A new option has appeared on an upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise to offer a non all-inclusive admission to its new beach club.
The Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is open only to Royal Caribbean Group passengers, and up until now it's been an all-inclusive product.
But on one upcoming cruise, there's a new option that does not include drinks or food at all.
So far it's only been spotted on one sailing, so it might be a test to gauge interest and demand. Here's what we know so far.
A cheaper day pass option
Royal Beach Club has offered two admission types: all inclusive alcohol, and all inclusive non-alcohol.
The Royal Beach Club Day Pass is a third option priced at $49.99.
The pass includes:
- Complimentary transportation
- Free Wi-Fi
- Umbrellas
- Loungers
- Towels
- Self-service water and juice
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, plus a variety of beach side bites will be available for purchase a la carte. Items will be available for purchase a la carte. Payments must be made using a credit card.
Drink prices are listed at $16 to $17 per cocktail, and $8-9 for beers.
According to Royal Caribbean, a la carte prices for dining options will range from $5.00 to $15.00 for a variety of entrees and sides. Kid menu options will also be available.
Of course, this day pass also gets you into the beach club and access to the beaches and pools. Royal Beach Club offers a full day of fun in both heated pools and access to exclusive beach access.
The advantage of this day pass is it's perfect for those that don't think they'd come close to getting value from paying for an all-inclusive pass. Those sorts of admission assume you'll eat and drink enough all day to get your money's worth from it.
Instead, this day pass means a lower entry for admission, which is good for those that want a great beach day without eating or drinking a lot. Perhaps they plan to spend less time at the club, or are content with one or two food or drinks.
Is this a test or will this be a new option?
So far, we've only spotted this new third admission type on the Wonder of the Seas March 9th sailing.
Royal Caribbean has not announced or confirmed any details related to this pass, so we're working off this one entry in the Cruise Planner.
To provide context, here are the pricing for each admission type for this Wonder of the Seas sailing:
- Open Bar Day Pass: $95.99 per person
- Non-alcoholic Day Pass: $67.99 per person
- Day Pass: $49.99 per person
In the past, Royal Caribbean has experimented with offering a new option by first trialing it out on select sailings. Based on cruiser feedback and sale demand, these tests have either succeeded and the option became a widespread offering or was removed completely.
If you don't see it available on your visit to Nassau, there's nothing you can do to "get it". If/when Royal Caribbean decides to expand the option, it will appear for sale.
Royal Beach Club is a new way to enjoy a shore excursion
The Royal Beach Club opened in late December, and Royal Caribbean has touted it as being "breathtakingly beautiful" and catering to what vacationers look for in a beach day.
Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer, said it's the ultimate beach day and guest feedback has been incredibly high.
It's essentially a shore excursion designed, built. and operated by Royal Caribbean. This means they extend the same level of high satisfaction score guest experience to the island as guests are used to on their ships.
There are three different neighborhoods on the island, each with its own flavor: Family Beach, Party Cove, and Chill Beach.
Family Beach has a zero-entry pool for all ages, Party Cove is the perfect place to pump up the vibes with DJ-spun beats, and Chill Beach offers tranquil serenity.
