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Grand Celebration to Return to Service December 23, 2017 – Second Ship Coming in 2018

Cruise ship Grand Celebration docked in Freeport, the Bahamas. Viewed from the deck of the Carnival Fantasy. Photo credit: Arnold Reinhold used with creative commons license.

Earlier this year, the only ship in the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line fleet, the Grand Celebration, was chartered by the federal government to house first responders in the Virgin Islands following the hurricanes that devastated the region.  This left cruisers and the Port of Palm Beach without a ship.

Cruise ship Grand Celebration docked in Freeport, the Bahamas. Viewed from the deck of the Carnival Fantasy. Photo credit: Arnold Reinhold used with creative commons license.
Cruise ship Grand Celebration docked in Freeport, the Bahamas. Viewed from the deck of the Carnival Fantasy. Photo credit: Arnold Reinhold used with creative commons license.

Now that the charter contract is over, the ship will return to service on December 23, 2017.  When she returns, cruisers will find an expanded casino that includes additional slots, video poker machines, and table games; an adults-only sun deck called The Oasis for passengers 18 and up that includes loungers, daybeds, bar, hot tub; and a specialty coffee bar.

Grand Celebration sails two-night Bahamas cruises that sail to Grand Bahama Island. Since she’s returning to service just in time for Christmas, Santa will be onboard to celebrate and the ship will host a New Year’s Eve party.  Special holiday menus will be served as well.

As previously speculated, Costa Cruise Line entered an agreement to sell the neoClassica to Bahamas Paradise earlier this year.  The ship will depart the Costa fleet in March 2018 and will begin its transformation into the Grand Classica which will offer the same itinerary as Grand Celebration from the Port of Palm Beach beginning in April 2018.

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Rendering of the Grand Classica, formerly Costa neoClassica, coming to Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line in 2018
Rendering of the Grand Classica, formerly Costa neoClassica, coming to Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line in 2018

More information on Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line can be found here.

Scott Sanfilippo
Scott is the captain (well, founder and editor) behind Scott's Cruises! After making waves as an eCommerce pioneer during the dot-com boom of the '90s and '00s, Scott decided the only surfing he wanted to do was on the actual ocean. He’s been blogging about his nautical adventures since 2005, transforming into a full-time professional vacationer. Over the last two decades, he's racked up nearly a quarter-million nautical miles, conquered almost every ocean cruise line, explored 50+ different ships, and spent hundreds of nights on mattresses that, quite frankly, could have used a pillow-top.
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