We don't usually cover other cruise line news here on the podcast or really on

Rural CaribbeanBlog.com in general, unless it's something that really hits close to home.

And I think this week's news definitely does with MSC's announcement.

It's going to build a beach club in the Bahamas exclusive for its cruise guests.

MSC announced they're going to transform a 20-acre portion of the Grand

Lucayan Resort at Grand Bahama Island into a new private destination for both of its brands.

It's MSC cruises and Explorer.

Explorer is MSC's like Ultra Luxury Line.

And this is going to be a new beach club that will be developed at the side of the Reef Village

and will open sometime in 2028.

Hmm, where have I heard this before?

Oh yeah, Royal Caribbean's Beach Clubs, the Royal Beach Clubs, that is.

Because this is MSE doing what MSE does best, looking at what Royal Caribbean does, turning around, and then building its own thing.

I mean, every cruise line, to some extent or another, borrows ideas from other cruise lines.

I mean, this is just the nature of any industry.

They're going to, you know, take inspiration from each other.

This happens in the airlines, hotels, etc.

But MSE clearly seems to always just

copy everything Royal Caribbean does. I mean, look at their recent new cruise ships. They look like

Oasis class ships, right? And rather than focusing on that, I really want to talk about their new

beach club because, of course, Royal Caribbean has pioneered the idea of going well beyond a private island

and offering something different in a beach club. There's the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island,

...