Royal Caribbean has unveiled Hideaway Beach, its first adult-only getaway at CocoCay

Set to open in January 2024 with the debut of Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Icon of the Seas, the getaway will have a private beach and pools as well as two bars and three dining spots. 

“Everything from its hideaway location to the exclusive beach and pools to the private cabanas is designed for adults who want a day just for them,” said chief executive and president Michael Bayley.

Located in the north-west of Cococay, Hideaway Beach is an all-day experience reserved for adults aged 18 and above.

The unveiling comes as the cruise line announced earlier this week it was putting on sale the 2025-2026 season onboard Icon of the Seas three months in advance due to skyrocketing demand.

Royal Caribbean Sails Up as Largest Brand in the Industry

Royal Caribbean International will be the largest cruise brand in the world by 2029 noticeably ahead of Carnival Cruise Line, according to the 2023 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

The Royal Caribbean brand will have an annual global capacity of approximately 6.5 million passengers in 2029, compared to 5.4 million for Carnival Cruise Line.

Royal Caribbean will sail 30 ships versus 27 for Carnival.

While Royal Caribbean will be the largest globally, based on known deployment and the current orderbook of new builds to be introduced, Carnival will most likely continue to dominate in the Caribbean where the brand tends to concentrate its deployment.

The other largest brands on a global scale in order of size will be MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess, Celebrity, AIDA, Costa, TUI and Holland America.

Two question marks would be what happens in China with Carnival’s joint Adora venture that could grow quickly when the Chinese market returns, and if more Costa ships were to be transferred to Carnival’s Fun Italian Style product.

The 2023 Cruise Industry News Annual Report is in digital and printed formats. Order today by clicking here.

Royal Caribbean International Trimming Housekeeping Services

Royal Caribbean International is adjusting the housekeeping services onboard its fleet. According to different passenger forums on the internet, several ships have seen a reduction in how many times a cabin is serviced per day.

“In an effort to be more sustainable and to align with global hospitality trends, we will be adjusting our stateroom services to one per day,” the company said in a daily cruise program onboard one of the ships that saw the change.

According to the document, passengers are welcome to work with their housekeeping staff to ensure their needs are met. It’s understood that guests are able to select whether they prefer morning or evening service in their staterooms.

While most cabin categories are set to move to the new service schedule, Junior Suites and above will maintain two services per day, the message added.

The change has been spotted in different ships, including the Quantum of the Seas, the Spectrum of the Seas, the Independence of the Seas, the Ovation of the Seas and the Harmony of the Seas.

It’s unknown whether the service reduction will be applied to Royal Caribbean’s 26-ship fleet.

In 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line also moved its stateroom cleaning services to a once-a-day basis for select cabin categories. According to a letter sent to the crew at the time, the change aimed at consolidating crew roles while saving energy and water.

Other cruise lines that have moved to a once-a-day cabin service include Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and more.