Carnival Elation leaves Jacksonville on Thursday, January 14, 2027, for four nights. It’s a short winter Bahamas run on a 1998-built Fantasy Class veteran, a ship that has been working since 1998 and has not once asked for a raise. What makes this sailing its own animal: you board in a Northeast Florida chill (highs around 65°F, lows in the 40s), then wake up Saturday in Nassau where it’s closer to 79°F. Your wardrobe is about to have an identity crisis. Our own port data for this departure is blank (we’re as thrilled about that as you are), so the routing below comes from booking-site listings and needs confirming with Carnival before you build plans around it.
Start Here
- Now (the sailing is 85 days out): check every traveller’s passport for expiry date and name, including the one who swears theirs is fine.
- Now: confirm the ports and Celebration Key hours in your Carnival booking, because listings disagree.
- Thu Dec 31, 2026: online check-in opens (14 days out, our calculation). Pick your arrival appointment.
- Midnight Eastern, night of Wed Jan 13: the cutoff to finish check-in and your appointment.
- Thu Jan 14: pay for terminal parking by credit card on arrival, because cash isn’t accepted.
The Sailing at a Glance
Per booking-site listings, this is a 4-night round trip from Jacksonville with two port calls and one sea day, back on Monday, January 18.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Ship | Carnival Elation, Fantasy Class |
| Built / refurbished | 1998 / 2019 |
| Size | 70,367 tons, 10 decks |
| Capacity | 2,130 passengers, 920 crew |
| Departs | Thu Jan 14, 2027, Jacksonville (listings show 3:30 PM; unconfirmed) |
| Fri Jan 15 | Celebration Key (listed hours conflict) |
| Sat Jan 16 | Nassau, listed 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Sun Jan 17 | Sea day |
| Mon Jan 18 | Back in Jacksonville, listed 8:00 AM |
| Latest CDC sanitation score | 98 out of 100, inspected May 7, 2026 |
What to Do Now and the Deadlines That Bite
The one hard deadline we can source is midnight Eastern the night before you sail, the cutoff for online check-in and your arrival appointment. Carnival’s help pages are the place to check what happens if you miss it, and we’d rather you never find out. Set a phone alarm. Set two.
| Date | Task | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Now | Check passports | See the Documents section |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Dynamic pricing starts | Drink-package and Wi-Fi prices may differ from those quoted here |
| Thu Dec 31, 2026 | Check-in opens | 14 days before sailing; our calculation |
| Wed Jan 13, 2027, midnight Eastern | Check-in cutoff | Applies to your arrival appointment too |
| Thu Jan 14 | Sail | Arrive at your appointment time, not before |
- Your booking must be fully deposited to check in. It doesn’t have to be paid in full.
- You choose an arrival appointment during check-in, and Carnival assigns one if you don’t.
- The boarding pass is emailed to the address on the reservation and works on a phone.
- You’ll need a credit card or a cash deposit for your onboard account.
- Loyalty-tier check-in perks aren’t established. One blog claims an earlier window for top tiers, but it contradicts Carnival’s 14-day wording, so check your own account.
Embarkation Logistics: Getting to the Ship
Go to the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal, 9810 August Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32226, off I-295 at Exit 41 (Heckscher Drive/FL-105). It sits in the Northside area, a short ride from Jacksonville International Airport. That’s near the airport, not at it, so tell your driver.
| Parking (JAXPORT lot) | Per day | 4-day cruise |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger vehicle, tax included | $17 | $68 |
| Oversized vehicle (two spaces) | $34 | $136 |
- Parking prices are per vehicle, not per person.
- Pay by major credit card on arrival. JAXPORT says cash isn’t accepted.
- JAXPORT no longer takes prepaid reservations and says the lot “does not sell out.” Older guides saying otherwise are out of date.
- Parking is free with a Florida disabled veterans plate or a permanently affixed Florida Toll Exemption decal.
- Off-site: one guide lists JAX Parking Mall (3372 Zoo Parkway) from about $10 per day with a shuttle. That figure is unverified, so confirm it before relying on it.
