Carnival Cruise Line's newest private destination has quickly become a favorite stop for Carnival cruisers sailing the Bahamas. Celebration Key sits 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, and represents one of Carnival's largest investments in a private destination to date.
One important thing to know before you go: Celebration Key isn't technically an island. It's a gated destination on Grand Bahama, which means exploring the rest of the actual island independently is possible on the same port call if you want to venture beyond the gates. If you're curious what else Grand Bahama and the wider Bahamas have to offer, check out our guide on why a Bahamas cruise is the perfect island getaway.
Here's everything you need to know to make the most of a day at Celebration Key.
Quick Facts About Celebration Key
| Location | Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas |
| Cruise lines visiting | Carnival, Princess, Holland America |
| Portals | Paradise Plaza, Starfish Lagoon, Calypso Lagoon, Lokono Cove, Pearl Cove Beach Club |
| Payment | Fully cashless |
| Age restrictions | Pearl Cove Beach Club is 18+; Calypso Lagoon is now open to all ages |
The Five Portals of Celebration Key at a Glance
After disembarking, it's roughly a five-minute walk to Paradise Plaza, or you can take a free tram or ADA golf cart to get there. Paradise Plaza connects to every other portal, so it's worth understanding what each one offers before you plan your day.
Paradise Plaza
Paradise Plaza is the welcome portal, home to a large sun-shaped arch that's a popular photo spot, a water fountain, and live Caribbean music. It's also the main transfer point for both tram lines.
Starfish Lagoon
The family-focused portal, built around one of the two largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean, with kid-specific splash areas, waterslides, and casual dining.
Calypso Lagoon
Built around a 3-acre freshwater basin west of the entrance plaza, with swim-up bars, live DJ sets, and a lively social atmosphere.
Lokono Cove
The retail portal, built to highlight actual Bahamian culture. Carnival partnered with local businesses to run the shops and food venues here, and the destination is staffed by Bahamians who live on Grand Bahama Island.
Pearl Cove Beach Club
The paid, adults-only upgrade at the western edge of the property, with its own beach, infinity pool, and restaurant. It's a natural fit for couples looking to build some quiet, adults-only time into a romantic cruise getaway.
The Suncastle: Celebration Key's Signature Waterslides
At the center of Celebration Key stands the Suncastle, the world's first and largest ten-story sandcastle structure, built with two waterslides. The slides stretch over 350 feet each, weaving guests through the structure in a side-by-side race finished off with what Carnival calls a "splashing photo finish." The two slides are named Flash Flamingo and Mach III Marlin, and each ride costs $15.
Starfish Lagoon: What Families Should Know
Starfish Lagoon is designed specifically with families in mind, anchored by the freshwater lagoon and its adjoining beach. Together, Starfish and Calypso Lagoons total over 275,000 square feet of freshwater, roughly eight times larger than Royal Caribbean's Oasis Lagoon on Perfect Day at CocoCay. If you're planning a family cruise around stops like this, our guide to the best Caribbean destinations for families is a good place to start.
Kids' Areas and Splash Pad
Kid-friendly amenities include a 5,000-square-foot splash pad and wading pool, plus two waterslides that loop around the Suncastle. Guppy Grotto offers a dedicated splash pad and wading pool for the youngest visitors. Parents with non-potty-trained kids should note that regular diapers aren't permitted in any pool facility. Swim diapers are required in the splash pad and shallow areas, and a limited complimentary supply is available at Guest Services and rental kiosks if you forget your own.
Where to Eat at Starfish Lagoon
Guests can grab burgers, pizza, and tacos at the open-air Captain's Galley Food Hall, or head to Gill's Grill for Caribbean seafood. Starfish's food trucks include Sweet Fish, Mini Donut King, Grand Bahama Taco, and Seaside Shack. Drink options include the Parrotfish Swim-Up Bar, Shoalmates Island Bar, and Lagoon Bar East. For sports, there's an on-site basketball court and table tennis, plus a pier off Starfish Beach where water excursions depart.
Calypso Lagoon: What to Know Now That It's Open to All Ages
Calypso Lagoon leans into a livelier, more social atmosphere than Starfish, centered around live music at DJ Island and Mingo's Tropical Bar & Kitchen, home to what Carnival calls the world's largest swim-up bar, seating around 40 people right next to the DJ island. Celebration Key also claims the longest swings bar in the destination, located here.
