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Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Elation

Large ship Bliss scored

Carnival Elation is designed to celebrate the muses who inspire the arts, themed around literary, musical and film greats.

  • 2,190guests
  • 71,909gross tons
  • 7cruises now
  • $176fares from

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Enjoy an evening of cocktails, live music and karaoke in Carnival Elation's  Romeo and Juliet Lounge.

At a glance

Carnival Elation is a large-size cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line, in service since 1998. It carries 2,190 guests and 900 crew (2.4 guests per crew member) at 71,909 gross tons. It is the 26th largest of 31 Carnival Cruise Line ships by guest capacity. On Cruiseable's Bliss scale it scores highest for family friendly and party (8/10) and lowest for adventure & nature and romantic (2/10). It is rated 3 out of 5 by Cruiseable, 3 out of 5 by Berlitz, 4 out of 5 by Cruise Critic and 3 out of 5 by Vacations to Go. It has 7 cruises on sale, with lead fares from $176 to $949. 49 of its upcoming sailings dropped in price since the previous weekly fare check.

Builder's plate

Specs

Cruiseable
3 / 5
Berlitz
3 / 5
Cruise Critic
4 / 5
Vacations to Go
3 / 5
Guests
2,190
Crew
900
Gross tons
71,909
Decks
13
Length
855 ft
Beam
103 ft
Maiden voyage
1998
Launched
1998
Refurbished
2015
Space ratio
2.4
Gross tons per guest
Guests per crew
2.4
Speed mph
24
IMO
9118721

Bliss scores

What Carnival Elation is best at

Ten dimensions scored by our editors on a 10-point scale. The Cruiseable app ranks every cruise against the mix you care about.

  1. Active 4.0
  2. Adventure and nature 2.0
  3. Cultural 3.0
  4. Dining 5.0
  5. Entertainment 7.0
  6. Family friendly 8.0
  7. Party 8.0
  8. Romantic 2.0
  9. Spa and fitness 6.0
  10. Staterooms 6.0

Our review

Carnival Elation: Sailings to escape the humdrum

Carnival Elation is designed to celebrate the muses who inspire the arts, themed around literary, musical and film greats.

There are plenty of spots for a drink on this Carnival cruise ship, from the laid back Gatsby's bar to the jumping Jekyll and Hyde Dance Club to the always-swinging Duke's Piano Bar. There are places for a tasty bite as well, with Tiffany's on Lido Deck to one of two grand dining rooms, and even the Musical Cafe.

For kids, age-appropriate, supervised activities are available from one of three youth spaces. There's also a video arcade and waterslides on board.

Where Carnival Elation sails

Carnival Elation sails out of Port Canaveral (Orlando), Fla., on 2- to 9-night sailings to the Bahamas and Caribbean.

Read the full review

Top dining options

On board Carnival Elation you'll find all your Carnival favorites: BlueIguana Cantina, Guy's Burger Join, Bonsai Sushi Express, Pizza Pirate, the Carnival Deli, Steakhouse Selections, Seaday Brunch and Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast. Plus, of course, the main Dining Room and Lido Marketplace. Two of our favorites:  

Steakhouse

The Steakhouse menu features premium cuts of beef cooked to your exact specifications, as well as a selection of seafood, entrées, gourmet appetizers and an extensive wine list.

Chef’s Table

Enjoy a multicourse dinner hosted by one of Carnival’s master chefs. The VIP experience starts with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for a select group of 14, followed by a tour to see the galley in operation and then a full-service dinner of appetizers, entrees and desserts not found on the regular dining menus. The experience is $75 per guest, and reservations are required.

Entertainment & activities

The Punchliner Comedy Club

Carnival teamed up with renowned comedian and TV personality George Lopez, who helped select talent for the fleetwide Punchliner Comedy Clubs. Guests can enjoy an evening laughing along to the comedians’ jokes.

Serenity Adult-Only Retreat

Adult guests can enjoy some time to themselves in this adults-only retreat, where you can read, grab a drink or simply soak in the sun.

Casino

Feeling lucky? Head over to the casino to try out a wide selection of poker, blackjack, roulette, craps and more.