Flying in? Uber or Lyft runs $25 to $40 and zTrip about $30 to $50, per Visit Jacksonville. Those are one-way, per-vehicle fares, not per person, so split the bill with your travelling companions and feel clever. A franchised taxi service also runs between the airport and the terminal. There are no rental car companies at the terminal, and the nearest Enterprise is about 15 minutes away.
Hotel shuttle claims conflict, so call before you book. Visit Jacksonville says only the TownePlace Suites and Tru by Hilton airport locations run a one-way port shuttle. Cruise Hive lists the Crowne Plaza and DoubleTree airport hotels as having cruise shuttles. Two sources, two answers, a classic. We have no verified January rates or shuttle fees.
- Typical Carnival timing is terminal access from about 10:30 AM and boarding from about 12:30 PM. That’s rough third-party guidance, not Jacksonville-specific.
- Listings show 3:30 PM, but sources disagree on whether it’s an embarkation or sail-away time. Confirm it with Carnival before you plan your afternoon around it.
- Carnival has warned guests at other ports that arriving before their appointment can mean being refused entry to the terminal. Assume the same here.
- Winter fog is a real thing, and a plot twist nobody ordered: in March 2026 it delayed Elation’s return to Jacksonville and guests were moved to later check-in slots. Keep your Sunday-night and Monday plans flexible.
The Ship and How to Work It
Elation is a 1998-built, 70,367-ton ship, refurbished in 2019, carrying 2,130 passengers and 920 crew across 10 decks. Expect classic Fantasy Class cruising, a seasoned veteran with a 2019 makeover rather than a floating theme park. Her latest CDC Vessel Sanitation Program score is 98 out of 100, from the May 7, 2026 inspection. More on the vessel is on our Carnival Elation page.
| Venue | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dining Room | Included | Dinner seating system not confirmed |
| Lido Marketplace | Included | Buffet |
| Guy’s Burger Joint | Included | Poolside |
| BlueIguana Cantina | Included | Burritos and tacos with a toppings bar |
| Seaday Brunch, Swirls | Included | Listed as included |
| The Chef’s Table | Extra | Price not in our data |
| Bonsai Sushi Express | Extra | Price not in our data |
| JavaBlue Café | Extra | Specialty coffee |
| Cherry On Top | Extra | No detail given |
Don’t go hunting for Guy’s Pig & Anchor, Emeril’s, Fahrenheit 555 or Havana. Those belong to newer ships and aren’t listed for Elation, so save yourself the scavenger hunt.
- Bars (all extra): Alchemy Bar, RedFrog Rum Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar. Duke’s Piano Bar has no cost stated.
- Adults only: the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat is included in the fare. Cloud 9 Spa costs extra.
- Water: Carnival WaterWorks (slides, splashes and squirts) is included.
- Shows: The Punchliner Comedy Club and Playlist Productions are included, and there’s a video arcade.
- Kids: Carnival lists three supervised youth spaces, including Seuss at Sea. One third-party listing puts Camp Ocean at ages 2 to 11, but check ages, hours and any night-owl fees with Carnival.
- Dress code and show names: not established. The Hub app is where Carnival puts menus, dining and onboard info.
What sells out on Elation isn’t established, so book the Chef’s Table, sushi, spa and excursions you actually care about as soon as the Cruise Planner lets you. Sunday’s sea day is your best shot at WaterWorks and the spa, since both ports are daytime stops.
The Ports
Treat Celebration Key and Nassau as likely, not locked, until your Carnival booking says so. Itineraries are written in pencil, not Sharpie. The full schedule is on our Elation itineraries page, but our port data for this date is empty. Carnival has also emailed guests on 50 Elation sailings about adjusted Celebration Key times, starting with June 18, 2026. We can’t tell whether yours is one of them.
| Date | Port | Listed hours |
|---|---|---|
| Fri Jan 15 | Celebration Key | 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM in one listing, 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM in another |
| Sat Jan 16 | Nassau | 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
Nassau’s listing reads as the ship arriving at 8:00 AM and leaving at 4:00 PM. Celebration Key’s hours are unsettled, and an all-aboard time for either port isn’t confirmed. Check with Carnival for the real deadline to be back on the ship, and aim to be there well before it.
