Carnival Cruise Line’s
7-Day Mexican Cruise on the Elation
NACTA Travel Agent's Group Review

Embarkation

The embarkation process for the Elation could definitely be improved. It was lengthy and confusing. We were not guided through the maze of lines. We had to wait in three lines before we could even check-in. The whole process from luggage drop off to ship boarding took just under two hours. The lack of access to food or drink during that time increased our discomfort. Many of us had experienced warm and personal welcomes during the boarding process on other ships. We did not have this experience when we boarded the Elation. Instead of being escorted to our cabins, we were simply pointed in some direction. This simply added to the confusion of 2000 passengers trying to locate cabins on a ship with which they were totally unfamiliar.

Disembarkation

Disembarkation was much more orderly than embarkation. However, it took a long time. We had to vacate our cabins by 8 AM, and disembarkation did not even begin until approximately 11 AM. During that time all the passengers were crowded into only three or four areas on the ship. It would have been much nicer if we either had more time in the cabins or at least had the run of ship until the ship was cleared by Customs at 11 AM. The luggage had been color-coded. Disembarkation time was determined by the color codes, and the luggage was sorted according to the color codes. This greatly expedited the process of locating luggage. We located our luggage immediately.

Ship Layout

The layout of the Elation was similar to other Carnival ships. However, it was larger and grander in design. Most entertainment areas were on the Promenade Deck that made it easy to go from one club to the other. Shopping was limited, but it was conveniently located around the Atrium. Public restrooms were inconsistently placed on the decks, hidden and not well marked.

The theater was large and had a very interesting Japanese design. The stage had tremendous lighting. However, the floors were not sloped and contained numerous support poles that significantly diminished the sight lines for many passengers (especially in the balcony). Also, the sound was deafening for the majority of passengers.

The sun bathing areas were more than adequate in space and had beautiful hardwood decking. These decks were quite slippery in the morning. There was a separate wading pool and play area for children as well as a small topless deck for sun-loving adults. I’m not sure anyone realized the top deck was topless or else we had a very conservative crowd. Although there were several pools, each was small. The whirlpools were large but constantly crowded.

Cabins

Standard cabins were 185 square feet and included more than sufficient closet and bathroom storage space. These cabins included just the beds and a dressing table. The bathroom was larger than on most ships. Ocean view cabin windows were large but dirty. The ship was well designed with a good number of quads and special facilities to accommodate families and individuals in wheelchairs.

Dining

We were very impressed with the quality of the food. There was an abundance of prime rib, lobster, steak, chicken, duck, veal and wonderful soups in the dining rooms. The ship offered health fare (including veggie burgers), but it did not included diabetic menus or oatmeal. The dining rooms were attractive but certainly not breathtaking. Service (including room service) was excellent. One of our tables experienced an annoying traffic pattern. However, the Maitre De promptly addressed the problem and offered complimentary wine to compensate for the inconvenience.

Lido deck dining offered a large variety of good quality foods, including made to order omelets and ice milk/frozen yogurt machines. These were extremely popular. Also very popular was the 24-hour pizzeria that served a variety of high quality pizzas. Balancing dinner plates and drinks without trays was often quite difficult, especially for senior citizens and families. The addition of trays would definitely have simplified the Lido deck dining experience.

The ship offered two supplementary culinary experiences for those with more exotic tastes. A sushi bar was available before dinner and an exotic coffee/pastry bar available most of the day. The sushi bar was popular, but the pastry bar was not. Passengers were entitled to enjoy the sushi bar at no charge while the pastry bar charged fairly significant prices to those wishing to indulge in these pleasures. It seemed that many passengers were quite irritated by a dining policy that was advertised as all-inclusive yet charged for pastries!

Entertainment

The entertainment on the Elation received mixed reviews. Those who had not experienced the entertainment on lines such as Royal Caribbean, Holland America and Celebrity perceived it as good. Agents who had experienced entertainment on the other ships rated Carnival’s entertainment as poor. The entertainment in the lounges was very loud and not especially good. Televisions were in each cabin, but they only offered two or three stations, which played reruns or ship advertisements.

