cruisenovice2017

Is there a way to see what onboard activities or food/drink specials will be offered on a sailing ahead of time?

Our stateroom is on Deck 6 of the Elation. I am pretty sure we are mid-ship. What can we expect as far as noise, ease of getting around to the upper decks, boat movement, etc.....

Just two of us on the Elation....

The only time we'll tender is at Half Moon Cay, and even then we'll just be hopping off to enjoy the beach and a few adult beverages. We have no excursions planned.

When you are at a tender port, do you sign up for a specific time to get off the ship or do you just kinda show up and wait for a spot?

Is this a problem on the smaller ships? Say Elation? Heading out next month and I'm worried I need to get to the pool by 6 a.m. to make sure I get one (actually, we'll need two)..

Any fellow cruise critics going on this one???

Personally, I think its a great deal. Not because you save much money on it, but like stated above, it is cold and right in front of you. Word to the wise.. if you are taking advantage of the Cheers! program, you will have to pay separately for the bucket of beer. The bucket of beer is not included in the Cheers! program. Great to have while sitting pool side!!

We are forgoing Cheers this time so I thought this may be a good way to get the most out of my drink budget.

What is this bucket of beers I keep hearing about? How many do you get and how much does this bucket of deliciousness cost? And can you mix up the beers or does it have to be all the same kind?

If I fund my Sail & Sign account with cash at embarkation, do I have to use actual cash or can I write a check? And also, are those funds immediately available once I am on the ship?

How does cruise cash work? Is it put directly on the sail & sign account as a separate credit and used first before my credit card? Or can I use it exclusive from registering an actual credit card?

When in April are you going? The wife and I are heading out in April as well.

Sailing on the Elation out of Jacksonville on April 22 for 5 days to the Bahamas. We are staying at the Springhill Suites. In researching parking, I see that WallyPark and Park EZ Fly are both directly across the street from the hotel and cost half of what it costs at Jaxport. Is anyone familiar with either of these places and, if so, which one would you recommend?

We are heading out for our first cruise on the Elation this April 22. Five days to the Bahamas. We are hoping to miss the bulk of the Spring break crowds. my questions is, what can we expect with the ship. I've read reviews from those who love it and those who despise it. Give me some pros and cons.

First time cruiser heading out the end of April on the Carnival Elation. Will be hitting Freeport, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay. Freeport is our first stop but we are there at a weird time, 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. I'm thinking we'll skip any beaches that day based on time of day but wasn't sure what all there is to do that is fairly close to the ship. Not sure how much I trust taxi/bus drivers but wasn't sure if there is much to do within walking distance of the port. Any help and advice is appreciated.

Wish you would of picked a nicer and newer ship.

We're just looking for a laid back, relaxing vacation. We're not forking out a crap ton of money for excursions, etc. The beach, maybe a little shopping, lots of food and drinks. We're not looking to go, go, go. I think we may get the day pass at the Hilton on Nassau, probably chill at the beach in Half Moon Cay, not sure about Freeport yet. We don't want to have to worry about taxis, getting back to the ship on time, etc,etc, etc. We've never cruised before, didn't feel like driving 20 hours to Miami. plus, a 5 day our of Jacksonville is a lot cheaper than a 5 day out of Charleston. We don't need a big, fancy ship. We're easy to please.

Can you reserve the Hilton online or do you just walk up the day you are in port? How expensive are the drinks/food? Are you able to stretch the voucher at all or does it get eaten up after one meal and drink? Also, is the voucher per person or per group?

First time cruisers going in April. Will be in Nassau from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and wanting to get the most bang for our buck. Of the three listed (Hilton, Breezes, or Sandals) which one is a good place to start? Pros/cons of each? It looks like Sandals may be the furthest away, while Breezes gives you the most bang for your buck, but Hilton is within walking distance and you get a nice food/drink voucher. I need help from cruise veterans!!

First time cruisers going in April. Will be in Nassau from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and wanting to get the most bang for our buck. Of the three listed (Hilton, Breezes, or Sandals) which one is a good place to start? Pros/cons of each? It looks like Sandals may be the furthest away, while Breezes gives you the most bang for your buck, but Hilton is within walking distance and you get a nice food/drink voucher. I need help from cruise veterans!!

First time cruisers going in April. Will be in Nassau from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and wanting to get the most bang for our buck. Of the three listed (Hilton, Breezes, or Sandals) which one is a good place to start? Pros/cons of each? It looks like Sandals may be the furthest away, while Breezes gives you the most bang for your buck, but Hilton is within walking distance and you get a nice food/drink voucher. I need help from cruise veterans!!

I would never be so presumptuous as to give someone advice on what to do on a honeymoon. LOL.

Well, we do plan on spending a little bit of time outside the cabin!!

Anyone familiar with WallyPark for parking in Jacksonville? It's right across the street from our hotel and half the price.

My wife and I are taking our honeymoon cruise on the Elation out of Jacksonville in April. What should I expect from the ship? Pros & cons? We have an ocean view room on deck 6. We are laid back but like to have a good time so what is the entertainment like? Is the club any good? Any insider tips, tricks, advice is appreciated.

Cruising the Elation this April!

Good morning. My wife and I got married back in November and put off our honeymoon until April so we could go on a cruise. This will be the first cruise for both of us. It's on Carnival leaving our of Jacksonville on the Elation headed to Freeport, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay. We are staying at the Springhill Suites the night before. I am sure I will have a ton more questions, but a few that come to mind right off the bat, where is a good place to park so I don't have to pay $15 per day? Do I need to purchase FTTF for that port or is it pretty efficient as far as embarkation and debarkation? Which wifi package gives you the most bang for your buck? Are excursions worth the price or should we just enjoy relaxing on the beach? We're trying to keep this budget friendly and we will like having a few drinks each day, is the Cheers package worth the money? Are the a la carte prices bad and do they have drink specials? Any and all advice for a couple of virgin cruises will be appreciated!