True to its name, you'll feel your spirits soar as soon as you board the "Fun Ship" Elation. Relax in the sun on the teak-planked decks, or plunge into any of the three refreshing swimming pools. Ready for more amazing onboard experience? Make your way to any of the eateries for a delicious meal. Or, roll up your sleeves and try your luck in the friendly casino before turning your attention to the exciting nightlife. Get excited about your vacation. Book a cruise on the Elation.
Ship Reviews Carnival Cruise Line Carnival Elation
Carnival Elation
0
 |
4.4 (2) |
Ship Facts
| Cruise Line | Carnival Cruise Line |
| Date Launched | 1998 |
| Passengers Capacity | 2,052 |
| Tonnage | 70,367 |
| Ship Registry | Panama |
User reviews
Average user rating from: 2 user(s)
|
To write a review please register or login. |
|
Mexican Riviera cruise Reviewed by Sean
|
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
PREVIOUS CRUISESThis cruise was my ninth over all. It was my second cruise with Carnival, but the first on a Fantasy-class ship. My previous cruises include Premier's Big Red Boat Oceanic to the Bahamas; Celebrity's Zenith to the Western Caribbean; Majesty's Royal Majesty (currently NCL's Norwegian Majesty) to Bermuda; Holland America's Veendam to the Eastern Caribbean; Holland America's Westerdam to the Eastern Caribbean; Princess' Crown Princess to Alaska (Vancouver to Seward); Carnival's Carnival Destiny to the Western Caribbean; and Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas to the Western Caribbean. Since I had just sailed on the world's largest ship, Voyager of the Seas four weeks before the Elation, I was anxious to see how this 'smaller' ship would compare. THE ELATION When we first pulled up to the pier in San Pedro, I was suprised how small the Elation seemed. However, as the week went on, the Elation became a very good sized, comfortable ship. The first three floors of the Elation are nothing but cabins. We were on the second floor, Main Deck. On Empress Deck 7, there was the bottom floor of the Elation Atrium, the Plaza Bar, the Purser's Desk, Shore Tours, and the Photo Gallery. The Elation Atrium was a beautiful place on the ship. I rises seven decks, and is capped by a glass dome. The thing I liked so much about this atrium is that it was so wide...it is about two-thirds the width of the entire ship. At night, the atrium would light up in shades of pink and red, creating a magical atmosphere. On Atlantic Deck 8, there was the first floor of the Mikado Show Lounge, the Galleria Shops, the Card Room, Duke's Piano Bar, the Mark Twain Library, the Imagination Dining Room, and the Inspiration Dining Room. The Mikado is a nicely decorated room, highlighted with a Japanese theme with green and gold colors. Though it was a very pretty room, it had some horrible sight lines and many obstructed views. If you got here early for a show, you could get a good seat, but if you came late, it was almost guaranteed that a pole or something would be in your way. The Galleria Shops are right at the entrance of the Mikado. There is quite an impressive collection of stores in here, including the Carnival Logo Shop, many designer boutiques, and a liquor and sundries store. Duke's is the Elation's Piano bar, and here people did piano sing alongs nightly. The Mark Twain Library is a very quiet place, and is decorated in a Riverboat theme appropriately. We ate in the Imagination Dining Room. This dining room is accessible from the atrium. The dining room served its purpose; however, it was a bit dark. At times, this room seemed a bit claustrophobic, but I didn't mind since I was eating. The Inspiration Dining Room is in the back of the ship, and it is accessible from the aft elevator lobby, or down the stairs of Gatsby's Great Bar. Up on Promenade Deck 9, there was the Mikado Balcony, Virtual World, Elation's Way, the Casablanca Casino, Sushi Bar, Drama Bar, Romeo & Juliet Lounge, the Musical Cafe, the Jekyll & Hyde Dance Club, Gatsby's Great Bar, and the Cole Porter Club. The Mikado Balcony, unfortunately had some sight lines of the stage which were even worse than the main level's, especially if you sat in the back part of the top floor. Virtual World was an arcade room which featured many games that I had pretty much no interest in. Elation's Way stretches down the Starboard side of the Elation, connecting most of the main public rooms. Sofas and chairs are present down the entire length of Elation's Way. I loved sitting on one of the sofas next to a window, and watching the sea go by. The Casablanca Casino was quite large, and it featured tons of slot machines and many tables. The gambling age on Elation is 18, but this was rarely enforced. The Sushi Bar is on Elation's Way, and right across from the casino. I guess if you like sushi, you might like this place. It tended to leave a nice little sushi stench down Elation's Way before dinner. The Drama Bar was one of my favorite places on the ship. Each night, Jimmy, a guitarist and vocalist would sing songs. I just really enjoyed this. Romeo & Juliet had some unique decor, and a band played here nightly. The Musical Cafe was a closed off sitting area on Elation's Way with a bar which sells cookies, desserts, and such. I do not understand why Carnival charges for these foods. This seems really stupid to me, especially when you can go up a floor to Tiffany's Restaurant and get the same desserts on the buffet for free. Oh well, I just hope they drop the charges for these snacks. The Jekyll & Hyde Dance Club is a nice sized disco. Here, karaoke sessions take place, and it is alive with music and dancing at night. There is a Fossil Watch shop right next to Jekyll & Hyde. Going further back, Gatsby's Great Bar is a great place for a pre-dinner drink. Cole Porter Club is in the very back of the ship, and here, there are the midnight, 'R-rated' comedy shows and the past passenger reception. Up on Lido Deck 10, there is the main pool area, and Tiffany's Bar and Grill. The Patio Pool Area features a very nice sized pool, two hot tubs, a large waterslide, a stage, and plenty of deck space. Finding a chair here was rarely a problem. However, people still saved their chairs with towels as they do on every ship. There is a poolside buffet on deck where hamburgers, hot-dogs, and the regular lunch and breakfast buffet is served. Tiffany's features two buffet lines, a salad bar, the pizzeria, and another bar. On Verandah Deck 11, there are 4 Ping-Pong tables right outside of the Atrium. Going further back, there is tons of deck space and another pool in the back with two hot tubs. On Sports Deck 12, there is the Gym area and Children's World. Up on Sun Deck 13, there is the jogging track, the 'beach volleyball' court, and more deck space. The Elation was truly spotless, she is an extremely clean ship. Overall, this ship was very easy to navigate, and I became very comfortable with it since it felt quite 'homey'. CABINS We had two cabins, an inside, and an outside across the hall. We were in cabins M40 and M42. The two cabins were virtually identical except for the window. The beds were in an 'L' configuration. There was a TV in the corner of the room. There was also a desk and vanity area. The closet and drawer space was plenty for two people...and I severely overpacked. The bathroom is a very good size, and the shower is not small at all. Overall, I feel that Carnival has some of the nicest, and most spacious cabins at sea, so they did not disappoint. SERVICE The service on board the Elation was overall quite good. Our room steward, Mickey was very kind and friendly. We saw him all the time, and he always had time for a conversation. He did a very good job in making up our room, and leaving our ice bucket full all the time. He also did several extra little things like bringing us cookies one night. Our waiter, P.I, was excellent. He is a 64 year old man, and he always had a smile on his face. He provided flawless service, and never had problems with special requests such as multiple appetizers or entrees. He was probably one of the best, if not the best waiter we have ever had on a cruise. Our Assistant Waiter, Roberto was also very friendly. He always goofed around, and had a joke for us. He also provided excellent service. Looking at the crew of the Elation as a whole, it seemed that they acted a bit tired and overworked. In the beginning of the week, many seemed almost grouchy, but service got better as the week progressed. The overall service on the Elation was very adequate; actually very good, but it was not up to the service we have had on several other ships. FOOD Since I had already been on a Carnival cruise within a year (the Destiny last summer), I pretty much knew what to expect as far as the food goes. Carnival has not changed their menus since last summer...the dinner menus were identical. Everyday, there were two options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They were the main dining room, or Tiffany's Bar and Grill. Breakfast in the dining room was quite good. The service was very good, and the food was above average. My favorite, the eggs benedict was okay, but the portions were quite small. Breakfast up in Tiffany's Bar and Grill was also very good. There wasn't a huge