The first cruise ship to be based in San Diego year-round will be Carnival Cruise Line's Elation, which will sail four- and five-day Baja Mexico voyages starting in June 2007.

The Elation will alternately depart Thursdays on four-day cruises to Cabo San Lucas, and on Mondays and Saturdays on five-day cruises to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada.

The Elation will join Carnival's 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit, which has operated seasonal eight-day Mexican Riviera voyages from San Diego since 2004.

Carnival also will be the only cruise line to base three ships year-round in Southern California, with the Paradise and Carnival Pride offering year-round three- to seven-day voyages from Long Beach, Calif.

"The Elation's new four- and five-day cruises from San Diego add a whole new dimension to West Coast cruising. Not only is the port within a day's drive of millions of residents within the western U.S., San Diego offers a variety of convenient air options with the airport just minutes away from the cruise terminal," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO.