Carnival Celebration Key Ultimate Guide 2025: Everything You Need to Know

After decades of sharing a private island (Half Moon Cay) with sister brand Holland America Line, Carnival Cruise Line finally has a private destination to call its own, and we were among the first guests to experience it. Carnival’s Celebration Key is an exclusive port in the Bahamas that allows guests to enjoy a beach or pool day filled with fun — from water slides and games to delicious food and drinks.

If you’re looking for an overview of what you need to know about Celebration Key, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s our full guide to Celebration Key, Bahamas.

Table of Contents

• What is Carnival’s Celebration Key?
• Celebration Key Map
• Getting to Celebration Key Bahamas
• What’s Available on Celebration Key?
• Starfish Lagoon
• Calypso Lagoon
• Paradise Plaza
• Lokono Cove
• Pearl Cove Beach Club
• What’s Included at Celebration Key?
• Food at Carnival’s Celebration Key
• Drinks at Celebration Key
• Things to Do at Celebration Key that Cost Extra

What is Carnival’s Celebration Key?

Celebration Key is an exclusive destination for Carnival Cruise Line, located in the Bahamas. It can be found on the southern coast of Grand Bahama Island, about a 23-mile (40 minute) drive from the Freeport cruise port on the western side of the island. Construction on Celebration Key broke ground in spring 2022, with its officialy grand opening celebration on July 19, 2025.

This $600+ million investment is expected to welcome two million passengers in its first year with 20 Carnival ships sailing from 10 different U.S. homeports.

Celebration Key has its own cruise pier, which is currrently able to accommodate two of Carnival’s largest Excel-class vessels simultaneously. The destination is split into five areas that Carnival calls “portals.” They are the Paradise Plaza welcome area, the family-focused Starfish Lagoon, the adult-centered Calypso Lagoon, the Lokono Cove shopping area, and the adults-only private beach club, Pearl Cove.

Carnival Celebration Key has 379 acres of total space, with phase one occupying just 68 acres and future expansion plans for another 154 acres. Unlike some other cruise line private islands, Celebration Key is staffed by local Bahamians. This means your favorite waitstaff and bartenders do not work on the island.

Celebration Key Map

Click here to download the full PDF Celebration Key map.

Getting to Celebration Key Bahamas

Carnival’s Celebration Key is exclusively for Carnival cruise ships. This means that you cannot visit the destination unless you’re on a Carnival cruise. Most sailings that include a call at Celebration Key will originate in Florida, including voyages from Miami, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, and Tampa. However, other homeports will also offer cruises to Celebration Key such as Mobile, Alabama; Galveston, Texas; and Baltimore, Maryland; among others.

The majority of the ships in Carnival’s fleet are scheduled to visit Celebration Key over the next couple of years. These include the line’s three newest and largest ships, Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee, which offer mostly six to eight-night sailings. Shorter Bahamas and Caribbean cruises on ships like Carnival Sunrise, Horizon, Freedom, and Vista also visit Celebration Key.

How do you get around Celebration Key?

Celebration Key has its own pier, making it easy to just walk off the ship, down the pier, and straight into the fun (about 6-10 minutes). However, there are trams and ADA-accessible carts available. They run from the ship to the Paradise Plaza welcome portal and back about every 10-15 minutes.

Guests can also hop on a tram to get to various parts of the destination itself, with pick-ups every five minutes or so. There are two tram loops, one for Calypso Lagoon and one for Starfish Lagoon. Calypso Lagoon has four stops and Starfish Lagoon has five stops along the way.

For guests with mobility limitations, beach wheelchairs are also available at Paradise Plaza on a first-come basis.

What’s Available on Celebration Key?

When it comes to impressive features, Carnival’s Celebration Key is home to the two largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean, totaling over 275,000 square feet. Yes, that’s 8 times bigger than Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Lagoon on Perfect Day at CocoCay. There’s also the world’s first and largest 10-story sandcastle structure with two waterslides, the longest swings bar, the largest swim-up bar, the biggest adult-only area on any cruise destination, and so much more.

These amenities, attractions, and dining venues are spread across the five different portals. So, depending on your mood and your travel party, you could spend the day in one area or explore the entire destination. Here’s what’s available in each of the five portals on Celebration Key.

Starfish Lagoon

This family-friendly portal is the largest and has both a dedicated pool and beach space for families of all ages to stay and play all day. There’s also a variety of dining options, along with bars and cabanas dispersed throughout.

