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My friend and I left on April 19th for a 4 day cruise To Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. We really didn't know what to expect, other than I had been on CC forum and had talked/ask questions of these two ports, which neither of us had visited before. 
When we arrive (we flew in directly from Kansas City, Missouri), we found our transportation, and they took us to the cruise ship, which is probably within 10 - 15 minutes of the ship. In San Diego it was 75 degrees, but from then on the weather changed to rain/wind/COLD. (Please see Ensenada, Mexico for when we went back to San Diego before we went home.) I had already filled out our Fun Pass, so that helped us get through everything much smoother, and able to get to our rooms. We thought we might have to go to the Lido deck, but by 1:30 (I believe it was) our room was ready. We had a window and the room seemed spacious enough for what we had. I will say since the Elation is an older ship, and maybe because we were only doing 4 nights, it seemed like the room was missing a few things that I was used to having on the longer trips, but that was OK. We had a vault, which I definitely wanted, as well as the TV, but we didn't have a small refrigerator, which I think some of the other ships I have been on may have had. The bathroom was a nice size with the amenities that come, but there was not a hair blower, but that was OK, as my friend brought that, and I brought the curling iron. I really love our beds/bedding as I feel like a baby when I put the comforter on me. Really warm and light. Before I forget, do no bring an iron with you if you need to press your clothes. There is a laundry room where you can was/dry your clothes for a certain price or coins. The iron is free as far as I know, or it was when I used it a year or two ago. 
The ship (I like more vibrant colors) was in browns/coppers, and it was kept real clean for an older ship. 
Our table (seating of 10) had Vince and his helper attending to us in the dining room. They always kept me in HOT tea, which I had requested, and NO ice in my water. We had the 8:15 seating as that didn't rush us to have to be at dinner so early, or leaving a port that we were vising to get to dinner in time. We were pleased with the food, and if there was something that we didn't like or want, we could ask, and they would try to get us something else on the menu for that night. Flying in to San Diego, we met a lot of people from California, where they didn't have to pay to fly in like us. 
If you like to save money, they still have the $10 store, mainly for ladies, but they have some good buys that I have been pleased with down through the years. 
Since the weather was so windy/cold we played miniature golf, but there were few at the pools. 
We did go to the theatre and seen the Newlywed Game, which was very good. There was always something to see/do if you wanted to on the ship. 


Final days for Elation cruising from San Diego

This 4 day cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada was amazing. Cruises are what you make of it, and we decided to have a great time and take advantage of everything. Embarkation in San Diego was very easy and quick. The safety drill was painless, as Carnival no longer requires you to wear your life vest or pack in like sardines. The dining room service was exceptional as usual, the food was delicious and plentiful (try the West Indian Pumpkin Soup... I wasn't sure I'd like it as much as other cruisers do but wow!) The only major annoyance of Carnival is the pushiness of servers near the pool to buy drinks from their trays (which are less potent than ones ordered at the bar). 
Catalina Island was beautiful and a nice beach town. We took the $4 trolley up to the Botanical Gardens which were kind of nice and then went down to the beach. Once Descanso Beach is finished with construction, it will be beautiful. The town itself was very cute and a nice relaxing day. Kayaking may be a nice option here. People said the glass bottom boat was pointless. 
Ensenada Mexico was rich in history, but not an amazing port. We still had a great time, but vendors are very pushy, and the town is a little dirty. I hear the port won't be a stop anymore, which is probably a good idea. Our kayaking tour may have been awesome to the coves and hideaways, but it was cancelled due to rough seas. 
The ship is old, but it is in good condition. The showers are a decent size, and spa showers are amazing... go up there! The bedding is Carnival's nice bedding, and it was inviting at night. 
The trip was very rocky. Our last two nights, especially the last, almost made me sick and I don't get seasick. I am extremely hard to wake up, and the last night rocked so much, I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. The boat swayed from side to side like no ship I've ever seen. I don't know if it was the stabilizers, boat or just the Pacific Ocean those nights, but I am still swaying days later. 
Overall, we had an amazing trip full of laughter, dancing, great food and fun times. I would definitely go on another Carnival cruise, but not necessarily for those ports, but at that price, we were going for the boat and fun! 



