Memorable mom and daughter cruise by
Evelyn W from Seattle, WA
Sailing date: Aug 2009 Pros:
Dining in Imagination with a wonderful wait staff
This was my first cruise and my daughter and I had so much fun. We have great memories of the people we met and the staff were so friendly. My husband and son are excited to come with us on our next cruise.
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Dining/Food
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Entertainment & Activities
Children's Programs
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Ensenada, Mexico Not much to do at this port but walked into a few stores and bought a few shirts.
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totally spoiled us!! by
Anita P. from Boulder, CO
Sailing date: Aug 2009 Pros:
lots of food and varying fare every day, rooms were kept clean and neat several times a day. staff overall very friendly and enthusiastic. lots to do or not to do, as you felt like it.
Cons:
pool deck was crowded on sunny days and not enough deck chairs or space on deck to relax unless you got there early and saved several chairs. Pools were both small and not very warm.
This was our first cruise and we were a bit nervous and not sure what to expect, as we were traveling with 2 tweens and a teen. We were very impressed with the staff aboard the ship, from the cruise director to the wait staff and cabin steward and all in between. Food was fabulous and plentiful. Kids enjoyed the 24 hour pizzaria and ice cream, as well as evening activities with their peers. Good information on shopping, ports, and shore excursions and arrival/departures from port were given for us newbies. Ship was clean, a bit older dated, but we didn't notice much, we were too busy having fun. Overall, a wonderful experience for all the family.
Ship Quality
Dining/Food wait staff was excellent and very attentive, food was always delicious and fresh and varied..as well as plentiful.
Stateroom Quality small but clean. would h ave been nice to have a small chair in room besides bed and 3 legged stool.
Ship Staff Quality only reason this didn't get a 6 vs a 5 is due to medical care. My husband got an ear infection and was in agony...needed his ear flushed out. This is a chronic, recurring problem for him, so he knows how to deal with it. Went to ship Dr. and was given antibiotics, but dr. refused to flush out his ear, said his "regular doctor" needed to do it. When we got home, my husband spent 10 minutes and flushed it out himself and was 80% better. He was charged $200 for a "doctor" who wouldn't do a simple procedure that any nurse or layperson could have done. Ridiculous!
Otherwise, staff was 100% top notch and wonderful!!
Entertainment & Activities adult entertainment started too late for those of us with kids, who needed to be in around midnight.
Children's Programs would have preferred more supervision for 12-14 yr old group and more daytime activities while at sea. A late nite "overnite" or sleep in one nite would have been good, as we couldn't attend some of the later "adult only" shows as kids program ended at midnite and show started at 11:30 or 12.
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Cabo San Lucas, Mexico must do shore excursions...all sounded great and everyone love the ones the selected. We did sea kayak and snorkeling....must do. skip the restaurants along the dock, no matter how they try to reel you in...food is bad and expensive. better to go back to ship and eat and go back to port...tenders move folks pretty fast. bring cash and cc, no travelers checks..they don't take them. careful with water taxis...if you take one, only pay one way, not both and negotiate. We got lucky and our guy did come back for us at the appointed time, but not so with everyone.
Don't Miss: snorkeling and a day at Medano or Lovers Beach.
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Fun with friends cruise by
gr from pdx
Sailing date: Jun 2009 Pros:
Just hanging out with friends
Cons:
The boat was really dated, windows filthy, food at buffet was not too good.
Windows were filthy, but they were washing them as we left. Food not good in buffet. Boat is so dated in decor. Bathrooms around boat dirty.
Buffet , tables not cleared soon enough. Bad.... The rooms are decent and clean, bathroom was bigger than most other ships. The dancing
elation show was terrible, comedian was very good. It was a good trip,
because it was with my friends. I have cuised on Carnival, 1999, but
have been on Princess and Royal. They were far cleaner, way better food. With more fun things to do. Sorry. Just my opinion.
Ship Quality
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Entertainment & Activities Elation dancers and singers....not good. The blue attire was terrible.
Velco was showing and they did'nt fit. Entertainment staff in there white
pants and red jackets. Way dingy looking and dated. Was it because it
was only a 3 day cruise?
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Ensenada, Mexico We had a great time. The people on the trip were great. Took a bus to town then out to the blow hole. Great job.
Don't Miss: don't stay in town
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Great staff; the rest a disappointment by
Laura C. from Seattle, WA
Sailing date: Feb 2009 Pros:
Staff friendliness
Cons:
Everything else: ship; food; destinations
Carnival has commoditized fun; we felt like walking wallets being processed through a commercial money-extraction experience. We like cruising but our next cruise will definitely be on another cruise line.
Ship Quality The ship isn't too big to negotiate, though you have to figure out your own way around. We had to ask for a map of the ship on boarding and it was too small to read. The ship decor felt to us like a second-rate Reno. Hard to avoid smokers on deck. Lots of nicks, dents, and dings everywhere. Staff work like machines to keep it clean and neat, though.
