carnival elation cruise menu

Family travel with a toddler

Complete List of All Carnival Elation Restaurants

Having excellent food on a cruise is one of the reasons why people keep doing it. Here’s a list of Carnival Elation restaurants you can try out while on your cruise. This post dives into the food options available per restaurant, and which ones are free or are extra pay. We do apologize in advance if this post makes you already want to go on your cruise to start eating!

This post is a part of our cruising series. Here are other cruise-related posts that you may be interested in, covering Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages, Carnival & Margaritaville at Sea: 

• Activities and Entertainment on Virgin Voyages
• Solo cruise on Virgin Voyages (what to expect)
• What is the Virgin Voyages Loyalty Program (Sailing Club)
• Virgin Voyages Restaurants and Dining on Scarlet Lady
• Virgin Voyages Shopping on Scarlet Lady: What stores are onboard?
• Why Book a Virgin Voyages Cruise?
• Rhapsody of the Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruise Review)

13 Tips for Cruising with a Toddler

• Cheap Nassau Shore Excursions with a Toddler
• All Posts About Cruising

Where to stay in the Jacksonville, FL area: 

Tiffany’s (buffet at the lido deck) , what to expect at tiffany’s buffet in carnival elation, what are the food options on tiffany’s buffet, is pizza available in the carnival elation yes, at pizza pirate .

• Pizza Menu Options at Pizza Pirate at Carnival Elation:
• Pizza Pirate is located on the aft (back part) of the Lido Deck, Deck 10, inside Tiffany’s

Are there sandwiches available on the Carnival Elation? The Deli

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• Javablue Cafe on the Carnival Elation 

Is the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast experience available on the Carnival Elation? 

List of carnival elation restaurants, share this:.

Carnival Elation’s home port is in Jacksonville, FL. If you’re not local and are looking for places to stay in the Jacksonville, FL area, here’s a map to help you find the perfect hotel for your stay. The port is located close to Blount Island, on the east side of I-295. Although if we can recommend a hotel, they would be:

• Doubletree by Hilton Jacksonville Riverfront
• Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Downtown

Now on to the restaurants on Carnival Elation!

Tiffany’s on the Lido Deck is the buffet, with small kiosks dedicated to the actual buffet, pizza, a bar, and a deli. While we cover Pizza Pirate and the Carnival Deli in separate sections below, the buffet itself is a little bit underwhelming. First, the buffet is only open at certain hours of the day. Want a hot breakfast? You’ll have to wait until 8 am before they open up the bacon and sausage station. Pretty much any meat is only available past 8 am.

Want lunch? You’ll have to wait until noon before they open up whatever they decide to serve for lunch. 

It is a bit inconvenient – why can’t they just open for breakfast an hour before, say 7 AM and 11 AM for lunch? Having breakfast at 8 am is a bit late and more catered towards people who wake up a little later. Smaller ships on the Carnival fleet also tend to be booze cruises where there are a few more people waking up early, but for traveling with young kids, waking up early is not a surprise.

Tiffany’s can get really crowded during embarkation and disembarkation day. When we embarked on our cruise and the rooms were not yet available, everyone crowded into Tiffany’s, but we were lucky to finally find a spot to sit down! Other ships call their buffet differently, so you may not get Tiffany’s buffet outside of the Elation.

The buffet has two sides: but it is not uncommon to have lines that go a long way to either side. During port days, only one side of the buffet actually serves food. They close down the second buffet serving, so expect to queue if you visit at noon.

The buffet menu options change from lunch to dinner every day that you are cruising. I wouldn’t say there’s a specific cuisine in mind, it’s more of a mix-and-match type of thing. They have meats, vegetables, soups, a build-your-own salad station, and dessert. The dessert station is pretty popular and usually has 3 or more different cakes available for you to try. There are 2 types of cookies available at all times and 2 different types of jell-O flavors too.

Tiffany’s is located on the aft (back part) of the Lido Deck, Deck 10 of the Carnival Elation.

It seems that having access to 24-hour pizza is one of the cruise industry’s core requirements. We’ve been on 4 different cruise lines, and they all had a pizza station running all day except for Margaritaville, which has an odd pizza situation. Pizza is one of those meals you can expect will always be there on your cruise vacation.

The pizza station in the Carnival Elation is called Pizza Pirate, and it is not a standalone pizza place (like for example in Virgin Voyage’s Scarlet Lady). It is actually located inside Tiffany’s Buffet at the Lido deck, in the back part of the buffet. There is typically one person operating the pizza oven, so you tell them which pizza you want from the menu, and they will make it fresh on the spot. The pizza on the Elation was pretty good and not overly oily or greasy.

Pizza Menu Options at Pizza Pirate at Carnival Elation :

• Margherita (Pomodoro, basil, mozzarella)
• Funghi (pomodoro, mushroom, mozzarella)
• Pepperoni (pomodoro, mozzarella)
• Quattro Formaggi (garlic, gorgonzola, provolone, parmesan, mozzarella)
• Prosciutto (garlic, rucola, mozzarella)

You can also order a Caesar Salad on the side. The pizzas are not exactly fast. During peak times, you will have to wait for a pizza to be made, especially if you plan to get a full pizza and not just a slice. Pizza Pirate is complimentary and is included with your cruise fare.

Pizza Pirate is located on the aft (back part) of the Lido Deck, Deck 10 , inside Tiffany’s

Just like Pizza Pirate Tiffany’s Buffet also has a 12-hour deli station, open from 6 AM to 6 PM. The Deli contains a menu of cold and hot sandwiches that are prepared fresh for you. Similar to the Pizza Pirate station, it only has one person making all the sandwiches. There may be a bit of a wait, especially when people start ordering hot sandwiches that have to go into the mini sandwich oven.

The variety of sandwiches that can be custom-ordered is pretty good.

