Cruise lines are making their private destinations more exciting and appealing than ever before. From Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay to Carnival’s brand-new Celebration Key, these private destinations offer laid-back and stress-free days ashore for guests.
I’ve cruised with Carnival Cruise Line many times over the years, including my first sailing in high school aboard Carnival Destiny. Over the years, I’ve sailed on other ships, including the now-retired Carnival Ecstasy and the cruise line’s newest ship, Carnival Jubilee.
Carnival is known for offering affordable cruise fares, perhaps some of the most accessible in the cruise industry. The onboard experience is exciting and lively, with Carnival really leaning into its fun-focused offerings.
Whether it’s poolside competitions, karaoke in the Limelight Lounge, or late-night comedy shows in the Punchliner Comedy Club, Carnival knows how to keep the fun going all day and night long. For families and party-lovers, Carnival is tough to beat!
After eight cruises with Carnival Cruise Line, I’ve learned an important lesson, though: I only book a Carnival cruise if it’s going to one of the company’s private destinations — here’s why.
Private destinations offer easy, relaxing days ashore
I've been cruising for many years with a variety of cruise lines. In general, I am a destination-focused cruiser, meaning I book sailings based on the itinerary rather than the actual ship. Some people book cruise itineraries based on the actual ship itself, including the restaurants, onboard thrills, and entertainment. However, I am focused more on the itinerary itself.
Although I enjoy the onboard experience of cruising, I prefer spending my days exploring new places, cities, and countries. I want to step off the gangway in a new place, and I appreciate ports that are convenient and easy to enjoy. For this reason, a cruise line’s private destination can check all of the boxes.
In a lot of ways, private destinations can feel like the best parts of cruising wrapped into one destination. You don’t have to juggle transportation, figure out logistics, or worry about getting scammed by a taxi driver.
In fact, while visiting Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay in September, someone next to me said to their kids, “See, isn’t this nice? You don’t have people swarming you to offer tours or taxi rides. It’s so relaxing.”
This is how I feel when visiting a cruise line's private destinations! There’s no guessing which beach is worth your time or whether a restaurant has Wi-Fi. You simply walk off the ship, grab a lounger by the pool, and start enjoying your day.
I’ve been a longtime fan of Royal Caribbean’s private island in The Bahamas. The beautiful island has so much to offer, and it’s one of my favorite beach days while cruising in the Caribbean.
Read more: I took my 60-year-old dad to CocoCay for the first time
However, I had never visited any of Carnival’s private destinations before. In April 2023, I sailed on Carnival’s first Excel Class ship, Mardi Gras, with a stop in Amber Cove. This was my first experience visiting Carnival’s private destination in the Dominican Republic, and I was blown away by the experience!
My first visit to Amber Cove was impressive
When I saw Amber Cove on our itinerary, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect, as I had never visited this port of call before. I don’t think I had seen any photos of the private destination in the Dominican Republic. However, I was excited to visit not only a new port of call, but also a new country for me!
Stepping off the ship, I noticed the beautiful scenery with palm trees, rolling green hills, and bright, cheerful architecture. The area was also bigger than I expected, although it felt smaller than CocoCay.
It should be noted that Amber Cove isn’t an island. Instead, it’s a private resort on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic near Puerto Plata. The area is owned and controlled entirely by Carnival Corporation.
In addition, Carnival invested about $85 million to build the port complex in 2015 and create a unique experience for cruisers. Amber Cove is exclusively accessed by guests sailing aboard Carnival cruise ships. Each year, around 250,000 guests enjoy this slice of Caribbean paradise.
Amber Cove is located right outside of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. Unlike other private islands, you can leave the area and explore the city, if you choose. Puerto Plata is one of the first European settlements in the Americas, so there is a lot of history nearby if you choose to visit the city!
Of course, the private destination is easy to enjoy on its own. However, I did appreciate how you could leave Amber Cove and explore the nearby city.
Within a few minutes, I understood why so many people love visiting Amber Cove
After disembarking Mardi Gras, I was eager to explore the area. The private destination was buzzing with music from the poolside DJ. Everyone was having a great time in the massive 300,000-gallon lagoon pool with a swim-up bar and nearby waterslide.
The DJ kept the energy levels high throughout the day with party tunes that everyone was enjoying. The pool was busy, but it never looked packed during my visit.
Bartenders were quick to serve cocktails at the swim-up bar, although you aren’t able to use your CHEERS! drink package while you’re ashore. This is one of the biggest downsides of Carnival's private destinations, as I appreciate that Royal Caribbean allows you to use your drink package, loyalty drink vouchers, and internet access while ashore.
The pool is the main attraction at Amber Cove, as the private destination doesn’t have an actual beach. The pool is surrounded by lounges, walkways, and even shaded cabanas. I loved taking in the mountain views that surrounded the resort area.
In addition, you can splurge on a few activities to make the most of your time at Amber Cove. The island has a zip-line that allows you to soar across the resort area with sweeping views of the destination! As of October 2024, it costs $28 for unlimited rides, which seems like a reasonable price. You can also rent kayaks, paddle boards, and hydrobikes.
Guests looking to have a more private experience can book different cabanas, including Ocean, Hillside, Poolside, and Grand Cabanas. These typically come stocked with a full fridge, Wi-Fi access, personal service, and some even have air conditioning! Prices for these can range from $500 to $2,000 for the day, which depends on the size and location.
If you prefer to venture outside of Amber Cove, this is also an option. The city of Puerto Plata has many attractions and sights to see, including the mountaintop cable cars and quaint cobblestone streets.
Also, you could spend part of your day exploring Puerto Plata before retreating to Amber Cove for a relaxing afternoon. Most ships are docked for the entire day, providing enough time to enjoy both.
During my visit, we booked a half-day tour of Puerto Plata since it was our first time visiting the Dominican Republic. We still had ample time to actually enjoy Amber Cove after our excursion, with the party vibes continuing into the late afternoon.
Amber Cove is the perfect port day for me
Personally, spending my cruise day visiting a private destination like Amber Cove is the perfect port day. I love waking up on the ship knowing that I can grab a coffee and head ashore without any plans on my agenda.
At Amber Cove, you can go from your stateroom to the swim-up bar in 15 minutes. This allows you to start relaxing right away. It’s almost an extension of the onboard Carnival experience, but you’re ashore. And at Amber Cove, the surrounding scenery is among the most beautiful that I’ve ever seen!
Amber Cove wasn’t anything fancy or over-the-top, but it aligned with Carnival’s casual, fun approach to cruising. It was an easy and relaxing day during my cruise. In my opinion, this can be a nice change from busy days ashore with packed excursions and early mornings.
I’d love to visit Carnival's newest private destination, Celebration Key!
Carnival Cruise Line just opened its brand-new destination in The Bahamas this summer, named Celebration Key. This takes the best aspects of Amber Cove to the next level. With so much to offer, many Carnival cruisers are already loving everything that Celebration Key has to offer.
Built on Grand Bahama Island, Celebration Key is Carnival’s biggest investment ever in a single destination. The pier can accommodate two Excel Class ships simultaneously, meaning it can welcome up to 12,000 cruise guests each day.
The design is expansive and spreads out crowds through distinct zones, each with its own unique vibe. For example, the Lagoon Plaza is the heart of the action at Celebration Key with a massive pool surrounded by palm trees, restaurants, and live music stages.
In addition, Calypso Cove offers family-friendly fun for cruisers, while Paradise Beach offers a relaxing beach experience that you can’t find at Amber Cove. For those seeking peace and tranquility, Pearl Cove Beach Club provides a quiet, adults-only retreat. Carnival distilled the best of its brand in Celebration Key with excitement, energy, and fun!
I’ll keep booking cruises to Carnival’s private destinations
Don't get me wrong, I’m not saying other ports aren’t great in the Caribbean. There is plenty to love about places like Grand Turk, Cozumel, and St. Thomas. These ports offer authentic, immersive experiences that you can't find at a private island. However, a cruise line’s private destination offers an unparalleled, relaxing experience while you’re ashore.
As a type-A planner, I appreciate being able to relax without any sort of plan. I don’t have to stress about an agenda or schedule, as I can enjoy the private destination at my own pace. There’s so much to do that you certainly won’t get bored. However, if you just want to relax all day, you can spend your day by the pool or on the beach.
I loved my visit to Amber Cove, and it’s one of my favorite Carnival destinations now. In my experience, Amber Cove felt like a relaxing Caribbean resort just for cruise guests.
When I browse Carnival itineraries now, I immediately look for visits to either Amber Cove or Celebration Key. Luckily, many of Carnival’s itineraries have planned stops at the cruise line's private destinations now, so it shouldn’t be hard!
In fact, almost all of Carnival’s upcoming itineraries in the Caribbean have scheduled visits to Celebration Key. Some sailings even include additional stops at Amber Cove and RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay, which is another Carnival Corporation private island that was recently rebranded and will be completed in 2026.
For example, Carnival Vista is scheduled to sail 6-night itineraries from Port Canaveral, Florida, in 2026 with visits to Celebration Key, Amber Cove, and RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay. That means this entire itinerary will be visiting Carnival Cruise Line’s private destinations exclusively! Other itineraries also visit Princess Cays, another private island for Carnival Corporation.
It’s clear that Carnival wants to push itineraries with stops at its private destinations, but this isn’t a bad thing. Many cruisers love the all-inclusive feel of visiting these destinations during their cruise.
As a fan of Carnival’s Amber Cove, I definitely won’t be planning another Carnival cruise unless it visits one of the cruise line's private destinations.
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising, and adventure. She's sailed on 50+ cruises and visited more than 60 countries. Hubers even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
She has contributed her travel and cruise expertise to numerous publications, including Business Insider, US News & World Report, and Travel Lemming. Hubers earned her MBA in Data Analytics and works as a senior strategy analyst.
