Royal Caribbean has made visible progress in building its new private Beach Club in the Bahamas.

While visiting Nassau, Bahamas on Utopia of the Seas this weekend, our team took photos of the construction work being done on Paradise Island.

On a strip of land previously covered by palm trees and thick sand, excavators are clearing the ground, and trucks bringing in supplies. 

Paradise Island, the narrow strip of land near Nassau's cruise port, will house a 17-acre piece of land dedicated to Royal Caribbean's private club.

Royal Caribbean announced that the Royal Beach Club will open sometime in 2025, with "more details to be revealed in the coming months."

Based on our team's photos, the land has been cleared to begin building.

Where trees, logs, and dirt once stood, now the cleared ground is prepared for what will be multiple structures that make up the beach club.

Although no actual building has begun, construction workers brought in supplies such as steel poles, large water tanks, and packs of metal or wire.

Although it's unclear what purpose these supplies serve, the steel beams could make up foundations for the buildings, and packets of wire perhaps serve as material for constructing fences.

Although the curved white building pictured is not new, its steady presence and open doors could indicate that it serves a purpose in construction, or will become part of the new Beach Club.

Packets of supplies to the right of the white building are also tools for the cruise line to use in building the beach club.

Royal Caribbean is partnering with the Bahamas to build this exclusive club, intending to incorporate the island's vibrant culture into architecture, food, and live music.  

Royal Caribbean announced that cruisers who visit the private club "will be welcomed by local architecture that complements the exceptional views of The Bahamas’ turquoise-blue waters and white sand beaches, along with experiences that feature Bahamian fare, island-style barbecues, live music, and local artisans."

Read more: Royal Caribbean breaks ground on new beach club in Bahamas reserved for its passengers

Further down the island, palm trees remain alongside a possible dock site.

The beach club has been marketed as a world-class destination experience.

Cruisers can expect to pay an extra cost for entrance to the exclusive venue.

Much like the adults-only Hideaway Beach on Perfect Day at CocoCay, guests may pay a single entrance fee to access the area.

Read more: Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island: What you should know before it opens

The entrance fee could include access to the exclusive venue, lunch, and a beach chair.

Royal Caribbean's plans for the Royal Beach Club include a family zone, arrivals area, water sports center, food area, and one or more swimming pools.

In fact, Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley confirmed the beach club will have the largest swim up bar in the world.

"Next year we'll be opening the Royal Beach Club in the Bahamas," Mr. Bayley said at a meeting with members of the press on Utopia of the Seas. "We're kind of hoping we're going to have the largest swim up bar in the world. Can you imagine that?"

It's unknown yet exactly what activities will be offered, but there will be various options to consider.

When Royal Caribbean opens its new beach club in Mexico, it looks like it will offer a full day of fun.

In March 2024, Royal Caribbean announced plans to build a beach club in Cozumel, Mexico exclusively for the use of its cruise ship passengers.

It will open sometime in 2026, and be the second beach club operated in a popular cruise port by Royal Caribbean. The first will be in Nassau, Bahamas.

When the cruise line announced Royal Beach Club Cozumel, there wasn't much detail provided.  However, a new sneak peek gives us a glimpse of what Royal Caribbean is envisioning.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider shared new concept art in a webinar with travel agents on Wednesday.

He called this, "real fun, high level directional renders of potentially where we may go," and warned, "these are not anywhere near final."

Water and views

The idea behind all of Royal Caribbean's beach clubs is to combine great views, with great access to water.

"If you think of the DNA of our beach clubs, high volume ports where we go," Mr. Schneider explained. It's designed to have, "great beach, great pool, great food, great service."

Admission into the beach club will include access to swim-up bars, pools cabanas to rent, snorkeling, kayaking, restaurants, and street markets.

Unlike the cruise line's private island in The Bahamas, it's not meant to be for every single passenger on the ship.  Rather, it's an optional extra-cost choice for passengers, in addition to the other shore excursions and activities found around Cozumel.

More to reveal in the future

Royal Caribbean has not yet announced where the new beach club will located in Cozumel, nor other details about what the club entails.

Other questions include pricing, and a full list of features.

