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Sneak peek! First photos of Carnival Cruise Line's new beach club in the Bahamas

Feb. 19, 2025
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5 min read
2Celebration Key
Sneak peek! First photos of Carnival Cruise Line's new beach club in the Bahamas
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Just five months before it’s set to debut, Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line’s new private beach area in the Bahamas, is nearing completion, with construction almost finished and several key milestones taking place.

Carnival has released the first photos of the new destination, which will open its doors to passengers July 19, when Carnival Vista becomes the first vessel to call there.

Take a peek at some of what you can expect during a visit to this exclusive new oasis.

An aerial view of a cruise line private island under construction
An aerial view of Celebration Key under construction. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

This aerial shot of the progress at Celebration Key shows a view over the Calypso Lagoon Portal, the adults-only area. The 10-story Suncastle waterslide tower, which serves as the centerpiece for the destination’s five portals, stands in the background, surrounded by scaffolding.

The view from inside a cruise line private island cabana
One of Celebration Key's Supervillas. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

This view from inside one of Celebration Key’s Calypso Lagoon Supervillas offers a closer look at the adults-only area under construction.

A woman in a yellow contruction vest and white hard hat giving two thumbs up while standing behind a large metal pipe spraying water into a pool
Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy helps to fill one of Celebration Key's lagoons. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

During a recent site visit, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy assisted with the ceremonial filling of one of two of the largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean. Together, the lagoons hold about 7 million gallons of freshwater that will be desalinated by an on-property system.

An aerial shot of a lagoon at a cruise line private island with two people looking out over it
Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy and Carnival Corp. CEO Josh Weinstein look out over Celebration Key's Calypso Lagoon. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

This view over the Calypso Pool shows several of the nearly 1,000 native palm trees that the cruise line rescued and relocated so they wouldn’t be lost to construction. Thousands of other native plants were also replanted throughout the property.

“This destination will serve as a tribute to the rich Bahamian culture and Grand Bahama’s natural environment,” said Carnival Corp. CEO Josh Weinstein in a statement from Carnival Cruise Line. “It’s 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.”

A woman in a yellow construction vest and white hard hat gives a thumbs-up while placing a key into cement as a man in sunglasses smiles behind her
Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy and Carnival Corp. CEO Josh Weinstein lay a key in the foundation of the Suncastle at Celebration Key. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

In a nod to the traditional ship construction milestone of keel laying, Duffy and Weinstein embedded a key in the Suncastle in honor of Celebration Key.

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"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," said Duffy in a statement. "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."

Celebration Key — which will feature food, music, shopping, a giant swim-up bar and a pier that will eventually accommodate as many as four of Carnival’s largest ships — is one of two major private beach areas opening in 2025. Royal Caribbean’s new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is set to begin receiving guests in December.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Featured image by CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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