Another Perfect Day! Royal Caribbean to build epic beach getaway in Mexico
It's official: Another Perfect Day is on the way.
Cruise giant Royal Caribbean on Wednesday announced it would build a massive private beach getaway in Mexico that would be similar to Perfect Day at CocoCay, its highly rated private island in the Bahamas.
To be called "Perfect Day Mexico," the resort complex will spread across about 200 acres of land located right where ships dock at the port of Costa Maya, Mexico, Kara Wallace, Royal Caribbean's chief marketing officer, told TPG in an exclusive interview.
Speaking with TPG in advance of the announcement, Wallace said the new Perfect Day would open in 2027, likely "towards the back half" of the year. It'll be open exclusively to customers arriving on Royal Caribbean ships, she said.
Perfect Day at CocoCay is "the most successful port of call that we go to," Wallace said, citing guest satisfaction ratings that are higher than any other port in the world. "So we took that as inspiration to expand the portfolio to Mexico."
Like Perfect Day at CocoCay, Perfect Day Mexico will feature both high-adrenaline attractions and low-key areas for relaxing — "thrill and chill," as Royal Caribbean likes to call the two categories of resort options.
Royal Caribbean didn't offer many details about what vacationers would find at Perfect Day Mexico other than that it would include a water park, pools and beaches, restaurants, bars and music. But Wallace suggested the complex would wow customers in a similar manner to Perfect Day at CocoCay.
"We're known for our game-changing thrill and chill, giving our guests, no matter who they are, what they want and what they would expect in a perfect day," Wallace said. "And that means something ... for everybody."
Over the past few years, Royal Caribbean Group has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into overhauling and expanding Perfect Day at CocoCay, including adding a major new adults-only zone called "Hideaway Beach" just this year.
Related: Royal Caribbean debuts Hideaway Beach: See photos of the adults-only beach club
Royal Caribbean Group is the parent company of Royal Caribbean, as well as Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises.
The revamping of Perfect Day at CocoCay (which until a few years ago had much less infrastructure and was just known as CocoCay) also has included the addition of the biggest water park in the Bahamas or Caribbean and the region's largest freshwater pool.
The additions have turned Perfect Day at CocoCay into a massive beach and amusements escape for cruisers on a scale not seen anywhere else in the world. With the addition of Hideaway Beach this year, it now has room for around 13,000 people at a time. It's expected to draw about 3 million visitors this year — a new record.
Wallace told TPG that Royal Caribbean would use the existing docks at the port of Costa Maya when its ships arrive at Perfect Day Mexico.
Passengers arriving at the destination would have the option of staying within the Perfect Day Mexico compound or going off property on shore excursions across the region, she added — a notable difference from the vacation experience during calls at Perfect Day at CocoCay. At the latter destination, which is an island wholly controlled by Royal Caribbean, passengers never leave the environs of the resort complex.
Related: How to visit Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay on zero dollars
As part of the new development, Royal Caribbean would build a transportation hub for local shore tours, Wallace said.
Wallace also promised that the new Perfect Day would "bring in the local culture, the vibrancy, the food, the landscapes, the people" of its location into the experience found within the compound.
While the land area that Royal Caribbean is developing as part of the Perfect Day Mexico project is about 200 acres, about 100 acres of that will be preserve as wild habitat, Wallace added.
In a statement, the governor of Quintana Roo, the Mexican state where the development would be located, praised Royal Caribbean's development plans.
Related: The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean cruise ships and itineraries
“We are very excited that Royal Caribbean has decided to invest in Mahahual, a land of opportunity and hard-working people," the governor, Mara Lezama, said in the statement, using the name of the village in the area. "My administration is looking forward to working very closely with the company to ensure a sustainable destination that brings shared prosperity to the region and that our local communities are part of this historic investment."
Royal Caribbean has hinted that it would build a new Perfect Day development for several years, and Royal Caribbean fans have been eagerly awaiting an official announcement.
The development is just one of several that Royal Caribbean Group has in the works at beach destinations in the Bahamas and Caribbean that have been designed to offer its customers more places to visit.
Others include Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, a private beach destination opening in the Bahamas in 2025, and Royal Beach Club Cozumel, a recently announced beach getaway scheduled to debut in Cozumel, Mexico, in 2026.
Wallace said Perfect Day Mexico would fit into itineraries on cruises to the Western Caribbean with home ports in the Gulf of Mexico, such as those along the west coast of Florida and in Texas.
Wallace said more details about Perfect Day Mexico would be announced in the spring.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.