Carnival Cruise Line Welcomes First Excel Class Ship to Celebration Key

Image: Mardi Gras and Carnival Pride dock at Celebration Key (Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line)
Image: Mardi Gras and Carnival Pride dock at Celebration Key (Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line)
Sarah Kuta
by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 10:30 AM ET, Mon July 28, 2025

Carnival Cruise Line has officially welcomed an Excel class ship to Celebration Key, marking the first time one of the brand’s largest vessels visited the destination.

Mardi Gras visited the brand new private destination on Grand Bahama on July 25, docking alongside Carnival Pride.

Roughly 9,000 travelers from both shops spent the day at Celebration Key.

Mardi Gras visited the destination during a week-long Eastern Caribbean cruise that departed July 19 from Port Canaveral while Carnival Pride visited as part of a week-long Bahamas cruise from Baltimore that embarked July 20.

Guests enjoy the day at Celebration Key

Guests enjoy the day at Celebration Key (Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line)

“We’re immensely proud and grateful for the great reaction from our guests visiting Celebration Key throughout this first week,” says Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “The world’s newest cruise destination is already a success and delivering more fun to 9,000 visitors in one day is a great testament to that.”

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