• Buffalo Chicken
• Grilled Ham & Cheese
• Cuban Mixto
• Steak & Cheese
• Tomato & Mozzarella
• Classic Chicken Salad
• Turkey & Swiss
• Southwest Chicken Wrap

You can also order Potato Chips and coleslaw as a side to go with your sandwich order. The deli is included with your cruise fare, no additional payment is required!

Celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s partnership with Carnival means that you can try several burger options on board that have a more unique vibe than your other, usual, burger joints.

Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint is located on Deck 10, the Lido Deck, right outside Tiffany’s buffet, and next to the pool and the Blue Iguana Taco restaurant.

The decor for Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint has a pretty laid-back vibe, with a surfboard and tables that are decorated with maps of various U.S. places and Guy Fieri’s printed notes about each one. There is also audio and video of Fieri explaining the concept of the restaurant and how his burgers are made on the TV located in the kiosk.

Just like at the Blue Iguana, you tell the server what type of burger you want. There is a menu with a few different options. The line can be intimidating sometimes, but in our experience, it moved pretty quickly.

• Plain Jane – plain burger with cheese
• Straight Up – with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and Donkey sauce (a tasty white, mayonnaise-type sauce)
• Chilius Maximus – with chili
• The Ringer – with an onion ring
• Pig Patty – a patty made from bacon

We tried the Plain Jane and the Straight Up, and both were good, though the Straight Up had more flavor. We actually thought that the best part about it was the fries, which are really well-seasoned and have a small kick.

Located on Floor 10, next to Tiffany’s buffet and Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint, is another favorite dining spot of ours, Blue Iguana Cantina. It’s like Chipotle, where you can prepare a burrito, taco, or bowl with a variety of fresh ingredients. This was one of our favorite things to eat because it was filling, healthy (or at least healthy-er), and the lines weren’t often crazy.

• Black Beans
• Refried Beans
• Mild/Hot Salsa
• Monterey Jack Cheese

And you can top your meal off with sour cream, crema fresca (highly recommended), or a variety of sauces at the toppings bar. We would highly recommend getting either the taco or burrito, as they are always hot and freshly made (these are like the delicious Chipotle tortillas, they are not the preservative-filled ones you buy at the grocery store).

There are two main dining rooms on the Carnival Elation, one in the forward (front) part of the ship, and one in the aft (the back part of the ship). The difference between those two is if you choose anytime dining versus a set dining time. The set times are separated into two: early dining, which starts at 5:30 PM, and late dining, which starts at 8:00 PM.

When traveling with a young child, it is always best to secure either an early dining slot or a choose-your-own time slot. 8:00 PM is a bit too late for our child, but yours may be different. There’s always a buffet available, but frankly, we don’t really want to eat dinner in the buffet for dinner, given that the options are very limited.

For our 5:30 PM Early dinner option, our family of 3 was placed at a big table, which was meant to share with another group of people. In the 6 nights that we were on the Elation, we’ve only had to share our table with another family once. If you do arrive early, the servers will not wait for other members of your big table to arrive. Instead, they will attend to you as if you are just one group.

The Elation’s dining room design and style are not much different from dining rooms on other cruise lines. The waiters wear white and black formal, and they sometimes dance and perform during the meal. The cutlery and plates were upscale (or presented as such) and there are large chandeliers everywhere. The service is usually composed of a head server, assisted by an assistant server and a beverage server. The service in the dining room is often excellent, and it definitely was on the Elation.

Where the quality does differ is the food. While Carnival has a menu with a variety of options (chicken, pasta, seafood, all well presented), we felt that the food was hit and miss. For example, the pasta dishes we ordered were often a little dry and didn’t have much flavor. The chicken pot pie was overly liquidy and not thick enough, and it would be nice to get bread that is at least warmed up a little bit.

However, the desserts were quite good, especially the chocolate lava cake, which was one of the best desserts we have tasted on any cruise line.

If you’re in a set dining spot, the servers get to know you and your preference the more you go back to the main dining room. In our case, we were celebrating a birthday the week before, but they made it a point to at least give me a slice of cake that had Happy Birthday on it and even sang a song for me.

The servers knew the name of every one of our family, what our drink orders were, and the fact that we prefer our food to be served as soon as available. We were trying our best to get our dinner done within an hour because our child has a limited attention span. They were updating us about the hurricane that was going to pass through Florida and was always asking how our day was.

This level of attention to detail and the fact that the servers were trying to connect was appreciated and made us remember our trip more.

An extra-pay experience, the restaurant offers sushi and sashimi, made according to your order. This is a small walk-up kiosk near the front part of Deck 9, the Promenade, close to the picture gallery. The restaurant hours vary. 

If you’re wondering why the library of the Elation is closed because of an event, chances are, these are the folks who paid extra to join the Chef’s Table. The Chef’s Table is a special dinner, where the menu options are not included in any of the main restaurants or the buffet. Additional fees apply, and diners can also go behind the scenes to see the galley (ship’s kitchen) in action. 

Javablue Cafe on the Carnival Elation  

Located on Deck 9, the Promenade Javablue cafe offers coffee shop favorites as well as dessert options for an extra fee. Javablue is also the hub to get the daily trivia and puzzles. There are very few seating areas located in the cafe, so the orders are all fulfilled in to-go containers. There is plenty of seating available on the Elation’s Promenade, all within a few steps from the Javablue Cafe. 

For those with children, this is a character breakfast for an additional fee held in one of the main dining rooms. Dr. Seuss and Thing 1 and Thing 2 show up during the breakfast and take photos and interact with the tables. The breakfast menu is Dr. Seuss-themed. Additional fees apply to every person participating in the experience. 

Would suggest trying this character breakfast only if your children are not afraid of getting too close to the mascots. Our 2-year-old son (at the time we cruised) was happily watching them dance from afar, but when they came close, he started getting scared, so we skipped the experience altogether. Older children would enjoy the experience more if they are fascinated with the characters. 

The Carnival Elation is a smaller and older ship, but you won’t go hungry if you choose to cruise on this ship. There are plenty of options available at all hours, catering to all taste palettes and dietary restrictions. However, if we were to choose which one is our absolute favorite restaurant on the ship, it would have to be Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint. A very close second is the Blue Iguana Cantina. You don’t see a lot of build-your-own tacos and burritos on other cruise lines. 

Have you cruised the carnival Elation? Which restaurant was your favorite?  

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Carnival Elation Bars (with menus and prices)

Carnival Elation has 9 different bars and lounges where you can enjoy a beer or cocktail. Below you can see all the different bars that can be found on Elation along with their current menus and prices.

What bars are on the Carnival Elation?

Alchemy bar.

Alchemy Bar is Carnival�s signature high-end cocktail bar. It�s an excellent place for pre- or post-dinner drinks. Here, experienced bartenders whip up some delicious, hand-crafted cocktails. Carnival also offers non-alcoholic versions of these cocktails using Lyre's syrups to provide all the flavor with none of the alcohol.

Alchemy Bar Menu

Menu is from Carnival Jubilee December 2023.

On Carnival, the Atrium is the heart of the cruise ship, and this bar is right in the middle of it. Stop by for a drink before dinner or grab a cocktail before one of the parties Carnival hosts in this space.

Atrium Bar Menu

Menu is from February 2024.

BlueIguana Tequila Bar

The Blue Iguana Tequila Bar is a pool-side bar located by the Lido Pool on almost every Carnival ship except for the Excel-class and Venice-class ships.

BlueIguana Tequila Bar Menu

Menu is from Carnival Horizon January 2024.

Stop by the Casino Bar while trying your luck at the many slot machines or table games.

On the Elation, this bar is called the Drama Bar.

Casino Bar Menu

Menus from the Carnival Legend April 2023.

Duke's Piano Bar

This piano bar will be rocking every night during your cruise. While it's not officially called Piano Bar 88, they share the same cocktail menu.

Duke's Piano Bar Menu

Menu is from Carnival Venezia February 2024.

Java Blue Cafe

JavaBlue Cafe is the premier coffee place that�s on board about half of the Carnival ships.

Java Blue Cafe Menu

Menu is from Carnival Jubilee February 2024..

Limelight Lounge

Limelight Lounge is home to shows, dancing, and comedy over the course of the cruise.

Limelight Lounge Menu

RedFrog Rum Bar

You can find the Red Frog Rum Bar next to the Lido Pool on almost every Carnival ship. It is different from the Red Frog Pub, which is usually an inside bar on the Promenade level of the ship.

RedFrog Rum Bar Menu

Menu is from Carnival Liberty February 2024.

Romeo and Juliet Night Club

Dance the night away at this night club. The 18+ dance club where DJ's will mix today's hottest hits and yesterday's retro jams.

Romeo and Juliet Night Club Menu

Should you get the Carnival drink package?

Carnival offers a drink package for $59.95 - $69.95 per guest per day. Some people can save considerable money by purchasing the drink package, while others save by paying per drink. Learn more about the available drink packages below or try our handy drink package calculator to see what you'd save.

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Carnival Elation

Cruise line Carnival Cruise Line

• Jacksonville (JAXPORT, Florida)

Carnival Elation current position

Carnival Elation current location is at US East Coast (coordinates 30.40823 N / -81.58186 W) cruising en route to USJAX > BSNAS. The AIS position was reported 8 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Carnival Elation

Carnival Elation current cruise is 4 days, round-trip The Bahamas . Prices start from USD 329 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 25 Apr, 2024 and ends on 29 Apr, 2024 .

Specifications of Carnival Elation

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Carnival Elation Itineraries

Carnival elation review, review of carnival elation.

The 1998-built Carnival Elation cruise ship is the 7th of CCL's eight Fantasy-class liners, with sisterships Sensation , Fascination plus the "no balcony ships" Fantasy , Ecstasy , Imagination , Inspiration , Paradise .

The vessel (IMO number 9118721) is currently Panama- flagged (MMSI 355831000) and registered in Colon .

History - construction and ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a US shipping company, trademarked brand and subsidiary of Carnival Corporation (shipowner). CCL was founded in 1972 as an independent company by Ted Arison (1924-1999, co-founder of NCL Norwegian ). 

CCL has the Corporation's largest fleet as number of vessels and GT-tonnage (ship sizes/volumes and passenger capacities). In 2023, CCL had ~9% (by revenue) and ~19% (passengers) share of the cruise industry's worldwide market. In 2024, the parent company (Carnival Corporation) had ~51% stake in the US$64+ billion industry.

The 2200-passenger ship Carnival Elation was floated out on January 4, 1998. Elation was retrofitted with part of Carnival's "Evolutions of Fun" upgrades. The Serenity adults-only area was installed, but not the WaterWorks park. Carnival Elation also had 28 balconies installed, all on Deck 6. Although the ship did not receive the full upgrade "Evolutions of Fun", in 2014 she received "Fun Ship 2.0" upgrades.  Elation is the world's first cruise vessel equipped with Azipod propulsion , the state-of-the-art technology that substantially improves maneuverability in addition to saving hull space. The ship is also the world's first with a conference center (capable to accommodate small to medium groups for meetings and special events).

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Elation staterooms (1094 total, in 25 categories) include 79 Suites, 98 Balcony, 528 Oceanview and 378 Inside cabins. Most cabins are sized 170-185 ft2 (16-17 m2). CCL Elation ship has 33 wheelchair-accessible cabins (ADA staterooms adapted for passengers with disabilities). The largest (Grand Vista Suites) are sized 350 ft2 / 33 m2 plus 60 ft2 / 6 m2 terrace and accommodate up to 5 passengers. Grand Suites feature large sitting areas and spacious bathrooms (with whirlpool bathtubs, separate shower), VIP services and amenities.

The boat has 14 decks , of which 11 are passenger-accessible and 7 with cabins.

