 |
fantastic cruise .. best ever ! by
Sherri S. from Alabama Sailing date: May 2011Pros: ships stability, cleanliness, entertainment , dancing, comedy, convienent port Cons: chaos during liquor pickup morning of debarking , no mid night buffet clean, comfortable ... Ship Qualityvery nice ,,, Dining/FoodJovan, our waiter was outstanding .. extremely pleasant, very informative about menu .a most gracious attitude .. constant smile . Stateroom Qualitymattress was amazing as was the pillows ... Ship Staff QualityJovan in dining room was super !! very patient and kind . Such a wonderful personality.There were elderly at our table and he was so sweet with them. Entertainment & Activitiesloved the comedy options .. dancing ammenities were nice .. games were very loud over PA system in auditorium .. There was a juggler that was supberb !! and a New Orleans Motown sound singer as well that are at the top of my list .. the dancers were nice too ... need more day time games around pool area  
Collapse List of Ports
Cozumel, Mexicoalot of pressure from locals to buy .. more options for just hanging out ..need shuttle bus at port to take to beach area .. that doesn't cost so much
George Town, Grand CaymanHow I would love more time here !!
Don't Miss: stingrays and snorkeling .... Margaritaville !! Montego Bay, JamaicaThe falls at Ocho Rhios ... otherwise Jamaica was a disappointment .. The shopping area near port was a huge rip off !! a waste of precious shore time .. shame on you Carnival for insisting this be part of the iteneary for shore excursions ... we hired a taxi and went back in to town for real shopping
Don't Miss: The Falls 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
  Good experience for a great price! by
Jeff H. from Phoenix, AZ Sailing date: Mar 2010Pros: Service, food (for the most part), value Cons: Not much with regards to decent shipboard entertainment, buffet was pretty mediocre My wife and I truly enjoyed our experience aboard the Elation. We were both impressed with the service levels, especially from the waitstaff in the Inspiration dining room (Dejan is amazing!) and the cleaning service in our room. The food was quite good, thankfully considering we are complete foodies, excepting the buffet in Tiffany's, which was really bad. The pizza bar was great, as was the sandwich station, and the Mongolian grill outside was fantastic. Dinners in the main dining room were also quite good, with excellent presentation, pretty good flavor, and plenty of variety. As for the shipboard entertainment, it left a lot to be desired. We brought along a couple of good books thankfully, because the shows were pretty lame. Neither of us were remotely interested in gambling or cavorting in the "nightclubs" either, so it was rather fortunate that we met a couple of like-minded travelers who hung out with us on the rear deck, away from all the ridiculous commotion. Our cabin was nice, with a reasonably comfortable king-size bed (really just two twin beds pushed together) and plenty of space for our luggage. Our cabin was very quiet at night, and I highly recommend trying to get a berth in the rear of the ship, as it is far away from the show lounge and clubs which are very loud until about two in the morning.
Our cruise visited Cabo san Lucas and Ensenada in Baja Mexico. Cabo was a lot of fun; just be sure to AVOID PAYING FOR SHORE EXCURSIONS ON THE SHIP!!! We were able to take the exact same boating tour of the harbor in Cabo that was offered onboard, plus go snorkeling, eat a fantastic lunch, and hang out on Lover's Beach for a grand total of $65 for the both of us. It would have cost us over $200 had we booked these excursions onboard. Ensenada, of course, was another story entirely. Very affordable, yes, but not the most desireable place to visit unless you're just looking to get drunk and buy a ton of cheap prescription drugs. La Boufadora, the blowhole, was cool to see, but it held our interest for all of ten minutes. Be sure to eat the tacos at the little restaurant where the bus drops you off; they're amazing! Other than that, you'd probably be best served hanging out by the pool on the ship.
All in all, my wife and I had a lot of fun on this five day cruise, and the value for the money can't be beat. We heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a nice getaway at a great price. Ship QualityThe ship was quite nice, with plenty of great amenities onboard. Decor was rather strange, but this is a cruise ship, so we didn't mind it. We did miss having some of the amenities of a larger ship, such as a climbing wall and other outdoor activities. Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
Catalina Island, Ensenada by
Brad H from San Diego, CA Sailing date: Apr 2009Pros: Cabin was very nice Cons: Food and seating in the main dining was terrible. Eaten better at buffet. Elevator service was horrid, they would go right on by you most of the time. Kids everywhere, and I do mean EVERYWHERE. Most activities were planned for late night, like 11:00pm I do mean EVERYWHERE. Most activities were planned for late night, like 11:00pm Ship QualityCouldn't see out windows clearly at all Dining/FoodBetter food at a casino buffet. Every night our order was wrong and came out at different times. Our table must have been in the main thoroughfare since the waiters constantly ran into us. Breakfast was something else. Ham omelet with ham that tasted spoiled and it took three seperated trips to get my order Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff QualityMost of the staff were friendly enough except for in the Duty Free store. They were very rude Entertainment & ActivitiesShows were late starting, looked as if they practiced for about 15 minutes. Had two show times and would have Bingo right before the second show so all of the seats were taken an hour before. The various musical "entertainers" found throughout the ship couldn't carry a tune in a bucket with both hands. Every song sounded like every other song PROVIDED that you could understand the words and they could remember what they were
Collapse List of Ports
Ensenada, MexicoThe Gold Coast Tour is a waste. You get on a bus, drive 5 minutes to the Cultural Center for about 1/2 hour, then drive up the coast for ab out 1 hour to a restaurant that tries to rip you off by selling you food valued at 12 dollars for 16.50. Then you ride back to the ship.
Catalina Island, CaliforniaNice place but the shops open late
Don't Miss: Definitely should do the Inland Tour 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
Fun and economical cruise by
Rod A from Lake Arrowhead, CA Sailing date: Jun 2009Pros: Very well managed and great food Cons: too short We are very pleased with our last-minute vacation cruise. Our previous plans fell through and so we booked this cruise 4 days before and it worked out great. The price and ship were beyond our expectations. Ship QualityExceeded our expectations. We had a great group of people at our dining table too. Dining/FoodWe just ate too much because it was all so good. Stateroom QualityThis was our second cruise and this stateroom was bigger and a much better shower than our more expensive cruise taken 5 years earlier. Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & ActivitiesWe enjoyed every show put on each night.
Collapse List of Ports
Ensenada, MexicoThis was a fun excursion.
Don't Miss: If you want excitement, take the dune buggy tour. It was fantastic! Catalina Island, CaliforniaWe had been to Catalina before, so we just walked around.
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
WASTE OF MONEY !!!!! by
lizi from San Diego Sailing date: Mar 2009Pros: NOTHING This cruise doesn't even rate a happy face from our experience and it wasn't what we consider a family cruise we would take children on. I felt bad for the families who had small children there. The crew is all smiles when you get on the ship but it was down hill from there... the food was horrible, a frozen tv dinner had more flavor... most of the crew couldn't answer any questions about where anything was located on the ship much less give directions on how to get there, it was disgusting on how staff pushed alcohol... shame on the cruise line for having contests to see what waiter could sell the most, ALL HAIL SPRING BREAK !!!! ... college kids everywhere, drunk out of their minds.. come aboard, we're glad to have you, here, have another drink. Not only was the service lacking in all aspects, the college kids were out of contol !!! Afight among drunk college kids took place outside our room, staff stood by and took no action, no ship security came. Half the time staff was joining in on their "fun" laughing the whole while. Partying, screaming and yelling up and down the hall all night long. It was like running the gauntlet to go from our room to the elevators with all the people in the hall. This is not an exxageration either!!! Fun ship???? Not for us...It was torture for 3 days and we couldn't get off the ship fast enough. The best thing about this experience was seeing the ship in our rearview mirror as we left the parking lot. Ship QualityBig ship, but not big enough for all the people it packs in. Dining/FoodThe only thing we ate that was any good was the cheesecake we paid for at the coffee bar, buffet and dining meals were horrible. Stateroom QualityAdequate and clean, nothing special about the room, could hear everything in the adjoining rooms. Ship Staff QualityThe young lady we spoke to that worked at the coffee bar from the Ukraine was very nice but most everyone else didn't know anything about what was happening on the ship when asked questions and many had difficuty with the language barrier. Entertainment & Activities
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
Lots of fun! by
A Traveler from Missouri Sailing date: Jan 2011Pros: Food, ports of call, mini golf Cons: Stateroom, too few shows, schedule It was nice, but seemed a bit worn and somewhat outdated. Ship QualitySize was perfect for learning your way around easily, and yet having enough to see. Pretty clean. Decor was interesting, reminding me of Mardi Gras. Some areas seemed dark, wheras I prefer a light and airy atmosphere Dining/FoodLoved the warm chocolate melting cake and enjoyed having lobster dinner. It was the "fancy" food one would expect on a cruise. A treat for us since we don't often go to upscale restaurants. Stateroom QualityThe stateroom was clean. It had low quality, unattractive furnishings, and not enough storage. Our oceanview room had a nice size picture window. Ship Staff QualityWe were regularly called by name by our waiter and stateroom attendant, and they seemed to take an interest in our needs. Entertainment & ActivitiesThere were only 2 main theater shows, whereas I expected one each night of the cruise. The first night, there was a welcome-aboard show which didn't start until 10:30; my family would have preferred something closer to 8:00. In the 2 main shows, the female performers often wore costumes that were provocative and inappropriate for a family audience (or anyone, really), and greatly detracted from enjoyment of the show. The special effects (lights, sounds, etc.) were good. We enjoyed the comedians. Children's ProgramsOur 6-year-old really enjoyed Camp Carnival. The staff seemed attentive enough to their job. Not sure how much they truly enjoyed their job, though. Safety precautions were in place to ensure only adults specifically approved by the parents could sign the child out of the program.