Awesome Trip but Rocky Seas

On Thursday, April 15, 2010, my wife Jackie and I took a short vacation, our last one before our baby arrives, aboard the Carnival Cruise Ship, Elation from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas. 
Here's what the itinerary looked like: 
Day 1 Depart San Diego Day 2 Day at sea Day 3 Day in Cabo San Lucas Day 4 Day at sea Day 5 Arrive in San Diego 
This was my first cruise aboard a large cruise ship like this one. We did a cruise 2 years ago in the Galapagos Islands but that was on a much smaller boat...100+ feet. My wife had been on other cruises in the South Pacific and the Red Sea. 
Living in San Diego and being able to depart from our home port was great! We took advantage of an airport parking lot and caught a shuttle to the port to board the ship. It seems like only recently that the port in San Diego started allowing large cruise ships but the first cruise ship to San Diego was actually in 1970. It was only between 2002 and 2006 that this port began experiencing growth in cruise numbers. 
We arrived well before the departure time but found the lines and wait time to be very long. Next time, we'll definitely be aiming to go aboard a little after noon. 
Our Room 
We had an inside room which had a fake window...that's right. Open the curtains and there's...wait for it...more wall. We actually selected an inside room on the recommendation of a friend because during the day, the room is still pitch black making it super easy to get some rest if you need to. Some other guests found their inside rooms to be a bit claustrophobic. It didn't bother us. The rooms were a good size and those other passengers that we spoke to onboard agreed. 
The rooms had 2 bathrobes for us and plenty of closet space. In the bathroom was a standup shower only...no bath tub. Housekeeping was the one thing onboard that was consistently good. Our steward looked after our room nearly every time we left it re-making our bed and folding the towels into animal shapes. Our steward was very attentive and warm. Our room had a decent sized safe as well and an older television that only had a few channels available with no options for buying movies and no DVD player available. That was kind of a bummer. 
Food 
Breakfast 
We typically ate at Tiffany's dining room. The presentation and selection of food in the main buffet and the Lido deck buffet were very unimpressive. The presentation of food in the dining rooms Inspiration, Imagination and Tiffany's were definitely superior to that of the other dining locations which appeared to more closely resemble cafeteria food. That too was disappointing. 
Lunch 
Our favorite choice was the Mongolian Grill offered on the Lido deck directly beside the Lido deck lunch buffet. The food there was fresh, offered a great selection of meat and vegetables, and easily the best tasting food on the ship. Options for lunch were limited so we stuck with this as a staple throughout the trip. The Lido deck buffet next door offered hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken tenders with several salad options. Juice, water, coffee, and tea, were included at every meal. Sodas were extra but passengers were able to purchase a soda card for all onboard sodas. We didn't care to inquire about the price. 
On one of the days at sea, we were wandering around the ship and happened to catch tea time. It was nice to get a quick snack and the service for tea time was exceptional. 
Dinner 
We had signed up for the 6pm dinner slot and shared a 6 person table on the nights that we ate in the main dining room. The food quality varied from meal to meal but was generally low. The meal options were good and changed each evening. For steak eaters, like me, the steak was no bueno and on one occasion when I asked for a steak, the waiter responded asking me again to order a main dish. When I repeated my order to him, he again asked me to make a main dish selection. I quickly realized that he simply did not speak English or even Español, the main languages spoken onboard. I ate chicken and mushroom pasta for dinner that night. Oh well! I can't say any of the dinner options were anything inspiring. For dessert I ordered chocolate lava cake (or some other variation of the name). It was amazing! I had it every night. 
There were only two sources of food available 24 hours a day and these were the pizza station, which was pretty decent even at 3:00am, and room service. Room service was very limited though. Breakfast options included only traditional continental breakfast items. Lunch and dinner menus were comprised of a short list of sandwiches. The selections were altogether so limited that we never felt compelled to try any of the room service options. The food onboard was generally disappointing. 
Activities 
The gym onboard was quite nice offering some very state-of-the-art exercise equipment and free weights. There were some great views from the gym of which 3 of the 4 walls were windows. On the top deck, there was a jogging track that we used a couple of times. If I remember correctly, one lap was equivalent to either 1/8th of a mile+-. Inside the jogging track was an 9-hole miniature golf course that we enjoyed playing a few rounds on. This offered great views and fresh air and was almost always busy. There was only one pool which was nearly always mobbed. There were several jacuzzis located throughout. We never used them either because they were so overcrowded. 
Onboard there were also a couple of ping-pong tables, a basketball half court, a volleyball court, a near life size chess-board, a library, and duty-free shopping. Unless you're looking to pick up some cigarettes and booze duty free, we found the shopping to be quite limited. 
The so-called broadway-shows onboard were a complete joke. I've seen better high school air-band performances. I felt embarrassed for the entertainers some of who were clearly lipsyncing through much of their act. The casino looked interesting but the smoke was a put-off for a pregnant couple so we didn't bother. 
The nightclubs were cool but were empty at just about any hour. Since the nightly entertainment was so bad, we hung out in the Karaoke Bar which was surprisingly a lot of fun. I was really surprised at how many amazing singers there were onboard. And those that were drunk and didn't realize how bad they sounded were pure comedy! Imagine the American Idol bloopers but with booze. 
One day, they had a hairy chest contest on the main deck! It was hilarious yet incredibly disturbing at the same time. 
Drinks on board were a little overpriced...as much as $4 - $5 for a beer + tip. There were two events that I can remember that offered free alcohol. On two separate days there was an art auction that offered a free glass of champagne and on day 4 there was a brief farewell party where alcohol was free. We managed to cultivate an interest in paintings for about 5 minutes both days. 
The weather for our trip was great...nice and sunny for the most part. Sailing was smooth except for the last day which got a little bit rough. I noticed a fair number of people who had seasickness medication patches behind their ear as a precaution. I'm normally a little prone to seasickness but I was fine on this trip. 
Exiting the boat was remarkably smooth. Guests were assigned time slots to disembark which made the line move very quickly and customs in San Diego was a breeze. 
While getting away is always nicer than not, I can't say that I would have booked this trip knowing what I now know. This ship is very disappointing and the one day in Cabo doesn't provide enough time to really experience the town. Even a few of the guests onboard were, at times, a bit difficult. Our three closest neighbors were loud at all hours...literally all hours. Ship security helped a little but the games continued even after multiple parents, further down the hall, peeked their heads out of their rooms to encourage our neighbors to move their party out of the hallway so that their children could sleep. 
After returning from the trip I was curious to research reviews of this trip and one of the first search results that I came across was the Consumer Affairs website. On this website (retrieved on May 18, 2010), the first few lines of the article read, "To say that Carnival gets more than its share of complaints would be quite an understatement. We get more complaints about Carnival than about all other crise lines combined." On that note, I guess we'll be closing the book on Carnival Cruises and opting for Royal Caribbean or Princess in the future. 


