Pros:Lovely ship, nice itinerary if you like sea days too. Cons:None really, the week went very well. Perhaps the distance to airport a negative.
Yee Haa! Galveston! We were having Mid-West Chill a while back, and searched the Internet for Value and ports of call a tad new to us! What we found of course was Carnival, a leader in the Cruise Industry for value, but the only ...
Pros: Friendly efficient service. Good dinners. Interesting decor. Decent entertainment. Lots of live music. Cons: Poor breakfasts, antics during dinner, expensive shore excursions. Odd tipping policy.
The first week in May we took the Elation out of Galveston, TX, going to Progreso and Cozumel, Mexico and Belize City, Belize. This being our seventh cruise on our fourth cruise line, we are experienced cruisers. Carnival provided a great vacation and we ...
Cruise Review: Carnival Elation, November 6-11, 2006 First impression at Port Canaveral: Boarding was quite smooth with some pressure to tip the baggage handlers (even though they are salaried by the Port). Even though we were among the last to ...
We flew to LAX from Minneapolis on Saturday, arriving by 9:00 a.m. We rented a car and spent the day driving up the coast. We stayed overnight at the San Pedro Hilton, an excellent hotel and location not far from the cruise departure dock...
Pros: Clean ship, plenty of entertainment, plentiful food. Hard working crew. Cons: Crowded. Many children. "extra" expenses can add up quickly.
Three years ago, my husband and I cruised on Carnival's Sensation for our honeymoon. We had a really wonderful time, and overall were quite pleased with the experience. I was so pleased that from the moment we left the ship, I was trying to figure out ...
Pros: Excellent service, clean facilities Cons: If you are high-tech and not a gambler, this could be a really boring week.
I just returned from the 16-Jun-2002 Carnival Elation cruise to the Mexican Riviera. Leaving from San Pedro, the cruise started with 2 days at sea, 3 days of port stops (respectively, 14 hours in Puerto Vallarta, 9 hours in Mazatlan, and 5 hours in Cabo...
Pros: Relatively inexpensive. Varied activities. Good service. Wonderful food. A lot of FUN! Cons: Alcoholic beverages onboard are overpriced. Ship is crowded and noisy.
I haven't seen any reviews of Carnival's Elation departing from Galveston to Progreso, Cozumel and Belize City, so here's my contribution. PRICE: A primary consideration for many. We got a 7 day cruise for an advertised $399 pp through Travelocity. ...
Pros: Good check-in and check-out, friendly staff, good entertainment, family friendly ship, 24-hr pizza Cons: Too many smoking areas, no dance floors of any size, food just so-so
In the past 11 years my wife and I have made 15 cruises. We have sailed with Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Holland American and Orient. We have sailed out of Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, San Diego, Florida, Boston, Puerto Rico and Singapore. So when a trip to ...
Pros: Food, Most service and employees ,Beautiful ship Cons: Additional Costs, Some employees, Picture taking
This is quite a long review as the ones I had read prior to our trip were helpful, but I still had some surprises. I hope others will find this useful and informative. Enjoy your cruise!
Pros: Excellent quality boat...great kid activities on board...heavy handed pouring at the bar. Cons: Rude bar service...low quality of "fine-dining" food...excursions recommended were limited and expensive.
Over all...I was disappointed by the time my family and I spent on the Elation out of Galveston. The other reviewer I just read went a bit overboard on a few things, but I agreed with most. Getting onto the ship was a piece of cake. The parking was ...
Pros: Great food, great service, friendly crew, and good entertainment. Cons: At times, I have found certain areas of this ship very crowded.
My ex-husband and I went on this ship, (at that time, it was under a different name, but it was a Carnival Cruise) and this was eight years ago. We went on the seven-day cruise from Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta and had a great time. I have alot of...
Pros: GREAT DESTINATION, FUN CRUISE Cons: LAYOUT OF SHIP
Make no mistake Carnival's ship the Elation is a FUN SHIP! We had a lot of fun and plenty to do also for our children. Carnival had one of the best childrens programs we have seen on a lot of cruises. They had programs for children as young as 2 up to...