selection, but the food there was certainly adequate. The made to order omelets were excellent. The omelets quickly became the highlight of my breakfast! For lunch on the Elation, you could eat in the dining room, or up at Tiffany's. Lunch in the dining room was excellent. The menu was extensive, and the food was very good as was the service. It was truly a pleasure eating sit down lunch on the Elation. Lunch up in Tiffany's was almost equally as good. The hamburgers were very good...large and juicy. The buffets featured a pasta, a carved meat, and 4 or 5 other dishes which were sometimes good, and were not at other times. The Pizza at Tiffany's was excellent. As I have previously stated, Carnival Cruise Lines' pizza is the best at sea. The pizza was always fresh, and very tasty. Also available at the Pizza Bar are calazones, caesar salad, and chicken caesar salads. The Pizza Bar is open 24 hours, so you can always snack here. The salad bar up in Tiffany's is very extensive and fresh. I enjoyed a huge bowl of salad on many occasions. There were many desserts available, as well as a self serve ice cream machine which was open virtually 24 hours. Dinner in the Imagination Dining Room was pretty good. It really varied night to night. The appetizers were usually excellent, the soups were just good, the salads were okay, and the entrees varied. Some entrees were excellent, others were just okay. All of the portions seemed a bit on the small side, but that wasn't a problem since you could order another if you wished. I did notice that there were many repeated entrees during the course of the cruise such as Prime Rib, and several seafoods. The desserts were excellent, but again, the portions were quite small. I wish Carnival would change their menu a bit from ship to ship, because the menu on the Elation this year is the exact same as the Destiny's last year, and the Paradise which my parents sailed in February. Overall, the food on the Elation was very good, but it does have some room for improvement. You will definitely not go hungry on this ship! GYM The gym and workout facilities onboard the Elation were very complete, and adequate for this ship. The gym itself features several treadmills, stairmasters, weigh machines, and a free weights area. There was an aerobics area as well. Two hot tubs were located in the gym too. There is a locker room area for men and women. Each is complete with lockers, showers, a steam room, and sauna. Up a deck, there is the jogging track. I personally love the jogging tracks on Carnival since they are isolated from the pool activities. I also love how they are padded like a real jogging track. I feel that these jogging tracks are much more practical for a ship than the huge tracks which encircle the pool on other ships such as Voyager of the Seas. Those types of tracks are frequently blocked by chairs and people waking from one part of the ship to another. With the jogging track up top as it is on the Elation, it is practically reserved for those who choose to run or walk on the track. You cannot really be disappointed with the gym facility on the Elation. ACTIVITIES The Elation featured many activities. As it is with any Carnival 'fun ship', there is always something to do. There are game shows, contests, pool games, karaoke, tournaments, ping pong, shuffleboard, volleyball, demonstrations, bingo, and many other things. The arcade is a very good sized facility, but it is usually overrun with smaller children. Camp Carnival, the kid's program seemed to please everyone as the little children were always kept busy. One thing I did miss on this ship was Internet access. On our previous cruise on the Voyager of the Seas, the Internet cafe came in very useful, and I really missed it on the Elation. Not to worry, there are plenty of things to do on board the Elation. ENTERTAINMENT Entertainment the week I was on board the Elation was the best I have encountered on any of my nine cruises. The entertainment was presented by the Cruise Directory, Lenny Halliday. He was very friendly, but nothing that special. He did sing one night, and I enjoyed that. The two production shows were quite good. One of them featured lasers and other high tech special effects. We had three comedians during the course of the week, and they were all excellent. Each one did a main show and a midnight 'R-rated' show. The comedian the last night, Lowell Sanders was one of the best comedians I have seen on a ship. Another night for entertainment, we had a fiddler. This guy was completely impressive. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment on the Elation. It was the best I have had on a cruise. NIGHTLIFE Few ships can compare to the nightlife offered on the 'Fun Ships' of Carnival. There are sing alongs in Duke's Piano Bar, Jimmy sang at the Drama Bar, an excellent band played at Romeo & Juliet's, a band played in Cole Porter Club, there were strings in Gatsby's Great Bar, the Jekyll & Hyde Dance Club was jamming until the early morning hours, and as always the Casablanca Casino was roaring all night long. I personally spent much of my time in Jekyll & Hyde dancing the night away! This lounge was quite strange; not my favorite club on a ship (like the Vault on Voyager of the Seas or Point After Dance Club on Carnival Destiny), but it served its purpose well. Jekyll & Hyde played music late into the night until around 3:00 AM, and sometimes later. If nightlife is your thing, you will not be disappointed by the Elation! WHO GOES? Everyone! We had a full ship of 2699 people...it was actually over maximum capacity, meaning that there were several roll away beds in use in addition to the upper births and sofa beds. There were many families on our cruise, as well as large family reunion groups. This meant that there were many kids and teenagers. We had about a dozen honeymooners, tons of couples and singles. There were older people and younger people. This cruise attracts a wide variety of people, and this mix of people creates a very fun environment. Since the Elation leaves from Los Angeles, I'd say that 60% of the people on the ship were from California. The average age was probably 35-40. EMBARKATION/DISEMBARKATION Both embarkation and disembarkation left a lot to be desired. The embarkation process was incredibly slow. We had to wait in a lounge, then in a line for check-in, and then another line for our room key. It took about an hour and ten minutes from the time we got off the taxi to the time we were on board the Elation. Unfortunately, embarkation was the better of the two processes, because disembarkation was even worse. The best way I can describe it was organized chaos. We were told to be out of our cabins by 9:00, so we were out by 8:45. By this time, breakfast was not being served anymore, and the waiting ensued. People did not start getting off of the ship until 10:30, and we were off by 11:15. I'm sorry, I know customs may have held up the ship for a while, but it is ridiculous to not start letting people off until 10:30! On my last cruise, Voyager of the Seas, they had 1,000 more people than the Elation did, and everyone was off the ship by 8:30. I was completely unimpressed with the embarkation and disembarkation process on the Elation, and Carnival really does need to work on this procedure. |
Was this review helpful to you?
|
Elation - Mexican Riviera Reviewed by Robin B
|
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Before taking this cruise I spent hours on the Internet perusing rec.travel.cruises and reading any cruise review I could find. I got many good ideas and hints from fellow cruisers and included in my review are some hints and tips that I haven't seen mentioned in other reviews.FIRST HINT: Be sure to take something warm to wear such a pair of long pants and a light jacket or sweatshirt as the first and last days at sea can be a little cool and breezy. I heard many passengers grumbling that their travel agent said it would be warm and ended up buying sweatshirts at the gift shop. EMBARKATION - We stayed Saturday night at the San Pedro Best Western so we could park our car free for a week (although we were charged a higher room rate called the "cruise special"). We had heard it was good to get to the terminal early so we arrived at about 10:30. The good news was that there we no lines and we sailed right up to the counter, checked in, and were given a numbered boarding pass. The bad news was that we couldn't board the ship until 12:30 or so. But it was worth getting there early as we were able to get a place to sit and watch all of the other passengers arrive (we love to people-watch). If you are so inclined to book a massage, pedicure, etc., the spa staff set up a table so passengers could make appointments (they did offer some discounts for same-day services). THE FIRST AFTERNOON - The first thing we had to do was get some lunch and since we had heard the pizza was good decided that was what we would have. And, yes, it did live up to its reputation. The next step was to go to Gatsby's Bar to change our seating time for dinner (we had been given late instead of early). Then it was off to explore the ship, have a beer, and unpack. We met our terrific cabin steward, Rodney Francois. We asked him to