We wanted a long snooze but instead we got a booze cruise!

It has been awhile since the three of planned a cruise together so we were excited to FINALLY be having a getaway together! A long trip across country to San Diego and we were on our way. I was impressed that such an expensive city offered the parking at the port for MUCH less than Miami does. Embarkation was smooth. Missed the bells and whistles that the new port in Miami has but to be honest the basics we got in SD were less frantic. We arrived about 11:15 and were on the boat and at the Lido by noon. Note to first time cruisers don't forget to pack or wear your bathing suit. That way you can be poolside waiting to get your bags delivered to your stateroom! 
Once on board, bellies full we got down to some Vit D soaking up. Why is it the sun feels so much better on vacation?? It was a vacation week for many areas by the number of kids on board. It was also for some reason the first time in 6 cruises that we got a good glimpse as to why CCL has not such a great rep. The ship was brimming with young 20-ishers- 30'ers that had only 1 thing in mind to do...DRINK. I am all for enjoying and kicking back but the level and sheer numbers of obnoxious drunks was beyond what was able to be dismissed and "kids" having a good time. Our threesome is in their mid forties and enjoy kicking back a few but honestly...before embarkation there were more than a handful that were so drunk they could hardly stand, very loud and disruptive as well as rude to fellow cruisers and staff. Put a sour taste in ours and others we spoke to mouths before we even set sail!! Unfortunately it continued for the whole cruise. We attempted to enjoy the Serenity area but it was filled with young obnoxious drunks. The hallways loud at late late hours due to the same, stumbling back to rooms. Much more than our other cruises have had! I could go on forever. You get the picture so enough said. 
The room was an inside cabin, our first. It wasn't bad because we hardly were in it. I suggest if you are thinking of going the cot route...DON'T. It was very very uncomfortable and was left in the room for the duration making the room space VERY tight. I was under the impression that they would just bring it in for turn-down. WRONG! 
Staff? Never saw our steward. The room was neatened but not truly cleaned well. Dirty glasses stayed for a day or so. Trash was only occasionally emptied. Staff in hallways polite but not as friendly as on our other CCL trips. The same old problem of less than enthusiastic bar workers when the soda cards were presented. First timers, if you plan on wanting drinks brought to you poolside etc that are not alcoholic ie soda (does not include lemonade/ice tea) they are worth the $6 a day. Get them when U get on the ship. They now use stickers for the soda cards. MUCH better than having to carry and show a separate card each time!! LOVED the new Safety Briefing. Short..informative for everyone and NO, may I repeat NO need to bring your life jacket to the muster stations! SWEETNESS!! 
Dining? We decided to try the U Pick option. LOVED it!! We went to eat about the same time each night, about 7-730. We were sat immed. and were lucky enough to have the same table and wait staff for the duration. That was something that almost kept us from choosing the option. Christian was GREAT and very accommodating. Using the option we managed to have much more flexibility in planning out evenings re shows and activities. Menu's were the same with a few different sides than in past cruises. Food was good...and remember, if you cant choose then get all the choices you want. This was something we didn't know at first and now wholeheartedly take advantage of. Its a great way to try new things!! Save room for deserts...note the plural tense :o). 
