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RADISSON'S CLUB MARINER
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ADVENTURE OCEAN
BRIEF REVIEW OF ALL
CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS
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Cruising Hawaii on the
Norwegian Star
Western Caribbean Cruise on
Carnival's Paradise
Bermuda Cruise on Radisson
Seven Seas
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Family Reunion Cruises
Luxury Cruises
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Carnival Elation Cruise Review
By John Childs
The Elation is a ship built in 1998 for Carnival Cruise
Lines. It was the first ship to have the azipod
propulsion system. Everything you read about the
Elation will include a small blurb about the azipod
system. You may wonder what the heck that is so I’ll
tell you. It’s much like having font wheel drive on your
car. Instead of the energy source pushing the ship it
pulls it instead. This makes maneuvering the ship
much easier so you can be confident there won’t be
any listing or tipping over of the ship on your cruise.
Also it reduces those vibrations that cause motion
sickness in people like myself.
Enough about mechanics though because Carnival’s
got the fun don’t they? Yes sir, they do. The Carnival
Elation has three swimming pools. One with a 214 ft
water slide! This is where the music is and the pool
games. Expect it to be busy the first few days. My
favorite pool is the one at the back of the ship on
verandah deck because it takes new passengers
about 3 days to find it so for the first couple days of
your cruise it is uncrowded. The last pool is the kiddie
pool on promenade deck at the ship’s aft (back). This
pool is a bit like swimming in a toilet with all the babies
in their swim diapers-which are not allowed.
If gambling is your thing then head down to the
Casablanca casino. There are more than 200 slot
machines to choose from including several mega
cash machines that are linked with other Carnival
ships fleetwide. The biggest jackpot that I have seen
was over a million dollars won on the now defunct
Carnival Jubilee. I stick to the slots, I figure it’s the
quickest way to lose my alloted gambling cash then I
can get on with the rest of the cruise. If you are a
more sophisticated gambler than I there is also
roulette, black jack and Caribbean stud poker to play.
Free drinks on a cruise-impossible you say? Not so.
You can attend wine tastings or as we do go to check
out the art an hour before the famed art auction
where they pass out free wine and cheese. If you
have been on more than one cruise with the same
line you can attend the past guest party. Don’t
dismiss this 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 spiel where the cruiseline pats
themselves on the back for giving you a great
vacation. There is usually one evening where the
liquor is free for tasting in the shopping area.
If you are into healthier pursuits then you can head
up to the jogging track on the Elation’s Sun deck or to
the gym on the Sports deck. The Carnival Elation has
a half court basketball court for your enjoyment and
they do supply the basketball to play with. Elation has
a full service spa onboard. I confess I have never got
around to the spa but I know they do offer foot
massages for about $20 and everything up to a
couples massage for $220. It sounds steep but just
imagine how relaxing it would be to have a message
and after you don’t have to massage someone else!
For the kids there is Camp Carnival. Our son has
gone to Camp Carnival on many many cruises and
loves it everytime. The children are divided by age
groups and have activities planned for those ages. I
recommend that your child goes to the first night
where you can sign them up for the camp. There are
introduced to each other and socialize a little. It doesn’
t mean they ever have to go again and there is no
extra charge although we usually tip the staff because
they can make of break your kid’s cruise experience.
Our son went to an activity called swimming under the
stars where the pool was off limits at night except to
kids in the program and so they had the pool and
slide to themselves. You just drop your kid off for
whatever activities they would enjoy. For small
children you will be supplied with a pager so the staff
can contact you in case your child wants to leave.
Their activities take place inside Children’s World
which is an area of 2500 sq ft filled with computers
and toys and games. Activities for older children take
place in different areas on the ship-for example pizza
making takes place in Tiffany’s. On the last night
there will be a farewell party for the kids. Get there on
time or you may not get in. All the children receive a
parting gift at this party ie a backpack or CD case.
As for my favorite part, the art of gastronomy there
are a myriad of choices. The two formal dining rooms
on Carnival Elation are the Inspiration and the
Imagination named after sister ships in the fleet. You
will be assigned one of these with a specific dining
time. I always check the menu early in the day so I
can decide if I want to show up at my appointed time
or eat elsewhere at my leisure. The other places to
eat aboard the Elation are Tiffany’s which is the buffet
restaurant that changes the menu everyday and is
different for lunch than dinner or the snack bar on
Lido deck where fries and burgers are available for
lunch. Tiffany’s lunch menu’s are called taste of
nations where one day may be Mexican food with
salsa and chips and another may be American BBQ
where fried chicken and potato salad are offered.
