Carnival Cruise Line has launched particulars about Celebration Key, a brand new non-public seaside growth slated to open in July of 2025 on the south facet of Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas.
Celebration Key will open with a primary pier that can have the ability to accommodate two of Carnival‘s largest ships on the similar time. In 2026, the vacation spot will increase the pier’s capability to incorporate two extra ships for a complete of 4 vessels.
The road has revealed that the vacation spot might be divided into 5 areas, referred to as portals, which is able to characteristic music, meals and beachy enjoyable. These areas are designed with youngsters, adults and buying in thoughts.
There may even be loads of shore excursions — suppose kayaking, snorkeling, island Jeep rides and glass-bottom boat excursions — and water sports activities tools leases from which to decide on. Moreover, the port will finally embrace a water park and zip strains, following a second wave of growth.
“We’re designing Celebration Key, and its 5 portals, with limitless methods for our friends to unlock their very own form of enjoyable on this unbelievable paradise that additionally celebrates the fantastic thing about Grand Bahama,” Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, mentioned in a press release.
Here is a rundown of every little thing we all know up to now about what you’ll be able to anticipate from every portal, in addition to meals and drinks, throughout a go to to this new Bahamas port choice.
Word: It isn’t but identified whether or not passengers will have the ability to make purchases at Celebration Key utilizing their Sail & Signal playing cards. Carnival has additionally not but launched details about whether or not passengers with the Carnival Cheers beverage package deal will have the ability to use it for drinks at Celebration Key.
Celebration Key portals
Paradise Plaza (welcome portal)
On this space of Celebration Key, guests might be greeted with a brightly coloured walkway, a sun-shaped arch, music, an enormous sandcastle construction (which serves because the vacation spot’s point of interest) and all the data they’re going to want about their day ashore.
Different choices in Paradise Plaza embrace stay music, a Bahamian-themed fountain and an ice cream store.
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Starfish Lagoon (family-friendly portal)
Along with a family-friendly seaside, this space of Celebration Key will characteristic a freshwater lagoon-style swimming pool and a Guppy Grotto splash space with a shallow pool, water options and dump buckets for youthful youngsters, in addition to shaded seating. An ice cream store can also be close by.
Journey-seekers can strive the twin 350-foot-long, 10-story racing waterslides, dubbed Flash Flamingo and Mach III Marlin. (They’re a part of the identical Suncastle construction that welcomes guests to the vacation spot.) Friends may lease kayaks and paddleboards.
Guests with a aggressive streak will get pleasure from Starfish Lagoon’s volleyball, basketball and pickleball courts. Moreover, the gaming pavilion provides foosball, desk tennis and cornhole, together with comfy seating areas for socializing.
Households wanting their very own unique house pays to make the most of the world’s extra-fee cabana leases, which characteristic alcoves on the seaside, cabanas with their very own slides into the lagoon and even floating cabanas.
On this portal, adults will discover a swim-up bar and hammocks for lounging. Plus, Starfish Lagoon has its personal devoted eating venues — together with Bahamian meals vans — so you may by no means be distant from a chunk to eat.
Calypso Lagoon (adult-friendly portal)
Just like the family-friendly Starfish Lagoon, Calypso Lagoon may even supply entry to the identical three varieties of added-fee cabanas. It is going to additionally characteristic a number of bars, together with a swim-up bar, ultimate for cruisers who’re spending their day on the seaside or within the lagoon, full with DJ-spun music that is certain to evoke a celebration vibe.
Along with drinks, friends can get pleasure from meals from a number of eateries, together with two full-service sit-down eating places and snack shacks that serve Bahamian delicacies. This portal additionally gives entry to the identical sports activities court docket and freshwater lagoon utilized by Starfish Lagoon guests.
Regardless of its identify, this space isn’t an adults-only house. Nonetheless, a portion of Calypso Lagoon and the adjoining seaside might be put aside for the adults-only Pearl Cove Seaside Membership.
Pearl Cove Seaside Membership (non-public membership portal)
In the event you search rest and exclusivity — or if you would like to depart the youngsters behind — the adults-only Pearl Cove Seaside Membership, discovered on the westernmost level of Celebration Key, is your spot. It provides a extra serene atmosphere for guests 18 and older. It options loungers, villas and cabanas, and a extra upscale eating expertise.
There’s additionally loads of shade and a definite lack of loud music. As a substitute, a DJ will spin tropical lounge music.
Oh, and did we point out it has an 11,000-square-foot non-public infinity pool with solar loungers, shade umbrellas and a solar shelf for perfecting your tan? In the event you’d moderately laze on the sand, hunt down the portal’s devoted seaside, which Carnival tells us will characteristic premier and personal sections with solar loungers and foods and drinks service.
