Carnival Cruise Line begins countdown to Celebration Key launch

Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line’s new private destination in Grand Bahama, will officially open in five months when Carnival Vista completes the inaugural call on July 19, 2025.

To mark the occasion, Carnival Corporation chief executive officer Josh Weinstein and chief maritime officer Lars Ljoen joined Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy for a behind-the-scenes look as construction enters its final phases.

During the visit, they placed commemorative keys into the 10-storey Suncastle, the centrepiece of the destination’s five ‘portals’, which comprise:

• Paradise Plaza - serving as the gateway to Celebration Key.
• Starfish Lagoon – a family-friendly area with a range of activities, including water slides and a sports court.
• Calypso Lagoon – an adult-friendly area with the largest freshwater lagoon in the Caribbean and a large swim-up bar.
• Pearl Cove Beach Club – offering an adult-only experience with an infinity pool, beachfront daybeds, private cabanas and exclusive super villas.
• Lokono Cove – a retail village celebrating Bahamian culture through local art and handmade goods.

Carnival representatives also planted palm trees from the Plant a Tree community engagement programme, launched last year as part of an initiative that has involved replanting thousands of native trees across Celebration Key.

Additionally, Christine Duffy participated in the ceremonial filling of one of two freshwater lagoons, the largest in the Caribbean, that will be sustained by Celebration Key’s desalination system. The lagoons span over seven acres and hold seven million gallons of water.

Christine Duffy said: "Celebration Key represents a new chapter for Carnival and its construction builds on our close partnership with the Bahamas, so seeing it transform from vision to reality is incredible. We broke ground on this site less than three years ago and now in five short months we’ll see our first guests enjoy the many experiences we created just for them to celebrate and enjoy this gorgeous place on Grand Bahama."

Josh Weinstein said: “This destination will serve as a tribute to the rich Bahamian culture and Grand Bahama’s natural environment. It is clear Celebration Key will be a game-changer for our flagship brand and its loyal guests, with endless options for relaxation and recreation, but it’s also truly great to see firsthand how we’re implementing our company’s robust sustainability initiatives on land.”

Celebration Key will be a port of call on more than 500 itineraries, across 20 ships sailing from 10 US homeports.

To watch a video of the visit, click here.