Celebration Key Bahamas (Carnival Grand Bahama Island)

Celebration Key (Bahamas) is a newly developed by Carnival Corporation private resort destination located at Sharp Rocks, on the eastern coast of Grand Bahama Island (approx 32 km/20 mi to the east of Port Lucaya Freeport cruise port) and between Mather Town and Freetown. This exclusive beachfront resort is along the Grand Bahama Highway (length 9,3 km / 5,8 mi) and also close to (south of) the UB Campus (University of The Bahamas).

Besides Celebration Key, Carnival owns another two Bahamian private island destinations/exclusive cruise ports - Half Moon Cay/Little San Salvador Island and Princess Cays/Eleuthera. Half Moon Cay is owned by Carnival Corporation's subsidiary Holland America Line/HAL.

Unlike Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays, Celebration Key is an exclusive Port serving only ships operated by Carnival Cruise Line (Carnival Corporation's largest subsidiary company). Celebration Key will be included in various itineraries leaving mainly from homeports in Florida (3-4-5-night short breaks from Miami and Jacksonville) as well as in longer (7-night and longer) sailings.

Originally known as "Grand Port", the trademarked name "Celebration Key" was officially announced on August 28, 2023. The resort is currently scheduled for opening and inauguration in 2025 (July).

Celebration Key is being developed in cooperation with The Bahamas government and Grand Bahama Port Authority. Construction works on the project officially started on May 12, 2022. During the groundbreaking ceremony was announced that the new Grand Bahama Port would cost Carnival ~US$200 million. The special event was attended by Christine Duffy (CCL's President), Arnold Donald (Carnival Corp's CEO), and Philip Edward Davis (Prime Minister).

Grand Port's project design was officially announced on February 4, 2019, in a media conference held at Foster B. Pestina Hall. The proposal documents were signed on February 5th, by Terry Thornton (CCL's Senior VP of Fleet Deployment and Port Operations) and David Candib (Carnival Corporation's VP of Development & Operations, Global Port & Destination Development). The special event was also attended by Sarah George (Grand Bahama Port Authority's Co-Chairman), Giora Israel (Carnival Corporation's Senior VP of Global Port & Destination Development) and Hubert Alexander Minnis (The Bahamas' Prime Minister/2017-2021).

On September 25, 2019, Carnival Corporation & plc (the world's largest cruise shipowner and parent company of CCL) signed an agreement with The Bahamas' government for two port developments - one for the new Grand Bahama's cruise port and one for the construction of a new pier on Half Moon Cay.

• The East Grand Bahama cruise port represented an investment (by Carnival Corp) of US$100+ million, while Half Moon Cay's development was estimated at US$90 million.
• The agreement documents were signed by Hubert Alexander Minnis (Prime Minister), Kevin Peter Turnquest (Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance), Kwasi Thompson (Minister of State for Grand Bahama). The signing ceremony was attended by Carnival Corporation's executives Giora Israel (Senior Vice President), Armando Corpas (Senior Director), David Candib and Marie McKenzie (VP of Government & Destination Affairs) as well as CCL's executives Terry Thornton (Senior VP of Nautical & Port Operations) and Chris Chiames (CCO/Chief Communications Officer).
• Carnival's "Grand Port" mega-project was initially planned for completion in 2021-Q4 but was delayed/postponed due to the COVID crisis.

East Grand Bahama Port generated 1000+ permanent local jobs (direct and indirect) including businesses, entrepreneurs, employees/service staff. It was completed in several phases, encompassing smaller projects like dredging and construction works (access channel, turning basin, seawalls), berthing facilities (a cruise ship pier with 2 docks, a pier for water taxis, tour boats, workboats), tourism-related venues and facilities (shops, restaurants, car rentals, stands for tour buses and taxis, arts and craft displays, souvenir stores).

Various Bahamian businesses were contracted during the Pre-Construction Phase (for services regarding architecture, design, engineering, and environmental planning) and the Construction Phase (for plumbing, road infrastructure and electrical works, landscaping, fencing, and roofing). The new Port's Operations Phase provides opportunities for businesses in sectors like Transportation, Shore Excursions, Food & Beverage, and Maintenance.

