Elation:Old School Cruising

[KatieCharlotte]

Just back from the Elation. Goat cheese and mushroom pizza. Need I say more? Sure, my kids love the flash and glamour of a huge ship with a ropes course, but I loved the classic Elation. Old style, real pizza. I was about to cry when I tasted the goat cheese, which took me back to my first cruise on the Sensation. The sky-lighted, tacky and overdone yet gorgeous atrium. Good, excellent, and hideous live music, including the show band and an amazing blues concert at midnight. The Serenity deck on the back of the ship, where it belongs, protected from the wind and providing a perfect view and blend of sun and shade.

Plenty of sporty entertainment for families: the Lido pool with a simple waterslide, a wading pool and mid-depth pool for the kids, multiple hot tubs at different temperatures, basketball and volleyball courts, giant chess, shuffleboard, mini golf, and ping pong.

Sure, there were some very minor things I would change and there are fewer evening entertainment choices on a smaller ship. But there will always be a place for the old style ships. The only 2.0 upgrade I missed was the Blue Iguana Cantina at lunch, and that was a small price to pay for old-style pizza.

.... If only I was back in the club, at 80s night, still partying like it's 1999. :D

Edited February 3, 2015 by KatieCharlotte

[Indytraveler83]

Glad to hear you loved the old girl! I'll be sailing on her in 18 days and am afraid at how much pizza I'll eat on this trip!

[sanmarcosman]

Thanks for sharing the genteel side of the old girl, I agree.

[Greatescapes]

I agree, there is something about these Fantasy class ships that brings back memories... I still enjoy them. They are very easy to get around in as well.

[AZbeachboy]

I love the Fantasy class shipped. Our best cruises have been on them.

[GabbyCooks]

I was so happy to read your post. We are sailing the Elation for Spring Break and I've been a little nervous because our last two cruises were on Conquest class ships. I've been worried we would be disappointed in the smaller ship. We sailed Sensation for our first cruise and loved it, so am hoping we love the Elation as well.

[Ckrewz]

Thank you for taking the time to write a review, we sail on Elation next month. Age and size doesn't matter to us ;) The experiences you listed do, especially 80's night:D!

[Ckrewz]

Do you happen to know what night the Chef's table was held during your sailing?

Thank you!:)

[KatieCharlotte]

Do you happen to know what night the Chef's table was held during your sailing?

Thank you!:)

 

I remember walking by, seeing it set up in the Library off the atrium, but I can't remember which night, except that it was not the last. I'm sorry!

 

Does anyone have any other questions?

[cjknox]

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. There's just something special about the Fantasy class and Carnival knows it that's why they are still around; and will be for a long time.

[1geeman1]

Just got off the Elation yesterday, the Chef's Table was our Cozumel port night. It was only a 4-night cruise, so that was our only port. Had a great time at the Chef's Table, the food was excellent! Well worth the money.

[Cruiseaholichal]

Just back from the Elation. Goat cheese and mushroom pizza. Need I say more? Sure, my kids love the flash and glamour of a huge ship with a ropes course, but I loved the classic Elation. Old style, real pizza. I was about to cry when I tasted the goat cheese, which took me back to my first cruise on the Sensation. The sky-lighted, tacky and overdone yet gorgeous atrium. Good, excellent, and hideous live music, including the show band and an amazing blues concert at midnight. The Serenity deck on the back of the ship, where it belongs, protected from the wind and providing a perfect view and blend of sun and shade.

Plenty of sporty entertainment for families: the Lido pool with a simple waterslide, a wading pool and mid-depth pool for the kids, multiple hot tubs at different temperatures, basketball and volleyball courts, giant chess, shuffleboard, mini golf, and ping pong.

Sure, there were some very minor things I would change and there are fewer evening entertainment choices on a smaller ship. But there will always be a place for the old style ships. The only 2.0 upgrade I missed was the Blue Iguana Cantina at lunch, and that was a small price to pay for old-style pizza.

.... If only I was back in the club, at 80s night, still partying like it's 1999. :D

 

Never understood the "Party like it's 1999" thing !- the new millennium didn't start until 2001.

[sprint180]

Elation was our first cruise. Glad you like it. We did too.

[dioxide45]

We have sailed the Sensation twice and will shortly have sailed the Paradise twice. Will be on the Elation this fall. We do enjoy the smaller ships.

[MOcruiserman]

We're planning to go on the Elation in 2016 so this is good to know.

[KatieCharlotte]

Never understood the "Party like it's 1999" thing !- the new millennium didn't start until 2001.

 

"Party like it's 2001" just wouldn't be a very catchy song. ;) We were partying like it was 1999, before children and mortgages and falling asleep watching TV at 10 p.m.

 

 

Although this cruise was kids free, I liked the kid-friendly areas on Deck 11 with plenty to do, more than I remember being on the Sensation. I also enjoyed that area as a nice place to relax on a lounger away from the Lido noise on the rare occasions the Serenity was full. The hot tub up there was lukewarm, presumably for the kids, but the two Lido and two Serenity hot tubs were plenty warm.

[dclark]

You should have been on her when she was new. I was on it when she was 3 months old and had:

Assigned server for all three meals

Self serve station of oranges and a juicer on lido

French made butter served with bread

Cocktail party on first night with every bar giving out free drinks

Too many things to list for old school cruise...