During  drydock refurbishment 2017, a total of 38 new cabins were added, of which 2x Grand Vista Suites, 22x Junior Suites, 2x Scenic Oceanview, and 12x Interior. A total of 98 balconies were added to existing staterooms, which were upgraded to 230 ft2 / 21 m2 sized balcony cabins. The number of passenger staterooms was increased from 1026 to 1094, which increased the boat's passenger capacity from 2052 to 2128 (max 2462 to 2554).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Carnival Elation does not offer alternative dining, so every meal onboard the ship is served in one of the two MDRs or the Tiffany’s Lido buffet. Passengers can thus avoid the nickel-and-diming, equated with newer and larger ships, but you might wish for more variety. However, excellent service is one of the bright spots: bar servers are close by throughout the ship. The informal Tiffany's Bar and Grill is located on the Lido Deck and offers inside and poolside seating. Meals are served buffet-style with open seating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A 24-hour pizzeria, 24-hour room service and complimentary sushi bar are the other alternative eating options. Carnival is one of the few cruise lines that still offer midnight buffets.

The real foodies who are curious about how the galley feeds so many people, have to check out Chef's Table. For US$75 per person, you'll be able to meet the head chef and tour the galley, as well as dine on a multi-course meal at a private table, while watching the chefs at work. 

Follows the complete list of Carnival Elation restaurants and food bars.

• Imagination Dining Room (650-seat forward restaurant, with two fixed dinner seatings and “Your Time Dining”, as well as “Seuss At Sea” themed breakfasts for US$5 cover charge)
• Inspiration Dining Room (658-seat aft restaurant, with two options for dinner seating)
• Tiffany’s Lido Buffet Restaurant (722-seat, complimentary self-service restaurant with various food stations; operates as a bistro in the evenings)
• Sushi Bar (complimentary)
• JavaBlue Cafe (patisserie/specialty coffee bar)
• Bluelguana Cantina (poolside Mexican fast food bar / complimentary)
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar
• Guy’s Burger Joint (poolside burger bar / complimentary).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Carnival Elation will not waste time to convince you as she is a ship where "participation" does make the experience. There are a lot of spots for a drink, from the laid back Gatsby’s Great Bar to the jumping Jekyll and even Hyde Dance Club to the always-swinging Duke’s Piano Bar.

A variety of live bands entertain nightly on Carnival Elation, and virtually every musical style can be heard. The prime entertainment venue is the Japanese-inspired Mikado theater, showcasing Las Vegas-style revues and performances by individual comedians and musicians.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Elation lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Elation Atrium Plaza (7-deck high midship open area served byPlaza Lobby Bar)
• Internet Cafe (24-hour Internet computers room)
• Art Gallery; Photo Gallery and Shop (digital platform / Pixels-brand); Formalities Shop (tuxedo rentals, special occasion gifts); The Fun Shops (offer “Bon Voyage” store menu, souvenirs, watches, jewelry, logo merchandise, duty-free liquor, fashion boutiques / Guess Store, Pandora Store)
• Mikado Theatre (1300-seat, 2-level main show lounge for musical productions; also used for game shows, bingo, movies)
• Duke’s Bar (92-seat piano bar)
• Mark Twain Library; Conference Room (70-seat)
• Casablanca Casino (450-seat, served by Drama Bar)
• Elation’s Way Promenade and Bar (230-seat)
• Musical Cafe (72-seat specialty coffee bar and patisserie)
• Cherry On Top (Carnival's signature candy shop)
• Alchemy Bar (Carnival's “cocktail pharmacy” lounge served by professional mixologists)
• RedFrog Rum Bar (frozens, beers, Carnival’s private label ThirstyFrog Red/draught beer)
• Romeo and Juliet Lounge and Bar (109-seat, with dance floor and karaoke)
• Jekyll and Hyde Disco and Nightclub (230-seat Dance Club)
• Gatsby’s Great Bar (92-seats cigar bar/smoking lounge with patio)
• Punchliner Comedy Club/brunch shows)
• Elation Lido Pool area (features one pool, two whirlpools, two poolside bars and stage for live performances, as well as 3-deck high Twister Waterslide which ends in the main pool); Aft Pool area (features one Whirlpool, one Splash Pool and one rounded pool)
• Circle C (kids' complimentary club lounge with movies, video games, parties, planned activities)
• 24-hour Video Games Arcade; Club O2 teens' lounge for movies, karaoke, parties
• Serenity (adults only relaxation area with padded lounges, hammocks and two Whirlpools)
• Camp Ocean (marine-inspired play area for children 2-11 with more than 200 ocean-themed activities)
• Camp Ocean (kids' club lounge with complimentary supervised program, indoor and outdoor playground areas)
• Carnival WaterWorks (aquapark with the 300-ft long waterslide Twister, 2x 82-ft long racing mini-slides, kids splash zone)
• Spa Carnival (Spa and Fitness complex with Relaxation Room, Steam Rooms, Saunas, Massage Rooms, Beauty Salon, Gymnasium with Aerobics Studio)
• Basketball/Volleyball Court, Jogging Track, Tennis Tables, 9-hole Mini Golf Course, Bocce Court, Shuffleboard.

During drydock 2019, the Cole Porter Club (540-seat bar lounge with a dance floor and a stage for live performances) aft on Promenaded Deck was replaced by the Alchemy Bar and 30x new staterooms.

Itineraries

Carnival Elation itinerary program is based on 4- and 5-day short breaks from New Orleans LA  to Mexico and the Western Caribbean. Feature port destinations include Progreso and Cozumel . On April 23, 2016, Elation starts new Bahamas itineraries from Jacksonville .

In December 2017, Carnival announced the 2019 deployment of Carnival Elation to  Port Canaveral (Orlando Florida)  (new homeport). Starting on May 12, 2019, the ship will operate a year-round schedule of 4- and 5-day Bahamas cruises. Departures are on Thursdays (4-day itinerary to  Freeport  and  Nassau ) and on Mondays and Saturdays (5-day itinerary to  Amber Cove Dominicana and Grand Turk Island ).

Carnival Elation - user reviews and comments

Photos of carnival elation.

