by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 12:30 PM ET, Thu February 22, 2024
Carnival Corporation will spend $100 million to extend the pier at Celebration Key, which will double the arrival capacity at its forthcoming private destination on Grand Bahama.
When Celebration Key opens in July 2025, the pier will have two berths. Crews will then add two additional berths, bringing the total number to four by 2026. This expansion—which brings the total cost of the Celebration Key project to $600 million—will allow the pier to host four of Carnival’s largest Excel class ships at the same time.
In the first few years, the cruise company expects to bring 2.2 million passengers to Celebration Key. By 2028, it projects that number will increase to nearly 4 million travelers annually.
"As is fitting for our plans for Grand Bahama island, our vision for Celebration Key is quite grand, and we're already thinking about the next phase of expansion and development," says Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
Once their ship docks at the pier, guests will be able to disembark and walk to Celebration Key. They’ll enter the “Welcome Portal” and then will be able to choose between four other distinct areas: the “Retail Portal,” the “Family-Friendly Portal,” the “Adult-Friendly Portal” and the “Private Club Portal.”
Highlights of the private destination include a mile-long white sand beach, large freshwater lagoons, shops, entertainment options and restaurants. In addition to highlighting Bahamian culture at Celebration Key, Carnival is hiring Bahamian professionals to hold leadership positions in operations, community affairs and human resources. The cruise company is also partnering with Bahamian officials to find local companies, excursion operators, construction workers and entrepreneurs to support the new site.
Already, Carnival says the project is creating jobs and generating economic activity for the Bahamas. The first phase of construction is projected to create more than 700 permanent jobs, including 300 Bahamians hired directly by Carnival Corporation. And an economic impact study estimates that, over the next 20 years, Celebration Key will create 2,500 direct Bahamian jobs, generate $3.2 billion in incremental revenue for the government and contribute $9.7 billion in incremental economic impact to the Bahamas gross domestic product.
"Carnival Corporation's dedication to our island's growth is both commendable and inspiring—we applaud their expanded investment in Celebration Key in Grand Bahama and welcome the imminent exponential boost to the Grand Bahama economy," said Ginger Moxey, minister for Grand Bahama. "We are on the brink of an exciting chapter for Grand Bahama, with Carnival Corporation's expansion opening doors to unprecedented possibilities for our residents. Let us collectively gear up for this transformative journey, as the spin-off opportunities are bound to bring about a wave of prosperity touching every corner of our beloved island."
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