Carnival Elation’s Saturday, January 9, 2027 sailing is a five-night Jacksonville run that tucks two Bahamas beach days between two sea days, like a sandy sandwich. What makes this departure its own animal is the port order. It hits Half Moon Cay first and Celebration Key second, while the January 4 sailing does it the other way round. Port order flips from week to week, so borrowing a neighbour’s itinerary is a fast way to pack for the wrong beach (and yes, there is a wrong beach).
Start Here
- By October 30: decide on a Carnival FunPack through My Cruise Manager. The window (October 14–30) closes in 11 days, and packs can’t be bought onboard. Procrastinators, this one is for you.
- December 1: dynamic pricing starts for drink and Wi-Fi packages, so prices you see today may not be the prices you pay.
- Around December 26: online check-in opens, and you must finish it and pick an arrival appointment before midnight Eastern on January 8.
- Now: check your travel documents (a passport is the safe play) and the under-21 travel rules.
- Before January 9: sort parking ($17 a day, $85 for five days, credit card only), plus your hotel or airport ride.
The Sailing at a Glance
| Detail | This sailing |
|---|---|
| Ship | Carnival Elation, Fantasy Class, built 1998, refurbished 2019, 10 decks |
| Departs | Saturday, January 9, 2027, 3:30 PM from Jacksonville |
| Returns | Thursday, January 14, 2027, 8:00 AM |
| Length | 5 nights |
| Ports | Half Moon Cay (Mon Jan 11), Celebration Key (Tue Jan 12) |
| Sea days | Sunday Jan 10 and Wednesday Jan 13 |
| Terminal | JAXPORT Jacksonville Cruise Terminal, 9810 August Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32226 |
| CDC inspection | 98 out of 100, inspected May 7, 2026 |
| Gratuities | $17 per person per day (standard cabins), so $85 per person |
What to Do Now and the Deadlines That Bite
Only one deadline is truly urgent: the FunPacks window closes October 30. Everything else is a date to calendar, and the sailing is 82 days away, so you have time to be organised without being frantic. Use this as your cheat sheet.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Oct 14–30, 2026 | FunPacks bookable via My Cruise Manager (covers sailings Oct 31, 2026 through Dec 31, 2027) |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Dynamic pricing begins for drink and Wi-Fi packages |
| About Dec 26, 2026 | Online check-in opens (14 days before sailing; our arithmetic from Carnival’s rule) |
| Midnight Eastern, Jan 8, 2027 | Online check-in and arrival appointment deadline |
| Morning of Jan 9 | $100 hold goes on your card on file (cruises of 5 days or less) |
If you skip choosing a time, Carnival assigns your appointment and emails it on the morning of departure. That is a gamble with your own Saturday, so choose your own.
Embarkation Logistics
Pick your arrival window during online check-in, show up inside it, and bring a credit card for parking. The appointment applies to everyone in your stateroom, and guests who roll up early are asked to wait until their window. Yes, even if you’re thrilled to be there.
Carnival takes this seriously. In a 2024 notice about another ship, Jubilee, guests arriving outside their appointment were told to come back. That isn’t Elation-specific, but it’s a good preview of the mood.
- Arrival time is not boarding time. Your boarding pass shows the final boarding time, and guests who miss it are denied boarding. Dramatic, but true.
- Elation turns around the same day. The previous sailing arrives at 8:00 AM on January 9, and you sail at 3:30 PM. Hats off to the crew.
- Loyalty perks are not confirmed. Third-party reports say top-tier and Faster to the Fun guests still pick a slot but can arrive more flexibly. Carnival’s current check-in FAQ is the place to verify that, so don’t bank on it.
- How early to arrive: follow the time on your boarding documents or in the Hub app.
Driving and parking
- From I-95, take Exit 41 (Heckscher Drive/FL-105) east. From I-295, take Exit 41 west. Then turn onto August Drive and follow it to the terminal.
- JAXPORT no longer takes prepaid parking reservations. Spaces are first-come and unassigned, and the port says parking “does not sell out.”
- Payment is by major credit card on arrival. Cash is not accepted, so leave the wad of twenties at home.
- Parking questions go to (904) 453-0975.
- For drop-off and porter details, JAXPORT’s “Transportation to Terminal” page is the place to look.
| Vehicle | Per day | 5 days |
|---|---|---|
| Standard vehicle (tax included) | $17 | $85 |
| Oversized RV (needs two spaces) | $34 | $170 |
One guide quotes The Parking Mall, across the street, at $55 for a five-night sailing, with a free shuttle and a required advance reservation. That would be $30 less than the terminal. The price is unverified, so check with them before booking.
Hotels and airport
- Visit Jacksonville says none of the area’s cruise hotels provide terminal transportation, so confirm any shuttle directly with the hotel.
- Holiday Inn Express Blount Island is the closest, about 1.1 miles and roughly 3 minutes by taxi, with park-and-cruise packages listed.
- DoubleTree by Hilton Jacksonville Airport lists park-and-stay packages covering parking for up to 7 nights and a terminal transfer. That sits oddly with the “no hotel shuttles” note, so ask before you rely on it.
- Courtyard Jacksonville I-295/East Beltway offers long-term parking for a nominal fee.
- January 2027 nightly rates and package prices aren’t published yet in anything we can point you to, so ask each hotel directly.
- From JAX airport, a taxi or rideshare takes about 15 minutes and runs roughly $30 one-way, according to guides. SuperShuttle and Go Airport Shuttle are named as advance-booking options.
The Ship and How to Work It
Elation is a 1998-built Fantasy Class ship, refurbished in 2019, and its best trick is how much food is already in your fare. Start with our Carnival Elation ship page for the full profile, then use this cheat sheet.
| Venue | Cost |
|---|---|
| Main Dining Room | Included |
| Lido Marketplace | Included |
| BlueIguana Cantina (burritos, tacos) | Included |
| Guy’s Burger Joint | Included |
| Seaday Brunch | Included |
| Swirls (soft-serve) | Included |
| The Chef’s Table | Extra cost, price not published |
| Bonsai Sushi Express | Extra cost |
| JavaBlue Café | Extra cost |
| Cherry On Top (candy shop) | Extra cost |
Elation’s page lists no steakhouse, so don’t go hunting for one. Ask Carnival which dining-time option (traditional or flexible) applies to your booking.
Specialty dining can be booked ahead through the Carnival HUB app. Third-party sources disagree on the window, citing 90 days or “3–4 months” ahead, and either figure suggests it is open or about to be. Some reports say pre-cruise bookings require prepayment, though that report may be dated.
Bars, pools, kids and fun
- Bars: Alchemy Bar, poolside RedFrog Rum Bar and poolside BlueIguana Tequila Bar are extra cost. Duke’s Piano Bar’s cost isn’t stated.
- Adults-only: Serenity Adult-Only Retreat is included. Carnival’s ship page gives no hours or age rules, so check with Carnival before you plan a kid-free afternoon around it.
- Water: Carnival WaterWorks (slides and water play) is included. Carnival’s page doesn’t give a pool count.
- Shows: The Punchliner Comedy Club, Playlist Productions and Seuss at Sea are included. Check what actually runs on your sailing once you’re aboard.
- Spa and arcade: Cloud 9 Spa is extra cost. A video arcade is listed with no price.
- Kids: Camp Ocean covers ages 2–11: Penguins 2–5, Stingrays 6–8, Sharks 9–11. For teen programs, the nursery and the minimum sailing age, ask Carnival before you book a baby.
The Ports
This sailing is advertised as Half Moon Cay on Monday and Celebration Key on Tuesday, but confirm the order on carnival.com. Two schedule sites, iCruise and Cruise Timetables, agree on the times below. Those are arrival and departure times only. Carnival’s all-aboard time isn’t published in them, so the usual advice applies: be back well before the 4:00 PM departure, and check your boarding documents or the Hub app for the exact time.
| Day | Date | Port | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat Jan 9 | Jacksonville | Departs 3:30 PM |
| 2 | Sun Jan 10 | At sea | — |
| 3 | Mon Jan 11 | Half Moon Cay | 8:00 AM–4:00 PM |
| 4 | Tue Jan 12 | Celebration Key | 8:00 AM–4:00 PM |
| 5 | Wed Jan 13 | At sea | — |
| 6 | Thu Jan 14 | Jacksonville | Arrives 8:00 AM |
Our port data also lists “Carnival Grand Bahama Island,” but neither schedule shows a separate Freeport call. Celebration Key is the Grand Bahama stop, so don’t pencil in a third island. For more routes, see our Carnival Elation itineraries.
