If you’re an avid cruiser, then you know a sailing to the Bahamas likely includes a visit to the capital city of Nassau. And, if you’re like me, a visit to Nassau usually means skipping the excursion entirely to enjoy a blissfully empty ship. But on a recent Bahamas cruise, Royal Caribbean International offered to host me for a day at its newest private oceanfront destination: Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island. And, let’s just say, this new addition is a game changer for those who’d like to turn their Nassau port stop into a fantastic beach day ashore.
The hype for Royal Beach Club began the moment I stepped into my cabin on Utopia of the Seas and found flyers showcasing the new experience. Luckily for me, my beach day was already booked, so I didn’t need to wait in line at the shore excursions desk to make my reservation. (It’s always a good idea to book popular excursions, like Royal Beach Club, well in advance of your trip.)
How much does Royal Beach Club Paradise Island cost?
Unlike Royal Caribbean’s free private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, visiting Royal Beach Club Paradise Island will cost you extra. Think of the beach club as an all-inclusive resort pass-style excursion, where everything is included in one set fee. The cruise line uses dynamic pricing for entry passes at Royal Beach Club, meaning the costs can change at any time based factors like demand and the timing of your booking.
There are two main types of adult passes for sale. The first is the All-Inclusive With Alcohol pass for cruisers ages 21 and older (who wish to drink alcohol). This pass starts at $170 per person. The second pass is the All-Inclusive Non-Alcoholic pass, which starts at $130 for guests 13 and older. Kids ages 4 to 12 receive a slight discount, with passes starting at $110, while toddlers and babies ages 3 and younger enter for free.
If you purchased Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Drink Package for your cruise, it is worth noting you can bundle it with a visit to Royal Beach Club for a discounted rate (starting at $140 per day). The same goes for the onboard Refreshment Package (nonalcoholic drinks); combo rates start at $85 for adults and $70 for kids.
For the sake of comparison, day passes for the Baha Bay Waterpark at the Baha Mar resort complex in Nassau start at $160 for adults and $65 for kids ages 3 and older. This type of resort day pass has many of the same inclusions, like access to pools, beaches, beach chairs and umbrellas.
What’s included at Royal Beach Club?
Once you can get past the price of admission at Royal Beach Club, you’ll be happy to hear that nearly everything you need for a memorable beach day is included in the cost. Think: all-day dining, refreshments (alcoholic or nonalcoholic, depending on which pass you buy), access to all general amenities, towels, lockers, beach games, umbrellas, lounge chairs, Wi-Fi access and more.
Royal Beach Club has three quick-service restaurants, three swim-up bars, seven beach bars, two beaches and three pools, so you’ll never find yourself too far from any of the excitement. While there are no public waterslides, there is one private wet-dry slide — which drops riders from the cabana’s upper deck directly into the pool — available to guests of the premium Ultimate Family Cabana area.
Add-ons at Royal Beach Club
Families looking for a home base can rent a cabana, which typically start between $2,200 (for an eight-person beach cabana) and $10,000 for the 12-person Ultimate Family Cabana. All options include a set number of day passes bundled into the price.
Guests looking to really get the party started should check out the Party Deck on the second floor of the world’s largest swim-up bar, dubbed The Floating Flamingo. Deck rental fees start at $5,000 and include day passes for up to 12 people, as well as food and drink service, lounge seating, charging stations and towels. Meanwhile, cruisers looking for a simpler daybed overlooking the ocean or one of three pools can reserve a spot for $650 (which includes day passes for two guests).
Getting to Royal Beach Club
Once the ship was cleared to start letting guests off, I ventured to the gangway with my beach bag ready for a day of fun in the sun. However, I was greeted with a long line of passengers who had the same idea.
Because there were three Royal Caribbean megaships docked in Nassau at once, thousands of people were trying to reach the private paradise at the same time. While the line moved somewhat quickly — thanks in part to a handful of small, complimentary ferry boats — it still took me about 45 minutes to get off the ship and dock at Paradise Island.
All of this is to say: If you plan to visit Royal Beach Club, be prepared to wait — especially if there are multiple Royal Caribbean ships anchored alongside you.
Royal Beach Club’s three distinct neighborhoods
There are three neighborhoods at Royal Beach Club: Chill Beach, Party Cove and Family Beach.
After reaching the dock nearest Chill Beach, I was surprised by how busy Royal Beach Club already was, even though the ships had only been letting guests off for about an hour. Seating was a hot commodity in each of the three sections (and a chief complaint among guests throughout the day), but I was able to find a chair after about 10 minutes of searching.
If you’re unable to find space in your preferred neighborhood to set up camp, take advantage of the free lockers to safely store your belongings while you explore the beachfront destination.
Chill Beach: Relaxing island vibes
My day started at Chill Beach, which provides exactly what the name suggests: an easy, breezy vibe. Around me, I saw mostly adults or families with teens in tow. Chill Beach features an oceanfront pool, a swim-up bar, and a large stretch of sand lined with chairs and umbrellas.
