Eastern Experience from Singapore
Date: 5 Feb 2025
Duration: 15 nights
Ship: Marella Discovery 2
Line: Marella Cruises
Date Sailed | April 2008 |
Cruise Line | Carnival |
Ship Name | Carnival Elation |
Destination | South & Central America |
I booked this short cruise as an add on to a west coast trip to the USA. Elation is one of the original, nine ship 'Fantasy' class vessels that they company now mostly employs on shorter, three to five day long cruises from both coasts of the USA.
To be clear: Carnival Elations lacks the bells and whistles of the newer ships. At 70,000 tons and carrying around 2,500 passengers, she's a bright, breezy, slightly brash way to enjoy an extended weekend run down to Mexico and back. There are no shortage of bars and lounges to play in, most of them centred along one vast, interior boulevard. They offer up cocktails with calypso, mint juleps with jazz, and margaritas to go with the Macarena. Quite literally, Elation offers something for every taste.
Up top, a large, upper deck pool and hot tub are flanked by hundreds of sun loungers. There are a pair of bars here, as well as the entrance to the Lido Buffet. It's the focus of life on sea days, and it soon gets quite loud and busy. But then, that's a recurring theme on most large mega ships these days.
In the evenings, restaurant waiters danced on special podiums in the dining rooms, gyrating to 'Hot, Hot, Hot' as we dined on lobster and crème brulee. It was as much about theatre as tucking into good food that revolved mainly around down home American favourites. Quite literally, you could eat as much as you want. I saw one woman put away three desserts; nobody even batted an eyelid.
Carnival Elation has some really swish penthouse suites, carved into both sides of the hull. They have huge, covered terraces, and I should imagine they are wonderful.
In the main, the ship offered a range of outside and inside cabins that were, essentially, the same except for the window. They were surprisingly large, with really good bedding and a bathroom with a good shower. And plenty of wardrobe space, too, though the dress code on board is essentially smart casual.
Dining and Food | 7.5 / 10 |
Spa and Gym | 8 / 10 |
Entertainment | 8 / 10 |
Childrens Facilities | 8 / 10 |
Accomodation | 7 / 10 |
Shore Excursions | 6 / 10 |
Service | 8 / 10 |
Luxury | 7 / 10 |
Value For Money | 8.5 / 10 |
Drinks Packages | N/A / 10 |
Date: 5 Feb 2025
Duration: 15 nights
Ship: Marella Discovery 2
Line: Marella Cruises
£2,822 OUTSIDE
£3,434 BALCONY
Date: 10 Oct 2025
Duration: 25 nights
Ship: Oosterdam
Line: Holland America Line
£3,479 OUTSIDE
£4,599 BALCONY
Date: 22 Sep 2024
Duration: 21 nights
Ship: Queen Mary 2
Line: Cunard Cruise Line
£3,316 OUTSIDE
£3,364 BALCONY
Date: 30 Aug 2025
Duration: 9 nights
Ship: Celebrity Ascent
Line: Celebrity Cruises
£1,918 OUTSIDE
£2,184 BALCONY
Date: 3 Apr 2024
Duration: 18 nights
Ship: Marina
Line: Oceania Cruises
£4,299 OUTSIDE
£4,799 BALCONY
Date: 9 Mar 2024
Duration: 7 nights
Ship: Norwegian Escape
Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
£1,015 OUTSIDE
£1,138 BALCONY
Date: 20 Feb 2025
Duration: 15 nights
Ship: Marella Voyager
Line: Marella Cruises
£2,526 OUTSIDE
£3,062 BALCONY
Date: 29 Jan 2025
Duration: 15 nights
Ship: Marella Discovery 2
Line: Marella Cruises
£2,772 OUTSIDE
£3,562 BALCONY
Date: 9 Feb 2024
Duration: 18 nights
Ship: Spectrum of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean
£2,799 OUTSIDE
£2,879 BALCONY
Date: 19 Mar 2026
Duration: 17 nights
Ship: Norwegian Sun
Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
£3,699 OUTSIDE
£4,749 BALCONY
Date: 30 May 2024
Duration: 9 nights
Ship: Infinity
Line: Celebrity Cruises
£1,849 OUTSIDE
£2,349 BALCONY
Date: 8 Aug 2025
Duration: 34 nights
Ship: Nautica
Line: Oceania Cruises
£8,704 OUTSIDE
£12,396 BALCONY
Date: 14 Sep 2025
Duration: 7 nights
Ship: Westerdam
Line: Holland America Line
£1,313 OUTSIDE
£1,642 BALCONY
Date: 16 Sep 2024
Duration: 28 nights
Ship: Queen Victoria
Line: Cunard Cruise Line
£3,345 OUTSIDE
£3,733 BALCONY
Date: 10 Jun 2025
Duration: 14 nights
Ship: Marella Discovery
Line: Marella Cruises
£2,444 OUTSIDE
£3,049 BALCONY
Date: 1 Aug 2024
Duration: 9 nights
Ship: Carnival Radiance
Line: Carnival Cruise Line
£2,399 OUTSIDE
£2,579 BALCONY
Date: 4 Oct 2025
Duration: 7 nights
Ship: Independence of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean
£855 OUTSIDE
£1,052 BALCONY
Date: 11 Aug 2024
Duration: 20 nights
Ship: Seabourn Ovation
Line: Seabourn
Date: 1 Jul 2024
Duration: 10 nights
Ship: Marella Discovery
Line: Marella Cruises
£1,804 OUTSIDE
£2,087 BALCONY
Date: 22 Nov 2024
Duration: 10 nights
Ship: Marella Explorer 2
Line: Marella Cruises
£1,325 OUTSIDE
£1,518 BALCONY