At greater than 25 years previous, Carnival Elation is admittedly one of many older cruise ships you possibly can decide for an upcoming trip. The Fantasy-class ship has lived an extended life, delivering traditional Carnival enjoyable to households, and it’s nonetheless going to today.
Along with being on the older aspect, the ship can be on the smaller aspect — at the least compared to most fashionable cruise ships.
All that mentioned, don’t assume that older and smaller at all times equals much less fascinating. Carnival has stored this ship up, with common refurbishments and dry docks, with the newest occurring in 2023, and the following scheduled for 2026.
Intrigued? Right here’s the whole lot it is advisable know earlier than you’re taking a Carnival Elation cruise.
Carnival Elation Stats
As talked about, Carnival Elation is on the small aspect. Simply because it’s small, although, it’s not cramped, and also you’ll discover you’ve got loads of room to unfold out amongst your fellow passengers. The ship measures in at:
- Gross Tonnage: 71,909 GT
- Size: 855 ft
- Passenger Decks: 11
- Staterooms: 1,095
- Passenger capability at double occupancy: 2,190
- Passenger capability at full occupancy: 2,697
- Crew: 900
As the most recent, most fashionable cruise ship throughout the Fantasy class (different Fantasy-class ships, each retired and presently crusing, embody Carnival Paradise, Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Creativeness and Carnival Inspiration), Carnival Elation can be one of many largest, solely outranked by Carnival Paradise, and solely by a minimal quantity.
Building
Carnival Elation was constructed at Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland, and first launched in January of 1998, with a maiden voyage following in March of that yr, after being christened by Carnival Cruise Strains heiress Shari Arison.
Equally to how Carnival Elation’s Fantasy-class sister ships made headlines with some “firsts,” (most notably, Carnival Paradise was the primary non-smoking cruise ship in the whole world when it debuted), Carnival Elation was the primary cruise ship to be outfitted with an Azipod propulsion system.
Whereas that will not imply a lot to the common cruise-goer, it mainly signifies that Carnival Elation had an general higher maneuverability when it got here to steering, giving company a smoother trip, when in comparison with different ships in Carnival’s Fantasy class.
Carnival Elation is similar age as Carnival Paradise, which was additionally launched in January of 1998. The 2 sister ships are the one Fantasy-class ships nonetheless in operation. The older Fantasy-class ships, the primary of which entered service in 1990, with Carnival Fantasy within the lead, have all been retired, with most getting into retirement in 2020 or 2022. All retired Fantasy-class ships have been bought for scrap.
Refurbishments and Dry Docks
Given Carnival Elation’s lengthy, lengthy life, it’s undergone fairly the sequence of refurbishments and dry docks, beginning in 1999, only a yr after launch, with refurbishments happening each few years since then.
The newest dry dock came about in early 2023, with beauty enhancements together with a brand new hull design and paint scheme, plus some minor modifications, like rebranding the ship’s spa because the Cloud 9 Spa.
Extra complete dry docks came about in 2017 and 2020, when Carnival up to date Carnival Elation with a variety of the model’s traditional venues and eating places, now thought of staples on all of their ships.
Collectively, these two dry docks added Bonsai Sushi, Javablue Café, Cherry on Prime, Alchemy Bar, Man’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, BlueIguana Tequila Bar, RedFrog Rum Bar, Camp Ocean and extra to the ship. The 2017 dry dock even added a brand new deck to the ship, with suites and some scenic staterooms.
The subsequent dry dock is scheduled to happen over late January and early February 2026.
Carnival Elation Itineraries
Over its lifetime, Carnival Elation has primarily caught to cruises round North America.
Its first few cruise seasons have been spent touring between Los Angeles and Mexico. Within the 2000s, it served the Western Caribbean from Galveston, Texas, after which went again to California–Mexico routes.
Within the 2010s, it provided Western Caribbean itineraries from each Alabama and New Orleans, earlier than shifting on to Florida and cruises to the Bahamas. Since, the ship has largely stayed in the identical space, crusing the Caribbean from varied homeports within the Sunshine State.
