Royal Caribbean ships can be seen almost daily in Nassau, but the company has a new land-based service aimed at increasing the port’s appeal and attracting new guests.
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island will open to cruise passengers in late December, offering all-inclusive shore excursions on 17 acres of pristine waterfront property. Dynamically priced day passes give visitors access to two beaches and three pools, unlimited food, Wi-Fi, towels, and round-trip transportation. More expensive passes include alcohol.
With three “neighborhoods” – Family Beach, Chill Beach and Party Cove, this beach club aims to have something for everyone.
“At every port of call, people ask, ‘What’s going to be good there that kids and parents will enjoy, that’s safe and fun?'” said Matt Hochberg, owner and editor of the Royal Caribbean Blog. “This is basically an easy button for Nassau, and I like that.”
Improving guest satisfaction
Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean’s chief product innovation officer, said the new product will help solve problems cruise passengers have when visiting Nassau.
“One of the reasons we built the beach club is because Nassau is a tired destination,” he said, noting that the “attractiveness” index the company measures had previously been low. Already, some of those numbers are turning around. “Ships are spending more time out of service. Port satisfaction is increasing.”
The club operates at a daily capacity of less than 3,800 to 4,000 people, but there is anecdotal evidence from cruise passengers on Facebook and Cruise Critic that the club has recently filled to capacity on some cruises.
“We achieved what we wanted on every level, and I would say it was a huge success for our guests,” Schneider said.
Experiences from visiting
After disembarking the ship, guests take a five-minute ferry ride to the club. The club is located northwest of the cruise port and can be seen from the top decks of tall ships in the harbour. There are two drop-off piers on different sides of the club
The club is divided into three distinct areas: Chill Beach, Family Beach and Party Cove. Each zone has its own swim-up bar and eateries, but the overall atmosphere is different.
Enjoy a laid-back sandy experience at Chill Beach, which features a deep end pool and Paradise Grill.
Party Cove is centrally located between two beaches. There’s no beach in what Royal Caribbean calls the world’s largest swim-up bar, but there is a DJ and an infinity pool. It is primarily intended for adult visitors, but is not limited to visitors 18 years of age or older.
The Family Beach is located at the westernmost end of the club and features a free-admission pool, children’s activities, and a splash area. There’s also the Ultimate Family Cabana, a two-story rental facility with a slide, Jacuzzi, premium dining, and a personal server.
Marilyn Vose, editor of Cruise Critic magazine, said the overall atmosphere at the club was “energizing yet relaxed.”
“The highlight for me was being able to easily switch between environments depending on my mood. Swimming in the heated pool, dancing to live music, and drinking margaritas with friends at Party Cove was such a treat,” she said in an email. “When we wanted to relax a little more, we could walk a few minutes to Chill Beach to enjoy the warm sand and play cornhole and other grassy activities.”
Is it worth the cost?
While this question is inherently subjective based on each traveler’s needs and budget, Hochberg has found that the Royal Beach Club offers one of the best value propositions for shore excursions in Nassau.
Because dynamic pricing is used, it is difficult to determine how much individual guests will pay. Hochberg said you may get the best deal by planning ahead and checking prices within the first few months of your cruise.
“There’s also a very aggressive sale going on where prices are well under $150 per person, which I think is a steal for what you’re getting,” he said. “No other beach club or day pass in Nassau offers anything like this at a price like this.”
Hochberg said he booked the cruise in April and paid $120 per person in advance for the pass, which included alcohol, after learning that prices including alcohol had dropped to $90 per person during the off-season.
Partnering with Bahamians
One of Royal Beach Club’s goals is to enhance the overall experience of visiting Nassau, which is achieved in part by donating 1% of gross proceeds to the Bahamas Tourism Fund.
The club employs over 500 Bahamians and operates in partnership with the local community.
“We’ve worked really hard to make this 100% Bahamian,” Schneider said. “All operating partners are Bahamian companies. All employees participating in that joint venture are Bahamian.”
Additionally, Bahamians will be able to invest in the club through a public-private partnership in which the Royals will own 51% of the club and Bahamian nationals will own the remainder.
advertising value
Guests from other cruise lines will notice the 43-foot-tall crown and anchor logo facing the Nassau Cruise Port’s revolving pond. Considering the 6.1 million cruise passengers who visit Nassau annually, this has great advertising value.
“When you arrive in Nassau, you’ll see this huge logo and this bright, beautiful beach club,” Hochberg said. “That in itself is a great reason to book or at least give Royal Caribbean a try next time. I think that’s definitely part of the strategy.”
One of the advertising hurdles for beach experiences is getting guests to understand their value as a shore excursion, rather than comparing it to a perfect day at CocoCay included in the cruise fare.
“It’s a really good price compared to other things you can do in Nassau,” Schneider said. “But you have to compare it to a shore excursion.”
beach club of the future
Royal Caribbean continues to welcome passengers at its new Nassau beach club and has three others in the works.
The “first phase” of Royal Beach Club Santorini (Greece) is scheduled to open this summer, followed by Royal Beach Club Cozumel, scheduled to open in late 2026.
As a repeat port, Cozumel will benefit from new offerings for Royal Guests on itineraries departing from Galveston, Texas, or sailing through the Western Caribbean from Florida.
Apart from its beach club portfolio, Royal Caribbean plans to open Perfect Day Mexico in late 2027, with a facility twice the size of CocoCay. This destination is home to Loco Waterpark, the world’s longest lazy river, and seven distinctive neighborhoods.
Next year, Royal Caribbean will also open a beach club on Lelepa Island in the South Pacific, offering a more nature-based service for Australian cruisers.
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