Humphrey Blog: 4 Day Cruise - Nov 30th to Dec. 4th (Part 1)

San Diego, CA

We arrived in San Diego around 11 am on the day of our departure, Nov 30th. We did not have to be to the ships terminal till around 2 pm. If you arrive around 1 pm then you get to stand in line and wait as there are a lot of people like to get on board early(Might miss the food,that they never to seem to run out of!). If you come around 2 pm you usually miss the crowd and processing goes a lot quicker. So as we had the rental car we just drove around sightseeing and one of our finds was at this unique place. Bazaar Del Mundo - pic below. The shops were of the crafty type and we enjoyed the walk through. After spending some time there, we drove back to the car rental place.... Avis Car Rental on Kettner Blvd & turned the car in. The car agency then took us to the ships dock and we started the process of getting on board. They checked our "Funpass" and our I.D., from there we walked through a metal detector and they scanned our luggage. From there we proceeded to the check-in counter. This process was very quick, because all the required information that was needed, we had previously entered this via the computer at home. So all in all the process from the time we entered the terminal till we were walking to board the ship was about 20 minutes. They issue you a "Sail & Sign" card when processed. At the entrance to the ship you are stopped and photographed. This allows them to match the Sail & Sign card whenever you leave the ship at the different ports of call via a check point when your card is checked. They then know that you have disembarked at the port of call & when you re-embark they then know you are back on board ship. On a couple of the last cruises, we have had several passengers not make it and reboard before we sail. You know this because there is an announcement shortly after sailing that would so & so please report to the information centre. After we found our rooms and deposited our luggage we proceeded to head to the Lido deck, as this is were we could sit & relax, also have something to eat. This is a cafeteria style, and there are several stations one can select food from. They had one station that was just salads, one station that served hot food, another station that served pizza, and one was sandwiches. So one had a lot of choices.

Bazaar Del Mundo & rental car, a Ford Edge

The ship we cruised on. Carnival Elation 855 feet long and 203 feet tall from the top of the stack to the keel of the boat. Passengers .. 2628, Crew .. 920

Pitch & Putt golf, plus running/walk track on level 12

Midship there is a bar and piano entertainment

Swimming pool & the Carnival stack identifying symbol

We are at Catalina Island. Our first stop after a day & a half getting there from San Diego. Distance 78 miles. How come so long to get there, you ask? Well we cruise real slow... 1.8 knots to 2.5 knots. Plus at night we are just sitting & stopped. We were told also that we do a couple of figure 8's just to put in time & so people know we are moving. As there is no dock large enough to accommodate the ship we are tendered into port. A firm that they have contracted with comes out & ferry's you back & forth from ship to shore. The boat that takes you back & forth can carry approximately 30 people at a time. Several boats are always moving back & forth. About a 10 minute ride.