There was also Indian and Italian that I can recall. At
the far back on the right hand side of Tiffany’s you will
find Carnival’s famous pizza being made fresh all the
time. You can order a whole pizza and choose you
toppings of get a slice fresh from the oven. At the
same location deli sandwiches are made. This is a
wonderful spot to eat early on in the voyage as your
fellow passengers won’t know about this yet therefore
there will be no lining up for you.
Sushi is served on promenade deck every evening.
There was no raw fish (Sashimi) the week we sailed
but many varieties of fresh made before your eyes
sushi to select from. Of course Wasabi and pickled
ginger and soy sauce were all available as well. There
is also never a sushi line I presume because no one
seems to realize that this also is included in your
cruise fare. Needless to say we went there every
single evening. Tortillas chips and salsa were served
on Promenade deck on Mexican day in the evening
while a mariachi band played for us.
Room service, room service how do I love thee, let me
count the ways. Room service is free but a tip is in
order. Pretzels or chips can come with any sandwich-
a tasty midnight snack. Room service was always
speedy and correct. You can also order cookies,
"crudites", fruit and salad. At your service 24 hours a
day.
If you need to keep in touch the Internet cafe offers
internet usage at 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 cafe
but not in your cabin on the Elation. You pay for
usage whether you use theirs or your though. Not
sure if that makes it worth lugging it around.
Speaking of cabins, we had an ocean view cabin
category 6C. We had three people on the cabin and
we fit comfortably. This ship has only 26 demi suites
(category11) and 28 suites (category12). It really
doesn’t matter to me which deck as there are
elevators to take you up and down.
Virtual World video game arcade is right beside the
Mikado lounge-a perfect spot to let your teen hang
out while you catch one of the Las Vegas style shows
in the lounge. There are the usual driving games and
shooting games. The video games take tokens that
are bought right inside the arcade. You can use your
sign and sail card to buy tokens. At some point during
your 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.
The Mikado lounge is where all the shows take palce.
There was a comedy show, a magician, a hypnotist,
dancing show girls-rated G. There are musical shows
too. The week I sailed there was a special guest
announced at he end of one musical show. After
much preamble Mr Stevie Wonder was brought onto
the stage. People went running from the lounge
theater to get their friends and family to see Stevie
Wonder. There was screaming that I thought only the
Beatles could elicit. Being a pale face from Canada I’
m not too clear on the likeness of Mr Wonder but I
was pondering which cabin would Stevie Wonder stay
in On the Carnival Elation. Don’t get me wrong the
Carnival Elation is a nice ship but someone of this
caliber on my ship , how could it be? The lights
dimmed, I could hardly see. As I stepped forward to
get a better look at our famous shipmate I fell down
the stairs. I tumbled head over heals down several
flights. Not one person turned or helped me up so
enthralled were they to catch a glimpse of this
celebrity. In the end “Stevie” took his wig off so that it
may be revealed that it was only a celebrity
impersonator. Everyone groaned that they knew it all
along and they were never fooled. The next day I
looked like I had a run in with the UFC star Tito Ortiz.
The Mark Twain library is a bit of a misnomer. There
doesn’t seem to be a convenient way to get at any
books so bring your own. It is beautiful and usually
quiet.
Romeo and Juliet lounge is an elegantly styled room
which was used for private parties some nights and
for karaoke on others. Salsa dancing was a popular
evening activity here.
The Cole Porter lounge has folk and country music
playing and dancing. I only passed by here on my way
to the ocean facing massaging chairs. Duke’s is the
piano bar named after the talented Duke Ellington. It
is a jazz club with a striking entrance modelled on the
Triumphal Arch from 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 disco is the place to party.
Monitors show your fellow cruise mates dancing to the
scintillating beat. The giant Jekyll and Hyde heads
move to the music too-a bit creepy but cool after you’
ve had a couple drinks.
The Carnival Elation is a gorgeous ship. Somewhat
muted by Carnival standards. It’s decor is of copper
and inlaid woods. If you are 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 way 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 old reputation for being a
bunch of party ships. They are The Fun Ships after
all. There is partying for sure if you want it but there
are dozens of places to read or sit quietly on the
Carnival Elation. Nothing is more peaceful than sitting
on a chair atop the teak deck on the Carnival Elation
looking out at the ocean passing slowly by. Whatever
your concept of fun is they offer it. Believe them when
they say Carnival’s got the fun.
A Carnival Elation Cruise
is the experience of a lifetime. With the soft powdery
beaches and duty free shopping, Caribbean cruises
continue to grow in popularity. In fact, the Caribbean
is one of the most popular cruise destinations of all
cruises worldwide.
To learn more please visit => http://www.cruise-travel-
review.com or post your own reviews in our forum at
=>http://www.cruise-travel-review.com/forums
By John Childs
The Elation is a ship built in 1998 for Carnival Cruise
Lines. It was the first ship to have the azipod
propulsion system. Everything you read about the
Elation will include a small blurb about the azipod
system. You may wonder what the heck that is so I’ll
tell you. It’s much like having font wheel drive on your
car. Instead of the energy source pushing the ship it
pulls it instead. This makes maneuvering the ship
much easier so you can be confident there won’t be
any listing or tipping over of the ship on your cruise.
Also it reduces those vibrations that cause motion
sickness in people like myself.
Enough about mechanics though because Carnival’s
got the fun don’t they? Yes sir, they do. The Carnival
Elation has three swimming pools. One with a 214 ft
water slide! This is where the music is and the pool
games. Expect it to be busy the first few days. My
favorite pool is the one at the back of the ship on
verandah deck because it takes new passengers
about 3 days to find it so for the first couple days of
your cruise it is uncrowded. The last pool is the kiddie
pool on promenade deck at the ship’s aft (back). This
pool is a bit like swimming in a toilet with all the babies
in their swim diapers-which are not allowed.
If gambling is your thing then head down to the
Casablanca casino. There are more than 200 slot
machines to choose from including several mega
cash machines that are linked with other Carnival
ships fleetwide. The biggest jackpot that I have seen
was over a million dollars won on the now defunct
Carnival Jubilee. I stick to the slots, I figure it’s the
quickest way to lose my alloted gambling cash then I
can get on with the rest of the cruise. If you are a
more sophisticated gambler than I there is also
roulette, black jack and Caribbean stud poker to play.
Free drinks on a cruise-impossible you say? Not so.
You can attend wine tastings or as we do go to check
out the art an hour before the famed art auction
where they pass out free wine and cheese. If you
have been on more than one cruise with the same
line you can attend the past guest party. Don’t
dismiss this 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 spiel where the cruiseline pats
themselves on the back for giving you a great
vacation. There is usually one evening where the
liquor is free for tasting in the shopping area.
If you are into healthier pursuits then you can head
up to the jogging track on the Elation’s Sun deck or to
the gym on the Sports deck. The Carnival Elation has
a half court basketball court for your enjoyment and
they do supply the basketball to play with. Elation has
a full service spa onboard. I confess I have never got
around to the spa but I know they do offer foot
massages for about $20 and everything up to a
couples massage for $220. It sounds steep but just
imagine how relaxing it would be to have a message
and after you don’t have to massage someone else!
For the kids there is Camp Carnival. Our son has
gone to Camp Carnival on many many cruises and
loves it everytime. The children are divided by age
groups and have activities planned for those ages. I
recommend that your child goes to the first night
where you can sign them up for the camp. There are
introduced to each other and socialize a little. It doesn’
t mean they ever have to go again and there is no
extra charge although we usually tip the staff because
they can make of break your kid’s cruise experience.
Our son went to an activity called swimming under the
stars where the pool was off limits at night except to
kids in the program and so they had the pool and
slide to themselves. You just drop your kid off for
whatever activities they would enjoy. For small
children you will be supplied with a pager so the staff
can contact you in case your child wants to leave.
Their activities take place inside Children’s World
which is an area of 2500 sq ft filled with computers
and toys and games. Activities for older children take
place in different areas on the ship-for example pizza
making takes place in Tiffany’s. On the last night
there will be a farewell party for the kids. Get there on
time or you may not get in. All the children receive a
parting gift at this party ie a backpack or CD case.
As for my favorite part, the art of gastronomy there
are a myriad of choices. The two formal dining rooms
on Carnival Elation are the Inspiration and the
Imagination named after sister ships in the fleet. You
will be assigned one of these with a specific dining
time. I always check the menu early in the day so I
can decide if I want to show up at my appointed time
or eat elsewhere at my leisure. The other places to
eat aboard the Elation are Tiffany’s which is the buffet
restaurant that changes the menu everyday and is
different for lunch than dinner or the snack bar on
Lido deck where fries and burgers are available for
lunch. Tiffany’s lunch menu’s are called taste of
nations where one day may be Mexican food with
salsa and chips and another may be American BBQ
where fried chicken and potato salad are offered.
There was also Indian and Italian that I can recall. At
the far back on the right hand side of Tiffany’s you will
find Carnival’s famous pizza being made fresh all the
time. You can order a whole pizza and choose you
toppings of get a slice fresh from the oven. At the
same location deli sandwiches are made. This is a
wonderful spot to eat early on in the voyage as your
fellow passengers won’t know about this yet therefore
there will be no lining up for you.