make our bed up with a king-sheet and he happily complied. Our cabin was M58 on the main deck and we were a little worried about the fact that we might feel more movement near the front of the ship (I am prone to seasickness), and we did, but the seas were fairly calm and once the dramamine took effect, we were fine. We were also close to the breakwater point so we could hear the sound of the water and it would sometimes spray on the window, which sounded like soothing rain. The mandatory lifeboat drill has been discussed ad nauseum so I will just say it lived up to its reputation but we had fun talking to other passengers. HINT: Ask the cabin steward for an extra blanket as the cabins can get a little chilly at night. We went to the late seating and although we enjoyed our tablemates, discovered we really hated waiting that late to eat, so we talked to the maitre-d about changing to early seating. (Later that night a card was slipped under our door with the new time and table assignment.) I had the catch-of-the-day and found it to be quite tasty even though it was a fish I had never heard of, and my husband had the steak, which he said was good. Dessert was chocolate cake (I got mine to go and had it for breakfast the next morning) and guava torte. We went to the show in the Mikado Lounge (as previous reviewers have reported, get there early for a decent seat as they are many bad sight lines) and discovered the cruise director, Greg Kneale, was the same one we had when we sailed the same itinerary on the Jubilee four years ago. We also discovered he still had the same schtick and routines, but he was quite funny and entertaining anyway. There was also a magic show that was fairly good. Then it was back to the cabin and my favorite time of day (besides meal times, of course). I just loved opening the cabin door to find the lights low, the bed turned down, mints on the pillow, and a cute towel animal on the bed wearing my sunglasses. MONDAY - We woke up to cloudy but warm weather and after a breakfast in the dining room of eggs benedict (you are served one unless you specify two) and pancakes, found our spot on deck to camp out for the day. We started out on the side deck overlooking the pool but later found we liked the little strip in front of the running track overlooking the pool. It afforded a nice view of the sea and everything that was going on down below. So after spreading on the suntan lotion, ordering a few beers, we proceeded to enjoy the day while listening to the good reggae band, Motion. Ever notice how one always sees the same people over and over even though there are 2000 people on board? One guy we saw constantly we nicknamed "Bong Boy". He was a long-haired, somewhat unkempt fellow whose idea of dressing up was to don a pair of sneakers that weren't cut out. Anyway, he would wander the ship with a huge beer funnel and would party with anyone who would drink beer from his bong. He had quite a time! In the cabin was a brochure from the spa that listed services and got an appointment for a manicure at 1:30. I thought I would be charged the brochure price. Silly me! When I was presented with the bill, it was $13 more than what was listed. I asked about the difference and was told that the brochures were outdated and this was the current price. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I pitched a little fit and challenged the practice of charging more than advertised and the woman at the deck grudgingly lowered the price. I was told that it would be impossible to change all 1000 brochures, you know (noticed later that the receptionist was doing nothing but reading a magazine and I was very tempted to take the brochures and tell her this would be a good time to change the prices). HINT: If you make an appointment for a spa service, ask the price before you go! Then it was time to head back to the cabin where we found our robes waiting for us. For some reason, formal night seems to strike fear in the hearts of many cruisers and we were a little apprehensive about it. I had borrowed a beautiful beaded dress and was worried I would be overdressed but I didn't have anything to worry about. Dresses ran from Sunday best to Hollywood awards show kinds of gowns, and you know, it didn't make any difference. It was all festive and everyone was having a wonderful time, including us. After getting our pictures taken in three different settings, it was time for dinner. We found ourearly seating table and it was in a better location (not as crowded and noisy), our waiter Ilhelm from Indonesia had a great personality, and our tablemates were fun and we enjoyed getting to know them. Dinner was good lobster (ask for two if you like lobster) and prime rib. After dinner the waiters sang a song and served flameless cherries jubilee (Ilhelm said there were accidents with the flames and I could see where Carnival would be a little worried about fire!). Since we didn't make the early Captain's party, we went to the later one and chatted with a nice couple while having free drinks. Then we stayed for the show Rhythm, which was quite good (similar to a low-budget Las Vegas review but we have seen worse). Then it was on to the Cole Porter Lounge for the couples and lovers party where my husband danced with me for the first time in 27 years!!! HINT: Go to many different places for formal night pictures if you want to buy one. It will ensure you get a good one. TUESDAY - Before going to bed, we had filled out a card for a continental breakfast to be served to our cabin. Bagels weren't listed but I wrote it on the card with a "please" and received a warm toasted bagel with cream cheese - Yummy! After our walk on the track, had a late breakfast at Tiffany's. HINT: If you want eggs cooked to order, ask at the omelet station as they will cook them over-easy, etc. (except on the last morning of the cruise). The rest of the day was spent on deck even though the morning was cloudy and a little cool. It cleared up when we passed Cabo San Lucas in the early afternoon. From there the weather continued to get warmer and more humid. Dinner was one of my favorite fishes, Chilean Sea Bass and it was prepared quite well. After dinner found us in the Mikado Lounge where we saw Merle Hobbs, a very funny comedian. He had most of us women in stitches when he discussed men fitting into bathing suits and men's underwear. The second part of the show was a country fiddler, but I'll be danged if I can remember his name. He was excellent, if you like fiddle music, and it was like watching a legend as he used to be in the Sons of the Pioneers. After dinner we went to the duty-free store and purchased liquor to take home. We bought a litter each of Kahlua, Absolut vodka, Jose Cuervo Gold tequila, and received a free bottle of cheap rum. All of this was just $31.00! Returned to our cabin to find a pair of Carnival beach towels for use in the ports. However, they are quite heavy and we had brought our own lightweight beach towels, which we chose to take as they fit into my bag and we wouldn't have to fork over $22 each if we lost them. HINT: It may be tempting to buy lots of booze, but keep in mind it must be carried off with your carry-on luggage, and even though they provide handy cardboard carrying cases, it's still awkward. We also didn't realize that extra duty would have to be paid as only one liter is allowed per person. But, fortunately, as we were debarking, the customs agent said we could get by with an extra liter each without duty. WEDNESDAY - The ship docked at Puerto Vallarta bright and early. We had been on this cruise before and knew what we *didn't* like about the ports, so I researched the resorts and such and we decided to go on the Beach Party/Mayan Experience shore excursion (why it's called the "Mayan Experience" is beyond me?guess it's because the resort hotel is built in a Mayan design). We caught the 8am bus and it took us 10 miles north to Nuevo Vallarta and dropped us off at the Paradise Village Resort. After giving us the obligatory punch drink, we were led to a group of palapas where we could lounge away the morning (there seemed to be "authorized" vendors and they weren't too pushy). We walked up the beach for about 1 ½ miles and it was very nice. The pool areas at the resort are beautiful and if you want a quieter area, head for the north pool. Be sure to visit the mini-zoo on the premise. We went back on the 12:00 bus and walked over the Krystal Vallarta Resort for lunch and more time in the pool. After a few Coronas in the bar, we had a very tasty lunch and chatted with a fascinating couple from Denver. We just love the pool there and had a wonderful time drinking more beers and laying by the pool. We ignored the beach as the vendors were a little annoying but did stop at the little area of shops on the way back to the ship for t-shirts (good buys-decent t-shirts were 2 for $7.00). Headed for the dining room for dinner but for some reason, everything was off this night. Nothing seemed to be very good and we almost felt like the chefs didn't try very hard since most passengers weren't on the ship for dinner. The rest of the evening was spent sitting on the deck watching the Corona party. Unfortunately, even though it was a "Corona" party, Corona