Royal Caribbean has spent more than 50 years selling cruise vacations. Now it wants to sell you a week at an all-inclusive resort, too.
Royal Caribbean Group agreed on Sept. 23 to buy a 50 percent stake in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for about $3 billion, putting the parent of Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea into the all-inclusive resort business.
Until now, its land offerings have been day stops for cruise passengers, such as its private beach clubs in The Bahamas, Caribbean and Europe.
A cruise company buys half a resort chain
Sandals operates 17 adults-only resorts for couples across eight Caribbean islands, plus two Beaches family resorts in Negril, Jamaica, and Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.
Under the deal, Royal Caribbean Group and the Stewart family, which founded Sandals, will each own half. A board co-led by Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty and Sandals executive chairman Adam Stewart will oversee the joint venture, with Stewart continuing to guide the resort company’s long-term growth.
The deal is expected to close in early 2027.
Both companies said existing reservations, loyalty programs and day-to-day operations at the resorts and on the ships will continue as usual.
Two different versions of all-inclusive
Sandals and Royal Caribbean both sell vacations where much of the cost is paid upfront, but they draw the line in different places.
A Sandals rate covers meals, alcohol and tips. On a Royal Caribbean ship, the fare covers the main dining room and buffet, while drink packages, specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi and daily gratuities cost extra.
For travelers weighing a cruise against a land resort, that difference often decides the booking. Now one company has a stake in both models. Neither company said anything about changing how either product is priced, but it is the most obvious place where one side could influence the other.
More resorts in more places
The investment is meant to fund growth. The companies said the partnership will speed up Sandals and Beaches expansion to meet demand, though they did not name new locations.
They also said they will look for ways to make it easier for travelers to discover vacations across both portfolios.
Royal Caribbean Group has spent two years linking its cruise brands’ loyalty programs, first through status match and then through Points Choice, which lets members apply points across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea.
The press release did not say whether Sandals guests will eventually earn or redeem cruise points.
Don’t expect cruise-and-resort bundles right away
It’s important to know that Royal Caribbean is buying half of Sandals, not all of it, so the Stewart family has an equal say in any changes.
Geography is another hurdle.
Most of Royal Caribbean’s sailings depart from U.S. ports such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral and Galveston, while Sandals resorts sit on the islands. A resort stay before or after a cruise would usually mean an extra flight each way.
Royal Caribbean already sells millions of people a week at sea. The $3 billion bet is that many of them will let it sell them a week on the beach, too.
