Two vacationers drown at Carnival’s new Bahamas private island

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Dramatic footage shows the US Coast Guard rescuing a family of three off the coast of the Bahamas

A family of three was rescued by members of the Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater aircrew after their sailing vessel became partially submerged off the coast of the Bahamas on June 30, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard) 

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Less than a month after welcoming its first cruise passengers, two Americans have died in drowning incidents on Carnival’s new, private island in the Bahamas.

A 79-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman reportedly died in separate incidents on Friday at a “private tourist destination,” the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a Facebook post. 

First responders were told the man had become “unresponsive while snorkeling at a beach.” He was pulled from the water by a lifeguard and given CPR, but did not survive. 

The woman “became unresponsive while swimming in a pool,” police said. She was assisted out of the water by a lifeguard and given CPR, but did not make it.

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The Paradise Plaza at Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration Key.  (Carnival Cruise Line)

Autopsies are being performed as part of the investigations into what happened.

A Carnival spokesperson confirmed the deaths to Fox News Digital, saying they happened on its new Celebration Key. The cruise line’s “lifeguards and medical team responded to two separate water emergency incidents—one in the lagoon and one at the beach.”

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An aerial view of the lagoons at Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration Key, which officially opened July 19, 2025. (Carnival Cruise Line)

“One guest was sailing with family on Mardi Gras and one guest was sailing with family on Carnival Elation,” the Carnival spokesperson said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the guests and their families and our Care Team is providing assistance.” 

Celebration Key welcomed its first cruise guests on July 19. The $600-million destination features a 10-story sandcastle, “two thrilling racing watersides,” a shopping village, a basketball court and an “adults-only retreat,” Carnival said in an opening-day press release.

Guests enjoy drinks at Carnival Cruise Line’s Calypso Lagoon at Celebration Key.  (Carnival Cruise Line)

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“Celebration Key will initially bring more than two million guests a year to Grand Bahama,” it said. “By 2028, this number is expected to grow to four million. The economic impact for Grand Bahama is substantial, with hundreds of long-term jobs created by daily operations. The destination features an adjacent cruise pier capable of accommodating two of Carnival’s largest ships simultaneously. Already, construction on an extension to the pier is underway to accommodate two additional ships.”