The shows were standard. Talent typical. Not the best we have had but not the worst either. Did LOVE the cruise director and assists. They were by far not the in your face obnoxious types that we have always have had. In fact, when the drunkards were needing to be put in their place during different activities They did so. Firmly but professionally. Kudos to them because there were some really difficult drunks they had to deal with. Lots of dance lessons...FUN. Many games to play...FUN. Wish the dance lessons were in a better venue. The open bar area they had most of them wasn't ideal. Karaoke host was sweet and very good! Calypso band...ehh, had much better ones on our other CCL cruises. Pool was waaay to cold to be in. I missed the waterworks upgrade that the other smaller vessels have had placed. It kept all the kids in the main pool area hogging the hot tubs. As for the general decor. NICE. It was evident it was an older ship but the colors and decorations were very pleasing and calming. My favorite of the CCL ships I have been on! CCL has teamed up with St. Judes and had a " dance" for $10. It was disappointing that only 11 participated. Really?? They were spending 100's of dollars..LITERALLY a day on alcoholic drinks and the cruisers couldn't be bothered to at least support the cause??? The $10 got you a bracelet(those cause/rubbery ones) and a T shirt. Good quality t-shirt but as with CCL does in general was size discriminant and didn't have sizes larger than XL. (CCL does now carry XXL...that my size 14 - 16 dress wearer BFF just fits into... so much for XXL!! 
Our Sea Days were fine. Lots to do or nothing to do..your choice. Which is exactly what we all wanted! Loved High Tea...but they rushed it...it didn't matter that they had about 15 - 20 people join then 1/2 thru the half hour...they shut it down and left those people with a cup of lukewarm tea and never got a chance to pass around the remaining goodies. It would have been one thing if they were out of the goodies but to be taking half full trays away before offering them...not so cool!! 
Cabo day was perfect weather. We picked the safety of a CCL excursion. Land's End with shopping. Liked the " Catamaran"..was basically a big motor boat...was expecting a sailing/netted floor type. They saw whales in the distance and brought us out to them. Sweet bonus! Beach time...good meal. Beach okay. It was nice not having vendors in your face while you were soaking up the rays. Shopping? We ended up at a MALL. Not what we were planning. We wanted the touristy type vendors we could bargain with..like the ones at port. We did have time there before the last tender so it worked out. 
Disembarkation was simple. Liked the " Bags out in hallway by 11pm-midnight" much better than before where they wanted them about 8 - 9 pm. We were #17 but were were off the boat by 1015. We had breakfast then sat in the sun snoozing until we were called. Customs was very quick...MUCH smoother and quicker than Miami or Ft. Lauderdale have ever been! Walked across the street, where the car was parked and off to a local CVS to get copies of each other's photo cards before hitting the airport to head home to NH. 
Of note...They, CCL offered a DIRECT way to process your luggage. For $20 they would collect your bags, get your boarding pass and then check them in... You don't have to deal with the luggage until you arrive at your home base. It gets charged to the Sail n Sign card,and they also will have the airline charge on the sail card..Bonus if collecting points on the CC! It needs to be done 2 days prior to disembarkation. Go to Pursers desk. Quick and easy...bring your flight info and passport with U. Only some of the airlines participate but sounded well worth the money. Unfortunately, my cabin mate was flagged by the airport as having to physically check in at the airport. CCL said it was a random thing and they called the state room to let us know. They gave me the option to continue with the program even though my travel buddy couldn't be processed or cancel. I cancelled and we were refunded the cost back to the sail and sign card that night. Great idea and we WILL try and take advantage of this on our next cruise! 
It was a fun time. We wish we had shared the ship with a different clientele...it was just luck of the draw I guess. We are all looking forward to planning our next cruise with CCL.. Hoping to be cruising this coming winter to they newer ports for CCL...ARUBA!! Woo Hoo for Cabo....Boo Hoo that we had so many obnoxious drunks to contend with. Good thing we had cruised CCL before and knew that they aren't always like that...if it had been our first we would probably never try the CCl again unless we got a HUGE bargain first. 


