TORONTO — Disney Cruise Line has received tentative approval from the Bahamas government to add a second private island-type destination in the Bahamas.

Castaway Cay, DCL’s first private island in the Bahamas, opened in 1998.

Now 20 years later, and with three new ships coming in 2021, 2022 and 2023 – almost doubling its fleet from four to seven vessels – Disney Cruise Line needs Castaway Cay 2.0 for all those extra passengers.

The proposed cruise port is at the southern end of the Bahamian island of Eleuthera, on a piece of land known as Lighthouse Point. Eleuthera is home to some 11,000 residents.

According to reports, the port will comprise a pier and marina with dining and retail venues, with 746 acres in all. The investment is said to be worth US$400 million.

The project had received push-back from environmentalists who advocated turning the land into a national park.

Robert Schermer, CEO of Meritage Hospitality Group, which currently owns the property, said: “Few organizations in the world possess the financial resources, development expertise, global track record of preserving the natural environmental and the ability to showcase cultural heritage like Disney. We are proud of the association and confident that Disney will be a world-class steward of Lighthouse Point, creating a transformational economic opportunity for many deserving people of South Eleuthera.”