Carnival Elation ship related cruise news

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Carnival Elation Wiki

Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade  was done in 2014. In 1998, MS Elation made the "cruise news" as the first cruise liner with AZIPOD propulsion (azimuth thrusters/electric podded units). The vessel was christened by godmother Shari Arison - daughter of Ted Arison (1924-1999) - co-founder of NCL Norwegian Cruise Lines (1966) and founder of Carnival Cruise Lines (1972).

The Carnival ship Elation is one of the company's oldest (Fantasy-class) vessels with sisterships Ecstasy ,  Fantasy , Fascination , Imagination , Inspiration , Paradise , Sensation . A fleet-first feature for a Fun Ship is CCL Elation's dedicated conference center able to accommodate small groups for private meetings. As part of Carnival's 250 million "Evolution of Fun" program ("Fun Ship 1.0"), Elation received some upgrades in 2009, including the new facilities "Circle C" (kids club for passengers between 12- and 14-years-old), the adults-only deck "Serenity", as well as expanded buffet dining options.

The vessel was constructed by STX Finland (at Kvaerner Masa-Yards/Helsinki New Shipyard in Helsinki ) under yard/hull number 491. It has volume 71909 GT-tons, DWT/deadweight 7036 tons, max draught 8 m (26 ft). The powerplant is based on Wartsila marine diesel engines (models 12ZAV40S and 12V38) with total power output 47,52 MW.

Carnival elation was launched/floated out from drydock on January 4, 1998, and delivered (as MS Elation) to Carnival on March 20, 1998. The Maiden Voyage was a 16-day Panama Canal transition itinerary from Miami to Los Angeles , visiting ports in Colombia (Cartagena), Panama City (Balboa), Costa Rica (Puerto Caldera/Puntarenas) and Mexico (Acapulco). The inaugural cruise season started on April 12, 1998, and was based on homeporting in LA and 7-day Mexican Riviera itineraries visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

In 2003, Elation started homeporting in Galveston (Texas) with 7-day Western Caribbean itineraries. In 2007, Elation started homeporting in San Diego (California) operating short breaks to Baja California (Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas). In the following years, the boat was also homeported in Mobile (Alabama) , New Orleans (Louisiana) and Port Canaveral/Orlando (Florida) .

Carnival Elation refurbishment 2020 review

In 2019 (March 2-26) the ship entered drydock at Grand Bahama Shipyard ( Freeport Bahamas ). During the refurbishment, aft on Deck 9/Promenade (in the space previously occupied by the Cole Porter lounge) were added 30 new staterooms and the Alchemy Bar. The new cabins' modules were delivered by ALMACO (drydocking project's management company).

Other changes included remodeling several venues and adding JavaBlue Cafe (patisserie/coffee bar) and Bonsai Sushi Express (complimentary take-away dining option/made-to-order sushi).

During drydock 2023 (Jan 21-Feb 10, in Freeport) were conducted general maintenance works and only parts of the ship were updated/upgraded (new carpets and cosmetic enhancements). Cloud 9 Spa was fully refreshed (new steam and sauna rooms), and some maintenance works were conducted on some venues and staterooms. Works included hull cleaning and repainting with CCL’s new livery (red-white-blue design).

Carnival Elation refurbishment 2017 review

The list of deck plan changes after the ship's 2017 drydock refurbishment (August 31 - September 27) done in Freeport Bahamas included:

• A total of 38 new cabins were added, of which 2x Grand Vista Suites, 22x Junior Suites, 2x Scenic Oceanview, 12x Interior. Balconies were added to 98 cabins (on decks 5-Main, 6-Upper, 7-Empress). This changed the vessel's passenger capacity from 2052 (max 2606) to 2128 (max 2554).
• The newly added staterooms were modular (delivered in a block consisting of 7 sub-blocks), pre-manufactured by ALMACO Group - a full-service provider of marine vessel cabins, wet units, galleys, provision stores, crew living quarters). The ship's elevator lobbies and stairs were also renovated.
• (Lido Deck 10) Guy's Burger Joint was added (complimentary poolside dining venue serving hand-crafted burgers and fresh-cut fries )
• (Lido Deck 10) BlueIguana Cantina was added (complimentary poolside Mexican eatery for fresh-made burritos and tacos on homemade tortillas, with salsa bar and a variety of toppings). Also here was added the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar (Mexican-themed outdoor bar for frozens and beers).
• (Promenade Deck 9) Here was added the RedFrog Rum Bar (rum bar for frozens and beers, serving Carnival’s private label ThirstyFrog Red /draught beer).
• (Promenade Deck 9) In the area of "Elation’s Way Promenade" (near Drama Bar) was added to Cherry On Top (bulk candy store, also selling Carnival Cruise Lines logo apparel, gifts, toys)).
• (Verandah Deck 11) the old Camp Carnival kids complex was redesigned and transformed into Camp Ocean. Also here (aft) was installed Carnival Waterworks (aquapark with Splash Zone, 2 mini racing slides for kids, and the Twister Waterslide).
• (Deck 14) the 9-hole Mini-Golf Course was relocated and redesigned (added bocce court).
• Retail Shops were completely redesigned and upgraded with new brand boutiques (Guess Store, Pandora Store). The Photo Gallery was replaced with a digital platform (Pixels-brand).
• Various technical enhancements were implemented, including shoreside power capabilities.
• Routine maintenance works included new hull coating.

During refurbishment 2017, the crew area was also renovated.

The vessel was last drydocked in 2023 (January 21 thru February 10) at Grand Bahama Shipyard (Freeport). The scheduled drydocking was for routine class works and general maintenance (hotel and machinery).

• Cruise Line Restaurant, Room Service, and Bar Menus / Food and Drink

Carnival Menus 2024

by Prof. Cruise · Published January 9, 2023 · Updated March 11, 2024

Here are all of the Carnival dining menus updated for 2024. I’ve indicated which ship each dining venue is currently available on as well as current pricing (prices change frequently, so double check on the HUB app or onboard).