Pros: Incredible service, great food, a true "fun ship" Cons: I had to come home
We just returned from the 12/3/00 Carnival Elation cruise and had a fantastic time! My husband and I traveled with another couple – it was our first cruise and their second.
The first thing I should say is that I’m REALLY glad we arrived in...
Pros: Great food, outstanding service, convenience Cons: Prices, not enough time in Cabo, arduous embarkation/debarkation processes
Preface
I just got back from a 7-day cruise on Carnival's MS Elation with my girlfriend (12/15/02-12/22/02). The Elation runs down the Mexican Rivera and hits three ports; Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas.
We sailed on the 8/20 departure of the Elation for our honeymoon. The price was moderate, about $2,500.00 including airfare. The price was fair if you consider it was for food, transportation and a hotel room.
Pros: GOOD FOOD, AND PLENTY Cons: CROWDED AT TIMES
The carnival fun ship elation is one of the newer ships in the fleet, but that does not mean that it is the best. The cruise is not bad for how much it costs, but remember on these all inclusive trips you could still spend a lot of extra money. All...
Pros: Food was good, staff was nice, and overall cruise was fun. Cons: Same activities as other CCL ships, too many kids, over capacity (safety issue)
Taking the Carnival Elation over New Years week was a decision my husband and I made to get away from it all, including the children, for a breather. I do regret that we didn't choose a different cruise line geared more for those traveling without...
Pros: Excellent value with great food, entertainment, service Cons: The spa's cost/services, need more time in Cabo
We had a blast! We took this cruise as a late honeymoon in April 2000 and can't wait to do it again someday. I was shocked to read negative reviews when we had almost only positive things to say about it. Here are the things we loved:
Pros: Beautiful new ship Cons: Terrible service,lousy food & an unaccomodating crew
My husband & 9 yr. old daughter, & I took the 7 day Carnival Cruise last summer-July to be exact. We drove down to Long Beach to the Cruise terminal after having stopped for a hectic 3 day visit to Disneyland. The directions to the cruise...
Pros: Staff, Food, Service, Nightlife Cons: Port Stay in Cabo too short
For a first time cruiser I would highly recommend this ship. My adventure started with an old friend calling me up to see if I would be interested in going on a cruise with a bunch of our old friends. It sounded like fun and his wife was a travel agent...
Pros: Lots of activities, friendly staff. Cons: Pools are often crowded and cold, cabins are small.
Cruises are better for sightseeing...period. If you want to go to Mexico, I would recommend a cruise because you're able to see several cities and cultures, rather than being tied down to one place. Carnival is a good cruise to take your family on if...
my husband and I took our belated honeymoon in may 99. this was my husband's first and my second. we had fun(lots) even though the ship was booked. the only disappointing part of the trip was the disembarkment. it was hurry up and wait. we and...
Pros: excellent food, experience Mexican culture (well, the tourist part anyway) Cons: crowded, many facilities w/ limited hours of operation
We should have known better than to take this cruise for our honeymoon. This is NOT a vacation to "get away" from it all. We got away from the hustle and bustle of work and the city to land smack dab into a mini city with masses of people and...
Pros: Beautiful, Las Vegas-like decor and great ports of call. Cons: Bad food, poor service, no music at night, few activities or programs of interest.
The experience was negative for our entire party. The ages of the travelers were 30 years, 50 years and 6 years. All, including the six year old are experienced cruisers (This was his fourth cruise). We all love cruises. On this note:
Pros: Good Food, Lots of Fun, Interesting Ports, more laid back Cons: Lots of people, less elegant,
This was my first cruise down the Mexican Riviera, and I for one loved it. I have been on a number of cruises and I have had a blast on every one. The ship was big, and walking on to it was like walking into another world. There were a lot of people,...
