Carnival Cruise Line’s new private destination in The Bahamas, Celebration Key, is already planning for expansion and the ability to conveniently welcome more ships simultaneously.

A new pier extension has been announced, which will allow up to four ships to dock at once, including the largest vessels in the fleet, the Excel class.

New Pier Expansion for Celebration Key

More than a year before the destination is scheduled to welcome its first guests, expansion is already being planned for Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line’s upcoming private destination on Grand Bahama Island.

Carnival Corporation & plc, the parent company to Carnival Cruise Line, has announced a planned extension to the pier at Celebration Key, which will be able to host two more ships visiting the destination. The $100 million (USD) project will be completed by 2026, one year after Celebration Key opens to guests.

The initial plans for the destination already include a pier, and this new project will further expand the destination’s capacity. All four berth spaces will be large enough to support Excel ships, including Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee, as well as the recently announced fourth ship in the class, due for delivery in 2027.

“As is fitting for our plans for Grand Bahama island, our vision for Celebration Key is quite grand, and we’re already thinking about the next phase of expansion and development,” said Christine Duffy, Carnival Cruise Line President.

The pier extension demonstrates Carnival’s commitment to the new destination and The Bahamas, fostering growth for Grand Bahama’s cruise tourism and offering great itinerary options for Carnival guests.

“Building the second pier now allows us to implement growth plans and build itineraries with certainty, and signals to the local community just how important this development is to Carnival Cruise Line and the future of the island,” Duffy said.

Celebration Key is being deliberately designed not only as a fun destination, but also to showcase authentic Bahamian culture with dedicated retail spaces, artwork, music, and more.

The initial plans for Celebration Key have already been revealed, which include five “portals” with dedicated purposes, similar to the themed zones onboard the Excel class ships. At the center of the destination will be the Welcome Portal with an immense sand castle to immerse guests in the celebratory atmosphere.

A mile-long white sand beach, the largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean, and various different activities and amenities will all be part of what is sure to be a popular destination for Carnival guests. Initial itineraries have already been released for Celebration Key, with 12 ships from eight different homeports visiting the port in 2025 and 2026, on cruises from 3-14 nights.

Local Enthusiasm for Expansion

The pier expansion project as well as the overall growth of Celebration Key has the support of local leaders as well, who are eager for the partnership with Carnival Cruise Line and how the destination will highlight Bahamian culture.

“This is a momentous day for Grand Bahama and bodes extremely well for its future,” said The Honorable I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation in The Bahamas.

“The incredible level of new investment on the pier extension highlights the partnership between The Bahamas and Carnival Corporation and demonstrates the popularity of The Bahamas as a destination. Celebration Key will play a vital role in supporting the future prosperity of Grand Bahama and the country at large.”

“Carnival Corporation’s dedication to our island’s growth is both commendable and inspiring – we applaud their expanded investment in Celebration Key in Grand Bahama and welcome the imminent exponential boost to the Grand Bahama economy,” added Minister for Grand Bahama, The Honorable Ginger Moxey M.P.

In total, the development of Celebration Key – the initial phase of the project, as well as the pier extension and phase two on land – is projected to cost $600 million, the largest development ever undertaken by Carnival Corporation.

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When complete, more than 700 permanent jobs are expected to support Celebration Key, with more than 2,500 jobs generated through the development and construction of the destination. In total, the project may bring as much as $9.7 billion worth of economic impact to The Bahamas.

When complete, 2.2 million guests are expected to visit Celebration Key annually beginning in 2025, with that number rising to as many as 4 million by 2028 when both piers are welcoming ships frequently.

Carnival Cruise Line is changing how guests sailing back-to-back are handled with respect to perks offered for these very special, very loyal passengers.

The updates are being implemented fleetwide during the week of February 19, 2024, and will give travelers more flexibility for enjoying their benefits.

Benefits Changing for Back-to-Back Cruises

Frequent cruise travelers delight in back-to-back (B2B) cruises, the type of extended vacation that involves two consecutive sailings on the same ship.

These unique cruise arrangements often come with a variety of benefits for guests, including priority boarding for their second sailing, gifts in their stateroom, and other special acknowledgments.

“That feeling of the cruise, not being over, is a very special one, and I hope all of you get a chance to experience that one day,” said John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador.

Carnival Cruise Line is adjusting the benefits given to back-to-back cruisers beginning February 19, 2024, with greater flexibility for how guests enjoy their exclusive perks.

Previously, all B2B guests would debark the vessel at the end of the first sailing together, process quickly through US Immigration as required, and then return onboard to receive their new ship ID cards and stateroom keys.

Depending on the homeport and the number of passengers, it may be possible that customs and immigration agents come onboard for the processing and guests do not need to debark.

After reboarding the ship, there would be a group photo taken as a commemorative gift, and the travelers would raise a glass of champagne or orange juice to their unique adventure.

“We have found it easier and I think it will be better for you as well that we change this,” said Heald.

Now, back-to-back passengers will all still need to debark the ship or otherwise present themselves for immigration processing, and will receive their new shipboard cards upon reboarding. But instead of group photos and drinks, individual travelers will receive a coupon for a complimentary beverage and another for a complimentary photo on the first evening of the cruise.

