Royal Caribbean Signs $3 Billion Deal for 50 Percent of Sandals and Beaches

Update, September 25, 2026: Royal Caribbean Group and Sandals Resorts announced a signed agreement on September 23 for Royal Caribbean to acquire a 50 percent equity interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for about $3 billion. The transaction has not closed; the companies expect it to close in early 2027, subject to approvals and other closing conditions.

The companies say existing reservations, loyalty programs, resort operations and cruise operations will continue as usual. If you are weighing a family all inclusive, our Beaches Turks and Caicos guide covers one of the brand’s family resorts.

What the Companies Signed

Royal Caribbean will acquire a 50 percent equity interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for approximately $3 billion under the September 23 agreement. Adam Stewart will remain executive chairman of the resort brands, and he and Royal Caribbean chief executive Jason Liberty will share leadership of the joint venture board.

Earlier reports described a possible controlling deal worth more than $6 billion. The signed terms clarify the actual structure: a 50 percent stake for about $3 billion. Royal Caribbean says the transaction still requires customary approvals and closing conditions, so signing does not mean the investment has closed.

The Resorts Involved

Sandals runs adults oriented couples resorts under the Sandals name and family resorts under the Beaches name. The Maritime Executive counts 17 Sandals resorts and three Beaches resorts, plus two private island destinations, spread across Jamaica, the Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, Antigua, Curaçao and Turks and Caicos.

The Gleaner puts the company’s workforce at about 20,000 people, making Sandals one of the largest private employers in the region.

A Long Road to a Sale

A sale has been discussed for years. Founder Gordon “Butch” Stewart died in 2021, and Cruise Industry News describes years of on and off attempts to sell the business since then, with earlier efforts stalling during the pandemic and family disputes over the governance of estate trusts slowing the process.

The Gleaner reported that Sandals engaged bankers in March 2025 to explore a sale valued at $6 billion to $7 billion. That history explains the earlier speculation, while the companies’ September 23 agreement now supplies the confirmed stake, price and expected closing window.

Royal Caribbean’s Land Strategy

Royal Caribbean already sells land time alongside its ships. It runs Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas and has opened beach clubs in Nassau and Santorini, with another planned for Cozumel, according to Royal Caribbean Blog, and chief executive Jason Liberty has described the company as competing for vacations with places like Orlando and Las Vegas, not just other cruise lines.

The September 23 terms leave the Stewart family in leadership of the resort business while Royal Caribbean takes a 50 percent stake. This is an announced partnership, not an announcement that current resort or cruise operations will merge.

Questions Travelers Will Have

With the agreement signed, the next guest questions concern cross selling, loyalty links and future resort offerings. The companies said they will explore broader distribution and guest engagement, but announced no change to current booking terms, loyalty benefits or inclusions.

If you hold a deposit or future travel credit with Sandals, keep your confirmation and the terms that applied when you booked, as you would with any change of ownership, and rely on the resort’s written policies rather than on deal coverage.

The companies expect closing in early 2027, subject to approvals and other conditions. Until then, travelers should use the written terms of their own booking rather than assume any future partnership benefit is already available.