Celebration Key, Grand Bahama
Celebration Key is Carnival’s own gated beach destination, opened July 2025, and the only way to visit is on a Carnival cruise. Ships dock at a pier, so there’s no tendering and no wobbly-boat drama.
- Included: beach access, loungers, swimming areas, a splash pad and a sports court. Each guest also gets one Island Eats meal, which can go toward one of three sit-down restaurants at 25% off instead (not Pearl Cove).
- Pay as you go: Sail & Sign works for food and drink. It isn’t accepted at the Lokono Cove retail shops, so bring a card or cash there.
- Not allowed: outside food and drink. Cheers! doesn’t work ashore.
- Bring: towel, sunscreen, photo ID and a credit card.
- Getting around: wide paved paths and open-air trams. Beach wheelchairs are first-come at Paradise Plaza. Pearl Cove has loose sand paths and needs full mobility.
| Paid extra | Reported price |
|---|---|
| Pearl Cove Beach Club, adults 18+, access and welcome cocktail | $99.99 per person |
| Pearl Cove with open bar (up to 10 drinks) | $139.99 per person |
| Pearl Cove with premium lunch and open bar (up to 10 drinks) | $179.99 per person |
| Suncastle waterslides, all-day pass (2025 report) | $14.99 per person |
| Cocktails / beer / wine (2025 report) | $12.50 to $16 / $7 to $9 / $8 to $11.50 |
| Coffee / soft drinks (2025 report) | $3.25 to $7.75 / about $3.50 |
Cabana, villa and tour prices aren’t confirmed, and cabanas, Pearl Cove and popular tours can sell out. Check the Cruise Planner for current prices.
Nassau, New Providence
Nassau is a walk-off port: you dock at Prince George Wharf and downtown and Bay Street are a short walk away. Some berths sit far from the exit, with shuttles for passengers with mobility issues.
- Walkable: the historic district, Bay Street, Junkanoo Beach (about 15 minutes) and Graycliff (about 15 minutes).
- Free: Junkanoo Beach (chairs cost extra), Queen’s Staircase and Fort Fincastle.
- Short ride: Cabbage Beach is a 20-minute walk or short taxi. Cable Beach is about 20 minutes by car, or the Number 10 bus at $1.25 per ride.
- Taxis: unmetered, from marked kiosks. Agree the fare before you get in.
- Money: the Bahamian dollar equals the US dollar and both are widely accepted. Check your restaurant bill before you tip.
| Day pass (Points Guy figures) | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| British Colonial Nassau | $89 | $35 |
| Margaritaville Beach Resort | $145 | $63 (12 and under) |
| Baha Bay water park | $146 | $60 |
| Sandals Royal Bahamian | $340 | not listed |
Yes, that last one is $340 for a day, and your wallet may want to sit down. Those prices are unchecked against the resorts’ own sites, so confirm before you plan around them. Blue Lagoon Island is a 15 to 20 minute ferry and often sells out. With a listed 4:00 PM departure and no confirmed all-aboard time, a long resort day is a tight squeeze, so build in a buffer. Check the Cruise Planner for current Carnival excursion prices and terms.
- Safety: the State Department’s Bahamas advisory is Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution,” updated July 28, 2026. Crime is the concern, mostly reported in Nassau and Freeport.
- Stay alert in the “Over the Hill” area south of Shirley Street, about two blocks south of the cruise terminal.
- Firearms and ammunition are illegal even in small amounts, and people have been detained over them.
- The advisory strongly warns against jet ski and watercraft rentals. Skip them.
Conditions and Packing for January
Pack for two climates: a cool Jacksonville and a mild Bahamas. Think of it as a two-personality suitcase. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so a mid-January sailing sits outside it. The real winter risks are cold fronts, rough seas and fog.
| Place | January avg high | January avg low | January rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville (secondary sources) | about 65°F | about 43°F | roughly 3 to 4 in |
| Nassau (1991-2020 normals) | about 79°F | about 65°F | about 1.8 in (45 mm) |
Celebration Key is on Grand Bahama, so expect similar conditions to Nassau, though climate data specific to it isn’t established. A January sea temperature isn’t established either, and it’s probably cool.
