This article was originally published on Feb. 17, 2024. It was last updated on Sept. 26, 2024.
When Carnival Cruise Line’s upcoming new private destination — Celebration Key — opens in July 2025, it will feature five enticing “portals” for cruisers to enjoy. The port will be located on Grand Bahama and include the biggest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean, according to the line, not to mention its own white-sand beach, family-friendly zones, adults-only club, dining venues (some complimentary) and other bars.
Once on the island, clients will find four full-service restaurants, a food hall, nine food trucks, five snack shacks, a pair of counter-service kiosks and a dozen bars. A Sail & Sign card program will allow guests one free “Island Eats” meal at quick casual outlets, snack shacks and food trucks on the island, or they can opt to receive 25% off one entree per person at the full-service venues (with the exception of the Pearl Cove Beach Club restaurant).
“No one does fun like Carnival, and we are designing Celebration Key, and its five portals, with endless ways for our guests to unlock their own kind of fun in this incredible paradise that also celebrates the beauty of Grand Bahama,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Celebration Key is uniquely positioned to bring an island experience to our diverse range of guests, in a way that lets them choose their slice of ‘paradise.’"
The private destination will be featured on more than 500 itineraries from nine U.S. homeports onboard 18 Carnival vessels. Here’s what we know about each of the five portals.
Celebration Key is uniquely positioned to bring an island experience to our diverse range of guests, in a way that lets them choose their slice of ‘paradise.’
Paradise Plaza
As its name implies, the Welcome Portal will be the entry point to Celebration Key, with a towering sandcastle structure beckoning guests as live music plays and information is gathered to maximize time at the destination.
In this area, clients will find Suncastle Grounds Coffee, an ideal stop for snacks and hot, cold and frozen coffees. Ice cream shop Yumshine Scoops will also be found in the plaza.
A “larger-than-life” sandcastle structure will be a focal point.
Credit: 2024 Carnival Cruise LineFamily-Friendly Portal
Ideal for families will be a pair of racing waterslides descending from a central sandcastle, as well as a splash pad, a shallow pool and a large fresh-water lagoon for swimming.
Plus, there will be sports courts, areas for kids and teens to have fun and, naturally, a beach complete with loungers and cabanas. For rent will be beach cabanas, villas with their own private slides into the lagoon and even floating cabanas. This area will also be serviced by several drink and dining options.
This portal will also include the freshwater Starfish Lagoon, complete with activities including the pink Flash Flamingo and blue Mach III Marlin, 350-plus-foot waterslides that will race down from the 10-story tall Suncastle.
Starfish Lagoon will also be home to Gill’s Grill, a full-service restaurant and bar highlighting Caribbean seafood baskets, regional fish, lobster, crab, shrimp, chicken dishes, burgers and kid's meals. And five different outlets in the Captain’s Galley Food Hall will serve everything from burgers, hot dogs and fried chicken to pizza, Mediterranean bowls, tacos and burritos.
The Parrotfish Swim Up Bar, meanwhile, will showcase in-water and out-of-water seating for those looking for a tropical drink.
Just for toddlers will be Guppy Grotto and its coral reef-themed splash pad and shallow wading pool near an ice cream shop. The Game Pavilion will further encompass foosball, ping pong and corn hole, and the Sports Court will feature volleyball, basketball and pickleball. Plus, there will be a dozen "AquaBanas," floating private cabanas for family rental and use (up to eight people) serviced by their own bar. (The Swim Up Bar will supply drinks to adults only). Further punctuating the lagoon will be hammocks, sun loungers and umbrellas, as well as the ability to build sandcastles along a beach.
Calypso Lagoon
Just for adults will be an Adult-Friendly Portal in the form of a club off the lagoon and beach. A 100-seat swim-up bar called Long Necks Bar and Sunshine Swings Bar (which will have 40 swings for guests to enjoy) will mix up cocktails while a DJ spins tunes, and the full array of cabana rentals will also be available.
Additionally, full-service restaurant Mingo’s Tropical Bar & Kitchen will feature Bahamian cuisine and cater to guests 18 years old and up. Fare here will include fried fish and conch fritters, as well as burgers, sandwiches, other seafood, tacos and steak. For faster service, guests can opt to order at a kiosk at Mingo’s Express food truck.
Another full-service venue at Calypso Cove will be Surf N’ Sauce BBQ & Brews, where clients can expect slow-smoked meats and plenty of sauce and side options. Local craft beers will be on the menu as well.
Both the Starfish and Calypso lagoons will have a variety of food trucks with convenient self-ordering kiosks. Options here will include chicken sandwiches, burgers and Bahamian conch fritters. Other snack shacks will have grab-and-go hot dogs, sandwiches, wraps and salads.
Private Club Portal
If guests are seeking even more exclusivity, the Private Club Portal will offer adults a premium experience with elevated amenities, including an infinity pool with scenic views, relaxing loungers among the palm trees, a dedicated beach and enhanced dining options.
Named the Pearl Cove Beach Club, the dedicated area will include 11,000 square feet for the infinity pool, complete with an expansive sun-shelf and its own swim-up bar. Water loungers will be crowned with pink-striped sun umbrellas while daybeds will also dot the pool. There will also be a DJ playing music, a full-service restaurant (more on that below), a bar and an indoor and outdoor lounge.
The Pearl Cove Beach Club restaurant will tout an elevated menu, and purchases will be broken down into three tiers: club access and a welcome drink; club access with open bar (max 10 beverages); club access, all-inclusive open bar (max 10 drinks) and lunch at said restaurant.
Lokono Cove Portal
Retail therapy will be available at the destination’s last portal, surrounded by Bahamian murals and shopping. The portal will feature Bahamian items to purchase from duty-free shops. Extra food and beverage offerings will serve Bahamian flavors, as well.
A community naming competition resulted in the winning submission of "Lokono Cove" to be the name and design of the destination’s retail area. "Lokono means 'the people' and is derived from the Lucayans, who were among the first to call Grand Bahama home,” according to the line. Besides showcasing local products, music and culture, the portal will also serve as the entry for independently (or via shore excursion) exploring and touring Grand Bahama itself beyond Celebration Key.
Celebration Key will be able to dock two Carnival ships simultaneously when it launches, and future expansion is expected to extend to an additional waterpark and zipline course.
Future Expansion
Carnival has already unveiled Phase 2 expansion plans for Celebration Key, as well. Come 2026, the pier berths will be doubled to the tune of $100 million more, with the capability to accept four Excel-class ships at once. The cruise line projects close to 4 million visitors annually to the private destination by 2028.
“As is fitting for our plans for Grand Bahama island, our vision for Celebration Key is quite grand, and we’re already thinking about the next phase of expansion and development,” Duffy said. “Building the second pier now allows us to implement growth plans and build itineraries with certainty, and signals to the local community just how important this development is to Carnival Cruise Line and the future of the island.”
Plus, a new map rendering further shows room for additional growth on the island itself for Phase 2 expansion. The line explains that the destination’s footprint has been carefully plotted out with spaces and attractions to accept extra expected guests in 2027.