beers were still the same price - $3.50. Seems to me there should have been a discount! THURSDAY - Mazatlan was our port today. Again we elected not to take an excursion and took a taxi to the El Cid Resort ($10). The El Cid is a huge resort with beautiful pools and they welcome Carnival passengers. After a nice walk up the beach and back, we lounged by the pool for a while and then walked down to Playa Mazatlan for lunch. After being hounded by vendors for most of the morning we were ready to head back to the ship by 1:00. We spent the rest of the afternoon in a lounge chair and had a blast going down the pool slide a few times. Dinner was at Tiffany's where we had one of the best entrees of the trip - shrimp, scallop, and vegetable brochettes. After dinner we attended the Repeaters Party, had a few free drinks and I had a wonderful chat with a retired librarian (my profession!). FRIDAY - Up early to take the tender to Cabo San Lucas. We walked to gorgeous Sol Mar Beach. Backed by a couple of condo developments, it is a 1/4 mile or so long beach that borders the Pacific side and the waves are huge and thunderous, so no swimming! No vendors and hardly any people made for a very nice morning walk. After wandering through town, we boarded a tender and were back on the ship by 11:00. Sat on the upper deck where we had a beautiful view of Los Arcos rocks and the parasailers that flew by. The ship left about 1:00 and we were warned that it would get windy?and it did! Everyone had to leave the top decks and we found ourselves a sheltered spot overlooking the lido deck, which got extremely crowded since it was the calmest place to sun. After a while it was time to get ready for the second formal night. My husband wore his navy sport coat and I wore a long silk dress. It wasn't as fancy as the beaded number I wore the first night but it was still fine for the evening. After stopping for pictures in front the Titanic staircase backdrop (unfortunately they didn't come out very well), we had a few drinks in the Cole Porter lounge during their happy hour. HINT: One side of the Cole Porter lounge is nonsmoking, which we didn't discover until about the 3rd night! Dinner was chateaubriand and shrimp with a wimpy Baked Alaska for dessert (it didn't seem to be "baked"). The waiters did the macarena for us after dinner. The show that night was SPIN and neither of us thought it was as good as RHYTHM. HINT: Get your change for the tips on Friday and avoid the long line at the Purser's Desk on Saturday. SATURDAY - Woke to a sunny and breezy day, but my husband woke up ill with what seemed to be a mild case of food poisoning. After spending most of the day in the cabin (he did discover where the extra roll of toilet paper was kept, though--it's under the sink!), Ken and I went down a flight of stairs to the infirmary where he received a shot and pills for the nausea. The cost was $68.00 but will be covered by our travel insurance. He was feeling better that evening but still didn't go to dinner. During the day I wandered around the ship and attended the debarkation talk. I went to dinner and said goodbye to our new friends then spent the rest of the evening packing. SUNDAY - Dabarkation was its usual downer, but we knew what to expect and were fortunately the third party to be called to leave the ship. After finding our luggage, we got a taxi back to the Best Western by 10:45 were on our way to Palm Springs, Las Vegas, and Lake Tahoe by 10:45! HINT: If you didn't bring anything such as bright ribbon to attach to your luggage handle, purchase brightly colored sashes from a Mexican vendor. I got a lime green sash, cut it into thirds, and it was a breeze to pick out our luggage. It especially helped when I couldn't find one piece as it was easy to tell the staff member what to look for. SUMMARY: All in all we had a wonderful time. It was a great deal as we had a Carnival credit card and had accrued $800 in credits, so our total cost with travel insurance was $1000 for a guaranteed ocean view cabin. You pretty much get what you pay for with Carnival (compared to other lines), and it does attract a certain "Las Vegas" type crowd, which means smoking, drinking, and partying. By the fifth day we were getting a wee bit tired of some of our fellow passengers and would have been happy to get off the ship after Cabo San Lucas. However, for the money the service was wonderful and all staff we encountered was very helpful and accommodating. I hope you find this review helpful. Please feel free to email me if I can answer any questions. Robin B |
Was this review helpful to you?
|
Powered by jReviews
