After a long time of sharing a personal island (Half Moon Cay) with sister model Holland America Line, Carnival Cruise Line lastly has a personal vacation spot to name its personal. Carnival’s Celebration Key is an unique port within the Bahamas that permits friends to get pleasure from a seaside or pool day full of enjoyable — from water slides and video games to scrumptious meals and drinks.
If you’re in search of an outline of what it’s good to find out about Celebration Key, you’ve come to the precise place. Here’s our full information to Celebration Key, Bahamas.
Guide to Celebration Key Bahamas
What is Carnival’s Celebration Key?
Celebration Key is an upcoming non-public port for Carnival Cruise Line, positioned within the Bahamas. It could be discovered on the southern coast of Grand Bahama, a couple of 23-mile (40 minute) drive from the Freeport Cruise Port on the western facet of the island.
Construction on Celebration Key formally broke floor in spring 2022, and design and building has been underway since. The first cruise ship scheduled to go to the seaside vacation spot is Carnival Vista on July twelfth throughout an eight-night southern Caribbean cruise.
Celebration Key will function its personal cruise pier, in a position to accommodate as much as two of Carnival’s largest Excel-class vessels concurrently. The vacation spot will likely be cut up into 5 areas that Carnival calls “portals.” They are the Paradise Plaza welcome space, the family-focused Starfish Lagoon, the adult-centered Calypso Lagoon, the Locono Cove buying space, and the adults-only non-public seaside membership, Pearl Cove. Starfish Lagoon will function the most important freshwater lagoon in the entire Caribbean.
Getting to Celebration Key Bahamas
Carnival’s Celebration Key will likely be completely for Carnival cruise ships. This signifies that you can not go to the vacation spot until you’re on a Carnival cruise. Most sailings that embody a name at Celebration Key will originate in Florida, together with voyages from Miami, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, and Tampa. However, different homeports may even provide cruises to Celebration Key corresponding to Mobile, Alabama; Galveston, Texas; and Baltimore, Maryland; amongst others.
The majority of the ships in Carnival’s fleet will sail to Celebration Key over the following couple of years. These embody the road’s three latest and largest ships, Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee, which provide largely six to eight-night sailings. Shorter Bahamas and Caribbean cruises on ships like Carnival Sunrise, Horizon, Freedom, and Vista may even go to Celebration Key.
Carnival Jubilee
What’s Free at Celebration Key?
A lot of included actions, facilities, and leisure will likely be accessible for guests to get pleasure from at Celebration Key. As friends arrive to the vacation spot, they’ll be greeted by reside music and a fountain at Paradise Plaza.
Starfish Lagoon is full of enjoyable for the entire household. The focus of the complete vacation spot is positioned right here: the towering Suncastle, constructed to appear like a sandcastle. This construction will home twin racing waterslides, that are 350-foot-long, 10-story points of interest known as Flash Flamingo and Mach III Marlin. The Starfish Lagoon portal can be the place you’ll discover a lagoon swimming pool, the family-friendly seaside, and the Guppy Grotto splash pad with enjoyable water options for the littlest guests. A gaming pavilion additionally affords actions like ping-pong, foosball, and cornhole.
Calypso Lagoon would be the extra adult-friendly portal, although it’s not restricted to only adults just like the unique Pearl Cove Beach Club is (extra on that beneath). This space is positioned on the opposite half of the lagoon-style pool, providing a extra laid-back environment full with DJ-spun music. This portal additionally affords entry to the seaside.
Competitive friends may wish to play a couple of video games on the pickleball, basketball, or volleyball courts, that are accessible from each the Starfish and Calypso Lagoon areas.
Food at Carnival’s Celebration Key
Island Eats
Instead of providing a full picnic-style buffet at no cost to friends like many non-public cruise locations, Celebration Key will function a bit in another way. The vacation spot will function quite a lot of each sit-down and informal walk-up eating venues which can be an additional price. Each visitor will obtain a eating credit score known as Island Eats. This entitles passengers to a complimentary meal at one of many fast informal venues, or a 25 p.c low cost on one entree from the full-service eating places (excluding the Pearl Cove restaurant).
However, in the event you’re nonetheless in search of a buffet-style restaurant, there’s one at Celebration Key that you need to use your Island Eats credit score for — Captain’s Galley Food Hall. Located within the Starfish Lagoon portal, the meals corridor will serve subs, burritos, scorching canine, pizza, burgers, salads, Mediterranean bowls, desserts, and extra.
