22 MARKETWATCH Cruise lines upgrade the onshore experience Four of the world’s major operators are investing to improve facilities at their exclusive destinations in The Bahamas 1. Celebration Key Carnival Corporation has doubled the number of berths at Celebration Key on Grand Bahama Island, enabling the exclusive destination to accommodate four ships simultaneously. The expanded pier will support around 200 additional calls and a further 700,000 guests each year. 3. Sandy Cay MSC Group’s cruise division has started building Sandy Cay, a luxury private island adjacent to its Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve destination in The Bahamas. Sandy Cay is scheduled to open exclusively for MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys guests in 2028 and will offer dining venues, private retreats and curated wellness and relaxation experiences. 2. RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay Holland America Line has added a beach club with open-air lounge and dining spaces (pictured), an outdoor food pavilion serving island‑inspired cuisine, and four pickleball courts to RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. It has also renovated existing bars and eateries, upgraded beach cabanas and increased the number of daybeds, canopy loungers and chairs in the beach area. 4. Great Stirrup Cay Norwegian Cruise Line has opened Great Tides Waterpark on Great Stirrup Cay. The park features attractions such as the 170-foot-high Tidal Tower, various slides, the 800-foot-long Wandering River, industry-first cliff jumps and interactive splash zones. Other recent additions to the island include Great Life Lagoon, Splash Harbor, the adults-only Vibe Shore Club and Silver Cove. Photo: Carnival Corporation Image: MSC Group Photo: Holland America Line Photo: Norwegian Cruise Line
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