Review of a Cruise on Elation from October, 2022

[Presbycruiser67]

For some reason I could not submit this on the main site, so I am sharing it here FYI:

 

I treated myself to a birthday cruise in October, 2022.  The Elation is based within a decent driving distance from my home, and the price was right, even with the double charge for a solo cruiser.  It was that cheap.

 

Embarkation was very easy, and the port crew was very pleasant and efficient.  

 

My cabin, an ocean view with two small portholes (priced more closely to an inside than a "regular" oceanview with a large window) was modern (remodeled recently?) with plenty of outlets for my various electronic devices.  There was a surprisingly large TV.  The bed was very comfortable and I slept great!  But inexplicably, there was no easy chair or loveseat to sit on, or a coffee table, which discouraged me from eating anything in my room.  It seems like none of the staterooms (with the possible exception of suites??) had any furniture other than the bed.  I asked my room steward about this and his "explanation" was that the Elation was a small ship.  Uh, don't "small" ships have enough room for furniture??  

 

Otherwise, the steward provided very good service ... no complaints.

 

Speaking of good service, the Main Dining Room staff was outstanding and they seemed to really enjoy working on the Elation.  

 

The food was not as good, however.  Some dishes were fine (like a very nicely prepared beef tenderloin one evening).  But the prime rib and NY strip steak were quite poor, the worst I have had on any cruise.  They were cooked to order, but the meat was thin and did not seem like a good grade of meat.  

 

The buffet was OK but kind of limited, and between the crowds and the garish, ugly decor, did not excite me.

 

I did eat some pizza from pizza pirate, a sandwich from the deli, and quite a few burgers from Guy Fieri's, which were good.

 

I drank way too much from the MANY bars onboard... I had purchased the beverage package and made sure I got my money's worth and then some.  I tried drinks I never had before.   On a couple of days I hit ten drinks, which I never do at home, but as I spaced them out over several hours, and made sure to eat, I did not get really drunk.

 

Entertainment was OK.  There was one rather unfunny Cuban comedian, and another guy whose name I forget who was much funnier.  

 

Disembarkation was more of an ordeal than embarkation had been.   I got into a loooooooong line that stretched around the entire deck it felt like, and it took an hour to get through everything, at least.  

 

For me, the high points were the wonderful service and spending some time away from the crowds at the adults' only section at the back of the pool deck.  Food was so-so.  Drinks were good.  

 

I don't think I even visited the ports because I had been there before.  But it was fine either way.

Edited March 5, 2023 by Presbycruiser67

[audcc77]

Thanks for your review.   My friend and I are sailing tomorrow.  
 

The last time I sailed on elation, 5 years ago, I said that I would never do it again. Yet here I am.

 

This  is a free casino cruise for me otherwise I don’t think I would have gone. 
 

I heard that it has been refurbished a few months ago. I’m hoping for the best. 

 

[mz-s]

29 minutes ago, audcc77 said:

Thanks for your review.   My friend and I are sailing tomorrow.  
 

The last time I sailed on elation, 5 years ago, I said that I would never do it again. Yet here I am.

 

This  is a free casino cruise for me otherwise I don’t think I would have gone. 
 

I heard that it has been refurbished a few months ago. I’m hoping for the best.

 

Elation just got out of Dry dock less than a month ago, actually.

[Essiesmom]

I just got off Elation today.  She looks great.  I had an inside ambulatory accessible cabin, for the seat in the shower.  But in peeking, I saw it was just the same as the other insides except for the seat, and an emergency cord in the shower, and an emergency button at the head of the bed.  
     I sailed from JAX 11 months ago and had the earliest checkin time, and the lines were long to get in and check in.  This time I also had 1000am checkin, but there was no line at all.  But this time, you walked in, had to set your bags down and step aside while the nice German shepherd sniffed them.  I guess he was t interested in my box of Frosted Flakes.  
    The last dry dock they gutted the aft lounge on Promenade deck, replaced it with 29 cabins, possibly all insides.  There just isn’t/aren’t enough places to just relax, out of the crowds.  The banquettes along Promenade , never that comfortable, now have a double row of tables and chairs.  
     It had been awhile since I last sailed Fantasy class, maybe six years, and I forgot how limited the buffet choices were.  But I never went hungry.  
   Debarkation was amazing.  I had expected this cruise to be my first ever trip out of the country without a passport, but miraculously my new passport showed up the day before sailing.  Big advantage.  They used my passport photo as my ID.  When it came to debarkation, I was among the first off, being platinum, and at the bottom of the ramp, it was passports left, BCs right.  I headed to the left, passport in hand, and they saw it and said ‘you can put that away, you won’t need it’.  Stand on the red footprints for facial recognition.  There was absolutely no one else in the area.  Amazing.  
     Don’t know if these were new, but there were two USB ports on each side of the bed.  
All for now.  EM

