Royal Caribbean Buys Half of Sandals Resorts for $3 Billion

Royal Caribbean announced it will acquire a 50% stake in Sandals Resorts for $3 billion, according to multiple wire reports. The deal pushes the world's largest cruise line beyond ships and into land-based hospitality, pairing its Caribbean itineraries with Sandals' network of all-inclusive resorts. The move signals that Royal Caribbean sees resort stays as a way to capture more spending from the same customer base that already books its cruises. Bundling ship and resort vacations could let the company sell longer, higher-margin trips rather than just competing on cabin prices. What remains unresolved is how the two businesses will be integrated operationally and whether Royal Caribbean plans to eventually take full ownership of Sandals. Neither the report nor the company has detailed financing terms for the $3 billion transaction.