Sushi is served on promenade deck every evening.
There was no raw fish (Sashimi) the week we sailed
but many varieties of fresh made before your eyes
sushi to select from. Of course Wasabi and pickled
ginger and soy sauce were all available as well. There
is also never a sushi line I presume because no one
seems to realize that this also is included in your
cruise fare. Needless to say we went there every
single evening. Tortillas chips and salsa were served
on Promenade deck on Mexican day in the evening
while a mariachi band played for us.
Room service, room service how do I love thee, let me
count the ways. Room service is free but a tip is in
order. Pretzels or chips can come with any sandwich-
a tasty midnight snack. Room service was always
speedy and correct. You can also order cookies,
"crudites", fruit and salad. At your service 24 hours a
day.
If you need to keep in touch the Internet cafe offers
internet usage at 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 cafe
but not in your cabin on the Elation. You pay for
usage whether you use theirs or your though. Not
sure if that makes it worth lugging it around.
Speaking of cabins, we had an ocean view cabin
category 6C. We had three people on the cabin and
we fit comfortably. This ship has only 26 demi suites
(category11) and 28 suites (category12). It really
doesn’t matter to me which deck as there are
elevators to take you up and down.
Virtual World video game arcade is right beside the
Mikado lounge-a perfect spot to let your teen hang
out while you catch one of the Las Vegas style shows
in the lounge. There are the usual driving games and
shooting games. The video games take tokens that
are bought right inside the arcade. You can use your
sign and sail card to buy tokens. At some point during
your 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.
The Mikado lounge is where all the shows take palce.
There was a comedy show, a magician, a hypnotist,
dancing show girls-rated G. There are musical shows
too. The week I sailed there was a special guest
announced at he end of one musical show. After
much preamble Mr Stevie Wonder was brought onto
the stage. People went running from the lounge
theater to get their friends and family to see Stevie
Wonder. There was screaming that I thought only the
Beatles could elicit. Being a pale face from Canada I’
m not too clear on the likeness of Mr Wonder but I
was pondering which cabin would Stevie Wonder stay
in On the Carnival Elation. Don’t get me wrong the
Carnival Elation is a nice ship but someone of this
caliber on my ship , how could it be? The lights
dimmed, I could hardly see. As I stepped forward to
get a better look at our famous shipmate I fell down
the stairs. I tumbled head over heals down several
flights. Not one person turned or helped me up so
enthralled were they to catch a glimpse of this
celebrity. In the end “Stevie” took his wig off so that it
may be revealed that it was only a celebrity
impersonator. Everyone groaned that they knew it all
along and they were never fooled. The next day I
looked like I had a run in with the UFC star Tito Ortiz.
The Mark Twain library is a bit of a misnomer. There
doesn’t seem to be a convenient way to get at any
books so bring your own. It is beautiful and usually
quiet.
Romeo and Juliet lounge is an elegantly styled room
which was used for private parties some nights and
for karaoke on others. Salsa dancing was a popular
evening activity here.
The Cole Porter lounge has folk and country music
playing and dancing. I only passed by here on my way
to the ocean facing massaging chairs. Duke’s is the
piano bar named after the talented Duke Ellington. It
is a jazz club with a striking entrance modelled on the
Triumphal Arch from 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 disco is the place to party.
Monitors show your fellow cruise mates dancing to the
scintillating beat. The giant Jekyll and Hyde heads
move to the music too-a bit creepy but cool after you’
ve had a couple drinks.
The Carnival Elation is a gorgeous ship. Somewhat
muted by Carnival standards. It’s decor is of copper
and inlaid woods. If you are 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 way 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 old reputation for being a
bunch of party ships. They are The Fun Ships after
all. There is partying for sure if you want it but there
are dozens of places to read or sit quietly on the
Carnival Elation. Nothing is more peaceful than sitting
on a chair atop the teak deck on the Carnival Elation
looking out at the ocean passing slowly by. Whatever
your concept of fun is they offer it. Believe them when
they say Carnival’s got the fun.
A Carnival Elation Cruise
is the experience of a lifetime. With the soft powdery
beaches and duty free shopping, Caribbean cruises
continue to grow in popularity. In fact, the Caribbean
is one of the most popular cruise destinations of all
cruises worldwide.
To learn more please visit => http://www.cruise-travel-
review.com or post your own reviews in our forum at
=>http://www.cruise-travel-review.com/forums