Half Moon Cay (RelaxAway)
The island reopened in expanded form on June 1, 2026, so most online reviews predate what you’ll see. A new dedicated pier lets ships berth alongside instead of tendering. Whether smaller Elation docks or tenders here isn’t stated in the coverage, so check the port guide in your app.
- Loungers and umbrellas are complimentary. Premium cabanas and daybeds are extra, with no current prices published yet.
- New venues: Orchid Beach Grill, Hibiscus Beach Grill, Luna Tide Beach Bar, Stay Awhile Beach Shack and Lil’ Tiki Bar. The opening coverage doesn’t say which are free and which are paid, so check before you order.
- A tram connects the key areas, and the Papaya Pathway is a walking route.
- Ignore any excursion or cabana prices from before the expansion. Check Carnival’s excursion page for current ones.
Celebration Key
Celebration Key has a covered pier, so no tender, and the free offering is decent but less generous than some rivals’ private islands. It’s about a 5-minute walk to the entrance at Paradise Plaza, with open-air trams along the dock. The island is 65 acres with a mile-long beach, and one guide suggests 3–6 hours ashore. These details come from a travel blog (Bucket List Guides), so verify on carnival.com.
| Item | Approx. cost | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Beach loungers and umbrellas, two freshwater lagoons, splash pads, trams, water stations | Free | — |
| “Island Eats” meal scan (entrée, side and cookie at fast-casual spots) | Free | One per guest |
| Suncastle racing slides | About $15 | Per person, unlimited rides |
| Snorkel or kayak rental | $20–$35 | Not stated |
| Daybeds | About $150 | Not stated |
| Pearl Cove Beach Club (18+) | $100–$180 | Not stated |
| Cabanas | $600–$1,200+ | Per group |
- At sit-down restaurants (Mingo’s, Surf N’ Sauce, Gill’s Grill), the meal scan gives 40% off one entrée. Children 12 and under eat free from the kids menu at full-service restaurants.
- CHEERS! and Bottomless Bubbles don’t work ashore. Drinks are billed à la carte to your Sail & Sign card or a credit card, so that first frozen cocktail is full price.
- The Lokono Cove craft stalls take USD cash or credit cards, but not ship cards.
- Bring the ship’s blue beach towels back to avoid a charge.
The State Department’s Bahamas advisory (dated July 28, 2026) is Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution,” focused on crime in Nassau and Freeport. This itinerary calls at neither. Firearms and ammunition are illegal in the Bahamas, even small amounts in carry-on bags.
Conditions and Packing for Mid-January
Pack for two climates: a chilly Jacksonville and Bahamas days that are pleasant but not scorching. Yes, it’s the Bahamas, and no, you won’t be wearing a bikini in a sauna. The weather figures below come from weather-data websites, not official normals, so check the National Weather Service forecast closer to sailing.
| Where | Typical January figures |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville | Highs about 64–65°F, lows about 42–43°F, rain on roughly 20–30% of days |
| Grand Bahama area | About 70–78°F by day, around 62°F at night |
| Sea surface | About 70–72°F (not specific to either island) |
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so January 9 sits outside it. The real winter villain is the cold front, which brings gusty winds and rougher seas. Our editorial read is that seasickness risk is moderate, highest on sea days after a front, and the first night out into the open Atlantic could be bumpy. That is a judgment call, not a forecast.
- A jacket, long pants and a hat for embarkation day.
- Shorts and T-shirts for the islands, plus a light layer for wind.
- Swimwear and a cover-up. Water around 70–72°F will feel brisk to many people.
- Sunscreen, because January sun still counts.
