Royal Caribbean Group is bringing a managed beach experience to Santorini, and it neatly solves the island’s midday crowd puzzle. Set at Vlichada on the south coast, the new space pairs morning village time in Oia or Fira with a guaranteed afternoon of shade, swims and local flavours. It is also the first of RCG’s purpose-built destinations to land in Europe, signalling a bigger Mediterranean play.
Launching next northern summer in Vlichada, Royal Beach Club Santorini will welcome Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises guests with beaches, cabanas, dining, and curated activities. Positioned around 25–40 minutes from Oia and Fira, it is built to balance village exploration with an unhurried shoreline afternoon. RCG plans to grow its destination portfolio to eight by 2028, with Perfect Day Mexico in 2027 and Lelepa now slated for 2028.
Santorini has always delivered blue domes and dramatic cliffs, yet the logistics between villages and beaches can sap energy at peak hours. The club is designed to bring order to the busy middle of the day, without replacing the magic of the island’s public spaces. Think predictability, comfort, and timing that respects how people already like to explore.
Until now, Royal Caribbean Group has concentrated its private destinations in the Americas. Placing a club in Greece marks a shift, positioning a familiar concept within Europe’s most in-demand summer region. For travellers who want the village views and a swim, this European first reduces friction, and it gives your cruise adviser a clear framework to shape a smooth day from ship to shore and back.
Vlichada sits on the quieter southern coast, far enough from the postcard crowds to breathe, close enough to keep transfers practical. The 25–40 minute drive from Oia or Fira becomes a natural reset between photo walks and shoreline time. Volcanic cliffs and the Aegean’s steady breeze add a distinctive look and feel, so the beach day still reads as Santorini rather than generic sun and sand.
No private venue can replace cliffside cafés or public beaches. The promise here is predictability when the island fills up, particularly for families and multigenerational groups. You can greet the caldera in the morning, then switch to assured loungers, shaded cabanas and an easy lunch without scanning crowded shorelines for spare umbrellas or queueing for change rooms at the last minute.
The Santorini announcement sits alongside two other destination milestones. Perfect Day Mexico is due in 2027, while the South Pacific’s Lelepa has been moved to 2028. Together, these reveal how RCG is sequencing its portfolio and what that means for travellers planning across several seasons.
Opening access to both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises increases the number of itineraries that can include a curated Santorini day. Celebrity loyalists, who often favour longer lunches and slower afternoons, gain a managed beach option in Europe without flying to the Bahamas or Mexico. Your adviser can confirm which sailings include the club and how access windows are arranged on busy calls.
RCG has stated its destination portfolio will expand from two to eight by 2028. That growth is about capacity control, consistent service, and reliability on high-demand days. For guests, it means fewer unknowns and a higher chance of getting the exact kind of day you pictured when you booked a Greek Isles itinerary.
Lelepa in Vanuatu is now slated for 2028. It remains the only Southern Hemisphere private destination in the group’s plan and will pair naturally with Australia-based voyages once open. The practical read is simple. Enjoy Royal Beach Club Santorini during a European trip in 2026 or 2027, then keep a separate slot for Lelepa once it is ready, so both experiences get room to shine.
While exact menus and activity rosters can evolve, the intent is clear. The club knits the island’s signature village exploration with an unhurried coastal finish, turning a classic Santorini call into a sequence that flows.
Start early with Oia’s narrow lanes or the Fira to Firostefani path while the light is soft and queues are short. Late morning, transfer south to Vlichada and settle into the club for swims, shade and lunch. This order preserves the best hours for village photos and keeps the warmest part of the day for the beach when breezes pick up and the water is at its most inviting.
Shade is the real luxury in the Aegean sun. Managed lounger zones and cabanas remove the scramble, and facilities like showers and change rooms reduce the sandy dash back to the ship. For grandparents, parents and teens moving at different speeds, the controlled layout makes meet-ups easy and the afternoon genuinely restful.
RCG has promised a blend of the company’s service style with the Grecian spirit and culture. Expect bright salads, grilled seafood and crowd favourites that suit a long lunch, alongside family-friendly options. The point is to eat well without clock watching, then drift back to the water before a relaxed transfer to the pier.
The club is not mandatory to enjoy Santorini, yet it will be the right fit for many. Matching the format to your travel style is where the value shows.
If this is your first Greek Isles call, you probably want the blue domes and a proper beach hour. The club keeps both pieces on track with fewer decisions at midday. Pair it with a balcony stateroom for sail away, and you have the version of Santorini day that most first timers imagine, minus the stress.
Different energy levels need different spaces. Grandparents can read in the shade, younger travellers can move between water and snack stations, and parents can stop directing traffic. Because the layout is designed for capacity, everyone gets room without long waits or crowded changeovers.
If you have done the viewpoints before, the appeal shifts to comfort. The club becomes your base for quiet swims and reading, with the option to slip back to the ship clean and unhurried. It is also a good choice if steep stairs or crowded bus stops are not your thing in peak heat.
Australians often combine Europe with school holidays or long service leave. The decisions that save time and reduce risk matter, and the club is one piece of a well-planned week.
Many Santorini touching itineraries start or end in Athens, Piraeus, Rome, Civitavecchia or Barcelona. Pick the city you can reach comfortably with one stop, then add a pre-cruise night to absorb delays. Ask your cruise adviser to prioritise itineraries that place Santorini mid itinerary, which often pair with calmer seas and a natural rhythm of port and sea days.
Balcony cabins earn their keep on island weeks, from breakfast outside to a private view of the coast as the ship sails away. If you are motion sensitive or plan long shore days, choose midship on a lower deck near lifts to keep movement gentle and logistics short. Travelling with friends consider adjacent cabins to make quick meet-ups easy without sacrificing privacy.
With Perfect Day Mexico slated for 2027 and Lelepa for 2028, sketch a two-year view. Place Europe with Royal Beach Club Santorini in the northern summer, then keep late 2028 flexible for a shorter South Pacific break when Lelepa opens. Two distinct holidays often feel richer than one year where you try to fit everything.
Before you lock dates, it helps to see real sailings in one place. Use our Cruise Finder to filter by region, length and embarkation city, then bookmark departures that include Santorini and note which list a club call. Browse and compare.
Have a shortlist already. Use Cruise Finder to line up month-by-month schedules and port order, then check where the sea days fall and which itineraries pair Santorini with quieter islands the day before or after. That single sequencing tweak can make a week feel balanced instead of rushed. Explore your options.
The arrival of Royal Beach Club Santorini gives Mediterranean cruise days a calmer backbone. It simplifies the midday hours, respects the island’s rhythm, and suits first timers, families and repeat visitors in different ways. With Europe gaining this new option, Perfect Day Mexico on approach, and Lelepa set for 2028, you can map the next two holiday seasons with confidence. If you would like tailored help choosing ships, dates and staterooms that match your travel style, send a message to our cruise specialist today.