With the Cozumel beach club the second in line, the primary focus of the cruise line's attention will be the opening of the Paradise Island Beach Club first.  Moreover, they may look for lessons learned from the first club to tweak the Cozumel club.

More details on Bahamas Beach Club

Mr. Schneider also went over details of what passengers can expect when the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opens in 2025, including a few leaked details.

He wouldn't commit to a date, and danced around the exact opening. 

The beach club will offer 17 acres of beach, pools, and scenery, "The views off the north shore of Paradise Island are nothing but stunning."

There will be three pools, and the club will incorporate a zone concept for the layout: a family zone, a party zone, and a chill zone. Mr. Schneider was quick to point out those will not be the names, just directional design concepts to follow.

Every every zone has a swim up bar, "we're leaning into really great music, great drinks, great water, great views."

Mr. Schneider also included a slide that he claimed wasn't supposed to be there, that has an idea his team is working through.

"We're dreaming of possibly an ultimate family cabana," he said. The concept was to follow in the footsteps of having the Ultimate Family Suite and Ultimate Family Townhouse, which are over-the-top suites that pack in just about everything a family might want in a cruise ship cabin.

Read more: Royal Caribbean has an ultra-luxury suite that can cost over $80,000 per week

Construction work is beginning on Royal Caribbean's new beach club in The Bahamas.

While visiting Nassau, Bahamas on Wednesday, our team captured photos of the work being done to build the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island.

From the photos, land is being cleared so construction of new structures can begin.

We saw fresh supplies being transported by ferry boat to the beach.

In partnership with the Bahamas, the Royal Beach Club is set to be built on the west end of Paradise Island, a narrow strip of land near the cruise port in Nassau.

Royal Caribbean is building this beach club on a 17-acre piece of property, near the famous lighthouse that can be seen from the Port of Nassau.

The cruise line announced  that the beach club is set to open in 2025, with "more details to be revealed in the coming months."

Royal Caribbean has described the beach club as a world-class destination experience, bringing the vibrant Bahamian spirit and culture to life alongside private cabanas and stunning pools.

"Vacationers will be welcomed by local architecture that complements the exceptional views of The Bahamas’ turquoise-blue waters and white sand beaches, along with experiences that feature Bahamian fare, island-style barbecues, live music, and local artisans."

Read more: Royal Caribbean breaks ground on new beach club in Bahamas reserved for its passengers

Not much actual building has occurred yet, as it looks like construction is just starting.

So far, workers have cleared trees, logs, and dirt out of the way to begin construction.

A large excavator works on clearing and moving dirt.

Trucks can also be seen carrying palm trees and wood away from the area.

Mainly, progress so far has been in clearing the area and preparing the ground for construction.

Construction workers are also moving large packets of supplies—perhaps metal beams for the foundations.

So, what can cruisers expect from this beach club?

It likely has an entrance fee, an extra-cost experience much like the adults-only Hideaway Beach on Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Read more: Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island: What you should know before it opens

Plans show that the Royal Beach Club will have a family zone, arrivals area, water sports center, food, and even a swimming pool.

Payment of a single entrance fee could include access to the Royal Beach Club, lunch, and a beach chair. 

Guests will also be able to purchase alcohol, soda, a cabana, or a day bed at an additional fee.

Watersports and local tours will also be offered at an extra cost.

Plans show that additional activities will be offered in tandem with the beach club's pool and beach.

Activities offered could include (but are not limited to):

• Snorkeling
• Scuba diving
• Kayaking
• Jet skiing
• Floating mat rentals
• Inflatable water slides
• Parasailing
• Nature hikes
• Volleyball
• Other sand and water-related activities

Work is officially underway on Royal Caribbean's new beach club in Nassau, Bahamas.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday for the new Royal Beach Club, Paradise Island.

The 17-acre Royal Beach club project was first announced in 2020, but the cruise industry shutdown of 2020 forced a delay in it becoming a reality.  Nonetheless, today's milestone signifies the official start of work for the new offering.

The official opening is slated for sometime in 2025.

Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty and Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley were joined by The Bahamas' Prime Minister Philip Davis and Deputy Prime Minister I. Chester Cooper to commemorate the major milestone.

