Royal Caribbean Plans a Big Clean-Up Before New Beach Club

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) has revealed plans to invest close to $50 million in a clean-up operation of its Paradise Island, Nassau property. The investment is part of plans by the cruise line to construct the new Royal Beach Club in the next two years.

The area where the Royal Beach Club is to be located is currently filled with decaying old structures, boat docks sliding into the sea, and a wide variety of non-native plant species that have overtaken the lush Bahamian plant life that was once part of Paradise Island. 

Transforming Paradise Island

Royal Caribbean will invest $50 Million in cleaning up and rejuvenating the property where Royal Beach Club will soon be constructed. The area is currently filled with multiple former villas, boat docks, and other structures in a derelict state.

According to the Nassau Guardian, Royal Caribbean’s Chief Product Innovation Officer, Jay Schneider, and other cruise line executives gave a tour of the 17-acre site to members of the media. They witnessed the derelict state of the properties which were once the homes of the stars, including actor Nicholas Cage.

The cruise line now intends to revitalize these spaces, transforming them into part of the exclusive beach club. Royal Caribbean is also keen on preserving some parts of Paradise Island’s history that were sold to private interests years ago. 

A former armory and Bahamas Customs building will be refurbished and integrated into the Royal Beach Club.

Focusing on Sustainability

Besides the extensive cleanup operation, the cruise line plans to use a large part of the $50 million budget to replace non-native invasive trees and plants with native species, contributing to the restoration of the local ecosystem. 

Schneider said, “Our plan is to remove all of the invasive, non-native species and then protect all of the native species. The challenge is if you remove all of the invasive, non-native species, this would be a barren strip of land because there’s so much of it. And so one of the significant parts of the budget is to put landscaping back in because what we essentially want is a complete, lush forest.”

However, this undertaking has not been without opposition. Atlantis, the largest protestor, has contested the development of the beach club, followed by local entrepreneur Toby Smith. Royal Caribbean International reduced its Crown land holdings to mitigate these concerns, ensuring no overlap with other developers.

Royal Beach Plan will be built under a strict environmental plan. The cruise line revealed it is determined to be environmentally conscious in a public consultation report released last week.

The cruise company has outlined six sustainability cornerstones, ranging from zero waste-to-landfill to 100% renewable energy by 2030, habitat protection, and more.

They also reassured that the project would not disrupt the Paradise Island coastline and would aim to improve it by removing sea walls as part of their engineers’ recommendations.

Royal Caribbean International said: “No one’s history is perfect, but over 30 years ago, we took a stance and began our Save the Waves program. Since then, Royal Caribbean has a formidable environmental record for consistently going above and beyond the environmental regulations put in place by various authorities around the world.

“Royal Caribbean Group has been recognized for the last eight years as one of the 2023 World’s Most Ethical Companies and the only honoree in the leisure and recreation industry.”

The Royal Beach Club Plans

The Royal Beach Club’s conception dates back to 2020, but global events halted progress until recently. Now, with the green light from local authorities, Royal Caribbean moves forward with plans that promise private cabanas, sparkling pools, and Bahamian spirit and culture.

Guests can look forward to indulging in Bahamian fare, island-style barbecues, live music, and crafts by local artisans. 

While Royal already operates the hugely popular Perfect Day at CocoCay, the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island promises a different allure. Perfect Day is known for its thrill-seeking adventures, from waterslides to helium balloon rides.

The Royal Beach Club, however, aims to offer a more tranquil, culturally immersive experience for guests seeking an authentic Bahamas beach day during their port call.