Carnival Corporation Announces Pier Extension Plans for Celebration Key

Carnival Corporation today unveiled its plans for a $100 million pier extension that will double the arrival capacity of Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line's new destination coming to Grand Bahama Island in 2025. 

The company has shared that in addition to the two berths slated to be complete by 2025, the expansion will add two more berths. When complete, all four berths will be capable of handling up to Carnival's Excel class ships. The project is slated to be completed in 2026. 

The expanded cruise pier will accommodate up to four Excel-class ships simultaneously and is projected to welcome nearly 4 million Carnival guests annually to Celebration Key by 2028.

"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," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "Building the second pier now allows us to implement growth plans and build itineraries with certainty, and signals to the local community just how important this development is to Carnival Cruise Line and the future of the island."

Carnival Corporation is working with Bahamian officials and community leaders to recruit local companies, excursion operators, construction workers, and entrepreneurs for the business and job opportunities the development will generate and sustain. 

"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 Minister for Grand Bahama The Honourable Ginger Moxey M.P. "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.

The newly announced $100 million pier extension will make Celebration Key a $600 million flagship project, the largest ever undertaken by the Carnival Corporation. The initial phase of the project, including the original two berths, is projected to help generate over 700 permanent jobs in the community – including approximately 300 Bahamians hired by Carnival Corporation to help welcome the 2.2 million guests each year to Grand Bahama beginning in 2025.

Carnival Corporation shared the following, “According to an economic impact study by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, over the next two decades the project will drive substantial growth in Bahamian employment, gross domestic product (GDP), and government revenue. The study estimates that the development, construction, and ongoing operation of Celebration Key will create over 2,500 direct Bahamian jobs, generate $3.2 billion in incremental revenue to the Government, and contribute $9.7 billion in incremental economic impact to the Bahamas GDP.” 

About Celebration Key

Celebration Key is being designed with occupancy growth in mind. It’s footprint is being carefully planned to include expansive spaces and attractions to comfortably host the additional guests expected in the coming years. 

Guests coming to Celebration Key can look forward to its mile-long white sand beach, the largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean, dining, shopping, entertainment, and more. Celebration Key will include five distinct areas (known as portals) which will provide a variety of activities for guests of all ages. 

Read Related: Carnival Reveals New Spaces Coming to Celebration Key 

Celebration Key is currently slated to welcome its first guests in July 2025. Carnival Corporation and Carnival Cruise Line will share more on the destination’s highlights over the coming months.

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