Heads up: we may earn a commission if you book through our Sandals links, at no extra cost to you.
Quick Answer
Sandals Resorts has been owned by the Stewart family since founder Gordon "Butch" Stewart started it in Jamaica. On September 23, 2026, Royal Caribbean Group agreed to buy 50% of Sandals and Beaches Resorts for about $3 billion in cash, which makes it a 50/50 joint venture. The Stewart family is reported to keep the other half. The deal is expected to close in early 2027. For now, the companies say existing reservations, loyalty programs and resort operations continue as usual, so your Sandals honeymoon booking doesn't change.
Who Owns Sandals Resorts Today?
Sandals Resorts International, the company behind Sandals and Beaches, is family-owned. Jamaican entrepreneur Gordon "Butch" Stewart founded it, and after he died in 2021 his family kept control, with Adam Stewart leading the business.
That's about to change, partly. Under the September 2026 agreement, Royal Caribbean Group will own 50% of Sandals and Beaches Resorts. The press release doesn't say who holds the other half, but Bloomberg and the Jamaica Gleaner both report that the Stewart family keeps it. Once the deal closes, Sandals becomes a 50/50 partnership between a Caribbean family business and one of the world's biggest cruise companies.
What Exactly Did Royal Caribbean Buy?
Free: Sandals Resort Comparison Cheat Sheet
All 17 resorts compared side-by-side — budget tiers, overwater options, what's included, and booking tips. Print it. Share it. Plan your honeymoon with it.
According to Royal Caribbean Group's SEC filing:
- The stake: a 50% equity interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts
- The price: about $3.0 billion in cash, funded by committed debt financing from Morgan Stanley, which values the whole business at roughly $6 billion
- Who runs it: a joint board co-led by Adam Stewart and Jason Liberty, with Stewart continuing as Executive Chairman of Sandals and Beaches
- The timing: announced from Montego Bay and Miami on Sept 23, 2026, and expected to close in early 2027, subject to customary approvals and closing conditions
Why Is Royal Caribbean Buying Into Sandals?
Royal Caribbean describes all-inclusive resorts as an adjacent vacation category: the same couples and families who cruise also take resort vacations. The companies say the partnership is meant to speed up Sandals and Beaches' growth, put the brands in front of more travelers, and deepen how both companies connect with their guests. In an interview with Travel Weekly, Stewart talked about expanding beyond the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, where every Sandals resort sits today.
Does This Change Your Sandals Honeymoon Booking?
No, not right now. The joint announcement says existing reservations, loyalty programs, resort operations and cruise operations will continue as usual. Sandals' sales team gave travel advisors the same message, according to Travelweek: nothing changes at this point.
If you're booked, or about to book, you're booking the same Sandals: the same adults-only all-inclusive resorts and the same inclusions. Any changes would come after the deal closes, and none have been announced.
Will Sandals Stay Adults-Only?
Nothing announced says otherwise. The joint release describes Sandals as the adults-only all-inclusive brand and Beaches as the family brand, and Sandals' sales team summed it up for advisors as "Sandals remains Sandals, Beaches remains Beaches." No one has announced a change, though no one has made a formal long-term promise either.
Can You Use Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Points at Sandals?
Not today. The deal announcement didn't merge any loyalty programs. Royal Caribbean CEO Jason Liberty has said the long-term plan is for guests' status to be recognized across ships and resorts, and that it will take new technology to get there. No timeline has been given, so don't plan a honeymoon around it yet.
Will There Be Royal Caribbean Cruise and Sandals Packages?
None have been announced. Liberty has said the aim isn't to sell Sandals day passes to cruise passengers. The Bahamas' tourism minister has said he hopes for "cruise-and-stay" trips, but that's a hope, not a product. There's also no announced link between Sandals and Royal Caribbean's private destinations such as Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Will Sandals Prices Go Up?
No one has said. Neither company has announced any change to Sandals pricing, and the analyst commentary so far has been about Royal Caribbean's stock, not what guests pay. For current rates on your dates, check Sandals.com directly.
Is Sandals Caribbean Cay Connected to Royal Caribbean?
No, and the names cause a lot of confusion. Sandals Caribbean Cay is the new name of the resort long known as Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay, famous for its offshore island and overwater villas. Sandals renamed it as part of its post-hurricane rebuild, and the new name was public by June 2026, months before the Royal Caribbean Group deal. The resort is scheduled to reopen on December 18, 2026.
Read our Sandals Caribbean Cay honeymoon guide
What About Beaches Resorts?
Beaches, Sandals' family all-inclusive brand, is part of the deal. Beaches operates in Negril and Turks & Caicos, and the release lists Exuma, Barbados, Runaway Bay and St. Vincent as coming soon, without dates. Beaches Exuma is the former Sandals Emerald Bay.
What's Happening at Sandals in Jamaica Right Now
Separately from the deal, Sandals is about $200 million into rebuilding three Jamaica resorts after Hurricane Melissa in October 2025:
- Sandals South Coast is scheduled to reopen Nov 18, 2026
- Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Caribbean Cay are scheduled to reopen Dec 18, 2026
- Open now: Sandals Ochi, Negril, Dunn's River and Royal Plantation
Full details in our Great Jamaica Comeback guide
Timeline at a Glance
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Sept 23, 2026 | Royal Caribbean Group and Sandals announce the 50% deal |
| Nov 18, 2026 | Sandals South Coast scheduled to reopen |
| Dec 18, 2026 | Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Caribbean Cay scheduled to reopen |
| Early 2027 | Deal expected to close |
Planning a Sandals Honeymoon Now?
The deal doesn't change what you'd book today. If you're choosing a resort, compare all 17 in our best Sandals resort guide, or see the lower-priced picks in our cheapest Sandals resort guide.
Want a second opinion? Talk to a Guru — free
Sources: Royal Caribbean Group Form 8-K and joint press release (SEC, Sept 23, 2026); Bloomberg and the Jamaica Gleaner (Sept 23, 2026); Travelweek (Sept 25, 2026); Travel Weekly; PAX News (June 18, 2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Royal Caribbean buy Sandals?+
Royal Caribbean Group agreed to buy 50% of Sandals and Beaches Resorts for about $3 billion in cash, not the whole company. It was announced Sept 23, 2026, and is expected to close in early 2027.
Who owns Sandals Resorts?+
Sandals Resorts International is owned by the family of founder Gordon "Butch" Stewart. Once the Royal Caribbean deal closes, Royal Caribbean Group will own 50% of Sandals and Beaches, with the Stewart family reported to keep the other half.
Will my Sandals booking change because of the Royal Caribbean deal?+
No. The companies say existing reservations, loyalty programs and resort operations continue as usual.
Will Sandals stay adults-only?+
Nothing announced changes that. The deal announcement describes Sandals as the adults-only brand and Beaches as the family brand.
Can I use Crown & Anchor status at Sandals?+
Not yet. Royal Caribbean has talked about recognizing status across ships and resorts in the future, but there's no program or timeline.
Is Sandals Caribbean Cay owned by Royal Caribbean?+
Caribbean Cay is simply the new name of the former Sandals Royal Caribbean resort in Montego Bay, announced before the deal. Like every Sandals resort, it falls under the new 50/50 ownership once the deal closes.
Found your resort? See it on Sandals.com.
Check room categories and availability for your dates directly with Sandals.
Explore Sandals Honeymoons