We had a fabulous time on our recent cruise aboard the Elation. We had a balcony room, V-27, with a partially obstructed view. It was great for our needs, and our steward was amazing. The room kept very clean, and our ice bucket was refilled every night. There are some worn spots on the ship. However, I felt like the service and the responsiveness of the staff on the Elation were much better than what I experienced on the Conquest. The food in the main dining room was also excellent.

First, the port and terminal in New Orleans is wonderful. We pulled directly into the terminal, dropped off our bags, and then we were directed to the place to park. We then went to the first floor, where we were sent to priority boarding. We were processed very quickly, and sent to another room to wait for boarding. We did not have to wait long, and we were on the ship between 11:30 and 12:00. Our room was not ready, so we went to Tiffany's (just off of the Lido deck) to grab some lunch. By the time we finished lunch, we were able to drop off our carry-on bags at the room. The only part of the first day that was difficult was the muster drill. Our muster station was on the Lido deck, and it was soooooo hot! There were some passengers at the wrong station. Until the passengers finally went to the correct station, muster could not be completed, and we had to just sit there.

Circle C: Our son is 13, and we registered him for Circle C. He spent some time with the kids there the first night. However, he just wasn't interested in returning to it. He never said what it was he did not like, other than he felt pressured by the director to "have fun". He spent the rest of the cruise with us, going to the shows, hanging out at the arcarde, and swimming in the pool. Read more