Cruise to Celebration Key Your Paradise Awaits!

Table Of Content

• Calypso Lagoon at Celebration Key
• FAMILY-FRIENDLY PORTAL
• Calypso Lagoon Portal – Adult Only
• Celebration Key: Everything You Need To Know About Carnival’s New Private Destination
• Retail Portal Lokono Cove
• Carnival Cruise Line Announce New Grand Bahama Cruise Port Destination Will Be Called “Celebration Key™”

More than 500 upcoming Carnival Cruise Line itineraries across 18 vessels have Celebration Key as a port of call. What that means is you're likely to be able to experience a visit if you're planning to book a Bahamas sailing in 2025 or beyond. In this area of Celebration Key, visitors will be greeted with music, a giant sandcastle structure (which serves as a focal point of the destination) and all the information they'll need about their day ashore. Like how Excel Class ships are divided into "zones," Celebration Key will be divided into portals, each of which will have a distinct vibe.

Calypso Lagoon at Celebration Key

While you browse, enjoy colorful murals painted by local Bahamian artists or grab food or drinks from one of the portal's several dining and beverage options. Passengers will be greeted by "a much-larger-than-life sandcastle," which measures around 10 stories high. Here, guests will find wayfinding and destination information to help them make an informed decision on how to spend their day. In addition, the adjacent cruise pier will be able to accommodate up to two of Carnival’s Excel Class ships at the same time. A ceremony for the destination was held in May 2022 while the design, engineering and construction work is currently underway. The area will include an infinity pool with loungers as well as elevated dining experiences.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY PORTAL

There’s also the new-ish Street Eats restaurant that allows you to try a bunch of different international cuisines in one spot, every day. Chibang is likewise really new, premiering with Mardi Gras, and offering Chinese and Mexican fusion cuisine. There are also the Cloud 9 Spa suites and staterooms, which are designed with relaxation in mind, with extra-special toiletries, comfy robes and slippers, and unlimited access to spa spaces such as the thermal suites. Another brand-new, Excellence-class feature, Loft 19 is like a VIP area of the ship, where you can enjoy extras and amenities that aren’t open or available to just anyone. Carnival Celebration, while impressive in its own right, is not the first of its kind.

Calypso Lagoon Portal – Adult Only

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE'S CELEBRATION KEY WILL SHOWCASE BAHAMIAN CULTURE AND FLAVORS AT ... - Carnival-News.com

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE'S CELEBRATION KEY WILL SHOWCASE BAHAMIAN CULTURE AND FLAVORS AT ....

Posted: Tue, 09 Apr 2024 18:44:20 GMT [source]

The Family-Friendly Portal is perfect for kids and families… and that means teens too! All-together is a great way to experience activities like the lagoon and beach, splash pad with shallow pool, and sports courts, but spaces for kids and teens also let fun with new friends happen while the adults do their own thing. Beach villas and floating cabanas are just a couple of options that let families make this their home base, and of course there's family dining with plenty of cuisine choices.

Celebration Key Inaugural Cruises

Imagine the kind of spot where the lounge chairs are perfectly placed below the palm trees, so… ahhh, right? It's also a beautiful place to say “I do,” with an event pavilion for hosting weddings, vow renewals and other special celebrations. Of course, Carnival does put families first, and they'll be able to have tons of fun together at the Family-Friendly Portal.

If you've ever been to, or heard of, Royal Caribbean's Coco Beach Club, this appears to be Carnival's equivalent! For the ultimate convenience and maximum enjoyment time, the adjacent cruise pier will be able to accommodate up to two of Carnival’s Excel-class ships simultaneously to allow guests to walk off the ship and arrive at Celebration Key. At least 18 Carnival cruise ships will sail regularly from their homeports to Celebration Key in 2025 and 2026, with a total of 500 itineraries.

The exclusive adult-only area of the Private Club Portal remains a haven for those seeking premium amenities like an infinity pool, access to pristine white sand beaches, and upscale dining options, catering to guests desiring a more secluded and luxurious experience. While 18 ships will call on this new private destination (across 500+ itineraries!), the first ship to visit will be Carnival Vista based on currently available bookings. Carnival may decide to offer a special inaugural sailing to Celebration Key where they have a naming ceremony and grand opening celebration – but we won’t know those details for some time yet. And this one, nestled on the south side of Grand Bahama island, is designed exclusively for Carnival guests. It’s perfect for adults, families with kids… everybody who appreciates fun and natural beauty. Like the Family-Friendly Portal, the Adult-Friendly Portal offers access to the same three types of added-fee cabanas.

Cruisers traveling without children are also set to have their slice of Celebration Key - the Adult-Friendly Portal. This area will boast a swim-up bar and variety of cabana rentals including beachside options, as well as villas with personal slides into the lagoon. The portal will also feature several dining venues, including a full-service restaurant. The second Excellence-class cruise ship for Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Celebration is a long-awaited addition to the Carnival family.