Starfish Lagoon amenities include:

• Largest freshwater lagoon with a gentle sloped entry
• Guppy Grotto splash pad with a 2-foot deep wading pool
• Starfish Beach with plenty of loungers and umbrellas
• Captain’s Galley Food Hall with 4 unique food stalls and partially covered seating
• Snack Shack with food and drink offerings in two locations
• Starfish Food Trucks: Streatery Sushiva, Mini Donut King, Grand Bahama Taco, and Seaside Shack
• Gill’s Grill full service restaurant with a menu highlighting Caribbean seafood
• Lagoon Bar East
• Parrotfish Swim-Up Bar
• Shoalmates Island Bar
• Sports and Games in two locations including table tennis, cornhole, basketball, and pickleball

Calypso Lagoon

Calypso Lagoon is the adult-friendly portal which also has dedicated pool and beach space with a lively Caribbean vibe. There’s a variety of dining, bars, and cabanas located in this portal as well.

Calypso Lagoon amenities include:

• Large freshwater lagoon with a DJ island and an adult-only section on the most western side
• Calypso Beach with plenty of loungers and umbrellas
• Mingo’s Tropical Bar & Kitchen with a menu featuring conch fritters, chicken wings, and more
• Surf N’ Sauce BBQ & Brews with a menu featuring smoked meats and craft beer
• Beachside Burgers & More, a food truck near Mingo’s serving grab-and-go options
• Snack Shack with food and drinks in three locations
• Calypso Food Trucks: Fowl Play, Seaside Burgers & Dogs, Calypso Chicken, and Flippin Fritters
• Lagoon Bar West
• Sunshine Swings Bar
• Long Necks Swim-Up Bar
• Sports Court with basketball and volleyball

Paradise Plaza

Paradise Plaza is the welcome portal on Celebration Key. Here, you’ll find a large sun-shaped arch that is a perfect spot for photos, a water fountain, and live Caribbean music. Other amenities found in Paradise Plaza include:

• Suncastle Waterslides, two racing slides within the iconic 10-story sandcastle structure
• Yumshine Scoops ice cream shop
• Shore Excursions & Guest Services Desk

Lokono Cove

Lokono Cove is the retail portal on Carnival’s new Celebration Key. Available amenities include:

• Suncastle Grounds Coffee serving coffee and snacks
• Shopper’s Paradise with a logo shop and stores like Effy, Cariloha, and more
• Artisan Market selling local Bahamian products
• Artist murals on display
• Shore excursions departure point and exit to local taxis and rental cars

Pearl Cove Beach Club

Pearl Cove Beach Club is the exclusive adult-only 18+ beach club on Celebration Key. Guests can upgrade their day with three different packages. Pearl Cove amenities include:

• Adults-only beach with upgraded lounge chairs and umbrellas
• Pearl Cove Restaurant and Bar serving upsale options like lobster, shrimp, and sushi
• Pearl Cove Beach Club Bar, with a swim-up section
• Large infinity pool
• Cabanas available for an additional fee

What’s Included at Celebration Key?

A number of free activities, amenities, and entertainment are available for visitors to enjoy at Celebration Key. As guests arrive to the destination, they’re greeted by live music and a fountain at Paradise Plaza. There’s also a Junkanoo Parade that occurs a couple times during the day in the Lokono Cove area.

Starfish Lagoon is filled with fun for the whole family. This portal is where you’ll find a large lagoon swimming pool, the family-friendly beach, and the Guppy Grotto splash pad with fun water features for the littlest visitors. All loungers and umbrellas are free for guest use surrounding the pool and on the beach. A gaming pavilion also offers activities like table tennis and cornhole that are complimentary.

Calypso Lagoon is the more adult-friendly portal, though most of this area is not limited to just adults like the exclusive Pearl Cove Beach Club is (more on that below). This area is located on the other half of the destination with its own lagoon-style pool, offering a more laid-back atmosphere complete with DJ-spun music. This portal also offers access to the beach. Again, loungers and umbrellas are plentiful and completely free in Calypso Lagoon.

Further, competitive guests might want to play a few games at the pickleball, basketball, or volleyball courts, which are located around both the Starfish and Calypso Lagoon areas.

While not your typical cruise line private island dining setup, there are still free food options available on Carnival’s Celebration Key. See below for details.

Food at Carnival’s Celebration Key

Carnival Cruise Line has partnered with local Bahamian vendors to offer a variety of food options at this exclusive destination. Guests can use their Sail & Sign card to enjoy one free meal per person during their time ashore with Island Eats.

What exactly is Island Eats?

Instead of offering a full picnic-style buffet for free to guests like many private cruise destinations, Celebration Key operates a bit differently. The destination features a number of both sit-down and casual walk-up dining venues that are an extra fee. Think Mahogany Bay or Amber Cove rather than Royal Caribbean’s Pefect Day at CocoCay or Disney’s Castaway Cay.

As a benefit, each guest receives a dining credit called Island Eats. This entitles passengers to a complimentary meal at one of the quick casual venues, or a 25 percent discount on one entree from the full-service restaurants (excluding the Pearl Cove restaurant).

