After debuting the world’s largest cruise ship, it makes sense to think that Royal Caribbean should pause at a moment of celebration.
The company held an official naming ceremony for the new icon-class ship in Port Canaveral in early August, but that milestone doesn’t mean that the cruise line has plans to slow down anytime soon.
During media sailing at Star of the Seas, royal executives detailed plans for the design behind their upcoming private destinations, new class ships, Perfect Day Mexico.
“We’re looking forward to seeing you in the future,” said Michael Bailey, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. “Our entire group is probably spending 50% of the workdays of design for the future of the royal Caribbean, either the destination or the ship. It’s fantastic, it’s so much fun.”
Photo: First time on the world’s largest cruise ship
The planned opening of the new private destination will help transform the Royal Caribbean from a traditional cruise line to a full-fledged holiday company, Bailey said.
“When we started developing private destinations and designing ships like icons, we realised that this was no longer a traditional cruise,” he said. “It was a collection of brand new experiences that transcended cruises and moved to the land-based vacation options.”
The company plans to open ships and destinations until 2028. This means that cruise fans will have a lot of fun over the next few years.
A new ship first
Some of Royal’s upcoming plans discussed during the Star of the Seas media information session were not new news. For example, the company’s third icon class ship, Legend of Seas, is ready for its 2026 debut, and it is already publicly known that it will sail from Fort Lauderdale in the fall after its Mediterranean itinerary next summer.
The Royal is also working on a fourth icon class ship that is already under construction and features a “pretty ambitious set of” new activities and features that passengers can enjoy when the ship debuts in 2027. The icon class may include the fifth and six ships.
“You’ll see us continue to evolve our classes,” says Jay Schneider, chief product innovation officer at Royal Caribbean. “When we reach the legendary sea, Pearl takes on a new, dynamic interior that is incredibly excited.”
Over the next few years, the cruise line will continue to expand the success of the oasis class, which now includes the Utopia of Port Canaveral’s Utopia, which will sail short itineraries to the Bahamas.
“We want to continue building up the success of our Oasis class. Utopia has achieved incredible success with its three- and four-night programme from Port Canaveral,” Schneider said of the sixth ship in the class. The seventh unknown ship is scheduled for 2028.
Schneider also confirmed the development of Royal’s new Discovery series. This will be a smaller class of ship than the icon.
“We’re in a more dream stage,” he said. “We dream of a future class ship, big or small. You’re giving it a name. We are now in the dream stage of a heavy ship.”
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean International’s first Royal Beach Club in Nassau has received approval from the Bahamian government to advance. Paradise Island’s 17-acre Royal Beach Club is scheduled to open in 2025.
Royal Beach Club of the Works
The first of the Royal Caribbeans Beach Club, announced in 2023, is scheduled to open in Nassau this fall. Holidays can be booked a day pass on December 27th at Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, where first-earning guests welcome.
“The Beach Club is a Day Beach Club in the massive port where the percentage of guests goes, but not all of them,” Schneider says, comparing the new product to Perfect Day products. “Around 35% of our guests have the opportunity to go there every year.”
After a short soft boat ride from the harbor, guests can enjoy three neighborhoods. One is for families, the other is for parties and chill areas. Visitors will be able to find two beaches and three pools, including the world’s largest swim-up bar. Food and drink offerings can be found at 3 beach grills and 10 bars.
“The Royal Beach Club is a combo of everything people want to do when they spend their day at the beach,” Bailey said. “One of the Beach Club’s greatest attributes is the world’s largest swim-up bar. The atmosphere is E for everyone. Kids have a place and place where they can have a good time.”
The Royal Beach Club will expand at its new destination in Cozumel, Mexico, location 2026, and on the South Pacific island of Lerepa, and is set to open in 2027 for Australian cruisers.
Perfect day Mexico
After opening the perfect day in Cocosei, Bahamas in 2019, Royal Caribbean is looking at Mexico’s new Perfect Day destination. The new private enclave, set to open in the fall of 2027, is set in Mahahual, the province of Quintana Roo, home to the Costa Maya Port, and will earn twice the amount of guest space as an existing perfect day in the Bahamas.
The destination focuses on loco water parks, which have the highest waters in America. Thrill Seekers can explore 31 slides across five towers. The tallest of these features a jaguar’s head and flame coming out from above.
Among the seven major regions of Mexico on the perfect day is Splash Cove, which is scheduled to feature the world’s longest lazy river. Schneider said the waterway also features a “crazy river” option in one segment, as well as a swim-up bar for visitors to enjoy on an hour’s journey.
The destination also features the world’s largest sombrero, serving as the roof of a bar centered in the Margarita. Just like a perfect day at Cococay’s Hideaway Beach, Perfect Day Mexico includes the adult-only El Hideaway and the Premium Costa Beach Club, north of the main attraction.
Concerns about the project’s environmental impact prompted a petition on Change.org with nearly 300,000 signatures. The petition calls for the project to adopt a model based on “sustainability, ecosystem respect, community justice.”
Royal Caribbean responded to the petition by submitting an environmental impact statement to “related authorities” in the coming weeks and vowing to hold a community meeting. Among the sustainability initiatives promised by the royal family are waste management systems that allow more than 95% of mangrove conservation, water flow recovery, reef protection and treatment water to “beneficial reuse.” Additionally, the company is committed to powering the site to use ‘100% Green Energy’ by 2024.
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Original issue: 6am EDT, August 31, 2025