INDEX (jump to):

Main Dining Room Menus

Complimentary Fast Casual Restaurant Menus

Specialty Restaurants Menus (extra charge)

Room Service Menus

Carnival Main Dining Room Restaurant Menus 2024

Carnival breakfast menu 2024.

Available on all ships in the MDR on most port days. Complimentary. Note that this menus was changed in 2024 and now offers fewer omelette options than the prior version.

Carnival Sea Day Brunch Menu 2024

The Seaday Brunch is available on all ships in the MDR on sea days. Complimentary.

Carnival Dinner Menus 2024

Available on all ships in the main dining room (MDR). Complimentary. Below are the most current fleet-wide dinner menus on Carnival:

NEW Carnival Dinner Menus for 3 Night Cruises NEW Carnival Dinner Menus for 4 Night Cruises NEW Carnival Dinner Menus for 5 Night Cruises NEW Carnival Dinner Menus for 6 Night Cruises NEW Carnival Dinner Menus for 7 and 8 Night Cruises NEW Carnival Dinner Menus for 14 Night Cruises

Carnival introduced new vegan dining options in September 2023. You can see the vegan menu options here:

Carnival VEGAN Dinner Menus

Carnival Vegan Menus

Carnival introduced new nightly gluten free menus in 2024. You can see the gluten free menu options here:

Carnival GLUTEN FREE Dinner Menus

Carnival Gluten Free Menus

Carnival Complimentary Fast Casual Restaurant Menus 2024

Big Chicken

Blue Iguana Cantina

The Captain’s Pasta Bar

Cucina del Capitano

Fresh Creations

Guy’s Burger Joint

Guy’s Pig and Anchor

Ji Ji Asian Kitchen

La Strada Grill

Late Night Snacks

Lido Marketplace Buffet

Lido Omelette Station

Masala Tiger

Miami Slice

Mongolian Wok

Ol’ Fashioned BBQ

Pizzeria del Capitano and Pizza Pirate

Street Eats

Carnival Big Chicken Menu 2024

Big Chicken  is available on the  Celebration , Jubilee, Mardi Gras, and Radiance . Complimentary.

Carnival Blue Iguana Cantina Menu 2024

Blue Iguana Cantina  is available on  all Carnival ships   except the Splendor (see note about the Venezia below). Complimentary.

Note: In addition to the regular Blue Iguana items, there are some additional Italian-themed menu items on the Carnival Venezia :

The Captain’s Pasta Bar Menu on Carnival 2024

The Captain’s Pasta Bar  is available for lunch on the  Breeze ,  Horizon ,  Magic ,  Panorama ,  Sunshine , and  Vista . Complimentary.

Carnival Chibang Menu 2024

C HIBANG!  is available on the  Mardi Gras , Celebration , and Jubilee . It is currently complimentary.

Carnival Cucina del Capitano Complimentary Menu 2024

Cucina del Capitano is available on the Mardi Gras, Celebration, and Jubilee . ONLY currently complimentary on those 3 ships.

Carnival Deco Deli Menu 2024

Deco Deli is available on the Celebration . Complimentary.

Carnival Deli Menu 2024

The Carnival Deli  is available on the  Breeze, Conquest, Dream, Ecstasy, Elation, Freedom, Glory, Horizon, Legend, Liberty, Luminosa, Magic, Miracle, Panorama, Paradise, Pride, Radiance, Spirit, Splendor, Sunrise, Sunshine, Valor, Venezia, and Vista. Complimentary.

Carnival Fresh Creations Menu 2024

Fresh Creations  is available on the Celebration , Horizon ,  Jubilee , Mardi Gras ,  Panorama , and  Vista . Complimentary.

Carnival Guy’s Burger Joint Menu 2024

Guy’s Burger Joint  is available on  all Carnival ships (see note below about the special Guy’s menu on the Venezia). Complimentary.

*Note: There is a special Italian-themed Guy’s Burger menu on the Venezia. You can find it posted HERE :

Carnival Debuts NEW Guy’s Burger Menu on Venezia

Carnival Guy’s Pig and Anchor Menu 2024

Guy’s Pig and Anchor  is available on the  Breeze, Celebration , Dream, Horizon, Jubilee , Magic, Mardi Gras, Panorama, Radiance, Sunrise, and Vista . Complimentary at lunch.

Carnival Ji Ji’s Asian Kitchen Lunch Menu 2024

Ji Ji’s Asian Kitchen is available on the Horizon, Panorama, Sunshine, and Vista . Note that you can also ask for a custom bowl if you don’t like these selections. Complimentary at lunch.

Carnival La Strada Menu 2024

La Strada Grill is available only on the Venezia on deck 5 aft. The daily specials rotate each day. Complimentary.

Carnival Late Night Snacks Menu 2024

The late night snack menu is served in the buffet area on all ships .

Carnival Lido Marketplace Buffet Menus 2024

The buffet is available on all Carnival ships . Complimentary.

Here’s a sample lunch menu:

Here are a few sample dinner menus:

Carnival Lido Buffet Omelette Station Menu 2024

This omelette station is available on all Carnival ships at breakfast at the Lido Marketplace buffet. Complimentary.

Carnival Lucky Bowl Menu 2024

Lucky Bowl is available on the Sunrise . Complimentary.

Carnival Masala Tiger Menu 2024

Masala Tiger is available on the Splendor . Complimentary. The menu is different every day. They generally go in this order, but no guarantees.

Carnival Miami Slice Menu 2024

Miami Slice is available on the Celebration . Complimentary.

Carnival Mongolian Wok Menu 2024

The Mongolian Wok  is available for lunch on the  Breeze ,  Dream ,  Freedom ,  Liberty ,  Magic ,  Panorama ,  Splendor , and  Valor . Complimentary.

Carnival Ol’ Fashioned BBQ Menu 2024

Ol’ Fashioned BBQ is available for lunch on Conquest, Freedom, Glory, Liberty, Luminosa, Splendor, and Valor. Complimentary.

