Racing waterslides and aquamarine lagoons: A guide to Carnival's new private island
The 10-story Suncastle – technically made of sturdier stuff than sand – is the grand centerpiece of Celebration Key, the line's new exclusive destination on Grand Bahama. Adorned with conch shells and a golden sun, the castle sets the tone for an epic beach day.
The structure also towers over Paradise Plaza, one of five distinct areas or 'portals.'
'There really is something for everyone,' Christine Duffy, Carnival's president, told USA TODAY onboard Carnival Vista ahead of Celebration Key's grand opening. Here's how each portal is different.
Paradise Plaza
A walkway – which is partially covered, a welcome feature on a nearly 90-degree day in late July – connects the pier where Carnival's ships dock to Celebration Key. Guests enter at Paradise Plaza, passing through a sun-shaped archway.
The area is home to Suncastle's pink Flash Flamingo and blue Mach III Marlin racing water slides, which cost $14.99 for unlimited access and are included with cabana and supervilla reservations. Guests can also cool down with ice cream at Yumshine Scoops; visit the shore excursions and guest services desk to make bookings and get information; and find beach wheelchairs (available first-come, first-served).
The plaza also offers access to other portals via walking paths and nearby tram stops.
Starfish Lagoon
Starfish Lagoon is designed with families in mind, built around what the line bills as one of the Caribbean's two biggest freshwater lagoons. Guests can swim there or at nearby Starfish Beach; sunbathe in loungers; or grab burgers, pizza, tacos and more at the open-air Captain's Galley Food Hall.
Other dining options include Gill's Grill, serving up Caribbean seafood along with other fare, and the Starfish Food Trucks (look out for Mini Donut King's guava cheesecake donut, which was tangy and just the right portion). Parents and kids alike can also enjoy tropical drinks, such as the frozen cocktails and mocktails from Parrotfish Swim-Up Bar.
For the sporty set, basketball – at an on-site court – table tennis and other games can be found in Starfish Lagoon (there are sports offered in another area, Calypso Lagoon, as well). Water-based excursions also depart from a pier off Starfish Beach.
Lokono Cove
As the destination's retail hub, guests can buy handmade Bahamian goods and other items, from woodcarvings to jewelry and duty-free products. Suncastle Grounds Coffee also offers iced drinks – or hot beverages, if you dare – for a price and a place to perch.
Land-based shore excursions depart from Lokono Cove, and guests can find taxis and rental cars to go elsewhere on Grand Bahama.
Calypso Lagoon
Calypso Lagoon is the grown-up answer to Starfish Lagoon. Sunshine Swings Bar has swings for seats, while guests can float up to the adults-only Calypso Lagoon Swim-Up Bar (guests must be at least 18 to enjoy the western portion of Calypso Lagoon). That part of Celebration Key felt like more of a party during my visit, thanks in part to the in-water DJ Island.
Mingo's Tropical Bar & Kitchen offers covered seating and serves a wide range of options, from conch fritters to chicken wings and sandwiches. Pro tip: try the key lime pie.
For other casual dining, visitors can head to Surf N' Sauce BBQ & Brews – with Bahamian craft beers on the menu – or the Calypso Food Trucks, among others. Calypso Beach is just a short walk away, too.
Pearl Cove Beach Club
Located at the western edge of Celebration Key, Pearl Cove offers an exclusive experience for an additional cost. The area features its own stretch of beach, an 11,000-square-foot infinity pool, and a private restaurant and bar, all offering prime views of the pier. There are three tiers of pricing:
How much does Celebration Key cost?
In addition to the water slides and beach club, guests can pay extra to customize their experience in other ways, such as choosing from a range of daybed, cabana and supervilla rentals if they want more comfort, but there is plenty of open space.
The destination's Island Eats program allows each guest to get one free meal at fast casual venues – many come with a side and cookie – or a 25% discount on an entree at a full-service restaurant. Kids who haven't redeemed their Island Eats meal can also order from the kids menu at full-service restaurants for no additional charge. Visitors can buy other food for an additional charge.