Pros: Beautiful ship; beautiful scenery, rest and quiet Cons: Mediocre food, smoking, no time in Cabo
I took my first cruise ever July 1-8 on Carnival's Elation. I was badly in need of a vacation and wanted to be waited on hand and foot. The price was way steep (about $2000 for my elderly mother and me), but then, I did have a rather extravagant friend...
Pros: cheap, great shore excursions, art auctions Cons: Food, drinks, not all that much to do on sea days, hidden fees/tacky promotions
I finally gave into Carnival's email spam campaign and took my wife on this cruise April 25, 2004. Overall, we had a good time. But, I paid only $349 for this cruise - had I paid more, I would have been unhappy. First off, the $349 quickly rose ...
Pros: You get to see some of the most beautiful places in Mexico! Cons: Food...but hey I'm not here to just eat.
Wow!! That's where I want to start this review. My wife and I went on Elation cruise from LA in Feb. We found a last minute deal (2wks before sail date) on the internet for $500/person and they automatically upgrades us to ocean view because they couldn ...
Pros: Rooms extremely nice good check-in and out good service in general lots of good entertainment Cons: Most services were expensive (pictures, spa, drinks, excursions) and lack of quality of food.
I just recently took a three day, four night cruise on the Elation in the middle of October and had such a great time I would love to take another cruise with Carnival. This was my first time cruising so I don't have a lot of comparisons but here are a ...
Pros: Good entertainment/cruise director, staff tries to help Cons: filthy public bathrooms, dirty cabin/bathroom , bad smell in ship
SHIP : the dark and strange decor of this ship is not for everyone,to some it may be straight out ugly. It would not be so bad if it was at least clean, but it isn't.
Public bathrooms are FILTHY ans DISGUSTING !!! According to the posted cleaning...
Pros: Inexpensive, lots of ship activities Cons: Very crowded, faulty embarkation procedures
I would like to bring to your attention one of Carnival's embarkation procedures you need to be aware of. At embarkation Carnival insists that you leave your passport and your green card in their possession for the duration of the trip. Passport is okay,...
This was the best seven days of my life. No better way to spend them on a Carnival " Fun Ship ." We bought an air/cruise direct from Carnival. I must say the price was very good. They handled our air great, and our hotel reservations. I...
Pros: Clean, Safe and lots of activities. Cons: If you get stuck with rude dining mates.
The cruise was a 7 day cruise from los angeles to mexico and back to LA.
We left In Oct on a Sunday and returned the following Sunday.
The cost including port charges etc was $1120 for both of us.
What a deal.
There was enough...
Pros: no need to carry cash Cons: limited choices in entertainment and restaurants
This was my first cruise so I didn't have any expectations. I have to say, it took me a few days to adjust to cruise experience. Our cruise started June 25 and I went with my siter, her husband, and thier two boys (ages 2 and 4). We knew to get there...
A friend and I booked the 7 day Mexican Riveria Cruise on the Carnival Cruise ship the Elation. It was his birthday and it was a first time cruise for both of us. We went the second Week of January 2000 and we both ready for vacation.
Pros: All-Inclusive and never a dull moment! Cons: Small Rooms
Looking for a great way to travel? Consider a Carnival Cruise!
My husband and I went on a Mexican Riviera Cruise for our honeymoon and had a fabulous time! There is no such thing as a dull moment when you are on a Carnival Cruise.
Pros: lots of sit down activities & inexpensive cruise Cons: food is bland & boring
Carnival Elation Mexican Rivera cruise is a mediocre experience. If you are planning on travelling with a family group or age diverse group it will meet everyones needs. The food is bland, and the wait staff stressed at most sit down meals. Asking for...
Pros: Clean, nice ship, easy to get around. Cons: Too small for anything more than 5 days. Great for a 3-4dayer.
We sailed the Carnival Elation in July 2007. The ship was very nice, clean, the staff was great. The stateroom size was great. We had 2 cabins, one ocean view and one inside. Always go for an OV room! The cabin steward kept our drinks cold and waiting ...
This Carnival cruise ship is an joy and adveture to behold. The whole journey is filled with actities and adventures, the decor and furnishings are top rate , as is the unequaled service by the courteous and friendly staff. It is nothing short of the...
