$100 million
pier expansion to add two additional berths, doubling the arrivals
at Carnival Cruise Line's highly anticipated, spacious new
exclusive destination
MIAMI, Feb. 22,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation & plc
(NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest cruise company,
today announced plans for a $100
million pier extension that will double the arrival capacity
of Celebration Key™, Carnival Cruise Line's new exclusive
destination scheduled to open on Grand
Bahama island in the summer of 2025. In addition to the two
berths slated to be complete by 2025, the expansion will add two
more berths, with all four capable of handling up to Carnival's
largest Excel class ships when complete in 2026. Overall, the
expanded cruise pier will accommodate up to four Excel-class ships
simultaneously and is projected to welcome nearly 4 million guests
annually to Celebration Key by 2028.
The pier extension plans were announced Thursday, Feb. 22 at the 25th Annual Grand
Bahama Business Outlook by The Honorable I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation in The Bahamas.
"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, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "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."
"This is a momentous day for Grand
Bahama and bodes extremely well for its future. 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," said Cooper.
"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," said
Minister for Grand Bahama The Honourable Ginger Moxey M.P. "We are on the brink of an
exciting chapter for Grand Bahama,
with Carnival Corporation's expansion opening doors to
unprecedented possibilities for our residents. Let us collectively
gear up for this transformative journey, as the spin-off
opportunities are bound to bring about a wave of prosperity
touching every corner of our beloved island."
Celebration Key – Planned with Growth in Mind
Designed
specifically for Carnival Cruise Line guests with occupancy growth
in mind, the Celebration Key footprint has been carefully planned
with expansive spaces and abundant attractions to comfortably host
the additional guests expected in 2027. Featuring a mile-long,
white sand beach, the largest freshwater lagoons in the
Caribbean, and a range of dining,
shopping and entertainment options, Celebration Key will include
five distinct areas, known as portals, providing endless ways for
guests to spread out, relax and enjoy their own kind of fun.
With a focus on curating a distinctly Bahamian dining, shopping,
and entertainment scene, Carnival Corporation is working closely
with Bahamian officials and community leaders to recruit local
companies, excursion operators, construction workers and
entrepreneurs for the many business and job opportunities the
development will generate and sustain. The company also has hired
top Bahamian talent for strategic leadership roles in human
resources, operations, and community affairs, and is actively
recruiting to fill a number of additional senior positions in the
coming months.
Significant Economic Impact for the Bahamas
With the additional
$100 million pier extension
investment, the now $600 million
flagship project remains the largest of its kind ever undertaken by
Carnival Corporation. The initial phase of the project, including
the original two berths, is projected to help generate over 700
permanent jobs in the community – including approximately 300
Bahamians hired directly by Carnival Corporation to help welcome
2.2 million guests each year to Grand
Bahama starting in 2025.
Once the additional two berths are delivered, Celebration Key is
expected to bring up to 4 million guests annually to the
Grand Bahama destination by 2028.
According to an economic impact study by Tourism Economics, an
Oxford Economics company, over the next two decades the project
will drive substantial growth in Bahamian employment, gross
domestic product (GDP), and government revenue. The study estimates
that the development, construction, and ongoing operation of
Celebration Key will create over 2,500 direct Bahamian jobs,
generate $3.2 billion in incremental
revenue to the Government, and contribute $9.7 billion in incremental economic impact to
the Bahamas GDP.
Carnival Corporation and Carnival Cruise Line will continue to
release additional details, including specifics on exciting
features and development milestones for Celebration Key over the
coming months.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival
Corporation & plc is the largest global cruise company, and
among the largest leisure travel companies, with a portfolio of
world-class cruise lines – AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line,
Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises
(Australia), P&O Cruises (UK),
Princess Cruises, and Seabourn.
Additional information can be found on www.carnivalcorp.com,
www.aida.de, www.carnival.com, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com,
www.hollandamerica.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.pocruises.com,
www.princess.com, and www.seabourn.com.
For information on Carnival Corporation's industry-leading
sustainability initiatives, visit
www.carnivalsustainability.com.
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SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc