Website design By BotEap.comThe Elation is a ship built in 1998 for Carnival Cruise Lines. She was the first ship to have the azipod propulsion system. Everything you read about Elation will include a little review about the azipod system. You might be wondering what the heck that is, so I’ll tell you. It’s a lot like having wheel drive sources in her car. Instead of the power source pushing the ship, it pulls it. This makes maneuvering the boat much easier, so you can be sure that the boat will not list or capsize on your cruise. It also reduces those vibrations that cause dizziness in people like me.

Website design By BotEap.comEnough with the mechanics because Carnival has the fun, right? Yes sir, they do. The Carnival Elation has three pools. One with a 214 foot water slide! This is where the music and pool games are. Expect it to be busy the first few days. My favorite pool is the one at the back of the ship on the verandah deck because it takes about 3 days for new guests to find it, so the first few days of your cruise it’s not very crowded. The last pool is the children’s pool on the promenade deck at the stern (rear) of the ship. This pool is a bit like swimming in a toilet with all the babies in diapers, which are not allowed.

Website design By BotEap.comIf gambling is your thing, head to the Casablanca casino. There are over 200 slot machines to choose from, including several mega cash machines that are linked with other Carnival ships across the fleet. The biggest jackpot I’ve ever seen was over a million dollars won at the now defunct Carnival Jubilee. I stick to the slots, I figure it’s the quickest way to lose my allotted play money and then I can continue on with the rest of the cruise. If you are a more sophisticated player than me, you can also play roulette, black jack and Caribbean poker.

Website design By BotEap.comFree drinks on a cruise, impossible you say? Not so. You can attend wine tastings or, while we’re going, art viewing an hour before the famous art auction where they give out free wine and cheese. If you have been on more than one cruise with the same line, you can attend the last guest party. Don’t write this off as a waste of time if you like to drink: the drinks are free and plentiful, and all you have to do is watch a short rant in which the cruise line congratulates itself on giving you a great vacation. There is usually a night when the liquor is free to taste in the shopping area.

Website design By BotEap.comIf you like healthier activities, you can head to the jogging track on Elation’s Sun Deck or the gym on Sports Deck. The Carnival Elation has a half court basketball court for your enjoyment and they provide the basketball to play. Elation has a full-service onboard spa. I confess that I have never been to a spa but I know that they offer foot massages for around $20 and everything up to a couples massage for $220. It sounds over the top, but imagine how relaxing it would be to have a message and then not have to massage someone else!

Website design By BotEap.comFor children there is Camp Carnival. Our son has gone to Camp Carnival on many cruises and always loves it. The children are divided by age groups and have activities planned for those ages. I recommend that your son go the first night where you can enroll him in the camp. There they introduce themselves and socialize a bit. It doesn’t mean they ever have to travel again and there is no additional charge, although we generally tip the staff because they can ruin your child’s cruise experience. Our son went on an activity called swimming under the stars where the pool was off limits at night except for the kids in the program so they had the pool and slide to themselves. Just leave your child for whatever activity they would enjoy. For young children, a pager will be provided so staff can contact you in the event your child wants to leave. Their activities take place inside Children’s World, which is a 2,500-square-foot area filled with computers and toys and games. Activities for older children are held in different areas of the ship; for example, pizza making takes place at Tiffany’s. The last night there will be a farewell party for the children. Be on time or you may not get in. All children receive a gift to share at this party, that is, a backpack or a CD case.

Website design By BotEap.comAs for my favorite part, the art of gastronomy, there are endless options. Carnival Elation’s two formal dining rooms are Inspiration and Imagination, named after sister ships in the fleet. You will be assigned one of these with a specific time for dining. I always check the menu early in the day so I can decide if I want to arrive at the appointed time or eat elsewhere at my leisure. The other places to eat on board Elation are Tiffany’s, which is the buffet restaurant that changes the menu every day and is different for lunch than dinner, or the snack bar on the Lido deck where they offer fries and burgers. for lunch. Tiffany’s lunch menus are called Taste of Nations, where one day it might be Mexican with salsa and chips and another it might be American BBQ featuring fried chicken and potato salad. There was also Indian and Italian that I can remember. In the background to the right of Tiffany’s you will find the famous Carnival pizza which is made fresh all the time. You can order a whole pizza and choose your toppings or get a slice fresh out of the oven. The deli sandwiches are made in the same place. This is a wonderful place to eat early in your trip, as your fellow travelers won’t know it yet, therefore there will be no line for you.

