Celebration Key has only been open for a week when I walk under the bright yellow sun-like archway marking the entrance to this new tropical playground in the Bahamas.
As our ship Carnival Celebration pulls in, there is an air of anticipation as we strain for a first look at this latest cruise line resort, which officially opened on July 19 and cost a staggering $600 million to construct. What used to be empty scrubland on the south coast of Grand Bahama Island is now a ‘Destination’ – channelling profits back into Carnival Cruise Line.
From our approach, I can see the 10-storey sandcastle-style fortress lying at its heart – a lofty tower piercing the skyline with two racing waterslides twisting around it like writhing serpents.
I enter the resort through Paradise Plaza to a rhythm of catchy Bahamian sounds and cross the bridge over Celebration Key’s mammoth lagoon. You don’t want to forget something in your cabin as it’s not a quick dash from ship to sun lounger – but the resort is designed for walking and there are free shuttles on continuous loops.
Layout of the resort
Spread over seven acres, the gigantic swimming pool resembles an inland sea of brilliant turquoise – for me, this is this resort’s biggest draw.
Celebration Key has five distinct zones, or portals. Everyone passes through Paradise Plaza as they enter the resort, where you can book cabana and water sports rentals or excursions.
The walkway leads past the castle to the Lokono Cove shopping area with boutiques and artisanal stalls – also the setting for twice-daily exuberant Junkanoo carnival parades.
On one side is the family-friendly Starfish Lagoon, while on the other is adult-only Calypso Lagoon, with its long swim-up bar (claimed to be the world’s largest) and nearby DJ pumping out day-long beats.
Additional charges
I stop at the Sunshine Swings Bar for a thirst-quenching smoothie while gently swinging over the water in one of the dangling seats, before taking a peek at the upscale Pearl Cove Beach Club. Tucked on the outer fringe of this 65-acre resort, it’s filled with tempting plush beds in coral and ivory colours, alongside a bar and a stunning infinity pool.
Such exclusivity comes at a price, with entry from $79.99, rising to $179.99 for drinks and restaurant dining included.
Across the resort are thousands of sun-loungers (8,000 currently), and as we are the only ship visiting, finding a spare bed is easy despite the 6,300 passengers on our ship.
However, with 11,000 visitors from two ships expected just a few days after our visit, I wonder how easy it will be then.
Hammocks and rocking chairs are scattered around, along with day-beds and plush cabanas, though with prices for these starting from $149.99, clients need to be prepared to dip into their pockets.
For a cool $2,799.99, guests can rent a Super Villa on the beach at the Pearl Cove Beach Club for up to 10 guests. These have seats, hammocks, lockers, coolers, a stocked mini fridge, charging points and villa concierge. Snacks are served on arrival and lunch delivery is included (though a la carte lunch costs extra) and there’s a free bar (limited to 10 drinks per person). It also includes unlimited rides on the slides.
For these normally, there is a charge of $14.99 for the day. However, Carnival only releases a selected amount of passes to avoid overcrowding, so guests need to sort their slide pass quickly.
Food and cocktails flow throughout Celebration Key, with 36 drinking and dining spots, from full-service restaurants and lagoon-side grills to snack shacks. Feeling spoilt for choice, I head for the more authentic Bahamian food trucks. Most of the food is chargeable, however, there are special Island Eats dishes available at selected outlets and these are complimentary.
Stacking up against other castaway resorts
This is the fourth cruise resort I have visited, so it’s interesting to note how Celebration Key compares with other castaway resorts.
Our voyage also stops at Amber Cove on the Dominican Republic’s north coast. Owned by Carnival Corporation, it hosts several of its brands including Carnival, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises.
At just 25 acres it is significantly smaller than Celebration Key, and while there are over-water cabanas it lacks beaches. So if you’re yearning for powder sands, you need to take a taxi or shore excursion.
This puts pressure on the main pool, which was pretty packed during our stop, and it was hard to find a peaceful corner away from the booming beat of the DJ set, so I wonder if it’s better suited to visits by smaller ships.
Labadee closed
The first cruise line resort I ever visited was Royal Caribbean International’s Labadee and for natural splendour, this 260-acre haven on a peninsular on Haiti’s mountainous northern coast wins hands down.
Tucked-away coves and a backdrop of forested mountains make an idyllic setting and the topography lends itself to a half-mile zipline and even a roller-coaster ride, in addition to watersports and beachside cabanas.
However, Haiti’s volatile safety situation curbed opportunities to explore beyond the resort, which is temporarily closed due to wider security concerns in the country.
RCI’s private island Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas has probably become the most high-profile cruise resort since its relaunch in 2019, with the adrenaline-thumping Thrill Waterpark boasting the highest waterslides in North America.
With the Caribbean’s largest wave pool and a tethered hot-air balloon for sky-high views, Perfect Day packs in the fun. Seven beach areas and a beach club ensure it delivers as an island escape too.
So what of the newest exclusive opening?
Celebration Key stands out for its fabulous lagoon and opportunity to explore the rest of Grand Bahama, with the capital Freeport being 20 miles distant. More responsible options include tours to Lucayan National Park, Jeep and biking adventures that visit the Garden of the Groves, and a Foody Tour by Open Tram visiting local villages.
While the Key itself lacks the watery white-knuckle thrills of other private resorts, there’s talk of a water park being added, and it looks like building work has already started.
If this happens, Celebration Key will be one to watch, though with the cruise pier being extended to take four ships simultaneously next year, I just wonder about the crowds.
