Royal Caribbean is planning to open a beach club on the Greek island of Santorini next summer, which will be accessible to both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises guests.
It hasn’t said where on the often-overcrowded island the Royal Beach Club will be located, but it is understood to be renovating and upgrading an existing beach club in the south.
In a press release, Royal Caribbean said: “The beach club will be part of an Ultimate Santorini Day that will include a day of exploring the gems of the island, from the white-washed buildings and blue-domed churches in Oia, to a stroll through the shops, cafes and art galleries in Fira.
“Vacationers will have the opportunity to check off these bucket list items while also enjoying the Mediterranean vibes of the beach club.”
Royal Caribbean said expanding its Royal Beach Club Collection to Santorini was ‘a bold step forward in growing our vacation portfolio from two to eight by 2028’.
The first beach club will open in the Bahamas in December.
“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,” said President and CEO Michael Bayley.
The cruise operator said the beach club was ‘a new innovative way’ to alleviate congestion throughout the island, which recently introduced a cruise tax to try to limit the number of visitors.
Cruise passengers are charged a fee of up to €20 (£17) per person to visit Santorini during high season. In low season, it drops to €12 (£10).
“Vacationers can start their journey in one of three locations [the village of Oia, the capital Fira, or the beach club], minimizing crowding while maximizing time spent enjoying sights and sounds,” said Royal Caribbean. It is also opening a Royal Beach Club in Cozumel in Mexico in 2026 and in Lelepa in the South Pacific in 2028, as well as a hotel in Chile in 2026 and a Perfect Day resort in Costa Maya Mexico in 2027.
