This is my 1st cruise!

[tlwaters]

My husband and I are booked on Carnival's Elation, July 18th out of Galveston. This is our first cruise(hopefully not our last)and would appreciate any advice or comments. We were wondering about the following shore excursions in Progreso-the Kodiak Off road truck excursion, in Cozumel, the deep sea fishing excursion and lastly in Belize, the Horseshoe reef and stingray snorkel excursion. We have dreamed and saved for years to go on this cruise and want it to be perfect! Any comments and advice will be welcomed!!

Thanks tl:)

[halos]

Glad you found Cruise Critic!!

You'll have to log on every day and check in to see what's happening. You'll learn so much from this board and you are a fortunate first-time-cruiser to have found it!!

If you slowly feel yourself becoming obsessed, don't fret, that's natural!!

[mirrajay]

LOL - Halos is exactly right. Obsession and inability to concentrate on anything non-cruise related is very normal.

 

Have a wonderful time on your cruise. I, too, am a first timer with my cruise to Canada being in October. I would love to hear when you get back what surprised you or what is a must do for first timers!

[hilltopfamily]

We're going on the Elation also, but on the Aug 1st sailing. This will be our family's 3rd cruise and, as mentioned above, this could become an addiction for you---it certainly has for us!

 

Sorry that I cannot help out w/any info on the excursions you've mentioned. We're trying different things than what you are considering. A place for more info is to go to the "Ports" forum and post questions there (if you haven't already tried this). Also CC (cruise critic) just recently went through some major changes and they now have a "search" function that actually works!!! So, you may have some luck doing a "search" for the items you're interested in. Enjoy the planning, and of course the cruise itself. There is simply nothing like being on that ship looking out on that blue, blue ocean! Pure heaven. :)

[aggieastrosfan]

I was on the Elation in May. I can't help you out with the excursions you mentioned, either, but I have some pictures of the ship and our activities at the link in my signature.

 

I also have scanned in every Capers (the daily newsletter delivered to your cabin showing the day's activities), and the excursion price list. The Capers may change (I know the cruise director has), but if you'd like to see them to get an idea of ship activities, e-mail me at meredithmoore(at)houston(dot)rr(dot)com. There are also several recent reviews on this itinerary - just do a search on the board, and you'll find a ton of information.

 

You'll have a blast. I love the Elation! :D

[czechgal]

We're going in January and would like any info you can offer about Elation. I'm especially interested in what to pack...I tend to overpack. LOTS of clothes for me... and I hear that isn't necessary.

 

We are planning on booking excursions through Carnival...is this a good idea or not?

 

So glad I found this website before our first cruise!:D

[cruiseclues]

tlwaters,

We have an Elation personal planning page, which has many links to Elation photo albums (1000’s of cruise ship pictures), personal cruise websites, Capers, Menus (keyed), the ship technology link, the CDC Sanitation Inspection Scores, a number of review posts, and more. We will continue to update the page:

 

http://cruiseclues.com/shipstips/elation.htm

 

:) :cool: :D

[tlwaters]

LOL - Halos is exactly right. Obsession and inability to concentrate on anything non-cruise related is very normal.

 

Have a wonderful time on your cruise. I, too, am a first timer with my cruise to Canada being in October. I would love to hear when you get back what surprised you or what is a must do for first timers!

Mirrajay, WILL DO!

tl

[Philly Steve]

tlwaters,

We have an Elation personal planning page, which has many links to Elation photo albums (1000’s of cruise ship pictures), personal cruise websites, Capers, Menus (keyed), the ship technology link, the CDC Sanitation Inspection Scores, a number of review posts, and more. We will continue to update the page:

 

http://cruiseclues.com/shipstips/elation.htm

 

:) :cool: :D

 

Thanks for the link and the info!

[MRIrene]

I checked out the CruiseClues webpage for the Ecstasy and found a lot of valuable info. I am getting really excited! :D

 

 

Irene

[cruiseclues]

Philly Steve, you're welcome.

 

Irene, you're welcome. We're glad to add to your enthusiasm. We wish you the very best of cruises. :) :cool: :D

[DreadPirateRobert]

Yep, she was our first and they say you never forget your first. My wife booked us on a cruise through a local radio station. I wasn't interested in a "big love boat type" cruise. I thought it would be too impersonal, too crowded too dressy etc. I was beginning to get a little excited when along comes Sept 11th, 2001. Our cruise was slated to depart on Sept 24th. Security made boarding in Long Beach a 3 hour nightmare!

To top it off by the time we left much of the Mexican Riveria was also under a hurricane watch. So you can see our trip had a lot going against it.

To this day, and several cruises later the wonder and joy of the cruise lifestyle is a feeling I've never found elsewhere. It's all Elation and her crew's fault. We were totally hooked. Even in a lower deck inside cabin we felt like royalty. The service we received matched anything I've gotten in "World Class" hotels and resorts. The service was so good and the crew so friendly that even the tragedy of September 11th and a completely scrambled itinerary didn't keep us from having a great time.

Now the trip is different and I'm sure much of the crew has changed but I know those of you sailing on Elation for your first cruise will have a wonderful vacation.

 

Toast a Sunset for me!

[Grayce]

I am looking forward to my first cruise on the Elation too!

[Kittymama]

You're on a great class of ship! I love the "tions"--they all have the wonderful open back fantail. Hint--eat breakfast & lunch on the Lido deck so that you can sit out on the back. It alone is worth the price of admission, being able to watch & hear the water, see occasional schools of fish (even seen dolphins a few times), passing ships in the distance, at night seeing the stars (& a satellite streaking overhead once)--sigh.

 

Can't help with the excursions since I didn't do any of them. However, in Belize my brother & his family (wife & 3 teenage boys) did the excursion that went out to the atoll (can't remember what the excursion is called) for snorkeling & loved it. Even tho it said you have to be experienced, they were novices & did just fine. It's also fun to just walk around the local shopping areas in Cozumel & Belize. Bear in mind that Belize is VERY poor, but the people are just lovely, they have wonderful native crafts, & the country is really trying as hard as they can to encourage tourism so they go out of their way to be welcoming. Cozumel is just lovely & has a new area built just for Carnival. There's a wonderful little beach with chairs where you can sit & not be bothered by anyone & enjoy the water.

[tlwaters]

Thanks for the description and info!! I'm really getting excited to be on the ship!!!

tl

[ward6226]

tlwaters,

 

My family and I are also going on the Elation, July 18. We will have 5 in our party. This will be our 2nd cruise and my daughters 3rd. Celebration, May03 was our 1st. You will be HOOKED!....we are! We will be departing on my Birthday and celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary.

 

Well, 8 more days!!!!

 

Happy Cruising

Ward6226

[ksufan]

My husband and I are booked on Carnival's Elation, July 18th out of Galveston. This is our first cruise(hopefully not our last)and would appreciate any advice or comments. We were wondering about the following shore excursions in Progreso-the Kodiak Off road truck excursion, in Cozumel, the deep sea fishing excursion and lastly in Belize, the Horseshoe reef and stingray snorkel excursion. We have dreamed and saved for years to go on this cruise and want it to be perfect! Any comments and advice will be welcomed!!

Thanks tl:)

Hi and welcome to the cruise. Please look under ROLL CALL for this thread Elation 7-18-04 There's a whole group of us. We have info on tours, excursions and we are planning to get together and meet. It's always fun to put faces to the names on this board. Everyone is so nice and helpful. We found them before our second cruise and have been hooked...Hope to see you soon...Sharon