Heidi and I are again from Carnival’s Celebration Key. We have been among the many first cruise passengers to go to this unique vacation spot on Grand Bahama Island. Following our day of solar and enjoyable on the vacation spot’s grand opening, we’ve put collectively our Celebration Key evaluation with some takeaways on what we beloved and what to skip.
As Carnival Vista slowly approached Celebration Key, we first noticed the silhouette of the Suncastle, the vacation spot’s iconic 10-story sandcastle construction from our portside balcony. Soon, different options got here into focus, and we might hardly comprise our pleasure. From the adults-only non-public seaside membership, Pearl Cove, to the colourful pier and mile lengthy pool, Celebration Key seemed beautiful.
Together with a choose group of media, we have been entrance and middle for all of the opening day festivities. Following remarks from President Christine Duffy and particular appearances from icons like Shaquille O’Neal, it was lastly time to discover all that Celebration Key has to supply.
The Pools and Beaches on Celebration Key
Celebration Key is residence to the 2 largest freshwater lagoons within the Caribbean, divided into two distinct portals. There is the adult-friendly Calypso Lagoon on the west aspect and the family-focused Starfish Lagoon on the east aspect.
Splitting the 2 sections of this pool is the aforementioned signature Suncastle. Along with being Celebration Key’s iconic landmark, it is usually residence to the vacation spot’s most thrilling attraction. The twin racing waterslides, Flash Flamingo and Mach III Marlin, twist and switch over 350 toes.
These slides have a canopy cost of $14.99 per particular person for an all-day cross. If you’ve children, this is likely to be an amazing deal; although, as adults, there isn’t a lot re-rideability. However, the highest of this sandcastle does provide some improbable views of the island.
In distinction, whereas we knew the swimming pools have been going to be massive, we nonetheless weren’t ready for a way huge they actually have been. In reality, the Starfish Lagoon pool alone dwarfs Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Lagoon. That pool on Perfect Day at CocoCay used to carry the title as the most important freshwater pool within the Caribbean. Now, Celebration Key’s mixed freshwater lagoons are shut to eight occasions the scale of the competitors.
So, whether or not you need a energetic Caribbean vibe with DJ music or a extra serene day wading within the shallows, Celebration Key has you lined.
Surrounding the lagoon on all sides are a wide range of lounge chairs and umbrellas, which can be found to be used on a first-come, first-served foundation. Many of the loungers closest to the arrivals plaza have been crammed with fellow cruisers early within the day. However, inside a five-minute stroll, there have been loads of empty chairs.
Similarly, the pool space close to the Long Necks Swim-Up bar within the “adults-only” part was packed many of the day. Still, there was loads of different pool area to name your personal. While this western part of Calypso Lagoon is technically purported to be 18+, we didn’t see any enforcement moreover some signage.
Although, we have been stunned that there aren’t extra kid-focused water options. The Guppy Grotto splash pad and wading pool are comparatively small, particularly given the behemoth measurement of the remainder of the pool space. When in comparison with Disney Cruise Line and even Royal Caribbean, we’d have anticipated a family-focused cruise line like Carnival to have a extra expansive area for the youngest cruisers.
While the swimming pools have been busy for many of the day, the other was true for the mile lengthy stretch of seaside. Both Starfish Beach and Calypso Beach have been comparatively empty. Still, with nice ship views and loads of complimentary loungers and umbrellas, seaside lovers will really feel proper at residence on Celebration Key.
Keep in thoughts that almost all facilities are centralized across the lagoons. So, in case you’re lounging beachside, you have to to depart your lounger to quench your thirst or fulfill your urge for food.
Upgrading Your Day at Celebration Key
While there may be loads of seaside and pool area accessible on Celebration Key that received’t price you something, the Pearl Cove Beach Club provides a extra secluded and splendid possibility.
Reserved for company 18 and older, this non-public seaside membership is the most important of any cruise line vacation spot. It boasts its personal 11,000 sq. foot infinity pool with a swim-up bar and unique seaside entry with upgraded loungers. This unspoiled seaside offers good views of the ship. There’s additionally a full-service restaurant, aptly named Pearl Cove Beach Club Restaurant and Bar, providing upscale menu objects similar to grilled calamari and seafood pasta.
Unlike Royal Caribbean’s 18+ Hideaway Beach Club, Pearl Cove is a relaxed and chill spot with loads of area to unfold out and unwind. It’s extra much like Royal Caribbean’s Coco Beach Club, however Pearl Cove is bigger and strictly adults-only.
Carnival Cruise Line provides three completely different packages for company to get pleasure from Pearl Cove. The lowest entry level offers entry solely, whereas the costliest possibility is an all-inclusive cross that features ten alcoholic drinks and meals on the restaurant. There are additionally cabanas accessible for many who want to improve their keep even additional.
