Carnival Elation Remodeled (2018) Not Spectacular But Still Pretty Good.
I think the Carnival Elation is ranked where most people rank it (low end but still a pretty good time). You don't meet many people who hated their cruise wherever they have been. I think all the rumors that Carnival is good but not great would be accurate. Unfortunately for them the bar was set pretty high for this trip as the previous cruise was on the Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas (one of the best boats I have been on).
Food: The food was pretty good but not great. The "Guys Burgers" was amazing on the first day. The meat, condiments, and break were just perfect. Then after the first day the buns were stale and that ruined it for me. I usually steer clear of the buffet unless we are running out of time, but on the day or two I did eat there I was not disappointed. I was very surprised that one two occasions they served roasted lamb (one of my favorites) and it was cooked really well. The dining meals (breakfast and dinner) were pretty good but not great. The one breakfast I had was a bit slow but hey you're on vacation.
Boat: The boat was okay. It newly renovated and I was pleased with the room. I think the layout of the boat could have been done a little differently. Sometimes I felt like you were forced to go through the smoky casino just to get to where you were going. Sometimes it felt like you had to go down or up just to get to the dining hall. My biggest gripe with the boat was the lack of entertainment. For me the boat is often the entertainment and I could care less about the worthless stops (think Freeport in the Bahamas). This boat does not have a lot to do in the way of entertainment. They have an adult pool, two hot tubs, the kids slides, the casino, some shows, two ping pong tables (with plastic balls), boccie ball, and put put. To me this is the first time on a boat that I actually was getting bored. The shows were pretty good as well just not top notch.
Service: The service was pretty good but then again I don't think I have ever had poor service on a boat. As usual the international staff fall all over themselves to try to please you and you love them to death by the end of the cruise.
If you are on a budget or aren't too concerned with the entertainment on the boat then this might be for you.