Grand Celebration Sailing Dec 23 with Enhancements; New Second Ship Name and Itinerary

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, the only Line with a two-night cruise departing year-round from the Port of Palm Beach, announced this week that Grand Celebration will set sail with several new guest-focused enhancements, including a new adult-only area, a revitalized casino, and specialty coffee and juice bar. The ship will return to its regularly scheduled two-night sailings just in time for the holidays on December 23, 2017 from its homeport in West Palm Beach, Florida. Holiday festivities will abound including an appearance by Santa and a special New Year’s Eve party will ring in 2018.

Since late September, Grand Celebration had been chartered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and was providing housing to first responders and National Guard members who were helping to rebuild the U.S. Virgin Islands following damage caused by Hurricane Irma and Maria.

The company also announced that its new 52,900 gross ton ship, set to arrive in April, will be named Grand Classica and will also sail two-night cruises to Grand Bahama Island. With this second ship, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line will become the only Line to offer daily departures to the Bahamas from the Port of Palm Beach. The company signed a three-year agreement with the Bahamas to bring both of its ships to Grand Bahama Island for two-night cruises, as well as its signature Cruise & Resort Stay packages.

“We are pleased to have been able to assist those in need in the Caribbean. Now we are ready to return to offering memorable cruises to our guests. We are excited to welcome an even better Grand Celebration back to Palm Beach, just in time for the holidays, with several new spaces for our guests to enjoy,” said Oneil Khosa, chief executive officer of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. “We are also looking forward to the arrival of our new ship, Grand Classica, in April, and have strengthened our relationship with The Bahamas by signing a three-year agreement to bring both ships to Grand Bahama Island, thus offering daily arrivals to Grand Bahama Island and giving our guests added convenience to fit their schedules.”

Grand Celebration Enhancements
The 1,900 passenger Grand Celebration will set sail on December 23 with the following upgrades:

• Expanded, Enhanced Casino – For those seeking lady luck at sea, Grand Celebration’s Par-A-Dice Casino has doubled in size, offering more slot machines, video poker and enhanced table games. Nearly 70 of the most popular slot games have been added to the casino, bringing the total number of slots to 125, in addition to several new video poker machines. The casino’s table games area, which include Roulette, Blackjack, Craps, Three Card Poker and the Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, have been divided into two comfortable areas and now also include raised maximum betting limits, the ability to make additional wages while playing blackjack, and the addition of electronic roulette machines for those who like to play without a crowd watching.
• New Adult-Only Area – The forward sun deck at the top of the ship has now become The Oasis – a complimentary adult-only area for those ages 18 and over that want to relax and unwind in serenity. The expansive area includes a bar, a large hot tub, all new sun loungers and several outdoor daybeds.
• Specialty Coffee Bar and Juice Bar – Baristas will prepare specialty coffees and offer delectable gelato and pastries at the new Grand Café on Deck 9. Menu items feature a variety of hot or iced specialty coffees, teas and other beverages, including smoothies and freshly squeezed juices. In the morning, guests can indulge in chocolate croissants, Viennese pastries, muffins and quiche. Throughout the day, the Grand Café will offer delectable sweet treats, including delicious homemade gelato, sorbet, cakes, tarts, cupcakes and chocolate truffles.

To celebrate the holidays, Grand Celebration has everything guests need to have a jolly time, with cruises departing every other day, beginning on Saturday, December 23 with sailings on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. Special festive holiday menus will be available in the complimentary and specialty restaurants, and holiday decorations will adorn public areas.

Coming in 2018: Grand Classica & Daily Departures
In August, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line announced that it had signed a 10-year agreement with the Port of Palm Beach and that it had purchased a second ship that will also be based at the Port. The company has named the new ship, Grand Classica. Grand Classica will carry up to 1,680 guests and features 685 staterooms, a multitude of restaurants and bars, a theater, two pools, four hot tubs, wellness center and spa, outdoor jogging track and more.

On November 25, 2017, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line inked a three-year agreement with the Bahamas to bring both Grand Celebration and Grand Classica to Grand Bahama Island, thereby doubling the number of arrivals beginning in April. At the signing ceremony, Bahamas Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis thanked the line for their confidence in and commitment to Grand Bahama. “Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line is showing great support in Grand Bahama and in the economy going to the extent of launching another vessel in April and this shows great confidence in our Bahamas,” he said.

“Grand Classica will be a wonderful addition and complement to Grand Celebration,” said Khosa. “Having two ships sailing to Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line will be the largest provider of tourism to the island, carrying more than 500,000 passengers annually. It will also give our guests more flexibility and choice.”

Additional details on the new ship, as well as on sale dates, will be announced in early 2018. Grand Classica is expected to begin sailings in mid-April 2018. For additional information, visit BahamasParadiseCruise.com.

Image Courtesy Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line