After spending some time near the pool, I was lured away from the quieter side of the island by the sounds of a DJ and the screams of excitement coming from Party Cove.
Party Cove: An all-day celebration
Imagine an epic cruise line sailaway event combined with a Las Vegas pool party, and that describes Party Cove. This area of Royal Beach Club, while not adults-only, was mainly filled with adults looking for a good time. The Floating Flamingo Pool and Swim-Up Bar is the centerpiece, complete with flowing frozen concoctions and a live DJ spinning high-energy tunes, from ABBA to Lady Gaga.
This centralized area does not have beach access, so if you’re just looking for drinks, a poolside chair and lively entertainment, this is the ideal spot. Otherwise, Chill Beach or Family Beach will be the best neighborhoods for you to enjoy the day.
Family Beach: Perfect for those with littles in tow
I ended my time at Royal Beach Club at Family Beach, a top-notch hideaway for families with young kids. There is a shallow-end pool and a swim-up bar, but the beach is where most groups were playing. The soft sand was ideal for kids to dig and build sandcastles near the water’s edge. The waves were calm on the day I was there, but it is always advisable to swim near a lifeguard station and look out for rip current warning flags before getting into the water.
Unlimited dining options (including soft serve ice cream)
While enjoying Family Beach, I decided it was time for lunch. Luckily, the neighborhood’s quick-service Paradise Grill was just steps away. The food here is unlimited, so dine as much as you’d like on classic cheeseburgers, chicken Caesar wraps and island-inspired bites like crab cake sandwiches. (Note: No matter which neighborhood you’re in, the menu at each Paradise Grill location is the same.)
For lunch, I tried a lobster BLT wrap, which was stuffed with chunks of lobster, crispy bacon, lettuce and tomatoes, plus a drizzle of Old Bay ranch. The wrap was tasty and light — perfect for a hot beach day. I also tasted one of Royal Beach Club’s signature dishes: skewers of shrimp glazed in a sweet and tangy guava sauce with pineapple slaw (aptly named “shrimp on a stick”). While the dish was OK, I was hoping for a larger lunch-sized portion. Instead, the skewer was more of a fun beach snack.
Speaking of snacks, there are a few deep-fried options worth trying, as well. The fried cheese bites are an easy win for picky eaters, while the corned beef fritters combine corned beef and cheese into a deep-fried morsel (accompanied by a zesty dipping sauce).
Those with a sweet tooth will find fresh fruit and cookies, but the unlimited soft serve ice cream machine was what really called my name. Of the multiple flavor options, pineapple was the clear favorite among guests. The sweet and slightly tart dessert was a tasty way to top off my meal before heading back to my beach chair to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
Returning to the ship
When it was time to head back to the ship, I went to the pier near Party Cove. The ride was fairly quick, but I was surprised to discover the drop-off location was on the opposite side of the pier we were picked up from that morning. As a result, guests had to walk through part of the gated port area of Nassau — a slight sticking point for those on my water taxi (myself included), who assumed we would be dropped off closer to our ships. My walk from the drop-off point back to Utopia was about 15 minutes; not bad, but not what I expected.
Are more Royal Beach Clubs opening soon?
According to Royal Caribbean, more Royal Beach Club locations are coming soon. Two new beach clubs will open in Cozumel, Mexico, and Santorini, Greece, in 2026, followed by Royal Beach Club Lelepa in Vanuatu (an archipelago in the South Pacific) in 2027.
Additionally, a new (free) Perfect Day experience is coming in 2027; it will replace the current cruise port of Costa Maya in Mexico. The getaway will be akin to Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Would I return to Royal Beach Club Paradise Island?
Overall, I had a great day at Royal Beach Club Paradise Island. The spaces are beautiful, the views of the ocean are unmatched and the party-centric energy is high. The types of disappointments I experienced — like difficulties finding beach chairs — are largely dependent on how many Royal Caribbean ships are docked in Nassau on any given day.
If I were sailing again on a short weekend cruise aboard Utopia of the Seas, I would skip Royal Beach Club Paradise Island and instead enjoy a complimentary beach day at Perfect Day at CocoCay. This would also give me more time to enjoy the amenities on the ship during my Nassau day in port.
However, if I were on a longer sailing of four or more nights around the Bahamas, I would definitely purchase a day pass for Royal Beach Club Paradise Island — and potentially enjoy two separate beach days split between both of Royal Caribbean’s exclusive tropical destinations.
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Megan duBois has been covering travel, cruising and theme parks for five-plus years. She has taken more than 50 cruises, has traveled to four continents and more than 25 countries, and has visited a dozen theme parks around the world. Her work appears online and in print in major publications like U.S. News & World Report, Travel + Leisure, The Points Guy, Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes and more.
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Royal Beach Club Paradise Island Review 2026 originally appeared on usnews.com
