Elation Birthday Cruise December 15-20, 2012 Picture Journal and Review

[athenasbyshanna]

I had to bring my drink to the judges

"Is there Tequila in this??? I don't do Tequila. . Blech!" Why are you judging a drink competition if you can't handle your liquor??????

The guy judges loved my "Birthday Margarita"! The DJ said "the more alcohol the better!"

Making their decisions

Waiting patiently

 

[athenasbyshanna]

Waiting, waiting. . .

Who won??

You guessed it - Fru Fru Pina Colada drink boy!

It's ok, I got to keep my drink - More Tequila!! and I got a shirt and one free drink coupon. Silly Middle judge. We don't like her!

[athenasbyshanna]

After that was the Hairy Chest contest. I stayed and drank my 2 margaritas while Lauren and Dawna went to take pics

Blowfish

HappyBirthday times

[wrigley80]

Nice Review....I cruised on the Elation in 2010 and we had a blast. So how did you do in the Master Mixology contest??

[athenasbyshanna]

At the liquor tasting the night before we had guessed which Tanzanite ring was real and they were doing the drawing for the winner, so we decided to go for the free Champagne! (Champagne, Tequila, tequila, champagne) I was feeling pretty good by now! I could also really feel the boat moving this day. . . Boat movement plus champagne and tequila made birthday girl a little woozy!

We say Willie Lee, the Cruise director and talked to him for a while. Found out he is a very new CD. We thought he was great! Wished me Happy Birthday, took a pic with us and told me to find him later and he's buy me a drink!

Went to check out the Battle of the Sexes but they were having it out by the drama bar and there were too many people so away at the back, we couldn't even hear what was going on. It would have been more fun in Mikado or Cole Porter where we could all split up by gender and spread out but still see and hear what was going on!

When I came back from the buffet on Lido after my drink contes, I swore I saw a girl from home and talked to her, but she looked at me like I was crazy, so I figured I was just drunk! Well, she came up to me on the way to Battle of the sexes and I confirmed it WAS her! Small world! We saw her and her family a lot throughout the rest of the cruise!

 

So, I was still feeling the boat move and feeling the Tequila and it was elegant night, so we decided to head back to the room to chill and get ready. I think Matt and I argued over nothing cause I was cranky after not feeling well. This was the only time the movement of the boat bothered me and I have a feeling the Birthday Margarita had something to do with that!

 

So we made up and Matt decided he wanted to be the birthday girl!

I was trying to make it to the Captain's reception but no one was moving at the same speed as anyone else! You wouldn't think it would be so hard to coral 6 people at the same time. Now I know why there are Solo Cruisers!! Don't have to wait on anyone and you can do whatever you want whenever you want!

 

We did catch the captain right before the show "Just Rock"

[athenasbyshanna]

We got to Mikado lounge about 30 minutes before the show and it was EMPTY! I had to ask someone to make sure we had gotten the time right cause we got horrible seats for the Welcome Aboard show and were ecstatic to be able to get front row seats if we wanted for this one. We opted for 3rd row to minimize the cricks in our necks! We took some pictures in our Elegant attire - I was so happy to get Matt dressed up!!

One without the birthday crown!

We couldn't take pictures of the actual show, but I did get Willie and the Captain onstage

 

Let me just say that "Just Rock" was AWESOME! Even the boys enjoyed it! I kept looking over and seeing Alex clapping his hands, tapping his foot, etc. One of the dancers, Dani stood out from all the rest. She was super boisterous and over the top great!

[athenasbyshanna]

Oh, I forgot! Matt and I were going to get Sushi before the show, but it wasn't open :( So, we went to Tiffany's in our Elegant wear to get a snack. They had the prime rib on the buffet so we tried one piece between the 2 of us knowing we were getting it in the dining room later. The prime rib on the buffet was better than what I got in the dining room!! My dining room prime rib wasn't bad, just not as good as that first bite snack. . .

Kenneth

Food porn coming up!!!

Stuffed Mushrooms - Matt loved them. I don't like mushrooms, but usually like the sauce and stuffing in dishes like this at other restaurants, but didn't like this much at all.

Alligator Fritters - Again Matt loved these but I was not impressed. They tasted like seafood hushpuppies to me. Too much breading

But I did love the chips and fried onions that came with them!

Turkey Pasta - Alex loved this

[athenasbyshanna]

Dawna's farmers salad - basically a Greek salad

Cold Strawberry Bisque - Interesting. . . .

Classic Margarita

Cruiser - the only time anyone in our group got it in this glass. It always came in a short wine glass otherwise

My Prime Rib

Lobster and shrimp

[athenasbyshanna]

Savannah's pasta, same as Alex's maybe

Matt's meat always looked better than mine! :D

The ribs looked good, but Alex and Lauren didn't really like them. she said they were very fatty!

Kenneth noticed she did not eat much of them and even though she said don't worry about it, he went and got her prime rib!

Waiters singing to us!

[athenasbyshanna]

Kenneth was the lead singer! He was so good!

They also surprised me for my birthday this night. Ricardo brought us all dessert menus and then took mine away and said "Oh wait, that's the wrong one!" I got sad cause I had seen Bitter and Blanc on it and I really wanted to try that!!

Next thing I know, Kenneth comes up behind me with a Warm Chocolate Melting Cake and they start singing to me!

I was surprised! I blew out my candles and made a wish! I can't tell you what it was (I don't remember! Tequila, remember!)! :rolleyes:

I still had to get my Bitter and Blanc! It was soooo good! But I was soooo Full!!!

[athenasbyshanna]

Lauren and I thought the door to the kitchen for the crew was cool so we stopped to take a picture!