Construction will begin in the next few months, and Royal Caribbean hopes it will offer an authentic Bahamian experience. Plus, it is the first-of-its-kind project that gives back to the people of The Bahamas with a unique public-private partnership allows Bahamian nationals to hold up to 49% equity in the venture. 

The first of the Royal Beach Club destinations, the Nassau club aims to offer Royal Caribbean passengers exclusive access to a prime spot to enjoy an unparalleled beach experience.

Unlike the private island experience, the Royal Beach Club is an extra-cost venue with a limited capacity.  Guests visiting Nassau on a port stop will have the opportunity to purchase admission to the beach club.

The club is located on a narrow strip of land near where the cruise ships dock on Paradise Island.

The club will have three pools with swim-up bars, live music, two beaches, four restaurants serving local food.

The capacity of the club should be about 2,000 guests.

More details are expected closer to the opening.

To reach the beach club, passengers will have to taxi a complimentary water shuttle from Bay Street located near the Straw Market. Once onboard, guests will have two drop-off options: near Sapphire Beach and the west end of the pool.

The look of the club will take inspiration from its home country. The local architecture will be crafted by a local Bahamian architectural firm. Bahamian entrepreneurs and businesses are integral to the construction and management of the new venture, creating hundreds of job opportunities both immediately and in the future. Bahamian residents have already engaged in workshops. 

Another world-class experience

The start of construction means this dream is coming to fruition, and Royal Caribbean couldn't be more excited for it.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty said at the event, "Marking more than the beginning of the construction process, today’s groundbreaking event symbolizes partnership, momentum and continued economic development for so many Bahamian entrepreneurs and the entire community."

"We are grateful to our partners for their support, especially the Bahamian government, who stand with us here today in celebration of what is to come"

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley also spoke, "As we break ground on Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, together with the government and the people of The Bahamas, we are celebrating what partnership and innovation can achieve. This will be yet one more reason, in Nassau’s bright future, to experience a destination we have visited since the very beginning of Royal Caribbean more than 50 years ago."

"The beauty and charm of the island are why we chose to debut the Royal Beach Club Collection in Nassau, and with the collaboration and support of local entrepreneurs and the wider community, we know that what we create will far exceed everything we imagined.”

Honorable Philip Davis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas spoke about the importance of this new beach club, "With the signing of this Heads of Agreement for the development of Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, we embark on this project to further enhance the vitality of our tourism product. Signing today’s agreement, we add another world-class experience to our tourism offerings. And even more importantly, we take a bold step toward greater Bahamian empowerment in the tourism industry."

Eagle-eyed cruisers spotted what looks like construction equipment on the site of what will be Royal Caribbean's next big project.

Royal Caribbean has big plans for a new private beach club in Nassau, Bahamas that will open sometime in 2025. Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island is the cruise line's first such club, and perhaps one of the early steps is beginning.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Susan Linhares shared photos from Friday of equipment arriving to the narrow strip of land near the Port of Nassau.

A barge carrying earth moving equipment was spotted being offloaded onto the area.

On Saturday morning, Earl McGrath took additional photos that showed the equipment still in place.

A first-of-its-kind experience

When it opens, the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island will offer Royal Caribbean cruise ship passengers a new option while visiting Nassau. Nassau has traditionally been rated poorly by cruise ship passengers for a lack of compelling experiences.

The beach club is an attempt to address that issue, as Nassau is one of the busiest cruise ports for Royal Caribbean. Given its proximity to the United States and the close relationship the cruise line has with the country, Royal Caribbean cannot afford to allow a poor guest experience.

Located on Paradise Island adjacent to where the cruise ships dock, the 17 acres site promises to create, "the ultimate beach day."

The Royal Beach Club is exclusively for Royal Caribbean cruise passengers, but unlike its private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay, admission is not complimentary. Instead, it will cost extra to visit the beach club and space is limited to about 2,750 guests per day. This means not everyone on the ship will have the opportunity to go.

Read more: CocoCay tips, advice, and everything you need to know

Pricing details are not yet known, but the new club will offer beach and pool access, lunch, and the rental of a beach chair.

