The Carnival Elation recently became the first cruise ship to use the new floating drydock at the Grand Bahamas Shipyard in Freeport. The new drydock arrived in late 2025.

As one of the stakeholders of the shipyard, Carnival Corporation highlighted the years of planning and teamwork that led to the opening of the new facility.

“A huge team effort came to life over the weekend as East End, our new floating drydock at Grand Bahama Shipyard, completed its first operation with the successful docking of the Carnival Elation,” the company said in a social media post.

As part of its regular maintenance schedule, the Carnival Elation entered the West End drydock on January 16, 2026.

The ship is now set to undergo technical and statutory work before resuming service on February 9, 2026.

Sailing from Jacksonville, the 1998-built vessel welcomes guests back for a seven-night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean that includes visits to Grand Turk, Princess Cays, and Celebration Key.

The Elation is then set to resume its regular schedule of four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas in mid-February.

The short cruises are highlighted by visits to Carnival Corporation’s private island destinations in the country, including RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key.

According to Eyewitness News Bahamas, the East End drydock arrived in Freeport in late November 2025.

Described as a “major milestone in the shipyard’s redevelopment and expansion,” the 357-meter-long floating structure can lift up to 93,500 tons.

The Grand Bahama Shipyard is now getting ready to add an even larger floating dock, the Lucayan, in late 2026.

With both structures operating, the yard is expected to become “the largest and most capable cruise ship repair facility in the world,” the local news source stated.