Staterooms
For its small dimension, Carnival Elation affords an enormous variety of staterooms. Throughout the greater than a thousand staterooms (together with suites), you’ll discover the next choices:
- 109 staterooms with customary balcony
- 2 scenic ocean view staterooms
- 469 ocean view staterooms
- 417 inside staterooms
- 19 inside higher/decrease staterooms
- 34 accessible staterooms
Beginning with the inside staterooms, all supply a fairly first rate quantity of area for an inside room, and so they don’t really feel boxy or closed in. Porthole inside rooms, with their ample lighting, nook set televisions and desk area, appear significantly roomy. The inside higher and decrease staterooms are a great decide for particular person, solo vacationers, as they provide a single mattress, however loads of ground area.
A scenic ocean view stateroom gives you the greatest view of the ocean doable, whether or not you’re watching the sundown or dawn. The scenic ocean view rooms characteristic wonderful, floor-to-ceiling home windows and area for as much as two company.
In case you don’t need to improve to the scenic ocean view, the usual ocean view nonetheless affords nice views from the window, in addition to a cheery ambiance and decor.
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Commonplace balcony staterooms present seating for 2, to benefit from the sound of the waves and most sea breeze in your pores and skin as you loosen up within the sunshine, with unobstructed views of the horizon. The aft-view prolonged balcony stateroom enriches the expertise a bit with a fair bigger balcony.
All staterooms come customary with facilities similar to:
- A devoted stateroom attendant
- Comfortable linens
- Loads of closet and drawer area
- An in-room protected on your valuables
- A tv
- Particular person stateroom local weather management
Do be aware, whereas the above cabins do supply loads to like, similar to a pleasant quantity of ground area, and enormous balconies, for all their repairs, the décor is a reminder of the ship’s age. Don’t anticipate Twenty first-century fashion. That mentioned, if you’d like just a bit extra by means of luxurious, you will discover it, to a level, with a collection.
Suites
In case you’re contemplating upgrading to a collection throughout your cruise aboard Carnival Elation, the splurge is effectively price it, whenever you have a look at the whole lot you’re getting. The ship affords:
- 2 Grand Vista Suites with giant balcony
- 28 Grand Suites with giant balcony
- 49 Junior Suites with customary balcony
The best room on the ship, the Grand Vista Suite offers probably the most room of any lodging choice, with room for as much as 4 company, a enormous balcony, the most gorgeous views at each angle, ample seating and workspace, an enormous closet and handy walk-in dressing space, self-importance and even a tub — a cruise ship lodging rarity.
The Grand Suite Prolonged Balcony choice is analogous, however with extra space exterior than in, although the inside does nonetheless characteristic a comfy sofa in a contemporary fashion. The Grand Suite may be very related when it comes to inside.
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Junior suites are available in each customary and obstructed view choices, each with huge balconies, huge loos and many seating space. Suites include all of the above facilities which are already included whenever you e-book a regular stateroom, but in addition extras similar to:
- VIP check-in and boarding
- Precedence Primary Eating Room time project
- Precedence debarkation at homeport
- In-room bottles of water
- An upgraded mattress
- Bathrobes
All of those extra-special facilities add to your keep aboard Carnival Elation, with extra comfort, consolation and general extra to get pleasure from.
Free Eating
Carnival Elation affords a couple of totally different complimentary eating choices. Whilst you don’t get the vary and breadth of choices you may get pleasure from on Carnival’s newer ships, you definitely get sufficient to maintain you occupied during a brief cruise.
With out spending an additional dime out of your journey price range, you’ll have the ability to get pleasure from meals at:
- BlueIguana Cantina, providing Mexican-style eats to fulfill your taco cravings
- Man’s Burger Joint, for burgers with celeb chef Man Fieri’s approval
- The most important eating room, for 3 programs of traditional cruise ship eating
- Lido Market, the ship’s buffet, with one thing for each urge for food
- Pizza Pirate, for pizza, all day, every single day
- Swirls, for a candy deal with
- Candy Spot, for dessert
If this received’t preserve you fed and glad, although, you do produce other choices.
Specialty Eating
Sadly, the opposite choices aren’t all that plentiful. It is a small, older ship, in any case. Your paid choices embody Bonsai Sushi Specific for quick sushi bites and JavaBlue Café on your caffeine repair. There’s additionally The Chef’s Desk, a chef-led eating expertise for a restricted variety of cruisers, and room service.
