Carnival has hailed the 1,000 permanent Bahamian jobs created by its $600m Celebration Key private cruise port, and the 80 percent of food and retail outlets that are locally-owned, as the destination celebrates its first anniversary.

The cruise line, in a statement, said the Grand Bahama location has received 2.4m guests since opening on July 19 last year. It added that 400,000-plus treats alone have been served by Mini Donut King, a Bahamian-owned food truck, while over half-a-million guests have enjoyed its water slides.

Carnival said Celebration Key also achieved another milestone by becoming the world’s first cruise destination to earn Sensory Inclusive Certification through the partnership with KultureCity, reinforcing its commitment to providing welcoming and accessible experiences for all guests.

“We’ve built something special here at Celebration Key,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Our goal is to create unforgettable memories for our guests and, in its first year, the destination has done exactly that for more than two million people.

“We’re proud to be part of those moments while also creating real, lasting impact in the local community. As we look ahead, we’re excited to continue building on this momentum, creating new experiences for our guests and deepening our commitment to Grand Bahama and its people.”

Carnival said Celebration Key supports around 1,000 year-round Bahamian jobs and continues to prioritise partnerships with Bahamian entrepreneurs and businesses. It added that more than 80 percent of Celebration Key's food and retail operators are locally owned, including Bahama Mama Seafood Pit, Flippin' Fritters and Mini Donut King.

The first-year anniversary was celebrated with special festivities for guests from the Carnival Conquest and Carnival Freedom. These included a Junkanoo performance, interactive scavenger hunts and a giant birthday cake displayed at the entrance.

The anniversary also coincided with Carnival’s expansion of its Less Left Over food waste reduction strategy to The Bahamas, where its vessels, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Conquest, made the programme's first surplus meal donation in the country. This redirected prepared, unserved meals to local community organisations on Grand Bahama.