Carnival Splendor vs Carnival Elation

The Carnival Splendor was built in 2008. It's 10 years newer than the Elation, which was built in 1998 and renovated in 2020.

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 Splendor is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 952 feet long and 116 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.6 football fields, as wide as 2.2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 13-story building. Compared to the Carnival Elation, the Splendor is 61% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Carnival Splendor holds 47% more passengers than the Elation 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 Splendor has more space per person compared to the Elation. 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.

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 Splendor has 17 different dining options like Seafood Shack, Carnival Deli, and Guy's Burger Joint. Of those options, 13 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 4 options have an additional fee.

The Elation has 2 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Guy's Burger Joint, Pizza Pirate, and Blue Iguana Cantina. 12 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 3 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Splendor might be a better choice. It has 13% more dining options than the Elation.

Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.

Restaurants on Carnival Splendor & Elation

Bars and Drinks

The Carnival Splendor has 5 more bars than the Carnival Elation.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew, although the selection can vary by ship.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Splendor and the Elation 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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.

The Carnival Splendor has a total of 2 pools and 4 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.

Carnival Elation has fewer pools than the Splendor and the same number of hot tubs.

Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books. These are the Carnival editions with featuring places Pizza Pirate and mini-golf.

Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5 - Carnival Edition

Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8 - Carnival Edition

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 Splendor. Only 69% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Elation, 70% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Cruise Costs

Carnival is 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.

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 Splendor will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Elation.

The cost will also vary depending on the type of cabin you book. You can see the differences between the Carnival cabins and how to choose the best one here:

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 understand what you might spend onboard a Carnival ship.

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