* Background Information I am a college student from Houston, Tx. I decided to take this cruise for my Spring Break, along with my girlfriend. I am 24, and she is 21. We travel a lot, but this was my first cruise, and her second, both being on the same ship, the Elation.
* Travel To Port of Embarkation -- Since we live in Houston, Galveston is only 30 minutes away. We had a friend drive us to the port, so we didnt have to pay for parking, which is around $10 a day. After reading hundreds of reviews, I decided to get to the port at 11:30am, to avoid the crowd. It was a good decision, we boarded in ten minutes! The ship was set to sail at 4:00pm, and up until that time people stood in line to board, while we eat and enjoyed the ship crowd free!
* Stateroom -- We booked the cheapest room possible. The Carnival website showed bunk beds and a tiny room. Surprisingly, upon arrival we had a king-size bed, with a fold-away bed on the wall if needed. The room was small, but for two people it was great. The bathroom had plenty of room, and the shower was amazing. The water pressure was great, and it stayed hot for as long as we used it. The room was E181, and it was positioned on the deck where everyone boarded, and the information desk was also nearby. The best thing was when we disembarked, we were the first deck called!