With just a week before its official grand opening, Royal Caribbean's new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in the Bahamas is nearing completion.
Royal Caribbean invited me to experience this first-of-its-kind offering that it hopes will be a key differentiator from any competitor.
The beach club will open on December 23rd, but I got the chance to see most of the new club and what guests can expect when they arrive.
Let's take a tour of this new exclusive beach and party spot.
A new way to beach
Royal Caribbean built this beach club to offer something no one else has: combining a memorable cruise vacation with beach day add-on.
Located in Nassau, Bahamas it is strategically positioned to cater to many Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises ships that visit nearly every day.
Exemplifying how popular a port Nassau is, over 31,000 passengers visited the port on April 8, 2025.
Despite its record-breaking numbers, Nassau isn't the most popular cruise destination. Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, even noted that it falls within the bottom ten percent in overall guest demand.
Enter the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island. This new experience is designed to appeal to guests who might otherwise stay on the ship or skip itineraries with Nassau. Its goal is to deliver on the high standards the cruise line has developed at other private destinations and on board its vessels.
The 17-acre beach club gives Royal Caribbean and Celebrity passengers exclusive access to a pristine stretch of beach away from the crowds.
The area is divided into three zones — Family Beach, Chill Beach, and Party Cove — to ensure that there's something for everyone.
Chill Beach is a peaceful oceanfront area with a pool, swim-up bar, beachside bars, Paradise Grill, cabanas, and more.
According to the cruise line, must-try items at the Bahamian grill include the BBQ Black Bean Burger, Fire Engine Fritters, Pinwheel Shrimp Skewers with Guava Glaze, Bahama-Style Baked Mac & Cheese, and more.
The Party Cove is the social hub of the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island and is primarily geared toward adults.
The heart and soul of the area is the two-story Floating Flamingo Pool & Swim-Up Bar. The colorful, open-air structure serves as a visual focal point, setting the tone for lively fun.
Not only is the Floating Flamingo Swim-Up Bar the largest swim-up bar in the world, but it also features a resident DJ who keeps the energy high throughout the day, similar to the DJ at Hideaway Beach at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Another Paradise Grill location is situated within the Party Cove, ensuring guests have easy access to food, regardless of where they choose to spend their day.
Finally, Family Beach offers a casual, kid-friendly atmosphere with convenient access to food, drinks, and private spaces. It's home to the Shallow End Pool, a zero-entry pool with its own swim-up bar, as well as the third Paradise Grill location.
Unfortunately, the finishing touches are still being applied to this area, so I was unable to preview it.
However, this fun-filled area is where you'll find the two-story Ultimate Family Cabana, which goes for $10,000 per day. Despite its price, Royal Caribbean reports strong demand for the luxurious retreat.
The cabana includes a dedicated attendant and admission for up to 12 guests. Inside, families will find a private bathroom, a heated whirlpool, a spiral slide, a frozen drink machine, a television, and more. Don't worry, though — there are beachside and poolside cabanas that are more modestly priced, too.
Admission to the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is not included in your cruise fare. Similar to the Deluxe Beverage Package, the day passes are priced dynamically based on factors like the ship and sailing date.
There are two types of passes available. The all-inclusive Day Pass with Unlimited Open Bar & Dining starts at $169.99 per person.
Alternatively, the Day Pass with Non-Alcoholic Drinks & Dining is priced at $129.99 for guests ages 13 and older and $109.99 for children ages 4 to 12.
For a cruise aboard Utopia of the Seas in July 2026, the pre-cruise sale on the Cruise Planner has the Unlimited Open Bar pass listed at $139.99 per person, which highlights the value of booking in advance to secure the lowest pricing.
All inclusive, with food, drinks, and Wi-Fi
Something that makes the Royal Beach Club different is that it's all-inclusive.
Your day pass includes not just admission, but also unlimited food from the various restaurants around the club.
There's a mix of traditional favorites and Bahamian leaning cuisine too.
And of course, there's a wide selection of drinks too.
If you bought the non-alcoholic day pass, you could purchase individual alcoholic beverages.
The idea is to have the perfect beach experience, everything is already here waiting.
Bigger than I expected, and more chill too
After a few hours walking and exploring Royal Beach Club, it's clear how expansive this narrow strip of land truly is.
While it's narrow, it's also quite large. The total property is 17 acres in size, and while it may not seem that large when you see it from the ship, it feels much bigger when you arrive.
While one area wasn't open for my visit, I was still impressed how large the area feels. I'd call it deceptively large, and that means there's much more space to spread out and find your own area.
The other thing I loved immediately was how comfortable it felt, thanks to a strong breeze.
While December in The Bahamas is far from the hottest month of the year, there's a consistent breeze that helps keep things comfortable.
Depending on the time of year, there could be easterly trade winds or a fresh breeze. Since it's kind of a barrier island, it enjoys more wind than if you were inland. All of this means I think it may not feel as hot out as it is.
