Royal Caribbean to Open Royal Beach Club Santorini in 2026

Royal Caribbean Group said it plans to open Royal Beach Club Santorini in Greece in the summer of 2026, adding a dedicated beach club experience for guests sailing with Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises.

The announcement, discussed alongside the company’s third-quarter 2025 earnings results, is part of a broader push to expand Royal Caribbean Group’s lineup of exclusive, land-based destinations linked to its cruise itineraries.

Royal Beach Club Santorini: timeline and the “Ultimate Santorini Day” concept

Royal Caribbean Group has positioned Royal Beach Club Santorini as a curated day experience that blends time at the beach club with opportunities to explore the island’s most recognizable areas, including Oia and Fira. The company has described the venue as featuring authentic Mediterranean design, with plans that incorporate sustainable infrastructure and materials designed to blend with the surrounding landscape.

Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, tied the project to the company’s longer-term expansion plans. “Expanding our Royal Beach Club Collection to include Santorini one of the world’s most popular and beautiful locations is a bold step forward in growing our vacation portfolio from two to eight by 2028,” Liberty said.

Royal Caribbean Group has said it will renovate an existing beach club site for the Santorini project rather than build a completely new facility. The company has not released a full list of amenities or pricing for the Santorini location, and it said additional details for the “Ultimate Santorini Day” have not yet been fully outlined.

How the company says it will distribute crowds and guest flow on the island

Royal Caribbean Group said the beach club will be integrated into an “Ultimate Santorini Day” that is designed, in part, to spread guest activity across multiple points on the island rather than concentrating visits in a single area.

Under the company’s plan, guests would be able to begin the day from one of three starting points and rotate between the beach club and other well-known areas:

• Oia: Royal Caribbean Group said guests may start in Oia before shifting to other parts of the experience, including the beach club, as part of a rotating flow.
• Fira: The company has described Fira as a stop that could include shopping as well as cafes and galleries during the day’s itinerary.
• Royal Beach Club Santorini: Guests can also begin at the club itself and then move on to sightseeing, with Royal Caribbean Group framing the day as a combined beach-and-exploration product.

Royal Caribbean Group said the approach is intended to reduce congestion and distribute crowds, and it also said the flow plan is designed to support economic opportunities in the southern part of the island.

Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said the new club is intended to connect the onboard experience with what guests come ashore to see. “Santorini is an incredible destination that our guests love to explore, and with this new beach club, we are able to bring the best of what the island has to offer with the signature service Royal Caribbean is known for,” Bayley said.

Context: Santorini crowding and Greece’s cruise visitor tax

Royal Caribbean Group’s announcement comes as Santorini continues to face pressure from high visitor volumes, a challenge also seen in other popular European destinations. Greece has taken steps aimed at managing cruise tourism, including introducing a new tax on cruise ship visitors to Santorini and Mykonos earlier this year.

The company has framed its multi-start-point approach for the beach club day as one way to distribute visits beyond the most heavily trafficked areas.

A pipeline of private destinations across multiple regions

Royal Caribbean Group has said the Santorini project is one piece of a broader private-destination pipeline that includes beach clubs under the Royal Beach Club Collection and private destinations under its Perfect Day brand. The company has said its exclusive land-based destination portfolio is expected to grow from two properties to eight by 2028.

In addition to Royal Beach Club Santorini (opening in summer 2026), the company has outlined a roster of operating destinations and projects under development:

• The Bahamas: Perfect Day at CocoCay is operating today, and Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is set to open in December 2025.
• Mexico: The company has said Royal Beach Club Cozumel is opening in 2026, and Perfect Day Mexico is expected to open in 2027.
• Haiti: Labadee is temporarily closed, Royal Caribbean Group said.
• Antarctica region: The Cormorant at 55 South is slated to open during the 2025-26 Antarctica season.
• South Pacific: Royal Beach Club Lelepa is expected to open in 2027.

Royal Caribbean Group has also said Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, will open on December 23, 2025, earlier than initially planned, and the company has promoted the venue as offering premium amenities including the world’s largest swim-up bar and dedicated family and adult relaxation zones.

Third-quarter results: higher earnings, yield gains, and raised guidance

Royal Caribbean Group reported adjusted earnings per share of $5.75 for the third quarter of 2025, an 11% increase year over year and above its initial guidance. Total revenues were $5.1 billion, with the company citing strong performance tied to onboard spending and ticket pricing.

Net yields grew by 2.4% in constant currency, while capacity increased by 3% during the quarter. Liberty said the results reflected sustained demand, including close-in family bookings and guests seeking premium vacation experiences.

Looking ahead, Royal Caribbean Group raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $15.58 to $15.63, which it said would represent a 32% year-over-year increase. For 2026, the company projected that bookings will remain at record levels across both new and existing ships.

Technology, loyalty changes, and the role of exclusive destinations in demand

Royal Caribbean Group has linked its destination buildout with investments in ships and technology. Liberty described the company’s focus during the earnings call: “We are focused on building a vacation platform that continues to lead the leisure market through innovative ships, a growing portfolio of exclusive destinations, technology and AI that enhance every step of the guest journey,” he said.

The company said nearly 90% of pre-cruise purchases were made through digital channels during the third quarter, citing the role of its app in driving engagement. It also said onboard spending reached record levels.

Royal Caribbean Group has also outlined changes to its loyalty program, including a Points Choice initiative that it said will begin in 2026 and allow guests to apply loyalty points across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.

Deployment and capacity: Caribbean emphasis and ship plans

The Caribbean accounted for 57% of Royal Caribbean Group’s 2025 deployments and is expected to rise to 63% in the fourth quarter, the company said. Royal Caribbean Group has framed its private destinations, including Perfect Day at CocoCay, as a differentiating asset designed to strengthen guest satisfaction and loyalty.

The company also pointed to upcoming ship launches such as Star of the Seas and Celebrity Xcel as it expands capacity while targeting yield improvement.

Royal Caribbean Group said Icon of the Seas is scheduled to begin its first season from Galveston, Texas, in 2027, with itineraries that include stops at private beach clubs in Cozumel and Nassau. In the nearer term, the company has said Royal Beach Club Paradise Island will open in December 2025, followed by Royal Beach Club Santorini in summer 2026, as it continues building out its destination portfolio through 2028.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When does Royal Beach Club Santorini open?

Royal Caribbean Group said Royal Beach Club Santorini is scheduled to open in the summer of 2026.

Which cruise passengers will have access to Royal Beach Club Santorini?

The company said the beach club is being developed for guests sailing with Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises.

How will Royal Caribbean try to reduce congestion during visits to Santorini?

Royal Caribbean Group said guests will be able to start their day from Oia, Fira, or Royal Beach Club Santorini, with a rotating approach intended to distribute crowds across multiple locations rather than concentrate visits in a single area.

Is Royal Beach Club Santorini a newly built facility?

No. Royal Caribbean Group said it will renovate an existing beach club site and upgrade it with designs intended to blend with the surrounding landscape and incorporate sustainable materials.

When will Royal Beach Club Paradise Island open?

Royal Caribbean Group has said Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, is set to open on December 23, 2025, earlier than initially planned.