As America’s Cruise Line, it only makes sense for Carnival to sponsor one of the most important annual traditions in America: The famous New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square.
Not only will Carnival serve as the official cruise line sponsor for Times Square New Year’s Eve, but the cruise line will also serve as the on-site Times Square countdown clock sponsor and as a musical sponsor for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025,” which airs on ABC starting at 8 p.m. EST.
For the fourth year in a row, representatives from the family-friendly cruise line will be present during the festivities – with Carnival’s Senior Vice President of Guest Operations Sarah Beth Reno expected to be in New York this time.
Last year, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy even made an appearance as the Miami-based brand helped ring in 2024.
But while Duffy likely won’t be in attendance, Reno will be joined by three very special guests who highlight Carnival’s support for active and past military members: Medal of Honor Recipients Jack Jacobs and Earl Plumlee; and Chris Cassidy, president and CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum.
“As America’s cruise line, we’re extremely grateful to take part in this great American tradition, welcoming in 2025 in Times Square, with true American heroes,” Duffy stated.
The service members won’t just be present at the event, but rather will play an active role in the ball drop. Plumlee and Cassidy already joined Reno to test the lighting on the ball, and Jacobs will help to flip the switch to for the official ball lighting on December 31.
“We show our appreciation for service members on every Carnival cruise, and supporting the National Medal of Honor Museum is an opportunity for us to further our commitment to honoring those whose service ensures our freedom,” Duffy continued.
Indeed, every Carnival sailing hosts a military appreciation event to honor and celebrate veterans and military families – with the brand actively working to support veterans and military-related causes.
Carnival Celebrates Private Destination Opening in 2025
As part of the New Year’s Eve celebration, Carnival will also be promoting its new private destination, Celebration Key, which is due to open in July of 2025.
While the Carnival brand already operates private destinations like RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (in a partnership with Holland America Line) and Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, Celebration Key marks the first time the cruise line has built a new destination from scratch specifically for Carnival guests.
“2025 is going to be a pivotal year as well for us at Carnival, with the opening of Celebration Key on Grand Bahama. This new exclusive destination will offer our guests their own slice of paradise no matter how they define it,” said Duffy.
Guests watching the New Year’s Eve festivities from home will get to see the debut of a new television commercial for Celebration Key and may spot related billboards throughout Times Square.
Read Also: What Are All the Cruise Line Private Islands and Destinations?
As Duffy said, Celebration Key will be located on Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas. The 65-acre slice of paradise will be located on the south side of the island.
In addition to featuring a nature reserve and Bahamian-run retail options, the resort will be home to five different portals, or zones, to cater to every type of fun its guests might be looking for.
These include Paradise Plaza (featuring waterslides and an observation deck), Calypso Lagoon (an adult-friendly portal with two full service restaurants and a party vibe), Starfish Lagoon (the family-friendly portal), Pearl Cove Beach Club (an adults-only area with an exclusive beach), and Lokono Cove (which is all about Bahamian culture and shopping).
Even though there are still several months to go before the new destination welcomes its first guests, the cruise brand is already working on plans for expansion – which will include a new pier designed to accommodate Carnival’s massive Excel-class ships.
