2 KILLED IN SEPARATE DROWNINGS AT BAHAMAS CARNIVAL CRUISE PORT. (PHOTO).

 2 killed in separate drownings at Bahamas Carnival Cruise port

Two American cruise passengers in their 70s drowned in separate incidents at Carnival Cruise Lines’ private destination, Celebration Key, in the eastern Bahamas. One person died in a lagoon while the other drowned at the beach on Friday, the cruise line said. Celebration Key, a 65-acre site on the south side of Grand Bahama, opened in July and initially cost $600 million to build. Unlike Carnival’s other private islands, Grand Bahama is not fully private, with a population of about 47,000.

The island, which can accommodate two Carnival ships at a time, features a water park, restaurants, a swim-up bar, the world’s tallest sandcastle and swing, and 1.5 miles of beach. Carnival said one victim had been aboard the Mardi Gras and the other on Carnival Elation. Both ships had departed from Florida last week. The Royal Bahamas Police Force reported that a 79-year-old man became unresponsive while snorkeling at a beach and could not be revived despite lifeguard assistance and CPR. A 74-year-old woman was later found unresponsive in a pool, and efforts to save her also failed. Carnival expects more than 2 million guests annually at the destination and is building an extension to accommodate two additional ships. The Mardi Gras carries up to 6,000 passengers, while the Elation can host 2,900, and Carnival operates 29 ships globally