Carnival’s Celebration Key Has Beaches, Culture, and a Whole New Beginning for Grand Bahama
It starts with the sound of a conch shell — and then the music rolls in. Junkanoo rhythms spill across the dock as 5,000 guests step off the Carnival Vista and into something new. Something built not just for vacations, but for rebuilding — built for Grand Bahama.
Carnival Cruise Line has officially opened Celebration Key, its $600 million private cruise destination on the southern shore of East Grand Bahama. The moment was years in the making — paused by the pandemic, reshaped by recovery — and now, finally, ready to welcome the world (after its soft opening last week).
Twice a day, cruise guests will now arrive here — millions this year alone.
More than 1,200 Bahamians have already been hired to staff Celebration Key — many of them Grand Bahama natives who left the island after the hurricane and have now returned home. Carnival says that’s just the start. More are expected to benefit through entrepreneurial partnerships, excursion companies, food and beverage, and cultural programs both onsite and across the island.
What’s Here, What’s Next
Celebration Key is a purpose-built destination — designed by Carnival, made for fun, but anchored in Bahamian identity. There’s beach space, bars, and entertainment zones. Berths that can fit the line’s biggest ships — and even bigger ones coming in 2029.
And yes, Shaquille O’Neal was there too — Carnival’s “Chief Fun Officer,” helping to cut the ribbon and turn up the energy.
But what happens beyond the dock is just as important. Carnival is betting that guests will go further — into Freeport, out to Port Lucaya, onto boats and into local shops. Already, guests are getting on buses and exploring.
“It’s amazing to see people walking around and then deciding to go see the rest of the island,” said Nuvolari Chotoosingh, general manager of the Ministry of Tourism for Grand Bahama. “We want them to meet the people. That’s what makes this more than just a stop — it’s a connection.”
What It Means for the Bahamas
The scale of Carnival’s investment — $600 million at Celebration Key, plus future investments in Half Moon Cay — gives the cruise line control over its Bahamas itinerary. But it also positions the country as an even more central hub for Caribbean cruising.
Phase Two of Celebration Key — expected to open in 2026 — will add two more ship berths and expanded guest experiences. More ships, more jobs, and a chance to turn one-time cruise passengers into return visitors.
It took nearly 25 years of vision — and several years of building — to make Celebration Key a reality. But what arrived on Saturday wasn’t just steel and sand. It was hope.
Carnival didn’t just bring a cruise port. They brought a reason to come home.
Karen Udler is the Deputy Travel Editor of Caribbean Journal. A graduate of Duke University, has been traveling across the Americas for three decades. First an expert on Latin American travel, Karen has been traveling with CJ for more than a decade. She likes to focus on wellness, luxury travel and food.