There will be private cabanas, pools, and special attention to highlight Bahamian culture within the space. This includes Bahamian fare, island-style barbecues, live music, and local artisans. 

Opening in 2025

The exact timeline for when the Royal Beach Club will open is unknown, but the line said it expects to start operations in 2025.

In an interview with a local Bahamian newspaper in January 2024, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley indicated it would be a summer 2025 opening.

According to Bayley, ground breaking could happen soon, "The Royal Beach Club project is moving along through the process. There’re a few more details that need to be confirmed and ironed out with our partners and with the government. We’re hoping to break ground in the coming weeks but certainly by the end of the first quarter we need to start breaking ground."

Owned & operated by Bahamians

Something truly different about this beach club will be how equity is shared with the Bahamian people.

49 percent of the The Royal Beach Club will be owned by Bahamians, with Bahamians running, managing, and operating it.

Bahamians will be invited to invest in the project and hold equity up to 49 percent, with the remainder being held by Royal Caribbean. 

In addition to keeping profits in The Bahamas through the equity program, the Royal Beach Club will participate in a new tourism levy that will direct 1% of gross profits to a fund to improve attractions and experiences in The Bahamas.

Over 10 years, the economic impact is projected to be approximately $1 billion through guest spend, government taxes and other expenditures.

Royal Caribbean's bold short cruise strategy

The Royal Beach Club is one piece of of the cruise line's careful maneuvering to dominate short cruises.

First and foremost, no other cruise line has beach clubs. That will be a difference maker for anyone considering a cruise ship vacation.

Moreover, it's located in the heart of where short 3- and 4-night cruises visit, meaning it boosts a major cruise port offering exclusively for the benefit of Royal Caribbean passengers.

The new club will be flanking the cruise line's change of having the brand new Utopia of the Seas offer short cruises beginning in July 2024. 

Typically, big new cruise ships sail 7-night cruises, but Royal Caribbean wants to dominate the short cruise market by offering weekend sailings on its best ships in a bid to attract new cruisers.

In September 2025, Wonder of the Seas shifts to offer weekend cruises as well.

Combined with a visit to the already super popular Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean will soon offer short cruises that appeal to first-time cruisers that offer port visits no other cruise line can match.

A second beach club in Mexico

Following up on its Nassau beach club will be the Royal Beach Club Cozumel, opening in 2026.

Similar to The Bahamas, the Cozumel beach club will have beaches, swim-up bars, pools, private cabanas, snorkeling, kayaking and other activities. There will also be a restaurant, bar and lounge, a street market and hands-on experiences like tequila tastings and cooking classes. 

No specific site has been announced, but it will be located "along the western coast of the island."

Royal Caribbean is positioning itself to have a combination of port options no other cruise line can rival.

Private islands have been part of every major cruise line's game plan for decades, but Royal Caribbean is embarking on something different that will make it stand out.  They're investing in their private islands while building out a collection of beach clubs.

Last Friday, Royal Caribbean announced it would open a beach club in Cozumel, Mexico in 2026, and that's the latest in the line's salvo of upgrades and additions aimed at making it the market leader in what a cruise vacation is all about.

Cruise ships have long been seen as floating destinations, but the ports of call are just as important to what vacationers are looking for in their cruise. Last year, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider, said the top two reasons people book a cruise are the destinations and food.

While a cruise line has control over the onboard experience, a poor experience on shore still reflects on the overall cruise experience. To that point, Royal Caribbean seems to want to improve that aspect of the overall vacation by giving guests more in-house choices to enjoy.

This strategy has a multi-faceted approach in how it benefits passengers and the company at the same time.

More ports, more choices

From the cruise passenger standpoint, offering beach clubs add to a growing collection of Royal Caribbean branded and operated spots in the Caribbean.

New cruisers, which are the burgeoning market for any cruise line, struggle mightily with finding good choices for shore excursions. Even excursions sold through a cruise line can have its issues, as they're all operated by third-parties. There's a lack of consistency in the product.

With Royal Caribbean's traditional private islands, it offers passengers a safe place they can rely on to deliver a certain quality of experience.

Private islands are wonderful, but very expensive. Plus, you can't just buy up a private island anywhere, especially along routes already frequented by cruise ships.