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“I expect that in our next inventory cycle, which will run from May 2026 to May 2027, you’ll start seeing some calls at the new pier development at Half Moon Cay,” Stein said. As a function of its proximity of the port to South Florida, the new destination will also have favorable impact on fuel consumption and carbon emissions. He added that a four-port, seven-day itinerary was created, essentially adding the new destination as a bonus port.

Celebration Key will consist of five distinct areas that the cruise line is calling "portals." Each portal will offer a range of activities and amenities. Celebration Key is the first port destination that's been exclusively designed for Carnival Cruise Line. The port will be located on the south coast of the island of Grand Bahama, some 20 miles east of Freeport. The cruise port, called "Celebration Key," will be Carnival's first private destination.

Carnival's private Bahamas destination Celebration Key opening in 2025 - USA TODAY

Carnival's private Bahamas destination Celebration Key opening in 2025.

Posted: Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

It offers a more serene ambience, complete with loungers, plenty of shade and a distinct lack of loud music, as well as more upscale dining experiences. Families wanting their own exclusive space can pay to take advantage of the area's extra-fee cabana rentals, which feature alcoves on the beach, cabanas with their own slides into the lagoon and even floating cabanas. While Carnival is known for supplying fun to the entire family, adults will appreciate the Calypso Lagoon, where adults traveling alone can go to escape rowdy children. Of course, true to Carnival's brand, this area will have an energetic vibe with a swim-up bar with swings, DJ, cabana rentals, daybeds, a secluded beach, and even a full-service restaurant that'll dish up a variety of cuisines.

From the Welcome Portal to the most secluded beach cabanas, the island is designed with guest comfort and accessibility in mind. At the time of writing, Carnival has released over 500 itineraries on 18 cruise ships from nine ports through April 2026 that have a scheduled stop at Celebration Key. The cheapest starts at $204 per person for a 3- or 4-night cruise onboard Carnival Conquest. In short, there's something for everyone to enjoy, from the youngest sailors onboard to the teens who think family vacations are lame.

Named after the original 1987 ship, Carnival Celebration offers cruisers the biggest, best, flashiest and newest of family-fun cruising with a bevy of cool features. A portion of Calypso Lagoon and the adjacent beach will be designated as an adults-only area. In this section, guests will find a large swim-up bar with a DJ keeping the energy going all day. This area will also feature Bahamian food trucks, cabanas, daybeds and loungers. In addition to Lokono Cove, Celebration Key will feature four more distinct “portals,” mirroring the themed zones found on Carnival’s Excel-class ships. At the heart of the port lies the Welcome Portal, to be called Paradise Plaza, which will feature a towering sandcastle and live music as a gateway to the island.

The ship is the second Excel-class cruise ship to come from Carnival Cruise Line, following in the footsteps of sister ship Mardi Gras. Carnival plans to release more specifics on the phase one features and development timeline for Celebration Key in the near future. “This is so exciting for the people of Grand Bahama as we watch Celebration Key come to life. We have a bold vision of how Grand Bahama can become the premier destination for entertainment and events in the region and we look forward to showing Carnival’s guests a warm and memorable vacation when they start visiting our beautiful island in 2025,” added the Hon.

Celebration Key: Everything You Need To Know About Carnivals New Private Destination This Cruise Life

Table Of Content

• Major Differences Between Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line
• Travel Overview
• Carnival Ship Rescues 27 People Adrift at Sea in the Caribbean
• Princess Cruises Tips and Tricks – Livestream
• Size of the Private Destination
• Retail Portal Lokono Cove
• Retail Portal at Celebration Key

There are private cabana rentals (Excel suite guests receive priority access to the cabana rentals), concierge service, lunch delivery and more. Loft 19 is designed as an alternative to the main pool area, and suite guests get access before anyone else. The ship was only completed in November 2022, with the delivery ceremony taking place at the shipyard early that month.

Major Differences Between Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line

Once ports develop awareness and interest, they have to make sure they deliver experiences that resonate with guests, so they’ll want to come back. A significant feature of Celebration Key is its state-of-the-art pier, specifically constructed to accommodate up to two of Carnival's Excel-class vessels simultaneously. This engineering feat ensures that guests can disembark directly onto the island, stepping from ship to shore with ease and starting their island adventure without delay.

Travel Overview

Carnival also shares that Calypso Lagoon will feature casual snacks spread throughout the portal. As you might expect, the Retail Portal is home to Celebration Key's shopping opportunities, featuring locally made handicrafts and duty-free items sold at a variety of stores, kiosks and a Bahamian artisan market. Here's a rundown of everything we know so far about what you can expect from each portal during a visit to this new Bahamas port option.

Carnival Ship Rescues 27 People Adrift at Sea in the Caribbean

Carnival Elation will have sailings to the destination port from Jacksonville, while Carnival Paradise will also visit Celebration Key from Tampa. Carnival Celebration is an Excellence-class cruise ship, preceded by sister ship Mardi Gras, which debuted in the summer of 2021. A future Carnival Excellence-class ship is scheduled for 2023, Carnival Jubilee.