We spent the morning touring Pearl Cove and each remarked on how a lot we preferred the setup, the infinity pool, and the peaceable vibes. While we had plans to return to Pearl Cove later within the day, we by no means made it again. When we return to Celebration Key once more, we would definitely take into account buying passes to flee the crowds and the children.
Food and Drinks on Celebration Key
For cruisers who’ve sailed to different cruise line non-public islands, Celebration Key will be complicated with regards to its meals and beverage program.
At non-public islands like Perfect Day at CocoCay, Great Stirrup Cay, Castaway Cay, and even Carnival’s Half Moon Cay, many of the ashore meals is complimentary. Likewise, Royal Caribbean’s and Norwegian Cruise Line’s drink packages work at these non-public locations.
But Carnival Cruise Line officers have been fast to right us after we insinuated that Celebration Key is comparable to those non-public islands. Instead, they seek advice from Celebration Key as an “exclusive destination”. Thus, many of the meals and drinks on Celebration Key usually are not included within the cruise fare. Similar to different Carnival Corp. locations, similar to Mahogany Bay or Amber Cove, company have entry to a number of bars and eating places for a further price. These locations usually are not an extension of the ship.
Island Eats on Celebration Key
However, not like Mahogany Bay or Amber Cove, Carnival has launched a brand new profit for Celebration Key, known as Island Eats. With Island Eats, everybody receives one meal credit score to get pleasure from whereas ashore.
The credit score is legitimate for one full meal at one of many informal eateries. Or, company obtain 25% off an entree at full-service eating places. Children 12 and beneath eat free from the children menu in any respect full-service eating places.
While we had no points utilizing our credit, we did observe a number of company experiencing difficulties redeeming their meal credit for the included choices. Since the credit for all stateroom members are linked, in principle, one cabinmate might use all of them. So, your children might actually eat everybody’s lunch, that means mother and pa might be caught paying for meals.
Even although these Island Eats credit work in any respect quick informal venues, what’s lined varies by location. Thus, you’ll have to evaluation the menus rigorously to know which objects are included and which can incur further costs. Included choices are sometimes hamburgers or sandwiches. This is commonly accompanied by one aspect dish, normally fries or chips, and a cookie.
One huge miss is that the meal credit score doesn’t embody a drink. The solely complimentary drinks accessible on Celebration Key are water. Self-service water refill stations are subsequent to lagoons and meals vans. But, there are not any different included drinks like iced tea or lemonade such as you discover on virtually any non-public cruise line vacation spot.
Casual Dining Ashore
The largest eating venue on Celebration Key is the Captain’s Galley Food Hall within the Starfish Lagoon portal. This venue is residence to well-liked quick-service objects. These embody pizza, burgers, and scorching canine. There are additionally upcharge picks together with tacos and Mediterranean bowls. Most of those picks are priced between $12 and $15, excluding the service cost and native VAT.
At the outskirts of every portal are our favourite eating choices, the meals vans. The 8 distinctive choices function a wide range of handheld treats good for munching poolside. While every is completely different, there may be some overlap in menu objects.
In Starfish Lagoon, meals vans embody Grand Bahamas Tacos, Mini Donut King, Seaside Shack Subs & Tenders, and Streatery Sushiva. Across the best way at Calypso Lagoon, there are 4 completely different venues. These embody Fowl Play, Calypso Chicken Co, Flippin Fritters, and Seaside Burgers & Dogs. Both meals truck venues provide restricted picnic tables with umbrellas.
At most of those meals vans, company can redeem an Island Eats credit score for choose menu choices. For further servings or menu objects not lined, company have to pay à la carte. For occasion, we redeemed one credit score for the boneless rooster tenders meal at Fowl Play. But, if we needed so as to add some loaded nachos to our order, it could have been a further $11.25, plus 18% gratuity and VAT.
While we’re certain the distributors will work out the kinks, it did take 20+ minutes to obtain our meals objects. This might be fairly time consuming in case you’d wish to make particular person purchases from a number of meals vans to your journey get together.
Celebration Key Full-Service Restaurants
Along with the Pearl Cove Restaurant, there are three further full-service venues scattered all through the resort.
All full-service eating places provide desk service eating with distinctive meals menus. Plus, all eating places boast a signature bar menu with distinctive cocktails. Unfortunately although, all the seating is al fresco. With 90-degree temperatures and scorching solar, these venues didn’t present the escape from the warmth or solar that we have been hoping for.
The largest venue and the very best themed is Mingo’s Tropical Bar & Kitchen in Calypso Lagoon. The genuine menu provides picks similar to Bahamian Conch Chowder for $9.99 and Coconut Curry Chicken for $21.99.
At the north aspect of Caylpso Lagoon is Surf N’ Sauce BBQ & Brews. This barbecue restaurant serves up Southern-inspired cocktails just like the Lynchburg Lemonade and native craft beers. Along with sandwiches, company can go for BBQ sharing platters priced at $29 per particular person, together with numerous meats and aspect dishes.
