By
Alex Smith |
Carnival Cruise Line has held a ground-breaking ceremony for its cruise port destination on Grand Bahama Island in partnership with the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Government of The Bahamas.
Carnival Cruise Line’s president Christine Duffy attended the ceremony alongside Arnold Donald, CEO of parent company Carnival Corporation; Philip Davis, the prime minister of the Bahamas; and Sarah St. George, acting chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority. Representatives from Carnival Corporation and the local community used ceremonial shovels to mark the beginning of construction.
“With the start of this Carnival project, Grand Bahama is now on the better side of reaching its true economic potential,” said Prime Minister Davis. “This investment will provide much needed jobs but will also signal new hope for the island’s recovery.”
The new Carnival Grand Bahama cruise port destination is expected to open in late 2024 and is situated on the south side of the island.
“As we celebrate our 50-year partnership with The Bahamas, today’s ground-breaking on our incredible new Grand Bahama destination represents an opportunity to collaborate with the government and people of Grand Bahama,” said 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 cruise port development will include a pier that is able to accommodate up to two of Carnival’s Excel-class ships simultaneously. Guests will be able to explore the island by sea via a dedicated shore excursion dock or by land from a ground transportation hub. The cruise port itself will feature an area designated as a nature reserve and an interior pool feature, along with retail food and beverage options.
“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 surge in tourist visitors, as well as increased activities for established businesses,” said St. George. “A project of this magnitude is only possible through genuine collaboration. Grand Bahamians 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.”
Additional details on the design, features and name of the cruise port will be released over coming months as Carnival finalises its plans.