Website design By BotEap.comSushi is served every night on the terrace on the seafront. There was no raw fish (Sashimi) the week we sailed, but plenty of varieties of sushi made fresh before your eyes to choose from. Of course Wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce were also available. I guess there is never a sushi line because no one seems to realize that this is also included in the cruise fare. Needless to say, we went there every night. Tortilla chips and salsa were served on the terrace of the Promenade on Mexican day in the evening while a mariachi band played for us.

Website design By BotEap.comRoom service, room service, how do I love you? Let me count the ways. Room service is free, but a tip is required. Pretzels or chips can come with any sandwich, a tasty midnight snack. Room service was always fast and correct. You can also order cookies, “crudites”, fruits and salads. At your service 24 hours a day.

Website design By BotEap.comIf you need to stay in touch, the Internet cafe offers Internet use for 75 cents a minute and different packages up to 250 minutes for 40 cents a minute. You can bring your own laptop and use it in the cafeteria, but not in your cabin at Elation. You pay as you go, whether you use theirs or yours. I’m not sure if that makes it worth charging.

Website design By BotEap.comSpeaking of cabins, we had a category 6C with an ocean view. We had three people in the cabin and it fit comfortably. This ship has only 26 half suites (category 11) and 28 suites (category 12). I don’t really care which deck as there are elevators to go up and down.

Website design By BotEap.comThe Virtual World Arcade is right next to the Mikado Lounge, a perfect place for your teen to hang out while enjoying one of the Vegas-style shows in the lounge. There are the usual driving games and shooting games. Video games have tokens that are bought inside the game room. You can use your sign and navigation card to buy tokens. At some point on the cruise there will be a video game tournament for the kids, in this case the games are free. It is part of the Camp Carnival program.

Website design By BotEap.comThe Mikado hall is where all the shows take place. There was a comedy show, a magician, a hypnotist, a G-rated girls dance show. There are also music shows. The week I sailed there was a special guest announced at the end of a musical show. After much preamble, Mr. Stevie Wonder took the stage. People ran out of the movie theater for his friends and family to see Stevie Wonder. There were screams that I thought only the Beatles could provoke. Being a pale face from Canada, I’m not quite clear on Mr. Wonder’s resemblance, but I was thinking which cabin Stevie Wonder would be staying at in Carnival Elation. Don’t get me wrong, the Carnival Elation is a good boat, but someone of this caliber on my boat, how could that be? The lights dimmed, I could barely see. As I stepped forward to get a better look at our famous shipmate, I fell down the stairs. I fell headlong for several sections. Not one person turned or helped me up enthralled enough to see this celebrity. In the end, “Stevie” removed his wig to reveal that he was just a celebrity impersonator. They all complained that they knew all along and were never fooled. The next day it seemed that he had a meeting with the star of the UFC Tito Ortiz.

Website design By BotEap.comThe Mark Twain Library is a bit of a misnomer. There doesn’t seem to be a convenient way to get any books, so bring your own. It is beautiful and generally quiet.

Website design By BotEap.comThe Romeo and Juliet Lounge is an elegant-style room that was used for private parties on some nights and karaoke on others. Salsa dancing was a popular nighttime activity here.

Website design By BotEap.comCountry and folk music is played and danced in the Cole Porter Lounge. I only stopped by here on my way to the ocean view massage chairs. Duke’s is the piano bar named after the talented Duke Ellington. It’s a jazz club with a striking entrance inspired by the Triumphal Arch in Washington Square Park. This is an ideal place for photos around the white baby grand piano. We saw a wedding reception being held here. The Jekyll and Hyde nightclub is the place to party. The monitors show their fellow cruisers dancing to the twinkling beat. The giant heads of Jekyll and Hyde also bob to the music, a bit creepy but great after you’ve had a couple of drinks.

Website design By BotEap.comThe Carnival Elation is a magnificent ship. Something mutated by Carnival standards. Its decoration is made of copper and inlaid wood. If she is hesitant to try Carnival Cruise Lines, then this is the ship to try first. The service was second to none. The price of a Carnival cruise is always reasonable, but by booking well in advance, about eight months we got an even better deal, some would call it a cheap cruise. Don’t be scared off by Carnival’s long-standing reputation for being a bunch of party boats. They are The Fun Ships after all. Sure there’s a party if you want it, but there are dozens of places to read or sit quietly at Carnival Elation. There’s nothing more serene than sitting in a chair on the Carnival Elation’s teak deck and watching the ocean slowly roll by. Whatever your concept of fun, they deliver it. Believe them when they say that Carnival has fun.