Just off Elation - no more Carnival

[DreadPirateRobert]

April2412

No flames from me. Choosing where and with whom you spend your vacation $$ is up to you. Sorry you didn't enjoy your vacation. I've always had a soft spot for Elation since she was our first cruiseline experience; having sailed Winjammers before that.

In any case there are lots of other cruise experiences out there and I hope you find the one that relaxes you and is worth the price.

 

BTW please tell 10 friends you had a bad time on Carnival. These ships are sailing full way too often. It's bad for pricing and upgrades.:rolleyes:

[DEcruiser1]

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Lucky for us we planned one of the shore excursions with them, but it still took us forever to get off the boat then had to wait at the pier for almost an hour to wait for the rest of the group. Other people we talked to said that they had to wait HOURS to get off and by the time they did, they only had 3 HOURS TO SPEND IN CABO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just got off a Mexican Riviera cruise this Sunday. Unless there was some problem with tendering in Cabo, I simply don't believe the 3 hour thing. We got off the ship in about 10 minuites and our tour left the docks in about another 20 minuites. We had all day in port. Only explanation is that there must have been some extraordinary circumstances that led to your problems.

[KC_fn]

Is there a perfect cruise... Nope, but I sure would rather be on a cruise than at work even if it was a little rough around the edges as yours appeared to be !

 

 

Agreed! On cruises, as in life, it's not so much what happens, but how you respond to it. Look for the good, and the good will look for you. ;)

[3musketeers]

Ok, if anyone read my first few lines you would see that I have cruised a handful of crusie lines, and that after 3 trys Carnival was my least favorite. I am not saying that they are sooooo BAD, and that NO ONE ELSE should cruise with them OR like them. I hapen to like RCCL and Costa, and I know that MANY people dont like Costa at all. This is just my taste and I was just putting it out for anyone to read.

 

Here is some answers to all the questions

 

The hallways to the cabin are the places that had the smell, some of the decks had a strange smell as well. We actually didnt mind that too much, but thought that it was strange when my boyfriend asked out cabin steward for an ashtray and he said that we couldnt smoke.

 

 

Yes, I know that kids are always around in the summer. I just dont like the fact that I NEVER saw anyone ask the LARGE groups of kids to get out of the hot tub so the adults could get in. I have seen this happen on other lines but not on Carnival.

 

Some of the staff was not the best. I will say that one of the issues that made me upset was with the purser. I will also say that it may have been because we had the VERY large group and had to do a hunt that took us to the purser, so mabe after 80 people kept asking them for the same thing they got pissed. That may be why, but still it is their job, so they should be able to deal with it. Also, from my past experiences with Carnival compared to other lines, the service (to me) just seems better elsewhere.

 

I dont know what was up with the tender service into Cabo, but it was very slow, and I cant figure out why.

 

Disembarkation also took FOREVER, way longer than I have experienced with any line (Carnival or others) ever. I dont know why this was, but I know it was not due to Customs because once we got to them it went super fast.

 

And to everyone that said I should try a newer ship, or a longer cruise, I have. All the other times I have sailed with Carnival it has been for 7 days. I was on the Pride, and it was one of the most beautiful ships I have ever seen. So, I just prefer other lines. Dont get mad, if you like Carnival keep going on them and dont listen to me.

 

One more thing, of course I would go on a free crusie again! Are you people kidding, I got paid to go on a free crusie, you would have to be crazy to say no to that. I dont dislike Carnival that much to say no to a free crusie. A free not-so-great crusie is better than no cruise at all!

 

I was on the same cruise. We were stuck in line to get off the ship in Cabo for about 30 - 40 minutes. The problem was that the seas were too rough and the tender boats were having problems staying up against the ship. They finally had to turn the ship at a different angle. It was so rough that the water taxis stopped going to Medano beach. It was also a very eventful ride back to the ship. I was on one of the last tenders back and the entire boat was screaming the whole way back because of the waves rocking the boat.

 

As far as the smoke, I did notice that there seemed to be many more smokers on this cruise (I was on the same cruise a month ago).

 

As far as unfriendly staff, some of the bartenders were not overly excited to serve you - and I have read this on other recent posts.

 

As far as kids in the hot tubs. At the main pool, there are two hot tubs. One is for kids and was constantly filled with kids. The other one is adult only and I was again happy to see (same as last cruise) that security would immediately throw kids out of the tub. In fact, there was a security guard stationed very near to the adult hot tub and I think his sole responsibility was to monitor the hot tub for kids. I cannot speak for the Aft pools because I did not spend anytime there.

 

As far as debarkation, I can't really comment. I was not in a hurry to get off the ship, so I waited until they called all remaining passengers off and I walked right off the ship.

[KAW]

Ok, if anyone read my first few lines you would see that I have cruised a handful of crusie lines, and that after 3 trys Carnival was my least favorite. I am not saying that they are sooooo BAD, and that NO ONE ELSE should cruise with them OR like them. I hapen to like RCCL and Costa, and I know that MANY people dont like Costa at all. This is just my taste and I was just putting it out for anyone to read.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the info. I am going on her in Sept. and chose that time so there would be less kids on her with school back in session. I appreciate your post, good and bad comments alike. I make my own opinions, but often, I may choose a different ship due to refurb issues, etc.

 

If we don't have honest feedback why bother with this web site? I will give my 2 cents when I return.

 

I am looking forward to seeing this ship and seeing Cabo. I would be hard pressed to have a bad time on a cruise, my biggest issue is room location. I have discovered the hard way to make sure my room is not near the anchor chain!

 

You've been a member for a while, not a newbie and we appreciate your input. Forget the flamers.

 

BYTW, many of us just lurk until it is time to book , we may not often reply but we appreciate the info.

[SDPadreFan]

The sea state will always have a great influence when you anchor out and tender onto shore. Be thankful that you have never been at anchor where the seas are so rough that even an aircraft carrier had to get underway because it was dragging anchor.

 

Remember, when you can't get ashore, just have a great day on the ship.

[farler05]

Thanks for the honest feedback. Sorry some folks can't handle any criticism of their beloved Carnival.:rolleyes:

[Kurbanfan]

I was on the same cruise. We were stuck in line to get off the ship in Cabo for about 30 - 40 minutes. The problem was that the seas were too rough and the tender boats were having problems staying up against the ship. They finally had to turn the ship at a different angle. It was so rough that the water taxis stopped going to Medano beach. It was also a very eventful ride back to the ship. I was on one of the last tenders back and the entire boat was screaming the whole way back because of the waves rocking the boat.

 

As far as the smoke, I did notice that there seemed to be many more smokers on this cruise (I was on the same cruise a month ago).

 

As far as unfriendly staff, some of the bartenders were not overly excited to serve you - and I have read this on other recent posts.

 

As far as kids in the hot tubs. At the main pool, there are two hot tubs. One is for kids and was constantly filled with kids. The other one is adult only and I was again happy to see (same as last cruise) that security would immediately throw kids out of the tub. In fact, there was a security guard stationed very near to the adult hot tub and I think his sole responsibility was to monitor the hot tub for kids. I cannot speak for the Aft pools because I did not spend anytime there.

 

As far as debarkation, I can't really comment. I was not in a hurry to get off the ship, so I waited until they called all remaining passengers off and I walked right off the ship.

 

Well thanks for explaining some of the op's grips. Makes since about the tendering if the seas were rough and even then you only waited 30 - 40 minutes. I'd say that's pretty good.

And there is a hot tub for kids. Maybe the op did not know that LOL!

[quest2best]

We were on the Elation in December. Overall, it was an enjoyable cruise.

 

We did have three areas of dissatisfaction:

 

-The teen club was not well-organized and the staff would not show up on time for events. This cruise was the only one we have taken where my daughter stayed with us most of the cruise. We certainly enjoyed her company and she still had fun, but one of her favorite parts of cruising is making new friends and enjoying activities planned for her age-group.

 

-We had to deal with smoke in the main dining room every meal. No one was actually smoking in the dining room, but there was a bar on the level above, and the smoke would drift down the stairs to where our table was. We are all smoke sensitive, and one daughter has asthma, so that made the dining experience less pleasing than it would have been otherwise.

 

-Disembarkation was the absolute worst. It was disorganized and those in the front starboard side of the ship who got in line when their color was called were pushed out by the lines coming from other directions when they called the rest of the colors at one time. My parents were stuck in line for 2 hours trying to disembark. We were dealing with security, trying to wait for them because I had my Dad's birth certificate which he needed when he finally got off the ship. And since cell phones are not allowed at that point, we could not call to see if they were off or on the ship.

 

We still sailed on the Carnival Freedom in July and had a marvelous time. And we are planning another Bahama cruise in January on Carnival.

[ECP]

Note edited for browser limits:

Not true. We have paid the same as Carnival for RCCL, and a little less for the Crown Princess. Do some research and you can sail other lines for the same or less. Princess offers $100.00 pp on board credit for new cruisers.

 

First, Princess - all the pricing I have seen for them was clearly more expensive than Carnival. If the credit is there than they are doing a poor job advertising as I never noticed that extra while reading their pamphlets. Will re-read them tomorrow.

 

RCCL pamphlets tend to show starting rates for a given trip about $50pp more than Carnival. But once you consider how prices change through-out the year and even how cabin prices change for a particular trip/cabin type change over it's selling period, I have no problem believing that RCCL can be cheaper than Carnival at times. On the average I still think RCCL is more expensive, but all cruise lines have deals for those who look carefully.

[Taleci]

April,

I'm just jealous....I want to work for a company that gives free cruises!:)

[truecruiser]

That would be the drama bar. But 2 steps from that bar and you are in the casino and you could smoke there.......

 

i thought you cld smoke right outside the casino at the drama bar?:confused: and, if the OP's BF wanted an ashtray for the cabin, just go grab one of the many off of the tables on lido and bring it back. butts in drinking glasses? yuk.

 

and BTW, i loved elation in feb. but then again, i sailed from the east coast, not from the west w/ the high maintenance cali people...(okay *i'm ducking*, and kidding, kurb).;)