Ever since Royal Caribbean announced plans to open Perfect Day Mexico, cruisers want to know when it will open.
Royal Caribbean generated more buzz than ever in its history with the announcement of a massive new private beach destination in eastern Mexico.
Not only is it a follow-up to the wildly successful Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas, but this one is poised to deliver a bold new take that expands could redefine what a cruise line private island experience is all about.
What's unclear is when exactly the first cruise ships will be able to go to Perfect Day Mexico and the official opening date.
The timeline has changed a bit since the official announcement was made, and there is more ambiguity as to when the first passengers will be able to visit.
Here's what we know so far about an opening date for Perfect Day Mexico.
Opening late 2027
Originally Royal Caribbean announced Perfect Day Mexico would open in September 2027, but that date seems to have been walked back.
At a special event in May held in New York, plans for Perfect Day Mexico were revealed and September was given as the estimated date.
However, Royal Caribbean is now saying there isn't yet a specific month or date picked out yet.
In November 2025, Royal Caribbean spokesperson said that an opening date will be revealed sometime in 2026.
"Perfect Day Mexico is set to debut in late 2027. Royal Caribbean will announce the exact opening date in 2026."
The rumor mill has swirled as to what "late 2027" refers to, but as of now it's anyone's guess.
While 2027 and 2028 cruises are available to book that stop at Costa Maya, there's no official guidance as to which sailings will be officially a Perfect Day stop.
The last thing they want to do is sell a cruise advertised as visiting Perfect Day Mexico only to have to cancel that visit later.
Once the opening date is announced, itineraries will be revised to change from "Costa Maya" to "Perfect Day Mexico".
Based on previous comments from executives, I think it's safe to say it wont be any earlier than September.
Opening at once instead of phases
When Perfect Day Mexico does open, the plan is open it all at once instead of a phased approach.
Speaking to members of the media, Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider said they don't want to open parts, as was the case at CocoCay.
"The plan is still to open it all at once instead of phases," he explained. "We're going to open it all at once. I think at one point we were going to open [CocoCay] all at once, and then it became a phased approach. So yes, our ambition is all at once."
This means all the neighborhoods of Perfect Day Mexico are planned to be ready on the first official day of operation.
What's known about the construction progress
Royal Caribbean is in the process of lining up all the necessary permits, paperwork, and approvals before construction can begin.
Since the cruise line officially took ownership of the port of Costa May and land parcels nearby, it's begun some prep work.
In October 2025, plans were announced to cleanup areas of already contaminated Mahahual mangroves.
At a press conference, Mr. Schneider explained that for years, the coastal wetlands have been used to discharge wastewater from the municipal treatment plant.
According to him, the municipality currently dumps sewage into the coastal area of Mahahual, contaminating both the mangroves and the beach adjacent to the cruise ship pier.
Royal Caribbean plans to build their own reverse osmosis system to provide drinking water as well as a treatment plant to clean up the area, which will later be transferred to the municipal government to serve the entire community.
At some point, demolition and land clearing will begin in and around Costa Maya.
What features Perfect Day Mexico will include
Royal Caribbean is planning to offer the ultimate combo of "thrill and chill" with Perfect Day Mexico.
One of the most anticipated new features is going to be the longest lazy river in the world. There's a lazy component, along with a "crazy river" that will offer ways to get more wet and have a laugh too.
Plus, there's an entire water park with more than 30 waterslides across five towers. The Jaguar's Peak slide will be more than 170 feet tall, which makes it the tallest slide tower in either North or South America.
Chill Beach will have nearly 2 miles of white sand beaches.
Two extra cost admission areas will have day passes to purchase: the adults-only El Hideaway or Costa Beach Club.
El Hideaway is just for guests 18 or older, and it has a 50,000 sq. ft. party pool. There are multiple swim-up bars, DJ entertainment, and live music.
Costa Beach Club is the elevated beach spot, where crowds are limited and you'll find secluded beaches and pools with luxurious loungers and private service.
How the opening could affect cruises in 2026 and 2027
Costa Maya, as we know it, will be completely redeveloped and reshaped, but it will be a process to get to opening day.
The plan is to demolish all of the current port area, which includes shops, restaurants, and bars. Royal Caribbean will clear it all to make way for Perfect Day Mexico.
Cruise ships visiting in 2026 and most of 2027 will likely encounter some level of construction and closure in the immediate area of the port.
Excursions to the village of Mahahual and surrounding area will remain unaffected. Tour groups and those venturing on their own will be able to walk past the construction areas to access buses and taxis.
What to do if you want to be first?
If you'd like to experience Perfect Day Mexico on opening day, you'll need to wait a bit longer to know which cruise to book.
Since there's no official opening date announced yet, any sailing that is scheduled to visit Costa Maya in 2027 is debatable if it would be "the one".
If the opening of Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is any indication, a date will be announced as the opening date and then it's up to cruisers to determine which cruise ships are scheduled to visit the port on or after the opening day.
There almost certainly will be soft openings in the days leading up to the official first day, but we won't know for certain of that until much later in 2027.
