LucyB.

I'm getting it for my next 4 day cruise. It's easy to drink 5 or 6 cocktails over a 12 hour day of fun. To me, the additional non alcoholic drinks make it cost effective. I didn't like the ship "tap water". We ordered a case of water, but I should have ordered 3. I might not get it for a port intensive 7 day, but for a 4 day girls "booze cruise" I have planned, it was the way to go. It's just me I have to pay for. Add up 5 or 6 cocktails, 5 or 6 bottled water, 2 special coffees, & maybe 3 sodas a day. When I did the math for all that, Cheers was the most cost effective way.

I don't drink much or often at home. At sea, I drink.

I cancelled an excursion, via the website. They refunded it back to the card I used to book, not the card I paid for the excursion with. It took 3 days for the refund.

My hubs only went once, lost $40 & was done, lol. I got my points on the second to last night. In Jan., on Fantasy, I'll have Cheers. I plan to take a set cash amount for the casino. When I'm broke, I'm done for the sailing.

I saw an awful nasty woman, throw her cup on a waiters tray, as he was handing me my receipt. I looked at her like, WTH?!? She just laughed & walked away. That's when I tipped him, what he said was too much. The next day, when I had my DOU card, he kept the cocktails flowing. I was appalled by that woman's behavior. I apologized to the sweet server. I try to treat everyone the same. Her actions still irk me. Her grin walking away was what did it. She didn't treat him w diginity or respect or even say, excuse me. I can't stand people like that. It worked out for me later, but still bothers me.

"Free" cocktail or not, do still tip please. We know we pay for them, by our gambling, but don't be a jerk.

I've been reading about arrival at the Port of Mobile. The things I've read say arrival is a bit of a mess. We have both F2F & an 11:30 check in. I know we can arrive any time we choose. I'm choosing to arrive sooner than later. I want to take full advantage of my first day, after a mess at Jax port recently.

Will the porters make sure our checked luggage gets the orange stickers? I had to remind a porter in Jax & he wanted to get huffy w me. He had a stack of stickers in his pocket though. Until I asked for them, he wasn't going to affix them.

We're going to be dropped off, either w a stay & park hotel deal, or local friend. What is the earliest time we can arrive? My goal is to be on the ship by 11:30, barring no delays from the port. Is this reasonable? I know at Jax, they make you wait outside the gate & cars line up long before embarkation.

Also, debarkation. How early can we be off the ship, w self assist? I need to give our ride a time frame for pick up.

Thanks.

(Yes, I searched. Yes, I know Fantasy is older. This is a run away from home girls trip, the price & 6 hour drive sold me on trying Fantasy. It's my 3rd CCL cruise. We sail mid Jan.)

We'll have Cheers in Jan. I fully admit to usually drinking the FrooFroo girly cocktails. Next time, I'm going to try some things I never have before, like Hennessy. I've been reading on various websites the different liquor brands & cost per shot. Aside from asking for top shelf in my daiquiris, I fully plan to drink "the good stuff". Esp. tequila. I used to could drink Jose gold straight from the bottle. Just the thought of that gives me the chills now, lol.

Way I see it, we paid for it, & follow the rules. I see zero issue asking for better quality booze.

I earned the DOU perk recently. If I was just IN the casino, my favorite server would find me & brink me a cocktail. Twice w/o asking for another. I was headed back towards the slots, but not playing, & a server asked if I needed a FunShip. It was my great experience, that just being in the casino, had free drinks coming. They weren't strict on the 5 min rule either. I got 2 back to back from different servers. (One from "my guy" that I tipped well & the other from a different server. I found, if you take care of the waiters, they take care of you. I tipped $5 on my first freebie & $3 after. Got sideways doing that, lol.

DH & DS ordered it different times on Elation. One Med rare, the other Med. Both were perfectly cooked. My DS said it's one of the best steaks he's ever had. I tasted it & thought it was decent. My advice, is the less grill time the better, but I like all my steaks Med rare. Try it. If you don't like it, get something else.

Playing recently on Elation, the Max I could charge to my cabin at once , to play on, was $500. I'm unsure if this is a daily limit or per transaction limit. I charged a few times to my cabin. Various times of day. It always gave me the $500 option.

I used cash for my SS account & played w my player bank. I cashed out three times in one day, w no trouble. The cashier may not know HOW the money was added to your player account.

Thanks for the idea, if I run low on cash for ports. You can always try & see what happens.

78 days... Fantasy... Girls Cruise. Perfect way to beat the winter blues.

I pay on it as my finances allow. When I booked my Jan. cruise I paid all of my part upon booking. For me, having one less thing to pay for gives me peace of mind. After it's paid off, I either start stashing cash or buy cruise cash. We bought our cruise cash limit last time, put $100 cash for our SS account, & I got an $80 refund at the end. My Jan cruise is a girls trip & we're getting Cheers. I'll have some OBC, so I'm not buying Cruise Cash for that trip. I'll just put $100 cash on my SS card & play in the casino on it & buy smokes. Hopefully I'll have a zero balance or get another refund. Guest Care will give you cash back, if you use cash for your SS account.

If I pay my cruise off early, I won't spend it on "stuff" or the life happens things.

I paid $34 each for 2 cartons of Marlboro Golds on Elation.

Buy your brand early, Bc they do sell out. I think they ran out of Gold Shorts day 3.

We're getting it for our Jan. sailing. Cocktails aside, I drink a lot of water. Wasn't fond of the MDR or Lido coffee. So in addition to alcohol, the added water, sodas, & special coffees will be worth it to me. (Yes, I drank tap water last time too.)

I've only sailed Fantasy class ships. Plan to sail Fantasy this winter. There are some that must need the latest & greatest. Not me, so long as I'm on vac., I'm good. The Fantasy class ships are easy to navigate. My advice is to do what your budget allows. You can get your sea legs on Fantasy & spend the $500 on Cheers package.

I suggest smaller ships & shorter sailings for your first. I say this Bc they're cheaper. If you don't like cruising, you're not stuck for a week & out a lot of money. My kids loved the Elation.

Whatever you choose, just have a blast!

My PVP said you can buy it any day at a prorated charge. I want it for a kid free cruise. My roommate is still debating. I've got till Jan. to convience it's a Better value.

I did well enough last week that my upcoming cruise only cost me $100 out of pocket. It would have been less, but I got F2F & upgraded my original cabin. Once you get 1,000 points you drink free. That Last day is kinda fuzzy, lol.

You don't get bonuses or free spins as frequent as a land casino. It's still fun! Watch how much you charge to the cabin. I took cash, then played from my player account.

They were delicious & soft on Elation. Similar to slice n bake, but I like those.

I was there too. It was my hubs & kids first sailing. It was a bumpy ride to say the least. We made the most of it & did have fun. However, I was a bit disappointed for my family. They didn't realize just how much was wrong.

What I will say, despite the cluster of boarding, rude employees, Atrium constantly smelling of puke, fumes from God only knows what, they do want to cruise again. We felt a ton of vibration on E deck, aft.

Any potato dish we had was delicious. Never got ice cream Bc all but once the machine was down when I passed. Room service was good. Kevin was awesome as a cruise director. We did make Half Moon Cay & had perfect weather. So there's that.

I learned a lot about cruising w 2 kids.

I also will hopefully never be on a ship within a month of dry dock. Giving CCL another chance in Jan. If that sailing is a mess, we'll be trying another cruiseline.

Our fellow passengers could have chosen to all be miserable, but they didn't. They are what made it a great time. We took care of each other.

Carnival isn't doing much at all for us post sailing. Our fellow passengers on the 10/7 sailing made it awesome. Not too many of the staff members were happy to see us. The casino staff was nice. All in all we had fun, but will I sail Elation or from Jax again, not unless they make it too cheap not to.

I booked Fantasy in Jan. trying CCL one last time. So it hasn't prevented me from booking again.

Who knows just what they're actually finishing. We got an email saying sail away on 10/7 is now at 7pm.

They've called guest & asked them to move cabins & sailings, Bc the cabin won't be finished.

It's going to be a don't know till we get there situation.

Per news from John Heald, she won't be finished in time. Those on 9/28 & 10/2 sailings are going on Fascination, out of Jax. The Fascination sailings got cancelled Bc of Maria destroying San Juan. The 10/7 sailing is now the first post dry dock. I'll do a review when we return.

I got switched also, am the one who posted yesterday. I looked at pictures of Fascination and am thrilled!! It looks like a gorgeous boat and can't wait. I'm very thankful for the credit and the fact that we are sailing at all.

My one & only other cruise was on Fascination. She's beautiful. I'm glad you're happy to cruise. Seems like others are taking it personally that 2 hurricanes changed their ship. The ones upset seem to be missing the bigger picture. I'd rather GET to sail a different ship, than not go at all. There's a lot of people who didn't get to cruise, still don't have power in FL, lost everything they owned, lost loved ones. Yet some want to hide behind a keyboard & whine.

Per John Heald , Fascination will be taking passengers on Elation's 9/28 & 10/2 sailings.

Dry dock will not be completed on time, due to hurricane Irma delays.

Elation should be in Jacksonville for the 10/7 sailing. Fascination will do a discounted cruise from Canaveral on 10/8.

The general consensus from a group I'm in was, so long as we're sailing, we don't really care what ship!

I'll be on that sailing & post a review when we return.

Seems this is a repeat of news already discussed. My bad.

Idk how to share pics on here. Look on Instagram at # carnivalelation

We're on the 3rd sailing after drydock. I'm getting regular countdown emails for it, including a choose a check in. Balconies are in full swing, Lido getting major love, & aft pool gone. Per IG pics. Someone in a group I'm in shares pics they've found.

Our sailing is sold out. Per a call Fri. To customer service.

I'm on her 10/7. Very concerned about possible changes to our vacation. We can't change our travel dates. John Heald says stay tuned when he's asked.