Tag Archives: Carnival Elation

Carnival Salutes America’s 250th on 10 Sailings

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Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled details about 10 sailings for 2026 that will commemorate America’s 250th birthday.

The sailings comprise ship meetups and unique patriotic experiences, the line announced in a press release.

The cruises include itineraries ranging from three to eight days. They will sail from six homeports: Miami, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, New York City, Long Beach, and San Francisco.

On July 4, 2026, America’s 250th birthday, seven ships sailing from east coast homeports will meet up near Celebration Key for a celebration at sea, while three ships will unite off the west coast near Ensenada.

During the meetups, each ship will host patriotic birthday-themed deck parties. The cruises will also feature patriotic entertainment and food and drink offerings.

“We’re America’s cruise line, and we’re commemorating this milestone in a big way! Uniting our ships will multiply the fun and make America’s 250th birthday even more memorable for guests who celebrate at sea,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

From the East Coast, guests can choose from short getaways that include sailings on the Carnival Conquest or the Carnival Glory, both departing on July 3, 2026. These will offer three-day escapes to Celebration Key at Grand Bahama from Miami and Port Canaveral respectively.

Departing July 2, 2026, the Carnival Sunrise will sail a four-day Bahamas cruise from Miami, and the Carnival Elation will sail to the Bahamas on a four-day cruise from Jacksonville.

Guests looking for a longer sailing can select a seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Celebration from Miami, departing on June 28, 2026. They will visit Celebration Key, Nassau, Amber Cove and Grand Turk.

An eight-day Eastern Caribbean sailing on Carnival Vista from Port Canaveral, departing on June 27, 2026 – calling at San Juan and St. Thomas – is also available.

For northeastern guests, the Carnival Venezia will leave New York City on July 1, 2026, for an eight-day cruise that visits Celebration Key, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay.

Guests can join the celebration from the West Coast with three cruise options departing from California.

On July 3, 2026, the Carnival Firenze will sail a three-day Baja Mexico cruise from Long Beach over the July 4th weekend, while the Carnival Luminosa sails a four-day option, departing July 2, 2026, from San Francisco. Each feature stops in Ensenada.

On June 30, 2026, the Carnival Radiance will sail a five-day Mexican Riviera cruise from Long Beach, visiting Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada. The three ships will also unite at sea on July 4, 2026.

Milton: Carnival Paradise to Dock in Miami; Elation Schedule Change

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In a statement on its website, Carnival Cruise Line updated the status of vessels that have been affected by Hurricane Milton.

“Our Fleet Operations Center in Miami continues to monitor Milton, which has now downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone as it moves eastward in the Atlantic,” Carnival said.

“The safety of our guests and crew remains our priority, and our ships are sailing a safe distance from the storm,” the company added.

After sailing from Tampa on Oct. 6, 2024, the Carnival Paradise is now ending its current cruise in Miami on Friday, Oct. 11.

“Guests will have the option to return to the Tampa cruise terminal via complimentary shuttle or reboard the ship and remain onboard until Monday, Oct. 14,” Carnival explained.

Oct. 14, Carnival may dock the ship in either Port Canaveral or Tampa.

If the ship heads to Port Canaveral, a complimentary shuttle service to Tampa would be provided.

While the ship’s Oct. 10 sailing was recently cancelled, the Oct. 14 cruise may depart from Central Florida instead of Tampa.

“This voyage will be embarking in either Port Canaveral (complimentary shuttle service would be provided between Tampa and Port Canaveral) or Tampa (provided the port reopens by then),” Carnival explained.

Passengers will be informed of a decision via email and text alerts ahead of their departure, the company added.

Carnival also confirmed plans to operate a shortened cruise from Jacksonville onboard the Carnival Elation.

“The ship is now sailing a safe distance from the storm while we wait for clearance to return to Jacksonville. Due to strong winds and rough seas on Florida’s east coast, we will not be able to return before sometime Saturday, Oct. 12,” Carnival explained.

As a result, the cruise onboard the ship that was scheduled to depart on Oct. 10 is now expected to sail two days later.

While the sailing was initially set to visit destinations in the Bahamas, it will now feature no port visit, the company added.

Carnival previously confirmed delayed arrivals for additional ships in its fleet, including the Carnival Glory and the Carnival Sunrise.

Carnival Elation Resumes Service After Drydock

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The Carnival Elation is welcoming guests back today following a routine drydock at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.

After two weeks out of service, the 1998-built cruise ship is departing on a short cruise to the Bahamas.

Sailing from Jacksonville, the five-night itinerary features visits to Nassau and Princess Cays, as well as two full days at sea.

Now one of the oldest ships in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, the Elation underwent routine maintenance during the shipyard visit.

Work carried out in the period included class inspections, technical overhauls and upgrades, as well as hotel upkeep and minor updates to public areas and cabins.

The vessel also became the latest to receive the Carnival’s new hull livery, which includes a stately navy-blue hull along with vibrant red and white accents running the entire length of the entire ship. First introduced by the Mardi Gras, the new colours are being added to the entire fleet.

In 2020, during its previous drydock, the Elation received several new venues, such as Bonsai Sushi Express, JavaBlue Café and Alchemy Bar.

A few years before, in 2017, the 70,367-ton vessel had also seen the addition of other signature venues and experiences of Carnival Cruise Line, including the company’s WaterWorks aquapark and new dining options like Guy’s Burger Joint, RedFrog Rum Bar, BlueIguana Cantina and BlueIguana Tequila Bar.

The Elation also received new cabins during both refits, with 38 extra cabins added in 2017 and 30 more added in 2020. Private balconies were also added to a total of 98 existing staterooms during the first refurbishment.

Sailing year-round from its homeport in Jacksonville, the 2,040-guest vessel offers a series of four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas.

In addition to Nassau and Freeport, the itineraries feature visits to Bimini and Princess Cays – a private island destination owned by Princess Cruises.

Along with the Carnival Paradise, the Elation is one of the original eight Fantasy-Class ships that remains in service.