I am back on the Carnival Celebration for the next week! By now, if you’ve been following along, you know that I’m on this vessel quite a bit. So this week, I’m not going to do lengthy day-by-day reports. Instead, I’ll share highlights and lowlights in a more condensed format. I’ll especially be pointing out onboard changes—there seem to be even more since my last sailing at the end of June. Is change good? Well, we’ll see!
If you want to read some of my previous reports from what is one of my favorite ships, here they are:
- Carnival Celebration Western Caribbean Cruise – April 2023
- Carnival Celebration Eastern Caribbean Cruise – June 2023
- Carnival Celebration Southern Caribbean Cruise – July 2023
- Carnival Celebration Eastern Caribbean Cruise – February 2024
- Carnival Celebration Western Caribbean Cruise – October 2024
- Carnival Celebration Eastern Caribbean Cruise – June 2025
This itinerary is definitely not one I would have willingly picked. However, I’ve got friends on this sailing, and I tagged along rather than be one of those party-poopers. Over the next seven days, we’ll be stopping at Grand Turk, the Carnival-owned port of Amber Cove, the always-dreaded Nassau, and finally Carnival’s brand-new private destination, Celebration Key in the Bahamas, which just opened a few weeks ago.
Grand Turk is one of those ports cruisers either love or walk away from feeling a little underwhelmed. On the plus side, it’s easy. You step off the ship and you’re immediately on a beach with the Caribbean’s largest Margaritaville pool nearby—complete with a swim-up bar, DJ, and rows of loungers calling your name. For many, that’s enough to fill the day without booking an excursion.
The downside? The vendors. Many locals can be pushy, with some trying to charge visitors for beach chairs that are actually free. Complaints about drug sales in port have also been common. To address this, last year the government introduced a system requiring locals aged 18 and older to obtain a one-day photo ID badge (free of charge) to enter the cruise center. Minors must be with an adult who has a badge. Only approved operators can sell tours inside the gates, and soliciting, disruptive behavior, or even profanity can get someone banned for three months or longer. To back it all up, drug-sniffing dogs now roam the port area.
Amber Cove? Let’s just say it’s… fine. There’s a water slide, a zip line, and a pool with a swim-up bar. There’s also the shopping area with the usual duty-free store, plus a few restaurants and stalls. But the place feels overly staged, like a movie set. There’s no natural beach to stroll, and the surrounding Dominican landscape is out of reach unless you book an excursion.
Nassau will always be Nassau, though that may change soon. With Celebration Key now open, it’s safe to say Carnival’s calls to Nassau may eventually taper off. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean is opening its Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island in December, right across from the port. That’s going to be a game-changer. Even though it’s a paid experience, plenty of cruisers will happily buy a day pass for the resort rather than spend another Nassau day as a “stay on the ship” day—which, let’s face it, many passengers already do.
For me, the highlight of this itinerary will be the call to Celebration Key. As mentioned, it just opened and is divided into different “portals” with unique experiences—kids’ zones, adults-only retreats, water slides, beaches, and more. Carnival is clearly aiming to compete with Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay and other amusement-park-style private islands.
So that’s the itinerary. Let’s get into embarkation.
Embarkation
As usual when I sail out of Miami, I took the Brightline train from Boca Raton to Miami. Once again, it was flawless. The just-under-an-hour trip had us at MiamiCentral station at 12:15 p.m. and in an Uber by 12:25 p.m. By 12:40 p.m., we were at PortMiami handing our bags to a porter and heading for check-in.
That’s when things went sideways. I absolutely hate PortMiami, and today was one of those days when it proved to be my worst enemy. Things started fine—we entered the Priority line for Platinum and Diamond cruisers and reached an agent in under 10 minutes. Passports scanned, photos taken, and then it was off to security.
Here’s where the mess began. At the point where the line split into Priority and non-Priority, the staffer manning the merge point suddenly shouted, “PRIORITY IS FULL! NO MORE PRIORITY! GO OVER THERE!” and waved us into the regular line. The K9 unit standing nearby wasn’t even checking bags. No one was lined up for sniffs. It felt disorganized and chaotic.
As we wound through the snaking line, we were told to head to Lane 10 because it “just opened.” When we got there—surprise!—the x-ray machine was broken. “Sorry guys, not working. Find another lane.” Which meant cutting back into other lines. By the time we got through, we’d spent about 45 minutes in the terminal—a process that normally takes me 20.
Carnival Celebration Ocean Suite 9374
For this cruise, I’m staying in an Ocean Suite on Deck 9 aft. It’s a beautiful, spacious stateroom with a bathroom that actually feels like a bathroom—something you can’t always say on Excel-class ships where standard bathrooms are notoriously tiny.
The first thing you notice is the décor. Suites are designed with darker faux-wood finishes, padded headboards, and faux-wood flooring in the foyer and bathroom. It feels more elevated compared to standard staterooms. The king-size bed (convertible to twins) comes with USB ports and reading lights on either side. Across from it is a large flat-screen TV.
