Elation Review: 10/31 Sailing (kinda long)

[eastexascruiser]

We just got back from our cruise on Elation. Overall, a great cruise. We had 2 unfortunate situations with fellow passengers who had to be transported back to the USA for medical care. The first incident happened the first night so we were pretty close to Galveston. Unfortunately, the 2nd time we were pretty far out to sea. The captain told us Monday afternoon (late) that we were heading back to Corpus Christi to meet the Coast Guard and because of this we would not be able to make it to Progresso. He told us they would try to make arrangements for another port later in the week. However, things did not go as planned so it turned out we went to Progresso, Cozumel then Calica. They cancelled the call to Belize. This really angered many passengers. I wasn't too upset though, we just made the best of it & found something to enjoy at every port.

 

Itinerary: Good, even though altered. I would like to make it to Belize someday! Progresso: hung out at beach and had a beer & tequila shot for a buck. (unfortunately had to carry husband back to ship). Do your shopping at Progresso! Cheaper than other ports! Cozumel: rented car, drove around island, went to Paradise Beach & had a blast; took kids back to boat then went back out to Dzul ha for some snorkelling. Calica: went to Playa & went to the main beach. In the future, I would research the beach areas better but since this was a "surprise" port, couldn't plan. We enjoyed our day at Playa.

 

Food: Ok. Not the best. Personally, I think it was better on Celebration and Rhapsody. The breakfasts on the Lido deck were limited and the same everyday. They alternated pancakes and french toast but all else remained the same. Lunch on Lido was also fair. They did "days" (French, India, etc). I would have preferred more mainstream and maybe just have a couple exotic dishes rather than the whole buffet be dedicated to the ethnic group. I know, I know ... I could have just eaten pizza or hamburgers, but when on a cruise, I don't want pizza or hamburgers. I want good food!! Dinners were good. I am a big dessert fan (especially chocolate) and unfortunately they did not have a lot of chocolate. Usually we are drowned in chocolate! On 2 days, for dinner, they didn't even give us an option for dessert, just the special for the day which wasn't anything I cared for. The up side to this, I only gained 4 pounds instead of 5 :)

 

Service: Overall, good. Our waiter did not appear to like his job much and wasn't very friendly, but all the other wait staff seemed great. Our room steward was good. No major problems with the service.

 

Entertainment: So-so. On the Rhapsody, there were so many activities during the day that we couldn't get to everything we wanted. We found very little we were interested in on the Elation. As for the shows, some nights they only had 1 show at 10:30 & that is too late for us. We did enjoy relaxing at the pool & the band wasn't as bad as some of the other reviews said.

 

Rooms: Big. Great since we were a family of 4. Bedding (matresses, pillows and comforters) needs upgraded. I heard other passengers complaining of this also.

 

Overall ship appearance: Good. We found the ship to be in good shape and easy to get around.

 

Camp Carnival: Excellent. My 7 & 9 year olds did not want to leave. Staff and activities were great.

 

Overall Cruise Experience: Good. No regrets. Had a great time.

 

Things I've learned: 1) Never cruise just for a particular port as plans can change. Ports are not guaranteed. If you start your cruise experience with this in mind, you won't be devastated if a port of call is cancelled for whatever reason. 2) Bring wide-mouth bottles to put water in for port days. Can't get ice in those "sport top" bottles. We had a couple wider mouthed bottles and we could fill them with ice and the water stayed cool all day. 3) Cheap beer is not always a good thing:)

[countercast]

Great review. Factual and not too long - just the way I like 'em!

 

Sorry the food was a bit disappointing - I would feel the same as the food is SO much a part of my cruise! I do NOT cruise for the burgers or pizza! And chocolate is a food group, d'ya know?!

 

And here's to $1 shots and beers!!

[Kelly43]

Gosh, sorry to hear about the food. You mean on the nights that it is a theme, that all there is to eat is theme food on the Lido deck? I also don't want to eat pizza and hamburgers on the cruise, even though I hear they are wonderful. I want food that i don't get to order everyday. Nice review, hoping I have not got my hopes up toooo high for this cruise. We will be sailing 4/10/2005, on my birthday, which also is our 1st cruise. We will have fun anyway but hope we are not disappointed. Yes, Good food is a must, and chocolate. We are a family of 4 also! Welcome home, Kelly:)

[mathgal]

Could you tell a little more about your snorkeling at Dzul Ha? Was there lots to see underwater? What was the beach area like? Were there lots of people?

