About Carnival Elation

The Carnival Elation started sailing in 1998 . Former names: none. The Carnival Elation is registered in Panama City, Panama. The Carnival Elation has 1094 cabins. 17 percent of the staterooms on board have balconies.

You can expect between 2188 to 2626 passengers on a typical sailing. This means that at the higher number (usually peak and holiday sailings) Carnival Elation has a space ratio of 26.8 . (A space ratio less than 33 means that you may find the ship crowded in areas. A space ratio greater than 39 means that there should be plenty of space for each passenger.) When this ship isn't sailing at capacity the space ratio can be as good as 32.2.

The Carnival Elation has 980 crew members on board. There are 3 passengers for every crew member on board. There are self serve laudromats on this ship.

There are 14 decks on this ship. The highest deck number is 15. The number of decks with passenger cabins is 7.

The following ships share the same class as this ship. This means the basic design and layout of the ship is the same. For the most part the cabins will be identical among these ships, but may be decorated differently.
1990 - Carnival Fantasy - No longer sailing
1991 - Carnival Ecstasy - No longer sailing
1993 - Carnival Sensation - No longer sailing
1994 - Carnival Fascination - No longer sailing
1995 - Carnival Imagination - No longer sailing
1996 - Carnival Inspiration - No longer sailing
1998 - Carnival Elation
1998 - Carnival Paradise

There are 34 special needs cabins on this ship. These cabins have been modified for accessibility purposes.


The ship last drydock was in Feb 2023.

Most modern cruise ships need to be dry docked for inspection, maintenance and class surveys every five years and once they reach 15 years of age they need to be dry docked at least twice within a five-year period. Dry docks typically last up to 14 days at a cost of up to $2 million per day and involve regular maintenance including hull cleaning, exterior painting of the structure, inspection of pipes, restoration of exterior deck flooring, and installation of enhanced HVAC filter systems

The abbreviation Carnival uses for this ship is EL. Maiden voyage was on March 20th, 1998. The décor is a blend of 1970s color and geometrics, which some say is a little outdated. This is a smaller, more intimate ship than some others of its class.

ELATION is a member of the Fantasy class series of buildings delivered throughout the 1990s to Carnival Cruises lines.

This ship is great for families with children with its Camp Ocean kids club, and Club 02 for teenagers. This allows time for adults to have quiet time in the Serenity Retreat deck and bars and lounges. The Punchliner Comedy Club is great for all ages.

During drydock is Aug 31 to Oct 4, 2017:
- Cole Porter lounge moved and the area turned into staterooms.
- Guys, Blue Iguana Cantina, Red Frog Bar, Cherry on Top were added.
- Water Works added sometime after drydock is complete.
- There were some major cabin modifications. On deck 5 - 32 Oceanview cabins were converted to balconies. One deck 6 - 26 Oceanview cabins were converted to balconies and 8 grand suites received extended balconies. On deck 7 - 40 Oceanview cabins were converted to balconies and an interior cabin was added in place of the forward laundry room. On deck 11 - 1 interior cabin was added. Deck 14 received 22 junior suites, 10 inside cabins, 2 grand scenic suites and 2 scenic Oceanview staterooms. Several cabins were also converted into connecting cabins during this drydock.

During March 2020 drydock, routine hotel maintenance, cosmetic enhancements in lounges and public areas such as new carpeting, wall coverings and tile work in lounges and public areas, Bonsai Sushi Express added to Deck 9, Dreams Studio replaced Special Occasions on Deck 9, JavaBlue Café replaced the Musical Café on Deck 9, Cherry on Top added to Deck 9,Limelight Lounge replaced Jekyll & Hyde Dance Club on Deck 9, Alchemy Bar replaced Gatsbys Great Bar on Deck 9, 30 new cabins replaced the Cole Porter Club Lounge on Deck 9.

Completed during dry dock: 1/21/23 - 2/10/23
- Routine hotel maintenance and cosmetic enhancements
- New red, white and blue hull design and paint scheme
- Spa Carnival branded as Cloud 9 Spa
- Pool lift added to Lido Pool
- ADA sections added to pool bar counters