Woo Hoo for Cabo....Boo Hoo for cruise mates

Adventure in Cabo San Lucas

This was our 3 Carnival Cruise and knowing that the Elation was a little older ship we weren't expecting what a 2 yr old ship would be. But! We were very pleased with our cabin, dinners, entertainment, ports. We had a great time! It was a time to just get away and relax and we've been missing that smooth rocking of the ship at nap time ...that we did everyday on the trip! Oh well... 
Catalina - we walked to the Wrigley Monument...yep! All the way! It was a wonderful walk by the golf course and one thing that the riders in the golf carts miss....are the beautiful birds that come out when the carts aren't zipping by! Yes...it's an incline up...but a nice decline coming down! Lots of great little shops and places to eat! My suggestion would be to stay here until 10:30 pm ... instead of Ensanada! I bet the night life would be great when the warmer months come. 
Ensanada - We took the Gold Coast Tour (30.00 ea)...and Leslie was our guide. We went just a few blocks away from the ship to the Riveria...great historical site and they have some fun shopping there! I came away with a nice pair of silver earrings from "Joe's" ... with the silver stamp and I picked up 5 bottles of vanilla there too! Family requests! :0) 
Disembarking was a breeze! Embarking...can use some improvement! Just that they work it in groups and the Rotterdam folks were also there at the same time and it just took longer then it really needed to be. 
** I saw a few of the earlier bad reviews and was kind of holding my breath - but from us - GO! Your Cruise is going to be what you make of it.... We had a great time! 