Captain’s Galley Food Hall (Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)
Between eating venues and bars, there will likely be over 30 choices to select from at Celebration Key.
Casual Venues
There will likely be quite a lot of informal eating choices at Celebration Key along with the aforementioned meals corridor, together with meals vehicles and carts, snack shacks, and the fast-casual venue Mingo’s Express.
Calypso Lagoon, Starfish Lagoon, and Lokono Cove will all have meals carts. Paradise Plaza will function an ice cream store known as Yumshine Scoops.
Snack shacks could be present in each Calypso Lagoon and Starfish Lagoon, serving issues like wraps, sandwiches, salads, and different grab-and-go objects. Those two portals have their very own meals truck plazas too, providing beachside classics like burgers and rooster sandwiches in addition to native Bahamian dishes like conch fritters.
Mingo’s Express, positioned at Calypso Lagoon, will provide hamburgers, salad, fish sandwiches, and Caribbean specialties.
Food vehicles (Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)
Full-Service Restaurants
Celebration Key will likely be residence to 4 full-service eating places for guests to get pleasure from as properly.
Located in Calypso Lagoon are two sit-down eating places: Mingo’s Tropical Bar & Kitchen and Surf N’ Sauce BBQ & Brews. Named for the Bahamas’ nationwide chicken, Mingo’s will serve up island favorites like jerk rooster and coconut shrimp, in addition to classics together with tacos and burgers. Surf N’ Sauce BBQ & Brews is precisely because it sounds — a barbecue joint. Complete with an outside smoker, friends can get pleasure from slow-cooked meats alongside sides and sauces proper subsequent to the lagoon. Bonus: friends may even have the ability to seize a craft beer from an area brewery on the venue’s full-service bar.
The family-friendly Starfish Lagoon will likely be residence to Gill’s Grill, a full-service restaurant pairing land and sea with dishes like seafood baskets, steamed crab, shrimp, lobster, native fish, rooster, and burgers.
Gill’s Grill (Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)
The Pearl Cove Beach Club has its personal full-service venue too, aptly named Pearl Cove Beach Club Restaurant & Bar. The house will embody a restaurant with an elevated menu, bar, and lounge space. It will serve dishes corresponding to lobster, shrimp, contemporary sushi, and salads.
Drinks at Celebration Key
A lot of bars will likely be dotted round Celebration Key, guaranteeing that friends won’t ever be removed from a tropical cocktail or ice-cold beer. But earlier than we get to that, we first have to speak about espresso. Many guests will wish to begin their island day with a burst of vitality from Suncastle Grounds Coffee, positioned in Locono Cove. It will serve up scorching, iced, and frozen espresso drinks.
Now, onto Carnival’s Celebration Key bars. We don’t know precisely what drinks will likely be provided at every bar, as menus haven’t but been revealed and the vacation spot shouldn’t be but open.
Calypso Lagoon is residence to 3 bars. Long Necks Bar in a swim-up bar within the lagoon with a whopping 100 seats. There, friends can get pleasure from a Bahamian cocktail, frozen drink, or beer amidst a enjoyable environment curated by an on-site DJ. Visitors may wish to swing on over to one of many 40 swings on the Sunshine Swings Bar. The final bar at Calypso Lagoon is the Lagoon Bar West.
Sunshine Swings Bar (Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)
Over on the Starfish Lagoon, friends will discover Lagoon Bar West’s counterpart, Lagoon Bar East. Starfish Lagoon can be residence to Parrotfish Swim Up Bar, which affords selection with each in-water and out-of-water seating. The AquaBana space may even have its personal bar.
Over on the seaside membership is the Pearl Cove Beach Club swim-up bar, serving up its personal tropical cocktails and different libations.
Remember that the full-service eating places talked about above embody bars of their very own, too.
As for normal non-alcoholic drinks that friends don’t need to pay additional for, Carnival has not revealed what will likely be provided at Celebration Key. However, you’ll be able to anticipate that choices will probably be much like what yow will discover on different cruise line non-public islands corresponding to ice water, lemonade, and iced tea.
Does Carnival’s Cheers drink package deal work at Celebration Key?
Unfortunately, Carnival’s beverage packages don’t apply to the road’s non-public locations, which embody each Celebration Key and Carnival Corporation’s non-public island Half Moon Cay. So you’ll need to pay menu value for alcoholic and specialty drinks.
