Carnival Cruise Line announced today, May 12, 2022 that construction has begun on their newest cruise port destination on Grand Bahama Island.
A ceremony was held today to celebrate the groundbreaking on the site where the new cruise port will be located. Carnival stated, “with a strong showing of validation of the cruise industry’s return and optimism, and reflecting a long-standing partnership between Carnival Cruise Line and The Bahamas, Carnival, in cooperation with the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Government of The Bahamas, today held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new cruise port destination on Grand Bahama Island.”
Officials from both Carnival Cruise Line and The Bahamas government attended the ceremony, all using ceremonial shovels to celebrate the occasion. Those present at the event were Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy; Bahamas Prime Minister The Honorable Philip Davis; Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister The Honorable I. Chester Cooper; Minister for Grand Bahama The Honorable Ginger Moxey; The Grand Bahama Port Authority Acting Chairman Sarah St. George; and Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald.
The Honorable Philip Davis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas said the following, “with the start of this Carnival project, Grand Bahama is now on the better side of reaching its true economic potential. This investment will provide much needed jobs but will also signal new hope for the island’s recovery.”
This new cruise port destination for Carnival Cruise Line, in Grand Bahama, is currently scheduled to open in late 2024. The cruise post is “being developed on the south side of the island and will continue to serve as a gateway to Grand Bahama while also offering guests a uniquely Bahamian experience with many exciting features and amenities, along with business opportunities for the residents of Grand Bahama,” stated Carnival Cruise Line.
“As we celebrate our 50-year partnership with The Bahamas, today’s groundbreaking on our incredible new Grand Bahama destination represents an opportunity to collaborate with the government and people of Grand Bahama - to contribute to the local economy through job and business opportunities, meaningfully engage with local communities, and further expand our experience offerings for our guests who will have a breathtaking new port of call to enjoy,” said Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy. “Our sincere thanks to the government of The Bahamas and The Grand Bahama Port Authority for their continued support as we begin construction. Our guests already love the Bahamas, and we are certain this new project will give them even more reason to want to visit.”
The Grand Bahama Port Authority Acting Chairman Sarah St. George stated the following, “the new Carnival cruise port destination will have a monumental impact on our island’s economy, including a panoply of new business opportunities, a huge serge in tourist visitors, as well as increased activist for established businesses. It is transformational in the true sense of the word. We are immensely grateful to Carnival for choosing Freeport and Grand Bahama for this flagship project. Today, we mark this incredible achievement made possible by the efforts of Carnival with The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Port Group Limited, The Grand Bahama Development Company and Freeport Harbour Company, and the Government of The Bahamas. A project of this magnitude is only possible through genuine collaboration. Grand Bahamas have withstood life-changing challenges, particularly in recent years. Despite these, Carnival never wavered in their commitment to building their next cruise port in Freeport. We are very proud to have played our part to the best of our ability towards making this a reality.”
Included in the cruise port development will be a pier capable of accommodating guests from up to two Excel-class ships simultaneously. The port will also include a dedicated shore excursion dock, and an area designated as a nature preserve. Also available at the new port will be, an interior pool feature, and many Bahamian-operated retail, food, and beverage options for passengers to explore and enjoy.
Because this new port will be able to accommodate multiple Excel-class ships at a time, it means that larger Carnival ships such as Mardi Gras will be able to make a stop at this new destination.
The Honorable Ginger M. Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama stated, “the Carnival groundbreaking is very significant to the residents of Grand Bahama. This development signals opportunities for creatives, vendors, and small and medium sized businesses and represents our commitment to collaboration with local and international partners for the betterment of our island.”
Additional details regarding this new cruise port destination’s design, features, and name will be revealed sometime over the coming months.
“The cruise port is an integral part of our plan to restore Grand Bahama to economic viability. Carnival will play a critical role in stimulating our economy and shining a light on Grand Bahama as a rejuvenated and premier destination in our country and the region. We believe the excitement of what is happening on Grand Bahama will be contagious,” stated Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Investment and Aviation, The Honorable I Chester Cooper.
Hayley Phillips
Hayley Phillips is a military spouse currently living in Florida and loves all things travel and travel planning.
