Carnival Elation
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Elation is one of Carnival's 31 active ships and first entered service in 1998 with its most recent renovation in 2023. In terms of size, it comes in at 71,909 gross tons, 855 feet in length, and 10 passenger decks. On board, it supports up to 2,606 guests and approximately 920 crew members. The ship had an estimated build cost of $300 million and is flagged in Panama.
Carnival Elation
Ship Stats
Year Built
1998
Last Renovated
2023
Tonnage
71,909 GT
Length
855 ft
Capacity
2,606
Crew
920
Cost
$300 million
Decks
10
Fantasy Class
Fantasy Class groups ships with similar design and onboard features within Carnival. The first ship introduced in this class was Carnival Elation (1998), followed by Carnival Paradise (1998).
Carnival Elation Ship Age
Carnival Elation entered service in 1998. Across Carnival's active fleet, the average build year is 2009 and across all major active cruise lines the average ship launch year is 2011. Ranked newest-to-oldest, this ship is 29 of 31 (newest ship = rank 1).
Timeline order: newest to oldest
- Carnival Elation
Current ship
Carnival Elation Renovations
Latest recorded dry dock / major renovation date: 2023.
Renovation details
One of the oldest ships in the fleet, the Carnival Elation underwent a major refurbishment in early 2023. It received the new hull livery, an expanded Alumni Bar, and a completely new JavaBlue Café. Most recently, in January 2025, it received routine technical maintenance and a refresh of the Camp Ocean youth spaces. The next scheduled ship refurbishment will occur in February 2026. As one of the oldest ships, the Elation will receive a technical life-extension. This includes a refresh of the Cloud 9 Spa and potentially an expansion of the JavaBlue Café seating area.
Carnival Elation Ship Size
Length and tonnage across Carnival's fleet
Carnival Elation measures 855 feet (261 m) (vs Carnival fleet average of 992 ft) and has gross tonnage of 71,909 GT (vs fleet average of 121,145 GT). It ranks 30 of 31 by length and 31 of 31 by tonnage in Carnival's active fleet.
Passenger Capacity & Crew Size
Carnival Elation vs Carnival fleet averages
Carnival Elation carries 2,606 passengers (vs Carnival average of 4,085) and has 920 crew members onboard (vs fleet average of 1,226). That puts this ship at a passenger-to-staff ratio of 2.83:1 compared with Carnival's overall 3.33:1 average.
Passenger Capacity
2,606
passengers
Crew Members
920
staff members
Passenger to Crew Ratio
2.83 : 1
Carnival Avg
3.33 : 1
Carnival Elation
Venues & Experiences
Explore dining, bars, activities, and onboard experiences available on Elation.
Deck 10buffetTiffanys Lido Marketplace
Deck 9cafeJavablue Cafe
Deck 8main dining roomImagination Dining Room
Deck 8main dining roomInspiration Dining Room
Deck 10quick eatsBlue Iguana Cantina
Deck 10quick eatsGuy's Burger Joint
Deck 10quick eatsPizza Pirate
Deck 10quick eatsThe Carnival Deli
Deck 9specialtyBonsai Sushi Express
Deck 8specialtyThe Chef's Table
Deck 9sweetsCherry On Top
Deck Plans
The Carnival Elation has a total of 11 passenger decks. The lowest level available to guests is Deck 4. The highest passenger deck is Deck 15. Click below to access deck plans for the Carnival Elation. The resulting page will provide a floor plan and summary of all things to do offered on that level of the ship.
Carnival Elation Deck Plans PDF
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Cruise Director
On duty now · Franco Spies
The cruise director is the heartbeat of the ship... the person responsible for onboard entertainment, activities, and guest engagement from embarkation to farewell. Think emcee, social director, and morale officer rolled into one. Below you'll find the current cruise director's bio, followed by a full historical timeline of every director who has served aboard Carnival Elation.
Franco Spies
Franco Spies is a Carnival Cruise Line cruise director with a background in the Fun Squad. He is known for his friendly energy, strong team leadership, and guest-focused approach.
Franco Spies Full ProfileCruise Director Schedule
- Previous
Cruise Director
- Current
Cruise Director
- Upcoming
Cruise Director
- Upcoming
Cruise Director
Frequently Asked Questions
Carnival Elation quick answers covering size, capacity, deck plans, and what to expect onboard.
You will find the Carnival Elation Casino on Deck 9 of the ship.
You will find the Carnival Elation buffet on Deck 10 of the ship.
One of the oldest ships in the fleet, the Carnival Elation underwent a major refurbishment in early 2023. It received the new hull livery, an expanded Alumni Bar, and a completely new JavaBlue Café. Most recently, in January 2025, it received routine technical maintenance and a refresh of the Camp Ocean youth spaces. The next scheduled ship refurbishment will occur in February 2026. As one of the oldest ships, the Elation will receive a technical life-extension. This includes a refresh of the Cloud 9 Spa and potentially an expansion of the JavaBlue Café seating area.
The ship belongs to the Carnival class of ships known as the Fantasy class.
The ship features 11 restaurants, 8 bars, 25 activities, 0 shows and 7 other venues for your enjoyment. You can click on our ship deck plans or details pages for a full list of activities, sorted by feature type.
The Carnival Elation has a total of 11 passenger decks. The lowest deck is Level 4. The upper most passenger deck is Level 15.
We're often asked how many passengers are on the Carnival Elation. The ship's capacity is 2,606. When comparing the occupancy to the average Carnival passenger capacity, you'll find that the average ship in the fleet holds 4,158 guests. Feel free to look at our graph above to see where this ship falls in line with all other live Carnival ships.
The Carnival Elation was built in 1998. Carnival includes 31 active ships. The oldest in the fleet was built in 1996 while the newest ship was built in 2028. The average Carnival ship is 17 years old and the median build date for all active ships is 2007
Each of Carnival's ships offers a unique layout with features and activities catered to all. Whether the Carnival Elation is right for you will depend on your individual preferences. Do you prefer a larger or smaller ship with many or fewer guests? Are you hoping for many family activities or entertainment options for an older clientele. Our deck maps layout and activities list provide a helpful guide to what you'll find on board. Feel free to explore the see if this ship is suited towards your preferences.
From end to end, the Carnival Elation length equals 855 feet (261 meters). Compare that to the average ship length of all 31 active vessels in Carnival fleet, measuring 992 feet (302 meters). Please see our size comparison chart above to see how this ship falls in line with all other active ships in the fleet.