Carnival Cruise Line guests are just five months away from experiencing Celebration Key’s five portals to paradise. To kick off the countdown to the official opening on July 19, Carnival Corporation & plc’s Chief Executive Officer Josh Weinstein and Chief Maritime Officer Lars Ljoen joined Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy for a behind the scenes look at this new exclusive destination on Grand Bahama as construction enters its final phases.

They marked milestones in construction progress across the expansive beachfront destination and highlighted Celebration Key’s sustainability commitment. In a nod to the maritime tradition of a keel laying for a new ship, they placed commemorative keys into Celebration Key’s signature Suncastle, the centerpiece of the destination’s five portals.

The Suncastle stands 10-stories tall near Paradise Plaza, the first portal guests will encounter that serves as a gateway to the destination’s other areas. The Suncastle is also home to racing waterslides that are part of the portal geared toward families, Starfish Lagoon, along with endless other options for recreation and relaxation. The destination’s adult-focused portal, Calypso Lagoon, features an adult-only area with a DJ island and a large swim-up bar. Pearl Cove Beach Club is a private portal offering a premium adult-only experience with an infinity pool and beachfront cabanas. The fifth portal, Lokono Cove, is an artisan retail village celebrating Bahamian culture through local art and handmade goods.

During their tour, the Carnival leaders also joined team members planting palm trees from the “Plant a Tree” community engagement program launched last year as part of a broad preservation initiative that has involved replanting of thousands of native trees across the property. About 1,000 sabal palms were saved and replanted across the property. Duffy also participated in the ceremonial filling of one of two expansive freshwater lagoons, the largest in the Caribbean*, that will be sustained by Celebration Key’s desalination system that converts seawater into freshwater. The lagoons span over seven acres and hold about seven million gallons of water.

“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. “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.”

About 500 workers are on site daily as construction continues round-the-clock to prepare the destination for its summer opening, when Carnival Vista will make the inaugural call on July 19. Celebration Key will deliver Carnival’s signature brand of fun while honoring local heritage and supporting Grand Bahama through job creation and economic development. To date, 28 Bahamian companies have contributed to the project.

“This destination will serve as a tribute to the rich Bahamian culture and Grand Bahama’s natural environment,” said Weinstein. “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.”

Carnival continues to make new options and features available for guests as they plan their Celebration Key experience. New at Pearl Cove Beach Club are beachfront daybeds, private cabanas and exclusive Super Villas, available for booking soon. Each accommodation option includes access to the club’s open bar service, infinity pool, full-service restaurant and premium beachfront access.

With sailings open into 2027, Celebration Key is a featured destination on hundreds of Carnival itineraries across 20 ships sailing from 10 U.S. homeports. To learn more about Celebration Key and to see available sailings, click here.