Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Elation vs MSC Seashore
The Carnival Elation was built in 1998. It was renovated in 2020. It's 23 years older than the Seashore, which was built in 2021. The MSC Seashore has a New York City-inspired aesthetic complete with a 10-foot-fall replica of the Statue of Liberty at the heart of the casino and shopping area called Times Square.
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 MSC Seashore, the Elation is 58% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Elation holds 64% fewer passengers than the Seashore based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Elation has more space per person compared to the Seashore. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Carnival Elation | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Fantasy | Seaside EVO |
| Gross Tonnage | 70,367 | 169,400 |
| Length | 855 | 1,060 |
| Beam/Width | 103 | 135 |
| Passenger Decks | 10 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,052 | 5,632 |
| Crew | 920 | 1,648 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.2 | 3.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 34 | 30 |
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 Pizza Pirate, Guy's Burger Joint, and The Chef's Table. Of those options, twelve are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other three options have an additional fee.
The Seashore has one more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Kaito Teppanyaki, HOLA! Tacos & Cantina, and Ocean Cay Restaurant. seven of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.
The Carnival Elation has about the same number of dining options as the MSC Seashore.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Elation might be a better choice then the Seashore. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Elation | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 11 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 3 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 70% | 18% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Elation has 10 fewer bars than the MSC Seashore. The Elation has 9 bars like Atrium Bar, Duke's Piano Bar and Java Blue Cafe. On Elation, you can grab a drink at 19 different bars such as Aurea Bar, The Wine Cellar and Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar.
| Carnival Elation | MSC Seashore |
|---|---|
| •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 | •Aurea Bar • Brooklyn Cafe • Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • Chef's Court Cocktail Bar • Horizon Bar • Infinity Bar • Jungle Pool Beach Bar • Le Cabaret Rouge • Long Island Bar • MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar • Seashore Bar • Shine Bar • Sky Bar • Sports Bar • The Uptown Lounge • The Wine Cellar • Top Sail Lounge • Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Elation serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew, although the selection can vary by ship. The Seashore serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like 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 Seashore 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.
MSC Seashore has more pools than the Elation and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Seashore. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? two of the hot tubs are adults only on Elation.| Carnival Elation | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 1 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 0 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 2 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 4 | 15 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 12 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 3 |
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. On the Elation, 70% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Seashore, only 54% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Carnival Elation | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adventure Trail | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| F1 Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Glass Bridge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Carnival and MSC are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. 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.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Carnival Elation will likely be cheaper than on MSC Seashore.
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 | MSC Seashore | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | $46 - $85 |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $17 - $27 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
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