A New Year Get Away!

Us: Husband and Myself (3 previous cruises on a different line) and both sets of parents (all first time cruisers). 
Pre-Cruise: Stayed at the Holiday Inn right across from the San Diego Cruise Ship Terminal. Rooms were nice (however, the rooms had Double Beds rather than Queen size), bathrooms appear to have been upgraded. The Elephant and Castle Restaurant in the lobby was fun for dinner, but way overpriced for breakfast. Location was perfect...we just walked across the street, and were ready for embarkation! We parked our vehicle at the hotel with a package that included room and parking. 
Embarkation: Left for the ship around 11:30 a.m. With two ships in port, was not sure how busy things would be. It was very smooth and quick. I could hardly keep up with the line. (Not that I am slow, but it just really kept moving!) We were on the ship in less than 30 minutes! Went up to Lido deck and enjoyed eating and relaxing in the sun! The Mongollian Grill is fabulous and worth the wait! Also, visited the self-serve ice cream machine! Rooms were ready at 1:00 p.m. and our luggage had already arrived! Rooms: We all had inside cabins. The size was just fine. The orange color is a bit much at first entry, but by the end of the week, did not even notice it anymore. The bathroom was larger than on previous ships. Our room steward greeted us warmly and our room was always clean and tidy. We did not notice any noise from the hallway or above deck. 
Safety (Muster) Drill: Our meeting area was a club that was not even close to accommodating the number of people in our station. The staff in our area (understandably) were frustrated with the lack of cooperation of many people, and let it be known! After trying to hear what was being said for about 20 minutes, we all climbed a narrow staircase that led to the Lido Deck (the life boat loading deck) and where to stand in our assigned area. This was very congested, and in the event of an actual emergency, I have my doubts as to how it would work out! We had already started to sail prior to the conclusion of the drill, so we went to the rear of the ship. Sail-away was magnificent and beautiful. The San Diego skyline is gorgeous at dusk! 
Dinner: We had the late dining in the Inspiration Dining Room. The food varied between fine to excellent. Our head waiter had one more cruise until his contact was expired, and though he was professional, it was clear he was ready to be home. I can't imagine being away from my family for such a long length of time, so it was hard to not feel for him. However, the waiter and assistant waiter at our adjacent tables was very entertaining, and often interacted with out table. The one negative comment I would make is the photographer that would come to our table every night was very curt and impatient with my father-in-law, who is hard of hearing and could not understand him. 
Catalina Island: The day started out with a light mist, making the island look incredible! Due to the cooler and wet weather, getting aboard a tender was no problem. We rented a six-person golf cart and toured the island. Due to a minor mishap with the ocean, my husband got a souvenir (tennis shoes) at a cute store named "Buoys and Gulls"! The view of the ocean from behind the casino (huge round building that you can't miss) is very nice. There is a stairway leading into the water that is used for divers that is a great picture opportunity. In the event of a mishap, you will pass by "Buoys and Gulls" on the way back to the pier! The weather had cleared up considerably by this time, and everyone was heading off the ship, so the tender ride back was quick and easy. We enjoyed the pool, water slide and late afternoon sun to finish up the day. 
Ensenada: This was not our first time to Ensenada, but we had never been to the blow hole (La Bufadora). We took a tour bus out that was advertised on the $2 shuttle into town. It turned out to be one of the best shore excursions for the price ($15) that we had been on. The guide, Lily, was absolutely delightful, and made the bus ride so much fun. The blow hole was really shooting the water up high that day! (I guess depending on the tides, some days are not as much of a show.) There is an open-air market along the walk to the blow hole. The vendors are trying to sell their wares (it is a business after all) but are polite if you say "No thank you" and keep walking. However, there are bargains to be had and many fun things to look at. Don't be afraid to stop and shop! Heading back into town, the bus would drop you off downtown for more shopping. However, there is a taco stand that we wanted to go to. When we asked Lily (the guide) how we could best get there, she asked the driver of the bus to drop us off right in front, and then pick us back up in about 45 minutes. We were then delivered back to the ship. The taco stand is "Las Brisas" and the queso tacos con carne are really the best! I cannot recommend them high enough!! You have to try them! 
Debarkation: We carried our luggage off ourselves, but waited to debark until they called our tag number so that we could enjoy breakfast and one last snooze in the lounge chairs! We were off the ship by about 9:15 a.m., and on our way home by 9:30 a.m. 
Overall Impressions: I was very impressed with Carnival and will cruise with them again. The ship was kept in very good condition and the staff (with the exception of one photographer) was superb! It sounds as though after March, there will not be a Carnival ship based out of San Diego. That is a shame, as it is great port to sail from, and the terminal was easy and quick. 