Pros: Cost was very cheap, rooms are large compared to other ships, 5 years old. Cons: Poor dining room food, bouncy ride stabilizers never utilized to cut fuel
I have been on 4 other cruise lines and Carnival had the worst food in the dining room. Even the grand buffet was weak(short) and not as nice as the others. The service was overall very good and accommodations were roomy and clean.
If this is your...
Pros: the wacky events were entertaining if you were in the mood. Cons: Food
I took the four day four night cruise from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas the first week of January. It was my first cruise, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I admit I went into it with a general suspicion of cruises. Did I really want to spend four ...
Pros: The food and drinks were great and the employees were really friendly. Cons: Excursions are half the price if you wait untill you port.
My wife and I recently took the Carnival Elation on a 4 day cruise to Cabo San Lucas. Overall the experience was really enjoyable and relaxing. If you are looking for a balance of a relaxing cruise but also a cruise where people are ...
Pros: Unbelievably friendly staff and crew. Few lines once onboard, and even those moved quickly. Cons: Embarkation was a disaster. Ship announcements were garbled and no help at all. Terrible shows.
A recommended cruise for the money, though your good time is directly connected to (a) being onboard with a group of friends with shared interests, (b) a willingness to meet new friends while doing silly things, or (c) your inclination to nap the time ...
Pros: There was one hot tub reserved for adults. Nudity was only permitted on one deck. Cons: 24-hour noise, bowtie pasta every meal. Over 13? Get off the Fun Ship, fossil.
Horrible, horrible experience! Do not go on this cruise unless you love being subordinated to hundreds of rude kids. The Elation caters to children, who outnumber the adults on board in an approximate ratio of 3 to one. Food is almost unedible--24-hour ...
Pros: Great first timer or for young adults. Cons: Kinda boring ship night life. Shows were so - so .
My husband won a cruise from work and we were so excited to finally go. We went in October for our anniversary and traveled from Long Beach to Ensenada and then back. It was a weekend trip. It was great for a first cruise. The tipping policy is a ...
Carnival Cruise lines is definitely geared more towards party singles and young families. And it would definitely have been more impressive if it had been my first cruise experience. However, compared to other cruise lines, they fall a little short in...
Pros: Nightlife, ports of call, awesome people Cons: better food, need longer stays in ports of call
I had the time of my life cruising on the 7-day mexican riviera vacation. We went to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas in that order. I liked both the first ports of call but never made it up for the last one, considering i had been up...
Pros: Cabo San Lucas was beautiful Cons: Almost all of it was terrible
Though touted as "The Fun Ship", and camp carnival as, "The most fun you'll have on Earth", our family fund Carnival Cruises anything but. Our seven day Mexican Riviera cruise in late May was a major disappointment. We boarded...
Pros: Great weather, large variety of activities, lots of younger people, and wonderful scenery Cons: A younger crowd, expensive
I went in mid-August last year to Mexico on the Elation. All I can say is that I had the time of my life! The ship was amazing! Always so much to do, the question was always, "Will we get to do it all?" I went with a few of my friends and my...
The Mexican Riviera is my second favorite itinerary. My first favorite is the Western Carribean, but this was a great change. From the moment you step on the Elation you will be impressed. Carnival has done so much with their ships. They are so big...
Had the pleasure of taking the Elation in October,1998 when the ship was new. We had an outside cabin which was quite spacious, and our ports of call were Matzatlan, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerta Vallarta.
Pros: nice crew, fun on ship, most of ports of call Cons: first port of call at Puerto Vallarta
This past fall I took a cruise aboard the Elation, this had been my fifth cruise with Carnival. The cruise was exactly what we wanted it to be and when.
By this I mean when we wanted to relax we used the pool facilities and some of the spa...
My wife and I celebrated our tenth anniversary on the Elation. It was in September of 99. This was our first cruise but hopefully not our last. We were in a room with a window, which was nice for seeing the ports upon arrival. Although it was nice...