Collapse List of Ports
Cozumel, MexicoWe took a taxi to Mr. Sancho's Beach Club, as it was the only one we found that didn't charge admission just to get in. They just like for you to order something from their restaurant. It was a nice beach with chairs, umbrellas, etc, and water trampolines (for a fee). We enjoyed our day there. This port was much nicer than Progresso, and felt safer.
Progreso (Merida), MexicoNot a place I would visit for an extended vacation, but the local flavor was interesting, and this is the place to shop for local souvenirs, as the prices are more negotiable. The beach was disgusting because a storm had blown seaweed up onto the sand and in the water. Weather was beautiful.
Don't Miss: Shopping at the handicraft market where you get off the shuttle bus in town. 3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
It was the best vacation I ever had by
Judy Lombardo from Tuscaloosa,Al Sailing date: Sep 2010Pros: waited on all the time everyone was just great Cons: kids but they were handled good but being a Senior I what can I say I have grandkids myself but I wish you had a cruise with no kids the people on board were great I met so many nice ones not any that I didnt like we all had fun together Ship Qualitythere is nothing I can say that I didnt like I will take as many as I can afford Dining/FoodI cant believe the dinning room I never had such great service all food was great all over Stateroom Quality I had Mr. P he was wounderful I just cant believe the service never wanted for nothing he took very good care of our needs Ship Staff Qualitythey all went above and beyond I just cant believe how great all your staff was Entertainment & Activities just great they explaned everything very good Children's Programs didnt hve none but what I seen was good
Collapse List of Ports
Cozumel, Mexico charlies was the best but the walking was not good as I have problems the cab servies was good loves cozumel next time will take a tour
Don't Miss: charlies 3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
great cruise by
A Traveler from Columbus, GA Sailing date: Jun 2010Pros: Activities in Cozmel Cons: The adult comedy was not to midnight. I wish it started at 11 p.m. We took this cruise the second time. First time was with the Holiday and now with the Elation, that's bigger.We loved it and we will go again. It's not to far from the house like other ports. Ship Qualityvery nice ship Dining/Foodgreat food.loved sandwichbar 12 h service Stateroom Qualitynice rooms Ship Staff Qualityvery friendly staff Entertainment & Activitiesnice shows, I liked early/ late shows options. Not everybody is used to stay up all night, so we went to the early shows. Children's ProgramsOur daughter loved it. 3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
A Great Experience by
Ron H from Oceanside, Ca Sailing date: Apr 2010Pros: Dining & Entertainment Cons: Cost of Photo's As a first time cruiser I had a great time on the Carnival Elation. The stateroom was small but roomy enough for what we needed, we had an Oceanview Room. The staff maintained it twice a day which was a plus. The dining was better than expected with a very friendly staff who went out of thier way to make sure everything was perfect. The shows provided were a definite plus and the variety each night kept it interesting. I will definely go on another cruise after this one! Ship Quality
Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
The Cruise Was Okay by
Matt C from Los Angeles, CA Sailing date: Dec 2009Pros: The accommodations (cabin), the service (in general) Cons: The food was mediocre and there was a lack of interesting activities on board. The ship was clean and well maintained. The cabins were adequately sized and well maintained. The service was overall good. Some of the service crew were a bit lax in maintaining appearance standards. These issues were addressed often by supervisors. The worst part of the whole experience was the food. It wasn't bad, it was just mediocre. If it was served in a restaurant, the restaurant would go out of business. I cruised another cruise line before and the food was phenomenal. Since it was December and a little colder, outside activities were not as desireable. There just wasn't enough interesting activities on board. I would recommend just about anything to get people out of their cabins. Examples: Show movies in the stage area, show tourist films about destinations, have crew members sponsor a block of time to present their country and cultures, etc.
Ship QualityThe ship was clean and well maintained. Dining/FoodVery mediocre. If it were a restaurant, I would not return. The food experience will make Carnival my last choice in future cruises. I cruised before on a different cruise line and loved the dining experience. Stateroom QualityClean, well maintained, and big enough. Ship Staff QualityGood service. Met my expectations. Entertainment & ActivitiesJust not enough interesting activities. Seems to be a low priority and it showed. 3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
|
|