Las Vegas style song and dance shows were only available on two evenings. "Spin" was one of these shows. It was appreciated for its creativity, costumes and unique use of media. An illusionist, comedian and talent show entertained the audience on three of the evenings. The quality of the evening shows was somewhat salvaged by the entertainment of Billy Armstrong and his fiddle. His warm personality and unbelievable skill playing the fiddle definitely left passengers in awe as they left the show. He was a quality entertainer with a history that confirmed his incredible talent.

The comedian was regarded as the worst entertainer on the ship. He attempted to entertain late night passengers with "R" rated material. However, his material was in poor taste and not the least bit humorous to the majority of the audience. Many passengers walked out after waiting patiently through the smut to hear something actually funny.

Shore Excursions

There was a limited number of shore excursions available through the cruise line. However, the ones that were available were quite enlightening, entertaining and relaxing. Travel agents felt that the cruise line should have provided more information about each port prior to arrival. An enrichment lecture series would help passengers more fully appreciate and prepare for their visits.

Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is a medium sized city and offers a variety of shopping, beaches and countryside tour opportunities. The countryside tour will take you up into the mountains to a town named Las Palmas where Mexican life is the same today as it was years ago. Visitors will really get the true feeling of the original Mexican lifestyle. You will see children riding donkeys, residents chatting together outside of their meager one-room homes, and children doing rope tricks to pass the time. You will also have the opportunity to taste real corn tortillas freshly made before your eyes. It is best to use a tour guide to help you appreciate the incredible variety of foliage and share with you the traditions and folk stories passed down through the generations. Shopping values abound for those who have learned the art of negotiation!

Mazatlan, Mexico

Mazatlan, the lovely seaport of Mexico, is known as one of the best fishing ports on the Pacific Coast. Mazatlan’s location on the mainland of Mexico at the mouth of the Sea of Cortez makes this the ideal location for over 180 species of fish that swim between the warm Sea of Cortez and cooler Pacific waters.

This port is more of a working city than many other destinations. The older city of Mazatlan has a mix of cultures. Visitors who are offended by the lifestyle of the Mexicans will not enjoy the old city, as the poor segment of the population is seen around the cathedral and marketplace begging for coins. However, the best shopping for Mexican products can be found in Old Town at the Mercado (marketplace).

In the Golden Zone visitors can enjoy the tourist resorts and shopping. Here, visitors can also enjoy the sandy beach that attracts beach lovers. Prepare to be approached constantly by beach vendors selling jewelry, sunglasses, serapes, and boat rides. Visitors who wish to avoid some of this harassment should probably head toward the hotel zone. However, none of the beaches are private so some solicitation cannot be avoided.

Water sports abound here, with most any activity available. Due to the location, just southeast of the Baja Peninsula, Mazatlan seldom suffers severe weather storms. Clients will find June to the middle of October to be the rainy season when several inches of rain can fall in a 24-hour period. Temperatures will reach up to 100 degrees.

The Sierra Madre Tour into a sleepy little Mexican town and the City Beach Tour were both recommended by travel agents.

Mazatlan is an excellent family port with a large variety of activities for all ages.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Cabo San Lucas was one of the most beautiful ports. Much less populated than the other ports, the area seemed more romantic, adventurous and picturesque. Rock formations and caves formed by years of erosion were absolutely spectacular. Isolated beaches available only by water taxis touched the hearts of those who desire a return to nature. Carnival Cruise Lines offers a combination catamaran/snorkeling excursion, which is highly recommended. This tour offers passengers the opportunity to sail around the fascinating rock formations, view sea lions lounging on the rocks, view the beautiful fish below the sea and party with unlimited drinks and dance music. Unfortunately, we were only allowed to visit this beautiful port for 5 hours. Most guests would have willingly sacrificed more time in other ports to spend more time in Cabo San Lucas.