We must have called it a night soon after dinner cause these are the only pictures I have left from the day:

Weird Towel Animal

And a birthday card from Carnival!

 

[athenasbyshanna]

Oh and Me on TV!!!

 

Pretty sure we headed to bed early-ish since we wanted to be up early for Progreso the next day!! I was so tired I forgot to charge my camera! This would make for a sad Progreso! Thank goodness Lauren had hers all juiced up!

[athenasbyshanna]

Nice Review....I cruised on the Elation in 2010 and we had a blast. So how did you do in the Master Mixology contest??

 

I guess you didn't read that far yet. I didn't win :( cause the girl judge was being a "girl" and said she couldn't handle Tequila!!!! Ugh!

[athenasbyshanna]

More Elegant Night pics

Don't know what night this was, but this is our Shot Waiter Hua Yo Wang! He loved us and popped up all over the ship. We were at the Comedy show and he came by and said "Shanna!! Happy Birthday!!" It took me a minute to figure out who he was! LOL. He had us doing BJ shots for my birthday almost every night at dinner!

One of the 4 pics of a ton we took that I actually bought

Edited December 31, 2012 by athenasbyshanna

[athenasbyshanna]

Oh! I had a Tirimisu Martini at the show this night and it was sooo delicious!! 6 or 7 liquors I think!

[dahlin43]

I'm having fun reading your review! I can't wait to see the different ports. I go on the Pride in 77 days. Here's hoping my fiancee loves it because I want to cruise for our Honeymoon. :D

[athenasbyshanna]

Ok, I am going to try and get a little more done. Matt's in bed since he has to be at work at 4AM! Eek! I did take some medicine so I may not last long, but who knows. . .

 

December 17th - Progreso! The plan was to ride the double decker bus, find Flamingo Tours for a cheaper shorter ruins tour and do some sightseeing and shopping. Didn't quite happen as planned!

 

I think this day Matt and I ate at Tiffany's and got omelettes made -yum! Lauren and Alex got room service and got ready in the room. All I did to get ready was throw on a bathing suit and coverup dress, wash my face and throw my hair up on my head!

Breakfast

My omelette guy

Got off the ship! Our room is up there somewhere

Alex and Matt

[jamona2311]

Still with ya n loving your review. Best elation review ive seen n trust me I'm an infomaniac when it come to searching my cruises;):D:p lol

[athenasbyshanna]

Ok, so there were these guys outside the ship with baby tigers and a monkey. You could take the animals pictures, but you had to pay to take a picture WITH the animals. I did pet the cats and watch the monkey for a few minutes but didn't want to pay for a picture. One the way back to the ship, however, the cats were so sleepy, they were just layin gthere asleep barely moving so I got to pet them a lot. I felt sorta bad for them being out in the heat all day but they did have food and water from what I could tell. So, the guy hands me the monkey!! I LOVE monkeys! He crawled on my shoulder and hands and grabbed my BOOB!!! Soo cute. Sad, we didn't get a picture but such a fun experience!

Ok, back to the day in Progreso. We rode the free auto progresso shuttles down the longest pier in the world into town, losing Dawna and Savannah in the process. Let me find Lauren's pictures cause I don't think I took any of this. .

All of us getting off the boat, taking obligatory pictures

This was Savannah and I walking from the boat

Shopping and bar area on the pier right after you get off the ship

[athenasbyshanna]

So we took the shuttle into town and took the double decker bus. FYI it is $5 a person now, not $3. Some pictures:

Our guide was awesome. He was so funny and witty!

We really did have to duck from some of the low lying power lines!

[athenasbyshanna]

We went by the central park in town and a big church and some other sights

[athenasbyshanna]

We stopped at a couple restaurants where the owner gave us a spiel about how theirs was the cleanest and cheapest and best in town! I love that toilet seats was a big selling point! Haha!

And then my camera died! I was soo sad! I must have been too Birthday happy the night before to remember to plug it in to charge!! Thanks so much to Lauren for taking great pictures all day!!

Sorry if these are jumbled and in no particular order again!

[athenasbyshanna]

More Progreso double Decker bus pics

The Wedding Cake House - Lauren and I are going in to buy or rent this one one day!!

[athenasbyshanna]

This was one of the next buses and it had way more people on it! I'm glad we did this tour first thing!

We walked around Progreso a' little trying to figure out what we were going to do the rest of the day. We really wanted to see some Mayan ruins since we were here so close to the end of the Mayan Calendar! We never did find Flamingo tours until after we booked a tour with Auto Progreso. We booked the Ruins and all inclusive beach break which gave us time to shop a little , let us see the ruins and gave us lunch and drinks.

Matt and Alex bought "Cuban" cigars. Who knows if they were real. . .

In the Progreso Flea Market

There were some awesome street vendors with food and fruit and such but I can't find Lauren's pictures.

Mario Lopez (That's his real name, hehe) was our Auto Progreso guide!

Our driver - I forgot his name. . .

[athenasbyshanna]

But he sure did know how to make that bus move!! Ok, so this is probably not in MPH

First we dropped off the ones who just wanted to drink and eat at the resort, then off to the Ruins! Xcambo, I think. . . .

We stopped to see the Salt Flats - awesome

And Flamingos!!

Did you know they are pink because they eat shrimp? I did! In zoos, they put artificial coloring in their food cause they can't afford to feed them shrimp all the time but still want them to be pink! And the shrimp they eat is too small for human consumption. I didn't know that one (Thanks, Mario Lopez!)

On our way

 

Edited December 31, 2012 by athenasbyshanna