Royal Caribbean has opened its first exclusive beach club in Europe on Santorini's Vlychada Beach, giving cruise passeng...

Royal Caribbean has opened its first exclusive beach club in Europe on Santorini's Vlychada Beach, giving cruise passengers a private stretch of the island's volcanic southern coastline. Access is limited to guests sailing with Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, who can book full-day shore excursions as part of Mediterranean itineraries. The club sits along a dramatic gray-black sand beach framed by wind-carved cliffs, one of the more striking coastal settings in the Aegean. Ships already scheduled to stop at Santorini in the coming months include Legend of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, and Brilliance of the Seas. Royal Caribbean's flagship offering here is the "Ultimate Santorini Day," which pairs guided visits to Oia and Fira with leisure time at the club, all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink options, welcome drinks, and live DJ sets throughout the day. The company says the club is also designed to ease overtourism pressure. Excursions depart from three separate points across the island to reduce congestion in Santorini's busiest areas, spreading visitor traffic more evenly across the destination. Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley said the project brings together the best of the island with the service standards the cruise line is known for. The Santorini location is part of a wider expansion that includes planned beach club openings in the Bahamas and Mexico. Cruise tourism in Greece contributed 2 billion euros to the domestic economy in 2023 alone, supporting over 22,600 jobs and adding 1 billion euros to GDP. #Santorini #Greece #CruiseTourism