Carnival Cruise Line and JAXPORT have agreed to increase their collaboration, guaranteeing Carnival cruises will proceed to sail from Jacksonville, Florida, by 2026. The settlement consists of choices to resume by 2030.
A Continued Voyage out of Jacksonville
The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) and Carnival Cruise Line have formally introduced an extension of their partnership, guaranteeing Carnival Elation will proceed its year-round Bahamas cruises from Jacksonville’s North Jacksonville Cruise Terminal.
The brand new settlement extends the service for a further two years with the potential of 4 one-year extensions, protecting the cruise line in Jacksonville by no less than 2026 and probably till 2030.
Eric Inexperienced, CEO of JAXPORT, highlighted the importance of the extension, saying, “JAXPORT has a longstanding partnership with Carnival, and we’re grateful for his or her dedication to serving Jacksonville and offering much more causes for vacationers to go to our nice metropolis.”
The partnership’s extension consists of JAXPORT committing to additional terminal upgrades to enhance the passenger expertise. These enhancements embrace a brand new parking space, an upgraded VIP Lounge, and an improved boarding platform that permits passengers to board the ship on the Promenade degree.
Carnival’s cruise operations over the previous 20 years have seen greater than 3 million passengers embark from Jacksonville, considerably contributing to town’s tourism and native financial system.
Stated Inexperienced, “The continued development of our cruise program is one other means we create jobs and financial affect for our area and state.”
The cruise business’s financial contribution in Jacksonville helps practically 800 jobs and generates over $187 million in annual financial affect for Northeast Florida. The contribution is additional amplified by town’s standing as an increasing drive-to cruise market, with greater than 98 million customers located inside driving distance of the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal.
Jacksonville’s Carnival Elation
Carnival Elation presently provides 4 – and 5-night voyages to the Bahamas. These roundtrip cruises discover Nassau, Bimini Islands, and the unique retreat of Princess Cays, Carnival Cruise Traces’ non-public island.
With a capability to host 2,130 passengers at double occupancy, Carnival Elation is a mid-sized cruise ship boasting a gross tonnage of 71,909. Regardless of being the oldest vessel within the Carnival fleet, constructed in 1998, Elation receives dry dock renovations each three years.
Learn Additionally: All Carnival Cruise Ships By Age: Latest to Oldest
Eating choices onboard embrace two foremost eating rooms, complemented by informal eating on the buffet, BlueIguana Cantina, Man’s Burger Joint, Bonsai Sushi Specific, The Chef’s Desk VIP eating, Swirls ice cream, and the 24-hour choices at Pirate Pizzeria.
Theater and comedy reveals present nightly leisure, with an onboard water park, pool, mini golf course, and different out of doors actions rounding out the facilities.
Carnival Elation is presently the one massive cruise ship that calls Jacksonville its dwelling port, underscoring its significance to JAXPORT. Nonetheless, a latest settlement with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) will carry the cruise line to the realm for the primary time in November 2025 with the arrival of Norwegian Gem.
Norwegian Gem will even sail to the Bahamas and the Jap Caribbean on 11- and 12-day roundtrip cruises between November and April 2025 by 2028 in an settlement to function out of Jacksonville for 3 years.
Jacksonville’s cruise sector shall be additional enhanced by upcoming visits from Crystal Cruises throughout Crystal Serenity’s “Americas & Caribbean” cruise crusing between Quebec and Bridgetown, Barbados, in November 2024, and German cruise line Phoenix Risen’s Amera, which is able to name in 2025 throughout its “Nice Winter Journey to America” from Bremerhaven.
