Less Than a Month Open, Royal Caribbean Already Changed the Menu at Its New Beach Club

Royal Caribbean just proved it’s willing to move fast when guests speak up. The cruise line’s brand-new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in the Bahamas opened in late December 2025, and by mid-January 2026, the menu had already undergone a complete overhaul.

We’re not talking about a few tweaks here and there. The food offerings nearly doubled in size—jumping from 18 items to 33—and the entire philosophy shifted based on what guests actually wanted to eat.

What Happened at Paradise Island

According to a Royal Caribbean Blog report published January 16, 2026, the cruise line implemented sweeping menu changes at its newly opened Paradise Island beach club just weeks after welcoming its first guests.

The update went into effect on January 16, less than a month after the exclusive beach destination opened to Royal Caribbean passengers visiting Nassau.

Linken D’Souza, Royal Caribbean’s Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage, explained the changes were driven directly by guest feedback. The goal? “Offer less fried food, while adding more variety and choice,” with an emphasis on “a fresher and lighter array of choices.”

And Royal Caribbean didn’t just collect feedback casually. The cruise line surveyed every single guest who visited the beach club since opening day to understand what worked and what didn’t.

From Fried to Fresh: The Menu Transformation

The changes weren’t subtle. Royal Caribbean completely rethought how food is served at the Paradise Beach Club, starting with the fundamentals.

Healthier Protein Options

Salads that previously featured fried chicken now come with grilled chicken breast instead. A new Caesar salad option was added alongside the existing selections, giving guests another lighter choice when they’d rather skip the heavier fare.

Expanded Variety

The menu additions show Royal Caribbean was listening to guests who wanted more options beyond burgers and fried items:

• Lobster BLT wrap
• Chicken Caesar wrap
• Tropical salad with pineapple and feta
• Shrimp on a stick with guava glaze
• Veggie BBQ burger with charred pineapple
• Classic burger option (in addition to the signature burger)

New Kids Menu

Families visiting the beach club now have access to a dedicated kids menu with simpler, kid-friendly choices—something that was notably absent at opening.

Dessert Upgrades

The dessert selection expanded with new ice cream flavors, giving guests more sweet options to cap off their beach club experience.

Royal Caribbean also made sure dietary restrictions are accommodated. Gluten-free brioche buns remain available upon request, and dietary information is accessible via QR code at the service counters.

Why This Matters

The speed of this change is remarkable. Most cruise lines test new venues and concepts for months before making significant alterations. Royal Caribbean opened the Royal Beach Club, immediately started gathering feedback, analyzed guest preferences, redesigned the entire menu, and implemented the changes—all in less than 30 days.

That kind of responsiveness is rare in an industry where decision-making often moves at glacial speed.

It also signals that Royal Caribbean is taking the Royal Beach Club seriously as a differentiator. The company invested heavily in this exclusive beach destination to compete with private island experiences offered by other cruise lines. If the food wasn’t meeting expectations, that threatened the entire value proposition.

The shift away from fried food aligns with broader industry trends toward healthier options, but it also reflects changing guest preferences. Today’s cruisers—particularly those willing to pay premium prices for beach club access—expect fresh, lighter fare that fits a vacation vibe, not a carnival midway.

What’s Next for Royal Beach Club

D’Souza and his team planned to continue gathering feedback, with additional surveys scheduled when three Royal Caribbean ships were set to visit Nassau the weekend following the menu update.

This suggests the January 16 menu isn’t the final version. Royal Caribbean appears committed to iterating on the dining experience based on what guests actually want, rather than assuming they got it right the first time.

For cruisers planning a Royal Caribbean cruise to Nassau in 2026, this is good news. You’re getting a beach club experience that’s actively evolving based on real guest input, not a static concept that takes years to change.

The Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is available exclusively to Royal Caribbean guests during Nassau port calls. Access isn’t included in standard cruise fares—guests must book the beach club experience separately.

Whether this rapid menu overhaul becomes a one-time adjustment or the start of ongoing refinements remains to be seen. But it’s clear Royal Caribbean is paying attention to what guests say about Paradise Island, and they’re willing to act on it quickly.