[sailawayT]

I pretty much agree with most of the things eastexascruiser had to say. I have been on the Rhapsody three times and I do think there are more activities to my liking there. Several activites didn't start until after midnight and were a little too late for me.

 

I liked the food on the Elation better than on the Rhapsody (dinners), but the breakfasts on the Lido Deck were rather boring. Our wait staff also were not very friendly and seemed rather bored with the whole thing.

 

We also went to Paradise Beach and loved it. Chairs, umbrellas, and mat floats were all free and readily available. The taxi fare was approximately $3.00/person each way. Beer was $2.00/bottle. If one wanted to do snorkling or kayaking there was a $5.00 fee for the duration of your stay. We ate in the restaurant and the food was great! I don't do shore excursions so can't comment on those.

 

I always spend a lot of time in the casino and would advise that it pays off the worst of any cruise ship I have been on. Of course, that didn't stop me!

 

I thought the stage show entertainment was so-so but the live music was great. The Romeo & Juliet Lounge had a great band and we danced into the night.

 

I did find the ship a little more confusing than most to navigate but after a few days I learned where everything was.

 

Cabins were a good size and room steward was good without being overbearing.

 

All-in-all it was a good cruise. I do think there is a younger atmosphere on the Elation and people seemed to be partying more than on the Rhapsody.

 

Non-smokers please be aware that this is not a non-smoking ship and there is a good chance your cabin will be next to a smoker. Most areas of the ship are non-smoking but many of the clubs, one side of the ship and the casino allow smoking.

 

A member of our party used the Spa services a few times and said they were really good. They do have a large spa area.

 

I would definitely cruise the Elation again. For all of you planning the cruise - have a great time!

[aggieastrosfan]

You mean on the nights that it is a theme, that all there is to eat is theme food on the Lido deck?

Not to worry, the theme meals are at lunch only, and actually only on one side of the buffet. The other side of the buffet serves the usual lunch buffet fare.:)

[honeylove]

Not to worry, the theme meals are at lunch only, and actually only on one side of the buffet. The other side of the buffet serves the usual lunch buffet fare.:)

 

 

Thanks for the review. Please advise what type of attire is worn in the dining room during breakfast and lunch times. I understand night dining is for formal wear but I am curious if you have to dress up to dining in the morning and afternoon. Can a jean skirt be worn? Thank again!

[tpear3]

Thanks for the review. We are going next month so the reviews always help pass the time until our turn!:D

[txadmin2]

Appreciate the review. We are going on Sunday and can hardly wait.

[eastexascruiser]

Not to worry, the theme meals are at lunch only, and actually only on one side of the buffet. The other side of the buffet serves the usual lunch buffet fare.:)

Yes, the "theme" fare is only at the lunch buffet, but it was in BOTH of the lines, not just one side and also most of the desserts, with the exception of chocolate chip cookies. For instance, when it was "Indian" fare day for lunch, both lines had Indian food. Neither line had "normal" buffet food.

 

We had 2 formal nights and the other nights were nice casual (no jeans or shorts). As far as dress in the dining rooms for lunch and breakfast - casual.

 

We really enjoyed the snorkeling at Dzul Ha. Actually we thought it looked even better than last year. There are lots of fish and some coral. It is the best off-snorkeling we have found. However, there is no beach area. The entrance is from concrete to rock. I have never found it to be crowded. There is a bar/restaurant area and some tables.

[ewtonjg]

Hi,

We did the Elation the week before, and I must agree with you on the food. I too don't want pizza and hamburgers while on a cruise but I tried the pizza and it was not very good, the crust was never quite crisp, but my husband said the hamburges were great.

We must have gone to the same bar in Progresso. Did you happen to meet the owner? Was his name Jesse? Were they making baskets out of palm leaves? Anyway, we had a great time there.

We snorkled at Corona beach in Cozumel and the snorkling was great! Saw many diffrent fish and it was not crowded.:)