Dining/Food There was lots of food, it was just really disappointing in quality, even in the main dining room at night. High tea was disappointing (tea tasted funny, think it was the water.) If quantity matters more to you than quality when it comes to food, this is the ship for you.
Stateroom Quality The drawers stuck; there was visible mildew in the shower. The housekeeping staff did make up the cabin promptly and kept the shower dry, but I was always afraid to take my feet off the rubber mat. The decor was amazingly unattractive given that the ship was only about ten years old; it felt much older.
Ship Staff Quality Our cabin attendant and our main waiter were exceptionally personable. Loved the towel animals each night in our cabin. Some friends of ours in an inside cabin with another attendant didn't get them. These people work nonstop for about seven months in a row without any real time off; (according to ship's cruise director in a Q&A we attended.) We can't say enough about how hard they work.
Entertainment & Activities Lots of bingo, trivia, and slots challenges. The comedian was unoriginal and very unfunny; the hypnotist was okay; the onboard 'vegas style' review felt like a calculated pandering to the audience. The live band who played for the show was very good. Karaoke was fun but too many people got to sing multiple times while others never got a chance. The one time we went to Duke's piano bar it was monopolized by a small group of very loud, drunk people smoking so we passed. The library is great for a quiet respite, though the bookshelves containing books and games are only accessible for a short period of time each day.
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Ensenada, Mexico We did the combo blowhole/winery tour. The blowhole was not inspiring and to get there we had to run a gauntlet of hugely aggressive vendors who physically blocked out path, tried to shove coupons in our hands, and begged us to visit their stalls. It really freaked many in our party out. The winery is inactive; we got a five minute "tour" of an old storage facility and then got shepherded to a tasting room for free samples. We did get off the bus in Ensenada and were able to see some of the big "fat tuesday" parade, which was cool. We had to find our own way back to the ship, which took longer than we expected. We heard from others on board who took a separate winery tour (which went to the working wineries) that they enjoyed it.
Catalina Island, California We rented a golf cart and went to the Wrigley nature preserve; it was fun. The rest of the time we shopped. Had lunch at Mi Casita, home of the giant cazuela drink which several in our party enjoyed. Food was okay, not great. Greasy fajitas, chile colorado was good.
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Carnival Elation poor vs Royal Caribean by
Dave C from Edmonton, AB
Sailing date: Jan 2009 Pros:
Cabin service was very personal and meticulous
Cons:
food like Mac & cheese at dinner and servers reaching over other guests substandard for a cruise
We had high expectations after our Alaska Cruise on Royal Caribean so when Carnival Elation served Mac & Cheese along with 2 of the 3 main courses at dinner, we were disappointed. The evening meal service lacked the friendly professional decorum we enjoyed on the previous cruise and we chose to skip dinner twice when the menu lacked anything appealing. The Chateaubriand steak was tough and more like round steak then tenderloin. Fellow diners also commented how the food and service was sub standard compared to previous cruises.
Ship Quality Older ship I thought at first...but it was only 10 years old. I found the decor tacky and out of the 70's.
Dining/Food Tenderloin more like round steak - very tough. Other food selection more like a cafeteria menu than a cruise ship.
Stateroom Quality State room was larger than previous ship and very comfortable. Service for the state room was excellent and personal.
Ship Staff Quality Food service staff sub standard. Officers scarce if seen at all. Cabin staff by far the best onboard.
Entertainment & Activities Excellent singers and dancers.
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Cabo San Lucas, Mexico The usual peddlers as soon as you got ashore. Time share sellers greeted everyone at the end of the dock.
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Grandma's birthday cruise by
A Traveler from Federal Way, WA
Sailing date: Jan 2009 Pros:
Food
Cons:
Having to leave
My family sailed on the Carnival Elation in late January. The was a cruise for the whole family to celebrate grandma's birthday (13 of us in all). The ship is beautiful and well maintained. Always clean with a good variety of activities. Everyone seemed to have a great time and would disperse to different activities or gather together for meals as we saw fit.
Ship Quality The ship is beautiful and well maintained. Staff was cleaning everywhere you looked. This was my family's second cruise. Our previous was on Conquest. The Elation is smaller and much more managable. Didn't feel like I was getting lost quite as often. The pool is very cold, the kids still went in but a couple times down the slide was all I could handle.
Dining/Food Great food and great atmosphere. Food quality was always good and plentiful. Grandma's birthday included the cake and singing by the wait staff. My kids loved the mac & cheese and were served generous portions with every meal.
Stateroom Quality Although the room was the same size as on the Conquest, the configuration made it seem smaller. The bunkbeds folded out over the king bed making for a cramped feeling. On the plus side the bathroom was larger. Also, not cleaned as well as I would have liked. We found cookies and ceral from previous guests under the bed. The sheets and comforter were great.
Ship Staff Quality Always will to help or answer questions. Even though they were very busy, they would always take the time to say good morning and show us how to make the great towel animals.