Pros: fun, food, friendly, people Cons: it's still Mexico when you get there
This past summer my husband and I celebrated our twentieth anniversary by taking our very first cruise on Carnival's Elation. I truly had to coerce my husband into going on this trip as he was sure he would hate cruising. He worried that the room would...
Well you have got to understand that when you are graduating from high school everyone wants to go on a cruise. Right? Well a big group of my friends and I went and had a blast. It was the best! We left from LA area in the late afternoon to start the...
Pros: Service and price Cons: Not enough time at each port
My sailing date was Jan 30, 2000. It was a 7 day cruise and I would recommend to anyone. There is a lot to do on the trip. You can eat all you want and you are treated first class anywhere you go. The rooms are very clean and are attended to almost 24...
Pros: Good food, lots of fun, many thing's to do with kids. Cons: Salt water pools, crowded tanning decks, small rooms.
When me and my family went on the cruise to Mexico it was fantastic. There was plenty to do and enough time to do it all. If you get off the ship be sure to go to Chico's Paradise. This is a restraunt out a ways from Puerto Vallarta, and they will let...
Pros: multiple activities Cons: wether can get cold
The Elation was a fabulous ship with many things to do. I went on a seven day cruise to Mexico, where we docked at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. I have been on many cruises before, but this one was the best by far. I went with one...
Pros: The shore excursions were great. Cons: Most everything else.
We recently traveled on the Carnival Elation and were horribly dissappointed with our experience. The ship was not in good repair (stained and ripped carpet in the hallways). Our first room had wet carpet and after 24 hours we noticed an unbearable smell. We were then moved to a smoking room which, while better than the smell of the first room, was a source of frustration throughout the week. The ship always seemed cold and there wasn't a way to control the temperature in the room. The food was not that fantastic and the entertainment was not at all family friendly. I had been under the impression that this cruise was all inclusive for the most part, but did not find that to be the case. Every time we turned around they were trying to charge us for something else ($2.50 per soda or $45 per person for the week, spa "seminars" that were sales pitches for $300 worth of vitamins, etc.). This was our first cruise, but overall I was not impressed by Carnival and would never cruise them again.
DO NOT CRUISE ON CARNIVAL! Good luck having a good time on this cruise... by marymcq ,Sep 04 '04
Pros: Will not cruise on this line EVER again...stay away from this cruise line Cons: Too many to list...dirty ship, too many kids, no activities, expensive sodas/drinks, dingy cabins...
I get nauseous just seeing the Carnival name. A couple of years ago I was on this ship for the Ensenada/Catalina cruise. I had the worst time of my life and I have taken many previous cruises. After contracting pink eye from the ship being extremely dirty I had to go the ships doctor (which was the most interesting part of the cruise!) and after a couple of hundred dollars out of my own pocket got medicine for it. There were no activities on board and ship is set up terribly. After complaining to the cruise line and getting a useless 15% voucher which I trashed I will NEVER cruise with this company again. Go Royal Caribbean for a GREAT time!
If you have never cruised before.. by susan50 ,Aug 24 '05
Pros: I lived. The ship was very clean and cabins larger than expected. Cons: Incredible motion. If you fear being trapped (as I do); cruising is NOT the answer.
We were on a family reunion on the June 5, 2005 cruise. Since I had never cruised before; I read many reviews and was wearing a motion sickness patch the whole time. What no one pointed out in the reviews I read is that you are *STUCK* on the boat. You cannot get in your car and drive away. Tropical storm Allison (a very weak storm) entered the gulf over by Florida and Georgia which made the Elation a roller coaster ride from Belize all the way back to Galveston. I shudder to think what it would have felt like if a hurricane had been in the Gulf. I did not feel like eating for those three horribly long days at sea at all. *IF* I ever cruise again; it will only be an Alaskan cruise in sheltered channels. It took me 3 days of being off the ship before the ground stopped moving up and down.