Enter the beach club.

Royal Caribbean now has two beach clubs set to open in the next two years, in Nassau, Bahamas and Cozumel. Each addresses a need Royal Caribbean's customers have.

The Royal Beach Club in Nassau is located on a strip of land near where the cruise ships dock, which makes it extremely convenient. 

More importantly, Nassau is a port is one of the worst rated ports by Royal Caribbean's passengers.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said in April 2023 "Nassau is in the bottom ten percent," of customer feedback.

Mr. Bayley said cruise ship passengers have, "come here many times before and there’s nothing new, fresh or innovative. Secondly, there needs to be more product, more experience, more uniqueness, more options."

A beach club adds a quality product that passengers can trust, along with the sort of experiences Royal Caribbean already knows its customers want.

It will be 17 acres in size and there will be pools, beaches, dining experiences, and live entertainment too.

In 2026, the Royal Beach Club in Cozumel will open, and that serves a need for a different market.

Royal Caribbean is investing heavily in the Galveston, Texas cruise market.  They've built a brand new terminal, and deployed some of its newest and biggest cruise ships there. 

The need for a cruise from Galveston is something else to do, as ships sailing from Texas are limited to a handful of ports in this region.

Cozumel is a very common port of call for any ship sailing the Western Caribbean, similar to Nassau in how much traffic it gets.

Opening a second beach club in Cozumel means a new option exclusively for Royal Caribbean's ships, and a trusted spot.

While Cozumel is not as poorly rated as Nassau, there's always going to be subset of customers who greatly prefer cruise line-run operations. And it's something flashy that will get the attention of the highly sought-after new cruiser market.

Keeping more money

Besides guest satisfaction, Royal Caribbean stands to improve its bottom line with beach clubs.

If there's been one lesson the company can glean from Perfect Day at CocoCay it's that running a highly rated destination brings in a lot of money.

CocoCay has drawn a lot of interest from new cruisers, and it was designed to attract customers who otherwise wouldn't be taking a cruise.

Adding beach clubs to the mix means more money spent by customers that goes to Royal Caribbean. Ever since Perfect Day at CocoCay opened in 2019, it's been responsible for higher returns to the line, thanks to higher pricing.

Royal Caribbean Group estimates 3 million guests will visit the island in 2024, which is up from 2.5 million in 2023. Mr. Bayley spoke of the island’s success, "The demand for that product [Perfect Day at CocoCay] is exceptionally high. The demand not only is there from a volume perspective, but the rate is there and that rate has been going up again in a very healthy way."

When the new Hideaway Beach expansion went on sale in 2023, sales were described as "gangbusters" by top officials.

Clearly the company is seeing a correlation between high guest satisfaction, premium prices, and better profits.

Something other cruise lines don't offer

Another competitive advantage of Royal Caribbean's plan is it gives them something other lines can't offer.

Royal Caribbean wants to be the top choice for anyone considering a cruise, and in a crowed market, having both private islands and beach clubs could be a difference maker.

Cruise lines don't usually compete with each other for established customers because the new-to-cruise market is enormous and cheaper to attract. People that have never cruised before certainly take note of what stands out, whether it's a new ship or something fun to do.

While other cruise lines have their own private islands, none have announced plans similar to Royal Caribbean's beach club strategy.

Royal Caribbean will open a beach club in Mexico, exclusively for the use of its cruise ship passengers.

Royal Beach Club Cozumel in Mexico is the name of the line's next new enclave.

Beach clubs are a new idea for Royal Caribbean, which are private areas reserved for the use of Royal Caribbean ships visiting that day. An admission cost is also associated with the clubs.

The announcement was made on Friday and the new club will open sometime in 2026.

It will be located "along the western coast of the island."

“We are delighted to build on our longstanding partnership with the local community and government to continue bringing our guests to Mexico,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “The expansion of our destination offerings aligns with the growing global demand for the ultimate vacation experiences and enables our guests to connect with the beauty of local cultures and people in the places they visit.”