- A jacket, long trousers and closed shoes for embarkation and return days.
- Light clothes for the Bahamas days.
- A light rain jacket.
- Swimwear is optional. Don’t count on a perfect swim day.
- Motion-sickness remedies. That’s my judgement, not a Carnival statistic: a smaller, older ship, a winter Atlantic and a Sunday sea day are a fair reason to pack them.
Money
Before any extras, two adults in a standard cabin face $136 in gratuities, plus $68 if you park a car, for $204. Everything else is optional, which is where it gets fun.
| Gratuities (sailings from Apr 2, 2026) | Per person per day | 4 nights, per person | 4 nights, two adults |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard cabin | $17 | $68 | $136 |
| Suite | $19 | $76 | $152 |
The 4-night totals are our arithmetic, so check your invoice for the number of charge days. The charge goes on your Sail & Sign account unless prepaid, and reports say it applies to every guest regardless of age. Carnival calls it a recommended amount that can be adjusted onboard. Our tipping guide covers who gets what beyond that.
| Drinks (per person per day) | Price | 4 nights |
|---|---|---|
| Cheers!, pre-purchased | $83.94 | $335.76 |
| Cheers!, onboard | $89.94 | $359.76 |
| Zero-Proof Cheers, pre-purchased / onboard | $35.99 / $41.99 | not calculated |
| Bottomless Bubbles, adult ($11.99 + 20% service charge) | $14.39 | not calculated |
| Bottomless Bubbles, child ($6.95 + 20%) | $8.34 | not calculated |
On a four-night sailing, skip Cheers! unless you’re a genuinely heavy drinker. Do the maths before the bartender does it for you. It caps at 15 alcoholic drinks a day and excludes liquor bottles, souvenir-glass drinks, room service, minibar and private-island drinks. If cocktails run $11 to $12 (my assumption), you’d need roughly 7 or 8 a day to break even. Pre-purchased packages are refundable until 9 PM ET the evening before departure. These prices predate dynamic pricing on December 1, 2026, so recheck.
| Wi-Fi (per device per day) | Pre-cruise | Onboard | 4 nights pre-cruise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social | $20.40 | $24 | $81.60 |
| Value | $23.80 | $28 | $95.20 |
| Premium | $25.50 | $30 | $102.00 |
One guide says you must buy for the whole cruise, and dynamic pricing may change these figures. Our guide to bringing alcohol on a cruise shows how to cut drink costs. The short version: Cruise Mummy and an older SmarterTravel piece report that wine in your cabin is free, while opening it in a bar or restaurant carries a $15 corkage fee per bottle. Carnival’s current beverage rules are where to confirm that fee before you pop a cork.
Documents and Rules
Bring a valid US passport; it’s the only document that sidesteps the conflicting guidance out there. CBP says US citizens on closed-loop cruises can re-enter with a birth certificate plus government photo ID, and warns that ports of call may still require a passport. Visit Jacksonville says certified birth certificates and voter registration cards are no longer accepted for Bahamas cruises. If you plan to rely on a birth certificate, confirm with Carnival first.
| Traveller | What to bring |
|---|---|
| US adult | Passport (best). A passport card is accepted for sea re-entry, per secondary sources. |
| US citizen under 16 | Birth certificate; CBP allows a copy, Carnival says “original or certified copy.” Bring a certified copy. |
| US citizen 16 or 17 | Birth certificate plus photo ID, or a passport. |
| Non-US citizen | Contact the embassy or consulate of each country on the itinerary. Carnival takes no responsibility for advising on immigration. Green card holders need the physical card. |
- US citizens need no visa for Bahamas stays up to one month.
- A passenger-paid Bahamas entry fee for cruise visitors isn’t established. Government port fees are normally in your taxes and fees, so check your fare breakdown.
- Carnival’s rule on consent letters for a child travelling without both parents isn’t established. Ask Carnival.
