Calling all Royal Caribbean fans: There’s a new beach club experience in the works.The world’s largest cruise line has announced the expansion of its destination lineup with the forthcoming Royal Beach Club Cozumel in Mexico, which is slated to open 2026.“We are delighted to build on our longstanding partnership with the local community and government to continue bringing our guests to Mexico,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “The expansion of our destination offerings aligns with the growing global demand for the ultimate vacation experiences and enables our guests to connect with the beauty of local cultures and people in the places they visit.”The beach club will be located along the western coast of the island, according to a Royal Caribbean press release. The news follows Royal Caribbean’s previous big reveal that Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in The Bahamas will open in 2025.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Photoshoot Sparks Passenger Chaos
06.03.2024 - 20:25 / forbes.com / Silver Nova
Passengers aboard the Silversea Silver Nova have been informed, more than a week in advance, that their disembarkation time in Fort Lauderdale would be delayed by four hours. The reason offered for this change was a photo opportunity with the Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas and the Celebrity Ascent two days before disembarkation.
All ships are from the three brands that are part of the Royal Caribbean Group, and a course change was necessary for the Silver Nova to meet the other ships.
The announcement of the change called it a “slight” delay and promised compensation for passengers who incurred additional expenses. Affected guests could submit receipts by email and, if approved, be refunded within 30 days.
Disembarkation times are usually quite precise due to the logistics of preparing the ship for new guests and getting those guests settled prior to sailing. Depending on the port location and its distance from the airport, guests usually feel safe booking flights four to five hours after their planned arrival. This allows for disembarkation, luggage retrieval, customs and immigration if needed, transit to the airport, and passing through airline check-in and security.
The Royal Caribbean Blog suggests that in the U.S., booking flights at 11AM is possible but suggests noon or later is “absolutely achievable.”
Standard advice is to arrive two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international. Hence, with an 11:00AM arrival time at the port, it seems likely that the majority of passengers flying out of Fort Lauderdale or Miami airports will find it necessary to reschedule their flights. Only those who booked flights late in the afternoon would be safe. Silversea suggests an earliest flight time of five PM.
Those rebooking flights may find that a non-stop flight with a carefully selected aisle seat is no longer an option.
Even those not heading for an airport after arrival might need to adjust times for pickup at the port, pet care arrangements, etc.
With the tight timing to prepare the ship for new guests, it’s likely that embarkation time for outbound cruisers will also be delayed for several hours.
Cruise ship passengers, particularly experienced ones, generally take itinerary changes in stride. Weather is the most common cause for missed or changed ports. There are also less common occurrences like medical emergencies, mechanical issues, and responding to distress calls. Recently, cruise itineraries in the Middle East have been rerouted to avoid areas considered dangerous.
Despite the inevitability of itinerary changes, it’s likely that no passenger on the Silver Nova has ever had their plans disrupted by a corporate photo shoot. While meeting two other cruise ships while drones
Cruise lines' private islands are having a renaissance. These are the 3 reasons they need it now more than ever before.
About 140 miles east of Miami, Royal Caribbean's private Bahamas island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, receives thousands of eager families virtually every day of the year.
Where will Royal Caribbean build its next beach club for cruisers? We just found out
One of the cruise industry's most well-known brands is adding a private beach club to the growing list of cruise line-operated destinations set to open in the next two years.
Why Royal Caribbean isn't going all in on massive cruise ships despite the wild success of its new Icon of the Seas
Earlier this year, guests at Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay private island were the first to revel at the historic sight of the world's largest cruise ships, Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas, docked side-by-side.
Norwegian Cruise Line food: The ultimate cruise guide to restaurants and dining on board
Norwegian Cruise Line has always been a bit of a rebel when it comes to food.
I went on Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship and saw why bookings are surging to record highs
Royal Caribbean has a secret to its smashing success.
Royal Caribbean Cancels Cruise Calls to Private Destination in Labadee, Haiti
Civil unrest in Haiti has forced the Royal Caribbean Group to cancel all plans to visit its private destination in Labadee.
How can cruise lines deal with popular destinations getting sick of tourists? Develop private islands and exclusive stops, of course.
Cruises are more popular than ever, but they're also more controversial than ever, with destinations around the globe limiting or outright banning them from ports in an effort to combat over-tourism.
Step aboard Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, a cruise ship so big it has 8 'neighborhoods' spread across 18 decks
In April 2022, I took my first cruise on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas and it was bigger than I could even imagine. I felt as if I were in a small town in the middle of the ocean. At the time of my sailing, Wonder of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world. Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas took over the title in January 2024.
Disney Cruise Line vs. Royal Caribbean: Which family-friendly cruise line is for you?
If you're planning a cruise vacation with kids, you're likely focused on two brands: Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean.
How Royal Caribbean, Silversea Can Recover From Photoshoot Debacle
It probably seemed like a great idea at the time: use a rare confluence of itineraries to bring three cruise ships together in the middle of the ocean, launch a drone or two, and get unique photos to highlight Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s biggest brands: Celebrity, Silversea and Royal Caribbean.
Analysts see confidence in Carnival and Royal Caribbean ship orders
Travel advisors and analysts view new megaship orders from the world's two largest cruise lines as a sign of confidence in cruising and a signal that normal shipbuilding rates could soon return.