Frist Time Carnival Cruiser - Very impressed.

We gathered 25 of 29 extended family members from across the U.S. for four nights on Carnival Elation. We ranged from 81 to 4 years old. The oldest (my dad) was also confined to a wheelchair. On balance, I think we were pleasantly surprised with this cruise. 
PROS: 
* very pleasant staff (I really enjoyed my conversations with our waiter, for example, away from the dining room) * delicious food (I couldn't get enough of the Mongolian stir fry) clean, comfortable, and spacious ship (we put our family of four in a single room and it worked great) * lots to do on board (my daughters loved the line dancing, mini-golf, and Thriller dance training) * fantastic child care (a godsend for my cousin with his two small children) * a welcome running track (my wife and I ran most mornings at about 6:30 and the track was never too crowded) * some funny shows (the opening night's clean comedy act was a gut-buster)and * plenty of space to spend time with our extended family or to get off somewhere and read. 
Also, embarkation, debarkation, luggage delivery, and the tender boats to Catalina Island were fast and efficient. 
Also, the rap I'd previously heard was that Carnival tended to be geared for singles and younger people, and that I should expect 24-hour rowdiness by some of the passengers. I was pleasantly surprised. While the shallow sex humor and overall sexualization of so much of American culture certainly made its way into the large shows and comments by some of the activities directors on stage, both individually and as a group we had lots of choices to just enjoy family-oriented time together. 
CONS: 
I'm nitpicking to be even-handed, but here are three suggestions, and these probably apply to every cruise ship out there. (Having only two cruises under my belt, I don't have enough context necessarily.) 
* In the large song-and-dance shows, the cruise-line show developers and choreographers should give the performers a wider range of styles to work with. If every single song is loud and energetic, it's numbing, and the ironic result is that the audience is not energized at all. Also, if so many of the show themes revolve around sex, it's no longer sexy, it's just cheap. C'mon! Get a little more creative. * Mr. Sound Technician: lose your love affair with the bass guitar. It could be at one-third the volume you used and still be the dominant voice. Whoever picks the music tracks for the public areas. * Declare a moratorium on any Muzak on open air decks before, say, 9:00 a.m. The only people there at that hour are savoring the views and the peace and quiet. Ditto in the buffet dining room before 9:00 a.m. Who wants "Highway to Hell" playing at 7:15 a.m.? 
THE LAST TWO GENERAL COMMENTS: 
* Traveling with a disability: My dad (81) is confined to a motorized wheel-chair. While I wouldn't change our cruise choice to accommodate one person, the destinations on this cruise weren't very accessible for him in that chair. The tender boats to Catalina Island were great, but he wouldn't have been able to negotiate the stairway to reach them, and the chair would have been too heavy to transfer to the tender boats anyway. Second, in Ensenada, the taxis were kept somewhat away from the ship dock, so we would have needed a chair to transport him to them. But his chair wasn't an option, since it would have been nearly impossible to put in the back of taxi without a special wheelchair lift, and the ship's policy is not to let its own smaller and collapsible wheelchairs off the ship. So, if I had it to do over again, I might bring along a second more portable wheelchair just for him. 
* Arranging for some more structured extended family gatherings on board: We didn't think to do this beforehand, but I wish we would have set aside a single night in one of the reservable public rooms for our extended family to get together. In the absence of that, the only time we would dependably see everyone gathered was at our dining table (Carnival allowed us to put everyone at three tables together), but even then it was hard to carry on a full-group conversation. 
PORTS OF CALL: CATALINA ISLAND AND ENSENADA 
* Catalina Island: My wife and daughters and I just walked around. It was a beautiful day, and we loved walking on the jetty and looking at the birds swooping down to try to grab surfacing fish, but we don't have much feedback to offer on excursions. Some of our extended family members really enjoyed the 45-minute orienting bus tours for the village of Avalon ($20/person?), and other family members enjoyed the freedom of renting six-person golf carts to circle around on their own ($40-60/hour for a couple of hours?). 
* Ensenada: Waiting on the curb by the ship was Yoshido and his 15-passenger van, looking to serve as the driver for the day for any group wanting to hire him. He was great. After a few minutes of negotiation, 15 of my extended family jumped in for the trip to La Bufadora (the Blowhole) and back, with a subsequent stop in the shopping district in downtown Ensenada. Altogether this was about a four-hour trip, and we settled on a rate of $150, though with our tip we brought that to $180, which was his original offering price. Bear in mind that we waited until at least 10:30 a.m. to even leave the ship, so he might have demanded more earlier in the day. The Blowhole was interesting. So were the shops lining the last 300 yards from the parking lot to the Blowhole. And so were the shops back in town, especially for the 18-year-old in our group whose parents took her to Hoosong's, an apparently famous cantina downtown. She legally enjoyed her first piña colada there. 