Things to Do at Celebration Key That Cost Extra
Shore Excursions
During a go to to Celebration Key, cruise passengers don’t have to remain within the port space. Whether exploring on their very own or taking a Carnival shore tour, friends have the choice of seeing different elements of Grand Bahama Island. However, these explorations will not be included within the cruise fare and can value additional. Some of Carnival’s shore excursions accessible at Celebration Key embody:
ATV off-roading with visits to a backyard and Taino Beach
Pirate’s Cove ziplining and seaside break
Open-air tram metropolis tour with a guided tour of Cooper’s Castle and a go to to the Port Lucaya Marketplace
Jet-skiing alongside Millionaire’s Row and a go to to Taino Beach
Open-air tram tour with a wine-and-paint class and go to to the Straw Market
Disco Bus tour with rum and beer tasting together with a cease on the seaside
Guests may also hire gear for water actions inside Celebration Key, together with kayaks and paddleboards.
(Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)
Shopping
Carnival’s Celebration Key will embody quite a lot of retailers providing handmade craft objects, duty-free objects, jewellery, and different souvenirs. Locono Cove, the buying portal, may even function a Bahamian artisan market. There are additionally buying alternatives on different elements of the island, and lots of shore excursions construct in time for guests to peruse native retailers as properly.
Cabana and Daybed Rentals
Cabanas
Standard cabanas will likely be accessible at a number of spots surrounding the lagoons in addition to near the youngsters’ splash pad. They can accommodate as much as 4 friends and embody armchairs, a sofa, solar loungers, a cooler with chilled bottled water, and fruit and snacks upon arrival.
Over-the-lagoon cabanas, positioned on peninsulas over the lagoons, add a personal solar shelf and ceiling fan. Large cabanas will also be discovered across the lagoons, accommodating teams of as much as six. They embody a couple of extras corresponding to a eating desk, soda, and lunch supply.
AquaBanas are enjoyable floating cabanas centered round a peninsula with its personal bar at Starfish Lagoon. They provide seating for as much as eight individuals round a desk, with their toes within the water beneath a shady cover.
AquaBanas (Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)
Villas
Supervillas are the most important non-public cabanas at Celebration Key with the power to accommodate as much as 10 friends. They embody the identical issues as the opposite cabanas, plus hammocks, swing chairs, devoted solar cabinets with water loungers, and a waterslide into the lagoon. There are two Supervillas at Calypso Lagoon, and two at Starfish Lagoon.
Four Beach Supervillas may even be accessible: two on the family-friendly seaside and two on the adults-only seaside.
Supervilla Cabana (Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)
Daybeds
For a barely extra premium expertise at a decrease value, friends may also choose to order a daybed, lots of that are positioned at each Calypso and Starfish Lagoons. The plush daybeds embody pillows, a cover for shade, and privateness curtains. Water daybeds embody lounging for 2 on the solar shelf at Calypso Lagoon.
Pearl Cove Beach Club
If you’re in search of a extra upscale and laid-back place to hold across the pool or seaside, Pearl Cove Beach Club is the place to be. This unique portal is open solely to adults 18 and older, and requires a price for entry.
The focus of Pearl Cove is an 11,000 square-foot infinity pool full with a solar shelf, premium loungers, and umbrellas. Villas and cabanas can be found within the seaside membership for hire. Pearl Cove additionally has its personal non-public finish of the seaside, which can provide foods and drinks service.
(Rendering courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line)
There will likely be three sorts of bookings accessible for entry to Pearl Cove Beach Club. The first is fundamental seaside membership entry, which features a welcome drink of fruit or rum punch beginning at $100 per individual.
The second is open bar entry, which consists of rum punch, draft home beer, home pink and white wine, properly drinks, frozen strawberry daiquiris, and piña coladas. This choice contains as much as 10 drinks and begins at $140 per individual. The third choice is all-inclusive entry, which is similar because the open bar besides it additionally contains lunch on the Pearl Cove full-service restaurant. This package deal additionally has a 10-drink restrict, and begins at $180 per individual.
Do you’ve plans to go to Carnival’s Celebration Key within the Bahamas? Do you get pleasure from itineraries that go to cruise non-public islands? Drop us an anchor beneath to share your ideas on Carival Cruise Line’s latest vacation spot.