- A light rain jacket.
- Motion-sickness remedies such as bands, ginger or an over-the-counter option.
Money
Your fare covers a lot of food, but gratuities, drinks, Wi-Fi and island extras are on top. Third-party sites list different fares for this sailing, depending on the day and the cabin type, so the only price that counts is the one on your Carnival booking page.
Gratuities
| Cabin type | Per person per day | 5 nights, per person | Two people sharing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (interior, ocean view, balcony) | $17 | $85 | $170 |
| Suite | $19 | $95 | $190 |
These rates took effect for sailings on or after April 2, 2026, and children are charged too. Unless prepaid, they land on your Sail & Sign account. Our tipping guide covers extra tips.
Drink packages (reported pre-December 1 prices)
A 20% service charge is added to drink packages. Dynamic pricing starts December 1 and Carnival hasn’t said what the new prices will be, so treat everything here as a ballpark.
| Package | Per day | 5 days | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHEERS! (adult) | Roughly $70 + 20% (about $84), unverified | About $420 | Capped at 15 alcoholic drinks a day |
| Bottomless Bubbles (adult) | $11.99 + 20% ($14.39) | $59.95 + 20% ($71.94) | Soda and juice |
| Bottomless Bubbles (child) | $6.95 + 20% ($8.34) | $34.75 + 20% ($41.70) | Soda and juice |
On a five-night cruise, a daily package gets diluted fast. At about $84 a day, you’d need roughly six or seven drinks a day to beat paying per drink. We haven’t priced the bar menus, so grab a real one and run that math before you commit.
FunPacks (close October 30)
Carnival says these bundles save 35–55% versus buying items separately. That is a marketing percentage, not a price, and it only pays off if you use the benefits. Prices are per person per day, and we’ve multiplied by five on the assumption that all five days are billed. Confirm the day count at checkout.
| Pack | Per person per day | 5 days, per person | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kidstarter (ages 3–17 only) | $25 | $125 | Unlimited soda and juice, social Wi-Fi, 1,000 arcade tokens, 50% off bulk candy |
| Zero Proof | $50 | $250 | Unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, Value Wi-Fi, $50 off a shore excursion, $25 off specialty dining |
| Social | $60 | $300 | Unlimited non-alcoholic drinks plus 3 alcoholic drinks a day, Premium Wi-Fi, one excursion up to $100, one specialty meal up to $55, 50% off spa and Dreams Studios |
| Epic | $99 | $495 | Full beverage package, Premium Wi-Fi, two excursions up to $100 each, two specialty meals up to $55 each, 50% off spa and Dreams Studios, one sparkling wine bottle, one bag of laundry |
- Beverage service charges are included in these prices.
- If any adult 21 or older in a cabin buys Social or Epic, every adult 21 or older in that cabin must buy the same one. Peer pressure, but make it policy.
- Benefits must be redeemed online before sailing, and unredeemed benefits are forfeited.
Wi-Fi and wine
| Wi-Fi tier | Per day | 5 days, per device |
|---|---|---|
| Social (select social apps, no streaming) | $20.40 | $102.00 |
| Value | $23.80 | $119.00 |
| Premium (fastest, streaming and video calls) | $25.50 | $127.50 |
Those prices come from secondary reports of a December 2025 increase and are subject to the December 1 change. The clearest saving is wine: reports say each guest 21 or older may carry on one sealed 750 ml bottle at embarkation only, free to drink in your cabin and $15 corkage in dining rooms, bars and restaurants. See our bring-alcohol guide, and confirm on carnival.com.
Documents and Rules
Bring a passport and most of the documents questions disappear. This is a closed-loop sailing, starting and ending in Jacksonville, so Carnival’s wording (as quoted in search results, so check the live page) calls for WHTI-compliant documents. A government photo ID is required for guests 16 and over.
- Birth certificate option: sources conflict on whether it must be certified, so don’t gamble. Under-16 US citizens likely need a birth certificate but no photo ID, which is an inference from the 16-and-over ID rule, so confirm with Carnival.
- Minors without a parent: Carnival “strongly recommends” an original signed letter from the absent parent or guardian.