MIAMI, March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Cruise Line today revealed details for Paradise Plaza and Calypso Lagoon, two of the five portals at its new Celebration Key™ cruise destination on Grand Bahama set to debut in July 2025. Lokono Cove is set to join Carnival Cruise Line’s exclusive private destination, Celebration Key, on Grand Bahama Island, emphasizing Bahamian culture and craftsmanship. In that image, there is a large pool that seems to stretch the length of the beach. Other renderings show a low-detail overhead view with the pool and two ships docked. Using the length of an average cruise ship, we estimate the length of the pool to be nearly 1,700 feet. For that, there will be the 40-acre initial development, two “large scale lagoons,” 20 retail shops, food, drinks, and a 1,600 foot long pier for the ships to dock.

Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer. Whether you're planning on booking a cruise with Celebration Key on its itinerary or are just curious as to what this new port will have to offer, we have created a breakdown of everything we know thus far.

Carnival Jubilee Officially Christened by Gwen Stefani (Plus, See Photos of the New Ship)

This large ship ranks as the 11th largest in the world, with a gross tonnage of 183,521 GT and a length of 1,130 feet. There are 19 total decks and more than 2,600 staterooms, which can hold more than 5,000 passengers at double occupancy and up to 6,500 passengers at maximum capacity. Space Cruisers is a brand-new program offered in partnership with the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Eventually, it’ll roll out to other Carnival ships but, for now, you can only find it here, on Carnival Celebration.

Retail Portal Lokono Cove

Carnival doubling berths to four Celebration Key in now $600m project - Seatrade Cruise News

Carnival doubling berths to four Celebration Key in now $600m project.

Posted: Thu, 22 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

A designated adults-only section of Calypso Lagoon and the beach features a large swim-up bar with a DJ, Bahamian food trucks, and comfortable beach furnishings. Located on the south side of Grand Bahama Island, Celebration Key will offer a variety of fun, relaxation and adventure options for everyone. The destination’s features and offerings will be anchored around the largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean that will offer numerous recreational and leisure activities for both families and adults. Carnival ships will dock at an adjacent cruise pier that can accommodate up to two of Carnival’s Excel-class vessels simultaneously and will allow guests direct access to Celebration Key.

Everything We Know About Carnival's Celebration Key - Cruise Blog

Everything We Know About Carnival's Celebration Key.

Posted: Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The vessel became the first new Carnival cruise ship to arrive in the UK in 20 years for its maiden voyage out of Southampton on November 6, 2022. The ship first arrived at its homeport of PortMiami on November 20, and later that same day, the official naming ceremony took place at the new Terminal F. More than 500 Carnival itineraries are already scheduled to call at the port, with 12 ships from eight different homeports in its initial years. The chosen name, Lokono, pays homage to the Lucayans, the island’s original inhabitants, and was submitted by Deidre Rahming, in a naming competition held by Carnival Cruise Line. Rahming received $5,000 for the winning name and will have the opportunity to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including transportation, food, and beverages, as well as a day-pass to Celebration Key with drink vouchers, food, and a cabana. It also appears to show a large welcome plaza, splash pad, a lengthy beach, and cabanas.

You can surprise the family with a beach villa or floating cabanas with personal water slides for the day! You can, however, take into consideration that beach villas at Half Moon Cay currently start at $799.99. Those seeking a more elevated experience should check out the Adults-Only Private Club Portal. While not included, admission will feature access to a private beach, infinity pool, elevated dining, and more.

Grand Bahama is a northern island of The Bahamas and is known its breathtaking beaches, lush vegetation, and friendly people. Celebration Key will offer a uniquely Bahamian experience with an abundance of features and amenities, including a one-mile stretch of white-sand beach, as well as Bahamian-operated retail, food and beverage options for Carnival guests to enjoy. For the ultimate convenience and maximum enjoyment time, the adjacent cruise pier will be able to accommodate up to two of Carnival’s Excel-class ships simultaneously to allow guests to walk off the ship and arrive at Celebration Key.

The program is designed for those ages 2 to 11 and includes space-themed activities and fun STEM projects to add a little educational flair and fun to their cruising experience. The Gateway is a brand-new zone unique to Carnival Celebration, so make sure to explore it thoroughly during your cruise. The Gateway is home to several new offerings, including the travel-themed Latitudes bar. Among these free eateries, brand-new options include Miami Slice, which is the new pizzeria for Carnival Cruise Lines. Deco Deli is also new, and offers your typical deli sandwich experience, but with a slight Cuban twist.

No matter which of these basic stateroom styles you choose, though, you’ll find that each features modern decor, lots of extra space, light and airy color palettes and extra modern features such as backlit mirrors. Here's everything you need to know about the Carnival Celebration cruise ship, with an overview and things to do. A $100 million investment will extend the existing pier to accommodate two additional ships by 2026.

Here, you will find a lagoon and beach, a splash pad with shallow pool, and a sports court. This is also the home of the giant sandcastle that will feature two exciting water slides. For adults, Calypso Lagoon, the Adult-Friendly Portal, will set a tranquil escape by another freshwater lagoon, complete with a swim-up bar and tunes from a live DJ. Cabana offerings include beach cabanas, floating cabanas, or villas with private waterslides. The area will also offer a full-service restaurant focusing on Bahamian delicacies.