Carnival Cruise Line Opens Itineraries to New Private Destination

Carnival Cruise Line has announced the initial itineraries that will visit Celebration Key, the cruise line’s new exclusive destination on Grand Bahama Island.

A total of 12 Carnival ships from eight different homeports will be visiting Celebration Key in 2025 and 2026, on itineraries ranging from 3-14 nights to give guests many amazing choices to experience this new tropical paradise.

Itineraries Open for Celebration Key

Carnival Cruise Line’s new $200 million (USD) development on Grand Bahama Island, Celebration Key, is sure to be an amazing destination exclusively for Carnival guests and offering authentic Bahamian experiences. Now, eager cruisers can begin booking itineraries to visit the new private port of call, with approximately 400 cruises now on sale featuring Celebration Key.

“We’ve seen that there is a lot of interest in Celebration Key as thousands of Carnival guests signed up over the last week to be the first to know about the itineraries and features,” said Christine Duffy, Carnival Cruise Line president. “The July 2025 opening will be here before we know it.”

Twelve Carnival cruise ships will visit Celebration Key as the new destination first opens, from homeports in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia, and Alabama. This gives guests a wide range of sailing options that include the exciting new port.

Among the itineraries that will feature Celebration Key are short getaways from 3-4 nights aboard Carnival Conquest from PortMiami on cruises from July 18, 2025, along with 3-4 night cruises on Carnival Glory from Port Canaveral beginning July 21, 2025. From Jacksonville, Carnival Elation will visit the new port on 4- and 5-night sailings also from July 21, 2025.

For slightly longer sailings, Carnival Celebration will visit Celebration Key on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from PortMiami beginning July 20, 2025, along with Mardi Gras from Port Canaveral starting the day before, July 19, 2025 also on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.

Carnival Dream will head to Celebration Key from Galveston on 8-night Eastern Caribbean sailings from July 26, 2025, while guests sailing from New Orleans can visit the new port on Carnival Liberty‘s 7- and 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruises.

From further afield, Carnival Pride will set sail from Baltimore on 7-night Bahamas cruises that will feature Celebration Key from July 20, 2025. Similarly, Carnival Sunshine will visit the destination on 6- and 8-night sailings from Norfolk, Virginia beginning on October 18, 2025.

When Carnival Spirit returns to Mobile, Alabama in November 2025 after spending the summer in Alaska, the ship will offer a stop in Celebration Key on 6- and 8-night Bahamas cruises.

Longer Sailing Options

For guests who want to enjoy longer sailings, Celebration Key will be featured on a variety of unique itineraries and exclusive Carnival Journeys cruises.

For example, Mardi Gras will include the new destination on two 14-night transatlantic sailings, the first from Port Canaveral to Barcelona departing on September 13, 2025, and the second on the ship’s return journey from Barcelona to Port Canaveral on October 16, 2025.

Sailing from Galveston, Carnival Legend will offer a stop at Celebration Key on 10-night Exotic Eastern Caribbean sailings.

Carnival Pride will be offering a 14-night Panama Canal cruise departing from Baltimore on January 11, 2026, which will include Celebration Key.

These longer cruises will offer even more variety for travelers while still letting them experience the new and exciting port destination.

Carnival Cruise Line plans to announce more than 100 additional Celebration Key itineraries for another six ships in the coming months, offering even more options for guests who want to be among the first to visit the new port of call.

Excitement Growing for New Destination

Just days ago, Carnival Cruise Line invited interested guests to sign up for exclusive updates on Celebration Key, with tremendous response. Not only will those notifications include new itineraries, but also updates on the port’s progress and exciting features.

“We are working closely with the Bahamian Government and the local Grand Bahama community to make this the premier exclusive cruise port destination in the Caribbean,” said Duffy. “We plan to announce further details on what guests can expect to experience while there in the near future.”

A key feature of the new destination is its close focus on Bahamian culture, offering opportunities for local residents and showcasing the art, music, food, crafts, and history of the Bahamas through retail and dining venues, displays, and more.

“This is so exciting for the people of Grand Bahama as we watch Celebration Key come to life,” said the Honorable Ginger Moxie, Minister for Grand Bahama. “We have a bold vision of how Grand Bahama can become the premier destination for entertainment and events in the region and we look forward to showing Carnival’s guests a warm and memorable vacation when they start visiting our beautiful island in 2025.”

Celebration Key is located on the south side of Grand Bahama Island, approximately 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the existing dock in Freeport. Ground was broken on the development in May 2022.

The new destination will feature a mile-long white sand beach, diverse excursion options, freshwater lagoons, a nature reserve, and more. Carnival Cruise Line plans to announce full phase one details and the overall development timeline for Celebration Key soon.