Royal Caribbean Group confirms 50% Sandals and Beaches stake for about $3 billion
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Royal Caribbean Group has signed the Sandals deal. This is no longer the 22 Sep rumor post. PR Newswire carried the joint release early on 23 Sep 2026. Reuters confirmed the same day.
Your booked Sandals or Beaches stay stays put. Your Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, or Silversea cruise stays put. No package product is live yet.
The video companion walks five passenger-impact points from the signed terms, including the SEC Form 8-K: 5 Things Royal Caribbean Just Confirmed About Sandals.
What was signed
Royal Caribbean Group will take a 50% equity interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for about $3 billion. The PR Newswire release pegs that at roughly 10x forward EBITDA. Morgan Stanley has committed debt financing to fund the investment.
Close is targeted for early 2027, subject to customary approvals and closing conditions. The companies say the deal should be accretive to earnings next year.
A board under the shared leadership of Adam Stewart and Jason Liberty will govern the joint venture. Stewart stays Executive Chairman of Sandals and Beaches and keeps guiding long-term strategy.
What does not change for you
The PR Newswire release is clear. Existing reservations continue as usual. Loyalty programs continue as usual. Resort operations continue as usual. Cruise operations continue as usual.
Sandals remains the adults-only Caribbean all-inclusive brand. Beaches remains the family brand. Do not cancel a resort week or a cruise because ownership is shifting at the corporate level.
What could come later
The companies say they will explore broader distribution and deeper guest engagement across both portfolios. That language is future packaging talk. It is not a dual-brand product you can book today.
Until Royal or Sandals publish a named cruise-plus-resort offer with price and terms, treat land and sea as separate bookings.
How this differs from yesterday
On 22 Sep 2026, Tier 2 outlets reported unfinished talks. Stake size and valuation details did not match across those reports. Today both companies put a signed 50% agreement on PR Newswire. That is the line between rumor and confirmed deal.
What you should do
Keep your Sandals, Beaches, and Royal Caribbean Group cruise bookings unless your own plans change. Watch later for any dual-brand packages with published terms. Facts above follow the PR Newswire release and Reuters on 23 Sep 2026.
Cruise news for September 23, 2026
Sources
Tier 1 = the cruise line’s own published material · Tier 2 = an established cruise-news outlet- TIER 1RCG and Sandals announce signed agreement; RCG acquires 50% equity in Sandals and Beaches for approximately $3 billion (~10x forward EBITDA); Morgan Stanley committed debt financing; expected close early 2027 subject to customary approvals; expected accretive to earnings next year; board under shared leadership of Adam Stewart and Jason Liberty; Stewart remains Executive Chairman; existing reservations, loyalty programs, resort ops and cruise ops continue as usual; companies will explore broader distribution and guest engagement; Sandals adults-only Caribbean; Beaches family brand
PR Newswire / Royal Caribbean Group, checked 23 Sep 2026 - TIER 2Royal Caribbean agreed to acquire 50% stake in Sandals for $3 billion; close early 2027; Morgan Stanley debt financing; board jointly led by Jason Liberty and Adam Stewart; Stewart remains executive chairman; FT had first reported talks valuing Sandals above $6 billion
Reuters, checked 23 Sep 2026
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