First of all, thanks to everyone who helped out last year. We had a great time, thanks in no small part to the input of my fellow Dopers.
This year, a different cruise line, a different destination.
Carnival Elation, late September, 5 days, Cabo and Ensenada. We went to Ensenada last year, and it was just OK, nothing special.
So, who’s cruised on Carnival? This year we have 2 entire days without making port; do they have lots of activities that don’t involve extra money? How about Cabo? What’s to do there? Easy to get around? Expensive? (Sensing a theme here?)
Last year, we went Royal Caribbean. How does Carnival compare, food-and-activity-wise?
Those, plus any other wisdom and advice you can impart would be greatly appreciated.
I’m going to piggy back your thread since I too am cruising Carnival, out of Miami. And I am going on Saturday, so if you don’t mind I’ll add: need answers FAST!
Been there, done that. I tend to think that the people on cruisecritic “don’t know nuthin’” neither. I’m more interested in opinions from my fellow Dopers–people I respect and who know the basics of good grammar and spelling.
My travel agent says, and my personal experience on both lines indicates, that Carnival tends to be a younger, more party-hearty experience than Royal Caribbean. YSMV.
My completely uninformed & ignorant opinion is that Cabo was created to give American tourists a place to jet-ski and parasail. This opinion was formed while on our cruise ship last year…we decided not to get off the boat, and booked some spa time instead while everybody else was onshore hitting all the Sammy Hagar’s and Senor Frog type places.