Entertainment & Activities Good entertainment except is was often difficult to see the stage in the Mikado lounge. I would have enjoyed a few more activities though, a few days I really didn't find much to participate in.
Children's Programs Our group included a teen, a 6-8 and two 9-11. They all enjoyed their programs and often wanted to be with their new friends instead of their family. We did run into a few grumpy staff members which was disappointing.
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Ensenada, Mexico Nice city. I went on the Taste of Mexico tour which was great. Learned to make a few Mexican dishes and found new foods I liked. My husband and sons went on the Jeep tour and were quite disappointed. A couple of boys decided to yell into the CB's throughout the tour spoiling the day. No parent or tour guide stepped in to stop them and my husband finally turned off the CB and missed all of the tour guides comments. Also the tour was quite long and didn't include lunch which left many hungry people by the time the tour finished after two o'clock.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico We participated in the Sea Trek helmet diving which was a great adventure. We then went shopping in town. This was nice but the aggressive merchants could be disturbing. Good shopping
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A great affordable getaway!! by
Peggy K. from Mesa, AZ
Sailing date: Jan 2009 Pros:
The great people at our dining table and the wait staff
Cons:
Minimal contact with the room steward and other personnel
this cruise was a good vacation for the money. The ship was a little confusing to get around in and the service was just average.
Ship Quality Bathrooms were not always neat and clean; the ship felt "cramped", it was hard to get from one end of the ship to the other on some floors.
Dining/Food The servers were excellent considering the location of our table. The appearance of the meals was somewhat lacking and the food was average.
Stateroom Quality the stateroom and bathroom were spacious and in good repair. I received a blow drier after requesting one.
Ship Staff Quality he staff was friendly when approached but were not outgoing and welcoming initially. The dining staff was great. We never saw the captain out mingling with the passengers.
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Ensenada, Mexico We ate lunch at LaTortuga and really enjoyed it.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Our daughter lives near Cabo, so we spent the day with her after visiting Baja cantina and a few shops.
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A Good time for the money by
A Traveler from San Diego, CA
Sailing date: Jan 2009 Pros:
The beautiful Scenery
Cons:
The Food
You have to get over the cheesiness, because that's the only way to have fun.
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Ensenada, Mexico
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Cabo was awesome! I recommend doing an excursion. We did the "Exclusive Resort" for a day, it was gorgeous! And the best food we had the whole trip!
Don't Miss: The scenery
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A delightful surprise by
Dave B. from Seattle, WA
Sailing date: Jan 2009 Pros:
Diversity of people, quality of food, cost-effectiveness
Cons:
Constantly being sold on extras
We were looking for a sun-break and have never considered ourselves cruise people. We got this killer deal through Alaska Airlines and decided to give it a try. We were struck by the tight organization of all the operations on this ship. We rarely waited in line, every concern was anticipated and addressed, the staff were friendly and skilled. The food was incredible and endless. It was a great balance of relaxation and fun activities. They do a great job of matching people for who sits at your dinner table.
We were pleased with the range of people on-board. All ages were well represented, as well as all nationalities!
The entertainment ranged from okay to great. The Vegas styles shows demonstrated talent by the performers, but the shows themselves lacked interest. The hypnotist was stunning!
The biggest negative is that they clearly almost give the cruises away so they can make their money on all the other things they try to sell you on the cruise. Some are more tolerable than others. The shore excursions, for instance, are not pushed overly hard, and ours was excellent. It does get a bit old having someone asking you to buy a drink every 5 minutes, 24/7. But the endless quest to sell us pictures of ourselves, wanting us to open a Carnival Visa card, encouraging us to call home on our cell phones from on-board (expensive), those were over the edge. In the net, I can tolerate the constant selling with that great price.
Ship Quality Thought there would be a "swimming" pool, but only "bathing" pools (they were pretty small and you couldn't get more than one or two strokes before hitting the other side). Loved the water slide!
Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality Bigger than we had expected
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities Wish we didn't have to pay extra for yoga, pilates and spinning
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Ensenada, Mexico We took the Wine Country tour, and it was nice to get out and see a more authentic part of Mexico. Great tour, great price, great guide.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico We found a nice beach and just settled in. The town itself was not notable.
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Nice Cruise by
Chris B. from Olympia, WA
Sailing date: Dec 2008 It was a good cruise despite the cool weather. The food was good and the service was excellent. Our only real complaint was that the ship is difficult to find your way around. There should have been "directional" signs on each level pointing the way to the two main dining rooms. I can't begin to tell you how many times we got lost trying to find our way! We heard many other passengers complain of the same problem. There were 650 children on this cruise and they were not annoying at all. We were pleased about that. The other thing that was a little bothersome was the constant photographers trying to take your picture all the time. Even when we said "NO", they snapped away. At $19.95 per photo it was a bit pricey.
We didn't buy any.
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Ensenada, Mexico Dirty city. Constant sellers trying to get you to buy junk. Seeing the "blow Hole" was really a waste of time! Wouldn't eat or drink anything there!
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