Families enjoyable in Starfish Lagoon can seize lunch at Gil’s Grill. Here, you’ll be able to share objects just like the Smoked Fish Dip for $15.99 or the Coconut Shrimp plate for $23.99.
We love the addition of a espresso store on Celeberation Key. The Suncastle Grounds Coffee is on the base of this landmark in Lokono Cove. Here, company can seize a latte or a chilly brew espresso. There’s additionally an up-charge ice store, Yumshine Scoops. Currently, Island Eats doesn’t work at both of those venues. So, company will probably be paying round $5 for espresso or a scoop of ice cream.
Grabbing a Drink on Celebration Key
Along with the bars on the full-service eating places, there are a selection of watering holes. So, you’ll by no means need to enterprise too far to seize a drink.
Many of the bars, just like the Lagoon Bar East, Lagoon Bar West, and Shoalmates Island Bar, serve a regular menu. Featured drinks embody classics like a mojito or a margarita. There can be a collection of native beers and wines.
Perhaps essentially the most Instagrammable bar is the Sunshine Swings Bar. This bar is positioned in Calypso Lagoon, a number of steps from the Suncastle. With a signature cocktail menu that includes concoctions just like the Bahama Mama, this open-air bar boasts dozens of swings over each the water and land.
Party folks will wish to seize one of many 160+ in-water seats on the largest swim-up bar on this planet, Long Necks Swim-Up Bar positioned subsequent to Mingo’s and the DJ island. Or, those that need one thing a bit much less rowdy can nonetheless get pleasure from an in-water libation at Parrotfish Swim-Up Bar positioned subsequent to the Captain’s Galley Food Hall in Starfish Lagoon.
As we talked about earlier, the cruise line’s Cheers Package doesn’t work on Celebration Key. So, company will probably be paying full worth for all drinks in any respect bars. For essentially the most half, cocktails are round $13, with beers and wine $8 and $11, respectively.
Navigating Celebration Key
Currently, Carnival’s Celebration Key has a pier that may berth two ships, with plans to increase to 4 ships sooner or later. The stroll from the ship to Paradise Plaza is a brief 5-10 minute stroll, or trams can be found. Once you make your approach down the pier, company can stroll across the portals or make the most of the tram loops.
Each portal boasts paved strolling paths. With loads of signage, we discovered it simple to navigate the perimeter on foot. Further, it was easy to search out our approach into among the alcoves, that are residence to numerous cabanas and clusters of loungers and umbrellas.
If you’d want to not stroll, there are two tram routes. One tram takes company from Starfish Lagoon to the north finish of Lokono Cove with 5 stops. Likewise, at Calypso Lagoon, the tram takes company to Pearl Cove, together with three further stops ending at Lokono Cove. These trams run all day in a steady loop.
Unlike another cruise line non-public locations, the structure of Celebration Key is intuitive. This makes it simple for company to entry all of the facilities. While many of the eating places and bars are positioned across the lagoon swimming pools, these lounging on the seaside nonetheless don’t have too far to go.
Our Celebration Key Review
Celebration Key is a vibrant, thrilling, and total enjoyable pool or seaside day. The colourful island provides households, {couples}, and multigenerational teams loads of choices to take advantage of their time ashore. Similiar to newer cruise line locations, Carnival’s Celebration Key options genuine Bahamian touches. With domestically impressed food and drinks menus, in addition to craft markets and native artwork, Celebration Key merges the spirit of Carnival Cruise Line and the Bahamian folks.
Overall, we have been pleasantly stunned with Celebration Key. While we have been skeptical that something might compete with Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay, Carnival’s Celebration Key delivers on many fronts.
While an apparent winner with regards to lagoon-style swimming pools, there are many different included facilities and actions which are complimentary. Three sports activities areas boast video games, basketball and volleyball, and even a pickleball courtroom. There is stay music, a Junkanoo parade which happens twice a day, and loads of seaside area with loungers and umbrellas to unfold out.
Albeit an up-charge, the Pearl Cove Beach Club additionally will get two thumbs up from us. The unique seaside, infinity pool, and swim-up bar are the proper adult-only escape.
With a wide range of eating choices and bars, meals and drinks are plentiful on Celebration Key. Many of those venues are well-themed too, from the flamingos adorning the Mingo’s eating venue, to the Sunshine Swings Bar, to the native Bahamian meals vans. While Island Eats does provide some included meals, company ought to funds accordingly for extra eating and drinks when visiting this unique vacation spot on Grand Bahama Island.
With the enduring Suncastle, twin racing slides, loads of swim-up bars, and several other distinctive cabana choices, Carnival’s Celebration Key actually exudes FUN. We can’t wait to get again!
With twenty Carnial cruise ships from ten completely different U.S. homeports providing stops at Celebration Key, it’s simple to discover a ship and itinerary that features a full day at this model new unique vacation spot. Whether you’re a frequent Carnival cruiser, or have by no means sailed with the cruise line earlier than, we predict Celebration Key is price visiting.
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