Underscoring its commitment to the local community, one of the first things Royal Caribbean is doing to improve the local area around Costa Maya is to fix the long-neglected roads.
The cruise line acquired the Port of Costa Maya, along with a lot of surrounding land in order to build Perfect Day Mexico. But before it can do that, it wants to improve the infrastructure of the surrounding area.
The first step is Royal Caribbean has announced a significant investment to improve road infrastructure in Nuevo Mahahual, Mexico.
Unveiled yesterday, community roads will be rehabilitated. The plans were shared at a collaborative meeting between company representatives, local authorities, and residents.
Why Royal Caribbean is fixing the roads
While building Perfect Day Mexico is Royal Caribbean's ultimate aim, it wants to work as a partner with the local community. Improving roads is a win-win for both company and community.
As Costa Maya is transformed over the next couple of years, Royal Caribbean is making broader investments in the area. The new infrastructure project not only reinforces the cruise line’s presence in the region but also highlights a deeper philosophy: being an active, engaged neighbor beyond just tourism.
Better roads is more than engineering, it's something the cruise line hopes will demonstrate to community stakeholders its commitment beyond words.
At the heart of the project’s announcement was a community meeting that emphasized transparency, mutual respect, and shared priorities. Residents and local leaders were invited to help define needs and next steps, setting a tone of genuine partnership rather than unilateral decision-making.
In addition to logistical improvements, Royal Caribbean is actively working to protect the local environment.
Plans have already been revealed to conserve about 111 acres of mangroves, restoring degraded coastal areas, and powering operations with 100% renewable energy by 2040.
For years, the municipality had dumped 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.
A month-long project
The project will focus on the repair and improvement of "key roads" within Nuevo Mahahual, which is the village near the Costa Maya port.
While the press release did not specify every street or exact stretch of roadway to be improved, it outlined several key operational points:
- Start and duration: Work is set to begin in the coming days and is expected to wrap up in approximately one month.
- Qualified execution: Only qualified companies holding all required permits will undertake the rehabilitation work, reflecting an emphasis on safety, compliance, and professional standards.
- Coordination: Construction will be carried out in close coordination with community leaders to ensure minimal disruption and clear communication throughout.
The hope is when it's complete, the upgraded roads will make a meaningful impact on local day-to-day life in a relatively short timeframe.
Better roads lead to Perfect Day Mexico
The short term benefit of these improved roads will be making it easier for the people that live and work around Mahahual to get around. But these roads will be critical for Perfect Day Mexico.
This will be Royal Caribbean's second Perfect Day destination, building on the success of the first one at CocoCay in The Bahamas. Announced as part of a multi-hundred million-dollar investment, Perfect Day Mexico is designed to include water parks, beaches, culinary venues, leisure spaces, and immersive guest experiences for cruise passengers.
In fact, the footprint is as large as the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.
They'll need the roads as much as the locals in order to get equipment and supplies in, as well as be able to get shore excursions out to various destinations.