Not all venues participate in Island Eats, but I noticed complimentary options were denoted for those that did on the menus during my visit.
While onboard drink packages do not extend to Celebration Key, onboard internet plans do.
Shore excursions, from dolphin encounters to Jeep tours, also come at an extra cost, and there are kayaks, snorkel gear and lockers available to rent. Travelers can browse add-ons and pricing on Carnival's website.
Duffy noted that this month's opening is just phase one. Celebration Key currently has two berths, and the cruise line previously said it will add two more by 2026.
The destination builds on parent company, Carnival Corp.'s, long-held portfolio of land-based offerings, with another one of its Bahamas destinations, Princess Cays, established in 1992. 'I think the scale of what we have at Celebration key is really what's new,' Duffy said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
6 hours ago
- USA Today
New must-read poetry from Joy Harjo, Ada Limón, Tracy K. Smith and more
A poem a day keeps the mind at play. That's the beauty of picking up a poetry collection: There's no pressure to read the book cover-to-cover. Readers can take it slow, savoring the verse and emotion. We can skip as many poems as we want, and reread favorites over and over. Reading poetry shouldn't be intimidating – think of a poem as a magnifying glass, not a riddle to be solved. The very act of reading poetry is about letting the words on the page guide you to a feeling, or help you make sense of the world around you. It can be both transformative and political. "Every person will have a different reaction to a poem and you will have a different reaction to a poem depending on how you're feeling," Ada Limón, the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States, tells USA TODAY. "Part of the poetry's magic is that it is a collision with what is on the page and the human being experiencing the poem. It's supposed to connect." This year has seen a slew of poetry collections from new and beloved writers intent on making human connections through written words. Here are 14 of our favorites: 'Washing My Mother's Body' by Joy Harjo (out now) Written in honor of her late mother, this work is a moving, comforting and raw display of grief. Harjo, who was appointed the 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate in 2019, explores the complexities of her grief as she reflects on her mother's life and the heartbreak of losing a parent. "Washing My Mother's Body" isn't a poetry collection, but rather a single poem set against the backdrop of watercolor illustrations by award-winning Muscogee artist Dana Tiger. 'Poetry offers us a powerful space': Janel Pineda, Clint Smith, on magic of poetry 'A Little Daylight Left' by Sarah Kay (out now) Spoken word poet Sarah Kay returns with her second collection, "A Little Daylight Left," a decade after her debut "No Matter the Wreckage." Through 42 poems, the New York-based poet explores family, heartbreak, nature, self-expression, grief, uncertainty and joy. "What if you aren't as bad as you suspect you are? What if you'll never be as good as you ache?" Kay writes in one of her poems. Kay's is a vulnerable collection about facing the good, the bad and the ugly of our humanity with grace and curiosity. More: Fatherhood helped Clint Smith lean into 'levity' and 'silliness' in poetry collection 'Above Ground' 'Doggerel' by Reginald Dwayne Betts (out now) Reginald Dwayne Betts is a legal scholar, educator and prison reform advocate who has penned a memoir, "A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison," and three poetry collections. His latest, "Doggerel," examines the way prison shapes and transforms American life through a "more prosaic − but equally rich − lens: dogs," says the publisher. "He reminds us that, as our lives are broken and put back together, the only witness often barks instead of talks." Betts' collection of poems is a meditation on family, falling in love, friendship and community. 'Florida Water' by aja monet (out now) It's been eight years since Brooklyn-born performer and activist aja monet released her first full collection of poems, "My Mother Was a Freedom Fighter." Now she's back with a vulnerable meditation on her migration to South Florida in search of love, connection and belonging in "Florida Water." In a social media post announcing the poetry book's cover, monet wrote she was "looking forward to finally letting go of this deeply personal and political collection." Need a book that feels like a hug? 8 comfort reads for when life gets hard. 'The Space Between Men' by Mia S. Willis (out now) "The Space Between Men" by poet and educator Mia S. Willis explores culture, faith, the natural world, Black history and what it means to be at the intersection of being Black, Southern and queer. "As the collection evolves, the reader is challenged and empowered to seek expansiveness in spaces that have not previously been excavated, reckon with the complexities of interpersonal relationships, and explore memory as a catalyst for self-determination," according to the poetry collection description. 