Martin Aquatic Design & Engineering, a world-class aquatic firm, has announced that Carnival Cruise Line’s highly-anticipated Celebration Key on Grand Bahama island will be anchored by two freshwater lagoons featuring the firm’s Blue Mar Basins technology.
With a combined area of over 7 acres, these two large lagoons will provide experiences that cater to Carnival cruise guests of all ages.
Josh Martin, president & creative director of Martin Aquatic, says: “Having worked alongside Carnival in conceptualizing the swimming experience at Celebration Key from the very start, Martin Aquatic is thrilled to see this paradise destination come to life.
“With our Blue Mar Basins technology, we can host a multitude of activities in two expansive bodies of water, allowing families and friends to feel connected, but still have the freedom to choose how they spend their vacation.”
Keith Carr, VP, development for Carnival Cruise Lines, adds: “We turned to Martin Aquatic for their creative solutions in designing these freshwater lagoons with incredible amenities that guests have come to expect on their Carnival cruise vacation. Their technology will offer an unmatched operational experience so that we can focus on unlocking the FUN for our guests.”
Fun for guests of all ages
Carnival’s Celebration Key features five separate ‘portals’ for an optimum vacation experience. Guests enter at the Paradise Plaza welcome portal with its now-recognizable Suncastle. They can then visit the retail portal Lokono Cove to browse authentic Bahamian handcrafted items and make their way to the exclusive adult-only hideaway, the Private Club Portal.
The last two portals are centred on a huge aquatic experience with both family-friendly and adult-only sections for relaxing or enjoying the energetic atmosphere of the swim-up bar and DJ.
The adult-friendly portal, Calypso Lagoon, sits west of Paradise Plaza and consists of a three-acre freshwater lagoon created by Martin Aquatic and an idyllic stretch of beach.
Here, guests will find vibrant hangouts such as a 40-seat swim-up bar adjacent to an island with a DJ playing all day. There are numerous places to relax, ranging from shallow beach entrances and islands with hammocks to ankle-deep sunshelves with daybeds and loungers. An exclusive portion of the lagoon offers private cabanas with their own shallow access to the water, while another in-water bar with distinctive swing seats offers a whole new way to unwind.
Martin Aquatic also designed and engineered Starfish Lagoon, the second lagoon to the east, which anchors the family-friendly portal and provides a unique vacation experience for guests of all ages.
Kids can enjoy an adventure riding the waterslides that encircle the Suncastle and exploring the lagoon. A variety of beach accesses for wading into the ocean are accompanied by a swim-up bar next to a beachside restaurant. Families can spend time together in private cabanas which include a sunshelf entry, and overwater cabanas where visitors can make a splash jumping into the lagoon.
Martin says: “Having two separate basins at Celebration Key became a unique way to offer one-of-a-kind programming for each one, accommodating multiple demographic and age groups who are seeking different types of experiences on their island vacation.
“With our patent-pending technology, Carnival Cruise Lines will provide the most pristine swimming environment at the most efficient level.
“At the heart of a Blue Mar Basins amenity is a fully swimmable and guest experience. Creating beautiful clean water that is fully usable with no limitations for guests is what Carnival was looking for. With our technology, we are able to provide this and ensure that the guest experience stays at the forefront of the design.”
Martin Aquatic is currently working on over a dozen Blue Mar Basins which will open to the public in 2025. Blue Mar Basins demonstrates that by focusing on an operationally efficient design that fully treats the water, Martin Aquatic can assist in bringing multi-acre amenities to any destination in the world. These fully useable facilities do not include any concealed underwater walls, very deep sections, or swim zone limitations.
Carnival’s Celebration Key will have direct access from its ships via a new pier which can accommodate up to two of the cruise line’s largest ships at once. The destination is included in over 500 cruise itineraries, which are available for purchase on 18 Carnival ships departing from nine US homeports.
Earlier this year, Martin Aquatic Design & Engineering celebrated the launch of its project for Royal Caribbean by taking its entire team on a cruise to experience it for themselves. The firm designed and engineered two pools for the new Hideaway Beach, an adults-only area on Royal Caribbean’s private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
