I'm sad our cruise is over and we had lots of fun!!  We had some minor problems and could have had a bad cruise if we had let it bother us.  It is important to remember that only you can determine how much fun you have on your cruise.  I crusied with my dh and our kids - son 15 & daughter 10.

We traveled to San Diego on Sunday before boarding on Monday.  Sunday morning when I woke up, I think I had a sinus infection. (I've had a bad cold for the previous week)  I was in lots of pain and couldn't go to a dr since it was a Sunday.  Did research to try to find out about the infirmary to see how costly it would be if I waited until on the ship.  (Found out anyway because daughter came down with a painful ear infection on our last day out to sea).  Decided to take over the counter medicine and watch it day by day.  I ended up feeling better on Monday but was taking medicine during most of our cruise.

We had the late seating for dinner.  We had a table for four but it was located at the very back corner right next to the kitchen entrance.  This was our 3rd cruise with Carnival and never had a bad seating for dinner.  We felt we had gotten in trouble and were placed in the corner.  We were sailing with a full ship and figured someone had to sit there but we didn't want it to be us.   We decided not asking to be switched since we had a GREAT waiter and he made the location great.  FOOD was great and we didn't think about the location when we were having fun!

For our two ports we had planned on not taking any excursions and do our own thing.  In Cabo that was a mistake.  Our cruise director had stressed to make sure you have a plan when getting off the ship.  We got off in Cabo it was 93 degrees and HOT!!.  We had wanted to go to Medano beach but decided to walk around first.  MISTAKE...it was way to hot to walk around.  We did go into Cabo Wabo for a drink which was great and it was air conditioned.  We then were trying to get to Medano beach but ended up a timeshare presentation at another beach.  Now as horrible as that sounds it was actually pretty cool.  This place had 5 pools and the kids were able to enjoy them while we looked around the property.  They then gave us a $100 for food and drinks at the property.  So in reality we got to eat and drink on them while enjoying the great pools without costing us a penny.  They had really good food and no we did not purchase the timeshare. 

For Ensenda we decided to go on the blowhole excursion because we didn't want a repeat of Cabo.  We booked the day before and that night my daughter came down with a bad ear infection.  The morning we docked in Ensenada, I was in the infirmary with my daughter for her ear pain.  It cost us $169 for consultation and medicine from the infirmary.  We didn't have time to eat since our excursion started at 10am and we hadn't gone down to the infirmary until 8:30.  We made it to our bus tour excursion just in time but then my daughter got sick from the antibiotics right as we got there.  She felt much better after someone gave her a motion sickness bracelet that applied pressure to her wrist.  Not sure if it was the bracelet but she felt much better once we started walking around.

Even though we had some minor problems, overall we had A LOT OF FUN!!  We made the most of what was happening and made sure we were always laughing through everything and still having a good time.  Yes you can dwell on the negatives or you can make sure you are having fun.  Just remember you are in control of your attitude and what kind of cruise you will have.  Remember it is a ship with lots of people on it.  You will need patience at times but also remember to have fun while waiting.

It is vacation and the most important thing is to have FUN!  Don't wait for somebody else to create the fun...it all starts with your group.

Sorry this post is long but I just wanted to show how we turned negative things into postives.  Our problems were mostly due to us and not Carnival.  Yes we will go on another Carnival Cruise and we would like to take this one again.

Have fun, enjoy and remember it is your VACATION.. HAVE FUN and make the most of whatever happens!

canette:

Even though we had some minor problems, overall we had A LOT OF FUN!!  We made the most of what was happening and made sure we were always laughing through everything and still having a good time.  Yes you can dwell on the negatives or you can make sure you are having fun.  Just remember you are in control of your attitude and what kind of cruise you will have.

Very well stated....Glad to hear you had a good time and made the best of your mishaps.

Glad you still enjoyed your cruise, even through the minor setbacks.  We also had some minor problems(all our doing, not the cruise).  I had major surgery 2 months before our cruise. 

It started at our departure airport.  The porter lost hold of my suitcase.  The handle hit my finger and pulled some skin(it bled a little too, ouch).  He was very apologetic and offered me a band-aid.  I tried reaching for the bag quickly, and tried to get my DH's attention to lift it but he didn't notice(didn't want to tie up the long lines).  So I went ahead and picked up my 39 lb suitcase.  Oops, pulled an internal stitch which caused a small external hole to form.  2nd ouch of the day and we haven't even boarded the plane yet.  Later that night on the ship, I noticed I had 2 blisters(1 blister on each foot between the big toe and second toe).  I wore brand new sandals that weren't broken in yet.  3rd ouch of the day.  I'm just beating myself up.  The next morning, my DH walked over the bed to open the curtains and tripped on the bed frame when getting off the bed.  I thought he broke his baby toe.  It swelled up very quickly and immediately turned purple & black.  He could still move it, so it wasn't broken.  Even now, almost 2 months later his baby toe nail is black.  Only a matter of time before he loses the nail.

So yes, we hurt ourselves.  But we still managed to have a fantastic time, enjoyed ourselves and didn't let our injuries ruin our trip.  We just moved a little slower than usual.  But that's ok, you're on vacation and supposed to take it easy, right?!  We're ready to go on another cruise, and this time......I won't have major surgery right before!!  lol

 thanks it is our first cruise in Oct. we got at balcony room. Hubby and I 25th anniversary. should we book online here b4 the cruise or when we dock have one of those bus or taxi take you around?

Did you like the late dinner better then the early? did you do the dinning every night or a buffet one of the night.

Thanks Bonnie 

We had the early seating, but really it's your preference.  There's always an abundance of food available at anytime.  We like eating early, so that's what we chose.  We did eat every night in the dining room, but had all our lunches on the Lido Deck.  We ate breakfast once in the dining room.  Again as far as excursion, we booked online ahead, but I'm a planner, so that was more comfortable for me.  We did the Bandidos Ranch Horseback Riding in Ensenada and had a great time.  Rita the lady who owns the Ranch was great and there was drinks and tacos after.  We came back to the ship ate a little more lunch and headed out to shop. Shopping in Ensenada is within walking distance, and we had plenty of time.  In Cabo we went on a Snorkeling Tour, the Sail & Snorkel Fiesta.  It was a shorter excursion and I would have liked more time to snorkel, but still had a great time.  Again we were able to go back to the ship, have lunch and go out shopping.  Like the PP said, Cabo was hot, but we managed and got all of our souvenior shopping done.

You're going to have a great time.  The staff on the ship is awesome!

Hello,

Do you remember if the Elation had any prune juice for breakfast?

I don't recall.  If not, you might be able to get it if you do room service.  To be honest, my husband would get our drinks while I fetched a table.  But I don't recall seeing anyone with a dark juice in their glass. 

I went on this same cruise and it was a lot of fun. I too had sinus problems before my cruise but they seemed to go away when I was out at sea breathing clean air. Anyway, I thought so because I felt much better after we we out at sea a couple of days, away from pollen and pollution.  Also they didn't have prune juice but they did have stewed prunes.