This was my second cruise overall, both of which were on the Elation. The first was in February of 2011. The main thing I noticed was that virtually nothing changed from the first cruise to the second cruise. The shows in the Mikado Lounge were the EXACT same shows from almost two years ago (In all that time, they couldn't come up with anything new?). The activities on board were almost identical. Even the offerings at the main buffet on the Lido deck were very similar to what I remember from last time. It amazed me, and kind of disappointed me, how little change there was. With the number of people who cruise on a regular basis, you would think they would change things up every now and then.
The service on board was outstanding. Every single employee was courteous, polite, and professional. It was truly fantastic and absolutely worth noting here.
Embarkation was quick and very efficient. Debarkation was reasonably fast once it actually began. We were docked in New Orleans at a little after 6:30, but no one was let off the ship until almost 8:00.
I love the stateroom showers. They're adjustable to anyone. The "king size" bed is actually just two smaller beds pushed together, so when you lie down, you feel that place where the two beds meet.