DJ IRIE

Carnival's DJs have all been trained by DJ IRIE, the Miami Heat's official DJ, to drop beats that inspire dancing in all areas of the ship, such as the Liquid Nightclub and at deck parties.

Bars & lounges

Piano Bar

Piano Bar is the swanky, jazzy bar setting designed for laid-back, fun times. The live music may even encourage a sing-along or two.

A look at the Grand Suite aboard Carnival Elation.
A look at the Grand Suite aboard Carnival Elation. Radu Ursu / Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines

Staterooms

Staterooms are put into different categories based on size and amenities as well as the location on the cruise ship. You have 11 decks from which to choose. Depending on what your budget or occasion, you might decide to go all out and stay in one of the suites with large balconies or on the veranda deck with an ocean view. There are also inside cabins, quads and triple room categories available. 

Family-friendly options

Camp Carnival

Camp Carnival is the place where the youngest cruisers (ages 2 to 11) will experience games, finger painting, story time, movies and more in a supervised environment, while their parents can be off having fun of their own. Carnival's babysitting program also offers, for a fee, a fun late-night option for kids while their parents stay out until as late as 3 am.

Circle 'C'

Youths ages 12 to 14 can enjoy video games, scavenger hunts and dance parties at Circle C, as well as enjoy getting outside with sports, pool parties and special shore excursions. Plus, they can enjoy all of this excitement with kids their own age.

Club O2

Teens 15 to 17 can enjoy the latest music with exclusive dance parties at Club O2, as well as video games and movies from the club's comfy seating and video monitors all over the place. They'll even have fun outside of the club, with pool parties, team sports and special teen-only shore excursions.

Your take

How about you? Have you sailed on Carnival Elation? We'd like to hear about your experience! 

Interested in a cruise on this ship?

For pricing, itinerary information and to reserve your spot on Carnival Elation, contact a Cruiseable travel consultant by email or by calling 1-877-322-3773.

SEE ALL CARNIVAL ELATION SAILINGS

On board highlights

Dining

Where to eat on Carnival Elation

Photos

Inside and out

Dining 2

  • Enjoy an exquisite dining experience at Chefs Table for $75 per person.
  • For an extra fee, Chef's Table is your chance for a multi-course dinner prepared specially by the executive chef.

On board 9

  • Head to the BlueIguana Tequila Bar on your Carnival cruise if you like ice-cold cervezas and slushy tequila drinks.
  • Enjoy a night of gaming at the casino during your Carnival cruise.
  • Choose your show and laugh out loud at Punchliner Comedy Club, one of the entertainment options during your Carnival sailing.
  • Get rejuvenated in the spa of the Serenity Adult Only Retreat during your Carnival cruise.
  • Soak in the relaxing vibe of the Serenity Adult Only Retreat with your significant other during your Carnival sailing.
  • Frolic in the warm weather at WaterWorks, your Carnival waterpark.
  • Splish-splash the day away at WaterWorks, Carnival's onboard waterpark.
  • Have some fun with family members at WaterWorks during your next Carnival cruise.
  • WaterWorks features the Twister, a huge corkscrew ride, and the enclosed DrainPipe spiral slide on your Carnival cruise.

Staterooms 1

  • A look at the Grand Suite aboard Carnival Elation.

More photos 8

  • Enjoy an evening of cocktails, live music and karaoke in Carnival Elation's Romeo and Juliet Lounge.
  • Share a cocktail as you take in Carnival Elation's eye-catching 6-story Grand Atrium.
  • Shrimp and grits at Lüke Restaurant, St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans.
  • Board Carnival Elation in New Orleans for a relaxing cruise of the Caribbean. Elation sails in and around the Caribbean on two- to five-day itineraries.
  • A lobster tail entrée prepared at Chef's Table during a Carnival cruise.
  • A dessert sampler plate at Chef's Table aboard a Carnival cruise.
  • Revel in a multicourse dinner prepared by the master chefs of Chef's Table during your Carnival cruise.
  • Stop in with some friends at the Drama Bar, on Carnival Elation's deck 9, for some live music and drinks.

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