“The anticipation for what’s next when it comes to Royal Caribbean destinations has only continued to build since we revealed Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in The Bahamas that opens in 2025. Now is the perfect time to announce the next iteration of this collection with Royal Beach Club Cozumel,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Cozumel is an incredible destination, and the beach club will perfectly complement all the island has to offer as an experience that combines familiar Royal Caribbean touches with the spirit of Mexico, alongside amenities and activities for every type of vacationer.”

What the club offers

The exact details aren't known, but Royal Caribbean said the Royal Beach Club Cozumel will offer beach and pool access, along with scenic views.

We know of these features:

• swim-up bars
• Pools for families and all guests to enjoy
• Cabanas to rent
• Snorkeling
• Kayaking
• Restaurants, bars, and lounges with Mexican flare
• Street market offering hands-on experiences like tequila tastings and cooking classes.

Hints at the club

In retrospect, today's news was alluded to by Royal Caribbean's executives recently.

During the inaugural sailing of Icon of the Seas in February 2024, Mr. Bayley answered a question about the future of cruises from Galveston, Texas from a travel agent during a Q&A session.

Galveston has become one of Royal Caribbean's fastest growing markets recently, with the line opening a brand new cruise terminal there in 2022.

"It wasn't by accident we put Allure of the Seas into Texas, and now we've got Harmony of the seas. And if you just think forward a few more years, I wonder what we're going to do next."

"I'm not giving away our strategy here because it's pretty. It's pretty simple if you can just use your imagination, you know, big things are coming, baby."

First beach club opening in The Bahamas

In 2020, Royal Caribbean announced a new venture in Nassau that would allow passengers the ability to visit an exclusive destination outfitted with four beaches, private cabanas, a spacious swimming pool, and a watersports center.

Dubbed "Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island," this addition to Royal Caribbean's private offerings, specifically in a busy port like Nassau, aims to provide passengers with unparalleled beach experiences away from the majority of the crowds.

Since Royal Caribbean is designing the beach club as a public-private partnership, Bahamians are able to hold up to 49% equity in the venture.

While not a private island like Perfect Day at CocoCay, the 17-acre Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island is exclusively for guests sailing onboard Royal Caribbean ships. Although situated on Paradise Island, which is home to resorts like Baha Mar, Sandals Royal Bahamian, and Atlantic, the Royal Beach Club will be located in a more secluded area.

Additionally, it's not included in the cost of your cruise fare, so you'll have to pay extra for admission. Included in the cost of a day pass to the Royal Beach Club are complimentary beach chairs, food, and use of the swimming pool and kids' splash pad.

Apart from two food halls, there will be three Snack Shack locations offering convenient grab-and-go items like chicken sandwiches, french fries, and, of course, the ever-popular mozzarella sticks. Aside from dining, guests who pay for admission to the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island will have access to numerous bars, as they're scattered throughout the beach club.

To reach the beach club, passengers will have to taxi a complimentary water shuttle from Bay Street located near the Straw Market. Once onboard, guests will have two drop-off options: near Sapphire Beach and the west end of the pool.

At the time of writing, the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island is scheduled to welcome its first guests in 2025.

St. Thomas beach club next?

Earlier this week, the Hotel Director on Wonder of the Seas was speaking to guests during an event onboard and mentioned a beach club was coming to Mexico. He also said there were other plans for other islands.

At the Top Tier event, the Hotel Director talked about plans the company has to build more beach clubs, although at the time of his talk, nothing had been officially announced by the company.

"We're developing the Royal Beach Clubs as well. The first one of those is going to be in Nassau in the Bahamas," he said to the crowd.

"I believe that's going to be the first in a series of Royal Beach clubs. We're looking at St Thomas, we're looking at Mexico."

As it turns out, his announcement has been half right so far, with the Cozumel Beach Club announcement confirmed.

Royal Caribbean's upcoming Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island has a new president.

On June 15, the company announced that Philip Simon will begin his role as the president of the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island and general manager of Royal Caribbean International Bahamas effective July 1. 

Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer for Royal Caribbean International, said, "Welcoming a leader who is as well-respected and accomplished in The Bahamas as Philip Simon is the start of an exciting chapter."

“With a project as significant as the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island that will introduce a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership, we are committed to maximizing Bahamian participation and building a development that will set new standards in environmental design and operation in The Bahamas. Philip, a resident and native of The Bahamas, has the experience and reputation to ensure that.”

