Published on
October 29, 2025
Royal Caribbean is set to elevate the cruise vacation experience by offering exclusive beach club experiences in two of the world’s most iconic destinations—Santorini and Cozumel—starting in 2026. These new beach clubs are designed to bring a new level of luxury to cruise travel, offering passengers a more personalized and immersive experience. With pristine beachfront locations, exceptional service, and curated excursions that blend relaxation with local culture, Royal Caribbean is enhancing its commitment to providing an unforgettable, premium experience. By expanding its exclusive offerings to these sought-after locations, the cruise line is ensuring guests can enjoy not only the best of these beautiful islands but also a level of indulgence that sets a new standard for luxury cruises. These beach clubs will give travelers a perfect blend of relaxation, exploration, and world-class amenities, ensuring that their vacation experience reaches new heights of luxury and sophistication.
Following the launch of Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, the cruise line will bring its first-ever beach club to Mexico, opening in Cozumel in 2026. In addition, a major milestone for the brand will come in the form of its first European beach club on the iconic Greek island of Santorini. Scheduled to open in the summer of 2026, Royal Beach Club Santorini will offer an elevated vacation experience for travelers exploring the Mediterranean aboard Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises ships.
The introduction of this new beach club coincides with the debut of Legend of the Seas, the third ship in Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class, which will sail in the Mediterranean that same summer. Passengers on both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises vessels, including the newest Celebrity ship, Celebrity Xcel, will have the opportunity to enjoy the exclusive Royal Beach Club experience. This new beach club promises to add an exciting layer to the vacation experience, blending the beauty of Santorini’s iconic landscapes with the personalized service for which Royal Caribbean is known.
A Curated Santorini Experience: More Than Just a Beach
Royal Beach Club Santorini isn’t just another beach club; it’s an immersive destination that will become a highlight for travelers visiting the island. The beach club will be a cornerstone of the Ultimate Santorini Day excursion, which pairs a visit to the exclusive club with a tour of the island’s most famous landmarks. Guests will enjoy the serene beauty of the Aegean Sea while lounging at the beach club, and then have the chance to explore Santorini’s stunning villages, such as the picturesque Oia, with its white-washed houses and blue-domed churches, and Fira, the island’s vibrant capital perched on the cliffs.
The Ultimate Santorini Day excursion is designed to provide a perfect balance of relaxation and exploration, making it the ideal way to experience the essence of this magical island. The new beach club will not only offer a luxurious setting but also deliver an authentic experience that complements Santorini’s unique culture and heritage.
Addressing Overcrowding with Royal Beach Club Santorini
Santorini has long been a popular port of call for cruise ships, but it has also faced significant overcrowding, particularly during the peak summer months. To help alleviate congestion and improve the experience for visitors, the Royal Beach Club in Santorini will play a key role in redistributing cruise passengers across the island. This approach will allow visitors to begin their excursions from one of three different locations, helping to reduce overcrowding at major tourist sites and giving guests more time to fully enjoy the island’s charm without feeling rushed.
The introduction of the Royal Beach Club is part of a larger initiative by Royal Caribbean to improve the overall guest experience in crowded destinations, providing more options for passengers to enjoy both relaxation and cultural exploration in a more balanced way.
A Growing Global Collection of Exclusive Destinations
Royal Beach Club Santorini is just the beginning of Royal Caribbean’s plan to offer a broader range of exclusive destination experiences across the globe. By 2028, the cruise line aims to have eight exclusive destinations, enriching its portfolio of unique and private getaways for guests. These new locations will expand upon popular existing destinations like Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas and Labadee in Haiti, each of which offers a one-of-a-kind beach experience.
Among the new and upcoming additions are:
- Royal Beach Club Paradise Island: A brand-new beach destination in Nassau, Bahamas, opening in December 2025.
- Silversea’s The Cormorant at 55 South: The southernmost hotel in the world, located in Chile, opening in January 2026 for Silversea passengers.
- Royal Beach Club Cozumel: Royal Caribbean’s inaugural beach club in Mexico, opening in 2026.
- Lelepa: A tropical beach destination for Australian cruises, located on the Vanuatu island of Lelepa, slated to open in early 2027.
- Perfect Day Mexico: A 200-acre resort in Costa Maya, Mexico, featuring a massive waterpark, expected to open in Fall 2027.
With these new developments, Royal Caribbean is committed to creating more opportunities for guests to enjoy exclusive, private beach experiences in some of the world’s most stunning locations. Each new destination will offer something unique, from the volcanic beauty of Santorini to the sunny shores of Cozumel, ensuring guests have access to unforgettable moments that perfectly blend relaxation, adventure, and culture.
Expanding Horizons and Enhancing the Cruise Experience
The addition of Royal Beach Club Santorini represents a bold move in Royal Caribbean’s ongoing effort to elevate the cruise experience. With each new destination, the company is expanding its offerings, allowing guests to enjoy not only private, luxurious beach retreats but also deeper connections with the destinations they visit. By 2028, guests will be able to experience these exclusive destinations as part of a curated cruise vacation that offers unparalleled opportunities to relax, explore, and create lasting memories.
Royal Caribbean’s expansion of its beach club portfolio marks a significant shift in how the cruise line is shaping the future of travel. As more destinations are added, the exclusive beach club concept will redefine what it means to take a luxury cruise, offering more personalized and immersive experiences that cater to travelers seeking the best of both worlds: the beauty of the destination and the exceptional service that Royal Caribbean delivers.