 

[mz-s]

2 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

I just got off Elation today.  She looks great.  I had an inside ambulatory accessible cabin, for the seat in the shower.  But in peeking, I saw it was just the same as the other insides except for the seat, and an emergency cord in the shower, and an emergency button at the head of the bed.  
     I sailed from JAX 11 months ago and had the earliest checkin time, and the lines were long to get in and check in.  This time I also had 1000am checkin, but there was no line at all.  But this time, you walked in, had to set your bags down and step aside while the nice German shepherd sniffed them.  I guess he was t interested in my box of Frosted Flakes.  
    The last dry dock they gutted the aft lounge on Promenade deck, replaced it with 29 cabins, possibly all insides.  There just isn’t/aren’t enough places to just relax, out of the crowds.  The banquettes along Promenade , never that comfortable, now have a double row of tables and chairs.  
     It had been awhile since I last sailed Fantasy class, maybe six years, and I forgot how limited the buffet choices were.  But I never went hungry.  
   Debarkation was amazing.  I had expected this cruise to be my first ever trip out of the country without a passport, but miraculously my new passport showed up the day before sailing.  Big advantage.  They used my passport photo as my ID.  When it came to debarkation, I was among the first off, being platinum, and at the bottom of the ramp, it was passports left, BCs right.  I headed to the left, passport in hand, and they saw it and said ‘you can put that away, you won’t need it’.  Stand on the red footprints for facial recognition.  There was absolutely no one else in the area.  Amazing.  
     Don’t know if these were new, but there were two USB ports on each side of the bed.  
All for now.  EM

 

 

I'm sure those ~70 cabins added to Elation over the past few years are really felt, especially during high season when the ship is sailing at over 100% capacity.

[audcc77]

She looks pretty good.  I don’t see much rust.  
 

We’re at full capacity as it’s spring break now. The pool area was ridiculously crowded yesterday.  Lots of college age guests.  How they afford cruises while in college is beyond me. Well behaved so far. 
 

Our food in the MDR last night was great, and I’m very picky, 

Cleanliness of the cabin was good I’m happy to say.  

[jean87510]

9 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

I just got off Elation today.  She looks great.  I had an inside ambulatory accessible cabin, for the seat in the shower.  But in peeking, I saw it was just the same as the other insides except for the seat, and an emergency cord in the shower, and an emergency button at the head of the bed.  
     I sailed from JAX 11 months ago and had the earliest checkin time, and the lines were long to get in and check in.  This time I also had 1000am checkin, but there was no line at all.  But this time, you walked in, had to set your bags down and step aside while the nice German shepherd sniffed them.  I guess he was t interested in my box of Frosted Flakes.  
    The last dry dock they gutted the aft lounge on Promenade deck, replaced it with 29 cabins, possibly all insides.  There just isn’t/aren’t enough places to just relax, out of the crowds.  The banquettes along Promenade , never that comfortable, now have a double row of tables and chairs.  
     It had been awhile since I last sailed Fantasy class, maybe six years, and I forgot how limited the buffet choices were.  But I never went hungry.  
   Debarkation was amazing.  I had expected this cruise to be my first ever trip out of the country without a passport, but miraculously my new passport showed up the day before sailing.  Big advantage.  They used my passport photo as my ID.  When it came to debarkation, I was among the first off, being platinum, and at the bottom of the ramp, it was passports left, BCs right.  I headed to the left, passport in hand, and they saw it and said ‘you can put that away, you won’t need it’.  Stand on the red footprints for facial recognition.  There was absolutely no one else in the area.  Amazing.  
     Don’t know if these were new, but there were two USB ports on each side of the bed.  
All for now.  EM

 

Good to hear about the ports by the bed.  Can't tell you how many times I've tripped over cords on my way to the bathroom at 3am.  Facial recognition is the best.  We are on the Elation in August.  Nice to read some info about ships other than the Vista class for once.

[Essiesmom]

I thought it interesting that on a four night cruise, they had a Chef’s Table three nights.  On Elation it’s held in the library, so you can’t miss it.  EM