Who is Philip Simon?

Simon is a longtime Bahamian business and land development executive who has a 20-year track record of responsible development and management.

Most recently, he was a managing partner at PMR Bahamas Realty Ltd. (Torch Cay), where he oversaw the company's business in the Bahamas. Prior to that, he was the president of The New Providence Development Company Ltd, and from 2002 to 2010, he served as CEO of The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and managed the company's daily affairs. 

Simon received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University, graduating cum lade. He holds an additional degree in physics and mathematics from The College of The Bahamas, as well as a master's degree n business administration with concentrations in entrepreneurship and finance from the University of Maryland.

Throughout his lifetime, he has served on numerous boards: Bahamas Ferries, the Bahamas Venture Capital Fund, The Regional Management Consultancy Task Force, Civil Society Advisory Group, The Bahamas National Pride Association and The Bahamas Trade Commission. 

Moreover, he is the former chairman of the Self-Starter Youth Entrepreneurial Grant Program, an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Old Fort Bay, and and a former membership officer of YPO Bahamas. 

Currently, he serves as chairman of Junior Achievement Bahamas, as well as deputy chair of The Bahamas Primary School Student of The Year Foundation.

Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island

Scheduled to open in 2025, the Royal Beach Club will be an option for cruise passengers in Nassau. 

Originally announced in in March 2020, the cruise industry halted the development of the project. 

While not a private island like Perfect Day at CocoCay the 17-acre property will be available exclusively to Royal Caribbean cruise passengers. 

Guests who purchase a day pass will be able to relax on one of four beaches: Tranquility Beach, Hideaway Beach, Harbor Beach, and Sapphire Beach. And for those who want an upgraded experience, cabanas will be available to rent. 

The Royal Beach Club will also be home to a swimming pool. Current concept art depicts it as a long and narrow infinity pool with in-water loungers. 

Guests seeking a little bit more action and activity can head over to the water sports center, where they can rent snorkel or scuba gear, kayaks, jet skis, and floating mats for an additional fee. Likewise, inflatable water slides and parasail excursions will be available, too.  

Related: Royal Caribbean beach club in Nassau will open in 2025

First-of-its-kind venture in the Bahamas

Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said, "The Bahamas has been a phenomenal partner since the very start, when they became our first port of call more than 50 years ago."

“As we continue to bring millions of visitors to experience attractions throughout Nassau each year, The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island is the next bold adventure in Royal Caribbean’s commitment to both increasing tourism in The Bahamas and delivering memorable vacations to our guests.”

Once completed, the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island will have a public-private partnership, meaning that Bahamians will be able to own up to 49% equity and local businesses can take part in managing the majority of the experience.

Both the construction phase and operation of the Royal Beach Club will create hundreds of jobs. The economic impact is estimated to be around $1 billion over the course of ten years.

Moreover, the 17-acre property is divided between the cruise line and Crown Land, with Royal Caribbean owning 13 and the remaining four being Crown Land.

The Crown Land will be contributed as equity to help make sure that a share of all profits are returned to the Bahamian government and people. 

According to Simon, “I am excited to represent both Royal Caribbean International and the country in what will be a very unique opportunity for all sides, with the new beach club and the tremendous potential for extended growth and partnership for years to come."

Environmental pillars

Royal Caribbean is committed to delivering unforgettable vacations responsibly. Not only do they have a responsibility to take care of the oceans in which they sail, they want to look after their destinations, too. 

The company outlined six key environmental pillars for the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island:

• Zero waste to landfill
• 100% renewable energy by 2030
• No dredging and no overwater cabanas 
• Best-in-class wastewater treatment
• Protecting the island's natural habitat
• Local environmental monitoring 

When Royal Caribbean's new beach club opens in The Bahamas in 2025, its intent is to offer something for both cruise ship passengers and the people of The Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley spoke to the Bahamian press on Wednesday about the cruise line's new plans. He specifically addressed why the beach club not only benefits the cruise line, but locals as well.

In 2025, Royal Caribbean will open its first Royal Beach Club, which is an extra-cost all-inclusive beach on Paradise Island, just across the waterway from where Royal Caribbean's ships dock their ships in Nassau.

