CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE SHARES PLANS FOR FAMILY FUN AT CELEBRATION KEY WITH REVEAL OF STARFISH LAGOON
Family-Friendly Portal Includes Beach, Freshwater Lagoon, Floating AquaBanas, Waterslides, Sports Court and Game Pavilion Among the Many Amenities
MIAMI, May 21, 2024 – The reveals of Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration Key keep coming, and now children of all ages, and their parents, have the first glance of their own tropical playground in paradise with today’s announcement of plans for Starfish Lagoon, offering families endless ways to have fun in the sun at the new exclusive destination on Grand Bahama opening in July 2025.
Centered around one of the largest freshwater lagoons* in the Caribbean, Starfish Lagoon will feature a variety of activities for all ages and energy levels, including:
- Named after the national bird and national fish of The Bahamas, the pink Flash Flamingo and blue Mach III Marlin water slides, each over 350 feet long, invite guests to friendly competition as they weave through and around the iconic 10-story high Suncastle in a speedy race with exciting turns and flashes of light and color culminating in an exhilarating splashing photo finish.
- Located right at the entrance to Starfish Lagoon, for toddlers and small children, the Guppy Grotto splash pad is a colorful, coral-reef themed children’s water play area, featuring a refreshing two-foot-deep wading pool, fun water toys, an exciting dump bucket and interactive features, as well as plenty of shaded seating for parents with a nearby ice cream shop;
- The Game Pavilion features a variety of table games such as foosball, ping pong and corn hole, along with comfortable seating areas for socializing and meeting new friends;
- The Sports Court includes volleyball, basketball and pickleball courts adjacent to the Game Pavilion.
- Floating AquaBanas are comfortable and sturdy floating cabanas that are fun for the whole family. Guests can relax with their feet in the water under the shady canopy as they sip on a refreshing beverage. Available for rental, AquaBanas come with seating space for eight, a solid table for drinks and other essentials, non-slip surfaces and steps for easy access into the lagoon. These 12 floating “private islands” are grouped around a peninsula with a dedicated bar, so that refreshments are just a few steps or swims away. A variety of more traditional cabanas and daybeds will also be available.
- For the adults, there’s a Swim Up Bar where any variety of colorful drinks, including the bar’s specialty frozen rum cocktails, will be served, all without leaving the water;
- Hanging out takes on new meaning with a number of hammocks, right next to the iconic Suncastle, that let guests kick back and relax as they swing over the water and take in the views of Starfish Lagoon.
- There’s a stretch of gorgeous beach and crystal blue water with kayak and paddleboard rentals and plenty of space for games of frisbee or sandcastle building, along with sun loungers, umbrellas and beachside cabanas.
- A variety of dining venues provide many options for guests including restaurants, snack and bar shacks, along with Bahamian food trucks.
“At Carnival, we carry the more children than any other cruise line, so we’ve designed Starfish Lagoon specifically for family fun,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Toddlers, teens and adults alike will find their own piece of paradise whether it be racing down one of the waterslides, playing a round of pickleball or relaxing on our floating AquaBanas.”
Starfish Lagoon joins Paradise Plaza, the welcome area, Calypso Lagoon, the adult-friendly area and Lokono Cove, the shopping village, as four of the five portals. Carnival will share details soon on the adults-only private retreat. Celebration Key is scheduled to welcome its first guests in July 2025, and more than 500 itineraries currently open for sale feature visits to the new destination on 18 ships sailing from 10 U.S. homeports.
For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit www.carnival.com, or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site.
*Based on publicly available data of surface area measurements as of 01/22/24.
ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is the first cruise line to sail over 100 million guests and is proud to be known as America's Cruise Line, for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other. Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise industry and popularized the cruise vacation as an affordable and fun travel option. Carnival operates from 14 U.S. and two Australian homeports as well as seasonally from Europe and employs more than 48,000 team members representing 120 nationalities. Carnival’s fleet of 27 ships reflects an exciting, continued period of growth with two new additional Excel-class ships scheduled to be delivered in 2027 and 2028. Carnival’s next new guest offering will be the all-new exclusive destination, Celebration Key, set to debut on Grand Bahama in summer 2025.
