A new private beach destination will be added to MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys’ Caribbean cruise itineraries.

Passengers sailing with the MSC Group will be able to visit the stretch of sand on Catalina island, off the coast of La Romana, Dominican Republic, from November 2026.

Named Catalina Sugar Beach, the destination is being operated in partnership with CTL Maritime, a subsidiary of MSC Group, and Casa de Campo Resort & Villas, a luxury local holiday destination.

The private beach will have an open-air buffet, two bars, private cabanas and a picturesque pathway to learn about the island’s diverse tree species.

There will also be watersports centre, from which guests can book boat trips to nearby Saona Island, the Cave of Wonders – an underground network known for its petroglyphs – or Altos de Chavón, a recreated Mediterranean village.

MSC Cruises will begin sailing from La Romana aboard MSC Opera with stops at Catalina Sugar Beach this November, marking the first time the cruise line has offered year-round sailings in the southern Caribbean.

This will boost the choice of private Caribbean islands and private beach destinations for cruise passengers.

MSC Group is also working on a new private island in the Bahamas for its cruise line guests.

The new destination, Sandy Cay, is located close to the cruise line’s current private island destination Ocean Cay off the coast of Miami. It will be open to visit during Caribbean sailings with MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys.

Few details have been revealed but Sandy Cay has been described as a “luxury private destination”, formed out of a natural sandbank.

Royal Caribbean opened its first private beach destination, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in the Bahamas at the end of last year.

Carnival Cruise Line opened Celebration Key last year, adding to Half Moon Cay which it shares with Holland America Line.

Norwegian Cruise Line has its own private island called Great Stirrup Cay, while Disney Cruise Line has two – Castaway Cay and Lighthouse Point.

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