Calypso Lagoon was originally built as an adults-only zone, but it has since opened to guests of all ages. If you were planning around it being an adult retreat, that's changed. Pearl Cove is now the only strictly 18+ space at Celebration Key.
Where to Eat and Drink at Calypso Lagoon
Beyond Mingo's, try Surf N' Sauce BBQ & Brews for Bahamian craft beer, or the Calypso Food Trucks. Those trucks include Fowl Play, Seaside Burgers & Dogs, Calypso Chicken, and Flippin Fritters. Bars here include Long Necks Swim-Up Bar, Sunshine Swings Bar, and Lagoon Bar West.
Pearl Cove Beach Club: Is the Adults Only Upgrade Worth It?
Located at the western edge of Celebration Key, Pearl Cove offers an exclusive experience for an additional cost, with its own stretch of beach, an infinity pool, and a private restaurant and bar overlooking the pier. Access requires a paid pass or a cabana or daybed reservation, with different tiers available including basic entry, open bar, and all-inclusive packages depending on your sailing.
For travelers wanting a quieter, adults-only escape from the family crowds at Starfish and the social energy at Calypso, Pearl Cove is the one area at Celebration Key built specifically for that.
What Is Included at Celebration Key (and What Costs Extra)
The pool, beach, and loungers with umbrella shade are free to use. Private cabanas, shore excursions, and waterslide access all cost extra, as do food and drinks, though Carnival gives each guest a dining credit to offset meal costs.
That credit is called Island Eats. Many casual venues are included in the Island Eats program, but full-service sit-down restaurants come with a cover charge. If you choose to dine at one of those instead, you can use your Island Eats credit for a 40% discount on your first entrée. Kids eat free at full-service restaurants from the kids' menu if they haven't already redeemed their Island Eats meal, though this doesn't apply at Pearl Cove Beach Club.
If you're relying on a drink package, know that it won't help you here. Carnival's Cheers package does not work at Celebration Key, and drinks at the lagoons and beach bars are charged to your ship account at menu prices. The same applies to Princess cruisers: Princess Plus, Princess Premier, and other onboard beverage packages don't extend ashore either.
How Much Do Cabanas and Villas Cost at Celebration Key?
If you want your own private space for the day, there are several tiers to choose from. Both Calypso Lagoon and Starfish Lagoon feature an Over-the-Lagoon Super Villa accommodating up to twelve guests, which includes a sectional sofa, bar, dining table, swing chair, four padded loungers, a private slide, complimentary lunch, water, soft drinks, snacks, a villa concierge, and unlimited rides on the Suncastle waterslides. Standard Super Villa cabanas on the sand offer a similar layout and also accommodate up to twelve guests. More standard lagoon cabanas are available at a lower price point, and a Pearl Cove cabana with an open bar for up to eight guests sits in the mid-range, with daybeds as the most affordable private option. Prices shift with demand and season, so check current rates for your specific sailing before booking.
Getting Around Celebration Key
Trams run every five minutes or so between the different portals, with two separate loops: one for Calypso Lagoon and one for Starfish Lagoon. Guests with mobility limitations can also access beach wheelchairs at Paradise Plaza on a first-come basis.
Celebration Key vs. Perfect Day at CocoCay: How It Compares
Given how directly Carnival built this to compete with Royal Caribbean's private destination, the comparison is unavoidable. CocoCay still edges ahead on included food options and total attraction count, but Celebration Key counters with the two largest lagoons in cruising, newer infrastructure across the board, and more genuine Bahamian character thanks to Lokono Cove's local business partnerships. If Nassau is also on your itinerary, check out our guide on what to do in Nassau for the rest of your port day.
Good to Know Before You Go
Celebration Key is fully cashless, so everything runs through your cruise card rather than physical currency. The destination was also built to exceed U.S. Coast Guard guidelines for withstanding major hurricanes, and it operates with sustainability measures in mind, including a ban on single-use plastics and an advanced wastewater purification system.
Whether you're chasing waterslide bragging rights at the Suncastle, want a lazy lagoon day with a drink in hand, or are ready to splurge on a Pearl Cove cabana away from the crowds, Celebration Key gives cruisers a genuinely new kind of private island day, even if, technically, it isn't an island at all.
Ready to add Celebration Key to your next cruise? Browse Carnival, Princess, and Holland America sailings visiting Celebration Key with CruiseDirect and start planning your day in paradise.
