Carnival Launches Year-Round San Diego Cruises

Carnival Cruise Lines and the Port of San Diego on Thursday commemorated the launch of the port’s first year-round cruise program with a special VIP event aboard the 2,052-passenger Elation, which was scheduled to then depart on a four-day cruise to Cabo San Lucas.

Carnival’s Elation recently began operating San Diego’s first and only year-round cruise program encompassing four-day cruises departing Thursdays to Cabo San Lucas and five-day cruises to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada departing on Mondays and Saturdays, on a rotating schedule.

The Elation will sail on 78 voyages annually from San Diego and joins the 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit, which has operated seasonal eight-day Mexican Riviera voyages from San Diego since 2004. With Elation and Carnival Spirit, Carnival is expected to carry more than 230,000 passengers annually from San Diego –the most of any cruise operator.

The 855-foot-long Elation features 12 lounges and bars, including a multi-level theater for production revues, a 12,000-square-foot spa, jogging track, and three swimming pools, one featuring a 115-foot-long “Twister Waterslide.”

Dining options include three restaurants -- two formal dining rooms and a 700-plus-seat poolside eatery with a 24-hour pizzeria –along with a patisserie and complimentary 24-hour stateroom service. An Internet café, ship-wide Wi-Fi access and cell phone service are also available.

The Elation also houses a wide selection of staterooms and suites, all of which feature the new “Carnival Comfort Bed” sleep system with plush mattresses, luxurious duvets, and high-quality linens and pillows.