This included “full meal” comes with a cookie but NOT a drink. It’s important to note that all stateroom members’ Island Eats credits are linked, so don’t eat your cabinmates’ lunch!

Between dining venues and bars, there are over 30 options to choose from at Celebration Key.

Fast Casual Venues

There are a number of casual dining options at Celebration Key. These include the Captain’s Galley Food Hall in Starfish Lagoon, Food Trucks in both Starfish Lagoon and Calypso Lagoon, and Snack Shacks scattered throughout this private resort. Additionally, Yumshine Scoops in Paradise Plaza is an up-charge ice cream shop.

When it comes to the food trucks, guests can enjoy items like:

• Mini Donut King serving a variety of mini donuts and shaved ice
• Grand Bahama Taco serving items like jerk chicken quesadillas, fried fish tacos, and steak tacos
• Seaside Shack offering dishes like cheesesteak sandwiches, fried chicken tenders, and caesar salads
• Streatery Sushiva serving items like orange chicken rolls, crazy California rolls, honey sriracha conch rolls, veggie planet rolls, and egg rolls
• Fowl Play serving regular and boneless wings, loaded and regular fries, and loaded nachos
• Flippin Fritters offering conch, shrimp, and corn fritters with various dipping sauces as well as sweet banana, guava, and coconut fritters — also with various dipping sauces
• Calypso Chicken serving dishes including Bahamian fried hot chicken sandwiches, grilled chicken and cheese sandwiches, and caesar salads
• Seaside Burgers & Dogs serving burgers, hot dogs, and more
• Beachside Burgers & More serving burgers, chicken tenders, and more

There are also a total of five Snack Shack locations around the resort. These stands serve pre-made items like a chicken caeser wrap, turkey club wrap, a vegetable hummus wrap, or a salad.

The Captain’s Galley Food Hall is not a buffet; though, it does offer five food stalls where guests can enjoy a variety of grab-and-go items. These include two Burgers & More stands, Pizzas, a made-to-order Tacos, Burritos, & Bowls, and a made-to-order Mediterranean bowl station.

Pro Tip: Be sure to review the menus carefully, as not all items on the menu are included in your free Island Eats food credit.

Full-Service Restaurants

If you’re looking for a sit-down experience, Celebration Key has four full-service restaurants to choose from.

Located in Calypso Lagoon are two full-service restaurants: Mingo’s Tropical Bar & Kitchen and Surf N’ Sauce BBQ & Brews. Named for the Bahamas’ national bird, Mingo’s serves up island favorites like jerk chicken and coconut shrimp, as well as classics including tacos and burgers. Surf N’ Sauce BBQ & Brews is exactly as it sounds — a barbecue joint. Complete with an outdoor smoker, guests can enjoy slow-cooked meats alongside sides and sauces right next to the lagoon. Bonus: you can also grab a craft beer from a local brewery at this venue’s bar.

The family-friendly Starfish Lagoon is home to Gill’s Grill, a full-service restaurant pairing land and sea with dishes like seafood baskets, steamed crab, shrimp, lobster, local fish, chicken, and burgers.

The Pearl Cove Beach Club has its own full-service restaurant too, aptly named Pearl Cove Beach Club Restaurant & Bar. The space includes a restaurant with an elevated menu, a bar, and a lounge area. It serves items such as lobster, shrimp, fresh sushi, and salads.

Pro Tip: Kids 12 and under eat free from the kids menu at all full-service restaurants.

Drinks at Celebration Key

A number of bars are dotted around Celebration Key, ensuring that guests are never far from a tropical cocktail or ice-cold beer. But before we get to that, we first have to talk about coffee. Many visitors will want to start their island day with a burst of energy from Suncastle Grounds Coffee, located in Lokono Cove. It serves up hot, iced, and frozen coffee beverages for an additional fee.

Now, onto Carnival’s Celebration Key bars. Calypso Lagoon is home to three watering holes. Long Necks Bar is a swim-up bar in the lagoon with over 160 seats. Visitors may also want to swing on over to one of the nearly 50 swings at the Sunshine Swings Bar. The last bar at Calypso Lagoon is the Lagoon Bar West.

Over at the Starfish Lagoon, guests will find Lagoon Bar West’s counterpart, Lagoon Bar East. Starfish Lagoon is also home to Parrotfish Swim Up Bar with in-water seating. The Aquabana area also has its own bar, Shoalmates Island Bar.

Over at the beach club is the Pearl Cove Beach Club swim-up bar, serving up its own tropical cocktails and other libations.

Of course, ice water is free for guests at Celebration Key, found at various spots throughout the property. However, unlike other cruise lines’ private destinations, there are no beverage stations with other free drinks like lemonade, iced tea, or powerade.

Does Carnival’s Cheers drink package work at Celebration Key?

