Royal Caribbean Invests Billions in Sandals Resorts

Your next vacation could soon feature a brand-new combination of a cruise and a hotel stay. The Royal Caribbean Group plans to make a massive entry into the all-inclusive resort market. As the company announced in a press release, an agreement for a partnership in the resort sector has been signed. The cruise corporation is acquiring a 50 percent stake in the well-known Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts for approximately three billion US dollars.

What This Means for Travelers

If you are already a fan of the cruise brands Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, or Silversea, you can look forward to new offers, according to the company. The partners intend to explore how they can combine sales, deepen customer loyalty, and make it easier for travelers to enjoy the best of both worlds.

For now, nothing will change for existing bookings, hotel operations, cruises, and the respective loyalty programs – these will continue as usual. However, the partnership is designed to provide additional resources to develop future joint offerings.

Details of the Mega-Deal

The new partnership covers the entire portfolio of Sandals and Beaches with their all-inclusive properties in the Caribbean. The joint venture will be managed by a board under the co-leadership of Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals and Beaches, and Jason Liberty, CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group.

According to the press release, the transaction, for which Royal Caribbean has already secured financing, is expected to close in early 2027. This is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions.