Elation Cruise - Dec 27th - Jan 1st

[cbtengwife]

My husband I just got back from cruise on Carnival Elation - December 27th until January 1st. After we booked the cruise the middle of November I started reading reviews and comments. I read quite a few negative comments, but also positive comments about the Elation. We decided to ignore the negative ones and listen to the postive ones and enjoy our cruise. I am SOOOO glad that we did.

December 27th (Embarkation Day) - we were really excited and ready to get our vacation started. We left early for the port to stop and have breakfast along the way. We got to the port around 10:25 am and was able to go right on in. Porters were quick in getting our bags out of our car and we were on our way to park. We were able to walk right through security and did not have to wait in line at ticket counter. By 10:45 we were sitting in chairs in waiting area. At 11:30 am they started calling zones to board. We were in the second zone called. By 12:00 we were on board, put money on our sign & sail card at Guest Relations and was sitting on Lido Deck eating lunch. We watched later as people that arrived later had to stand in lines getting onto boat and at Guest Relations. So getting there early is definately the way to go.

MDR - we had Imagination late dining. We were to be seated at a big round table. We wanted to eat alone just the two of us. We spoke to the Matrie d’ and asked for a table for two. He went out of his way to grant this request and to make sure that we were happy with our table. Our wait staff was amazing. They were very friendly and we never had to ask for anything. They actually was always asking if we were sure that they couldn't bring us anything else (extra entrees, desserts, etc). We ate breakfast every morning in the MDR, lunch one day and all but one night dinner.

Buffet - It does get packed in there and sometimes you have to wait. But there are approximately 2500 people on the boat. So this is to be expected. The food was good, nothing fancy, but definately plenty of it. We ate lunch one day, snacks and dinner one night in there. 24 hour pizza was good and the 24 hour sandwich was good.

Room Service - Ordered coffee for early two mornings (just hang tag outside your door by 5:00 am and it will be there at time you ask for it) and one day we ordered a snack in the middle of the day.

Coffee Bar - went there several times. You do have to pay for the coffee there, but it is very good and is comparable in price to Starbucks. They also have a cheesecake with strawberries on top that is great. Huge slice for $2.25, not a bad price.

Our room was always kept with everything that we needed. When we would take showers before dinner we would come back and the cleaning fairies had come in cleaned and brought clean towels. Did not really see our room steward much, but he definately was keeping us with what we needed. Kept our ice bucket full of ice even though we never did use any of it.

We enjoyed the shows that we went to see. Highly recommend the Welcome Aboard and Win Show.

We had two stops. First Cozumel and then Calica. Calica you will have to take a taxi to do anything at this port. Calica is a BIG gravel pit. But the view of the water against the rock cliffs is beautiful. The reason the ship docks there is because there is no where to dock in Playa Del Carmen.

Oh and the NEW YEARS EVE!!! The Elation went above and beyond to bring in the New Year. Great party up on the Lido Deck and ship horn blowing at midnight. It was definately something we will not forget.

We had a GREAT time on the Elation and will definately cruise on it again. ALL the staff the we came in contact with was absolutely WONDERFUL. :)

[spideyfam]

Glad you had a great cruise! Thanks for the review!

[Purplesaurus]

Thank you sooooo much for the positive comments. Looking forward to cruising in March.

[woodey]

Elation is a Great Ship ...I am Glad to hear you had a Great Time!:)

[framerman]

Thanks for the comments. We are on her on Jan. 20........eagerly awaiting our turn!!!!!!!!!!!

[beaming90]

Thanks for the great review! We sail on the Elation in one week!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[Mayhew]

Thanks for the positive review. Please feel free to post as many pictures as you can. We will be sail on her March 12. Only 67 days, but who's counting?

[suezyq50]

We are sailing in two weeks. Did you do any excursions? Tell us about them if you did. We want to go parasailing.

[iwilltakeonetwo]

How was the weather in Cozumel? And was it warm on the way to Cozumel? We are sailing on jan 15th and this is our first winter cruise. Thanks

[ineed-a-vacation]

Awesome review. I do the same thing. I try to take the negative ones with a grain of salt. Your cruise is what you make of it. I sail in exactly 1 month. Im glad you had fun.

[mattp269]

Thanks for the information on Carnival Elation! I'm looking forward to sailing on January 15th.

[WAHMto5]

Glad to read such a great review, can't wait to go in May!

[cbtengwife]

We did not do any excursions. In Cozumel we took taxi to downtown and shopped before lunch. After lunch we took taxi to Money Bar and snorkled. The weather was great. Think it got up to high 70's - low 80's that day. The water was a little cool when we first got in, but quickly got used to it.

One thing I forgot in my first post. On debarkation day in Mobile. Since we had gotten there early, we had parked on 2nd level which is 1st level of parking. When we got to the parking garage there was a loooonnnggg line waiting to get on elevator. Since we were only up one floor we just hauled our luggage up the one flight instead of waiting in that line. Was not to hard as there are several landings that you can stop at on the way up.

Hope everyone cruising soon has a wonderful time. My husband is already wanting to book another. LOL