Pros: great weather! Cons: ineffectual staffing, poor communications, poor baggage handling, unsatisfactory response from corporate office.
A friend and I traveled the carnival Elation in Feb. 2005. Despite the hype for a great trip, lost luggage pretty much ruined the fun. Four pieces of luggage taken off the bus and placed on the ship, two were misplaced. Daily wear for my friend and evening wear for me were among the missing.
The pursers were much less than helpful. The steward staff could not account for the loss, and a "complete" search of cabins netted nothing. (THE LUGGAGE TURNED UP AT THE END OF THE CRUISE, HAVING BEEN PLACED IN THE CABIN ACROSS THE HALL)
Letters to the cruise line remain unsatisfactory, offering a 10% discount for a cruise that will not happen on Carnival again. How much inconvenience can you afford for a 10% discount?
Pros: Half Moon Cay and Grand Turk Cons: Can't think of any!
Here is to you cruisers who like the islands where you just relax. My favorite stops were; Half Moon Cay and Grand Turk. Both of these islands were a day of paradise where you could just relax and not worry about anything except enjoying the beach and/or pool on Grand Turk. The ship was A rated and the sushi bar was great. The entertainment was par for Carnival ships and service was great in the dining room. I would say this was my most memorable cruise as I was celebrating my thirtieth anniversary.This was my seventh cruise-so I have others to compare it to. I hope that Carnival keeps this itinerary as it has been my favorite, so far.
CARNIVAL CONQUEST - SAVE YOUR MONEY by mondo7419 ,Dec 03 '05
Pros: Ports were great once you got away from Carnival. Cons: Too many people, their ill-behaved kids, and some safety and health issues
Basically this was a sea going bus ride. With 3500 passengers on board standing in lines was a constant. Twenty minute waits at the buffets were typical. After tendering onto Grand Cayman we stood around in the sun for over 2 hours waiting for our tour to start and again waiting for a tender to get back to the ship. Getting into Cozumel required a 90 minute wait as did getting out. Finally we had to wait 5 hours to debark. Of course our Cruise Director reporting this was all beyond Carnival's control but one began to wonder what if anything was under their control. All of this was compounded by a crew attitude that seemed to see the passengers as a single great mass of annoying people who needed to be transported from one point to another instead of individuals who each paid a good deal of money to be there.
Overall, if you like standing in large groups of people drinking expensive booze while your kids a running around who knows where bothering who know who then this is the boat for you!
Pros: Great food at dinner Cons: Long miserable check ins and debarkations
The Carnival Elation cruise we took (week of Feb 29, 2004 thru March 6, 2004 was Ok. It had the best and most consistent food at the main dinner event of any of the 3 cruises we have been on. Nice ship, good staff, ok destinations.
BUT . . . getting on and getting off the ship in Galveston is the worst experience I have ever had. Long lineups at immigration, then getting your picture taken, then getting thru security, then getting your "on board sail pass" took close to two hours in a hot, unorganized room.
It was almost as bad getting off and the line up to get a cab was not controlled and very poorly done.
The city itself is relatively new to cruisin - it shows. Lots of "closed" shops in the area, not much to see and the hotels rip you off Saturday nite b4 the cruise. (eg $100 for Saturday nite - $55- 65 any other nite.
Pros: I would have been a great trip. The Elation looked to be a fun ship. Cons: It ruin our honeymoon trip by cancelling and not refunding the money in timely fashion.
We book a trip on the Elation. Three weeks before the trip it was canceled. Leaving us with no trip and no money to book us a new trip with anyone else. We are simply screwed and not in a good way. A once in a life time change gone. What little faith I had in cruise lines is gone. I hope anyone using Carnival in future doesn't do what we'll done, trust them with most of your vacation money. We will get the money eventually. But not in time to go on our honeymoon. After calling Carnival to work something out, they said "sorry" and then offer us a cruise for a lot more money. I not for sure if its bait and switch, but sure sounds like it to me. So every time we see one of their commercials, we get a little irritated. All we wanted is to have a nice honeymoon which we can't.
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