- Medication: original packaging, a copy of the prescription, carry-on, and about 10 extra days’ supply.
- Cannabis and CBD: prohibited, including medical or state-legal products, and including at Celebration Key. Carnival’s published guidance cites a $500 charge per violation and possible disembarkation.
- Don’t pack: firearms, fireworks, candles or incense, clothes irons, steamers and other heating appliances, hoverboards, and Bluetooth or portable speakers. Hair dryers, curling irons and electric shavers are generally fine.
- Carnival may search cabins and bags and confiscate items without compensation.
FAQ: Carnival Elation, January 14, 2027
What ports does Carnival Elation visit on the January 14, 2027 sailing?
Booking-site listings show Celebration Key on Friday, January 15 and Nassau on Saturday, January 16, with a sea day Sunday. The ship returns to Jacksonville at 8:00 AM Monday, January 18. Our database doesn’t list ports for this date, and Carnival has adjusted Celebration Key times on 50 Elation sailings, so confirm everything in your Carnival booking.
When does online check-in open for a January 14 Carnival cruise?
Carnival says to check in within 14 days of sailing, which works out to Thursday, December 31, 2026. You must finish by midnight Eastern the night before you sail, and the booking needs to be fully deposited, not paid in full. Pick your arrival appointment while you’re there; Carnival assigns one if you don’t. The date is our calculation, so confirm it in your account.
How much is parking at the Jacksonville cruise terminal?
JAXPORT charges $17 per day for a standard vehicle, so $68 for this 4-day cruise, tax included. Oversized vehicles taking two spaces pay $34 a day, or $136. You pay by credit card on arrival, because cash isn’t accepted. JAXPORT no longer takes prepaid reservations and says the lot doesn’t sell out. Parking is free with a Florida disabled veterans plate or Toll Exemption decal.
Do I need a passport for a Carnival cruise from Jacksonville to the Bahamas?
A US passport is the safest choice. CBP lets US citizens on closed-loop cruises re-enter with a birth certificate plus government photo ID, but Visit Jacksonville says certified birth certificates are no longer accepted for Bahamas cruises. Those sources disagree, so don’t gamble. Children under 16 can use a birth certificate. If you’re not carrying passports, check with Carnival first.
Can I bring wine or drinks on Carnival Elation?
Each adult 21 or older may bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne, in carry-on, on embarkation day only. Hard liquor and beer are prohibited. Cruise Mummy and an older SmarterTravel piece report that drinking it in your cabin is free and that opening it in a bar or restaurant carries a $15-per-bottle corkage fee, so confirm the current rule with Carnival. Non-alcoholic limits differ between sources, with Carnival’s help page saying 12 cans, so stick to cans and cartons.
Is the Cheers drink package worth it on a 4-night cruise?
Probably not, unless you’re a heavy drinker. Cheers! was reported at $83.94 per person per day pre-purchased, or $335.76 for four nights, and $89.94 a day onboard. It doesn’t work at Celebration Key, and your port days are short. Carnival’s dynamic pricing starts December 1, 2026, so check the current price in the Cruise Planner before deciding.
What should I pack for a January cruise out of Jacksonville?
Pack layers for Jacksonville and light clothes for the Bahamas. Jacksonville in January averages highs near 65°F and lows near 43°F, while Nassau averages about 79°F highs and 65°F lows. Bring a jacket, long trousers and closed shoes for embarkation and return days, plus a light rain jacket and motion-sickness remedies. Swimwear is optional, since the January sea temperature is probably cool.
The Bottom Line
This is a compact Bahamas escape from a veteran ship, and the winter sailing needs a little extra homework. Lock down your passports now, mark Thursday, December 31 for check-in, and don’t treat the ports or Celebration Key hours as gospel until Carnival confirms them. Budget $136 in gratuities for two adults in a standard cabin, $68 if you park, and be honest about whether Cheers! earns its keep. Pack a jacket for the pier and sunscreen for Nassau, and enjoy the odd thrill of changing climates in one weekend.
Ships in This Story
- Carnival Elation Carnival · Latest CDC score 98
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