i just returned from the carnival elation (7/27-8/3). i did as much research as i could prior to the cruise since this would be my first. i learned a lot from various web sites and reviews, so i thought i'd share my opinion as well.
there were five of us, ranging from ages 24-31. we had two rooms, 3 in one, 2 in the other. we arrived in long beach at around 11am. there was about a 20 minute wait to check in. the lady at the check in was very friendly and well organized. my friend had been on carnival before, so she was invited to the return cruisers party. and since we were all in the same room, the check-in lady was kind enough to put all 3 of us on the list. we also found out we were upgraded to the main deck instead of our booked riviera room. we booked it as a "guaranteed" room, so i guess it saved us one flight of stairs. we then proceeded to get in line to board the ship. there were two lines, on in the sun, one in the shade. we chose the shade. ten minutes later, a carnival employee announced this line was for people who hadn't checked in yet, if you had, please step into the other line. so we wasted 10 minutes in the wrong line. clearly marked signs would have been helpful. the line started moving around 12pm, and it moved pretty quickly. we picked up our sign & sail card, saw that all five of us would be in the inspiration dining room, late seating and at the same table.
we were on the ship and eating at tiffany's in a matter of minutes. they were just setting up, but the selection was typical of any las vegas hotel buffet. i hit up the pizza bar, which we did frequently (often in the wee hours. ) we then walked around to familiarize ourselves with the layout of the ship. it took me a few days to feel comfortable with knowing how to get from point a to point b. but i've never been good at directions ?. later we hit up the casino, which was fairly decent sized. i'm used to the enormous las vegas casinos, so it seemed small in comparison, but it was about right for what i expected on a cruise ship. we played mostly craps all week, and there were a few nights where i did pretty well. of course, being the generous guy i am, i made sure to give nearly all my winnings back by week's end. also we caught the welcome aboard ship show where steve the cruise director introduced the elation orchestra and then the magician/comedian (who's name escapes me). i had read about the mikado lounge and how there are some obtrusive poles. i agree. unless your down front, the viewing can be pretty bad.