.