Bars and Lounges
When it’s time to get a drink, you’ll discover that your choices are equally restricted, however that you just’ll get to get pleasure from a number of longstanding Carnival-favorite watering holes. Choices embody:
- Alchemy Bar, for combined drinks
- RedFrog Rum Bar, for Caribbean-inspired libations
- BlueIguana Tequila Bar, for tequila-based drinks
- Piano Bar 88, for stay music
There’s additionally a bar within the on line casino, beer stations and drinks-related experiences, like martini and wine tastings.
Actions and Leisure
Whether or not you’re touring as a household, a pair or a gaggle of associates, you’ll discover loads of actions and leisure on this ship. For the ship’s small dimension, it packs in a variety of enjoyable. Your choices will embody the assorted methods to spend your sea days:
Swimming pools
There are three swimming pools on the ship. The primary pool on the Lido Deck offers near-endless loungers and spot to take a seat or swim. A resort-style pool additional down the ship is slightly calmer and fewer of an exercise hub.
In fact, anybody 18-and-up can’t miss out on the Serenity Deck, with its loungers and spots to benefit from the solar. There’s additionally a really small pool right here.
Carnival WaterWorks
On the Lido Deck, you’ll discover the Waterworks water park, the small-ish area that features a few primary water slides (together with the Tornado waterslide) after which some water play areas for the smaller children who need to have some enjoyable, however who aren’t fairly able to tackle something adrenaline-pumping.
Seuss at Sea
Half eating expertise, half leisure, The Seuss at Sea program is a favourite for households with young children. Youngsters can dine on inexperienced eggs and ham alongside notable Seuss characters, take part in a Seuss parade and take part on different enjoyable actions.
Cloud 9 Spa
As talked about, the Cloud 9 Spa on this ship not too long ago acquired an enormous improve and rebrand. Now, it affords an analogous expertise to what you’ll get on any Carnival ship.
The Cloud 9 Spa offers all of your favourite, conventional spa therapies. Suppose facials, massages, and acupuncture. There’s additionally a salon and barber, in the event you simply want a trim, and there are even spa therapies obtainable for the skincare-curious teenagers in your crew. (Go to the spa on sea days to see in the event you can snag a sale!)
Youngsters Venues
Carnival Elation may be very kid-friendly. There are tons of issues for kids and households to get pleasure from, from toddlers, all the best way as much as teenagers. Actions vary from issues the whole household can get pleasure from (like mini golf), to kid-specific actions that they will get pleasure from on their very own, at one of many three on-board children’ golf equipment.
Youngsters who need to get pleasure from slightly “me” time away from their dad and mom can accomplish that on the Membership 02 lounge that’s outfitted for youngsters 15 and up, with motion pictures, music, video video games, karaoke and occasions catered simply to them.
For these slightly bit youthful, 12 to 14 years previous, the Circle C membership offers a lot of the identical programming, just for a youthful crowd.
Then, for these beneath that age group, all the best way all the way down to toddlers aged 2, there’s the Camp Ocean youngsters’s membership, with crafts, video games, academic actions, and toys geared towards particular age teams.
Ultimate Ideas
Sure, Carnival Elation is on the older aspect. Sure, Carnival Elation is on the smaller dimension. Nevertheless, in the event you don’t want 20-plus eating places to select from throughout your cruise, or six swimming pools, or seven several types of suites, you’ll hardly discover the dimensions.
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As for the age, in case your focus is on the enjoyable you possibly can have and the experiences you share, you received’t thoughts the marginally outdated décor. Briefly, as long as you’re not prioritizing experiencing solely the most important, greatest and flashiest in cruising, you’ll possible discover one thing to get pleasure from about Carnival Elation.
Carnival Elation FAQ:
Carnival Elation may be very kid-friendly! There are tons of issues for kids and households to get pleasure from, from toddlers, all the best way as much as teenagers. Actions vary from issues the whole household can get pleasure from, to kid-specific actions that they will get pleasure from on their very own at one of many three on-board children’ golf equipment.
Sure, Carnival Elation does characteristic the WaterWorks aqua park, with a number of primary water slides and small splash areas for younger youngsters.
