Carnival Cruise Line is currently building a private destination on Grand Bahama Island called Celebration Key. The cruise line has announced a pier extension and four of Carnival’s largest cruise ships will be able to visit on the same day.
Celebration Key will open to Carnival cruise ships in the summer of 2025. Just last month, Carnival announced new details about this private port that you can see here. Now, they have announced an expansion to what is shaping up to be an incredible destination.
The pier extension will be completed in 2026 and will allow for four Carnival cruise ships to visit on the same day. The pier will be able to handle four Excel class ships, the largest in the cruise line’s fleet, at once. Carnival is expecting four million guests to visit Celebration Key each year by 2028.
The port also now includes a Phase 2 expansion that will offer more space and amenities for Carnival cruisers. Phase 2 is expected to open to guests in 2027. Details about Phase 2 have not yet been announced, but Carnival Cruise Line did previously mention plans to add a waterpark at a later date.
Celebration Key will have a mile-long, white sand beach, the largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean, and a range of dining, shopping and entertainment options.
It will include five distinct areas, known as portals, providing endless ways for Carnival cruisers to spread out, relax and enjoy their own kind of fun.
“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,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “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.”
“This is a momentous day for Grand Bahama and bodes extremely well for its future. The incredible level of new investment on the pier extension highlights the partnership between The Bahamas and Carnival Corporation and demonstrates the popularity of The Bahamas as a destination. Celebration Key will play a vital role in supporting the future prosperity of Grand Bahama and the country at large,” said Cooper.
“Carnival Corporation’s dedication to our island’s growth is both commendable and inspiring – we applaud their expanded investment in Celebration Key in Grand Bahama and welcome the imminent exponential boost to the Grand Bahama economy,” said Minister for Grand Bahama The Honourable Ginger Moxey M.P. “We are on the brink of an exciting chapter for Grand Bahama, with Carnival Corporation’s expansion opening doors to unprecedented possibilities for our residents. Let us collectively gear up for this transformative journey, as the spin-off opportunities are bound to bring about a wave of prosperity touching every corner of our beloved island.”
Cruises to Celebration Key are open for bookings. This private port will only be visited by Carnival cruise ships.
Carnival Cruise Line is spending $600 million on the project and it’s the largest ever taken on by Carnival Corporation.
Carnival Corporation has also built private ports at Amber Cove, Mahogany Bay, Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, and Princess Cays.