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“You can have your photo taken at any of the backdrops along the promenade, and then enjoy a complimentary beverage from any other bars,” Heald explained.

This will give travelers greater flexibility to enjoy their benefits as they wish, rather than a group photo they may not enjoy or a drink they may not prefer.

Recent B2B passengers have reported this process already in place on some Carnival ships, likely as the new process was tested and refined. Now, the new B2B procedure is being rolled out fleet-wide.

Guest Reaction

Both travelers who have already enjoyed back-to-back cruises, as well as those who are planning such amazing vacations, are responding positively to the change.

For example, because the process of debarking, immigration processing, and reboarding the ship all happen earlier in the morning, some guests have expressed that it’s better to not have to prepare for a photo first thing, and not everyone either enjoys champagne or wants to drink alcohol first thing in the morning.

Now, guests can choose the photo they want and can enjoy their favorite beverage whenever they would like it, rather than being restricted to a single type of photo and type of drink at one time.

The new process will also be much easier to implement on sailings with a large number of B2B passengers, such as often happens on longer Carnival Journeys cruises, in conjunction with inaugural cruises, when a ship repositions to a new region, or even just combining alternating itineraries into one longer sailing.

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On some cruises aboard larger vessels, hundreds of guests could potentially be on back-to-back itineraries, which could be nearly impossible to coordinate for a group photo or any individual attention.

While some guests will miss the opportunity to socialize with other B2B passengers during the changeover between sailings, overall, the new procedure seems as though it will better streamline the process and ensure everyone gets the most enjoyment out of both their cruises.

One of the biggest problems that leads to guest complaints on cruise ships is the infamous chair hog situation, when inconsiderate guests attempt to claim prime poolside lounge chairs for hours without actually using them.

Carnival Cruise Line has renewed its efforts to crack down on this problem and encourage “chairing is caring” with strict enforcement of its no-saving-chairs policy through sticker notifications and time limits.

Carnival Enforcing No-Saving-Pool-Chairs Policy

Chairs and loungers on the pool deck are in high demand on cruise ships, particularly during days at sea when many passengers want to enjoy time in the sun and splashes in the pool.

Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald, who is currently onboard Carnival Horizon for his sixth “FFS Cruise,” has addressed the problem in one of his “morning walkies” videos around the ship, noting that the cruise line is doing its best to regulate the problem.

Crew members monitoring the pool deck – the “ChairShare Team” – are placing stickers on empty chairs that have towels clipped to them or are otherwise supposedly saved with a book, pair of flip flops, or other item.

The stickers that crew members put on so-called “reserved” chairs say note the time the sticker was placed and when personal items will be removed.

“We stopped by at _____ and found this chair empty,” the stickers read. “Hope you’re having a great time… but for the benefit of all we limit how long chairs can be left unattended. At _____ we’ll move your stuff to the towel hut for safekeeping.”

Crew members fill in the blanks with the appropriate times. The first blank is when the sticker was placed on an empty “reserved” chair, and the second blank is when the items will be removed – 40 minutes later.

“If they are not back by that time, we will remove it,” confirmed Heald. “It’s the only way we can make it fair.”

Always an Ongoing Problem

All cruise travelers, whether on their first sailing or if they have enjoyed dozens of cruises over the years, are familiar with this type of seat-saving, which can generate bad feelings when someone wants to enjoy the pool but finds all the best seats taken with no other passengers nearby.

Heald also notes that this is not an uncommon problem or a new occurrence, as it is found on all cruise ships.

“Ever since I’ve worked on ships there’ve been people desperate to get the chairs,” he said.

Of course, there is flexibility, and it is perfectly understandable for a guest to find a chair they want and put their items on it, only to leave briefly for breakfast, a restroom break, or to dip in the pool themselves. The problem arises when chairs remain empty for hours, unavailable for other guests to use.

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Putting the timed stickers on the chairs is a way Carnival Cruise Line is attempting to mitigate the problem.

“We are doing our very very best,” Heald said. “It’s not a perfect system, it would be silly of me to suggest otherwise. But it is something that we need to do. People who say we don’t do anything, that’s absolutely not true.”

The timed stickers also give other guests a point of reference for when more chairs might become available, permitting them to return and check for newly opened chairs at a later time.

Carnival first began the timed sticker program in October 2022, and also updated signage around the pool area alerting guests to the no-reserving-chairs policy. Announcements are often made over the ship’s PA system to remind guests of the policy, and the policy is noted in the Carnival Hub app as well as posted on the poolside theater screens where available.

The cruise line’s website also discusses reserving sun loungers and the prohibition on saving seats in outdoor deck areas.

“Shipboard team members monitor sun lounge usage and if they observe a seat that contains a towel or personal belongings but appears to be unoccupied, a notification is placed on the chair indicating the current time,” the policy reads. “If the chair remains unoccupied for 40 minutes, the contents are removed and held for the guest’s safekeeping.”

Have you seen these stickers on Carnival lounge chairs? Have you tried to reserve a chair? Share your thoughts on the Cruise Hive boards!