The living area, separated by a heavy curtain, has a pull-out sofa, coffee table, second large TV, and an armchair. There are drawers under the TV, a vanity desk with extra storage, a cooler (not a fridge), four USB ports, and three U.S. outlets. Closet space is excellent—two large closets with shelves, drawers, and a safe.
The balcony has two chairs and a table, but it’s not private—people above can look straight down. There’s no overhead covering either, so rain or shine, you’re exposed.
The bathroom is where the suite shines. It’s roomy, with a large vanity, shelves, big sink, and an oversized glass-door shower. Finally, a bathroom you don’t have to play bumper cars in.
All in all, this suite is fantastic for couples or small families. For just me, it’s almost too much space—but compared to an inside cabin, it’s a huge upgrade.
Video Tour of Ocean Suite 9374 on Carnival Celebration
An Interesting Main Dining Room (And More!) Upcharge
Right into dinner we go. For those looking to book either Rudi’s Seagrill or Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse on embarkation day, Carnival offers a bit of an incentive since the first night is usually slower in these speciality dining venues. If you book either restaurant, you’ll get a complimentary bottle of wine for every two people. So, if you’re a wine drinker, not on a drink package, and want to take advantage of this deal, embarkation night is the night to do it.
As I perused the menus for the evening, I noticed something new since my last trip on Celebration in June. Upcharge menu items have existed on cruise ships for a while now—both in the main dining room and specialty restaurants—but one addition really caught my eye.
I first spotted it on the main dining room menu. Alongside the standard “Steakhouse Selections” such as NY Strip, Filet Mignon, Surf & Turf, and Grilled Lamb Chops—all available for an additional $25—there is now a 14oz Wagyu Cheeseburger. It’s billed as:
Pressed and grilled patty, aged cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and frizzled onions on a toasted brioche bun, served with seasoned fries.
For a minute, I thought I was back in Boca, where a $25 cheeseburger is practically considered a bargain.
Curiosity got the best of me, so I checked the steakhouse menu. While Fahrenheit 555 carries a $52 per person cover charge, this same cheeseburger is listed as an upcharge item right next to a $35 24oz Porterhouse and a $70 36oz Tomahawk for two. The only difference? At the steakhouse you get two extra ounces—the burger is 16oz instead of 14.
Quick math tells me if you head to the steakhouse for a cheeseburger, it’s going to run you $77 plus 18% on the burger for a total of $81.50. For a cheeseburger. Sure, you’ll also get an appetizer and dessert, but jeez.
Main Dining Room Menu: Embarkation Day
So where else is this burger available besides the steakhouse and main dining room? The 14oz version also shows up on the menus at Chibang (Mexican/Asian) and Cucina del Capitano (Italian). Rudi’s Seagrill and Bonsai Teppanyaki have been spared, at least for now.
For the sake of a review—and to satisfy my curiosity—I’ll be biting into this new addition at the steakhouse before the end of the week (because if you’re going to try it, that’s probably the best place).
Dinner at Cucina del Capitano
Tonight, though, I had dinner at Cucina del Capitano. On the Excel-class ships (Mardi Gras, Celebration, and Jubilee), Cucina operates a little differently than on the rest of the fleet. It’s not fully included—your first visit is free, but additional visits cost $8 per person. The same applies to Chibang.
The menu at Cucina continues to get the upsell treatment, with new items pulled from the Italian restaurant Il Viaggio onboard Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze, the two former Costa ships now sailing under the “Fun Italian Style” banner. These add-ons include:
- $8 Tartare di Salmone
- $15 Salumi e Formaggi Sampler (charcuterie board)
- $15 Jumbo Shrimp Scampi
- $20 Lombata Milanese (Veal Milanese)
- $40 Grigliata Mista di Pesce (seafood platter)
- $6 Mile-High Gelato Pie (which, to its credit, was delicious when I tried it on Venezia back in February)
I started off with the sampler, which included Italian meats, cheeses, and olives. It’s definitely enough for sharing, but I managed to make quick work of it myself. That was followed by a very basic Caprese salad with mozzarella and tomatoes.
For my entrée, I chose the Veal Milanese: a pounded flat, bone-in chop, breaded and served with a mixed green salad. The portion was huge, but the flavor just wasn’t there. Even squeezing lemon over it didn’t bring much out. I found myself dipping pieces into the sauce of the Rigatoni Ncasciata alla Siciliana I ordered as a side dish, hoping to give it a flavor boost. It didn’t really work.
While the portion was worth the $20 upcharge, the taste was lackluster. Dessert was a no-go—I was stuffed.
Service at Cucina, and everywhere else I’ve been so far on the ship, has been solid. I spent the rest of the evening wandering, catching up with crew I’ve gotten to know from past sailings, and then called it a night.
Tomorrow is a sea day as we head towards our first port-of-call, so be sure to follow along for more updates throughout the week.
FunTimes for August 24, 2025:
The Funtimes for August 24, 2025 is available as a PDF and can be downloaded by clicking here.