Santorini shore days just got a major upgrade, with Royal Caribbean officially opening Royal Beach Club Santorini, the cruise line’s first beach club in Europe.
The new experience forms part of the “Ultimate Santorini Day” shore excursion, combining visits to Santorini’s famous towns with exclusive beach club access.
Guests begin with complimentary transport around the island, including stops in postcard favourite Oia and the bustling capital, Fira.
In Oia, travellers can explore the cliffside village known for its whitewashed buildings, blue domes and caldera views. Fira, meanwhile, offers cafés, galleries and panoramic island scenery.
The experience then shifts to Royal Beach Club Santorini, located on the island’s volcanic black sand coastline overlooking the Aegean Sea.
The beach club includes loungers, umbrellas, towels and complimentary wi-fi, alongside unlimited local food and drinks throughout the day.
Guests also receive a welcome drink, plus house wine, draft beer and quick bites including frozen Greek yoghurt.
A live DJ provides entertainment across the beach club precinct.
Royal Caribbean says the experience is designed to combine Santorini’s iconic sightseeing with a more relaxed and premium beach day for cruise guests.
The excursion is available via travel advisors and through the Royal Caribbean app.
In December, Royal Caribbean debuted its first all-inclusive Royal Beach Club Paradise Island destination in Nassau in The Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean also recently revealed the long-awaited debut of Royal Beach Club Lelepa, an exclusive cruise destination in Vanuatu that it says is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
New ships
In other Royal Caribbean news, the cruise line has confirmed the order of a sixth and seventh Icon Class ship to be delivered in 2029 and 2030. The agreement, with Meyer Turku, follows the previously announced Icon 5 ship to be delivered in 2028.
“The Icon Class reflects our bold creativity and engineering excellence that continues to define what a vacation can be,” Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty said.
“Through our long-standing partnership with Meyer Turku, the Finnish government, and the strong Finnish maritime cluster, we are reimagining the industry for decades to come while also delivering meaningful economic impact for Finland.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: Santorini’s overtourism pressures aren’t going away, so cruise lines are increasingly creating controlled, premium shore experiences that simplify logistics and manage crowds. For travel advisors, products like this could offer an easier sell: iconic Europe without the stress of navigating packed ports independently.