Unfortunately, Carnival’s beverage packages do not apply to the line’s private destinations, which include both Celebration Key and Carnival Corporation’s private island Half Moon Cay. You have to pay full menu price for alcoholic and specialty beverages while ashore in Celebration Key.

Things to Do at Celebration Key That Cost Extra

While guests certainly do not have to pay extra to have a fun and relaxing day at Carnival’s Celebration Key, there are a number of upgraded activities available for purchase too.

Suncastle Waterslides

The focal point of Celebration Key is the towering Suncastle, constructed to look like a sandcastle. This structure houses dual racing waterslides, which are 350-foot-long, 10-story attractions called Flash Flamingo and Mach III Marlin. To enjoy these slides, you can purchase an all-day pass for $15 per person. Guests who purchase a cabana or villa can enjoy unlimited rides on these slides.

The view from the top is phenomenal too!

Pearl Cove Beach Club

If you’re looking for a more upscale and laid-back place to hang around the pool or beach, Pearl Cove Beach Club is the place to be. This exclusive portal is open only to adults 18 and older, and requires a fee for access.

The focal point of Pearl Cove is an 11,000 square-foot infinity pool complete with a sun shelf, premium loungers, and umbrellas. Villas and cabanas are available in the beach club for rent. Pearl Cove also has its own private end of the beach, which offers food and drink service.

There are three types of bookings available for access to Pearl Cove Beach Club. The first is basic beach club access, which includes a welcome drink of fruit or rum punch starting at $100 per person.

The second is open bar access, which consists of rum punch, draft domestic beer, house red and white wine, well drinks, frozen strawberry daiquiris, and piña coladas. This option includes up to 10 drinks and starts at $140 per person. The third option is all-inclusive access, which is the same as the open bar except it also includes lunch at the Pearl Cove full-service restaurant. This package also has a 10-drink limit, and starts at $180 per person.

Shore Excursions

During a visit to Celebration Key, cruise passengers don’t have to stay in the port area. Whether exploring on their own or taking a Carnival shore excursion, guests have the option of seeing other parts of Grand Bahama Island. However, these explorations are not included in the cruise fare and do cost extra.

Some of Carnival’s shore excursions available at Celebration Key include:

• ATV off-roading with visits to a garden and Taino Beach
• Pirate’s Cove ziplining and beach break
• Open-air tram city tour with a guided tour of Cooper’s Castle and a visit to the Port Lucaya Marketplace
• Bike riding and sight-seeing with lunch at a waterfall at Garden of the Groves
• Open-air tram tour with a wine-and-paint class and visit to the Straw Market
• Disco Bus tour with rum and beer tasting along with a stop at the beach
• Glass-bottom boat tour with a visit to the world-famous Shark Junction

For a full list of available excursions through Carnival at Celebration Key, visit carnival.com/shore-excursions/celebration-key. Guests can also rent equipment for water activities within Celebration Key, including kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkeling gear.

Shopping

Carnival’s Celebration Key includes a number of shops offering handmade craft items, duty-free items, jewelry, and other souvenirs. Lokono Cove, the shopping portal, also features a Bahamian artisan market. Many shore excursions build in time for visitors to peruse local shops as well.

Cabana, Villa, and Daybed Rentals

Cabanas

Standard cabanas, which start at $600, are available at several spots surrounding the lagoons as well as on the beach. They can accommodate up to four guests and include armchairs, a couch, sun loungers, a cooler with chilled bottled water, and fruit and snacks upon arrival.

Over-the-lagoon cabanas, located on peninsulas over the lagoons, add a private sun shelf and ceiling fan. They start at $740. Large cabanas can also be found around the lagoons, accommodating groups of up to six. Starting at $900, they include a few extras such as a dining table, soda, and lunch delivery.

AquaBanas are fun floating cabanas centered around a peninsula with its own bar at Starfish Lagoon. They offer seating for up to eight people around a table with their feet in the water under a shady canopy. AquaBanas start at $450.

Villas

Super Villas are the largest private cabanas at Celebration Key with the ability to accommodate up to 10 guests. They include the same things as the other cabanas, plus hammocks, swing chairs, dedicated sun shelves with water loungers, and a waterslide into the lagoon. There are two Super Villas at Calypso Lagoon, and two at Starfish Lagoon. The lagoon Super Villas start at $2,000.

Four Beach Super Villas are available: two at the family-friendly beach and two at the adults-only beach. The Super Villas at Starfish Beach start at $1,800, while the Pearl Cove Beach Club Super Villas start at $2,800.

Daybeds

For a slightly more premium experience at a lower cost, guests can also opt to reserve a daybed, many of which are located at both Calypso and Starfish Lagoons. The plush two-person daybeds, which start at $150, include pillows, a canopy for shade, and privacy curtains. Water daybeds include lounging for two on the sun shelf at Calypso Lagoon.

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