Carnival Cruise Line’s new Excel-class ship, Mardi Gras, made history by becoming the first in its fleet to visit the brand’s new destination on Grand Bahama, called Celebration Key.

She berthed beside the Carnival Pride, and the two vessels brought 9000 passengers to the island.

Mardi Gras visited the island as part of a week-long Eastern Caribbean Cruise, which left Port Canaveral on July 19, 2025.

The vessel stopped in Amber Cove, Grand Turk and Nassau before coming to Celebration Key.

Carnival Pride also visited the private destination during its 7-day Bahamas cruise, which sailed from Baltimore on July 20, 2025.

Celebration Key opened recently and covers 65 acres, with a 1.5-mile beach, 5 guest experience zones and many record-breaking attractions.

Cruise passengers can enjoy the Caribbean’s biggest freshwater lagoons, the largest swim-up and swing bars, more than 30 dining and beverage options and the biggest private beach club at a cruise port.

Celebration Key is welcoming passengers from 20 cruise ships from across 10 ports in the U.S.

Mardi Gras will now visit the private port regularly during its cruises to the Eastern or Western Caribbean.

An extra 18 port calls will take place through late December.

Sailing from Galveston Port, the third ship called Carnival Jubilee, will also make regular visits to the port from September 2026.

Per Carnival, Celebration Key will be able to welcome its Ace-class ships, which will become the biggest in the fleet.

The 230,000-ton ships will be constructed at the Fincantieri Shipyard, Italy and will debut between 2029 and 2033.

In order to celebrate the debut of the new destination, Carnival hosted an opening celebration on July 19, 2025, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony which was attended by President Christine Duffy and Carnival Corporation’s CEO Josh Weinstein.

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