Family reunion aboard Carnival Elation

We had an enjoyable cruise this past week on Carnival Elation. Our stateroom steward Siad did an awesome job keeping our cabin neat and tidy. The room had plenty of space to put away all of the clothes and bags that we brought. It also had a safe that you could put your valuables away for free. He had great towel animals each night of the cruise. We had Jessica in the dining room for late seating in the Inspiration dining room. She and her coworkers were awesome in knowing who wanted coffee and what type. The food was fantastic, and you had a good selection of appetizers, and entrees. You have to try the choclate molten cake and the grand marnier souffle. 
The shore excursion in Ensenada you should try is the "Taste of Mexico". You are shown how to make some very tasty guacamole, enchilada, and tostado. The instructor does a great job in describing how to prepare the dishes, and Brenda is fantastic and you really see the pride she has in her country when talking about her countries flag. 
We did the whale watching tour in Catalina and it was great that we saw dolphins, sea lions, seals and other marine animals but no whales this time. 


Elated on the Elation

We had a wonderful week aboard the Carnival Elation for our honeymoon this past week. Debarkation in San Diego was a breeze, and was on the boat within 15 minutes. Overall, beautiful ship, a bit older, but she was clean from head to toe, and the staff was much more friendly and willing to go the extra mile for any request. The food on carnival i found a bit better then on RCCL, from the Lido deck grill, to the dining room. Our waiter was fantastic, and made sure our meals were perfect, and even brought my wife and I sodas each night. The activities were excellent, bingo was really fun, and the comedian was hilarious. 2 full days in cabo san lucas was really enjoyable, and we didn't have to rush around. The only draw backs from this wonderful cruise was the extremely rough waters we had from cabo to ensenada. the day at sea was more like a day in hell! 45-50 MPH winds, and 25 foot swells, it was the roughest seas the Elation had seen in years. Overall beautiful ship, excellent staff. I am sad to see her move to Mobile, and hope she returns to So Cal soon! 


Honeymoon on the Elation, one to remember!!

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