Carnival selects ship to continue Jacksonville service (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Daily Record) — Carnival Cruise Line announced Sept. 24 that its ship the Carnival Elation will continue year-round service from Jacksonville through spring 2027.
In March, the Jacksonville Port Authority board approved a contract extension with Carnival that will keep the company through 2026 and includes renewal options that extend through 2030.
The Elation, which holds about 2,400 passengers, is now the only ship sailing from JaxPort’s Cruise Terminal. Carnival offers four- and five-day Caribbean cruises. Stops could include Celebration Key, Nassau, Bimini, Half Moon Cay or Princess Cays.
Jacksonville cruisers will have another option starting in November 2025 when Norwegian Cruise Line begins to operate the Norwegian Gem cruise ship from JaxPort.
Norwegian plans to offer cruises from Jacksonville to the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean. The Norwegian Gem holds 2,394 guests.
Eric Green, JaxPort CEO, told that Daily Record in March that the two cruise lines are like competing fast-food restaurants that offered similar types of food but different menu options.
“I’d say Carnival is more geared toward the family experience. Norwegian may be a little bit more of the adult-driven experience,” he said. “So I think it’s great for the market, and I think it’s great for both of them.”
Green said the Cruise Terminal’s parking lot would be configured to provide each cruise line with designated parking for its passengers, with each lot being at an equal distance to the boarding area. He said no major improvements to the terminal are planned.
According to JaxPort, more than 3 million passengers have sailed from Jacksonville during Carnival’s 20 years of cruise service. The cruise industry supports nearly 800 jobs and more than $187 million in annual economic impact for Northeast Florida.