Carnival has not but revealed precisely how a lot it is going to price to enter the Pearl Cove Seaside Membership. Nonetheless, we do know three varieties of reservations can be found: membership entry with a welcome drink, membership entry with an open bar (as much as 10 drinks) and all-inclusive membership entry with an open bar (10-drink most) and meals from the elevated menu at Pearl Cove’s full-service restaurant.
Lokono Cove (retail portal)
As you would possibly anticipate, the retail portal is house to Celebration Key’s buying alternatives, that includes domestically made handicrafts, nice jewellery and duty-free objects bought at quite a lot of shops, kiosks and a Bahamian artisan market.
When you browse, get pleasure from colourful murals painted by native artists, or seize meals or drinks from one of many portal’s a number of eating and beverage choices.
Meals and drinks at Celebration Key
A substantial variety of eating and consuming choices might be supplied at Celebration Key. Carnival has shared that the vacation spot will home greater than 30 venues, together with 4 full-service eating places, a meals corridor, 9 meals vans, 5 snack shacks, two counter-service kiosks and a dozen bars.
Along with Bahamian specialties, bars and eating places are set to supply seafood, barbecue and different cuisines.
Some eating places will include added charges, whereas others might be included within the new “Island Eats” program. It permits passengers to dine free of charge at Celebration Key’s meals vans and snack shacks or get pleasure from a 25% low cost on entrees from the vacation spot’s full-service eating places.
Here is a breakdown and transient description of the choices you may discover at every of the portals:
Paradise Plaza meals and drinks
Yumshine Scoops: Snag a welcome scoop from a choice of delectable ice cream flavors at this stand in Paradise Plaza.
Sandcastle Grounds Espresso: Serving as Celebration Key’s place to get your caffeine repair, Sandcastle Grounds Espresso whips up sizzling, iced and frozen cups of joe, in addition to snacks.
Starfish Lagoon meals and drinks
Gill’s Grill: This full-service restaurant with a full bar makes a speciality of Caribbean seafood, together with seafood baskets, native fish, lobster, and steamed crab and shrimp, together with land-based favorites, comparable to rooster, burgers and youngsters meals.
Captain’s Galley Meals Corridor: Arrange like a meals corridor, Captain’s Galley options 5 retailers serving burgers, sizzling canines, fried rooster, pizza, Mediterranean bowls, tacos and burritos.
Meals vans: Place your order by way of a kiosk at these informal grab-and-go venues. Look forward to finding menu objects like burgers, rooster sandwiches and conch fritters.
Parrotfish Swim-Up Bar: This swim-up bar options each in-water and out-of-water seats and serves frozen cocktails and mocktails made with tropical fruit juices.
Calypso Lagoon meals and drinks
Mingo’s Tropical Bar & Kitchen: This full-service restaurant with waterfront eating options fried fish and conch fritters, burgers, seafood, tacos, steak and sandwiches. Mingo’s Bar will supply tropical frozen drinks and cocktails, and an affiliated meals truck will present burgers, fish sandwiches and salad.
Surf N’ Sauce BBQ & Brews: Meats might be ready in an out of doors smoker and served with an array of sauces and sides. At its full-service bar, friends can get pleasure from craft beer from native Bahamian breweries.
Meals vans: These informal grab-and-go venues serve rooster sandwiches, conch fritters and burgers, which you order your self from a kiosk.
Lengthy Necks Bar: This swim-up bar has greater than 100 seats for cruisers to get pleasure from frozen drinks, beer or Bahamian cocktails. DJ music gives a full of life ambiance.
Sunshine Swings Bar: For a extra chill vibe, Sunshine Swings entices guests with 40 over-water swings that create an air of beachy enjoyable whereas passengers get pleasure from their drinks.
Pearl Cove Seaside Membership meals and drinks
Pearl Cove Seaside Membership Restaurant, Bar and Swim-Up Bar: This trio of eating places, bars and swim-up bars caters to the 18-and-older crowd on the Pearl Cove Seaside Membership. It provides elevated eating, drinks and a swim-up expertise overlooking the infinity pool.
Backside line
Greater than 500 upcoming Carnival Cruise Line itineraries throughout 18 vessels have Celebration Key as a port of name. So, should you plan to e-book a Bahamas crusing for 2025 and past, you may possible have the ability to expertise a go to to this new seaside vacation spot.
With Celebration Key, Carnival joins a rising checklist of cruise strains engaged on growing new non-public port choices all through 2024 and 2025. Watch this house for extra specifics on Celebration Key as they’re launched.
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