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- Large cruise lines are expanding their collections of private islands and resorts.
- Royal Caribbean has been a leader with its themepark-like island. Now, competitors like Carnival are coming.
- Here’s how Carnival’s Celebration Key and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico compare.
Royal Caribbean might need to post a lookout from its theme park-like private island: Its biggest competitor is steaming straight ahead.
Carnival is set to open a multi-complex resort, Celebration Key, in July on the Grand Bahama Island. And it’ll be packed with amenities that so far have been decidedly Royal Caribbean’s turf: water slides, swim-up bars, and pay-to-enter clubs.
It’s not alone: Almost every major cruise company is rushing to develop its collection of private destinations. Norwegian is building a pier and new resort-like amenities at its Caribbean island, Great Stirrup Cay. And MSC is building a second, smaller island next to its first, Ocean Cay.
They all come on the heels of Royal Caribbean’s wildly successful island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, which arguably kickstarted the cruise-to-resort boom when it launched in 2019.
Royal Caribbean has invested $350 million into enhancing the island with features like a ticketed adult-only lounge. Emphasis on “ticketed” — it’s a key reason cruise companies are expanding their resort portfolios. These in-house warm-weather retreats both maximize profits and reduce fuel expenditure due to their proximity to Florida’s major ports.
Let’s look at how Royal Caribbean and Carnival are going head-to-head with their coming destinations.
Carnival and Royal Caribbean each have at least one destination scheduled to debut in 2025.
In addition to its private island, Royal Caribbean is building two pay-to-enter “Royal Beach Clubs” on Paradise Island, Bahamas, and Cozumel, Mexico. They’re set to open in 2025 and 2026. There’s also another beach destination on Lelepa, Vanuatu, that’s set to open in 2027, and a second Perfect Day that’s set for 2027, too.
CocoCay, which is the model for these planned Royal destinations, operates less like an untouched island and more like a Caribbean resort with pay-to-enter clubs, waterslides, and upscale lounges.
None of Carnival’s private ports, including its RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay island, are as flashy or theme park-like as its competitor — that is, until Celebration Key is set to open in July.
Celebration Key and Perfect Day Mexico: sisters, not twins.
Both cruise-owned resorts are intended to be complimentary to enter. But it’s not all free: Guests will encounter add-on fees for different amenities.
They’ll also each have more than 30 food and beverage options scattered throughout different districts, designed for different travelers.
At both resorts, five segments are fairly comparable: an arrivals area, a premium club, stretches of beaches, an adult-only lounge, and a laid-back family-friendly pool.
Only Carnival’s Celebration Key plans to have a shopping district.
The open-air retail center, called Lokono Cove, is set to carry a variety of gift shop inventory made by local Bahamian artists.
Royal Caribbean says Perfect Day Mexico will also sell locally made souvenirs, although it’s unclear where these stores will be.
Similarly, only Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico is expected to have a complete waterpark.
Royal Caribbean is recreating Perfect Day at CocoCay’s best amenity — its 14-slide waterpark, which can cost about $100 per person to enter — at Perfect Day Mexico.
Plans for the new Loco Waterpark span over 30 rides, including a six-person raft slide and two 170-foot-tall, over two-minute-long racing slides. There will also be a kids’ section and various pools for the youngest guests.
Carnival’s Celebration Key isn’t expected to have a waterpark, although the company does say its family pool, Starfish Lagoon, will have a children’s water play area and two 350-foot-long, 10-story-tall slides.
Starfish Lagoon is Carnival’s take on a kid-friendly resort pool.
In addition to the water amenities, Carnival says Starfish Lagoon will have outdoor games and sports, a swim-up bar, hammocks, and both floating and on-land cabanas — all centered on a large pool.
Royal Caribbean’s family area, Splash Cove, should look drastically different — and lazier.
In addition to a 100,000-square-foot pool and a water playground, Perfect Day Mexico’s Splash Cove is said to have the cruise line’s first lazy river, dotted with in-water bars, rentable cabanas, and a high-energy path with waves and rapids.
Looking for an escape from the kids? Royal Caribbean promises El Hideaway — and Carnival promotes Calypso Lagoon.
Calypso Lagoon shares Starfish Lagoon’s large pool and sports amenities. To make it grown-up-friendly, its plans also include a bar with 50 swinging seats and an adult-only section marked by a DJ, plenty of lounge chairs, and, of course, rentable cabanas.
Both Calypso and Starfish share a mile-long beach. Perfect Day Mexico’s beach is set to be about twice as long.
Unlike Calypso Lagoon, Perfect Day Mexico’s adult-only El Hideaway would require a day pass (likely with a fee) to enter. Once inside, Royal Caribbean says guests will have amenities like a swim-up bar, a DJ, and a rentable 20-person cabana with a private pool and bar.
If you want to spend big, pay for the premium beach clubs: Perfect Day Mexico’s Costa and Celebration Key’s Pearl Cove.
Perfect Day Mexico’s Costa Beach Club and Celebration Key’s Pearl Cove Beach Club are expected to operate as upscale waterfront lounges with high-end restaurants and infinity pools.
Carnival’s is meant to be adult-only.
Both resorts could become the centerpiece of their cruise lines’ itineraries.
Carnival says it will continue expanding Celebration Key after its July debut, including building a $100 million pier extension to simultaneously accommodate four of its largest ships by 2026.
Almost all of the company’s vessels are currently scheduled to visit Celebration Key. By 2028, Carnival says the resort will be capable of welcoming 4 million travelers annually.
Similarly, Cruise Critic reported that Perfect Day Mexico will be able to accommodate up to 21,000 guests daily. And by 2027, 90% of Royal Caribbean’s Caribbean guests will sail to a Perfect Day resort: CocoCay, Mexico, or both.
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