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Carnival Cruise Line fans, get ready to eat! Carnival has just unveiled the expanded lineup of dining outlets it will offer on Celebration Key, the line’s new private beach area on Grand Bahama Island, set to open in July 2025. Even better, it offers guests a way to get a meal at a discount. Or even for free.

Carnival Celebration plans to offer about 30 food and beverage outlets within the Keys. Dining options will include four full-service restaurants, a snack shack, counter-service kiosks, food trucks and a food hall.

Celebration Key is not like Carnival’s Half Moon Cay, the private island it shares with Holland America. The destination features a free open-air barbecue buffet serving hot dogs, burgers, jerk chicken, grilled vegetables, rice dishes, salads and desserts. The eateries on Celebration Key are similar to the dining establishments you find in any port, where you have to pay for your meal.

However, Line has found a way to make lunch a little easier on your wallet. As part of Carnival’s new “Island Eats” program, cruisers can enjoy one free meal when using their Sail and Sign card to purchase food. However, the offer is good only at Celebration Key’s fast casual outlets, snack shacks and food trucks.

If you choose to eat at one of the island’s full-service restaurants, you’ll get a 25% discount on one entree per person. (Discount not available at Pearl Cove Beach Club Restaurant.)

It’s not the all-you-can-eat model of Half Moon Cay, but at least guests will have a way to eat on the cheap if they want.

Restaurant lineup

Full-service restaurants are planned for the celebration key

Mingo Tropical Bar and Kitchen: This waterfront restaurant will serve Bahamian favorites like fried fish and conch fritters, as well as classic burgers, seafood, sandwiches, tacos and steak.

Surf N’ Sauce BBQ & Brews: The spot offers outdoor-smoked meats and a full-service bar that features craft beer from local Bahamian breweries.

Gill’s Grill: This family-friendly restaurant specializes in Caribbean seafood, including seafood baskets, local fish, lobster, steamed crabs and shrimp. It also serves popular land based dishes like chicken, burgers and kids meals.

Pearl Cove Beach Club Restaurant: Carnival guests who pay extra for access to the 18-plus Pearl Cove Beach Club can enjoy an upscale menu at the area’s sit-down restaurant. They will need to purchase an all-inclusive Beach Club Pass to enjoy complimentary dining here; Passengers whose pass only includes a welcome drink or open bar must pay for dining.

The Island Eats program includes fast-casual locations

Captains Galley Food Hall: This food hall offers five outlets serving burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, pizza, Mediterranean bowls, tacos and burritos.

Mingo Express: This stand-alone food truck will offer casual, to-go versions of Mingo’s Bahamian and burger favorites.

Food trucks and snack shacks: A handful of food trucks will offer beach classics, like sandwiches and burgers, as well as Bahamian snacks like conch fritters. Self-ordering kiosks will speed up the waiting time for food. Celebration Key will also offer snack shacks for drinks and grab-and-go items such as sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs and salads.

A handful of bars (including a 100-seat swim-up bar), food carts, a coffee shop, and an ice cream shop round out Celebration Key’s beverage and dining offerings. You will need to pay for drinks and snacks at these establishments.

Related: Carnival Cruise Food: The Ultimate Guide to Restaurants and Dining On Board

More details about Celebration Key

Set to open in July 2025, Celebration Key will be divided into five areas, known as portals. Areas include Paradise Plaza (the welcome area), the family-friendly Starfish Lagoon, the adult-friendly Calypso Lagoon, the adults-only and exclusive access Pearl Cove Beach Club, and the island’s shopping area called Lokno Cove.

Celebration Key will eventually feature a water park and zip line following a second wave of development.

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