When at Celebration Key, cruise ship tourists pay using their onboard S&S card or through a smartphone app. By this cashless system, once a week the amount of the money is deposited into the vendor's/tenant's account (minus any applicable fees and taxes).

The cruise port was designed with a capacity to accommodate two of the world's largest passenger ships simultaneously (of CCL's EXCEL-class), each with max passenger capacity ~6000 (or ~12000 guests total). These are Neopanamax-sized vessels able to transit the Panama Canal only through the 2016-opened new locks. Carnival's Grand Bahama Port design plans also exceed the US Coast Guard's/USCG's guidelines for withstanding Category 5 hurricanes.

To reduce the environmental impact, Celebration Key Port bans single-use plastics (for all products available in alternative packaging) and minimizes products generating solid waste (like aluminum and glass). Every item at the Port is recyclable and labeled as such. There is also an advanced system for wastewater purification allowing zero discharge into the environment.

On February 22, 2024, Carnival Corporation announced a US$100 million Celebration Key pier extension project for doubling the port's berthing capacity. The pier expansion will result in a total of 4 berths - two originally planned (scheduled for completion in 2025) plus two more (scheduled for completion in 2026), As each of the 4 berths is capable of accommodating an EXCEL Class ship, Celebration Key's projected annual passenger capacity by 2028 will be ~4 million.

Celebration Key portals/zones

In January 2024, CCL announced that Celebration Key is divided into five "portals" (zones) designed for different experiences. The island's best feature is the Caribbean's largest freshwater lagoon and a large white-sand beach.

"The Welcome Portal" is where tourists are greeted and assisted with information.

"The Family-Friendly Portal" (dedicated to families with kids) provides fun activities like swimming (in the lagoon), a large splash pad, a sandcastle (with two racing waterslides), sports courts, playgrounds for small children and teenagers, as well as rental cabanas.

"The Adult-Friendly Portal" offers rental cabanas (beach cabanas and floating cabanas), rental villas (with personal slides into the lagoon), a swim-up bar, a DJ stage, several dining venues (including a full-service restaurant).

"The Private Club Portal" is an exclusive, adults-only retreat fitted with a beach, an infinity pool with a sunbathing area (padded loungers), gourmet dining options.

Lokono Cove (fka "The Retail Portal") is the shopping zone. The stores sell international brand merchandise as well as Bahamian artisanal shops and kiosks selling hand-made goods and merchandise from local retailers. Lokono Cove also features Bahamian music, large murals (painted by local artists) and opportunities to savor local light foods.

Paradise Plaza houses the 10-story Suncastle, a promenade, destination info kiosks, a fountain, ice cream shop.

The Calypso Lagoon (west of Paradise Plaza) offers popular water activities and houses the freshwater lagoon surrounded by a sunbathing/relaxation area with loungers, daybeds and private cabanas. The freshwater lagoon's bar has ~50 swing chairs dipped in the water. Around the Calypso Lagoon there are more bar and casual dining venues (snack shacks) as well as two full-service restaurants. A section of Calypso Lagoon plus the adjacent beach are adults-only and feature a swim-up bar and live DJ entertainment.

CCL cruise itineraries and ships visiting Celebration Key

In October 2023, CCL opened for sale ~400 voyages (12 ships leaving from 8 homeports in the USA) scheduled to visit Celebration Key throughout 2025 and 2026. By the end of 2023, CCL planned to add 100+ voyages (6 more ships) visiting its exclusive Bahamian resort.

The initial 12 liners (calling on Celebration Key) offer roundtrip departures from Florida (PortMiami, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville), Texas (Galveston), Louisiana (New Orleans), Alabama (Mobile), Virginia (Norfolk) and Maryland (Baltimore).

Next are listed Carnival's ships visiting Celebration Key in 2025 and their itineraries' lengths and homeports/departure ports.

By the end of 2023, the exclusive destination was included in the schedules of 18x CCL vessels.

Celebration Key Bahamas cruise terminal