The brand new Royal Beach Club Santorini has opened to welcome its first cruise ship passengers.
The "Ultimate Santorini Day" is a new kind of excursion offered on the Greek island exclusively to Royal Caribbean passengers.
The first guests were welcome to a new private-style destination in Greece that blends a traditional port day with a curated, all-inclusive beach experience.
Unlike a traditional cruise line private island, this is a curated shore excursion that goes beyond what a third party can offer. Royal Caribbean built out an island visit that offers the very best experience based on what its customers have always wanted.
Think of it like a premium shore excursion built right into one of the most visited cruise ports in the world.
A different kind of excursion
The first guests arrived today to try it out, and we have our first look at what this is all about.
Royal Caribbean opted to takeover an existing beachfront location on the southern coast of the island and transform it into a branded experience that matches up to what its guests yearn for in a beach day.
In fact, they picked Santorini because the island had high appeal with guests, but low satisfaction scores. This has been a core part of Royal Caribbean's formula of picking ports that don't perform as well as they'd like and add a beach club to enhance it.
It started with Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau, and will expand to Cozumel as well later this year.
A day pass includes:
- Transportation from the ship
- Access to black sand beach
- All-you-can-eat Greek cuisine
- Unlimited Greek frozen yogurt
- Gyros, Greek salads, food trucks
- Complimentary welcome drink
- House wine, draft beer, and more
- Visits and transportation to Oia and Fira
Odyssey of the Seas was the first ship to visit the island with paying guests, and Royal Caribbean Blog reader Nick J. shared photos of his experience.
Royal Beach Club Santorini is part of a packaged excursion called the "Ultimate Santorini Day," which combines sightseeing with a beach break.
Santorini has struggled with cruise overcrowding for years, and Royal Caribbean is trying to smooth out that experience by spreading guests across multiple locations throughout the day.
What the beach club itself offers
At its core, Royal Beach Club Santorini is a beach-first experience. The setting is a stretch of Santorini’s signature volcanic black sand coastline, with wide-open views of the Aegean Sea.
When you get to the beach, you can expect:
- Reserved loungers and umbrellas
- Towels and beach facilities
- A Mediterranean buffet and quick bites
- Draft beer, wine, soda, and water
- Wi-Fi access throughout the property
There's also a clear emphasis on local flavor. Instead of generic cruise fare, the food leans into Greek and Mediterranean dishes.
Who can access it
The beach club is open to:
- Guests sailing with Royal Caribbean
- Guests on Celebrity Cruises
- Guests on Silversea
- Local residents, depending on availability
There are no age restrictions, so it’s designed to work for families as well as adults.
The bigger strategy behind beach clubs
This opening is part of a much larger rollout.
Royal Caribbean Group plans to expand its land-based portfolio significantly over the next few years, including:
- Royal Beach Club Paradise Island
- Royal Beach Club Cozumel
- Perfect Day Mexico
- Royal Beach Club Lelepa
The goal is clear: give guests more controlled, predictable experiences that garner high satisfaction scores.
As Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty said, expanding these destinations gives guests "more ways to have unforgettable experiences."
