Royal Caribbean International has opened its first Royal Beach Club in Europe, giving cruise passengers visiting Santorini a new way to experience the Greek island.
The Royal Beach Club Santorini welcomed its first guests when passengers sailing on Odyssey of the Seas visited the new venue as part of a full-day shore excursion called Ultimate Santorini Day.
The experience combines visits to some of the island’s most famous towns with time at the new beach club on the volcanic black sand shores of Vlychada.
The launch marks the first time Royal Caribbean has introduced its beach club concept in Europe, expanding a model that has previously been used in the Caribbean.
Exploring Santorini’s Most Famous Towns
The full-day excursion begins with a scenic ferry journey along Santorini’s dramatic coastline before guests head across the island to explore two of its best known locations.
One of the stops is Oia, the postcard-perfect village famous for its whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches overlooking the caldera. Visitors can wander through narrow lanes filled with boutiques and viewpoints that offer some of the most recognisable views in Greece.
The tour then continues to Fira, the island’s capital. Here guests have time to explore cafés, small shops and galleries while enjoying views across the cliffs above the Aegean Sea. The town has a livelier atmosphere and offers plenty of places to relax before the final part of the excursion.
What To Expect From The Beach Club Experience On Santorini’s Black Sand Coast
The day concludes at the Royal Beach Club Santorini, located on the black sand beach of Vlychada.
Guests visiting the club have access to a private beachfront setting with sun loungers, umbrellas, towels and Wi-Fi included. Food and drinks are also part of the experience, with options ranging from Greek dishes and buffets to snacks and frozen yoghurt. Visitors also receive a welcome drink, along with wine and draft beer.
Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said Santorini continues to be one of the cruise line’s most popular destinations and that the new beach club allows the company to offer a more complete experience for visitors to the island.
Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, added that the concept is designed to combine Santorini’s well known landmarks with time to enjoy the island’s beach culture.
Royal Caribbean’s Expanding Beach Club Concept
Royal Beach Club Santorini is part of Royal Caribbean Group’s wider strategy to develop destination experiences linked to its cruises, giving guests exclusive places to relax ashore.
The concept began with the launch of Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas in 2019. Royal Caribbean completely redeveloped the private island to include a large waterpark, beach areas, pools and exclusive cabanas, creating a destination designed specifically for cruise guests.
Following the success of CocoCay, the cruise line began expanding the idea with new private destinations and beach clubs in different regions.
The company also opened Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, which began welcomig guests in December 2025. The project will combine a private beach club experience with Bahamian food, music and culture, offering cruise passengers a day resort-style experience close to the busy cruise port.
More destinations currently under development are Royal Beach Club Cozumel in Mexico and Royal Beach Club Lelepa in Vanuatu.
With the opening of Royal Beach Club Santorini, Royal Caribbean is now bringing the concept to Europe for the first time. Unlike the Caribbean destinations, which are purpose-built private resorts, the Santorini location combines sightseeing with a beach club visit as part of a guided excursion.
The expansion shows how the cruise line is increasingly investing in its own shore experiences, giving passengers curated destinations that can reduce crowding, offer guaranteed amenities and create a more structured day in port.
Why Santorini?
Santorini is one of the most famous cruise destinations in the Mediterranean, known for its dramatic volcanic cliffs, whitewashed villages and iconic blue-domed churches. Millions of visitors travel to the Greek island each year, with many arriving by cruise ship for a single day in port.
However, the popularity of the destination can also create challenges for cruise passengers. On busy summer days, several ships may anchor off the island at the same time, bringing thousands of visitors ashore within a few hours.
During peak periods, as many as 17,000 cruise passengers can disembark in a single day, often heading to the same two locations: Fira and Oia.
These towns are famous for their narrow pedestrian streets and cliffside viewpoints. While the scenery is spectacular, the limited space means large crowds can quickly build up once tour groups and cruise excursions arrive. Oia’s small paths in particular can become heavily congested during the tourist season as visitors gather to take photos or watch the sunset.
Another challenge for cruise passengers is simply getting to and from the island’s main town. Cruise ships cannot dock directly in Santorini, so guests are tendered to the old port below Fira and must then take a cable car, walk roughly 600 steps, or ride a mule to reach the town above. At busy times, queues for the cable car can become very long, especially when multiple ships are in port at once.
Because of these issues, many cruise visitors spend much of their limited time navigating crowds or waiting in lines rather than relaxing and enjoying the island. That is one reason cruise lines have increasingly looked for alternative experiences that spread visitors out across Santorini.
By including a private beach stop and organised touring, Royal Caribbean’s new Royal Beach Club excursion aims to give guests a more balanced day on the island, combining the famous cliffside towns with time to relax away from the busiest areas.
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