Might there be a brand new non-public seashore spot for cruisers coming quickly?
In keeping with report in native media, Royal Caribbean Group is within the course of of shopping for a defunct lodge in Freeport, Bahamas.
This undertaking seems supposed for Superstar Cruises, as a substitute of Royal Caribbean Worldwide.
The information was a part of a reveal by The Central Financial institution of The Bahamas, who mentioned Superstar Cruises has supplied to spend $348 million to accumulate Freeport’s long-closed Xanadu Seaside Lodge and surrounding land.
The Xanadu Seaside Lodge was inbuilt 1968 after which bought by Howard Hughes in 1972. Mr. Hughes lived on the lodge till simply earlier than his dying in 1976.
It was an escape for Hollywood stars, and included 215 rooms and an 80 slip marina. Stars resembling Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Lucille Ball visited there.
It closed in 2011.
In whole, it encompasses a 40-acre web site that they intend to remodel into “leisure and leisure amenities”, in keeping with the financial institution.
“Royal Caribbean Cruise Traces – Superstar Cruises Integrated obtained approval for the acquisition of 40 acres of privately-owned land for the event of leisure and leisure amenities. The funding is valued at $348m,” the Central Financial institution confirmed.
The financial institution didn’t disclose the particular property, however Tribune Enterprise is reporting it is the Xanadu web site.
There was no announcement by Superstar Cruises or Royal Caribbean Group but, nor have they confirmed or denied the report.
In keeping with an nameless supply, the closing on the deal might happen in both late summer time or early fall.
Royal Caribbean was first rumored to be in talks to get the Xanadu resort in December 2023
What’s Superstar going to do with the land?
When any cruise line acquires land within the Caribbean it is virtually all the time for a non-public shore possibility for its company.
The native information report says the shopping for up of the Xanadu property and different adjoining land is for the needs of mixing all of it right into a shore vacation spot for the cruise passengers.
Royal Caribbean not too long ago acquired the port and surrounding port space in Costa Maya to construct Excellent Day Mexico.
They’ve additionally acquired land in different ports, resembling Vanuatu, Cozumel, and Nassau, Bahamas.
One guess is Superstar would department out to have its first non-public seashore property, which might supply its cruise ship passengers a secluded and unique day ashore.
It may very well be just like both Excellent Day at CocoCay or one of many seashore golf equipment that Royal Caribbean is growing.
Royal Caribbean virtually purchased one other property in Freeport
The reported buy of the Xanadu resort in Grand Bahama Island is harking back to one other undertaking that nearly occurred.
Proper earlier than the cruise business shutdown in 2020, Royal Caribbean was in talks to accumulate each Freeport Harbour and the Grand Lucayan lodge and surrounding space.
The thought was to redevelop the port and construct a water-based journey theme park.
The Grand Lucayan resort would have been became a world-class beachfront vacation spot with a 526-room lodge, purchasing village, spa and wellness middle, water-based household leisure together with a large water and journey theme park, a 40,000-square-foot conference middle, journey actions resembling zip traces and off-roading, eating places and bars, leisure and vigorous nightlife.
The resort would have been a spot for each land and cruise company to go to.
Each offers fell aside because of a mixture of the monetary troubles related to the cruise business shutting down, in addition to an incapacity to finalize a cope with the Freeport Harbour Firm.
Constructing on the non-public vacation spot development
If Superstar is certainly getting in on a seashore spot for its passengers, it is one in all many such initiatives across the Caribbean.
Non-public seashores for cruise ship company is not new, however there’s been an upward development in opening new ones.
Royal Caribbean is growing two new seashore golf equipment, with the primary one opening in Nassau in December 2025. That is along with Excellent Day Mexico coming in 2027.
Carnival is about to open Celebration Key this summer time, which is yet one more non-public vacation spot for its line that appears to take many cues from Excellent Day at CocoCay.
MSC Cruises is growing a non-public island in The Bahamas on a pure sandbank that’s aimed toward providing a non-public, luxurious seashore expertise.
Disney Cruise Line not too long ago opened its second non-public seashore spot at Lighthouse Level.
There is a main benefit for cruise traces to spend money on non-public locations, because it ups the visitor expertise whereas partnering with native locations.
Cruise traces get a “walled backyard” expertise that give passengers the sort of picturesque, enjoyable seashore day they think about.
The ports get assured guests, and within the case of Royal Caribbean, funding and fairness to the area people.
