Like the company's seven other Fantasy-class ships, the
Elation is part of the "Evolutions of Fun" ship refurbishment program. Set to be completed by 2009, all Fantasy-class ships will undergo numerous upgrades, including: expansions to the children’s waterparks; new designs and features to pool areas; the creation of Serenity adults-only deck areas; fully remodeled staterooms and suites, complete with new baths and flat-screen televisions; and the addition of atrium lobby bars, coffee bars, miniature golf courses and multipurpose conference facilities. Once those renovations are completed, the ship will be renamed
Carnival Elation to keep in-line with other Carnival-brand ships.
She was built in Finland in 1998, registered in Panama, is a toned-down version of Carnival's Fantasy Class super liners. With a distinctive red, white and blue-winged stack, this 70,367-ton ship, cruising at 22 knots, extends 855 ft with a 103-ft beam. She has Italian and Croatian officers and an international crew of 980. At capacity, she carries 2,594 passengers, but she usually sails with 2,040. This ship gleams with style.
The hospitable crew is well-trained, and Elation's high-quality activities attract a mix of North American families, young adults, baby boomers, and seniors looking for good value.
Elation is stationed in San Diego and sails to Baja Mexico on 4-to-6-day cruises, and all cruises include two days at sea. Cabo San Lucas is the stop on Elation's 4-day cruise, while longer cruises include additional trips to Ensenada (5-day cruises) and La Paz (6-day cruises).
Shore excursions run the gamut from exploring ancient ruins to ATV rides on the beach to golf at numerous country clubs throughout the Baja Peninsula.
The 14 elevators serve 10 passenger decks. The six-story glass-roofed atrium, trimmed with birdcage elevators, rises above the piano bar. A color scheme of coppery hue complements appealing decor employing inlaid woods, mirrors and polished marble. A variety of musical tastes are accommodated onboard: Duke's, Ellington's namesake piano bar, Jekyll and Hyde'sdance club, Romeo and Juliet'sromantic hideaway with tapestry-covered love seats, and smoke-free Cole Porter's club featuring jazz, contemporary Latin, country and rock bands. There is also a late-night adult comedy show.
The Mark Twain library is for quiet moments. The Moroccan-designed casino offers table games and slots, but with odds less favorable than those in Las Vegas. Guests have opportunities to work off extra pounds at a three-deck health club and spa, aerobics classes, three pools, six whirlpools, a jogging track and a spiral water slide. Numerous beauty treatments are available. The secluded Sun Deck allows for topless sunbathing. Onboard golf instruction has returned, along with golf excursions at some ports. Nine counselors supervise activities in the children's center and the virtual-reality video room.
Two attractive smoke-free dining rooms seating 650 each offer upgraded menus and fairly priced wines. Four sittings are available. Monday and Friday nights are formal. The ship also has a sushi bar and a pizzeria offering salads, pastas and ice cream, in addition to pies. Attentive service at the carpeted Lido Deck buffet draws casual diners. The smoke-free Mikado show room seats over 1,000 for Broadway-style and sophisticated Vegas productions.
Some 60% of the 1,020 cabins, all on the lowest four passenger decks, are outsides with TVs, safes, and good-sized closets and showers, but no hair dryers. The 54 suites have balconies, and 20 cabins are wheelchair-accessible.
