Carnival Corporation Finishes Celebration Key Pier Extension Ahead of Schedule

(10:35 a.m. EDT) — Carnival Corporation announced the completion of its Celebration Key pier extension on Grand Bahama Island.

Delivered ahead of schedule, the two new berths allow the destination to welcome up to four ships at once and more than 13,000 passengers per day.

The expansion builds on the original two-berth pier that opened with Celebration Key in July 2025. It is expected to enable about 200 more ship visits and 700,000 additional passenger arrivals each year.

"Celebration Key is one of the centerpieces of our Paradise Collection – a bold destination built to redefine what a Caribbean vacation can feel like," said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation.

"From a mile of white sand beach to the Caribbean's largest freshwater lagoons and five distinct experience portals, every part of Celebration Key was designed to deliver something unforgettable. Finishing the pier extension ahead of schedule gives us a real jump on meeting the extraordinary demand we're seeing and allows us to bring even more guests to this unique Bahamian paradise sooner than expected."

Currently, 20 Carnival Cruise Line ships visit Celebration Key from 10 U.S. homeports. Starting in September 2026, the destination will regularly host three to four ships at the same time, with Princess Cruises and AIDA joining later this year.

"Celebration Key's expansion reflects continued confidence in Grand Bahama and in The Bahamas as a leading tourism destination," said Glenys Hanna Martin, Minister of Tourism for The Bahamas.

"Our priority is to ensure that investments of this scale create meaningful opportunities for Bahamian businesses, expand employment, and deliver lasting economic benefits to our people. We congratulate the team at Celebration Key on its first anniversary and look forward to its continued contribution to Grand Bahama's economy and the well-being of its communities."

Ginger Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama, added: "The expansion of Celebration Key's pier is a powerful endorsement of Grand Bahama's economic potential. Every ship that calls on our island creates opportunities for Bahamians—from entrepreneurs and small businesses to countless families who depend on a thriving tourism sector.

"This investment represents more than new infrastructure; it is an investment in our people, our economy, and a future built on sustainable, year-round growth."

Celebration Key will reach approximately 2.5 million passengers by its first anniversary on July 19, 2026. Now that the pier extension is in place, year two is expected to bring in about 3.5 million visitors.