Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Elation vs Celebrity Eclipse
The Carnival Elation was built in 1998. It was renovated in 2020. It's 12 years older than the Eclipse, which was built in 2010 and renovated in 2025.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Elation is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 855 feet long and 103 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.4 football fields, as wide as 1.9 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 10-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Eclipse, the Elation is 42% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Elation holds 28% fewer passengers than the Eclipse based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Elation has less space per person compared to the Eclipse.
| Carnival Elation | Celebrity Eclipse | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Fantasy | Solstice |
| Gross Tonnage | 70,367 | 122,000 |
| Length | 855 | 1,040 |
| Beam/Width | 103 | 121 |
| Passenger Decks | 10 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,052 | 2,850 |
| Crew | 920 | 1,286 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 34 | 43 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Elation has ten different dining options like The Chef's Table, Carnival Deli, and Blue Iguana Cantina. Of those options, twelve are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other three options have an additional fee.
The Eclipse has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Sushi on Five, Murano, and Tuscan Grille. Nine of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
The Carnival Elation has about the same number of dining options as the Celebrity Eclipse.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Elation might be a better choice then the Eclipse. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Elation | Celebrity Eclipse | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 9 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 3 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 70% | 40% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Elation has 6 fewer bars than the Celebrity Eclipse. The Elation has 10 bars like BlueIguana Tequila Bar, Java Blue Cafe and RedFrog Rum Bar. On Eclipse, you can grab a drink at 16 different bars such as Casino Bar, Il Secondo Bacio and Sky Observation Lounge.
| Carnival Elation | Celebrity Eclipse |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • Duke's Piano Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • RedFrog Rum Bar • Romeo and Juliet Night Club • Serenity Pool Bar | •Cafe al Bacio • Casino Bar • Cellar Masters • Ensemble Lounge • Il Secondo Bacio • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Michael's Club • Oceanview Bar • Passport Bar • Pool Bar • Quasar • Sky Observation Lounge • Sunset bar • The Whiskey and Cigar House • World Class Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Elation and the Eclipse below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Carnival Elation has a total of 1 pools and 4 hot tubs.
Celebrity Eclipse has more pools than the Elation and more hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? two of the hot tubs are adults only on Elation.| Carnival Elation | Celebrity Eclipse | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 1 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 4 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Elation. Only 70% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Eclipse, 73% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Carnival Elation | Celebrity Eclipse | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lawn Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Carnival is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Celebrity, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Carnival Elation | Celebrity Eclipse | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.25 | $4.75 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $9.99 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | $55 - $99 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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