Carnival Cruise Line marked a thrilling new milestone on July 22, 2025, as its newly opened private resort in Grand Bahama, Celebration Key, welcomed not one, but two ships in a single day for the first time.

The Carnival Glory and Carnival Conquest docked at the sprawling 65-acre destination, bringing over 7,000 guests ashore to experience their sun-soaked luxury.

Officially opened just days earlier on July 19, when Carnival Vista made the first call, Celebration Key already boasts standout features: a 1.5-mile pristine beach, five themed zones, and the Caribbean’s largest freshwater lagoons complete with swim-up and swing bars.

It also features the region’s biggest private beach club, over 30 dining and beverage venues, a central “Paradise Plaza,” and a thrilling ten‑story Suncastle waterslide.

Carnival President Christine Duffy emphasized the significance of the double-ship arrival: “Celebration Key is already elevating the guest experience… Docking two ships simultaneously offers more guests the opportunity to enjoy this exceptional experience,” adding that the resort offers “plenty of space to relax and enjoy everything this beautiful destination has to offer”.

The venue represents Carnival’s largest investment in a cruise port to date, with $600 million dedicated to its development. A further $100 million is currently funding a pier extension that will allow up to four ships to dock simultaneously by summer 2026.

With 20 Carnival ships from ten different U.S. homeports already scheduled to call in 2025, the destination is forecast to host two million guests annually, a number expected to grow to four million by 2028.

Looking ahead, on July 24, 2025, Carnival’s Excel-class flagship, Mardi Gras, will make its inaugural visit to Celebration Key, docking alongside Carnival Pride. The 5,200-guest Mardi Gras will become the largest vessel ever to visit the island, underscoring the port’s rapid rise as a premier destination.

Beyond the cruise line’s marketing achievements, Celebration Key provides a major economic boon for Grand Bahama. It supports hundreds of local jobs, features authentic Bahamian retail spaces, and includes shore-excursion facilities, plus eco-conscious amenities like a wastewater purification system and a ban on single‑use plastics.

As guests flock to Celebration Key, Carnival continues to shape the future of cruising with a destination that blends innovation, scale, and paradise, offering a truly unmatched beach experience while signaling that this is just the beginning.