When it comes to cruising, the two biggest competitors you’ll find are Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Sailing millions of passengers each year, the cruise lines compete on everything from ships to entertainment to food and even private destinations.
In fact, the two cruise lines operate two of the most-talked-about private spots in cruising. Royal Caribbean has CocoCay, which it transformed from a sleepy island to what’s essentially a beach amusement park. That renovation kicked off an “arms race” of sorts in what’s offered at private cruise islands.
Carnival has responded with Celebration Key, an entirely new destination in The Bahamas complete with pools, beach, and much more.
So what’s the difference between the two? We’ll cover what you need to know below.
The Layout Difference Between CocoCay and Celebration Key
Let’s start with something pretty broad, and that’s just the overall difference in the layout.
CocoCay is a complete island. It’s more of a big playground surrounded by beaches on nearly all sides (some spots are rocky at the shore). In between some of the spots are still large wooded areas, that can make things feel a bit more secluded and and sets off certain areas from others.
Celebration Key on the other hand isn’t an island, but a carve out of a small portion of the much larger Grand Bahama Island. Here, the entire park is laid out before you, and it’s essentially a large oval, with two sides that mirror each other. Unlike CocoCay, there isn’t much that sets off one area or another — it’s all joined together. And because it’s a carve out of a larger island, there’s only beach on one side instead of all the way around.
An Entire Waterpark on CocoCay
There’s a lot that’s different between Celebration Key and CocoCay, but right now we’d argue there’s no bigger difference than CocoCay’s Thrill Waterpark. This is the signature of the island, with a tower that marks the highest point for miles around. It’s the first thing you’ll see when you approach CocoCay. The waterpark includes multiple slides (including the tallest waterslide in North America), a wave pool, and an obstacle pool. If you have kids, then this place is a must-visit, although it can charge a high admission fee.
In contrast, Celebration Key doesn’t have a waterpark. It does have two slides in the “Suncastle” at the center of the resort, but it is a stretch to call this a waterpark. Now, there is already construction going on for a second phase of Celebration Key, and it is possible that a waterpark could be announced as one of the features announced.
For now, however, CocoCay has the waterpark while Celebration Key doesn’t… yet.
The Difference Between Pools
Visit any private destination and you’re likely imagining lounging by the pool. Both Celebration Key and CocoCay have a lot to like in this area, but there is a major difference. CocoCay offers a pool. Celebration Key revolves around the pool.
The pool on CocoCay — dubbed Oasis Lagoon — is pretty big. It offers a ton of seating and measures nearly three-quarters of an acre in size. There’s a swim-up bar, several different coves, and it’s one of the most popular places on the entire island.
Celebration Key uses the pool (or lagoons as it calls them) as the basis around which everything else revolves. Its two lagoons combined measure nearly one mile around the perimeter and cover more than six acres in surface area. Each one can hold about 4,500 people at full occupancy.
Both pools are nice, but Celebration Key offers one that’s simply much, much larger.
Beaches Are Both Nice, But Know This
If Celebration Key revolves around the pool, you could say that CocoCay revolves much more around the beach.
To be sure, if you’re wanting some time on a beautiful beach either spot will make you happy. Both feature white sand and beautiful water. We will say that the beach on Celebration Key can be rockier in some spots, but nothing too bad. As well, given the exposure to the open ocean, there may be days where the waves are a bit rougher.
CocoCay features more protected coves with many of its beaches, so even if the water is rough on some sides of the island, you should be able to find a calmer beach somewhere else.
But the big difference is with Celebration Key being a carve out, there’s one long beach across the entire front of the destination. It’s large (roughly a half-mile), but past the beach, it’s all about the pool.
CocoCay being an island, it offers more beach and instead of just one straight stretch, there are a number of different beaches dotted around the island. This includes Harbor Beach, inside an alcove that’s always protected from ocean waves, no matter the weather.
The Major Difference in Food & Dining
Food is a major part of any cruise and that extends to the private destinations. However, there is a major difference between the two spots.
CocoCay’s food situation is straightforward. Around midday there is a large buffet that’s served to anyone that wants to eat, with items like burgers, dogs, tacos, salads, and more. This is all included. There are also Snack Shacks that are like mini fast-food restaurants dotted around the island that are also included. There are a few meal options that are paid or are included with admission in places like the Coco Beach Club (more on this in a moment).
Celebration Key offers similar fare, but there are some differences. First, there’s no central buffet, but instead a food hall with different spots serving different items. There are also “food trucks” where you can order a meal. The big difference is that the island uses the Island Eats program. Here, every passenger gets one meal included as long as it falls under the Island Eats group of offerings (most things do). But once you’ve had your meal, anything else is an extra charge. There are also a few spots not included, and they are an extra charge (though you can get a 40% discount with Island Eats).
Honestly, the CocoCay system is much nicer as you simply eat what you want when you’re hungry instead of worrying if there’s a charge.
Activities Across Both Destinations
Are you the sort of person that likes having lots to do during your day? If so, then there is a clear difference between the two private destinations.
CocoCay is really more than just a private island. It’s essentially a cruise amusement park. There’s not only the pool and beach, but there’s also the waterpark mentioned earlier. There’s ziplining. There’s a splash pad, beach games, jet ski rentals, snorkeling, a balloon ride, and more. If you want to just sit on the beach all day, you can, but there’s a lot of activities available.
Celebration Key, in contrast, doesn’t have quite as many things to do. There’s no waterpark or zipline. There are some sports areas and a splashpad, but things like the balloon ride aren’t available.
Don’t get us wrong. You aren’t going to be bored, but if you want things to do then CocoCay is the winner at this point.
What to Know About Size & Number of Visitors
Let’s talk a little about size and the feel of each island when it comes to crowds. Right now, both the private spots are about the same size. CocoCay comes in at about 60 acres of visitor space while Celebration Key has about 45 acres. That will change some in the future as Carnival is already working on a large expansion, which will increase the space.
But while they are similar in size right now, you also have to consider the number of passengers visiting. Both spots are most likely to have two ships in port on the day you visit. Carnival is actually building an additional pier to be able to accommodate four ships at once in the future.
In general, Royal Caribbean carries more passengers on their average ship as they have a monopoly right now on the largest cruise ships on the planet.
We wouldn’t say that necessarily means CocoCay feels crowded per se, but you’ll definitely notice a lot of people in port. With Carnival, there’s a higher likelihood (at least right now) that the two ships in port will be smaller, making things feel less busy.
The Difference in Adults-Only Areas
Finally, say you want to get away from the crowds and the kids. Your options will vary at each destination.
Celebration Key offers the Pearl Cove Beach Club. This adults-only spot has a heated infinity pool and private beach set off from the rest of the area. The vibe here is luxury, with a calm, quiet atmosphere as opposed to the more upbeat areas around Celebration Key.
CocoCay gives you a couple of options. First, there is the Coco Beach Club. This is similar to the Pearl Cove Beach club in that it is more luxury focused and a chilled out vibe. There’s a private beach, private pool, and it even comes with a high-end meal with options like lobster or filet mignon.
Hideaway Beach is on the opposite side of CocoCay and it’s adults-only. The big difference compared to the beach club is that this spot is designed to be an adults-only party atmosphere. There is music blasting, drinks flowing, a massive pool and its own protected beach.
More on Celebration Key & CocoCay:
- CocoCay: 21+ Tips & Things to Know for Royal Caribbean’s Island (Prices, What to Do, And More)
- The First-Timer’s Guide to Celebration Key