'Gaza: The Poem Said Its Piece' by Nasser Rabah (out now) Born in Gaza in 1963, author Nasser Rabah spent his formative years in Egypt before returning in his early 20s and has lived there ever since. Rabah, a member of the Palestinian Writers and Authors Union, has penned five collections of poetry and two novels, but this is his first book translated into English. "Gaza: The Poem Said Its Piece" include a selection from three of his published collections with new poems that were written after October 2023, during the Israel-Gaza conflict. Need a book? 15 new releases to read right now, from romance to memoir 'What the Deep Water Knows' by Miranda Cowley Heller (out now) "What the Deep Water Knows" by Miranda Cowley Heller is a series of reflections on love in all its seasons. The collection "paints a moving portrait of a rich life from childhood to love to marriage to motherhood to divorce and beyond," according to the publisher. 'Dead Girl Cameo' by m. mick powell (Aug. 5) In poet m. mick powell's debut collection, "Dead Girl Cameo," the deaths of iconic Black female singers and musicians − Whitney Houston, Aaliyah, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Billie Holiday and Phyllis Hyman − go beyond the headlines. Powell resurrects their vivid lives and artistry to paint a more humanizing picture of their legacy while exploring themes of sexuality, survival, grief and stardom. Celebrities tell all: Everything from aging, marriage and Beyoncé in these 10 bingeable memoirs 'Lullaby for the Grieving' by Ashley M. Jones (Sept. 16) "Lullaby for the Grieving" by Ashley M. Jones is the poet's fourth collection and her most personal to date. "He will never come. The world is a blur behind tears, an ache in my chest, my biggest pain. The road home brings me no more comfort," Jones writes in "Grief Pantoum" of her late father. "Lullaby for the Grieving" isn't only a rumination on personal grief but the political grief tied to her Black Southern identity. 'Hindsight' by Rosanna Warren (Sept. 23) "Hindsight" by Rosanna Warren is rich with spiritual and political references that speak to our current struggles and fears, delivering a tender meditation on aging, injustice and uncertainty. "This daring collection of poetry is a search for forms of the sacred that attempts to find the language to describe the shocks of the COVID-19 assault and our politically torn nation," says the publisher. 'Startlement: New and Selected Poems' by Ada Limón (Sept. 30) With six poetry collections under her belt, Ada Limón is looking back at nearly 20 years of work − drawing poems from "The Hurting Kind," "The Carrying" and "Bright Dead Things" − and featuring new poems in "Startlement." The Poet Laureate of the United States since 2022, Limon continues to wade into the unknown, including the "strangeness of our brief human lives, the ever-changing nature of the universe and emerges each time with new revelations about our place in the world," reads the publisher's description. USA TODAY's The Essentials: US Poet Laureate Ada Limón on writing, surrendering to nature (and her pug snoring) 'My Perfect Cognate' by Natalie Scenters-Zapico (Sept. 30) In "My Perfect Cognate," Natalie Scenters-Zapico, an educator and award-winning poet from El Paso, Texas, interrogates the connections and contrasts of her duality: violence and softness, motherhood and isolation, the border between the United States and Mexico, and more. Scenters-Zapico wrote her latest poetry collection "from the depths of severe post-partum depression," according to the publisher description, and she "searches for a language that can hold both personal and communal pain." Desperate to keep kids off screens? They won't be able to put these books down 'Cord Swell' by Brittny Ray Crowell (Oct. 7) How can we memorialize our dead, and how can our remembrance pierce the veil between the living and the dead? That's what brittny ray cowell's debut poetry collection "Cord Swell" seeks to answer. Sifting through decades of obituaries, journals and other ephemera, cowell uses those materials to exhume generations of her family from her Texas hometown. Books shape our identities: LGBTQ+ titles our staff keeps coming back to 'Fear Less' by Tracy K. Smith (Nov. 2025) In "Fear Less," Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tracy K. Smith explores how poetry can serve as a powerful tool of connection and understanding in a fractured and complicated world. Smith, who was a former U.S. Poet Laureate, argues in "Fear Less" that poetry is "rooted in fundamentally human qualities innate to our capacities to love, dream, question and engage across diverse cultures and backgrounds," according to the publisher. Smith invites readers to brave their misconceptions of poetry as an art form and open their eyes to a new world.
USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
Spoilers! What that 'Fantastic Four' end-credits scene means for Marvel
Spoiler alert! We're discussing important plot points and the ending of 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' (in theaters now), so beware if you haven't seen it yet. Marvel's new 'Fantastic Four' hints at the coterie of bad guys who inhabit the heroes' 1960s comic-book world, with names like Mole Man, Red Ghost, Wizard and Puppet Master. But by the end of the film, audiences will have met a villain who brings doom and a glimpse of one who's named Doom. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' marks the Marvel Cinematic Universe debut for Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm, aka the Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). Years after gaining superpowers from being bombarded by cosmic rays in space, the astronauts-turned-superheroes face a new threat when the mysterious Silver Surfer, Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner), heralds the coming of the world-devouring Galactus (Ralph Ineson). And the only way he'll spare Earth is if Reed and Sue give him their newborn son, Franklin. Let's dig into that cataclysmic ending, those post-credits scenes and the oh-so-teasing glimpse of none other than Doctor Doom. Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox What happens in the ending of 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'? Because Franklin possesses the 'Power Cosmic,' Galactus seemingly eyes the baby as his planet-consuming successor. Reed and Sue convince people around the world to set up large devices that would allow Reed to teleport Earth out of Galactus' path of destruction. That doesn't work, so the Fantastic Four instead sets a trap for him in New York City, using Franklin as bait. Galactus figures out what they're doing, but Sue unleashes her powers to push the villain into a wormhole that would send him to the farthest reaches of the universe. It works, until Galactus starts to escape it. Johnny Storm decides to sacrifice himself and flies toward Galactus to send him back into deep space but at the last minute, Shalla-Bal knocks Johnny off course and does it herself, ending the threat to Earth. The exertion to defeat Galactus has seemingly killed Sue, but Franklin brings her back to life using his abilities. We'll see if the Surfer, who had sacrificed a life with her daughter to spare their planet from Galactus, comes riding back one day into the MCU. But Garner loved her character's ending because of how 'completely different' it was from her entrance. 'I always like it when you think somebody is a certain way on screen and then it ends up not being that way, and you end up being surprised,' she says. Who is Franklin Richards, the superpowered baby in 'Fantastic Four'? In the Fantastic Four comics, Franklin is one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe, and even as a baby in the movie, he's clearly not going to be a pushover in the MCU either. 'I always liked that this movie was about the smallest, newest, most innocent thing on a collision course with the largest, oldest, scariest thing in the universe,' director Matt Shakman says. The filmmaker wanted to play with the idea of parental anxiety and wanting to protect them from everything, but from the point of view of a superhero mom and dad who have to deal with threats constantly. Instead, Shakman says, Reed and Sue realize 'their child is so much more powerful than they could ever imagine.' At the end of the movie, Sue says to Reed, 'Who knows what he will become but he's here now.' 'That's all we can do,' Shakman says. 'Love our family and enjoy every precious moment that we have because the future is unknown.' Does the new 'Fantastic Four' movie have a post-credits scene? It has two! Shakman includes a fun little clip from the cartoon-within-a-movie 'Fantastic Four' show after all the credits roll. But the more significant sequence is a mid-credits bit set four years after the final 'First Steps' scene. Sue is reading to young Franklin, and he's already done Darwin's 'The Origin of the Species,' so she goes looking for the 1958 children's book 'A Fly Went By.' She comes back and is horrified to find a strange hooded figure speaking to Franklin and holding a familiar silver mask as Alan Silvestri's ominous 'Doom?' theme plays in the background. Enter Doctor Doom, the infamous Fantastic Four supervillain set to be played by Robert Downey Jr. in 'Avengers: Doomsday' (in theaters Dec. 18, 2026), though with just a taste and not even a proper reveal. 'He's so iconic, he's not in my movie,' Shakman quips. 'Doom is amazing. I mean, he's Tony Stark meets Doctor Strange – the idea of magic and mysticism mixed with science and technology. He and Reed are two sides of the same coin. They're both incredibly brilliant, but Doom also has vanity and hubris and all of this stuff." Will there be another 'Fantastic Four' movie? A sequel probably depends on if 'First Steps' is a hit. But fans won't have to wait too long to see Pascal, Kirby, Quinn and Moss-Bachrach back in action. They're all starring in 'Doomsday' – and likely its follow-up, 'Avengers: Secret Wars' (Dec. 17, 2027) – as the Fantastic Four will team up alongside Avengers, Thunderbolts, X-Men and various other superheroes against the not-so-good Doctor.
USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
'Happy Gilmore 2': The wildest celebrity cameos, from Travis Kelce to Ken Jennings
Spoiler alert! We're discussing major plot details from the sequel 'Happy Gilmore 2' (streaming now on Netflix). It's all in the hips. Adam Sandler's oafish pro golfer is back on screen for the first time in nearly 30 years, in a new movie that follows the titular Happy Gilmore as he attempts to get back in the game and raise his five kids after the death of wife Virginia (Julie Bowen) in a hurtling golf ball accident. Christopher McDonald, as Happy's nemesis Scooter McGavin, and Ben Stiller, as abusive orderly Hal L, have also returned. Here are some of the most memorable A-list appearances from actors, musicians and athletes throughout the new movie: Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox Bad Bunny The Puerto Rican hitmaker continues to make inroads into acting, after 2022's 'Bullet Train' and Darren Aronofsky's 'Caught Stealing' (in theaters Aug. 29). Here, he plays Oscar, a good-natured busboy-turned-caddie for Happy. Benny Safdie After co-directing Sandler in 2019's nail-biting 'Uncut Gems,' Safdie chews the scenery as main antagonist Frank Manatee, the conniving owner of a sports drink company. Travis Kelce The Kansas City Chiefs tight end (and beau to Taylor Swift) makes an amusing cameo as a strict restaurant manager, whom Oscar dreams of covering in honey and feeding to a bear. Please Don't Destroy The 'Saturday Night Live' viral sketch trio appears throughout the movie: Martin Herlihy, who is also the son of the film's co-writer, Tim Herlihy, plays an amateur golfer who mercilessly taunts Happy when he comes out of retirement. Ben Marshall and John Higgins also make blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameos as irreverent, shirtless spectators during a game. Eric André and Margaret Qualley Like Herlihy, the stand-up comedian and 'The Substance' actress pop in as unimpressed putters who fall victim to a fiery golf cart crash at the hands of the inebriated Happy. Eminem, Post Malone and Kid Cudi The rappers all have small but memorable roles in the new film: Eminem, as a bearded heckler named Donald Jr.; Malone, as outlandish golf commentator DJ Omar Gosh; and Cudi, as an FBI agent who apprehends Stiller's character at the end of the movie. Guy Fieri The 'Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives' favorite drops in late in the movie as a golf tournament official who gets the crowd fired up. Haley Joel Osment The Oscar-nominated child star, best known for 'The Sixth Sense' and 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence,' has a substantial supporting role as Happy's cocky golf rival Billy Jenkins. Steve Buscemi The Hollywood veteran has appeared in many of Sandler's movies, including 'The Wedding Singer' and 'Billy Madison,' and has a minor part here as Happy's eccentric neighbor. Ken Jennings The 'Jeopardy!' host plays himself at the start of the film, as a long-retired Happy is distressed to learn that none of the game show's contestants have any idea who he is. Sean Evans from 'Hot Ones' Frank Manatee goes on a promotional tour in support of his sports drink brand, which includes an interview with celebrity wings master Evans, as well as real-life podcasters Bobby Lee and Alix Earle. Marcello Hernández The 'Saturday Night Live' heartthrob, who's beloved for his viral 'Domingo' sketches, is in and out as Oscar's cousin, Esteban.