Carnival Pizzeria del Capitano and Pizza Pirate Menus 2024

Most Carnival ships will have one of two pizza counters usually located on the Lido deck, open 24 hours a day, and different in name only: Pizzeria del Capitano or Pizza Pirate. Dining here is complimentary.

Pizzeria del Capitano  is available on the  Dream, Horizon, Jubilee, Luminosa, Magic, Mardi Gras, Panorama, Radiance, Sunrise, Sunshine, Vista ,  Spirit , Splendor, and Venezia .

Pizza Pirate is available on the Breeze, Conquest, Ecstasy, Elation, Freedom, Glory, Legend, Liberty, Miracle, Paradise, Pride, and Valor.

Carnival Street Eats Menus 2024

Street Eats features three different food stands, Mad Sizzle , Steam Dream , and Time Fries . Each will feature one daily, rotating item.

Street Eats is available on Celebration, Mardi Gras, and Jubilee. Here are sample menus (the order will vary):

Carnival Swirls Menu 2024

Swirls soft serve machines are available on all ships and feature chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry soft serve ice cream and yogurt.

Carnival Specialty Restaurant Menus (extra charge)

*Prices change frequently, so double check via the app, website, or once onboard for current prices.

Bonsai Sushi

Bonsai Teppanyaki

Emeril’s Bistro 1396

Emeril’s Bistro 1397

Carnival Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse

JavaBlue Cafe

JiJi Asian Kitchen

RedFrog Pub & Brewery

Rudi’s Seagrill

Seafood Shack

Thing 1 and Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast

Carnival Bonsai Sushi Menu 2024

Bonsai Sushi is available on Breeze, Celebration, Dream, Horizon, Jubilee, Legend, Mardi Gras, Panorama, Pride, Radiance, Spirit, Sunrise, Sunshine, Venezia, and Vista. Pricing is à la carte .

Carnival Bonsai Teppanyaki Menu 2024

Bonsai Teppanyaki is available on Celebration, Horizon, Jubilee, Mardi Gras, Panorama, and Venezia . Cost is $35 for lunch and $38 for dinner .

Carnival Cucina del Capitano Menu 2024

Cucina del Capitano is available on Breeze, Horizon, Magic, Panorama, Radiance, Sunrise, Sunshine, Vista. Cost for dinner is $18 .

Carnival Emeril’s Bistro 1396 Menu 2024

Emeril’s Bistro 1396 is available on the Mardi Gras . Cost is à la carte .

Carnival Emeril’s Bistro 1397 Menu 2024

Emeril’s Bistro 1396 is available on the Celebration . Cost is à la carte .

Carnival Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse Menu 2024

Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse is available on Celebration, Horizon, Jubilee, Mardi Gras, and Panorama .

Carnival Il Viaggio Menu 2024

Il Viaggio is available on the Venezia and the Firenze .

Carnival JavaBlue Cafe Menu 2024

JavaBlue Cafe is available on Celebration, Elation, Glory, Horizon, Jubilee, Luminosa, Mardi Gras, Miracle, Panorama, Radiance, Splendor, Sunrise, Sunshine, and Vista . Prices are à la carte .

Carnival JiJi Asian Kitchen Menu 2024

JiJi Asian Kitchen is available on Horizon, Panorama, Sunshine, and Vista. Cost is $18 for dinner.

Carnival RedFrog Pub & Brewery Menu 2024

RedFrog Pub & Brewery (this is North America’s first ever brewery at sea and is different from the RedFrog Pub) is only available on the Vista . Prices are à la carte .

Carnival Rudi’s Seagrill Menu 2024

Rudi’s Seagrill is available on Celebration, Jubilee, and Mardi Gras . Cost is $48 .

Carnival Seafood Shack Menu 2024

Seafood Shack is available on Conquest, Celebration, Dream, Freedom, Glory, Horizon, Jubilee, Liberty, Magic, Mardi Gras, Panorama, Splendor, Sunrise, Valor, Venezia, and Vista. Prices are à la carte and based on current market prices.

Carnival Steakhouse Menu 2024

A steakhouse (called different names depending on the ship, but the menu is the same fleet-side) is available on Breeze, Celebration, Conquest, Dream, Freedom, Glory, Horizon, Jubilee, Legend, Liberty, Luminosa, Magic, Mardi Gras, Miracle, Panorama, Pride, Radiance, Spirit, Splendor, Sunrise, Sunshine, Valor, Venezia, and Vista. Cost is $48 .

Thing 1 and Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast (formerly the “Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast)

In 2024, Carnival revamped its popular Dr. Seuss themed breakfast. It’s now called the “ Thing 1 and Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast ” and features a new menu. The updated cost is $15 for adults and $10 for children . You can see the updated menu and read about the other changes here:

Carnival’s NEW Dr. Seuss Thing 1 & Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast Menu

Carnival Room Service Menus 2024

Room Service Breakfast Menu

Room Service All-Day Menu

Carnival Room Service Breakfast Menu 2024

The breakfast room service menu is available on all ships. There are some complimentary breakfast items and the rest are à la carte .

Carnival Room Service All-Day Menu 2024

The all-day room service menu is available on all ships. Prices are à la carte .

Carnival Kids Menus

Carnival Kids Menus (Click on the link for Carnival’s main dining room kids menu, Carnival’s steakhouse kids menu, and Carnival’s Chibang kids menu).

And with that…

Class Dismissed!

Today’s Bonus Cruising Tip

I ALWAYS buy travel insurance (especially during these uncertain times) to cover my cruises, but I NEVER purchase it through Carnival . It costs more and usually covers less than policies you purchase on your own. I go through sites like  travelinsurance.com  to compare plans and prices and get the best deal for the coverage I want. Spend less on insurance and spend more on excursions, special onboard cruise experiences and…future cruises!

Carnival’s New Year’s Eve Dinner Menu

December 6, 2022

 by Prof. Cruise · Published December 6, 2022

NCL Christmas Dinner Menu

December 26, 2023

 by Prof. Cruise · Published December 26, 2023

Celebrity Elite Breakfast Menu

April 5, 2023

 by Prof. Cruise · Published April 5, 2023 · Last modified April 13, 2023

5 Responses

• Pingbacks 2

Thanks for the updated menu. Hoping that Escargot is still available on night 3 like the menus show. Recent menus on the Celebration do not have Escargot available at all on any day.

Thanks for the heads up about the Escargot on the Celebration, James. I’m reaching out to my contact at Carnival to see if I can get some clarification on that – if it’s due to a shortage (which has happened before), a ship specific change, or a fleet-wide change to the menu. I’ll share anything I find!

Thanks for this information, I just want to see if you can find the Main dining menu for 14 day carnival miracle cruise to Alaska?

[…] Looking for Carnival dining menus? Find them all HERE: […]

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About Prof. Cruise

Given name Sarah, but also answers to Prof. Cruise. Retired after 10 years as a college professor to focus full-time on her primary research interest: travel. With a concentration in cruising.  Home port: Seattle.  Mom of a shaggy-haired dog and a shaggy-haired human.  Lover of books and dessert.  Fancies herself a bit of a comedian – you’ve been warned.

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Popular Posts

Cucina del Capitano, Carnival Cruise Line 's Italian restaurant, is a cruiser favorite. It offers a delightful, cozy spot to gather over a delicious meal, and there's something for just about everyone — from the biggest foodie to the pickiest eater — on the menu.

Here's a guide to what you can expect when you dine there, including what's on the menu, how much it'll cost you and a list of ships where you can find this eatery.

For more cruise guides, news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

What is Cucina del Capitano on Carnival cruise ships?

Cucina del Capitano, which translates to "Captain's Kitchen" in English, is the Italian restaurant found on nearly one-third of Carnival's ships . It first rolled out on Carnival Magic in 2011, after the line decided to poll its Italian captains for their favorite recipes from home. From there, the Cucina del Capitano menu was born.

The restaurant offers delicious food options for cruisers who are hungry for traditional Italian dishes like pasta, chicken Parmesan and tiramisu that they can chase with a post-dinner limoncello.

Related: Carnival cruise food: The ultimate guide to restaurants and dining on board

While the decor and ambience can vary from vessel to vessel, the restaurants feel cozy, with family photos from the fleet's captains on the wall. You'll either be seated at a table with a red-and-white checkered tablecloth that makes you feel like you're sitting down to a backyard cookout or in a cozy alcove that makes the experience feel more like you've stepped into an Italian family's dining room for a big meal.

On most ships, the restaurant functions like a typical specialty restaurant . However, on Excel Class ships, the venue was designed as an overflow restaurant to take some of the pressure off of the main dining rooms during peak times. The restaurant is open to everyone, but only passengers with Your Time Dining — which allows cruisers to dine anytime they wish between 5 and 9 p.m. — can have dinner at Cucina del Capitano anytime during opening hours. Cruisers with set-seating dining are only allowed to eat there after 7:45 p.m.

Reservations are recommended.

Cucina del Capitano menu

Meals at Cucina del Capitano are broken into four categories or courses: starters, soups and salads; mains and pastas; sides; and desserts. Captain-recommended favorites are noted on the menu.

You might choose to start with cured tuna, meatballs, deep-fried shrimp, minestrone soup or a caprese salad. For your main course, try linguine with clams, spaghetti carbonara, grilled fish, veal marsala, a pork chop or captain-favorite chicken Parmesan. You can also opt for steakhouse fare — including filet mignon, surf 'n' turf or a grilled lamb chop — for a $23 surcharge.

For your sides, pick from roasted broccoli and cauliflower, lentils, spinach or crispy potatoes.

If you still have room for dessert, options include an apple pastry, frozen lemon tarte, baba (Italian rum cake) or tiramisu, a captain favorite. You can also order specialty coffees and digestifs, including limoncello, amaretto, sambuca, grappa and more.

A selection of wine (red, white and rose) and beer costs extra unless you have a drink package that covers your beverage choice.

A children's menu is available for kids 11 and younger. Selections include spaghetti with meatballs, fish sticks, chicken fingers, and macaroni and cheese, with a choice of either cannoli or lemon sherbet for dessert.

Additionally, six of the 11 ships that have Cucina del Capitano feature a free Captain's Pasta Bar option for lunch. The menu includes a choice of linguini, penne or farfalle, as well as sauces like tomato, Alfredo, white clam and meat sauce, as well as butter. Additional mix-ins include Italian sausage, chicken strips and a plethora of vegetables. Want something more hearty? You can also choose lasagna, and don't forget to toss in a side of Caesar salad or bread.

Note: Menu examples were accurate at the time of publication, but they are subject to change without notice.

Cucina del Capitano prices

Pricing is a bit confusing, as it varies according to ship.

On the line's newest Excel Class ships , Cucina del Capitano is free for all passengers during their first visit to the restaurant. Additional visits are $8 per person. The only exception is Carnival Jubilee ; every visit is free during the ship's inaugural season. After that, it will share the same pricing as Carnival Celebration and Mardi Gras .

On the other eight ships that have the restaurant (see below), the cost is $24 per adult. Kids 11 and younger can dine for $11 from the children's menu.

Selections from the menu's steakhouse section will incur a fee of $23 per item. Alcohol costs extra unless you have a beverage package that covers it. An 18% gratuity will be added (except to free meals), and a $5 surcharge will apply for every main course after the first two per person.

The Captain's Pasta Bar, which is offered for lunch only on select ships, is complimentary.

Which Carnival ships have Cucina del Capitano?

Cucina del Capitano is available on the following Carnival ships:

• Carnival Breeze
• Carnival Celebration
• Carnival Horizon
• Carnival Jubilee
• Carnival Magic
• Carnival Panorama
• Carnival Radiance
• Carnival Sunrise
• Carnival Sunshine
• Carnival Vista

Of the 11 ships that have Cucina del Capitano, the following have the Captain's Pasta Bar for lunch:

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• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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