This cruise was a first on any line for me. My SO has been on cruises before, and I have spent plenty of time on the boards to know what to expect. As every cruise is different for every person on board, I was nicely surprised by my experience on the Elation.

We arrived in the night before the cruise, which was delayed horribly due to the monster storm crawling through the country's midsection on 3/31/08, the day before we were to embark from San Diego. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express downtown. The room was absolutely peaceful and the breakfast they offered in the morning was head and shoulders above the competition's standard "danish and banana" offerings. Check-in and check-out were both a breeze.

Our five-day cruise stopped in Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas with two full days at sea. As this was my first cruise, I was awestruck by the sight of the monstrous ship before me when we arrived at the pier on the shuttle provided by the hotel. I know there are far bigger ships out there, but this was the biggest I've seen up close and personal. After yawning my way through the muster drill, my first afternoon was spent exploring the ship with camera in hand. I noticed several places where there was wear and tear throughout the ship, but it did not bother me in the least. All of the lively colors were definitely a feast for the eyes. Read more