It will be a limited capacity area, and a shore excursion option that will be open exclusively to Royal Caribbean ship passengers.

There will be pools, beaches, dining experiences, and live entertainment too.

"The model for this project is a world class model for public private partnerships," Mr. Bayley said. "There is nothing in the Bahamian tourism sector of this quality. Forty nine percent of this entity will be owned by Bahamians."

The new beach club is part of an overall strategy to bring more cruise ship tourists than ever before to The Bahamas. Mr. Bayley shared the cruise line's overall strategy and how the beach club fits in, "We are building ships and bringing them to the Bahamas and Nassau. We are bringing the capacity. In Nassau we bring around one million tourists a year and nearly three million visitors a year to the country."

"By 2027 in Nassau, it will be 2.5 million. The Beach Club is obviously not capable of holding all of the visitors we bring. It can hold on average 2,750 guests per day.

"By 2027 we will be bringing 7,000 guests per day to Nassau. Sixty percent of the additional capacity coming cannot go there. That means there will be plenty of tourists for Bay Street and elsewhere. "

Passengers don't love Nassau

Mr. Bayley was also open about how cruise ship passengers perceived visiting Nassau, saying it ranks among the bottom 10% of ports in feedback.

Royal Caribbean surveys its customers regularly about the places they visit on a cruise in order to ascertain trends.

"Nassau is in the bottom ten percent,” he said.

Why so low? Part of the answer is there aren't enticing options.

According to Mr. Bayley, cruise ship passengers have, "come here many times before and there’s nothing new, fresh or innovative. Secondly, there needs to be more product, more experience, more uniqueness, more options."

"We want to improve the experience of our guests. We can’t keep selling experiences to people who say we love going to Perfect Day, it’s fantastic, we want to go back, but the Nassau thing, can you guys stop going there? We can’t do that, so yeah, we want to be a part of the solution."

In case you're wondering, Perfect Day at CocoCay ranks as the number one destination among Royal Caribbean guests.

"CocoCay is the number one destination that Royal Caribbean goes to in the world out of 100 global destinations, because it’s a curated experience designed and built to deliver a high-level experience to the customer. At the end of the day that’s all that matters."

In the case of Nassau, Royal Caribbean sees an opportunity to improve and make the destination more appealing, "We get data from every single cruise every single time from every single customer. If one person says they don’t like something, fine. When we look at the trend data and we see that a lot of people are not enjoying their experiences, what do we do? We change it. We renew it. We invigorate it to try to remove obstacles to their satisfaction."

Partnering with the Bahamas

Royal Caribbean is adamant the beach club is not just about benefiting the cruise line. It's been designed to be financially beneficial to Bahamians too.

"Forty nine percent of this entity will be owned by Bahamians," said Bayley.

"With regards to employment, everyone who works there will be Bahamian except four to five persons who will be brand managers ensuring everything is up to Royal Caribbean standards."

"We are looking for a Bahamian to be the president of the Royal Caribbean Beach Club and any construction activity will heavily involve Bahamian companies."

The beach club's benefits for the people of the Bahamas includes:

• First public-private tourism development that gives Bahamians the opportunity to own up to 49% of the beach club
• The land contributed by the Government will provide benefits to The Bahamas for generations to come in the form of equity
• Individual Bahamians will have the opportunity to buy equity in the beach club and benefit from the profits
• Local businesses and entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to manage and participate in the vast majority of the beach club
• Hundreds of jobs will be created during construction and through operations, either directly or indirectly through new partnerships
• 1% of gross revenue of the beach club will be invested in a new fund to develop other attractions around The Bahamas
• Growth of the number of guests Royal Caribbean brings to Nassau

Earlier this week Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider echoed Mr. Bayley's comments of just how good this project will be for both sides, "We look at the totality of kind of the structure that we created with the government and the kind of net new employment opportunities and job creation and profit creation for  the government and individuals and the money that we're putting back into the Bahamas is really something that nobody's ever done before, for sure, for the Bahamas. And it's rare to see worldwide."

"We think this is a home run for the Bahamas."