- Under-21 rule (bookings made on or after Feb 1, 2025): news coverage says guests under 21 must travel with an adult aged 25 or older, with bookings linked. Exemptions are reported for married guests and active-duty US or Canadian military aged 18–20, and boarding can reportedly be denied without refund. Confirm on Carnival’s own page.
- Non-US citizens: check Carnival’s help pages for permanent residents and Canadians. A valid passport is the usual advice, plus a green card for permanent residents and any visa your nationality needs for the Bahamas.
- Bahamas departure tax: the Bahamas lists $23 for leaving by sea from any harbour and $25 from a private destination calling at no other Bahamian port. It is usually charged to the carrier and included in the price. Which figure applies to this routing is not confirmed, so check your booking.
- Medication: check with Carnival before you pack. Medical marijuana is reportedly prohibited.
- Items: irons are not allowed, and free irons are in laundry rooms. Drones must be declared at embarkation and are held by the Chief Security Officer until port.
- Disputed items: bottled water, Bluetooth speakers and power strips get conflicting answers online. Check Carnival’s prohibited-items page before packing them.
FAQ: Carnival Elation, January 9, 2027
What time does Carnival Elation sail from Jacksonville on January 9, 2027?
The advertised departure is 3:30 PM, per schedule sites iCruise and Cruise Timetables. That isn’t your deadline, though. Your arrival appointment from online check-in decides when you reach the terminal, and your boarding documents or the Hub app show your boarding time. Confirm the schedule on carnival.com.
Which ports does Carnival Elation visit on the January 9, 2027 cruise?
Advertised stops are Half Moon Cay on Monday, January 11 and Celebration Key on Tuesday, January 12, both 8:00 AM–4:00 PM. Sunday, January 10 and Wednesday, January 13 are sea days. The January 4 sailing reverses the island order, so confirm yours on carnival.com.
Does Carnival Elation stop in Freeport or Nassau?
Not on the schedules we found. Celebration Key sits on Grand Bahama and fills that role. Our port data lists a “Carnival Grand Bahama Island” entry, but neither schedule shows a separate Freeport call. Nassau isn’t on this sailing. Verify the final port list on carnival.com before you build plans.
How much is parking at the Jacksonville cruise terminal?
Standard vehicles cost $17 per day with tax included, so $85 for a five-night cruise billed as five days. Oversized RVs are $34 per day, or $170. Pay by major credit card on arrival, since cash isn’t accepted. JAXPORT no longer takes prepaid reservations, and says parking does not sell out.
When does Carnival online check-in open for a January 9 sailing?
Carnival’s rule is within 14 days of sailing, which works out to around December 26, 2026. It closes at midnight Eastern the night before, so January 8, 2027. You choose an arrival appointment during check-in. A $100 hold is placed on your card on the morning of sailing for cruises of five days or less.
Can I bring wine on Carnival Elation?
Secondary sources say each guest 21 or older may bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne at embarkation only. Beer and liquor are banned, as are fortified wines over 15% ABV. Corkage is $15 per bottle in dining rooms, bars and restaurants, and free in your cabin. Confirm with Carnival first.
Do I need a passport for a Carnival cruise from Jacksonville?
This is a closed-loop sailing, so Carnival’s wording points to WHTI-compliant documents plus a government photo ID for guests 16 and over. A birth certificate may work for US citizens, but sources conflict on the details. A passport is accepted on every routing, which makes it the safest choice.
The Bottom Line
Do the October 30 FunPack decision first, put December 26 and January 8 in your calendar, and treat every price here as a ballpark until you see it on Carnival’s own pages. The itinerary is refreshingly simple: two sea days, Half Moon Cay on the 11th and Celebration Key on the 12th. Pack a jacket for Jacksonville, a cover-up for brisk water, and a credit card for the $85 parking bill. Then confirm the port order and your boarding time in your Carnival documents, because the January 4 sailing proves the order can flip.
Ships in This Story
- Carnival Elation Carnival · Latest CDC score 98
Try our free cruise games & calculators
Explore real CDC inspection scores and outbreak data for every cruise ship.